All We Have Left

Alia’s childhood memories of the love afforded her by family members, and Travis’s recollections of the kindness shown him by his late grandfather, cause them both to experience a sense of regret. They appear to experience a sense of healing by sharing this emotion; while Alia is sorry that she had argued with her parents that morning, her sense of regret is minimal compared to that experienced by Travis. Although he does not provide details, he notes that, “I don’t know if he’ll ever forgive me” (249), referring to a conflict that he has had with his father. Given their newly evolved sense of mortality and the monotony of their trek down the Trade Center stairwell, both young people have time to reflect upon the true significance of relationships and the relative triviality of most family conflicts.

Their escape attempt continues, and one member of the group hypothesizes that Muslims may have been responsible for this attack. Alia tries to rebut this supposition by explaining that Muslims abhor violence, and the woman who had offered this theory looks worried when she notices the young woman’s head scarf. Alia, like her future counterpart, Adam, is faced with the prospect of explaining valid religious doctrine to members of a population ready to condemn an entire group due to the behavior of individuals. The descriptions of injuries that are truly horrific, such as the full-body burns sustained by a woman attempting to descend the staircase in shock, stand in juxtaposition to the uplifting altruism displayed by the firefighters ascending the staircase.

Jesse, on the other hand, engages in investigative work related to Travis and finds Alia’s headscarf in her mother’s dresser drawer. As Chapter 38 draws to a close, she receives a call from Julia, the young cardiac patient who survived the Towers as a result of help and intervention by Travis and Alia. Although Julia doubts that the pair would have separated voluntarily and suspects that Alia died in the disaster, Jesse notes that her name never appeared among the list of the dead. This ability to persevere in the face of adversity comes to characterize Jesse’s desire to solve the mystery of Travis’s death as much as it assists her in climbing mountains.

The attitude of Adam and his family has evolved from distaste toward Jesse as a result of her graffiti offense to one of appreciation for her remorse and apparent evolution as a person. Sabeen genuinely encourages Jesse to stay for a Christmas party at the center. The pair engage in a conversation that is apparently a comparison of traditional Muslim and contemporary American dating mores; however, it appears clear that both young women are aware that Jesse is falling in love with Adam. Jesse compares the fact that “Muslims don’t date. They marry” (253) with the similar mindset of her friend Teeny, who is a member of a conservative church group. When Adam escorts her home, it is clear that Jesse is quite attracted to him, and she questions him regarding his history with girls. While he evades giving detailed answers, Jesse surmises that her own dating experience greatly exceeds his own. She has further conversations with Adam regarding Islam; he explains the attitude of the faith toward other religious figures and religions. Jesse is growing intellectually as well as philosophically as a result of her exposure to new worldviews.