'I do, Mr. Lieberman. Shabbat shalom.'
'Shabbat shalom.'
Daniel guided the Escort back onto Sokolov and cruised slowly. A block later he spotted Shoshana, wearing a peach-colored Shabbat dress, half walking, half skipping. Singing to herself, as always.
He knew, without having to listen, what tunes danced across her lips: an odd mixture of pop songs and rope- jumping children's rhymes. An indication, according to Laura, of what it was like to be a twelve-year-old girl-the jumble of needs, the changing body. She'd been there herself, so he supposed she knew. His own memories of twelve were of simple times: lessons at the yeshiva. Playing ball in the alley behind the study hall. Hiding the soccer scores between pages of Talmud. Perhaps for boys it was different
He watched her for a few moments, smiling. Lost in her fantasies. Gazing dreamily at the sky, unaware of her surroundings. He coasted to a stop, gave a gentle honk that lowered her eyes. Initially confused, she looked around, saw him, and her face came alive with glee.
So beautiful, he thought, for the thousandth time. The oval face and brassy golden waves endowed by Laura. The dark skin, his. So, he'd been told, were her facia) features, though it was hard for him to reconcile that kind of delicacy with anything that could have emanated from him. Her eyes were wide with delight-gray-green, enormous, filled with a light of their own. Totally original. In the delivery room, Laura had laughed over her tears: We've created a mongrel, Daniel. A beautiful little mongrel. Daniel had surprised himself by bursting into tears also.
'Abba! Abba!' She ran toward the car on stick-legs, opened the door, and flew in. Throwing her arms around him, she rubbed his chin and laughed. 'You need a shave, Abba.'
'How's my sweetie?' He nuzzled her, kissed her cheek.
'Terrific, Abba. I helped Eema cook, bathed Dayan, and took the boys to the park.'
'Great. I'm proud of you.'
'They were wild animals.'
'Dayan and the boys?'
'Just the boys. Dayan was a gentleman.' She gave a martyr's sign and threw up her hands.
Like a beleaguered parent, thought Daniel; he suppressed a smile so she wouldn't think he was mocking her.
Not that her predicament was laughable. Five and a half years-three miscarriages-between her and Mikey; Benny's birth a year later adding to the insult. Five and a half years of only-childhood shattered by double windstorms. Too much age difference for friendship. She fancied herself a junior mother, demanded respect she never received.
'Wild animals,' she repeated.
Daniel nodded and moved the bag of groceries to the rear of the car.
'Is that the stuff from Lieberman's?' she asked.
'Yes. I got there just in time. Thanks for going to pick them up.'
'No problem, Abba.' She got on her knees, stretched over the seat, and inspected the contents of the bag. 'Yum. Chocolate.'
She sat back down and fastened her seat belt, and Daniel began driving. When they'd traveled a block she asked, 'Can we play poker tonight after dinner?'
'Gambling, Shoshi?' He mock-frowned. 'On Shabbat?'
'Not for money. For raisins.'
'And if you clean me out of raisins the way you cleaned me out of almonds last week, I'll have nothing to eat all Shabbat and I'll starve.'
Shoshana giggled, then burst into laughter.
'Then I'll sell some back to you! At a discount!'
He clucked his tongue, gravely. 'Aha! First gambling, now commerce on Shabbat. The sages were right: One sin leads to another.'
'Oh, Abba!'
'Your Grandpa Al teaches you a few card games,' he continued, 'and next thing I know I've got a little gangster on my hands.' Reaching across, he chucked her chin.
'Gangster,' he repeated.
'Ten games, okay? After dinner.'
'I'll have to check with Eema.'
'Eema said it was okay. Ten games.'
'Five.'
'Twelve!'
'Ten. But go easy on me.'
She sidled closer, wrapped one skinny arm around his bicep.
'You're the nicest, Abba. A superstar.'
He lived in the Talbieh district, southwest of the Old City, across the Valley of Hinnom. A quiet neighborhood
