Dini leaned forward. “But we can discuss our office another time; we have something more pressing for today”

“WE need an office,” Dini commented as she sat down on Ayala’s couch for their weekly meeting.

Ayala, still holding the pile of laundry she’d hastily removed, flinched. “Sorry I didn’t have a chance to straighten up; I was on the phone all morning with that mother of the boy with meningitis. Baruch Hashem, the antibiotics seem to be working now.”

“Glad to hear,” Dini said.  “But I wasn’t complaining about your laundry; I’m just saying it would make a big difference to have a real office where we could do our administrative work. It would feel so much more professional, no?”

Ayala stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “And I suppose we should hire a receptionist as well?”

Dini’s eyes brightened. “Good idea!”

Ayala was about to mutter something about rich girls completely divorced from economic realities when the image of Dini’s successful volunteer event swam before her. She had to admit, when it came to motivating a crowd for a cause, Dini really did know what she was doing.

She winked. “If you raise the money for an office and a secretary, I certainly won’t complain.”

Dini looked momentarily startled, as if she hadn’t expected Ayala to be so agreeable. Have I been such a monster lately? Ayala wondered with a pang.

“The real question,” she went on, lightly, “Is whether the office will be in Ramat Beit Shemesh or Maalot Dafna.”

“What’s the question? We’ll have two, of course.” Dini chortled, and Ayala laughed as well.

Dini leaned forward. “But we can discuss our office another time; we have something more pressing for today.”