“I’m-I’m coming,” I said, my voice rising in frustration. “It’s just these boots. Won’t. Go. On.”

I pulled, and finally my leg started to slip in. There. I stamped my right foot and somehow it slid into the boot without any more resistance.

“Oh, good, you’re here,” Dovid said when I came out of the room a moment later, “because we were just about to leave without you.”

I looked at Papa and ignored Dovid. “I’m ready, Papa,” I said, reaching my hand out toward his, a little hesitantly.

Papa flicked my braid and reached out for my hand. “Come, sweet girl,” he replied, gently taking my hand, “let’s see what you think of your papa’s shop.”

“I want to come, too,” whined my younger sister, Miriam, who was sitting next to Mama eating her bread.

“Next time, Miriam.” Papa smiled at her gently. “This time I’m taking Dovid and Elka. Don’t worry, the shop is not going anywhere.”

Miriam fell silent. I would have felt bad for her, but really, she was still too scared of Papa to actually go anywhere with him. Even she knew it.

Dovid was already in front of the next house by the time we got outside, but he doubled back to walk at Papa’s side.

“Papa?” he asked excitedly as soon as he reached us. “What’s it like?”

“The shop?”

“The shop, Chevron – everything.”

“Well, Dovid, what do you think?”

Dovid looked around, finally silent. I was silent, too. There was just so much to see. Even after the boat ride, the trains, the cities we had seen, this was something different. Different, and maybe a little scary, too. Most of the people we passed were Arabs – or at least it seemed that way. Their long shirts reached down to their knees, and they were speaking a language I never heard before. I quickened my footsteps and held Papa’s hand a little tighter.

“Scared?” Dovid asked, but there was none of his usual mocking, and I could tell he was a little scared too.

“Nah,” I lied, standing a little straighter, “but I bet you are.”

Dovid stuck his tongue out at me. “No way,” he shot back, and, as if to prove it, let go of Papa’s hand and started ahead of us even faster than before. He turned a corner, and I couldn’t see him. Was he going the right way?

“Dovid?” Papa called, concerned. “Dovid?”

I looked at Papa, worried. “Does he know where to go?” I asked. Dovid had done this at the dock, too, when we were waiting to board the boat. Mama was so angry at him then, I thought he’d for sure learned his lesson. “Because last time—”

“Stay here for a moment, Elka,” Papa said, slipping his hand out of mine and quickening his pace. He turned the corner where Dovid had disappeared, and I waited, anxious, chewing at the end of my braid.

It was probably only a few seconds before Papa returned, his hand tightly clutching Dovid’s, a stern expression on his face. Dovid was looking down, the dancing merriment that had been so mischievously playing in his eyes replaced with a sorrowful, apologetic expression.

“Come,” Papa said, when they finally reached me. I thought he was done, but he continued speaking while he walked, the two of us skipping to keep up with him. “When you know this city like I do, you can run to your heart’s content. Until then, you need to stay with me. I took the two of you because you are big – big enough to help; big enough to be trusted.”

I looked down at the rocky, muddy path and swallowed. Papa was upset at me. We’d been back together for such a short time and already he was upset at me. And it wasn’t even my fault. If Dovid wouldn’t be such a show-off, none of this would have happened. I didn’t look up until I felt Papa’s grip loosen and the spring come back in his step.

Dovid must have felt it, too. “I’m sorry, Papa,” he whispered, looking up into Papa’s face. “I didn’t realize you would worry. I thought when you passed, I’d join you.”

Papa gave Dovid a light smile. “It’s alright, Dovid’l. We both have a lot to learn about each other. Two years is a long time – I forget how big you are. And you – you need to show me how much you’ve grown. Now, if I’m not very much mistaken, if you look over there, you can see the edge of the marketplace.”

I peered in the direction Papa pointed, eager to catch a glimpse of this place. “Where?” I asked, standing on my toes in the hope that maybe that way I would be able to see it, too.

“There,” Dovid pointed, a smile breaking out on his face. I craned my neck in the direction he was pointing, but there was nothing there, just more buildings.

“Those buildings?” I asked, confused.

“Look, Elkush,” Papa said, gently turning my head in the direction of the market. “Do you see the rows of shops?”

And then suddenly, I saw it. Two long rows of shops lined the two sides of the street, which seemed to be almost touching each other, colorful merchandise sprawled outside many of the stores.

“Which one is yours, Papa?” I asked, my feet skipping along almost by themselves.

“Come, Elka,” Papa said, tugging my hand, “I’ll show you.”

to be continued…

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 899)