chance that the bus might get hit by bullets. She was traveling through areas where people might shoot at them. This was an actual war zone, like in Iraq. She was living in a war zone. Who volunteers to live in a war zone? And the craziest part was that her mother wouldn’t let her sign up for the army so she could actually have a chance to defend herself.
Thoughts about her mother brought to mind the looming confrontation waiting at home. Gaby rolled her eyes at her reflection in the window. Hopefully her mother was at work; at least Gaby could get some sleep before her mother gave her another lecture on how she was wasting her potential and giving everything away for free.
She reached behind her head to massage her neck and realized with an annoyed pang that she had left her red beaded necklace in Saar’s friend’s apartment. All the good feelings she got from her interaction with Hillel drained, and she kicked the seat in front of her in frustration. She really liked that necklace. The chances of her ever seeing it again were as good as her seeing Saar again, which, knowing her odds, wasn’t likely.
It was silly to be so upset over a cheap necklace that she bought on the street, but she was. She kicked the seat again, but that only hurt her flip-flop-clad foot, so she stopped.
The bus left the terminal and started driving out of Jerusalem and into the rocky roads of the Shomron. Gaby leaned her head against the window and, trying not to think about how easy she had been last night, watched the scenery. Instead of the rolling hills and blue sky, she saw images of cold drinks swirling before her. She was so thirsty. The second she got home, she’d make herself an iced coffee.
Regrettably, when Gaby opened the door, her brain banging in her head, she saw her mother, hunched over the kitchen table, with Henny and another woman. Instead of a nice coffee, she was going to have to deal with her mother – and in front of other people, too.
“There she is!” Henny said, looking relieved. “See, I knew she was okay!”
Mrs. Kupfer looked up. Her eyes were red, and she was wearing a tattered pink bathrobe over her nightgown. “Where were you?” she asked accusingly. “I was up the whole night, worrying about you.”
Gaby shrugged. “I’m sorry. I was just out with some friends.” She felt bad enough about last night; leave it to her mother to make her feel worse.
“Friends? While you were out with some friends, I was worried sick! This is Israel! When you disappeared last night, I thought you got kidnapped. Instead, you’re busy dealing with some teenage angst.”
Henny put her hand on Mrs. Kupfer’s arm and made soothing noises.
Instantly, Gaby felt that familiar frustration with her mother. How obtuse could she be? She was flipping out over what could have happened instead of noticing what actually happened. Didn’t she realize that Gaby was home now, safe and sound, but she had obviously spent the night somewhere, with someone. Why didn’t her mother notice that?
Forcing herself to be calm in front of the other women, Gaby went over to the kettle and turned on the gas, trying to ignore her mother’s misdirected concern. “Maybe you should get me a cell phone.”
“No, what I need to do is give you some structure. You are going to seminary. Henny’s sister-in-law is the house mother for Bnos Yerushalayim, and she spoke to the principal and that’s where you’re going.”
Gaby spun around, her mouth agape. “Ma, come on. You can’t be serious.”
“I’m very serious. You need this. You’ll be happier. I promise.”
“How will you pay for it? It’s like twenty thousand dollars.”
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s only sixteen thousand dollars and I’ll find the money. Don’t worry about that.”
Gaby bit her lip and considered her options for a minute. There was no way her mother suddenly had sixteen thousand dollars. The seminary must be giving her a huge break and chalking it up to
Thoughts about her mother brought to mind the looming confrontation waiting at home. Gaby rolled her eyes at her reflection in the window. Hopefully her mother was at work; at least Gaby could get some sleep before her mother gave her another lecture on how she was wasting her potential and giving everything away for free.
She reached behind her head to massage her neck and realized with an annoyed pang that she had left her red beaded necklace in Saar’s friend’s apartment. All the good feelings she got from her interaction with Hillel drained, and she kicked the seat in front of her in frustration. She really liked that necklace. The chances of her ever seeing it again were as good as her seeing Saar again, which, knowing her odds, wasn’t likely.
It was silly to be so upset over a cheap necklace that she bought on the street, but she was. She kicked the seat again, but that only hurt her flip-flop-clad foot, so she stopped.
The bus left the terminal and started driving out of Jerusalem and into the rocky roads of the Shomron. Gaby leaned her head against the window and, trying not to think about how easy she had been last night, watched the scenery. Instead of the rolling hills and blue sky, she saw images of cold drinks swirling before her. She was so thirsty. The second she got home, she’d make herself an iced coffee.
Regrettably, when Gaby opened the door, her brain banging in her head, she saw her mother, hunched over the kitchen table, with Henny and another woman. Instead of a nice coffee, she was going to have to deal with her mother – and in front of other people, too.
“There she is!” Henny said, looking relieved. “See, I knew she was okay!”
Mrs. Kupfer looked up. Her eyes were red, and she was wearing a tattered pink bathrobe over her nightgown. “Where were you?” she asked accusingly. “I was up the whole night, worrying about you.”
Gaby shrugged. “I’m sorry. I was just out with some friends.” She felt bad enough about last night; leave it to her mother to make her feel worse.
“Friends? While you were out with some friends, I was worried sick! This is Israel! When you disappeared last night, I thought you got kidnapped. Instead, you’re busy dealing with some teenage angst.”
Henny put her hand on Mrs. Kupfer’s arm and made soothing noises.
Instantly, Gaby felt that familiar frustration with her mother. How obtuse could she be? She was flipping out over what could have happened instead of noticing what actually happened. Didn’t she realize that Gaby was home now, safe and sound, but she had obviously spent the night somewhere, with someone. Why didn’t her mother notice that?
Forcing herself to be calm in front of the other women, Gaby went over to the kettle and turned on the gas, trying to ignore her mother’s misdirected concern. “Maybe you should get me a cell phone.”
“No, what I need to do is give you some structure. You are going to seminary. Henny’s sister-in-law is the house mother for Bnos Yerushalayim, and she spoke to the principal and that’s where you’re going.”
Gaby spun around, her mouth agape. “Ma, come on. You can’t be serious.”
“I’m very serious. You need this. You’ll be happier. I promise.”
“How will you pay for it? It’s like twenty thousand dollars.”
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s only sixteen thousand dollars and I’ll find the money. Don’t worry about that.”
Gaby bit her lip and considered her options for a minute. There was no way her mother suddenly had sixteen thousand dollars. The seminary must be giving her a huge break and chalking it up to
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