Doria and Yasmina visit Yasmina’s Algerian friend, Zohra, known to Doria as Aunt Zohra. Aunt Zohra was given her name, which means “luck” in Arabic, because she was born on July 5, 1962, the day that Algeria achieved its independence from France. Zohra’s situation resembles Yasmina’s in that her husband has taken a second, younger wife back in Algeria, but instead of abandoning his first family, he spends six months with each family. Zohra says this suits her, and Doria admires Zohra’s independence. She also admires the traditional couscous Aunt Zohra makes.

Doria spends time with Aunt Zohra’s three sons, Réda, Hamza, and Youssef, whom she played with as a child, but has little to say to them. She overhears part of a conversation between Yasmina and Aunt Zohra, in which Yasmina declares that her husband will be barred from heaven for abandoning his daughter. Doria feels that he will be kept out of heaven for abandoning her mother. In either case, she thinks they should forget him and move on. 

As Youssef drives them home, Doria remembers how Youssef played the role of a big brother when she was younger.