It wasn’t a pastime; it was a bit of an obsession. As though doing the math would make the numbers change

“The truth?” Raizy said. Surely Yechiel couldn’t see her blush in the dark. “This morning”

Even if he paid her rent, even if he didn’t pay Leah’s: Was it a crime to spend $12 on lunch once in a while?

The Leebie of Akeres, who handled every situation with calm control, felt like a stranger to her

If not for that — the caring for all those mothers and babies — she would’ve quit this mind-numbing job a hundred times

It didn’t matter what she said, she knew. Amram would always be right

This was one of Akeres’s “full” weeks, with every last room taken. Time for Plan B