At least if Miri wasn’t eating, she was smiling. Deena had been holding her breath, but this tour seemed to be doing great things for her

Yes, it was fun. Definitely. Wasn’t this what she thrived on? But at the same time, being Nuts & Basil took a lot of energy, especially when the kids were constantly around and she could only pray that they behaved.

Deena’s grin was starting to ache, the light in her eyes at risk of dimming. Yom Tov morning had dragged on like one long reel — What I love about this cheesecake is that it’s rich and light at the same time, unbelievable, I need to become friends with this pastry chef and Hey, sweetie, you’re so cute! Do you also like to cook and bake like your mother? When she entered the succah after davening, she was eager for a break and grateful for her small, inconspicuous table at the far end of the tent.

“You didn’t bake this challah, Ma, right?” Miri asked, eyeing the bread suspiciously.

“I didn’t, but it’s delicious. Isn’t it?”

“I don’t like it.”

Wonderful.

Her girls stayed at the table all the way through the first course, eating nothing plus nothing. Then Zissi Hersko sneaked up behind Miri and pressed her palms over Miri’s eyes.

Miri giggled. “It’s Zissi, I know!”

A moment later, they skipped off, Nechama trailing behind them.

Oh, well. At least if Miri wasn’t eating, she was smiling. Deena had been holding her breath, but this tour seemed to be doing great things for her. Meshaneh makom, meshaneh mazel?

Hopefully.

But now that her girls had disappeared, she suddenly found herself sitting alone at an empty table.