Time kept on passing and she became even more nervous. However, she didn’t want Nasreen to notice.
“Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?”
In her little world Nasreen had prepared a place at the dinner table for the little doll that Daddy was going to buy for her.
Two hours passed the dinner time and there was no word of Nasreen’s father. Whatever the odds he would usually make it home before dinner.
Nasreen’s mother began thinking about what could have happened: He wasn’t working overtime, he would have called if he was. He wasn’t going anywhere either. Buying the little doll was on his way home… could he have been in an accident, had something happened or … She didn’t want to believe these things. She was lost in her thoughts when her mobile phone rang. It was her husband and he was in a hurry and very nervous:
“Marjan, listen, the other workers and I went to the company accountancy to get our paychecks, but like always they kept on saying come back another day. We then all went on strike and started a picket line here. Despite the fact that we haven’t received our paychecks for three months, they had me and 11 of the other workers arrested. Right now they are even confiscating all our belongings! Some of my friends are keeping the agents busy so I could make this call. I can’t continue any longer. I don’t know how much longer we will be here. Tell something to Nasreen so she won’t be too upset. The little kid is probably still waiting for her doll, huh?! Ok, I don’t have any more time because the agents are coming. Good b….”
The voice of Nasreen’s father was cut-off.
