“Thank you! Thank you!” she cried. She picked him up. “I was so worried about him!”

IT

was still early in the morning, but Sunny Lane was already busy. The children were getting ready for their first day back at school.

Chavi Morris was the first to leave the house, carrying a bag of heavy books. Next came Raffi Rabinowitz and his younger brother Shimmy, backpacks over their shoulders, holding hands. Leah Morris followed with her briefcase — a big Sem girl — after which Moishy’s van arrived to take him to cheder. He got on, and the van drove off.

Then came a loud honking outside the Friedmans’ house.

Honk, honk! Honk, honk!

Uh-oh. Fishel and Faivish’s van was waiting for them, but the troublesome two were not ready. The van driver prepared to drive off. Then the front door burst open. The pair came running out, climbing aboard just in the nick of time.

There were some children in Sunny Lane who weren’t going anywhere that day. Little Yoni Rabinowitz stayed home with Mommy as usual, happy to crawl around with his pacifier. Miriam Morris, whose playgroup started only the next day, was enjoying dressing her dollies.