So these are Kayla’s new chevreh? How did they even get here? Was it planned?

S

havuos has always been Mimi’s favorite Yom Tov. The weather, the cheesecake, the break from end of year stresses, the chance to wear her new summer wardrobe… what’s not to love?

But when it falls out like it does this year, Shabbos and then two days of Yom Tov, it feels a bit much by the third afternoon.

Her hair’s a mess; there’s no way she’s parading around like this. Besides, she’s met up with her friends twice already. She’s finished the magazines and even the cheesecake has kind of lost its appeal.

Mimi stretches, yawns, and frowns. She’s not even tired; what’s she doing sprawled out on her bed, a pile of discarded magazines around her?

Maybe she’ll go see what Kayla’s doing. Kayla never sleeps in the afternoon; she claims it will ruin her — what does she call it again? Her sleep schedule? Her nightly routine? Her internal body clock?

Mimi shrugs. Okay, so she’ll never understand Kayla’s rigid schedules and stuff, and honestly, if it wasn’t the third day straight of this, she’d probably take a luxurious nap herself. Buuuut… Kayla’s around, and it’s company, someone her own age — or pretty much so. Maybe they can play a game or something.

A game? What’s gotten into her?

Three days of Yom Tov, that’s what.

Kayla’s not in her room. Mimi had expected her to be there, reading some heavy book or another. Funny.

She pads downstairs. It’s pretty quiet, the kids are out with friends, or in the backyard. From the dining room, though, she hears muted voices. Girls’ voices…

She pushes open the door and stares.

Kayla is sitting at the table, together with three of their classmates: Ahuvi, Sara, and Hadassah. They’re playing a game — Settlers of Catan? — and Kayla seems to be giving a long-winded explanation of the rules as they go along.

What, what, what —