{"id":176,"date":"2016-09-04T15:24:02","date_gmt":"2016-09-04T19:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.herbheineman.com\/?page_id=176"},"modified":"2024-07-25T16:27:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T20:27:44","slug":"chapter-12","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/edensgarden\/chapter-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 12: Awakenings"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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PART II<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cIs that you, Edie?\u201d<\/p>

Eden came into the kitchen. \u201cHi, Mom. Any milk left?\u201d<\/p>

There always was \u2015 more than she could drink. The question was a ritual.<\/p>

\u201cThe Rabins want you over for dinner in their sukkah again. Esther called.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cGreat!\u201d Eden\u2019s face lit up. \u201cWhen is it?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cTomorrow night. She said sorry for the short notice, but they just got back from a trip.\u201d<\/p>

Eden was a month into eighth grade, Debbie in ninth, Josh in eleventh. Dinner in the sukkah was a tradition the Rabins would not be celebrating together for many more years. First Josh would be off to college, then Debbie. Eden wondered if the Rabins would eat in the sukkah without their children. She went upstairs and sat down at her desk. Dinner was at least two hours off, enough time to read up on coal mining in northeast Pennsylvania. But what caught her eye was a far cry from coal. Side by side, two leaves were floating down from the old Norway maple by the fence. Over and over they turned. A gust briefly blew them sideways before they continued their choreographed downward journey, hitting the ground together. Eden looked at the tree. At the top most of the remaining leaves were red, at the bottom most were green. How fascinating!<\/p>

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d her mother called.<\/p>

\u201cInto the yard.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 Eden was glad her mother\u2019s questioning stopped there. She wanted to indulge her curiosity, not explain. She picked up a leaf, then a second, then a third, examined them as if she had never truly seen a leaf before. In fact, she hadn\u2019t. Sixteen autumns in this place, and she had never looked<\/em>. Just like the spider at the Rabins\u2019. She wouldn\u2019t have looked twice at that either if Josh hadn\u2019t made such a fuss over it. The colors! Some were green, or yellow, or red all over; some half red and half yellow; some green at one end, red at the other, shades of yellow and orange in between. To her left was a Japanese maple. Its delicate leaves outdid the others, displaying a spectrum from dark green to crimson lobe by lobe. She selected a few to show her mother.<\/p>

\u201cLook, Mom!\u201d She held them out, turning them over to leave no nuance hidden.<\/p>

\u201cThey are<\/em> beautiful,\u201d Karen said. \u201cIsn\u2019t it sad, though? Just when they\u2019re at their most colorful, they drop off and die.\u201d She smiled at her daughter and went on peeling a potato.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019ll put them on the windowsill and see how long they keep their colors,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>

Watching her go up, Karen let her mind roll back, to a time when Eden had never known serious illness. How she had taken her daughter\u2019s health for granted! Then the thunderbolt had struck. Miraculously, Eden had escaped intact. Intact while waiting for the complications to unfold. She\u2019d wanted Eden to have penicillin. Alan had said penicillin\u2019s no good for viruses. But it wasn\u2019t a virus, it was strep. Again and again she had tried to justify his diagnosis even though it turned out wrong, while hers was an uninformed guess that chanced to be right. But logic made a weak stand against reality. She wondered if Alan ever thought about it. Maybe he\u2019d want to talk someday, but it would have to be his initiative. If she brought it up, he might take it as a veiled accusation. Her job was to give the shots. The past was beyond her control.<\/p>

She wondered what had provoked those thoughts. Certainly nothing Eden had said. Why, just last week she\u2019d lain on her bed as usual, bared her bottom, and gone on reading as Karen recharged the antistrep battery. After almost three years, all conversation accompanying that ritual had been exhausted .<\/p>

The catalyst that reconnected this undramatic routine with the drama of Eden\u2019s life was a handful of leaves. \u201cLook, Mom!\u201d Here was a fifteen-year-old girl who would have charmed her even were she not the girl\u2019s mother. Would the fall colors still excite her twenty years from now? Would she pass that trait to her<\/em> children? Would Eden live to have children?<\/em><\/p>

