LITMIR.BIZ

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something about naming her Channa Shoshana—Hannah Rose in English.”

      Magda erupted into tears. “That was my mother’s name. My mother, Channa, and Stefan’s mother, Shoshana, aleichem hashalom. Gottenu, I hadn’t thought about …” Again, the flood of tears. “Our other granddaughter was named after their side, so this be the first name for my mother.” She hugged her husband. “They’d be so proud, nu, Stefan.”

      “Very proud.”

      Decker spotted Nurse Bellson’s impatient eyes. They had narrowed, and only part of the green irises were visible.

      Panther eyes.

      “We’re holding up the show,” he said. “Thank you, Marie. Let’s go.” He kissed Cindy’s cheek. “Bye, princess.”

      “Bye, Daddy.”

      Cindy watched them go, her father holding the boys’ hands while Magda sobbed on her husband’s shoulder. As soon as the group was out of sight, she felt the heat of Bellson’s glare. The nurse had her twiggy arms twisted across her chest.

      “Well, you engineered that one nicely.”

      “Can we please be friends?” Cindy asked.

      “You don’t trust me to feed the baby?”

      “Of course, I trust you, Ms. Bellson. I just feel so sorry for her, her mom being operated on and everything. My father was a basket case about a half hour ago. She’s my sister … my first actual sibling. I’m just trying to help.”

      “You’re getting in my way.”

      “It’s unintentional. Honestly.”

      “Unintentional.” Bellson snorted. “Haven’t you something better to do with your life than hang around here?”

      “I’ll be back in school in a week. How’s that?”

      “Where?”

      “In New York. Columbia University, specifically.”

      “UC system isn’t good enough for you?”

      “Who can get into UCLA?” Cindy forced herself to smile. “Besides, I’m trying to give my poor mom a break after all these years putting up with me.”

      “You don’t get along with your mom?”

      Cindy waited a beat before speaking. She sensed that the nurse was hoping she didn’t get along. “Actually, I’m close to both my parents. They lead very different lives, but they’re both good people. I do the best I can.”

      Bellson hesitated, then shook her head once again. Her eyes suddenly softened. “I suppose it’s nice what you’re doing for your father. Just don’t step on my toes, all right? I’ve been charge nurse of this unit for ten years. I don’t appreciate people barging in, demanding that I cater to them.”

      “I didn’t mean anything. I’m sorry.”

      “S’okay.” Bellson uncrossed her arms, letting them slowly drop to her sides. “I do get testy, especially when I’m overworked and understaffed.” She played with a gold class ring on her left hand. “My profession means a lot to me. I put my heart and soul into my babies—all of them. You notice that little Rodriguez baby?”

      Cindy nodded.

      “Mama’s only fifteen years old—a child with a child. I’ve spent hours with her just teaching her the basics. How to hold her baby, how to feed her, how to change a diaper. Letting her know that what she’s got is a baby and not a doll.”

      “That’s very nice of you.”

      “It’s because I care. I care about that skinny little thing.” Bellson furrowed her brow. “She was low birth weight because her mother smoked during pregnancy.” She dropped her voice a notch. “And I bet she smoked more than tobacco.”

      The nurse smoothed her paper gown.

      “Anyway, it’s not my position to judge. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. But it is my position to help. I don’t want that poor little thing going home with an untrained mother. They’re the ones who do damage. One of the things I always tell the mamas: If they don’t want what the good Lord blessed them with, there are hundreds of nice families who’d gladly take the baby off their hands. They should quit their eternal griping and thank Jesus they have a healthy baby.”

      Cindy nodded solemnly, thinking that Bellson would have been a great Puritan. She could picture the woman in a Pilgrim’s hat, her reedy body covered by a black dress with a starched white apron, fingers kneading stiff bread dough in a one-room shack heated by a black iron cauldron. Pilgrim Bellson would be an attentive mother—caring—but she’d never crack a smile. The Pilgrim glanced at her watch—the timepiece an anachronism that brought Cindy back to the present.

      “I’m running late,” Bellson said.

      “My fault, I’m sorry,” Cindy said. “I’ll wait in the nursery and won’t go past the yellow line.”

      “Good.” Bellson played with her ring again. “It’s nice what you’re doing for your sister. As long as you remember you’re not the infant’s mother. I hope your stepmother takes your place soon.”

      “I hope so, too,” Cindy said. And she meant it.

       6

      The kick aroused her from a dull sleep. She opened her eyes and was staring at loin-clothed crotch. She couldn’t even tell who the crotch belonged to, because the wall of chest muscle hid the face. The voice told her to get the hell up. For a moment, she panicked. Her heart began to pound, awakening her out of her stupor.

      The low one’s come back!

      But then the voice was familiar in a positive way.

      Mack.

      The voice belonged to Mack.

      She relaxed.

      Back in control.

      It was Mack.

      Eric was better, but Mack was okay.

      “Are you just going to lie around and gather dust like a rug? If you’re a rug, maybe I should take you out and beat you.”

      The floor was cold and hard. His intimidation was working. She was feeling appropriately hostile. Lifting heavy weights required the rush, and nothing gave you the rush like hostility. “Shut up!”

      “So are you ready to work or what?”

      “I’m ready.”

      He held out his hand. She took it, and he hoisted her to her feet. He threw a bundle at her.

      “Put some clothes on.”

      She nodded and dressed quickly.

      “How much time do you have?” Mack asked.

      “Two hours.”

      “Two hours? Tandy, we can’t do anything in two hours.”

      “Well, that’s all the time I have, Mack. Take it or leave it. Help me with my weight belt.”

      “You should get a better-quality belt.” Mack slipped the leather straps through the metal loops and pulled tightly, enjoying the sound of her curses. “After two years of pumping, you’re no virgin, you know. You want to make progress, you need the right gear.”

      “I’m a little tight on cash at the moment.”

      “Hey, are you serious about building or what?”

      “Of course I’m serious.”

      “Then find the cash, Tandy. If you’re gonna do, do it right.”

      “It’s

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