10

Zehra entered home and locked the door behind her.

“Assalamu Alaykum, Mama,” she called out.

“Wa alaykum salam, Zea,” her mother replied, emerging from the kitchen.

Zehra put her sneakers away and was about to head upstairs to her room, when she noticed that something was off. She turned at the foot of the stairs and saw her mom watching her with a distant expression.

“What’s up. Mama?”

Her mother shrugged. “Nothing. Go and take a shower.”

Zehra put her backpack down and removed her scarf. “Alright, tell me.”

Her mom glared at her. “Go take a shower and pray ‘Asr, Zea,”

“Not till you tell me what’s going on,” Zehra said and sat on the bottom stair, knowing that this would take some persuasion. Brown parents