“Joe, Miriam,” Esther walked toward them teetering on too-high heels. She clasped a glass of wine in one hand and a giant mushroom cap rested on a cocktail napkin in the other. “You have to taste these mushrooms. I must get the recipe. Why are you two standing alone against the wall? It’s a party.”
Miriam gripped Joe’s elbow even tighter and mustered a weak smile. Esther didn’t seem to notice.
“Did you see Golda Lipchitz’s dress? Really, who wants to look at a seventy-two-year-old woman’s boobies? I don’t. Even if she does look good for her age, that dress is...” Esther shook her head and made a tsk-tsk sound. “Stupid. Come on Miriam, let Joe talk golf with Lewis and the other men. You have to taste the little meatballs. They’re good, but I can’t figure out what spice they used.” Esther snatched Miriam’s arm from Joe and pulled her toward the food.
***
Becky
In a room at the far end of the floor, Maria stood as her mother fiddled with her hair and Becky examined every fold and bead on her dress.
“Do you think the lipstick is too bright?” Maria’s mother asked Becky.
“Absolutely not.” Becky shook her head vigorously. “The lighting in the ballroom is so low, the bright lipstick will draw light to her face. “Maria, your make-up is perfect. Don’t touch a thing. You look like the cover of a bridal magazine.” She stepped back to take in Maria’s whole body.
Maria looked radiant, but Becky wasn’t sure if it was new bride radiance or her own joy, reflecting off the future Jewish Maria. A shiver zapped through her. The girl was perfect for her son. “I have to go and check on Noah.” She gave Maria an air kiss and turned to her mother and kissed her. “Such a wonderful day.”
As Becky made her way to Noah’s dressing room, she crossed through the ballroom, greeting the guests with hugs and kisses. She thanked them for the mazel tovs and well wishes. When she ran into Laurie, Becky stopped to catch her breath.
“Everything is so beautiful and the food is delicious.” Laurie wrapped Becky in a hug. “Mazel tov. I heard the news about Maria. I couldn’t be happier for you. Everything is coming together beautifully.”
Becky’s heart filled with pride, except for the small spot that wished it was a real wedding, with a rabbi and a real chupah. She shook it off. “It is and once Maria finishes converting, we’ll have a real Jewish wedding.” She glanced around the room. “Well, maybe it will be a smaller more intimate Jewish wedding.”
Laurie smiled. “One wedding at a time. Did you see Naomi and Miriam yet?”
Becky almost doubled over. Miriam?
***
Naomi
Naomi wandered through the crowd, hoping to avoid Aaron. It was hard enough being in the same building with him. But she knew she would have to face him at dinner. They were seated at the same table. She needed a few minutes alone to reign in her emotions.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned. Jake holding two glasses of wine. “Stop sneaking up behind me,” she said.
“I didn’t sneak. You just happened to have your back to me.” He thrust out the hand holding the red wine. “Shiraz, your favorite.”
“It changed. I’m a cabernet person now.”
He shrugged. “I tried.”
She gazed at his handsome face. Yeah, she could still see what she fell for all those years ago. Damn, she was so shallow. A sucker for a pretty face. She looked at the wine glass that was now in her hand. “Why would you bother trying?”
“I told you the day you almost drowned me in the kitchen. I want us to be friends.”
“Jake, I told you then and I’m telling you again, I don’t want to go bowling with you.”
That statement cracked them both up. Jake raised his glass. “Here.” He stopped talking for a brief moment and smiled--the kind of smile that used every facial muscle and originated in the heart. “To someday bowling with my ex-wife.”
She sipped the wine. Maybe it was the atmosphere of the wedding or a slight resurgence of all the love she gave him over the years, but for that moment, she could envision a future where they could be...maybe not friends, but friendly.
As she considered what to say next, she felt fingers clamp the back of her arm.
“Hi, Jake,” Laurie said over her shoulder and kept her fingers clenched around Naomi’s arm. “I’m sure Naomi would love to play catch up with you, but now isn’t the time. Hurry up, Naomi.”
