The day was halfway over. And she still hadn’t heard from Benny since he’d walked out this morning “to clear his head”

Tziporah looked at the clock. One-seventeen. Soon it would be time to pick up Momo. She still hadn’t got past the first item on Maury’s list. It shouldn’t be taking her so long — this wasn’t her first audit, she already knew Maury’s system — but her brain seemed disconnected from her fingers today.

She started dialing Benny’s number again, but stopped midway. Benny usually called her sometime during first seder to see how her morning was going and to check if she needed anything. Today there had been no calls.

But it was okay for a guy to need space, right? Especially a guy who — no, she wasn’t going there, she wasn’t going to think about the red-eyed stranger who’d bid her goodbye this morning. Any guy could need some space.

Tziporah sighed, saved the meager work she’d done, and logged out. If she couldn’t be a good accountant today, she could still be a good mother. She had barely paid attention to the kids yesterday — she’d been so nervous about the Melaveh Malkah that she mommied on autopilot. Today, Tziporah told herself as she hurried to the babysitter, she would do better.

Momo buried his head in her neck as Chavi handed him over.

“He was a real cutie today,” she told Tziporah. “Right, Momo? Right you’re really getting around Morah Chavi’s house? I think he’s going to start cruising pretty soon.”

Tziporah smiled and patted Momo’s cheek.

“I love this stage,” she said. “You get to watch them discover the whole world. Thanks so much, Chavi. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

She slipped Momo’s diaper bag over her shoulder and let herself out the door.

The smile faded as soon as she took her first step down the staircase. Now that she had Momo in her arms and was heading home, it meant the day was halfway over. And she still hadn’t heard from Benny since he’d walked out this morning “to clear his head.”