Salma watches the Vancouver rain from her apartment window in the Welcome Center It’s different than the sunny days back in Syria She still can’t pronounce Vancouver but her friends tell her that her ways of saying it are more fun
Fankoufer Salma says to Mama but Mama is making dinner Vandourar Salma rolls her Rs but Mama won’t look up from her English homework Vancouver Salma finally succeeds but Mama is busy calling Papa back in Syria
Papa will join them in Canada soon Salma’s heart aches like a tiny fire in her chest when she thinks of Papa She wonders if Mama’s heart is burning too
Mama used to giggle with her friends in the refugee camp It sounded like the ringing bells on the older boys bikes Now after a long day of job interviews and English classes Mama barely smiles when tucking Salma in
