“Tamar, we don’t want to go back there — to what happened before Shiffy’s wedding. Remember? In Three Steps? The shopping has to stay under control.”

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"Isn’t it amazing Reuven?” said Tamar dreamily. “I can’t believe that Nossi is already in shidduchim; it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital and now our baby is all grown up.”

“Pretty incredible” Reuven murmured looking up from the checkbook he was balancing.

Tamar lapsed into a silence as she wiped down the already immaculate tabletop. Reuven looked at her worriedly. “Everything okay?”

“I… I just can’t believe that our nest will be completely empty. I mean what will I do all day? Even Sruly’s off to Riverdale.”

“There are still plenty of other grandchildren” Reuven said with forced cheer. “And don’t forget all the Shabbosim with the marrieds.”

“True but it’s just not the same…” Tamar responded. “Although we don’t have to worry about that yet. Nossi’s not even a chassan. And once he gets engaged there’s a chasunah to plan an aufruf to make shopping…”

Reuven dropped the pen he’d been holding. In twelve steps he was in the kitchen, standing opposite Tamar. “Tamar, we don’t want to go back there — to what happened before Shiffy’s wedding. Remember? In ‘Three Steps’? The shopping has to stay under control.”

Tamar gave a slight shudder. “Of course I remember. That was the most horrific time in my life. Not only did I miss my very own daughter’s sheva brachos, but a hundred thousand readers knew about it. We’re lucky we didn’t have anyone else in shidduchim for a while after that.

“But don’t worry, I still occasionally go to that group we set up, and Eva has been an amazing support. The shopping will not get out of hand. But let’s first get him engaged so we have what to shop for. Here —” Tamar pulled out a stack of resumes. “We’ve already gotten quite a few resumes.”

Reuven gave a low whistle. “I don’t remember any such flood when the girls were in shidduchim,” he said.

“Buyer’s market,” Tamar said with a sardonic smile. “My payback for marrying off three girls.” She flipped through the pile and extracted one resume. “This one actually sounds interesting. She was born in Diamond Dust, the serial just before ours: Goldie Kirsch. She’s a twin. Parents are Tzvi and Yalli. If Nossi marries them, shopping will be no issue at all — they’re loaded. Think they’ll import handmade Belgian chocolates for the vort? They did it for her Kiddush.”

“There’s no vort just yet,” Reuven pointed out. “And why on earth are they interested in Nossi?”

“Nossi is an incredible boy!” Tamar responded indignantly. “He’s a masmid and a baal middos, a great friend, a wonderful son and uncle —”

“Hey,” Reuven interrupted her, “no need to convince me; he’s my son too. But when it comes to shidduchim, birds of a feather flock together.”

Tamar gave a conciliatory nod. “Well, I did ask the shadchan what the deal was. Turns out, this comes from the mother. You remember Yalli and her background, don’t you? Or did you only start reading the serials once we were the victi… uh, characters?”