This was one of Akeres’s “full” weeks, with every last room taken. Time for Plan B

IN the fish-eye view of her office camera, Leebie spied them:

Two women. Two suitcases. Two car seats.

Two husbands, hanging back, wondering, Is it time to leave?

Wait. Two?

There was only one room left to fill that day.

She groaned. It didn’t happen often — Shayna and Gitty were incredibly meticulous at their front desk station — but they were also overwhelmed. And human. From time to time, mistakes happened.

Only, it was the wrong day for such a mistake to happen. She’d been too brave, telling everyone that she didn’t need the extra day to recover from sheva brachos. As though marrying off a daughter was an absolute breeze. As though she could handle everything, anytime, no problem.

She watched the jerky movements of the warped figures in the lobby for another moment as they took turns signing in with Shayna at the front desk. Then, taking a deep breath to clear her head, she turned off her screen, before the receptionist had a chance to page her. These women were waiting for her. Shayna may try to iron things out, convince one of them to join another mother in a shared room, but ultimately, it would be up to Leebie to make everyone happy.