***

The rain was pouring down with a roar. What appeared to be a wall of water covered the massive windows, with individual drops of rain visible, like out of a cartoon.

The bochurim were laughing, preparing to run for their cars. Penina gestured urgently to Sholom and he followed her into the walk-in pantry.

“Sholom, you can’t let those two boys drive back to Detroit tonight, I heard them saying they have to get back. You have to put your foot down, it’s sakanas nefashos.”

Sholom was nearly backed into the shelf and he knocked down a bag of pasta with his shoulder as he nodded. “Okay, thanks,” he said, “I’m on it.”

He walked out of the kitchen and approached Chesky Lorb. “I assume you guys have a plan of where to sleep tonight, right?”

“Um… we’re holding by going back, don’t worry, rebbi, we can do this,” Lorb spoke quickly.

Wagner hovered, like a protective older brother. “Really, rebbi, I’ve done this a million times. I did it in a snowstorm already,” he added.

It was quiet. Maybe if Avi and Faigy Korman hadn’t been looking on with concern, Sholom would have wished the boys a safe trip, but he didn’t. Instead, he said, “I have news for you, guys. We have plenty of room for you here, or you can make other arrangements, but there’s no way you’re leaving Lakewood tonight.”

He opened the back door a crack and looked out. “No way,” he said, more firmly this time. “I don’t let.”

Penina was motioning to him. He knew what she wanted. There really wasn’t room for them, she was saying, because she promised Ahuva that they would only use the main floor. Sholom knew this, but he also knew that the boys would make other arrangements rather than stay there.

Faigy Korman jumped in. “We have a perfect guest room, boys, you’re more than welcome to spend the night by us.”

Without looking, Sholom Wasser knew that Dovi Korman wouldn’t appreciate the offer. He was a nice boy, but not the type who would want Lorb and Wagner in his home during bein hazmanim. Thankfully, Lorb knew that too and he said, “Thanks so much, I think we’re going to stay with my aunt, she lives right here. I’ll call now to ask her.”

He headed to the study and pulled out his cell phone, but Penina Wasser heard him say, “There is no way in the world that I am calling my aunt, not a chance. She has two million kids and bunkbeds in every room and my uncle is the type who probably sleeps in the succah when it’s raining too. Zero chance.”

“But l’maaseh we can’t go, the rosh yeshivah said no way?” Wagner said and Penina’s heart swelled. The rosh yeshivah.

“I hear. But my aunt isn’t the eitzah, and neither is Korman, you know he’s not down for that kind of chill, we might chas v’shalom use one of his towels, you know how he is… we’ll figure it out, this is Lakewood.”

Penina knew she should stay out of it and let them figure it out, but she couldn’t help following them too closely as they came back to assure Mrs. Korman it was taken care of.

It was only once the Kormans had left that she heard Lorb ask Shimshy Lieber if his family had a guest room.

“You know that it would be no issue anytime, but now it’s Yom Tov,” Lieber looked genuinely apologetic, “so it’s a bit nuts. My married sisters are by us, and my nephew is sleeping on the floor in my room. The kid is four and he snores louder than Zeldman.”

“Hey, no worries,” Lorb said, “me and Wags can sleep in yeshivah, on a bench, you guys go take care of your nephews.”

He laughed, but Penina could see he was nervous. She started mentally rearranging the house, wondering if she could put Kalman on the couch.

“You could sleep by us, we have plenty of room.”

It was quiet, and it took Penina a moment to see who was speaking.

It was little Shlomo Bass, who’d come late and had barely spoken all night.

Lorb shrugged and said, “Yah, amazing, thanks. Wags, let’s do it?”

Shlomo Bass looked shocked and scared and thrilled all at once.

“Perfect, I’ll call my mother right now,” he said.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 810)