Recap: Avi and the girls were stuck in New York over Shabbos. They are hoping to book a flight to return home before Rosh HaShanah.
Avi called on Motza’ei Shabbos. “I booked a flight out for early tomorrow morning.”
“Baruch Hashem!”
…
On Sunday morning, Grandma Bea and I drove to pick them up from the airport. Sabrina ran into my arms. Marnie gave me a big hug, too. “I missed you girls,” I said.
“There was a lot of smoke and sirens. I had to hold my ears,” Sabrina said.
Marnie nodded. “We walked across the 59th Street Bridge with tons of other people.”
“I have surprises for you when you get home,” I told the girls. I gave Marnie a pink photo album and a camera. “I hope you’ll take pictures and send some to me when you go back.”
“I will, Tante. Can’t we come visit sometimes?”
“I hope so, if your parents allow it.”
I gave Sabrina a new doll. “I’m naming her Tante after you,” she said.
“Aw!”
The girls went into their room to unpack, and I told Avi I needed to speak to him in his office.
“I have a surprise for you,” I said.
“You didn’t have to buy me anything. You know you’re my present. I don’t need any––”
“Avi, we’re expecting.”
“What?”
“I went to the doctor. The baby is due in June.”
“Baruch Hashem!” A tear rolled down his cheek. “I can’t believe it. That stomach virus.”
“Yeh, it wasn’t a stomach virus.”
“I can’t wait to tell my parents.”
…
We pulled up to the pizza store. This time, Avi and I were brimming with news we couldn’t wait to share. “Is this the pizza store?” Sabrina asked.
“Yes.” Marnie motioned her to pull her skirt over her knees.
“Thanks for taking us, Tante,” Marnie said. “Mommy said we can come visit you and she wants all of us to stay close like a real Tante and Feter.”
“That’s wonderful,” I said. Tomorrow the girls would be going home to their parents, and my knowing that they could come back to visit was helping me deal. Of course, knowing we were going to have a baby was also softening the pain of their leaving. Hashem was helping in so many ways.
His parents met us in front, and we strolled in together.
“Libby, I love your dress,” Mom said. She took Sabrina’s hand. “I hope you like pizza.”
“Yes, thank you,” Marnie said.
“Can we get pickles?” Sabrina asked.
We sat at the table and Dad went to the counter and ordered a large pie and a small one and a big salad with a lot of pickles.
Dad was smiling as he handed out the slices on plates.
Avi, the girls, and I went to wash, and we were surprised when Mom and Dad followed us.
“Please tell me the brachah,” Mom whispered in Sabrina’s ear.
I watched as Dad followed Avi’s lead showing him how to wash. Dad put his arm on Avi’s shoulder and a warm, happy feeling filled me. “Thank you, Hashem!”
We sat down, and the girls, Avi, and I recited HaMotzi and Dad and Mom followed suit. As we were chewing our first bite, Avi announced, “We have special news to share with you, Mom and Dad, and Marnie and Sabrina.
Everyone was staring at Avi. “Libby and I are, b’ezras Hashem, expecting a baby!”
Mom jumped up and rushed over to hug us both. Sabrina jumped up and down. ”Yay!”
Dad hugged Avi and smiled at me.
Marnie said, “B’shaah tovah.”
“Amein,” I said.
…
Epilogue
“She looks like you, Libby,” Avi said.
We were sitting in the living room, admiring our new baby. We were getting ready for our first Shabbos with little Elisheva in our apartment. The doorbell rang. Mr. and Mrs. Lerner, with Sabrina and Marnie, all walked into the apartment, shouting “Mazal tov!” Sabrina handed me a wrapped gift. “This is for Elisheva.”
I hugged Sabrina and said, “Thank you!”
“I made her a card, too.”
“I love it. I know Elisheva will love it, too.”
Marnie handed me a small gift. “It’s a book I loved when I was small.”
“Moo, Bah, La La La! – my favorite,” I said.
“She’s so cute,” Sabrina said. “She’s my new cousin!”
“Yes, she is,” I said. “Baruch Hashem, yes, she is.”
THE END
Stay tuned for the next riveting historical fiction serial, Whispers in the Night, by Susie Garber.
Susie Garber is the author of the newly released historical fiction novel, Flight of the Doves (Menucha Publishers, 2023), Please Be Polite (Menucha Publishers, 2022), A Bridge in Time (Menucha Publishers, 2021), Secrets in Disguise (Menucha Publishers, 2020), Denver Dreams, a novel (Jerusalem Publications, 2009), Memorable Characters…Magnificent Stories (Scholastic, 2002), Befriend (Menucha Publishers, 2013), The Road Less Traveled (Feldheim, 2015), fiction serials and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, and “Moon Song” in Binyan (2021-2022).
