A shocked look crossed Chaya’s face, then without warning, her fists came down on the table, knocking over the bowl and cup of juice set nearby.

Rikki’s mood returned to its original sour state. “Not again, Chaya!” she shouted. “You make such a mess!”

Chaya instantly dropped the spoon and scrunched her eyes shut. She rocked from side to side and began to whimper.

“Oh, Rikki … Chaya,” Mrs. Levy was visibly unsure which of her daughters to respond to first.

She pulled Chaya’s wheelchair away from the table and dripping juice and embraced her. “Shh, it’s okay.” She called for the nurse.

Rikki looked at the mess. She looked at Chaya, then at her mother.

“She’s not well, Rikki,” her mother said when their eyes met. “You have to try to remember that. Please.”

The nurse entered the kitchen. “Everything okay in here, Mrs. Levy?”

Mrs. Levy sighed. “Yes. Everything’s great. Chaya’s just a bit wet and sticky.”

Everything’s great! Rikki’s head reeled. Nothing was great! Everything was just as her day had been in school. Horrible!

The vision of the metal ramp outside the house suddenly popped into her head.

“You okay, Rikki?” the nurse said.

Rikki stared at the woman who was too loud and constantly in her way. She thought of the bedroom that was no longer hers, and the home life that had drastically changed.

“Rikki?” her mother said, but Rikki didn’t hear her.

The conversation with her friends in the lunchroom was deafening in her mind. Then it changed to the conversation with Mrs. Horowitz, the principal.

“Are you alright, sweetie?”

Ruchie’s shocking revelation in the lunchroom came crashing down on her.

“Rikki?” her mother’s worried voice brought her back to the present. “Are you okay?”

“No!” Rikki shouted. “I’m not okay! I’m not okay at all!” She ran out of the kitchen and up the steps to her room.

***

Miri waited all night, but no one mentioned a word about The Meeting Regarding Her Royal Highness. She assumed Devory had something to do with that, but knew there was no way to confirm her theory.

Even as she lay under the covers, she waited for the door to open. When it did, it wasn’t her mother or her stepfather. Phew! It was Devory, who hadn’t so much as looked Miri’s way all evening.

“Good night,” Miri said before turning towards the wall. She rolled her eyes when there was no response. Baby. “Sleep tight,” she said, knowing Devory wouldn’t answer. Devory didn’t disappoint her, and Miri smiled, enjoying her little game. “Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Miri’s singsong voice squeaked as it reached a high note.

She imagined Devory’s fuming expression and giggled out loud. Her hand flew to cover her mouth, but the giggle seeped through her fingers.

“You’re not funny,” Devory said.

Her royal highness has spoken. Miri burst into a fit of laughter. She tried to stop, but the laughter bubbled from her, filling the room.

“Something is majorly wrong with you!” Devory shouted.

Miri sucked in her breath, but it spurted out as laughter broke through. She wiped at the tears wetting her pillow and began to hiccup.

The door to the room opened, then banged shut. Miri turned around carefully. The room was empty, and the pillow and blanket from Devory’s bed gone.

Miri lay comfortably on her back, a huge grin on her face. There would be no bothersome light shining in her eyes tonight.

***

The principal stood near a table, a large plastic container beside her.

“The Share and Care staff has been working around the clock to match the overwhelming amount of submission cards they received.” She opened the lid and removed a stack of sealed envelopes.

“I know everyone is excited, but please, confidentiality is the utmost importance in a program such as this. These cards may not be opened in school.”

There was a shared groan among the girls.

The principal held up her hand until it was quiet. “Everyone was given a number in their application packet. Even those who did not join received numbers in their packets. When your number is called, come get your card. For those of you who did not join, your envelopes today will contain empty cards. This way, no one knows who did or did not join.”

One by one, the girls were called up and given their sealed envelopes to take home.

Rikki was glad for the foresight the Share and Care staff had to give everyone a number regardless if they joined or not. It was her business and her business only that she chose to be part of the program.

She was careful not to make eye contact with Mrs. Horowitz when her number, 87, was called.

She couldn’t wait to get home and tear it open.

***

Shoshie took her card and fingered the flap. She didn’t think she’d be able to wait until school was over to open it. It seemed as though all her hopes for help were stuffed inside the small envelope with the number 204 printed across the front.

***

Miri liked the number assigned to her. Two, two, seven. It had a nice ring to it.

She was glad for the discretion as she took the envelope from the principal. She didn’t want anyone to know she had joined. Especially Devory!

To be continued…

(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 804)