Dream Count

Kadi reflects on what happened to her and Binta over the following years. Kadi began to get regular fevers, soon discovering she had fibroids, or growths in her uterus. Binta cared for her when she could, but she was engrossed in school and often in Conakry.

Then one year, Kadi started dating Amadou, a local boy she was friends with. She wanted to marry Amadou but knew her uncle wouldn’t approve. Her family wanted her to marry her cousin Tamsir. Meanwhile, she and Amadou dreamed of moving to America together. When he later left for the United States, Kadi dreamed of the life they’d make together. One day, she told her mom about Amadou. Furious, she reminded Kadi that she must marry Tamsir. Not long later, however, the village learned that Tamsir “had married a Susu girl in Senegal” (167).

Over the following months, Kadi dismissed all thoughts of Amadou. Eventually her uncle chose their cousin Thierno for Binta. Binta complained about the arrangement, which annoyed Kadi. Not long later, Binta fell ill and had to have an operation. Kadi didn’t understand. She was even more confused and distraught when Binta didn’t survive the surgery. After Binta’s death, Kadi felt as if love had died. Her mother grieved, too, but often reminded herself she had other children. In private, however, Kadi overheard her mourning Binta more openly.

Shortly after Binta’s death, Bappa Moussa arranged for Kadi to marry Saidou. Kadi resisted, but her uncle insisted. The two married and Kadi left her home and family. She disliked Saidou but tried to honor him. Then she got pregnant and had a baby boy. One day, Saidou returned home drunk. Kadi accused him of bringing a curse on their family. Not long later, their baby died. Kadi grieved, directing her anger at Saidou and secretly hoping he’d die. She got pregnant around this time. Then one day Saidou suddenly died. Kadi blamed herself, and Saidou’s family accused her of poisoning him. She fled to Conakry and stayed with Tantie Fanta. Then she gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Binta. She contacted Saidou’s family, but they accused her of cheating on Saidou and didn’t want to see Binta.

Kadi started cooking and cleaning for a wealthy French couple. Sometimes she stole things from their house to give to her aunt or Binta. Then one day soldiers came to the manor to arrest the couple; Kadi fled.

Kadi began to work at a restaurant. She liked her boss at first because he defended her when patrons leered or made advances. One night after closing, however, her boss raped her. Kadi hid in shame and told no one.

One day, Amadou showed up on Tantie Fanta’s doorstep. He apologized for being away so long and welcomed Binta into his life. He and Kadi rekindled their relationship and planned to return to America together. Amadou said that in order to get asylum, Kadi would have to complain about FGM or say she’d been raped by soldiers. He gave her a tape with a fictional story about a rape for her to practice for her interview. While listening, Kadi burst into tears.

Kadi’s asylum interview went well. She was relieved she didn’t have to lie. After they got their papers, Kadi and Binta moved to America with Amadou. Kadi and Binta stayed with Amadou’s uncle Elhadji Ibrahima, who Kadi liked and trusted. Meanwhile, Amadou grew increasingly distant, preoccupied with work and money. He also encouraged Kadi to dress differently. Once he gave her denim shorts to wear to a cookout. She tried them on but was too embarrassed to wear them.

Kadi worried about Amadou. He seemed different in America and she feared he’d curse their family the way Saidou had. They still hadn’t married, and Amadou lived alone. When he was gone on weekends, Kadi would clean his apartment. One day, she found a photo of a child who resembled Amadou and confronted him for lying to her. He explained the child and his mother lived in Texas and there was nothing he could do. Despairing, Kadi decided to take a housekeeping job at a hotel in DC.

Kadi settled into her life in DC. Through her job, she met Chia and her family. They fell in love with Kadi, hiring her as their housekeeper. Then one day, Elhadji called to say that Amadou had been incarcerated in Arizona for marijuana possession. Kadi contacted Chia, and Chia helped her secure a motel near the prison. However, only moments into her visit with Amadou, Kadi abruptly left. Back with Chia, Chia exclaimed at how romantic Kadi and Amadou’s story was. Omelogor was there, too, and ranted at the injustice of the American legal system. In the months following, Kadi tried to find happiness again. She continued working at the hotel, cooking for Chia, and spending time with Binta.

Years passed. Kadi and Amadou began discussing his impending release.

One day, Kadi was at Chia’s house when Omelogor and Zikora were over discussing sex. Kadi said she’d learned about sex from her late sister Binta, who she insisted was similar to Omelogor. Omelogor and Kadi engaged in a lengthy conversation, where Kadi admitted she wanted to open her own restaurant. Omelogor offered her a grant for the business.

The narrative shifts to December 2019. Kadi is still living in Maryland with Binta and planning for the future. She wakes up one morning feeling hopeful. She walks to work, where her coworker asks her to clean out an empty room. She announces herself before entering, shocked to find an older naked man with an erection on the bed. He pushes the door closed, grabs Kadi, brutally clenches her breasts, and thrusts her onto the bed. She repeatedly begs him to stop. He doesn’t listen, shoving his hand between her legs and forcing his penis into her mouth until he orgasms. Kadi races out as soon as he lets her go, spitting his semen onto the carpet.

In the hall, Kadi runs into her coworker Shaquana. Shaquana notices that something is wrong, and Kadi explains what happened. Shaquana takes Kadi to the managers’ office, where Kadi retells the story. The managers are upset because the man was an elite guest. Shaquana tells Kadi not to rinse out her mouth and helps her to the hospital.

At the hospital, a detective aggressively questions Kadi. A sexual assault nurse named Krystal interrupts and shepherds Kadi to an examination room. She is kind and gentle, asking Kadi’s story while examining her wounds and taking tests. Afterward, she takes Kadi’s uniform and has her change. Then Kadi rejoins her coworker outside, where she has to retell her story to another detective. He explains what will happen next and how they’ll file the report and start the case.

Kadi returns home shaken. Binta notices that something is wrong, but Kadi just hugs her without explaining. In the shower, she tries to decide how and what to tell Binta. She gets out and turns on the TV, horrified to see a report about the assault. Binta finds her yelling at the TV and realizes what happened.

Kadi becomes increasingly distressed over the following days. She has nightmares and can’t eat. Finally one day she tells Chia what happened. Chia invokes Zikora’s help because Zikora is a lawyer. However, Elhadji finds another lawyer whom Kadi thinks she trusts more.

Kadi waits for the case. Coworkers check up on her, but she still isn’t well. Meanwhile she meets with her lawyer, who is cold and unsympathetic, interrogating everything Kadi says. Soon, he starts asking about her asylum interview, suggesting she lied. Remembering the tape with the rape story, Kadi tries explaining. The lawyer dismisses her, telling his colleagues she’s a con artist.

Chia, Zikora, and Omelogor get together to discuss the case with Kadi. Kadi doesn’t know what to say. Meanwhile, media coverage of the story grows. Kadi is horrified when she learns they’re calling her a prostitute and suggesting she fabricated the whole story. She lies on the floor, crying. Chia finds her and comforts her, but Kadi has never felt so alone.