Eden wasn\u2019t thinking about her prognosis as she returned to her room. She put the leaves on the windowsill behind the desk and turned her attention to this week\u2019s quota of French irregular verbs. She didn\u2019t care that much about coal mining anyway. But in Eden\u2019s case attention was a relative concept. No sooner had she come to the future tense of venir<\/em> than the wind dislodged a hundred more leaves from their worn-out moorings, and Eden\u2019s eyes from her text. Her teachers would have shaken their heads and said, See?<\/p>

She felt an urge to show her find to someone. What a shame Debbie didn\u2019t get excited over such things. Maybe Josh would, even if they weren\u2019t in the same league with maggots.<\/p>

~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>

Sukkoth, the weeklong harvest festival, is one of the truly joyous events in the Jewish calendar. Observant Jews with a yard build a hut, or sukkah, cover it with a roof of twigs and leaves, and decorate it with fruits and vegetables. Some live in it, others take their meals there. The Rabins always invited Eden. It was like camping out at Christmas, so redolent was the atmosphere. For her, too, it was a joyous event.<\/p>

When they had taken their places \u2015 Max at the head of the table, Esther at the other end, Josh on one side, Debbie and Eden on the other \u2015 Max rose, silver cup in hand, and recited the kiddush, or sanctification. This was followed by a special blessing for the occasion:<\/p>

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Haolam, asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu leishev basukkah. <\/em><\/p>

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has commanded us to dwell in the Tabernacle.<\/p>

\u201cAs you see,\u201d Max said after he had drunk the sacramental wine and invited all to follow suit, \u201cwe don\u2019t actually dwell in the sukkah; we just eat here.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMostly because it\u2019s fun,\u201d Debbie added. \u201cOr is it really because God commanded us, like the blessing says?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s a matter of belief,\u201d Max said. \u201cThere are Jews who take these things literally, both as to origin and as to duty. We do it as a custom. . . . And because it\u2019s fun.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t understand how anyone can take it literally,\u201d said Josh. \u201cIf God were really commanding us<\/em>, who are we?\u201d<\/em><\/p>

\u201cThe Jews,\u201d Esther answered.<\/p>

\u201cWhy should only the Jews do it? Why not Catholics, Protestants, and everyone else?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThis gets tricky,\u201d Max said. \u201cIf you took it literally, you\u2019d also have to believe that the Jews are a chosen people, that God likes us best and so He gives us special things to do. But not to worry; we have no such illusions.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThank goodness,\u201d Josh said. \u201cI\u2019ve heard that some orthodox Jews won\u2019t go inside a church.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAfraid of defiling the church?\u201d Debbie asked.<\/p>

\u201cNo, dummy, afraid of defiling themselves. But look what they\u2019re missing. All those magnificent cathedrals, with their tall columns, stained-glass windows, candles, incense.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHow about the statues? The idols?\u201d asked Debbie.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m not too crazy about them. But I guess they\u2019re OK, if you need them to remind you of who you\u2019re worshipping. The Christians think that Jesus is God, or at least God\u2019s son\u2014\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhich means he becomes God when his father dies,\u201d Debbie explained.<\/p>

Josh fixed his sister with an ominous stare. \u201cYou\u2019re going to get roasted for blasphemy.\u00a0 Don\u2019t expect me to come to the rescue.\u201d Debbie was duly humbled. \u201cAll I\u2019m saying is these people have their beliefs, like we have ours. Nobody has a shred of evidence for whatever deity they believe in, but they\u2019re all convinced theirs is the only truth. And one kills the other for daring to doubt his particular version. They call it holy war. If you ask me, it\u2019s genocide.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMy dear Josh,\u201d Esther said, \u201ccountless scholars have spent lifetimes grappling with those problems. We\u2019re not going to solve them before dinner gets cold.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019ll solve them right after,\u201d Debbie said, bouncing back.<\/p>

