The Breadwinner Read Online Free PDF

family,” Parvana said.
    â€œIs that right?” Nooria asked. “And who do I lean on?”
    That was such a Nooria-like comment that Parvana immediately felt a bit better. Nooria being grumpy meant things were getting back to normal.
    She felt better still after she’d washed her face and tidied her hair. There was cold rice and hot tea waiting when she had finished.
    â€œMother, would you like some breakfast?”Nooria gently shook their mother. Mother moaned a little and shrugged Nooria away.
    Except for trips to the washroom, and a couple of cups of tea, which Nooria kept in a thermos by the toshak, Mother spent the day lying down. She kept her face to the wall and didn’t speak to any of them.
    The next day, Parvana was tired of sleeping. Her feet were still sore, but she played with Ali and Maryam. The little ones, especially Ali, couldn’t understand why Mother wasn’t paying attention to them.
    â€œMother’s sleeping,” Parvana kept saying.
    â€œWhen will she wake up?” Maryam asked.
    Parvana didn’t answer.
    Ali kept waddling over to the door and pointing up at it.
    â€œI think he’s asking where Father is,” Nooria said. “Come on, Ali, let’s find your ball.”
    Parvana remembered the pieces of photograph and got them out. Her father’s face was like a jigsaw puzzle. She spread the pieces out on the mat in front of her. Maryam joined her and helped her put them in order.
    One piece was missing. All of Father’s face was there except for a part of his chin. “Whenwe get some tape, we’ll tape it together,” Parvana said. Maryam nodded. She gathered up the little pieces into a tidy pile and handed them to Parvana. Parvana tucked them away in a corner of the cupboard.
    The third day barely creeped along. Parvana even considered doing some housework, just to pass the time, but she was worried she might disturb her mother. At one point, all four children sat against the wall and watched their mother sleep.
    â€œShe has to get up soon,” Nooria said.
    â€œShe can’t just lie there forever.”
    Parvana was tired of sitting. She had lived in that room for a year and a half, but there had always been chores to do and trips to the market with Father.
    Mother was still in the same place. They were taking care not to disturb her. All the same, Parvana thought if she had to spend much more time whispering and keeping the young ones quiet, she would scream.
    It would help if she could read, but the only books they had were Father’s secret books. She didn’t dare take them out of their hiding place. What if the Taliban burst in on them again?They’d take the books, and maybe punish the whole family for having them.
    Parvana noticed a change in Ali. “Is he sick?” she asked Nooria.
    â€œHe misses Mother.” Ali sat in Nooria’s lap. He didn’t crawl around any more when he was put on the floor. He spent most of the time curled in a ball with his thumb in his mouth.
    He didn’t even cry very much any more. It was nice to have a break from his noise, but Parvana didn’t like to see him like this.
    The room began to smell, too. “We have to save water,” Nooria said, so washing and cleaning didn’t get done. Ali’s dirty diapers were piled in a heap in the washroom. The little window didn’t open very far. No breeze could get into the room to blow the stink away.
    On the fourth day, the food ran out.
    â€œWe’re out of food,” Nooria told Parvana.
    â€œDon’t tell me. Tell Mother. She’s the grownup. She has to get us some.”
    â€œI don’t want to bother her.”
    â€œThen I’ll tell her.” Parvana went over to Mother’s toshak and gently shook her.
    â€œWe’re out of food.” There was no response. “Mother, there’s no food left.” Mother pulledaway. Parvana started to shake her again.
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