Recap: Aida’s mother is rushed to the hospital. The doctor informs her that her mother needs surgery that can only be done overseas. Aida’s aunt is with her and says the lady in Canada will help them. Aida hopes this is true.
Aunt Bea told me to go home and pack, and she would come pick me up in a little while. She had to go pick up her son from the babysitter.
Aunt Bea has ten children in a two-bedroom house. I didn’t know how I was going to fit.
I strode towards home, wondering what Aba was doing now. If only I could speak to him.
Just then, Vanna approached. “Come over to the bushes over there. I want to give you something.”
I glanced around to make sure no one was watching.
She handed me another folded scrap of paper.
“Read it later. I have to run. You can meet me here tomorrow around this time and I’ll take your reply back to your father.”
“Thank you. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I wish I could leave this place.” Vanna sighed. “My aunt is cruel. She beats me if I don’t do exactly what she says, and my uncle is worse.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“See you tomorrow,” she said, and she slipped away into the late afternoon shadows.
I clutched the precious paper in my fist and walked slowly towards home. I didn’t want to catch anyone’s attention.
When I reached the house, I unbolted the lock and stepped inside. My house felt strange and empty with just me in it.
I sat down on the wooden rocker in the living room and opened Aba’s note.
“Be brave. I am well. Don’t despair. Hashem is with us.”
Tears rolled down my cheek. “Aba, I miss you! I need you!”
…
A little while later, I was in a closet on the main floor in Aunt Bea’s house.
“I know it’s small but at least you’ll have privacy.”
I tried to fit my clothing into the plastic container that Aunt Bea provided.
Three of Aunt Bea’s smallest kids were watching me.
I realized this just wasn’t going to work for me. I needed my own room in my own house.
“Aunt Bea, I really appreciate this, but I just want to go home. I’m more comfortable there. I’ll come here for Shabbos.”
“You’re sure? I hate to leave you alone in that house.”
“I want to be there.”
…
Back home, I unpacked and plopped onto my own familiar bed. I thought about Stella. I wondered if she was doing all right and if I would ever see her again. There was no way she would be coming back here. I sensed that when we said good-bye.
There was a knock on the door. The neighbor stood in the doorway. “Your mother is calling.”
“Oh, thank you.” Ima was calling from the hospital. “Aida, are you okay?”
“Baruch Hashem, I’m fine,” I said.
“I can’t use the phone here long, but a kind nurse let me call.”
“I’ll come visit tomorrow.”
“Okay. Love you.”
I didn’t dare stay on too long on my neighbor’s phone.
I thanked them in Arabic and headed back home.
Ima’s voice was weak. Hashem, please heal her.
I sat down to say T’hilim. I was interrupted by a soft knocking sound. At first, I thought I was imagining it.
I felt my stomach clench. Was someone trying to get into the house.
The knock persisted. It was coming from the back window.
I walked warily. My heart was pounding.
I approached the window and I glimpsed Vanna.
I quickly opened the back door, and she slipped inside. “Please put the shades down.” Her face was red, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do.”
“What’s wrong?”
My aunt caught me taking a note from the prison. She tore it and locked me in the dark basement room for hours with no food or drink.
“How did you get out?”
“I saw a way to climb out the window, but it was a very high window, so it took me a long time to reach it. I piled boxes and things in the basement. When she finds me gone…”
Vanna swayed.
“Please sit. I’ll get you some water.”
My mind was rushing in circles. If the prison guard and his wife knew Vanna was here, I would be arrested. This was a very dangerous situation, but I couldn’t let her be left to their abuse.
She gulped the water. I brought her more.
“Please, do you have some fruit?”
I brought her an apple and some hummus.
We heard a police siren. My neck muscles tightened.
“Where can I hide?” Vanna asked, shaking.
I thought for a minute. “Come upstairs. We have a little room in the back with a closet.” The closet has no door, so it looks like the wall just continues. Aba never got around to putting a door there. It was hashgachah because that made it an ideal hiding spot.
“I don’t want to endanger you, Aida. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
“I’m going to go to Rabbi H. He is wise and he will know what we should do.”
A police siren screamed. It sounded close by.
To be continued…
Susie Garber is the author of an historical fiction novel, Flight of the Doves (Menucha Publishing, 2023), Please Be Polite (Menucha Publishers, 2022), A Bridge in Time (Menucha Publishing, 2021), Secrets in Disguise (Menucha Publishers, 2020), Denver Dreams (a novel, Jerusalem Publications, 2009), Memorable Characters…Magnificent Stories (Scholastic, 2002), Befriend (Menucha Publishers, 2013), The Road Less Traveled (FeldHeim, 2015), fiction serials and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, “Moon Song” in Binyan (2021-2022), and Alaskan Gold ( 2023-2024).
