“I really think you should give her a chance. What are you afraid of? You think the girls won’t like you anymore?”
R
ikki sat on the hallway steps, elbows on her knees, waiting for Ruchie.
A loud crash from upstairs, followed by a scream, pierced the eerie silence. Rikki shot to her feet and clutched the banister.
Heart pounding, she looked up the stairway into the darkness. All was quiet until another scream tore through the stillness. Rikki jumped, nearly losing her footing on the step. Regaining her balance, she took the stairs two at a time. The door to her brothers’ room was ajar, and they were asleep. Her back arched. It was Chaya!
“Please, Hashem.” She rushed down the hall, unsure what she would find, and opened the door. Chaya was crying softly in her bed. Grateful that she hadn’t fallen out, Rikki turned the light on. The sound machine was lying on the floor, and Chaya was holding the cord, tears streaming down her face.
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