“Okay.” Miriam shrugged. But I could tell that she disagreed. Did she really think it was totally fine to depend on them so much?

Elka

T

here was a note on the table again today. Miriam read it this time.

“Mama’s going to visit Yisroel again today,” she announced. “She says we should go to Faiga’s house for supper, because she’s going to be back late.”

“Go to Faiga?” I walked toward the kitchen, hoping Miriam had made a mistake. Maybe Mama had left supper waiting for us in the kitchen, and we could stay home. But all I found was a small amount of rice and beans leftover from last night’s supper. Just enough for lunch for the three of us, but definitely not enough for supper. And if we didn’t go over to Faiga’s house to eat, Mama would be upset when she came home.

“Fine,” I said, herding Leiba into the kitchen to wash her hands and eat lunch, “we’ll go to Faiga later. Right before supper, we’ll go. And don’t look at me like that!” I snapped at Miriam, who had a confused look on her face. “Who knows how long Yisroel will be in the hospital? We can’t just move in with Yocheved and Baruch for weeks! They’re already way too involved in our lives.”

“Okay.” Miriam shrugged. But I could tell that she disagreed. Did she really think it was totally fine to depend on them so much?