Excerpts from "Wherever You Are"
Sharon’s uncle returned with their older son sooner than Megan expected. Time had really flown while they sat on the couch enjoying the quiet after the rush of erev Shabbos. After a quick greeting, he began singing in a sweet voice. Megan followed Sharon to the table while Aunt Rochel rushed to the kitchen to take care of some last-minute preparations.
Kiddush, hamotzi, and the meal blurred before Megan’s eyes. Occasionally, she wished she could ask a question about what was going on, but she was too embarrassed. She noticed Sharon staring at her with a funny expression every once in a while, but Megan tried to ignore it. She spoke only when spoken to and then only briefly.
The most awkward moment came during dessert.
“You know, Aunt Rochel, I was thinking. We have some cousins in LA. Megan, perhaps you know them?”
Megan shifted in her seat. “I’m not sure. The community is rather large—”
“Really? I thought there were relatively few frum families and they all lived pretty much in one area,” said Aunt Rochel.
Not having any idea what the frum community of LA looked like, Megan said nothing.
“What did you say your last name was again?”
Megan cleared her throat. “Um…Ashby.”
“A rather unusual name. Where is your family from originally? Not that it means much, I guess. So many names were changed at Ellis Island.”
Megan nodded. She didn’t think Aunt Rochel would understand if she explained that her father’s family came from England on the Mayflower well before Ellis Island even existed.
“What was their name…?” Sharon’s uncle stroked his beard as he tried to recall the name of his cousins in LA. “Oh, right. Weinstein. Chaim and Phyllis Weinstein. I think they have a girl around your age… You may have even been in the same class…?”
Megan blushed. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I know them. I…I went away for school.”
Aunt Rochel leaned forward in her seat. “Oooh! Did you go to Denver? I hear it’s an excellent school. My husband’s sister actually teaches there.”
“No. My parents sent me to a small school in New York. I don’t think you would’ve ever heard of it.”
Aunt Rochel scratched her head. “Really? Why not? Is it new? I grew up in New York and I thought I knew all the schools.”
Sharon finally clued into Megan’s discomfort. “That reminds me, Aunt Rochel—did I tell you which school Yehudis is going to? She got into the special enriched program at Bais Yaakov of Boro Park.”
“Wow! Your mother must be so proud. Only the top girls get in there.”
“Mommy is bursting with excitement. It’s the type of thing that looks good for the entire family…”
***
Megan crawled into bed completely drained following the Friday night meal. There was so much to keep track of, so much to remember, so much to pretend.
“Megan, are you asleep yet?”
Megan rolled over and turned to face Sharon. She had almost forgotten that she was sharing the room. “I’m still up,” she said, stifling a yawn.
“I don’t know how to put this without sounding rude. I mean, I don’t want to offend you or anything. I just—”
“I’m pretty hard to offend, Sharon.”
“Where did you…come from?”
Megan laughed at the bluntness of the question.
Sharon pulled herself up in her bed and turned to face Megan. “You see! I’ve offended you. I’m so sorry. Forget I said anything.”
“No, no. It’s fine. I think it may be good for me to get everything out. This is all so new and different for me. I never imagined I’d be so overwhelmed. I mean, I’ve experienced different cultures before, but—”
“I don’t understand.”
“Sharon…this is my first Shabbos experience.”
Excerpt
“Shall I open the letter?” Mindel asked.
Rifka shrugged, turning to watch Shprintze and Goldie dart in and out of the trees. In front of the girls, Moshe sat in the grass pulling up flowers and tearing them apart.
Sighing, Mindel ripped open the envelope and pulled out the three tightly packed, double-sided sheets and began reading about the goings-on in Yerushalayim to herself.Rifka tugged at her sheitel. “I guess soon you’ll need to start writing to me.”
“What?” Mindel’s head shot up and she dropped the letter. “What do you mean?”
“Abe’s parents are aging. And with Mama and Tatte…well…” Rifka glanced at her sister. “We’re needed in America to take care of them.”
“I don’t understand.”
“His stay here was always going to be temporary. His parents had sent him to learn. Then we married. And he took over Tatte’s business. But that’s nearly wrapped up with the depression and all.”
Mindel leaned forward and grabbed Rifka’s hand. “But I can’t lose you.”
Rifka looked away. Her eyes once again focused on Shprintze as she hid behind a tree, waiting for Goldie so she could surprise her. “If we don’t go soon, we may never get a chance. There are rumors coming out of Germany.” She shook her head. “Abe misses his family. New York.”
“And you?” Mindel asked.
Rifka grabbed a piece of apple and took a bite. “You and I haven’t been in the same city in years. I’ll miss you…and the kids…but I need my own life.”
Mindel shut her eyes and looked away. This conversation was not about Rifka’s lack of children. There were too many other things lacking in her life. Mindel looked up and met Rifka’s eyes. “You can always come back. Wherever you are, there is always a way back.”
Rifka shook her head. “Not everyone is looking for the return trip. I think this journey is all one-way for me.”
Mindel bit her lip. Everyone walked through life with their own peckel. Her blessings were rolling in the grass by the trees. “I’ll daven for you and write to you weekly.”
“I look forward to receiving the letters. But as for your prayers—don’t bother.”