\u201cMom, can you stuff a potato in her mouth so we can have a meaningful conversation?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cLet\u2019s all stuff potatoes in our mouths,\u201d Max said. \u201cReligion whets my appetite.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHow come\u2014\u201d Josh began after a short pause.<\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t talk with your mouth full,\u201d Debbie said through a mouthful of meat and gravy.<\/p>

Josh made a gesture as though emptying his mouth across the table, drawing a severe look from his mother and a smug grin from his sister.<\/p>

\u201cHow come,\u201d he continued after swallowing, \u201cif Jews are God\u2019s favorites, so many non-Jews are much nicer than Jews?\u201d<\/p>

His gaze was fixed on the space between the girls. Still, Eden felt as if the question was asked for her benefit. Maybe Josh was simply using her to take another poke at Debbie, but what if he really meant to flatter her? And why would that be so important, coming from a boy she\u2019d known more than ten years? Luckily, Max came to the rescue.<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t know how come, but I wouldn\u2019t argue with the premise. Edie, can you explain?\u201d<\/p>

All laughed. Max continued, \u201cSeriously, do you have an opinion? All the stuff we\u2019ve been talking about.\u201d<\/p>

Eden was relieved. \u201cI don\u2019t know. We don\u2019t talk much about religion, and we don\u2019t go to church. Sometimes I wish we did. I think worshipping brings people down to the same level, and for a while at least they stop putting each other down\u2014\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIf you exclude church or temple politics.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cPlease, Max, let her speak,\u201d Esther said, looking with approval and interest at Eden.<\/p>

\u201cSorry. Go on, Edie.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWell, I do think that truly religious people try to do right, because the Bible tells them to love their neighbors and not to steal, murder, or lie. Stuff like that. Christians, Muslims, Jews, and all the others agree on those things, don\u2019t they? So why can\u2019t we all be friends?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cGood question,\u201d Debbie agreed. \u201cBut some Christians blame the Jews for killing Jesus. Jews say Christians worship a human being as if he were God. The Bible says, love your neighbor and don\u2019t commit murder; and in the name of that same Bible they hate their neighbors and murder them.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Eden said, comfortable now. \u201cI don\u2019t get it. You and I, we\u2019re not the same religion, but we\u2019re friends. I\u2019m here celebrating your holiday with you. Nobody\u2019s trying to change anybody, much less kill them. Why can\u2019t the world be like that?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIf only it could,\u201d Esther said. \u201cBut at this very moment, while we sit here in friendship and peace, parents around the world \u2015 including America, and including Jews, sad to say \u2015 are teaching their children to hate and, if they feel their faith threatened enough, to kill. Just look at what\u2019s going on in Israel \u2015 what\u2019s been going on for decades, and no end in sight.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s not just religion,\u201d Max said. \u201cIt\u2019s land, social status, political power, economics.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOK,\u201d Esther said, \u201cbut the basis of it all the way back in history is religion.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSome people might say,\u201d Max suggested, \u201cthat land, power, et cetera is<\/em> the basis, that religion is nothing but an excuse to legitimize murder for the acquisition of those things.\u201d<\/p>

Esther sighed. \u201cThat\u2019s too cynical for me. But there don\u2019t seem to be any easy answers, do there? I like Edie\u2019s approach. Can you imagine the Israelis and Arabs shaking hands, being each others\u2019 guests on religious holidays, living together in peace?\u201d<\/p>

Max looked affectionately at Eden. \u201cLet\u2019s put our hopes in the younger generation, and let\u2019s have dessert.\u201d<\/p>

Josh didn\u2019t notice the pie placed before him, so intently was he looking across the table.<\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Josh?\u201d asked Max.<\/p>

\u201cWrong? Nothing. I can\u2019t believe it. Debbie actually said something I don\u2019t categorically disagree with, and my integrity forces me to admit it. Must be Edie\u2019s influence.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOn me or you?\u201d Debbie asked with a wicked grin. This time Josh came to Eden\u2019s rescue.<\/p>

\u201cYou, of course.\u201d<\/p>

Eden tried to help with the dishes, but Esther stopped her. \u201cThat\u2019s for later, dear, and not for you. Go back to the sukkah and talk with the others. I\u2019ll be out in a couple of minutes.\u201d<\/p>