Naomi tried to tug her arm away. “Hey, you’re going to leave a bruise.”
“Then walk faster and I’ll let go.” Laurie did a quick head swivel. “See you later, Jake. You look great in that tux.”
She yanked Naomi’s arm again.
“Ouch, what the hell? That hurt. Let go of my arm.” Naomi locked her knees and stopped--a rock in the middle of the room. “What’s going on? Where are you pulling me to?”
Laurie’s face flushed bright red--blotchy red. Everything about her expression radiated stress. “I made the mistake of telling Becky that Miriam is here.”
“Of course, she’s here. Noah and Maria invited her personally.” Naomi jerked her arm away from Laurie’s grip. “She knew Miriam would be here.”
“Based on the look in her eyes when I said it, I don’t think she believed Miriam would come.”
“Where’s Becky?” Naomi asked, turning to scan the room. “I don’t see her.”
“She went to check on Noah and the groomsmen. Hopefully, she’s still in that room with them.”
Naomi inhaled and exhaled. The other guests mingled and smiled while Naomi watched Laurie have a panic attack.
“Are you all right?” Laurie asked. “Why are you staring at me?”
Over Lauri’s shoulder, Naomi spotted Aaron, talking to an older woman Naomi didn’t recognize.
“Please keep moving. Remember, Miriam and Becky? We have to get there first,” Laurie’s eyes and voice pleaded.
Naomi disengaged her stare and scanned the room. Just being in a room like this made her feel special, graceful--not exactly taller, but not so short. Everything about the room screamed luxury--thick carpet, crystal chandeliers, and the music played by the jazz trio. She loved looking at the beautiful dresses and tuxedos that transformed the most ordinary of men into handsome ones. “No, I’m not chasing either of them. It’s their problem.” She felt resolute. It surprised her. “I’m too old and too tired to buffer their battles. Let them deal with each other for once. I’m hungry. Let’s eat something before they take away this luscious food.” She turned and walked toward the sushi table.
Laurie trotted along behind her. “Are you serious? You’re going to quit now? This entire situation could explode at any minute.”
Naomi picked up a plate and studied the sushi. “Their problem, not mine.”
***
Becky
Becky banged on the door of the room where Noah and his groomsmen waited for the ceremony to begin. She didn’t bother to wait for someone to open the door. A few of his friends looked more nervous than Noah, who was deep in conversation with Naomi’s son, Josh.
“Hey, Mom,” Noah said. “Did you talk to Maria?”
“Yes, I did. She’s fine. Stand-up, let me check your tux.” Becky adjusted his tie and flicked a few pieces of dandruff from his jacket. “Turn around.”
Noah followed her instructions, did a complete circle. When they were face to face, Becky gave him one last squeeze. “I love you.”
There was so much she wanted to say to her son, but the rage inside her chest begged to get out. How dare that witch come to the wedding after her letter? Becky shot out of the room on a quest to find Naomi.
***
Miriam
Esther babbled on about the food as she pulled Miriam into the party. Miriam scanned the packed room. Her gaze moved from friend to acquaintance. She and Becky shared everything, including the same social circle.
Miriam tried her best to smile while greeting people she hadn’t spoken with in months and, in a few cases, years.
Under better circumstances, she would have been thrilled to chat with all of them. Inside, she silently prayed that her heart wouldn’t explode from her chest and nobody would notice the sweat dripping down the back of her neck.
“I’m not really hungry. You stay here and enjoy the food. I’m going to find Joe.”
“No, you’re not. You have that scared rabbit look in your eyes. You’re going to run and hide. Well, you can’t hide all night, so you better suck it up and let whatever is going to happen, happen.”
If Esther meant for her words to be empowering, she missed the boat. The excitement Miriam felt while getting dressed disappeared. The hope that Maria’s good news would set things right was naïve. Nothing had changed. She could feel it in her bones.
