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| Follow Me |

Follow Me: Chapter 30

Over time, Pessie had come to recognize that functional was relative, and the Hersko clan didn’t suffer from the last-minute frenzied Shabbos prep

 

Pessie squatted in front of the small hotel room fridge. “This cream with the blue sticker,” she said to Hindy, holding up a small white jar, “must be refrigerated. I’m going to give Babi Hersko instructions, but I want you to know this as well. Alright?”

From her position on the bed, Hindy nodded.

“And here, I’m packing Dramamine in this pocket of your backpack. I hope you won’t need it, but you should have it with you, just in case. It’s a long, curvy road from Arad to the beach, so maybe ask Babi if you could sit in the front seat so hopefully you won’t get nauseous.”

Another nod. Pessie closed the refrigerator door and turned around. Hindy was lying on her stomach, head perched on her raised palms. Except for her strong tan, she looked peaked; not like a girl who’d just spent two weeks at the beach.

And she couldn’t blame her. Beaches are meant to be relaxing. But lying under the sun for hours and hours, twice a day for two weeks, with a scorching sun baking the wounds on your skin — it wasn’t relaxing. It was mind-numbingly boring and so, so tiring.

Pessie sat down next to Hindy. “I’m going to miss you so much. Zeidy and Babi are going to take great care of you. They’re taking you to Yerushalayim for Shabbos. You’re going to have a beautiful time.”

Hindy shrugged.

Pessie patted her back. “I know how hard this is for you. I wish I could stay longer.”

“I’m still so itchy.”

Pessie dug her fingers down on the bed. Not this. She’d handled everything. Leaving the kids behind, traveling alone, living without her possessions for five days. But if this treatment didn’t help and it had all been for nothing…

She ran her fingers over Hindy’s arm. There were pink patches on her skin, but they were flat and smooth; the open wounds were definitely gone. “It is a lot better, Hindy, no?”

“It’s better. But I’m still itchy.”

“So you see, two weeks accomplished so much. You’re staying another two weeks, and im yirtzeh Hashem, you’ll come home with beautifully healed skin and you won’t be itchy anymore.”

Right? Right, of course. It had to be.

They finished packing and left their room. Then they took the elevator down to the conference hall to grab something to eat. Yochi’s parents were arriving soon, and Pessie had decided to skip this one afternoon beach regimen. Instead, she’d made plans with her in-laws to spend the day together at Masada and Ein Gedi, and then they’d drive Pessie to the airport for her flight back that night.

Excerpted from Mishpacha Magazine. To view full version, SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE or LOG IN.

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