After stepping off the taxi, Usama throws himself into his mother’s arms, exchanging kisses, prayers, and a flood of questions about his health, marriage prospects, and the state of the family. His mother, overwhelmed with relief, urges him to marry soon, citing his cousin Nuwar’s beauty and impending graduation from al‑Najah College. She repeatedly assures him that “God will settle everything” and that the occupation will end, while also lamenting the loss of traditional values such as men not crying. The conversation shifts to practical concerns: the mother mentions the scarcity of Israeli‑made Singer sewing machines, the recent death of Usama’s father’s kidneys, and the heavy burdens carried by Adil, who supports nine dependents plus a dialysis machine.

Later that evening, Usama and his mother travel to the family’s ancestral mansion on Saada Street. The house is described in opulent detail—marble pillars, vaulted ceilings, an inner courtyard with a pool, lemon trees, jasmine, Arabesque plaster, stained‑glass lanterns, and mother‑of‑pearls inlaid chests—yet it shows signs of decay and emptiness. No servants remain; former household staff have migrated to Israeli factories, where workers now earn as much as the family head. In the great hall, Abu Adil hosts a gathering of friends, foreign journalists, and French television cameramen. A senior Palestinian figure declares that employment inside Israel is imposed on workers and blames the occupation, not social structure, for the hardships. The journalists sip coffee spiced with cardamom; a slender French woman, dressed simply, observes the meeting and later greets Nuwar at the doorway.

Nuwar, now a tall, slim student near graduation, arrives and embraces Usama. She explains her studies at al‑Najah College, her future job plans to help support the family, and comments on the house’s disrepair, the lack of servants, and the burden on Adil. She describes Adil’s relentless schedule—leaving before dawn, returning after nightfall—to work on a farm while supporting nine dependents and a kidney machine, noting his recent pallor and silence. Nuwar implores Usama, as the closest male relative, to discover the cause of Adil’s illness. Usama promises to investigate. Their dialogue also touches on societal changes: younger women like Nuwar are less eager for marriage, traditional expectations about family honor persist, and the house’s grandeur feels outdated. Throughout, references to Israeli‑made goods, the prevalence of kinafa, and the pervasive occupation are interwoven, contrasting the material improvements in the town with the lingering socioeconomic and health crises affecting the family. The chapter ends with Usama’s commitment to look after Adil and the family’s uncertain future amidst occupation‑induced hardships.