Contents
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Overview
In June 2001, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan, who is gravely ill and urges him to come to Pakistan, hinting at "a way to be good again." The plea reignites Amir’s buried guilt over Hassan. After reflections on his marriage and family, Amir commits to the trip and flies to Pakistan.
Summary
Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan in June 2001 and learns Rahim Khan is very sick. Shaken, Amir tells Soraya he must go to Pakistan. Soraya worries about safety but supports him. Amir reflects on Rahim Khan’s long friendship with him and Baba, and the weight of what remains unspoken between them.
Seeking space, Amir walks in Golden Gate Park, where kites in the sky trigger his memories. He recalls Rahim Khan’s parting words—"There is a way to be good again"—and realizes Rahim Khan knows about the long-buried events after the kite tournament: Assef, the theft setup, and Amir’s betrayal of Hassan.
At home, Soraya arranges for her parents to stay with her while Amir is gone. Amir recounts the general’s recent frailty after a broken hip and how it softened his relationship with Soraya. That night, Amir and Soraya lie together, their intimacy shadowed by years of infertility, and Amir dreams of Hassan running in the snow, shouting loyalty.
A week later, with the decision made, Amir boards a flight to Pakistan, unable to sleep, bracing to confront his past and whatever Rahim Khan intends to reveal.
Who Appears
- AmirProtagonist; receives Rahim Khan’s summons, wrestles with guilt and memories, decides to travel to Pakistan.
- SorayaAmir’s wife; concerned about safety but supportive, arranges for her parents to stay during his absence.
- Rahim KhanBaba’s old friend; gravely ill in Pakistan, calls Amir and hints at a path to redemption.
- General TaheriSoraya’s father; recovering from a broken hip, now gentler and closer to Soraya.
- Khala JamilaSoraya’s mother; devoted caregiver to the general, remembered singing during his hospital stay.
- HassanAmir’s childhood friend; appears in Amir’s dream, symbolizing loyalty and the source of Amir’s guilt.
- AflatoonAmir and Soraya’s cocker spaniel; briefly present, a domestic detail framing the call’s impact.