“I really think you should give her a chance. What are you afraid of? You think the girls won’t like you anymore?”

R

ikki sat on the hallway steps, elbows on her knees, waiting for Ruchie.

A loud crash from upstairs, followed by a scream, pierced the eerie silence. Rikki shot to her feet and clutched the banister.

Heart pounding, she looked up the stairway into the darkness. All was quiet until another scream tore through the stillness. Rikki jumped, nearly losing her footing on the step. Regaining her balance, she took the stairs two at a time. The door to her brothers’ room was ajar, and they were asleep. Her back arched. It was Chaya!

“Please, Hashem.” She rushed down the hall, unsure what she would find, and opened the door. Chaya was crying softly in her bed. Grateful that she hadn’t fallen out, Rikki turned the light on. The sound machine was lying on the floor, and Chaya was holding the cord, tears streaming down her face.

“What’s wrong, Chaya?”

Chaya blinked in the light and instantly stopped crying.

“Did you pull it off the dresser?” Rikki said. “Is that why you’re crying? I mean, I don’t know why I’m asking you. It’s not like you can answer me or even understand what I’m saying.”

Rikki lifted the broken machine from the floor. “It cracked,” she said glad that the sound of her voice seemed to calm Chaya.

Chaya held up the cord in her hand, and Rikki took it. “I guess it’s garbage now. Not that I care. The whole noise thing bothers me.” She shook the machine. “It’s so annoying. I know you like it, but I can’t imagine why. How can anyone sleep with a waterfall in their room? Ma is convinced that it helps you sleep.” She studied Chaya. “I wonder if that’s true. I mean, maybe you don’t really like it either.”

Chaya smiled.

“Does that mean I’m right, and you don’t like?”

Chaya held her hand out toward Rikki and wiggled her fingers.

“W-what?” Rikki said nervously. “What does that mean? W-what do you want?”

Tears filled Chaya’s eyes.

“Oh, no! Don’t cry again. Please. What do you want?” She held the broken machine closer to Chaya. “This? Don’t worry. Ma will buy another one.”

Chaya’s chest began to heave. “No, please, Chaya, don’t cry. I don’t know what you want.”

Chaya let out a wail.

“You’re going to wake the boys! Please, Chaya. Ssh.”

The doorbell rang.

Rikki looked longingly into the hallway. “That’s Ruchie. Will you be okay if I leave? I have to open the door. I’ll be right back.”

She ran out of the room, Chaya’s intensifying cries following her to the front door.

“What are you holding?” Ruchie asked as soon as she saw Rikki.

Rikki looked down at her hands. “Oh,” she grimaced. “Chaya’s sound machine. She broke it.”

“What’s going on, Rikki Dee? Who’s crying?”