Welcome back to our regularly scheduled book talk. What a section! We have a lot to get to, so on with the show.

Summary

Chapter 16

Chava and Ahmad go on more walks around the city. They talk about Michael, how she can hear other's desires, and God. A well dressed couple in a sleigh recklessly ride past the fountain. Chava feels uncomfortable.

It is now 1900, and Arbeely's clientele expands to include Conroy and Thomas Maloof. Rich Mr Maloof wants a custom tin roof (hey, that rhymes). That night, Ahmad looks up at the tin ceiling of his building and gets an idea. Why not make one giant ceiling tile and one for the walls? Arbeely comes to his shop and is shocked that Ahmad used four months’ worth of tin plate on his project. Ahmad might lose his job over it and storms out. Arbeely notices that the scene is of a desert as seen from above.

Saleh sees the spark from Ahmad and follows him. Ahmad had to see the Park Street tenement roof for himself. Ahmad and Arbeely both talk to the boy who collects rent, Matthew. Maloof agrees to buy it once he sees it if Ahmad can explain what he'll do with the rest.

Saleh follows Ahmad to the Winston house. Uh oh. He sees him climb the wall to a balcony. Sophia's room is empty and hasn't been lived in for a while. A maid saw him and screamed. Saleh was so weak he fainted. Ahmad carried him and raced away from the house. Saleh sees an angel (the statue at the fountain).

Over bowls of soup, Saleh tells him that he's the only one whose face he can look at directly. He wonders if Ahmad is sick. Ahmad sees the ifrit in him. Ahmad melts a spoon and scares Saleh. He runs away but hurts himself again. Ahmad helps him home.

Ahmad came home to Arbeely sleeping in the doorway of his apartment. He is shocked when Arbeely tells him the ceiling was sold. He offers to make him a full partner of the business. The ceiling will be his calling card. He could be an artist. But did he really want to be so public? He could play at being human but knew in his heart he was still a jinni.

Chapter 17

The golem and the Jinni walk on the rooftops. People on the roof think Chava is a social worker and mistrust her. A man chased by a police officer races past. Ahmad knows the officer and says hi. They climb a water tower and watch the cityscape. He asks why she doesn't use her strength and talents for more than baking. Or even be a fortune teller. (The last one was teasing.) Why think of what you can't do? It would draw attention to you anyway. She would destroy herself if she ever hurt anyone. Chava attempted to open his metal bracelet. It's too strong.

Matthew hangs around the tin shop and does errands for Ahmad. The big day comes when the roof is to be installed. Even Maloof climbs a ladder to help. Residents and passersby take an interest. Once it's done, Ahmad is oddly sad. He didn't add his castle to the picture. Arbeely didn't realize it was a map. Matthew overheard Ahmad talking about his life as a jinni. (Uh oh)

It's Passover, and business at the bakery is slow. (They don't eat bread with yeast in it for a week.) Chava has more mending to do since Anna told the customers that she can sew. Chava feels Anna's panic when she realizes she's pregnant. Chava is impatient and restless when she next meets with Ahmad.

They go to Central Park. He shows her the Angel of the Waters. He suggests she visit it in the daytime with Michael. No, that would encourage him too much. Ahmad suggests she lay with him anyway. (I am shook! Lol) They reach the Mall, and Chava wants to run. She has never run before and stops at a plant starting to grow.

Chapter 18

Passover ends, and people clamber to bakeries like Shimmel’s and Radzin’s. Schall is tasked with getting some bread. Shimmel's is busy, so he goes to Radzin's. He senses Chava and she feels a tug, too. He left the building and had to think. Chava worries about Anna, and she comes into the bakery one day with big news: she is getting married and moving to Boston. Chava is surprised at the happy outcome. Anna invites her to a dance tomorrow night.

Chava buys a fancy shirtwaist from a peddler (plus two combs thrown in for free) and meets with Anna and her friends after work. They promise to watch out for her. The dance hall is enormous. Anna's friend Estelle teaches her to dance. Chava is a quick study as usual. A guy named Jerry asks her to dance. She dances with multiple guys and forgets the time. Dang, she's late for her walk with Ahmad. Maybe he'll forgive her if she invites him, too.

Ahmad agrees to attend the dance. He sees that she's happy and wants to see why. The hall looks like his castle with its mirrored walls and bright lights. Chava shows him how to dance. Anna left to find Irving, who didn't show up. Chava asks that if Ahmad ever becomes free to meet her one last time, i. e. send her a sign. They dance a spiel until Phyllis stops then with the bad news that Anna found Irving with another girl and they are now fighting.

In the alley, they see Irving hit Anna. Ahmad tries to stop Chava from hurting him. She's completely changed and blackout angry. Ahmad burned her clothes and skin to wake her up. Anna comes to, and Ahmad tells her that a man attacked them both. Ahmad races away with Chava in his arms.

Then a flashback to when Ahmad visited Fadwa. Her family thought she was crazy and hallucinating. Her father will pick a husband for her. It didn't matter if she's in love with him. That's just how things are done. She invited him to her wedding. He asked her to show him how a wedding would look.

Fadwa woke in a tent after the wedding ceremony. A man dressed in black gave her an elaborate metal and glass necklace. They go to bed together, but Fadwa is awakened before any fun happens. Ahmad tore himself away from her and drifted in the sky above the tents. I think he killed her. :-(

Chapter 19

It is 1900 again, and Ahmad races to the rooftops with Chava in his arms. They hide near a chimney. Ahmad saw her locket and took the paper out of it for her own safety. Chava woke up, and Ahmad told her there was a fire. Chava then recalled what really happened. She would have turned herself in. She should pretend nothing happened instead. Ahmad says they shouldn't see each other anymore. She agrees.

Chava left and found a private space to destroy herself, but the paper isn't in her locket. She decides to find someone to be her master.

Michael dreamt of his uncle urgently telling him something and then an old cabin with creepy eyes peering out. The Sheltering House is barely scraping by. Chava is on the doorstep of the House. She proposes right away. Well, then!

Ahmad walks to the Brooklyn Bridge and contemplates jumping in and walking through the ocean like Chava did on her first day in America. He gives up on the idea and goes back to Arbeely, who notices that Ahmad is heartsick. There's an order for women's jewelry if he wants to take it. Ahmad agrees. He already has an idea. (The necklace design he gave Fadwa in her last dream.) He hid Chava’s stolen commands between his skin and the metal of the confining bracelet.

Matthew sneaks into the shop and watches as Ahmad works. He makes a chain by heating the metal with his hands and pliers. Ahmad isn't shocked when Matthew said he knew. He won't tell anyone. Ahmad gets him to measure and cut wire into small pieces.

A parcel arrives for Ahmad the next day. Chava had sent the metal bird back. He threw it in the fire. They are no longer friends.

Extras

If you read ahead, comment in the Marginalia.

Washington Square arch

Tinsmithing

Rugelach (A friend made me some. It's delicious.)

Growlers are beer mugs.

Questions are in the comments. I pass the tin snips and dough over to u/Vast-Passenger1126 for February 2 for chapters 20-23. 🗿 🧞