Eden retrieved an envelope from her purse. \u201cIf you\u2019re about to pay for the meal,\u201d Max said, \u201cput it away. We don\u2019t handle money on holidays. Look for your bill in the mail.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo,\u201d Eden said, laughing, \u201cI\u2019ve got something more interesting, though it wouldn\u2019t pay for dinner.\u201d She scattered an assortment of leaves on the table.<\/p>

\u201cOh! They\u2019re pretty,\u201d said Debbie.<\/p>

\u201cI found them yesterday,\u201d Eden said, apologetic and proud. \u201cI was sitting by the window, supposedly doing homework but really watching the leaves fall, so I went out for a closer look. Funny how you see the same thing year after year, then all of a sudden you really notice. I never knew that a single leaf has all these colors at the same time. Aren\u2019t they beautiful?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou know,\u201d Max said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen more than twice as many autumns as you, and if you\u2019d asked me how you got all those colors, I\u2019d have guessed some leaves were red and others were yellow. Not that that\u2019s any more logical. I just never bothered to look. And I should know better, after working with Josh on his project.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhat project?\u201d<\/p>

Josh answered. \u201cI\u2019m now an expert on chlorophyll and what makes the colors change.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh, then this is old hat to you,\u201d Eden said sheepishly.<\/p>

\u201cIt definitely is not,\u201d Josh said, looking at her with admiration. \u201cTalk about not seeing the forest for the trees. I couldn\u2019t see the leaves<\/em> for the trees. There I was on the Blue Ridge, being swallowed up by all that color, and it never occurred to me to pick up a leaf!\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMaybe the state lines go right down the middle of the leaves,\u201d Debbie said helpfully.<\/p>

\u201cHah\u2014hah,\u201d he answered. \u201cBut seriously, Edie, do you always notice things like this?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo, it was just a whim.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI have to pay more attention in the future,\u201d he said resolutely. \u201cThis really is something.\u201d He picked up a leaf and turned it this way and that. \u201cNow, is that a work of art or isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>

Eden, borne in barely a minute from fear to elation, cast a grateful smile at Josh.<\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t you think, Josh,\u201d Max asked reflectively, \u201cthat\u2019s true of chemical formulas too?\u201d<\/p>

Josh thought for a moment, then turned to his father and nodded his head. \u201cYes,\u201d he said simply. \u201cDid I ever tell you about the dream I had after we stopped at the overlook?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo. Must\u2019ve been good, because you were pretty chipper the next day,\u201d Debbie said.<\/p>

\u201cI dreamed I was in a planetarium and the ceiling was covered with chemical formulas. I couldn\u2019t make out what they were, but they were all in bright colors, like a huge painting.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI thought people only dreamed in black and white,\u201d Debbie said. \u201cYou were probably awake but you thought you were asleep.\u201d<\/p>

Everybody laughed except Josh, who said in mock exasperation: \u201cYou<\/em> dream in black and white, but that\u2019s because you\u2019re colorblind and you have no soul. I told you that before.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOK, OK, now, it\u2019s Sukkoth, and we have a guest,\u201d Esther said. \u201cShow some respect.\u201d<\/p>

Josh and Debbie tried to glower at each other, but their mirth defied suppression. Eden didn\u2019t even try to hide her amusement until she realized she might have offended Esther.<\/p>

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mrs. Rabin, I didn\u2019t mean to laugh.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cLike hell you didn\u2019t,\u201d Debbie said, laughing openly now.<\/p>

\u201cBut I should be going,\u201d Eden said. \u201cI have homework to do. Thanks ever so much.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cBefore you go,\u201d Esther said, casting a sideways glance at Max, \u201cthere\u2019s something we have to say. Do you want to, Max?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo, you go ahead.\u201d<\/p>

Esther took a breath and looked at Josh. \u201cBy this time next year Josh will be scouting for colleges, and one of us will be going with him. Who knows whether we\u2019ll even have Sukkoth together?\u201d She reached across and put a hand on Josh\u2019s arm. \u201cIt won\u2019t be the same. . . . I don\u2019t know of any special prayer for an occasion like this, so let\u2019s all link hands and close our eyes for a minute.\u201d<\/p>