She and Becky were always emotionally in tuned with each other. She would dial Becky on the phone, and Becky would beep in on the call waiting. Or Becky would call to invite her to lunch at the exact moment she thought of dropping into Becky’s office and surprising her for lunch. It was truly uncanny.
“After all, she’s not going to make a scene and throw you out.”
Esther’s voice pulled Miriam’s attention back to the party.
***
Naomi
Aaron crept closer to Naomi, pretending to be interested in the people around him. She knew that she couldn’t avoid him any longer. She excused herself from Laurie, and walked over to him.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” he said.
The silence lingered for a few moments. “You saw me and walked away. I thought I was your escort for the evening.”
Naomi shrugged. She wanted to be angry with him, but couldn’t when he stood so close.
“Is it because of that James Bond type who brought you the glass of wine? You both looked rather chummy laughing together.”
Naomi didn’t understand--James Bond type?
“Excuse me?” she said out loud to be polite. What the hell is he talking about?
“You looked very engrossed with the tall guy, who most women would probably describe as handsome. That is if you like that type. If I was a female, I would definitely prefer the shorter more cuddly type.”
After he said that, it hit her. Aaron was talking about Jake. He was the only man she spoke with since she walked into the hotel. And he did hand her a drink. “Aaron, the man you saw me talking to was my ex-husband.”
“That’s your ex-husband? How tall is he?” Aaron asked and then shook his head. “He looked too happy to see you.”
Naomi planted her hand on her hip. “He said I look stunning.” Aaron avoided her gaze, shifting his weight from leg to leg, like he always did when he was nervous. The moment was awkward, and she decided to enjoy it, sipping her wine, letting the tension linger for a few extra seconds. “Aaron, think about it. My ex-husband, remember why he left me?”
“You said he went both ways.”
“This conversation is stupid, and why are you acting so jealous over my ex-husband?”
“You dumped me once for him.”
“Well, after that lovely picture in the New York Times, I’m not sure you’re even divorced from your wife. You two looked pretty comfortable at that what-ever-it-was event.”
“The one from The Arts and Letters Academy fundraiser?” Aaron said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you saw that. I didn’t even see Alisha until I walked outside. That’s when the photographer told us to smile for the camera. She needs all the publicity she can get for the new agency. And, Naomi, I told you. We don’t hate each other. We’re trying to keep the relationship somewhere between civil and friendly.”
She refused to allow the words inside her head to pass through her lips. They would sound completely inappropriate and juvenile. She bit her bottom lip and stared at the floor.
“Is this the reason you didn’t want me to pick you and Ezra up this evening?”
She nodded.
Aaron reached out for her hand. “You look stunning and I don’t want to waste a minute of this evening discussing Jake and Alisha--please.”
She measured his words and tone against the look in his eyes. They matched. She clasped her fingers around his.
Aaron started walking away from the crowd.
“Where are we going?” Naomi asked. “I’m hungry and every time I try to eat something, I get interrupted.”
“This will just take a minute. Follow me.”
They rounded the first corner and ended up in an empty hallway. Aaron didn’t stop. He continued to move forward until they reached a door with an Exit sign hanging above. He pushed the door open and pulled her into the staircase. Before she could ask anything, he kissed her.
He pulled back first. “Never be jealous of my ex-wife.” Naomi nodded. He pulled her close. “Send Ezra and Josh to their father’s house tonight,” he whispered while running his hand down her spine.
The kiss erased the jealousy. She leaned into his ear. “For a week.” The next kiss sealed it for Naomi. Aaron was the man she wanted to grow old with.
They walked out of the stairway hand-in-hand, to find the hors d’oeuvres being whisked away and waiters ushering the guests into the Urban Room. The ceremony was about to begin.
***
Miriam
Miriam smiled gratefully when she spotted Joe and Lewis gliding toward her and Esther. Esther kept urging her toward the ballroom, but she didn’t want to go in without Joe or Naomi. But she lost sight of Naomi soon after they arrived.
When the men arrived at their side, Esther rambled, giddy with excitement. “There’s nothing I love more than a wedding. Now that Maria is going to be Jewish, everything will be perfect. I wish one of my children would get married.”
