Zeitoun: Part 4: Thursday September 29 Summary & Analysis

In the morning, Kathy and Adnan drive to the prison before eight and gather in the waiting room. They wait until one p.m., when Kathy is told to wait for Zeitoun outside.

Zeitoun is in his cell praying when a guard calls to him. Zeitoun thinks that the guard can wait until his prayers have finished. When he’s done, the guard tells him that he’s getting out today. “What?” Zeitoun says, and the guard tells him to hurry up.

A white bus arrives at the gate, and as Kathy watches, her husband steps down onto the pavement. He’s lost twenty pounds and his hair is almost all white. Kathy begins to cry, cursing those responsible. When Zeitoun sees Kathy he smiles and they try to embrace, but a guard yells at her to stay put until a few minutes later, when he is free. As they embrace, Kathy notices how thin and fragile he seems. His eyes are the same, though they look tired and defeated.

The three of them leave as quickly as possible, not trusting that the officers won’t change their minds. Ten minutes later, Ahmad calls Kathy’s phone and she tells him the good news, passing the phone to Zeitoun. Ahmad can only repeat, “Praise God.”