Khatoon and her Baby
My parents’ house was spacious, requiring at least two people to maintain with help from a day worker. They often hosted guests and had Khatoon and her stepdaughter, Sultan, working inside the house, while Khatoon’s husband tended to the gardens. Living behind the main house were Khatoon and her family, with a shared yard for the chickens to roam.
Khatoon and her husband moved to Tehran after a tragic illness in their village took all ten of their children. Devastated, they sought a new life where they joined Sultan to work for my family. Khatoon’s love for her newborn daughter was evident, and she ensured the baby was always close by, living with them in the back house.
Despite the hardships Khatoon faced, her daughter fell ill, possibly due to unhygienic conditions. Efforts to help the baby at home failed, leading to a visit to the pediatrician. The baby’s condition worsened, prompting my parents to decide on hospitalization. However, Khatoon’s husband initially resisted, believing it was fate for the child to die.
In a moment of conflict, my father’s intervention ensured the baby received medical attention. Khatoon’s relief was evident as she accompanied her child to the hospital, where my parents supported her through this difficult time. Despite a scare one night on her way back from the hospital, Khatoon’s plea to a kind taxi driver strengthened her faith in humanity.
Ultimately, the baby recovered, becoming the sole surviving child of Khatoon. The passage of time and the impact of the revolution led to a separation, leaving unanswered questions about the alternate paths life could have taken.