This whole situation was super strange, but the fact was, I hadn’t done anything wrong

Mina

Tova didn’t breathe another word about Shabbos sheva brachos. We spoke often those days, with the wedding fast approaching and so many technicalities to take care of. But the hotel topic became an elephant neither of us touched.

“She’s hurt,” I told Shlomo as he dragged invitation boxes into our house. “She’s too diplomatic to bug us again, but I’m telling you, she’s really, really hurt.”

Shlomo plunked a box of envelopes onto the dining room table. “I feel bad, I really do. I get her completely, and understand where she’s coming from. But I still believe we did the right thing. I’m telling you, Mina, it’s all these exceptions that make takanos plans fall apart. We really had no choice.”

“But we aren’t following the takanos plan, Shlomo.”

He was fooling himself, using this sheva brachos as proof that he wasn’t making an ostentatious simchah.

I sighed. Even if Shlomo was right — and he wasn’t, he was totally wrong — I couldn’t accept the fact that I’d let my mechuteneste down.

Yelena

Bless Benish, he waved me off in the morning, assuring me that he’d take care of Mama. For the first time in my life, I was happy that that boy was out of a job. At least he was finally being useful with his time.

Entering the sewing room in the boutique, I paused at Olga’s table. “Olga?”

“Good morning, Yelena.”

I coughed. “Good morning. I wanted to ask you, would it be okay if I did some work in your sewing room again?”

She nodded. “Sure, konechno. What is it, another gown?”

I swallowed. “Da. Nyet. I mean, it’s a gown, but only alterations. It’s…” I licked my lips. “It’s Mina’s daughter.”

Olga gaped. “Oooh… She’s not…?” She gestured around the room, indicating the Lewin boutique.

“Nyet. She’s actually—”

The door of the sewing room swung open and Freya and Maria entered. I waved to Olga and headed to my table to start my day’s work. At least that was arranged. I’d been so wary of involving Olga, but really, what if Olga knew? This whole situation was super strange, but the fact was, I hadn’t done anything wrong.