Ma has so many rules about food. And now she went away
She was so scared, that’s all. But she didn’t mean to send Ma away.
She didn’t know that by the time Dad came home, Ma would be cleaning up after herself. She thought Ma had died. What a stupid, stupid girl she was.
Ever since Tziri could remember, Ma has had a stomach ache. Everything she ate made her throw up — it was like her tummy was broken. Tziri’s friend Rivky was allergic to peanut butter, but now she only ate things that were peanut-free, and her stomach never hurt anymore. She would tell Ma about this, but Ma would sigh and say, “Sure, hon,” and continue throwing up. Ma didn’t even eat peanut butter though.
She hated the retching sounds coming from the bathroom all the time. Ma would put the shower on so she wouldn’t hear, but she knew. On bad stomach days Ma would be in bed when she came home from school, and she would get herself a bowl of cereal and milk, and give some to Avi and Ezzie too. Ma had a lot of bad stomach days. The boys didn’t understand; they were just five and two. She was eight and she knew better.
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