“Stop it, Esther,” Lewis said, shaking his head. “You’re being ridiculous. Let Eli finish graduate school and find a job first. And Anat is only twenty-one years old. I’m sure the commanders in the Israeli army love to give soldiers time off to get married.”
“Poo-poo, Noah is only twenty three. What’s wrong with being married in college?”
Lewis shook his head and twisted his mouth as if to say, “I give up.”
Esther and Lewis switched languages and began speaking Hebrew. Within moments, the two were ten steps ahead of Miriam and Joe.
“Let’s go, honey,” Joe said.
Miriam shook her head. “No, this is wrong. It’s a mistake, Joe. Let’s go home.”
He placed his hand on her lower back. “No, we came to see Noah get married and that is what we are going to do. Just wait, everything is going to be fine.”
Five feet before the wide-open double doors of the ballroom, she froze. Becky stood inside, smiling and welcoming guests to the ceremony. She radiated happiness, but Miriam knew that with Becky, appearance could be deceiving. Miriam’s stomach knotted. She swallowed hard. Then she tried to focus on the speech she rehearsed at least a hundred times. She took one last glance around the room, hoping to spot Naomi, who was nowhere in sight. Time to take the plunge. She gripped Joe’s hand and moved forward.
Esther reached Becky first, giving Miriam the opportunity to avoid the situation entirely. “Joe,” Miriam said. “Let’s just shuffle around them unseen. Please.”
Before he could answer, Esther moved forward, leaving Miriam face-to-face with Becky. Becky’s nostrils flared and hate radiated from her eyes.
Suddenly, Miriam felt winded and her face hurt. She didn’t see it coming, Becky’s palm smacking her right cheek.
“You ignored my letter. Leave. You’re only here to put the ayin hara on my son like your father did to my mother.” Becky’s voice oozed red.
Miriam stepped back, still holding her palm against her cheek. Joe maneuvered his body between his wife and Becky.
Esther rushed back to the scene. “Stop it! Stop it! This is ridiculous.” She grabbed Becky’s raised hand. “Don’t you dare do that again. How could you make a scene at your son’s wedding? That will bring the evil eye, not Miriam. She came because she loves
Noah and you.”
David rushed to his wife’s side. “What’s going on?” he said, directing the question at Miriam.
“She hit me,” Miriam whispered.
Becky clasped David’s hand. “Make her leave. I don’t want her here.” Her eyes burned fire at Miriam.
“Becky,” Miriam choked out. “I didn’t know about the affair, and even if I did, how could I have stopped it? Why are you blaming this on me?”
Becky turned sharply on her spiked heel and over her shoulder said, “David, get her out of here--right now!”
Joe wrapped his arms around his wife as she sobbed into his shoulder. He led her to one of the plush blue benches lining the hallway.
Miriam sniffled. “Please take me home.”
David approached Joe and Miriam cautiously. “I’m so sorry, Miriam. Ever since she found those letters, she’s been out of control. I’ve tried talking to her and threatened to shred them, but she keeps hiding them. She’s convinced herself that the affair is what led her mom to kill herself, which is ridiculous. Only her mother knows why she did it.”
“We know this isn’t coming from you or Noah,” Joe replied. “I think we should leave.”
“I’m too embarrassed to walk into that room now. Everyone will be talking about me,” Miriam said through a sniffle. She looked up into David’s eyes. “I’ve loved Noah since the day he was born. He’s always been special to me.”
“I know,” he replied. “I wish she’d come to her senses. This isn’t the woman I married.”
Miriam saw the pain in David’s eyes. Why couldn’t the two people in the world who loved Becky the most, make her let go of this hate? Miriam stood up and gave David a quick squeeze. “Mazel tov on Noah’s marriage. I wish him and Maria a lifetime of happiness. And I wish you and Becky much nachas--joy and pride from your future grandchildren.” She stepped back and looked down at Joe, who sat frozen on the bench. “Let’s go home.”
The Kiddush Ladies Page 23