Sahar kept the paper in the pocket of her burkha. She goes to the next room where Zahira was teaching to the kids. As Sahar came to the classroom, Zahira stopped teaching. She looked into the eyes of Sahar and recognized the emotion. It was time to go. Zahira was dreading this day, she had even started to believe that it's been several days and maybe Sahar will never be called but a deep dark corner of her heart knew it, that Sahar will have to put her life at risk. She has to pay for the crimes of other men.
Sahar reached the military hospital, where she was registered as a patient and even had an appointment with cardiologist for a fake ailment, which required frequent visits to the hospital, so no one suspects Sarah. And the cardiologist was no one other than the world-renowned Doctor Aaron. As Sahar walked into the room, Aaron stood up. Even though Sahar was covered in burkha. Aaron recognized the eyes. Aaron and Sahar kept looking at each other, for a moment too long. "Aren't you people going to talk," Sam quipped from a bed, he was lying on. This broke the spell and Aaron said, "Here, take a sit Sahar."
Sahar sat on the nearby, patient stool. Sahar still had her burkha on, Aaron noticed this, he wanted to see her beautiful face again. "It's been a month, since…" Aaron was too shy to say that he had missed Sahar and wanted to see her. "Thirty-three days," replied Sahar, from behind the veil. "I think, I should leave," said Sam and went out. Aaron and Sahar both were ignorant of Sam's presence, so they did not react and continued to stare in each other's eyes. "You kept a count," asked a surprised Aaron. Sahar did not answer, it would be too much for her to announce to a man that she has been counting the days since they have not seen each other.
Aaron placed a leaflet on the table. Sahar picked it up and read. It was an advertisement of a bakery. Sahar looked at Aaron, "What is this?" Aaron explained, "Our intelligence pointed out that Yusuf had some dealings with this bakery. We don't know the details. We thought of bringing him in and spill it all out from his mouth. But as you are aware he is dead. And the secret of the bakery still looms. We want to know, what was Yusuf's connection with the bakery. Maybe it was a small transaction or may be something, that you have to find out."
Sahar put the down the leaflet, "What do exactly propose I do?" Aaron took a deep breath, "take a job at the bakery, and report anything that you find is unusual." Sahar shook her hand. There was nothing else she could do. She had no choice. But she wanted to plunge into this danger. If her efforts can mean no more guns and blasts in her village. She would take the risk. For the kids, who come to her school and for the kids who want to learn but have to sit hiding into their houses.
"The canteen here has really good food, I was thinking maybe, before leaving, we could eat something," requested Aaron. "No, I can't," said Sahar. Aaron assumed maybe Sahar is being shy, so he tried again, "I can bring it here and we can eat in this room." "Sorry, I can't," said Sahar. Aaron felt bad, he assumed he was being a little too pushy. Maybe Sahar counted the days because, she was dreading this day. Like who would be eager to be a spy of a foreign army in their own home country against people of their own. Or maybe the counting was for how many days ago she was shot a bullet, for no fault of hers. A prize marked in her flesh, for helping him.
Maybe that's the reason, why she wants to be away. She has suffered a lot for meeting Aaron just once. Aaron was awkwardly silent, when Sahar spoke, "I'm fasting!"
"For what," Aaron asked curiously. "This is the holy month of Ramzan, it's a month of fasting and worship." "Is it a festival?" Aaron intrigued. "It is, the biggest festival in Islam," replied Sahar proudly.
"Well festivals in America are almost all about eating good food, I mean… I'm not being…" Aaron realized his mistake and was trying to be considerate. "Well, we celebrate with food too on Eid," Replied Sahar. "Yeah, but after so much fasting." Softly argued Aaron. "No, but we eat good stuff, during iftari! So that balances the whole day's fast," explained Sahar. "Iff- what?" intrigued Aaron. "Iff-Taa-aar, eats when we open our fast in the evening with our families," Sahar choked a bit while she said this. Eid was when she missed her parents and brother a lot. But she regained her composure quickly, "With family and the whole community." Finished Sahar.
This was a little relief for Aaron, so the reason Sahar rejected his date proposal was because she was fasting. "So can I join you for Iff—" tried Aaron to speak a foreign word. "Iftar! I don't know. An American soldier at my house, can raise a lot of questions and I can't be out in the evenings too. So…" Explained Sahar her situation. "And if I were not a soldier?" Aaron hoped this time maybe he will get a positive answer. "No! Unless you were invited by a man in the house," Sahar quickly dismissed Aaron's stupid dreams without getting sentimental about lack of father and brother in her life. Aaron hated how easily Sahar had destroyed all his hopes. But he knew she was right; he can't just barge into a local girl's house.
Aaron then took a tiny box and gave it to Sahar. Sahar looked at it and then at Aaron intently. "What's this?" asked Sahar. "Open it," Aaron politely requested. Sahar opened the box and found a wrist watch in it. It was a simple, yet beautiful watch. "A gift?" Sahar' eyes light up. "More of a tool, if you press this button thrice, I'll know you are in danger and I'll reach at your location" revealed Aaron. Sahar wore the watch, and this was the beginning of her dangerous spy journey.