A Thousand Splendid Suns

There was a faint smile on her lips now, and an air of eagerness about
her, of anticipation. "Wait here," the girl said quickly.
She closed the door.
A few minutes passed. Then a man opened the door. He was tall and
square-shouldered, with sleepy-looking eyes and a calm face.
"I'm Jalil Khan's chauffeur," he said, not unkindly.
"His what?"
"His driver. Jalil Khan is not here."
"I see his car," Mariam said.
"He's away on urgent business."
"When will he be back?"
"He didn't say."
Mariam said she would wait-He closed the gates. Mariam sat, and drew
her knees to her chest. It was early evening already, and she was getting
hungry. She ate thegari driver's toffee. A while later, the driver came out
again.
"You need to go home now," he said. "It'll be dark in less than an hour."
"I'm used to the dark."
"It'll get cold too. Why don't you let me drive you home? I'll tell him
you were here."