Eden had put aside her thoughts of his leaving until now, and a hue of sadness colored her image of the Rabin home without him. Typical of precious things taken for granted, it was the impending loss that brought home to her how invested she was in them. To be sure, Debbie was the focus of her friendship and her link to the family. But Debbie was not an isolated individual; she existed in that context, enhanced by them as a picture is enhanced by its frame.<\/p>

After a minute, all eyes had to be wiped dry. Esther was the first to rise.<\/p>

\u201cEdie, it was nice having you, as it always is. Give our love to your parents, and right here and now we\u2019re inviting you back for next year. Maybe that\u2019s a way to make sure we\u2019ll all be together.\u201d She took Eden by the shoulders and kissed her. \u201cDebbie and Josh, it\u2019s such a beautiful night, why don\u2019t you walk Edie home? Dad and I\u2019ll do the pots and pans while you\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI really can\u2019t, Mom,\u201d Debbie said, as apologetically as she knew how. \u201cI know I\u2019ll just get stuck there, because Mrs. Avery will invite us<\/em> in. And I also have work to do.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWe certainly don\u2019t want to stifle such industry.\u201d Max knew how to solve a problem. \u201cYou go, Josh. It\u2019s the gentlemanly thing to do.\u201d<\/p>

Josh bowed to Eden and said: \u201cMy pleasure, mademoiselle. I shall endeavor to see that no passing carriage splatters mud on you.\u201d Eden blushed.<\/p>

It was a cloudless night, and the moon was full. As they entered a stretch with no street lamps, Josh looked skyward. \u201cJust look at that!\u201d She followed his gaze. \u201cDo you realize that\u2019s been up there, just the way it is now, since time immemorial?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing,\u201d she said. \u201cA hundred years ago most of these houses weren\u2019t even built.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThree hundred years ago there were no houses here at all.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFive hundred years ago no white person lived anywhere on this continent\u2014\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAnd a couple of million years ago no person of any race lived on any continent\u2014\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAnd the stars and moon were there just the way they are now,\u201d Eden continued in what began to resemble a responsive reading.<\/p>

\u201cExcept,\u201d Josh raised a cautionary finger, \u201cwe can\u2019t be sure they\u2019re still there. The light we see tonight started from the stars light years ago. Some of them could have gone out next day.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDoes that mean that if we looked tomorrow we might not see them?\u201d<\/p>

Josh thought for a moment and, with admiration, said: \u201cThat\u2019s right!\u201d<\/p>

They looked at each other, laughing at the absurd turn their conversation had taken. After their laughter had subsided, their eyes remained fixed on each other for the briefest moment.<\/p>

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d she said, \u201cI have to get home.\u201d They walked the rest of the way in silence.<\/p>

\u201cWant to come in for a minute?\u201d she asked when they arrived.<\/p>

\u201cOnly to say hello. As Dad would say, it\u2019s the gentlemanly thing to do.\u201d<\/p>

Karen greeted Josh. \u201cIt must have been beautiful in your sukkah. The weather\u2019s perfect.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh, it was, Mom,\u201d Eden said. \u201cYou should go out and look at the sky.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI can imagine. The moon\u2019s full. And with the humidity so low, the air\u2019s really clear.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOne of the nice things about Sukkoth is that the moon\u2019s always full,\u201d Josh said.<\/p>

Karen looked puzzled, till understanding dawned on her. \u201cOf course. The Jewish holidays go by the lunar calendar, don\u2019t they? So any date is always in the same phase of the moon.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOnly trouble is, the bright moon drowns out the stars. It\u2019s natural light pollution.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI think we can all live with that,\u201d Karen said.<\/p>

Eden escorted him out. With a reluctance that escaped Karen, she closed the door after him and went to her room. She sat at her desk and reached for her French text. Involuntarily she let her eyes wander to the window. There was the moon, staring at her. She stared back unblinking, as if in a trance. After an eternity of half a minute, she turned off the light and resumed her vigil. Her mind was blank and her eyes were fixed as if the muscles were frozen. Slowly the shadows on the moon rearranged themselves into the features of a human face\u2014<\/p>

