details. All she remembers is his grabbing her suddenly, holding her down for the injection, then waking up in the ambulance.
Hearing the psychologist talk about the abduction had made him want to cringe. He'd suppressed it, thought he'd done a good job of hiding his feelings. But Ben David's look was penetrating. Appraising.
What, Eli?
Actually, what worries her the most is you-that you'll never be the same, that it was all her faut. you'll never forgive her.
There's nothing to forgive, Eli.
Of course not. I've told her that. It would help if she heard it from you.
'Motek?'
'Yes, Abba?'
'Come here, on the bed.'
'I don't want to hurt you.'
'You won't. I'm a tough guy. Come on.'
She got up from the chair, settled near his right shoulder.
'How's the dog, Shosh?'
'Good. The first night he cried until morning. I put him in my bed, but last night he slept well. This morning he ate everything I gave him.'
'And how about you-how are you sleeping?'
'Fine.'
'No bad dreams?'
'No.'
'And what did you eat for breakfast?'
'Nothing.'
'Why not?'
'I wasn't hungry.'
'Dieting?'
A tiny smile formed on her lips. She covered her mouth with her hand. When she removed it, the smile had vanished.
'No.'
'What then, Yom Kippur? Have I been here so long that I've lost track of time?'
'Oh, Abba.'
'Not Yom Kippur. Let me see-a boy. You want to look skinny for a boy.'
'Abba!'
'Don't worry about what the boys think, what anyone thinks. You're beautiful just the way you are. Perfect.' He lifted her hand to his lips, touched the palm to his unshaven cheek. Feeling the warmth, capillaries brimming with life-blood. Exulting in it.
'Smooth or scratchy?' Old game.
'Scratchy. Abba-'
'Perfect,' he repeated. Pause. 'Except, of course, for the way you treat your brothers.'
The smile again, but sad. Fingers twisting her hair, then touching the wings of the silver butterfly.
'Have you done your homework?'
'There is no homework. School's out in two days. The teachers let us have parties. And they're wild animals.'
'Your teachers are wild animals?'
'Mikey and Benny!'
'Oh. What species?'
She stiffened, pulled her hand away. 'Abba, you're being silly, treating me like a baby and trying to avoid the subject.'
'And what subject is that?'
'That I was stupid to go with a stranger-all those times you and Eema told me about strangers, and I went. I thought he was a rabbi-'
'You cared about Dayan-'
'It was stupid! Retarded! And because of it I hurt you, hurt you badly-your shoulder, your hand. It was all my fault!'
