“ZeeZee, we already discussed this. The hospital isn’t a place for a seminary girl. Rabbi Freund will never allow it”

The girls in Chava’s class were particularly listless today; she found herself having to answer her own questions since the girls weren’t focused enough to listen, and ZeeZee Keller actually put her head down and started snoring in the middle of the lesson.

Frustrated, Chava decided to end the class early. “What’s going on today, girls?”

“Didn’t you hear about Miriam?” Rusi asked, and the girls started eagerly filling her in on the details.

“ZeeZee went with her to the hospital,” Rusi said.

At the sound of her name, ZeeZee lifted her head.

“What did I miss?” she mumbled. Seeing the girls getting up around her, she grabbed her bag and stood. That’s when she noticed Chava looking at her.

“Sorry, Mrs. Edelman,” ZeeZee said. “I was totally wiped. We got back from the ER crazy late. I was gonna just sleep all morning but I didn’t want to skip your class.”

She flashed Chava a smile so disarming that Chava couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I’m so glad you didn’t miss it,” Chava replied, her voice laced with an irony which, as she suspected, was completely lost on ZeeZee. “That was nice of you to go with your friend to the hospital.”

ZeeZee walked closer to Chava’s desk. “I was happy to. It was a cool experience. The ER has a legit crazy energy. You feel so alive there, you know?”

“Let’s hope everyone does,” Chava replied, raising an eyebrow. Where was ZeeZee going with this? “I’m glad you were able to help Miriam.”

“Yeah.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and said, hesitantly, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if I could help more people?”

Ah. So that was it. Chava sighed. “ZeeZee, we already discussed this. The hospital isn’t a place for a seminary girl. Rabbi Freund will never allow it.”

ZeeZee pressed her lips together and glared at her notebook.

“I’m sorry Shleimut didn’t work out, but I’m working on some other ideas for you,” Chava continued. “And if you have any to suggest, I’m happy to look into them as well.”

“I just did,” ZeeZee muttered under her breath. But then she said politely, “Thank you, Mrs. Edelman. I appreciate it.”