The day was halfway over. And she still hadn’t heard from Benny since he’d walked out this morning “to clear his head”
Tziporah looked at the clock. One-seventeen. Soon it would be time to pick up Momo. She still hadn’t got past the first item on Maury’s list. It shouldn’t be taking her so long — this wasn’t her first audit, she already knew Maury’s system — but her brain seemed disconnected from her fingers today.
She started dialing Benny’s number again, but stopped midway. Benny usually called her sometime during first seder to see how her morning was going and to check if she needed anything. Today there had been no calls.
But it was okay for a guy to need space, right? Especially a guy who — no, she wasn’t going there, she wasn’t going to think about the red-eyed stranger who’d bid her goodbye this morning. Any guy could need some space.
Tziporah sighed, saved the meager work she’d done, and logged out. If she couldn’t be a good accountant today, she could still be a good mother. She had barely paid attention to the kids yesterday — she’d been so nervous about the Melaveh Malkah that she mommied on autopilot. Today, Tziporah told herself as she hurried to the babysitter, she would do better.
This one’s in print. Some of our best stories live in the magazine — subscribe to get Mishpacha every week.
