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Authors: Libby Fischer Hellmann
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compromise. For her it was a non-issue.
Nouri answered. “Please understand, sir…it is just a formality. No one takes it seriously. At least, I don’t. And neither does my family. We understand Anna is a Christian. We respect people of all faiths in Iran. No one will force her to embrace Islam.”
A strange expression—half smile, half grimace—unfolded across her father’s face. “I appreciate your candor, Nouri. As her father, however, I must be sure Anna has no objection to marrying you under any conditions, lenient as they may be.”
Anna jumped in. “We’re not religious. Never have been. You know that. I couldn’t care less.”
“Good.” Her father nodded. “Then I have but one other request, in which I hope you’ll both indulge me.”
Anna and Nouri exchanged glances.
“I would like you to marry here—in the States—before you leave. Nothing elaborate. A civil ceremony will be adequate.”
“Marry here? Why?” Anna asked.
“Isn’t it enough that I want to ‘give away’ my only daughter to her intended?”
Anna sat back. Her father had never demonstrated any sentimentality. In fact, she’d always thought he had the emotional quotient of a frog. She called him on it. “Papa, what are you really asking?”
At first he looked chagrined that she dared to question his motives, then he shrugged. “I would like to ensure that your marriage is certified in the US, as well as in Iran.”
“Why?” Anna couldn’t quite keep the suspicion out of her voice.
Her father peered at her, then Nouri. “Please. Indulge me.”
“But we’re supposed to leave in three days. Our visas stipulate that. We don’t have time.”
“There is no blood test required in Maryland. You can pick up the license and be married forty-eight hours later. Or you can go to Virginia, where there is no waiting period at all.”
Anna sucked in air. “You want us to elope? I thought—”
Her father cut her off. “It is all quite legal.”
Anna’s jaw dropped. She was confused. “But you just said…I mean…you actually want to give me away at a wedding chapel or City Hall? I don’t get it.”
His voice was assured and strong. “Anna, I don’t ask you for much. Please do this for me. Consider it a parting gift.”
Nouri cut in. “Dr. Schroder, sir, I beg you to reconsider and come to Tehran. You would be an honored guest. But, if you are absolutely certain you can’t, of course, we will do what you ask.”
“But Nouri…” Anna cried out.
Nouri shook his head.
Anna bit back a reply.
Her father smiled.
*****
The next morning the three of them drove south to Leesburg, Virginia, the seat of Loudoun County. The colonial red brick courthouse in the center of town bore graceful white columns. Anna and Nouri applied for, and got, a marriage license. An hour later they were married by a circuit court judge during his lunch hour. Even though they agreed that the “official” ceremony would take place in Tehran, Anna felt a thrill as she and Nouri exchanged vows. She was Mrs. Nouri Samedi. She couldn’t stop smiling. Her father looked pleased, too, and pumped Nouri’s hand.
Anna’s father made copies of the marriage license, and they headed back to Maryland. Two days later, Anna and Nouri drove to the airport and boarded a plane for Tehran.
Ten
Anna’s first view of Tehran was from the air. She saw a sprawling metropolis as large as, or larger than, the five boroughs of New York. Endless rows of small buildings and high-rises lined streets laid out in no apparent pattern. In the distance were the rocky Alborz Mountains, which hugged three sides of the city. The Alborz range defined Tehran much like Lake Michigan did Chicago.
Most everything was in shades of brown—the mountains, the soil, even the haze of pollution. As the plane descended, though, objects came into sharper focus, and the brown lightened to beige, cream, even white. It was a distinct contrast to the sturdy gray of
Nouri answered. “Please understand, sir…it is just a formality. No one takes it seriously. At least, I don’t. And neither does my family. We understand Anna is a Christian. We respect people of all faiths in Iran. No one will force her to embrace Islam.”
A strange expression—half smile, half grimace—unfolded across her father’s face. “I appreciate your candor, Nouri. As her father, however, I must be sure Anna has no objection to marrying you under any conditions, lenient as they may be.”
Anna jumped in. “We’re not religious. Never have been. You know that. I couldn’t care less.”
“Good.” Her father nodded. “Then I have but one other request, in which I hope you’ll both indulge me.”
Anna and Nouri exchanged glances.
“I would like you to marry here—in the States—before you leave. Nothing elaborate. A civil ceremony will be adequate.”
“Marry here? Why?” Anna asked.
“Isn’t it enough that I want to ‘give away’ my only daughter to her intended?”
Anna sat back. Her father had never demonstrated any sentimentality. In fact, she’d always thought he had the emotional quotient of a frog. She called him on it. “Papa, what are you really asking?”
At first he looked chagrined that she dared to question his motives, then he shrugged. “I would like to ensure that your marriage is certified in the US, as well as in Iran.”
“Why?” Anna couldn’t quite keep the suspicion out of her voice.
Her father peered at her, then Nouri. “Please. Indulge me.”
“But we’re supposed to leave in three days. Our visas stipulate that. We don’t have time.”
“There is no blood test required in Maryland. You can pick up the license and be married forty-eight hours later. Or you can go to Virginia, where there is no waiting period at all.”
Anna sucked in air. “You want us to elope? I thought—”
Her father cut her off. “It is all quite legal.”
Anna’s jaw dropped. She was confused. “But you just said…I mean…you actually want to give me away at a wedding chapel or City Hall? I don’t get it.”
His voice was assured and strong. “Anna, I don’t ask you for much. Please do this for me. Consider it a parting gift.”
Nouri cut in. “Dr. Schroder, sir, I beg you to reconsider and come to Tehran. You would be an honored guest. But, if you are absolutely certain you can’t, of course, we will do what you ask.”
“But Nouri…” Anna cried out.
Nouri shook his head.
Anna bit back a reply.
Her father smiled.
*****
The next morning the three of them drove south to Leesburg, Virginia, the seat of Loudoun County. The colonial red brick courthouse in the center of town bore graceful white columns. Anna and Nouri applied for, and got, a marriage license. An hour later they were married by a circuit court judge during his lunch hour. Even though they agreed that the “official” ceremony would take place in Tehran, Anna felt a thrill as she and Nouri exchanged vows. She was Mrs. Nouri Samedi. She couldn’t stop smiling. Her father looked pleased, too, and pumped Nouri’s hand.
Anna’s father made copies of the marriage license, and they headed back to Maryland. Two days later, Anna and Nouri drove to the airport and boarded a plane for Tehran.
Ten
Anna’s first view of Tehran was from the air. She saw a sprawling metropolis as large as, or larger than, the five boroughs of New York. Endless rows of small buildings and high-rises lined streets laid out in no apparent pattern. In the distance were the rocky Alborz Mountains, which hugged three sides of the city. The Alborz range defined Tehran much like Lake Michigan did Chicago.
Most everything was in shades of brown—the mountains, the soil, even the haze of pollution. As the plane descended, though, objects came into sharper focus, and the brown lightened to beige, cream, even white. It was a distinct contrast to the sturdy gray of
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