When the Apricots Bloom

In acquiescence to Huda’s demands, Rania goes to visit her old friend Basil at his farm to try and obtain a passport for Khalid. The farm is in bad condition, and Basil seems to have sold much of his furniture and books. Rania insists on speaking outside and remembers spending time on and near the farm in her college days. Basil is shocked that Rania wants to get Khalid a passport, and he doesn’t understand why an old friend of Rania’s like Huda would threaten her.

Rania is pulled back to memories of the day she met Huda while going to make a customary visit to a new mother. In this recollection, Rania’s mother and grandmother were visiting new mothers, a duty they performed because Rania’s grandfather was the sheikh. Rania went to relax by the river where Huda, Huda’s brother Mustafa, and Huda’s grandmother were just arriving by boat. Rania and Huda ran a race that Huda won, and Rania shared her perfume. Rania bragged about her education, and Huda offered to tell her fortune.

Back in the present day, Rania tells Basil that Huda blames her for her brothers’ deaths, but Basil insists that no one from the opposition remains.