“I

can’t believe we’re already going home!” Huvy heard Dini exclaim from the row behind her on the plane. “These two weeks went by crazy fast!”

“It feels like we just got here,” Malka agreed.

“You know what will really feel bizarre?” Dini asked. “Hearing English. I’ve gotten so used to being in Bulgaria, I bet I’m going to, like, speak to those passport people at JFK in Bulgarian! Uh, Diet Coke, please,” she said to the flight attendant making rounds with the drinks.

Huvy couldn’t help it. She caught the eye of Aliza, who was sitting next to her, and burst out laughing.

“Like she knows two words in Bulgarian.” Aliza grinned.

“Still…” said Leah, who was sitting on Aliza’s other side, “this is it, huh? Weird that the filming is over.”

Huvy nodded. “Yeah…” This film had been such a part of her life for nearly a year, it was strange to think that it was finally done. Huvy wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Relieved? Yes. But also oddly sentimental.

“We’ve all been together for so long,” Aliza continued, “it’ll be strange to suddenly not see each other anymore. You, at least, are in school with most of the girls.”

Yeah, girls like Dini and Malka, who want nothing to do with me.

Leah sighed. “Wish I were. We definitely have to keep in touch, you guys.”

She was looking at both Aliza and Huvy as she said it, and Huvy felt her face going bright red. How stupid, she thought, as she blushed even more furiously. But she’d never had a friend say that to her before.

“Yeah, absolutely,” she squeaked. “I… I’m gonna miss you, too.” And it was true. She really was going to miss Aliza and Leah, and a lot of the other girls. Shyly, she turned away, and her eyes unconsciously shifted to the row to her left, where her mother and Gabriella were sitting. Her mother was staring at the flight map on the computer screen while Gabriella was reading a book; both sat rigidly in their seats, their faces icy.

Huvy narrowed her eyes as she stared at Gabriella. There, at least, was one person whom she wouldn’t miss at all.

Gabriella looked up at that moment, and noticing Huvy’s gaze, gave her a tentative smile. Huvy quickly turned away. But, as tears pricked her eyes, she realized that she was lying to herself. She already missed Gabriella terribly.

Gabriella was so exhausted, she could have slept for three days straight, but Shmuel wanted to go for a walk that night. How could she say no? After being away for two weeks, he deserved some attention. She grabbed her coat, hoping the cold air would wake her up, and smiled brightly. After stepping outside onto the familiar street, she commented how good it was to be home.

“It doesn’t feel like a letdown, the glamorous film producer returning from her exotic shoot, back to dinner and bedtimes?” Shmuel asked.

His tone was light, but she could tell he was genuinely worried.

(Excerpted from Family First, Issue 638)