Laila And Rasheed Sparknotes

Laila awakens in Rasheed 's and Mariam 's house. They took care of her as she healed. Giving her shelter, food and medicine. Shortly after recovering Laila discovers that she is pregnant with Tariq 's child. After being informed that Tariq has died, she agrees to marry Rasheed. When Laila and Rasheed marry, tension arises between Mariam and Laila. Laila later gives birth to a daughter, Aziza, Rasheed is displeased and suspicious. Mariam and Laila eventually become best friends. When Laila starts to get abused they plan to run away from Rasheed and leave Kabul. They caught at the bus station. Rasheed beats them and deprives them of water for several days, almost killing Aziza.

A few years later, Laila gives birth to Zalmai, Rasheed 's son. Rasheed adores and spoils Zalmai. Zalmai worships Rasheed. The Taliban has risen to power and imposed harsh rules on the Afghan population, prohibiting women from appearing in public without a male relative. Rasheed 's shop burns down. The family comes close to starvation. Mariam tries to reach Jalil for help, but she finds that he is dead. He died the same year he came to see Mariam. He is forced to take jobs that are unfitting for him. He sends Aziza to an orphanage. Laila endures a number of beatings from the Taliban when caught alone on the streets in attempts to visit her daughter.

Then one day

, Laila is determined to leave Kabul. She asks Mariam to come with her and Tariq to Pakistan, but Mariam refuses. If Mariam were to leave, the Taliban would search for both of them to find the murderer, but Mariam cannot let the children live in such danger. She also could not look at Zalmai every day knowing she had killed his father. Laila and Zalmai pick up Aziza and leave town. They never see Mariam again. Mariam confesses to killing Rasheed in order to draw attention away from Laila and Tariq. She tries to explain that she was defending herself when she killed Rasheed, but the judge sentences Mariam to death. She is publicly