...there is a long list of unspoken rules in Egyptian households, and the main rule is: The house is the woman's kingdom; it is her realm. It wasn't done in a sexist way. It was understood that women were safer and freer at home, and if a household was full of women, the men excused themselves and found their way to the nearest coffee shop.

I can give him a sugar-coated version of life where I am always the hero. People comply with those versions of stories. Or I can tell him the truth.

I will openly admit it: I was Baba's boy, but Mama is the human I aspire to be.

Yet I had no desire to touch her; I had no desire to be anywhere near her. I wasn't aroused by her nakedness. Her seductive ways—her sugar-coated words—left me cold.

Baba instilled in us a strong sense of community, and he wanted us to always give to those who didn't have. "You don't give the money to the church, mosque, government, or anyone else for that matter; you give it to the needy yourself. Don't always count on the middle man. The money you are spending in God's name is the money that benefits those in need.

And the most important thing I wish for you to know is this: Love is the soul of life. I would say it is the fuel of life, but fuel runs out, and love doesn't.

You are my only prize; the kids are a bonus.' Baba had a way of reassuring Mama of how much she meant to him. Their love story inspired all of us; they exemplified everything that was beautiful about marriage. They worked together as a team, they complemented one another. The sacrifices were many, but they never kept count.

Horses' eyes are covered with blinders to keep them unaware of their surroundings and focused on the race or pulling a wagon. Horses without blinders are horses who can be themselves. I want Adam to be himself, without any blinders, which only means I must continue telling him the story.

I knew there was a point in my life where I couldn't go to Baba for much; I had to hide a lot from him, and it wasn't because he wouldn't have listened. He lost my trust somewhere along the line because I didn't think he would be able to handle my life, because it was so different from his own. I want you to know both the good and bad; I want you to see me as your fellow human, and not a God. I want you to see me as your friend one day and to not fear approaching me.

No,' Nora said, almost in a whisper. 'It's because -' she looked carefully for the words - 'you didn't stare at me. I saw you blush, and you immediately lowered your eyes. And I should have been embarrassed, ashamed... but I, I just felt safe, and I stood there unafraid.' She closed her eyes, taking in all the feelings of gratitude she had for that moment. 'That's when I knew I could trust you in a way that I didn't know was possible.