"M ama!” Lulu shouted just then. “Mama!” Everyone’s eyes turned to the little girl and her mother.

Toby’s head turned slowly from side to side her eyes still closed. “L-Lazer.”

“I’m here Toby. Everything is all right.”

Toby’s body relaxed and slowly her eyes opened.

“That’s it ” Lazer said. “Try to focus.”

Toby licked her lips and reached for the blond head lying on her. “Is it Lulu?” It was a whisper but strong enough for all to hear.

“Yes. She’s home ” Lazer said. “Baruch Hashem she’s home!”

Toby’s features relaxed and she lifted the other hand to hug her little girl.

“Mama!”

“Oh Lulu my sweet Lulu.” Toby stroked her daughter’s cheek.

Idy was impatient to know just how Lazer knew her name but knew it wasn’t the right time to ask.

As Toby became more focused many unfamiliar faces came into view. “Who is e-everyone?”

“These are our friends ” Lazer said. “They’re the ones who brought Lulu back.”

“How?” she asked softly.

“I myself haven’t heard all the details of Lulu’s rescue ” Lazer said “but now Toby just focus on Lulu and getting stronger.”

Toby didn’t object. She nuzzled her baby a content smile lighting her face.

“We’ll let you and your husband get reacquainted with your daughter Mrs. Glenner.” Officer Maxwell said. “We’ll speak later.” He ushered everyone out of the small area and drew the curtains closed.

Idy’s impatience grew but she knew she would have to wait for answers.

“Jacob ” Mrs. Sommers said “Why don’t you and Zachary wait in the other room? I’ll call for you soon I promise. I’d like to speak to Idy for a few minutes.”

As disappointed as he was Jacob did as he was told.

“He’s such a gentleman ” Mrs. Sommers said. She looped her arm through Idy’s as they strolled down the long hospital corridor.

“You have questions I’m sure.”

Idy stopped walking and faced Mrs. Sommers. “I have so many questions I don’t know

where to begin.”

“How about I tell you what Officer Maxwell told me?”

“Okay ” Idy said softly. She bit her lip as Mrs. Sommers began to speak.

“Close to eight years ago a rabbi and his wife inherited a large fortune from a deceased relative.” She looped arms with Idy and the two began to stroll again. “You can imagine that the newspaper ran the story on the front page. A simple rabbi and his wife had become millionaires overnight.”

Idy nodded. “Well ” Mrs. Sommers said “unfortunately there were some bad people who read the article. They saw the rabbi’s good fortune as an opportunity for them to make money.”

“How?” Idy asked.

“The article said that the rabbi and his wife had children.” She looked deep into Idy’s eyes. “Two children… a girl and a boy.”

Idy swallowed.

“These bad people kidnapped those children and demanded an enormous ransom for their safe return.”

Idy’s eyes burned.

“Only the kidnappers didn’t return the children to their parents after collecting the money ” Mrs. Sommers said her voice cracking. “They hid them on a farm… a dreadful and frightful onion farm with dreadful and frightful people.” (Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr. Issue 686)