LITMIR.BIZ

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“What does he want?”

      “I don’t think he wants anything, Ezra.”

      “What does he do then?”

      “I don’t know. I give him a snack.”

      “He can’t come home for a snack?” Breina said.

      “It’s part of being a teenager, Breina. Sometimes a snack at your aunt’s house is better than a snack at home. Maybe he went to a friend’s house for a snack.”

      “On Rosh Hashanah?” Breina said.

      “Maybe he went to your brother’s,” Ezra said. “If he went to one relative, maybe he went to another?”

      “Enough!” Frieda said. She turned to her husband and again instructed him to make kiddush.

      “No one is sitting,” Alter said.

      “Everyone sit down,” Shimmy said.

      “Where should we sit, Frieda?” asked Sora Lazarus.

      The next few minutes were spent trying to get everyone seated. Rina instructed the boys to sit at the same table as their cousins. She asked them if they had seen Noam. Both shook their heads no.

      Sammy whispered in his mother’s ear, “I didn’t see him in shul today.”

      Rina said, “You probably just missed him, Shmuel. Aaron said he walked to shul with them.”

      “He wasn’t in shul,” Sammy insisted.

      “How do you know?” Rina said.

      “Because anytime I’m in town, Noam’ll hunt me out just to bug me. And he didn’t bug me today.”

      Rina said, “Maybe he’s bored with bugging you.”

      “No way, José. He bugged me yesterday, first thing. He’s a real jerk, Eema.”

      Rina sighed. The kid did have problems. And she knew why Sammy was hostile toward him. Behind Sammy’s back, Noam had dubbed Peter and her with crude epithets. Naturally, Sammy had found out about it. There had been a fight, and Noam, being older and bigger, had given Sammy a black eye. At the time, Rina had been outraged, about to make a huge stink. But Sammy implored her not to say anything to Breina and Ezra. She backed off, knowing that her son had been fighting for her honor and her interference might somehow emasculate him. The whole incident eventually blew over, but not without psychological ramifications. She was cool to Breina after that, aware that Noam’s thoughts didn’t originate out of nowhere.

      “Any idea where he might have gone?” Rina said.

      “I don’t know and I don’t care,” Sammy said. “Noam’s always getting into trouble. He’s a mental case.”

      “Shmuli, try to be charitable.”

      Sammy gave her an impish smile. “Is Mrs. Levine serving us kid food or do we get to eat the good stuff like you guys?”

      Rina was about to launch into a speech, but Sammy preempted her. “Forget it, Eema.” He kissed her hand. “Go sit down.”

      Rina wanted to squeeze him and would have if they’d been alone. But alas, her boys were at that age—embarrassed by her hugs and kisses. So she just smiled at her sons, then found her place at the table. Her seat was sandwiched between her sisters-in-law.

      Alter Levine made the ritual blessing over the wine. Following kiddush came the ceremony of the washing of the hands, then the breaking of bread. With all the people and one sink, the washing and blessings took over ten minutes. Finally the meal was about to be served and six women jumped up to help Frieda Levine. Frieda instructed the guests to sit, her daughters and daughters-in-law would help her and there was no room in the kitchen for anyone else.

      Esther patted Rina on the shoulder and whispered, “You look pale.”

      “It’s been a tiring trip,” Rina said. “And this incident isn’t helping.”

      Rina’s other sister-in-law, Shayna, agreed. “Poor Breina. Noam has been giving her such a rough time lately. Not a bad boy. Just doesn’t have any sense. No sechel.”

      Esther said, “Remember that fight that he and Sammy—”

      “Yes,” Rina said. “He’s a very impressionable kid.”

      “A lonely boy, if you ask me,” Esther said. “This thing must be bad news. Why else would Ezra ask Akiva to look for him?”

      “Jonathan volunteered to look for him,” Rina said. “Not Akiva. Akiva just went along to keep him company. Akiva doesn’t even know what the boy looks like.”

      “Poor Breina,” Shayna repeated. “It’s tough to raise teenage boys.”

      Rina said, “Shhh, she’s coming.”

      The appetizer was served. Rina was on her second sweet and sour meatball when there was a loud knock on the door. Shimon and Ezra leaped up at the same time. Ezra got to the door first.

      Rina studied the men as they came into the room. Jonathan seemed anxious. Peter, on the other hand, was calm, expressionless—his eyes unreadable. His professional demeanor. That was really worrisome. For a moment, she flashed to those young faces plastered on milk cartons. The images were too gruesome to dwell upon.

      Ezra said, “You didn’t find him.”

      The women came out from the kitchen. Breina’s lip started to quiver. Frieda began to stagger backward. Esther stood up and offered Frieda her chair. Ezra told everyone to just calm down. But he was anything but tranquil.

      “He’s probably at a friend’s,” Jonathan said. “I didn’t know all his friends—”

      “He wouldn’t go without asking me,” Breina said. Her voice was shrill. “They wouldn’t let him come without asking me. Not on Rosh Hashanah.”

      Ezra said, “Did you check the house? Maybe he went home?”

      “Twice,” Jonathan said. “If he’s home, he’s not answering.”

      “I’ll go check,” Ezra said to Breina. “I’ll check his friends, your brother’s house—”

      “I already checked Shlomi’s house,” Jonathan said. “He’s not there.” He whispered a damn under his breath.

      Decker said to Ezra, “How about if I come with you—”

      “No,” Ezra snapped. He hugged himself and exhaled slowly. “No, that isn’t necessary.”

      “Let Akiva come with you, Ez,” Jonathan said.

      “Why?” Ezra said. “Do you think I need a policeman to look for my son?” He turned to Decker, his face a mask of pure fear. “Do you think I need the police, is that it?”

      “No,” Decker said.

      “Then why do you want to come?” Ezra shouted.

      Decker shrugged and said, “Up to you, Ezra. You want some company, I’ll be happy to tag along.”

      “I don’t care who goes,” Breina shrieked. “Just go.” She burst into tears.

      “Why don’t the two of you split up,” Shimon suggested. “It will go twice as fast.”

      Decker answered, “I don’t know who his friends are or where they live.”

      “I can take you to them,” Aaron, Noam’s eldest brother, volunteered.

      “I don’t need anyone with me!” Ezra protested.

      “Then go already,” Breina said.

      Frieda spoke up, “Ezra, take Akiva with you.”

      “Mama, there’s no reason for a policeman—”

      “Take

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