Sari shot Avi a rueful glance. They both knew full well that after the wedding, their bochurim rarely showed up again

"Yanky, take your kallah home. It’s getting late.” Avi grabbed the broom from Yanky, and gave him a friendly shove towards the door.

“Wow, Reb Avi, Rebbetzin Goodman, thank you isn’t enough. This was awesome,” said Yanky, pumping Avi’s hand.

“Yeah, thanks so much. I couldn’t believe it when Yanky told me you’d take care of the vort when our parents couldn’t get into the country. He’s been telling me how much you do for him and how he loves being here.” Dassi’s smile lit up her eyes. “I can’t wait to come for Shabbos.”

Sari smiled warmly and draped her arm over Dassi’s shoulder. “Yanky’s a great guy. It was our pleasure.”

“Hey, you’re still gonna give me karate lessons, aren’t you?” Nine-year-old Shloimi seemed to appear out of

“Course we’re gonna continue our lessons,” said Yanky, fist-bumping Shloimi as he threw a mock kick to the side.

Sari shot Avi a rueful glance. They both knew full well that after the wedding, their bochurim rarely showed up again. If they were lucky, Sari thought, the couple might remember to invite them to a bris or kiddush a year or two down the line.

Sari waved good-night and she slid the front door closed.

“Bed. Now.” She smiled and kissed her bechor on the top of the head.

She was practically sleep walking as she packed petit fours and cookies into Tupperware; the kids would enjoy a special after-school snack tomorrow — and for the next several days. She stuffed a load of tablecloths into the wash and piled an impossible number of trays and serving dishes in her sink. They'd need to wait until tomorrow.

Avi had folded up the tables and chairs and stacked them by the door. Sari went to get the sponja stick.

“Just leave it. I swept already. You can wash the floors tomorrow,” Avi said.

“No, I can’t. It’s so annoying to step on sticky floors. The kids can’t wake up to that.”

Avi rolled his eyes and took the sponja stick from her. If Sari had decided the kids needed to wake up to washed floors, he wouldn’t convince her they didn’t. But he also knew she’d been on her feet all day preparing for the vort.

“Thanks. I think this is the first time I’m sitting down all day.” Sari collapsed gratefully on the couch. “I must be crazy to put so much work into shooting myself in the foot.”

Avi looked genuinely confused.

She sighed. “Hello, Yanky’s engaged. After the wedding, that’s it. They’ll spend Shabbos by all of Dassi’s old seminary teachers. If you happen to bump into him, he’ll promise to come for that never-land Shabbos called ‘sometime.’”

Avi didn’t say a word. He knew she was right.

Sari closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the couch, then opened them and sat up abruptly. “I know Yanky meant well, but he shouldn’t have told Shloimi he’ll continue the lessons. You and I both know he won’t.”

Avi looked up from a stubborn spot on the floor. “So we’ll get him karate lessons somewhere else if he wants them. I saw an ad today.”

She shook her head. “That’s not the point. Shloimi gets attached to these boys. We all do. You do too… and then they never come again. They have these big brothers for a year or two, and then poof. It’s not fair to them. Maybe it’s time to pull back?”

Avi pressed his lips together but didn’t say anything.