If Mamou made the best chelo kabob in the Alpha Quadrant, it was nothing compared to her hugs, which were easily the best in the Virgo Supercluster, of which our Milky Way Galaxy was only one small part.
When Mamou wrapped her arms around me, a whole new dimension of light and warmth opened up between them.
I sighed and hugged Mamou back.
I wished there was a way I could bundle her hugs up and take them back to Portland with me.
“Good night, maman.”
“Good night, Mamou. I love you.”
“I love you, Darioush-jan.” She held my face. “Sleep well.”
Laleh’s door was cracked open as I passed by. She was curled up in her bed, completely incapacitated by the amount of chelo kabob she had eaten.
I kind of wished Dad wasn’t playing Rook. Maybe I could have convinced him to watch an episode ofStar Trek. Just the two of us.
But Dad had found his place, and I had found mine. Even if they were further apart.
Like I said, our intermix ratio had to be carefully calibrated.
I went to my room and started up the Dancing Fan. Dayi Soheil had brought Sohrab’s new cleats for me, concealed in a grocery bag, and Mamou had left the box on my bed. I opened it up: bright green Adidas, with the three gleaming white stripes on each shoe so crisp and new, they would blind Ali-Reza and Hossein next time Sohrab played against them.
They were perfect.
I wanted to run after Sohrab and give them to him right away.
I wanted to go to the field and play a game.
But then I thought about what he had said—that it was nice to share with me. And I thought maybe I should wait and give them to him later. Like a going away gift or something.
“What’s that?” Mom asked from the door.
“Dayi Soheil picked up some cleats for me to give Sohrab. As a gift. He needs new ones.”
“They’re perfect.”
“Yeah.”
Mom sat down next to me and ran her fingers through my hair. “You’re a good friend. You know that?”
“Thanks.”
“I love seeing you two together. Just like me and Mahvash when we were younger.”
“Yeah.”
I loved being Sohrab’s friend.
I loved who being Sohrab’s friend made me.
“You’re going to miss it here, aren’t you?”
“Yeah.” I played with my tassel. “I think I am.”
Mom wrapped her arm around me and pulled my head down to kiss me on the temple.
“Did you have a good time tonight?”
