"A in’t he cute?!” comes a familiar voice from the living room.

Can it be?

I fling off my coat and there she is my mother’s sister my youngest and still single aunt.

“Aunt Debbie!” I exclaim. “Great to see you!”

“And you!” She enfolds me in a hug snuggly and fuzzy. Literally because she’s got Pinky my rabbit on her arm.

“Oh look at him Naomi.”

Pinky snuggles into Aunt Debbie’s sweater fingering the argyle pattern on her sleeve with his little paw “It’s been too long since I’ve held this cutie and too long since I’ve seen you my dear.”

“Well I’m glad you’re giving him some attention I haven’t been a good friend lately have I Pinks?” I say rubbing him on the nose.

“And what about pretty Pearl? What’s she been up to?” Aunt Debbie smiles.

Pearl is my other rabbit sleek and creamy where Pinky has random tufts of pinkish fur.

“She’s been a good girl. So what brings you here Aunt Debbie?” I ask.

“Do I need a reason to come see some of my favorite people?”

From her arm Pinky chatters his teeth in agreement. That’s rabbit language for happy “teeth purring” they call it in Habits of Rabbits the guide book that came with these little fellas.

“You know it’s kind of hard for me to get away from the office but I’ve made it work this time.” A shadow passes over her face. “I decided to celebrate my birthday in the countryside this Shabbos.”

I have to laugh. Because we’re out of town the city people consider us “country.” But it’s not so funny Aunt Debbie is 29 and counting apparently the big thirty looming only a couple of days away.

“A big one…” I say softly.

“Yeah Naomi that and other stuff too. I’ve come to be with your mom a bit heaven knows I think she could use me now.”

There had been another angry phone call one day when I was still upstairs in my room things were tensing up for Mom for our family. Had I been too preoccupied to notice? Or is it just too much to think about?

I stroke Pearl’s flappy ear over and over before we put the bunnies back in the hutch and go into the kitchen.

*

“Would you believe what the wind blew in?” Mom asks.

“What?” calls Rafi from the door.

“Not what who ” Mom calls back.

“Huh?” He bounds in.

Aunt Debbie makes an exaggerated wave. “It’s just your old aunt.”

“Just? Aunt Debbie yay!”

We all grin and sit down to Mom’s special beef and potato stew.

The kitchen is full suddenly; four places and our round table looks like the circle it’s meant to be. The circle it once was. Before last year before separation became a word with a capital S and something to be whispered. Before Daddy went off with a piece of my heart.

And maybe there’s no hope anymore. Maybe it’s all over. Isn’t that why Aunt Debbie came? Isn’t that what she meant by Mom needing her now?

I don’t want to know. (Excerpted from Teen Pages Issue 671)