“Girls, come. It’s time for the midday meal.” Jasmin’s mother beckoned us to the courtyard where a lavish meal was spread. There were all sorts of meats, goat, duck, lamb, and fruits, lush plums, melons, cherries and dried figs and dates, pistachios, and almonds. The almond trees surrounding our courtyard blossomed, sending a sweet honey scent into the air.
Two baskets were set on the wall with steaming platters of food.
“Why is there food in baskets?” Galla asked me.
“Aunt Annabelle sets aside food for the poor whenever we have a meal. Farah will take the baskets to the town and distribute the food to families who need it.”
“How wasteful. Those families should work for their keep like everyone else.”
I wanted to say, what an insensitive comment from someone who’s never had a need not taken care of. I held my tongue. There was no use admonishing Galla. She’s not someone who changes her mind.
Farah brought out a large meat platter. She noticed Kitty and grabbed her tail and carried her away. The cat’s pitiful meows filled the air. I rose up and followed Farah back to the kitchen.
“Please, Farah, don’t hurt the kitty.”
“It’s a nuisance. We best get rid of it.”
“No, please don’t.”
Thankfully, my cousin walked into the kitchen. “Mihran, please, Royal Cousin, please tell Farah not to hurt the kitten,” I said.
“There are laws of not hurting animals,” Mihran said. “Please release the animal.”
Farah shrugged. “So many laws in this religion. You’ll all be sorry when there’s cats everywhere.” She went back to putting meat on platters and I followed Mihran back to the courtyard.
“Thank you,” I said.
We returned to the table in time to hear Nazanin announce while lifting a cup of wine: “To my husband’s proclamation at the pageant.”
“What is his proclamation?” Aunt Annabelle asked.
“A way to rid our country of those people, the Jews.”
My aunt’s face paled.
There was a long silence.
My stomach knotted.
Aunt Annabelle turned to me. “Ava, ask Mihran to bring in some fruits. I must go to my parlor. I’m indisposed.”
My aunt bit her lower lip, bowed and excused herself. She wouldn’t challenge our guests on their views. It would not be polite.
They would be shocked to discover our family secret.
Chapter 1: State University (Daniel, 2024)
“Sorry, I can’t play chess now. I have to go speak to someone in the library,” Dad said.
I’d hoped moving to the university for Dad’s sabbatical year would mean we’d have time to spend together.
“Maybe we can play later,” Dad called over his shoulder as he headed out the door.
I knew he wouldn’t have time for that. He never did. I sighed.
We were renting an apartment on campus. I glanced around at all our boxes and suitcases. I could unpack. No, I decided to go explore instead.
I stepped outside into the warm late September afternoon. Tall oaks shaded the pathways of the campus in hues of red, orange, and saffron on the rolling green campus. College students strolled down the pathways. Some sat on benches deep in conversation or reading a book.
I glimpsed a wide, white building with many columns in front. I headed towards it.
There was a tall boy around my age taping a sign to a nearby lamppost.
“Are you from around here?” I asked him.
He held a pile of flyers and a roll of tape.
“I live in Charlottesville, not so far away.” He turned towards me. He was tall and slim, a good inch taller than me and he had reddish brown hair and brown eyes and wire-rimmed glasses.
“Uh, you’re kind of young to be a university student,” He said.
“Right. My father has a research grant for a sabbatical year starting now and he’s doing his research in the University library. We’re going to be here for a year.” I held out my hand. ”Daniel Goldman.”
He shifted the flyers to his left hand and shook my hand. “Yisroel Meir Diamond. I’m going into eighth, and you?”
“Seventh.”
“Welcome to Virginia. Are you Jewish?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Maybe you want to come to our program?” He pointed to the words on the flyer. It’s a Friday night Shabbos dinner at our house. My father’s involved in kiruv.”
I didn’t know what Shabbos meant or kiruv, but I felt uncomfortable asking.
I noticed Yisroel Meir wore a yarmulke. “Is your father a rabbi?”
He nodded.
“Well, thanks. I’ll ask my father. I don’t know if he’ll have time. He’s busy with his research and all, but it’s nice of you.”
“When I’m done, I’ll show you around the campus. There’s a great gym here. We could play some basketball if you want.”
I helped Yisroel Meir put up the rest of the flyers and then he pointed at the big building with columns. “This is the library. Come see the inside.”
The library had high vaulted ceilings and a chandelier. This is where my father would be spending a lot of his time.
We left and he led me on a grand tour. The State University is a large, pretty campus with lots of buildings.
Yisroel Meir led me to the gym. He removed his suit jacket, and he showed the guy at the counter an ID and the guy handed him a basketball. We hurried into the main part of the gym. The gym was huge with polished floors and high, athletic-size baskets. There were stands and a score board.
He bounced the ball all around trying to avoid me guarding him from the basket.
“You’re really good,” I said. I hadn’t played basketball in a while. I hoped I could pull this off without having any sign of my problem.
He had me huffing and puffing, running after him. He scored a lot of baskets.
“Baruch Hashem,” he said.
I didn’t know what that meant but I smiled.
I held up my hand for time out.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Just need to catch my breath.” I plopped down on the nearest bench. I took deep breaths. I had to be okay.
You go ahead,” I said.
“No, no I’ll wait. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nodded. I willed the problem to lift.
After a few minutes, I rose.
Thankfully, I could breathe again.
“I guess I better stop for now,” I said, coughing.
We gave back the basketball to the man in the front and then we headed back along one of the paths where Yisroel Meir had taped flyers. He froze and pointed.
Someone had scrawled a big black “X” over the whole flyer. Next to it was a miniature Palestinian flag.
I gasped.
To be continued…
Susie Garber is the author of an historical fiction novel, Flight of the Doves (Menucha Publishing, 2023), Please Be Polite (Menucha Publishers, 2022), A Bridge in Time (Menucha Publishing, 2021), Secrets in Disguise (Menucha Publishers, 2020), Denver Dreams (a novel, Jerusalem Publications, 2009), Memorable Characters…Magnificent Stories (Scholastic, 2002), Befriend (Menucha Publishers, 2013), The Road Less Traveled (Feldheim, 2015), fiction serials and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, “Moon Song” in Binyan (2021-2022), and Alaskan Gold ( 2023-2024).
