Then she burst out laughing.

Adina stared stiffly at Sheva as she laughed and laughed and laughed so hard then sat down on the cold damp dirt and pounded her fist on the ground. “May I ask what’s so funny?”

Sheva wiped her eyes and laughed for another minute or two. When the hiccups had passed she said “We are so funny. We are so predictable! All my secret plans and drama have backfired once again and once again you’re misunderstanding me.” She paused to wipe her eyes and added seriously “I forgot again how sensitive you are. And you…” she hesitated but soldiered on “you didn’t give me a chance.”

Adina opened her mouth slowly. “But” she began trying to find the words “that doesn’t change the fact that— that— that maybe you should have been more sensitive.”

But now Sheva knew what Adina wanted. From her place on the ground she looked up and there was a deep sadness in Adina’s eyes. “I know Adina” she said. “I know. I had a thousand opportunities to think about it and of course you’re right.” She took a deep breath stood up and began walking again. Adina followed fists jammed in her pockets. “Look ” Sheva continued “if you want we can go through the whole story step by step and apologize for each mistake individually. Or we can just say—” She stopped abruptly faced Adina and looked straight into her eyes. “Or I can just say I’m really sorry I meant well I feel terrible and I hope you can forgive me so we can be friends again because I’ve really missed you.”

For a moment Sheva’s words hung in the icy darkness as Adina stared at her her face lit by the moonlight.

“Sheva?” Adina said finally. “Yeah?”

“I’m really sorry” Adina said slowly. “I wasn’t right and I feel terrible too. I know that you can forgive me — you’re good in that way even though I’m not and I don’t deserve it. And I also really missed you.”

“Okay” said Sheva. In the pale moonlight a smile was slowly spreading across her face. “Okay!” she said again. “Okay now that was the reunion I’ve been dreaming of!”