The Lion Women of Tehran

Ellie prepares for her mother’s visit and steels herself to feel again like a chubby child always being criticized. Her mother comments on the small size of their apartment and exclaims over everything that surprises her about America, including the food. She tells Ellie of the riots in Iran and her concerns if the religious fundamentalists take over. Ellie takes her mother to Bloomingdale’s and treats her to frozen yogurt at the restaurant. When Ellie asks why her mother objected to her friendship with Homa, her mother reveals that she married Massoud to give Ellie a better life. She never spoke of Ellie’s father because he was unfaithful to their marriage and she was deeply hurt by this. Her mother warns Ellie that events in Iran do not seem to be unfolding in a positive direction, and if the fundamentalists take over, restrictions on women could roll back decades of progress. As they see the shah deposed and the revolutionaries take over, Ellie and Mehrdad extend their stay in New York.

After receiving Homa’s letter, Ellie brews tea in her teapot, which she bought because it reminds her of the one Homa’s mother had. She calls Homa and learns that Abdol died and Homa wants Bahar to leave Iran so she can have a better future. Homa says she needs to stay and fight for women, who have had so many basic rights taken away. Ellie talks with Mehrdad and he has no hesitation about opening their home to Bahar.

Ellie and Mehrdad meet Bahar at JFK International Airport. They show Bahar their apartment and the room that will be hers. Bahar is glad to see the Snoopy toothbrush that Ellie gives her. Homa is still in Iran, still fighting, and Ellie thinks of her as a shir zan.

Ellie goes with Bahar to enroll her in high school and is mistaken for being Bahar’s mother. Bahar calls her “aunt” and Mehrdad “uncle” (267). Bahar and Homa thank Ellie for her generosity, and she feels guilty about what they don’t know. After she leaves Bahar at school, Ellie visits Mehrdad’s office. She’s concerned how Bahar might be treated because Americans mistrust Iranians after the hostage crisis. Ellie recalls how she once envied Homa her family, and now she has Homa’s daughter. She worries that she has been responsible for putting the evil eye on Homa, and Mehrdad assures her that this is a groundless superstition.

Bahar speaks often of a friend at school named Madison, but Ellie doesn’t like the girl. One day, as she makes fesenjoon—a dish Homa loves—Bahar mentions that Homa spoke of Ellie often. Ellie is surprised, but Bahar explains that Homa kept her distance because she knew she was being watched and she didn’t want her friends to get into trouble. Bahar misses her father, but she is worried about losing her mother, too. Ellie hugs her and realizes, “I would move heaven and earth for this child” (275).

Ellie argues with Bahar over the after-prom party to which Madison has invited her. They go to the airport to pick up Homa, who is coming to visit. Ellie is touched to watch mother and daughter greet each other, and is nearly moved to tears when Homa embraces her, Ellie.

Homa and Ellie sit and chat over tea. Ellie talks about her job and realizes she gave up striving around the time Homa was arrested. Homa says firmly that feminism supports a woman being able to choose her own life. They speak of Homa’s namesake, the homa bird said to live its whole life above the ground, as well as being a symbol of good fortune. Ellie wants to apologize, but Homa finds ways to distract her from the subject, beginning by noticing the teapot. Ellie takes Homa to the New York City library and tells Homa she is a shir zan, one of the lion women. Homa says Ellie is one, too. Ellie takes her friend next to the Pierpont Morgan library and Homa speaks of the women’s rights organization she founded and her dream of democracy for Iran. They see the Persian rugs in one room, and Homa remarks how the art of Persian women has spread all over the world.

Bahar is embarrassed when she arrives at Madison’s apartment and realizes the party is large, loud, and crowded, and that everyone changed into casual clothes. Bahar brought a gift for Madison’s mother and is still wearing her prom dress. Feeling uncomfortable, she drinks a great deal of alcohol, dances, and then passes out.

Ellie and Homa rush to the hospital where Bahar has been taken. Bahar has alcohol poisoning and is in a coma, but she is alive because Madison got her to the hospital in time. Ellie translates for Homa and they both sit in Bahar’s room, talking. Ellie finally confesses to Homa that she was responsible for Homa’s arrest because of what she said to the colonel. Homa answers, “Okay” (301). Ellie thinks Homa should be angry and asks if Homa stayed away because the police were monitoring her. Homa admits that the interrogators in prison wanted to know who had translated the pamphlets. Homa refused to give them Ellie’s name. Ellie asks why Homa didn’t tell them, and Homa answers, “Because you are my friend” (304). Ellie feels a flood of envy, then realizes that Homa’s friendship has been an unconditional, lifelong gift. Homa insists that no one else will destroy her or take her spirit. Bahar wakes up.

As Bahar recovers, Homa decides she will get a visa and return to the United States. While Mehrdad and Bahar watch TV, Ellie takes Homa to the cinema to watch the film E.T. She wants to help Homa overcome her fear and feel safe. The night before she leaves, Homa expresses her anger that “[t]hose fundamentalist thugs took over Iran and hijacked it. It’s not fair that my daughter has no future there. It’s her country” (309). Homa gives Ellie the pink notebook that Ellie made for her long ago. Inside the notebook are recipes. Homa thinks Ellie should start her own restaurant.

Leily enters Miss Ellie’s café, which is closed for her birthday party. On the wall hangs a Polaroid photograph of two young women standing on a mountain, arms around one another. Miss Ellie greets Leily, wearing the necklace Leily has always seen her wear, a chain with a tiny bird charm. Bahar appears from the kitchen. Leily’s family runs this Persian café in their town of Lexington, Massachusetts, the town where the American Revolutionary War began. After the party, they check social media for news. Leily’s family, including her father, Steve Murphy, have been watching the protests in Iran over the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, whose Kurdish name was Jina, who was beaten to death by the morality police. Leily is fascinated by the country and the protesting women. Leily watches a video and Miss Ellie identifies Homa, Leily’s grandmother, Homa, as one of the women in the protest.

In a letter addressed to Leily, Homa speaks of her age and her memories of her childhood friendship with Ellie. She reveals that she was arrested when she returned to Iran in 1982 and had her passport revoked. She missed Bahar every day but was proud when Bahar graduated college, married Steve, and earned her graduate degree in public health. Finally, Homa was allowed to visit the US, but she returned to Iran to continue her fight for equality and women’s rights. She hopes that the protests are gathering power with the force of years and that one day, Iranian women will be free. She reminds Leily to always love—love madly.