I turn around slowly. This is not happening. Teachers are not using lunchtime to have PTA with my mother, are they?

“Happy Birrrrthhhday to Mirrrrri! Happy Birthday to Miiiiiiirrri! Happy BIRTHDAY to MIRRRRI…”

I sneak a sideways glance at my older sister, her face is bright red as the men’s voices ring out. To be fair, it’s only Ta, her husband, Binyamin, and my nephews, but still. Miri hates attention.

I, on the other hand, do not. I make a big show of blowing out her candles before she can, half because I know it will make my nieces and nephews crack up and half because I know Miri has zero interest in blowing out candles in the party room of BurgerLand.

Yocheved turns to me. “What’d you wish for?” she teases.

Ta shakes his head. “You know we don’t believe in such things, girls. We can always daven, no need for birthday candles.”

We all nod, because Ta says this every time someone puts candles on a cake, and he’s right, of course.

“I didn’t wish, I davened,” I say snootily. Yocheved grins.

“What’d you daven for?”

I make a zipping motion across my mouth and throw away the key.

She shrugs and turns to pour herself a cup of lemonade.

“I know what you davened for,” Libby murmurs in my ear.