\u201cAre you still up?\u201d her mother asked through the closed door.<\/p>

Eden hastily turned on the light. \u201cI\u2019m up. Should\u2019ve done these verbs the other night.\u201d<\/p>

Karen looked in and frowned. \u201cAre you OK? You look as if you\u2019d had a scare.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo, Mom, I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI was worried. I thought you had work to do, but I didn\u2019t see light under the door.\u201d<\/p>

Karen closed the door behind her and turned off the stairwell light. Eden\u2019s light showed under the door. Karen wondered what she\u2019d been doing in the dark.<\/p>

Josh didn\u2019t really have work to do, but to have said so as Debbie was excusing herself would have made him sound too anxious. In truth he welcomed the chance to walk alone with Eden. If it looked like a favor\u00a0\u2014 the gentlemanly thing\u00a0\u2014 so much the better. Their exchange about the night sky had reinforced his impression at the dinner table. Eden was turned on by the same things as he. As he walked home, he mentally scripted a conversation with Debbie.<\/p>

JOSH: Just look at that!<\/p>

DEBBIE: You mean the moon?<\/p>

JOSH: Doesn\u2019t it do something to you?<\/p>

DEBBIE: Probably blind me if I keep staring at it.<\/p>

JOSH: I mean, emotionally.<\/p>

DEBBIE: It is<\/em> nice on a clear night.<\/p>

JOSH: Do you know how far it is to the moon?<\/p>

DEBBIE: About 230,000 miles, something like that.<\/p>

JOSH: And how far to the stars?<\/p>

DEBBIE: Oh gosh, light years. Why are you asking all these questions?<\/p>

JOSH: Can you imagine, some of them might not even be there any more.<\/p>

DEBBIE: Of course. It takes years for the light to get here. Let\u2019s go on.<\/p>

Josh loved his sister. He would miss her more than his parents when he went to college. But there were some things he felt no urge to share with her. He had taken a risk with Eden. It was not a question of whether she would appreciate his observations. The leaves dispelled his doubts on that score. Vanity was the issue. He had been inclined to worry lately that people might question the masculinity of a guy who felt a glow when looking at a sunset, listening to the song of birds at daybreak, or smelling hyacinth or orange blossom. He didn\u2019t question his sexual orientation, but he had no desire to be the object of schoolyard homophobia. The idiots who got their kicks from name-calling didn\u2019t care whom they victimized.<\/p>

Eden\u2019s response to his moon gazing convinced him that he had no cause for worry where she was concerned. If she had questions about him, she didn\u2019t let them show. The object of his awe was what interested her. He could easily imagine making a habit of conversations like tonight\u2019s. But Debbie and his parents would notice. Which wouldn\u2019t bother him as long as he didn\u2019t fall on his face. And that is exactly what would happen if Eden, two and a half years his junior, turned out only to have been carried along on his enthusiasm \u2015 maybe wanting to impress him. He needed to be very analytical, very cool. The problem was that he wanted to see more of her, undistracted by Debbie. He even enjoyed looking at her, though she was not particularly pretty.\u00a0 In fact, she was rather plain. It was the look in her eyes, and an energy that seemed to radiate from her.<\/p>

What to do now? There was only one answer: Ask her out.<\/p>

Feeling like one who has finally solved a vexing math problem, he looked around to be sure no one he knew was walking the same block, and went home with a noticeably light step.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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<< Chapter 11<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Chapter 13 >><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PART II \u201cIs that you, Edie?\u201d Eden came into the kitchen. \u201cHi, Mom. Any milk left?\u201d There always was \u2015 more than she could drink. The question was a ritual. \u201cThe Rabins want you over for dinner in their sukkah again. Esther called.\u201d \u201cGreat!\u201d Eden\u2019s face lit up. \u201cWhen is it?\u201d \u201cTomorrow night. She said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":21,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-176","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":763,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/176\/revisions\/763"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herbheineman.com\/Eden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}