She’d smiled and smiled and smiled, smiled away a sense of dread that followed her around like a shadow

It wasn’t a joke, what people said. It was July, and the stores were out of sizes. On full price, new winter season clothing.

“Should we try Peonies next?” Pessie’s sister Devoiry asked.

Pessie rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. “I guess we should, I really don’t have a choice. My girls don’t have what to wear to my sister-in-law’s Shabbos sheva brachos. But it’s so hot, and it’s a 15-minute walk.”

Devoiry took a bottle of cold water out of her bag and handed it to Pessie.

“Should we try to catch a bus? Or maybe go to the Internet kiosk on the next block and shop online instead?”

Pessie gratefully took the drink. “Shopping online will be a complete waste of time. I don’t know how people do it. I never find anything, and if I do, I never know which sizes to order.”

“You could always return.”

“More time wasted, and by then the stores will be completely sold out.”

They ended up schlepping over to Peonies.

“I’m going to check if they have those Kipp sweaters you wanted for your boys,” Devoiry said as they entered the store.

A few minutes later, Pessie heard her sister call. “Oooh. Look at this! Someone put this dress down in the wrong place. Wow, this will be gorgeous for your girls.”

Pessie glanced at the outfit in Devoiry’s hand. It was a wide-cut floral dress with a camel-colored knit vest over it. Hindy would look beautiful in it, and it would look great on Malkie, too.

“Think Zissi will be able to carry it? Do they even have it in her size?”

She took the hanger from Devoiry. “Are you kidding, Devoiry? Did you check the price? It’s $189! I’m not spending that kind of money, definitely not times three.”

“It’s gorgeous, Pessie. And come on, you should be spending this kind of money. Who else if not the tour director’s wife? Forget the sheva brachos, your kids need to look great this Succos, you know that. A hotel in Italy, get with the program, Pes.”

Pessie’s grip on the hanger tightened. So now her privilege extended. Not only wouldn’t she be able to spend Succos with her parents and siblings, she would also have to upgrade her kids’ wardrobes — and probably her own? — to impress a crowd she had no desire to spend Yom Tov with.

But Devoiry seemed oblivious. “And by the way, you’ll need more clothing than you usually buy,” she continued. “I wonder if they write this stuff in the tour brochures, but I’m sure you know the rule that everyone must change for Shalosh Seudos, right? And no robes, chas v’shalom, not for you, not for the kids. Trust me, Pessie, if they have this in all three sizes, grab it.”

Pessie couldn’t figure out if her sister was serious or making fun of her.

Maybe she was trying to be cute and funny.

But beneath the friendly dig, Pessie sensed something else.