Kitznen, Provence of Affrankon, 13 Duh'l-Qa'dah,
1530 AH (10 November, 2106)
"Now he," Besma said, "is a beautiful man."
"Do you suppose he really looked like that?" Petra asked, "Or do you think maybe my great-grandmother sort of . . . what's the word?"
"Idealized?"
"Yes, that one. Do you think she idealized him or did he really look like that?"
"Either way, he's a dream. And there's something about that."
"That" was a male appendage, plainly visible in the drawing.
To that Petra agreed. Mohammad had had a point. Even at nine, a girl is still in good part already a woman.
The drawing the girls were looking at in the journal was labeled "Mahmoud" in the artist's superb handwriting.
"He's one of my people, I think," Besma said.
"Not one of mine, for sure," Petra agreed. "What do you think he was to my great-grandmother?"
"I don't know. Let's try to read some more. Maybe we can find out."