“Nu?” Smadar feels like she’s holding her breath. She knows what a big deal these things are for Margalit

“How can this be? It can’t be! We missed this?!” Smadar is beyond confused, looking at this previously unseen object. “We’ve already examined everything in this box multiple times! And now this is just here?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know!” Margalit says. “But we have to hurry! Your parents are waiting, you’ve got to go. Let’s just do this quick.”

At the bottom of the box lies a ceramic knob, the kind used to open a drawer. It’s white with a fine blue design on it, like those delft tiles the Dutch are so famous for. Margalit picks it up. Rolls the cold knob in her fingers. Feels its weight in her palm. Waits. Nothing. Just nothing. Eyes wide, confused, she looks to Smadar, hoping she can answer this, resolve the mystery.

Smadar takes the knob, now warm, in her hand, holds it in her open palm. “Huh.”

“I know.” Margalit purses her lips. “So strange. No story yet.”

The two girls look at it.

“You know,” Margalit says slowly, “I think Abuelita used to have knobs like this on the antique chest of drawers in her bedroom. She gave away the drawers a long time ago, to one of the aunts maybe….”