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Mariam was born in a small village near Herat. Her mother, Nana, lived in a simple mud house on the outskirts and always reminded Mariam that she was a harami—a child born out of wedlock. Her father, Jalil, was a rich man who lived in the city with his three wives and nine children. Mariam adored her father and waited eagerly for his weekly visits. Jalil told her stories, brought gifts, and made her believe she was special. But when Mariam begged to visit his grand house and watch a movie at his cinema, her mother warned her not to go. Mariam didn’t listen and went to Herat by herself.
When she reached Jalil’s house, the servants refused to let her in. She spent the night outside his gate, hoping he would come. In the morning, she saw him looking at her through the window but he didn’t open the door. Heartbroken, Mariam returned home, only to find that her mother had taken her own life. Jalil, filled with guilt, took Mariam in, but his wives did not want her. To get rid of her, they arranged her marriage to a man named Rasheed, a much older shoemaker from Kabul.
Mariam moved to Kabul with Rasheed, who seemed kind at first. He bought her clothes, made her wear a burqa, and treated her gently. But when she became pregnant and lost her baby, his attitude changed. He became cruel, shouting at her and beating her. He blamed her for not giving him a child. Mariam’s days became full of silence and fear. Rasheed forced her to cook, clean, and obey him without question. She lived a lonely life in his house, locked behind walls and pain.
Years later, in the same neighborhood, a young girl named Laila was growing up happily with her loving parents. Her father, Hakim, was a teacher who believed in education for girls, and her mother, Fariba, loved her but was often sad because her two sons were away fighting in the war. Laila’s best friend was Tariq, a boy with one leg who lived next door. They shared everything and as they grew older, they fell deeply in love. But the city was falling apart. Rockets were destroying homes, and one day a terrible explosion killed Laila’s parents and wounded her badly.
When Laila woke up, she found herself in Rasheed and Mariam’s house. Rasheed had rescued her and nursed her back to health. Soon, Rasheed proposed marriage to her, saying it was for her protection since she had no family left. Laila was heartbroken because Tariq had left for Pakistan with his family. When Rasheed lied that Tariq was dead, Laila agreed to marry him because she was carrying Tariq’s baby. Mariam felt betrayed, but she pitied the young girl who had no one.
After Laila gave birth to a baby girl named Aziza, Rasheed became more distant. He wanted a son and didn’t care for Aziza. Mariam and Laila slowly grew closer through their shared pain. They began to trust each other and comfort one another. Rasheed, however, became more violent, often beating both women. Laila had another baby, a boy named Zalmai, who was Rasheed’s pride and joy. Yet the war outside worsened. Food became scarce, and Rasheed lost his job. The family suffered from hunger, and Mariam and Laila started to dream of escaping.
One day, they decided to run away from Kabul. They took Aziza and tried to leave by bus, pretending Rasheed was sick. But the bus driver grew suspicious and handed them over to the police. The police returned them to Rasheed, who beat them brutally for trying to leave. Mariam’s body ached for days, but she stayed strong for Laila and the children. The friendship between Mariam and Laila became a bond like mother and daughter.
Years passed, and the Taliban came into power. They made strict rules for women—no work, no school, no walking outside without a man. Rasheed used these laws to control them even more. He forced Laila to send Aziza to an orphanage because they couldn’t afford food. Laila’s heart broke as she watched her daughter cry behind the gate of the orphanage. Mariam tried to comfort her and told her to stay hopeful. Every day, Laila risked her life to visit Aziza, walking through the dangerous streets in her burqa.
One day, when things seemed hopeless, Tariq suddenly returned. He told Laila that he was alive and had never sent any message saying he was dead. Rasheed had lied to her. Laila’s heart filled with joy and pain at the same time. She wanted to run away with Tariq, but before she could, Rasheed found out that Tariq had visited. Furious, he locked the door and attacked Laila, trying to strangle her. Mariam, seeing that Rasheed was going to kill Laila, grabbed a shovel and struck him on the head. Rasheed fell to the floor, dead.
For the first time, Mariam felt peace. She had done it to save Laila, the daughter she never had. Laila begged her to come with them, but Mariam refused. She knew the police would come, and she didn’t want Laila and the children to suffer for her act. She made Laila promise to live a happy life with Tariq. Then Mariam turned herself in to the Taliban. She was sentenced to death and taken to a stadium where she was executed. Before dying, she felt calm, knowing she had found love and purpose in her last act.
Laila, Tariq, and the children fled to Pakistan. In the quiet safety of another land, Laila thought often of Mariam. She told Aziza stories about the brave woman who had saved their lives. When the war finally ended, Laila decided to return to Kabul with Tariq and their children. They wanted to help rebuild the city and start a school.
Before settling, Laila went to Herat to visit the house where Mariam had lived as a child. There, she met Jalil’s old driver, who gave her a letter Jalil had written to Mariam before he died. In the letter, he confessed his regrets, saying he was sorry for abandoning her and that he had always loved her. Laila wept as she read the words, wishing Mariam could have known.
When Laila returned to Kabul, she helped Tariq rebuild their lives. They reopened a small orphanage where Aziza could go to school, and Laila taught the children there. Every day she looked at the sky and thought of Mariam, imagining her smiling among the thousand splendid suns that brightened their city again.
Years passed, and Kabul began to heal from its wounds. Laila and Tariq worked hard to give their children a better future. Aziza grew into a smart, kind girl who reminded Laila of Mariam’s strength. Zalmai, though younger, began to understand the pain his mother had endured and grew gentle and caring. Together, they built a small but happy family, surrounded by hope where once there had been only sorrow.
Whenever Laila passed by the orphanage, she thought of Mariam’s laughter, her quiet strength, and her sacrifice. The memory of Mariam lived in every brick of the school and every smile of a child learning to read. Laila sometimes sat on the rooftop at sunset, watching the golden light bathe the city, and whispered a prayer for Mariam’s soul. She felt that Mariam’s spirit had become part of Kabul’s heart, glowing forever in its warmth and beauty.
And as the years went by, the city that had once been filled with war and pain slowly began to bloom again, like a flower after a long winter. Laila’s life became a tribute to the woman who had shown her what love, courage, and sacrifice truly meant. In every sunrise that touched the mountains and in every laughter of her children, Mariam lived on—among the thousand splendid suns of Kabul’s sky.