Dream On: Chapter 40

“How are my bubahs?” Chava gave Sari and Yitzi a hug as they came running up to greet her.

“Thanks, Ma, I really appreciate this.” Devoiry was applying lipstick while looking in the breakfront mirror. She sounded harried — but then, she usually sounded that way these days. Chava was sometimes tempted to point out that she’d been much less stressed when she worked as an eighth-grade teacher.

But she never did, because she knew how Devoiry would react. And also, how she’d respond. Yeah, and I made a tiny fraction of the money. Being poor is stressful, too.

“The evening hours are my busiest in the store,” Devoiry said as she turned away from the mirror and approached Chava. “If I had had to stay closed tonight because the babysitter canceled, I would’ve lost a ton of sales.”