“You know, most husbands would show their wives just the teensiest bit of sympathy when they’ve had a hard day”

Dini had never seen Shuki laugh so much. She glared as she watched him doubled over on the couch. From across the room, Chaviva, who was doing her homework at the dining room table, turned around and stared.

“I’m glad you find this so amusing,” Dini said.  “I was actually totally humiliated.”

“Sorry, Din,” he gasped. “But, you gotta admit… I mean, of all the hospital volunteers you could’ve chosen, you choose the one who faints at the sight of blood!” He wiped his eyes. “If that’s not funny, I don’t know what is.”

Dini pursed her lips to keep them from twitching. It was humorous the way Shuki described it, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her smile.

“You know, most husbands would show their wives just the teensiest bit of sympathy when they’ve had a hard day.”

Shuki grinned. “And I would, too — if you’d had a hard day. For example, now, if you were the one who’d fainted—”

“You’d probably be laughing all the way to the hospital.” She rolled her eyes.

“No, I wouldn’t.” He stretched his hands behind his head. “I still don’t see what you’re so embarrassed about. How were you supposed to know this would happen? I mean, if anything, you’d think it should have occurred to the girl that maybe volunteering at a hospital isn’t the chesed for her, what with all those big scary needles and stuff.”

Dini sighed. “Sarale said she thought all she needed to do was sit and talk to the woman.”

“What, as if they were meeting for coffee?” Shuki smirked.

Dini crossed her arms. “You’re not being nice. Okay, so she was naive, but that’s not her fault, is it? I mean, look how young she is!”

He shook his head. “You used to be young, from what I recall, but you were never that naive.”