Abigail turned to him, two spots of color in her cheeks that he hadn’t seen before. “Doesn’t it depend on what exactly he has to say?”
“What… what do you mean? He’s got to be supportive. He’s our rabbi, for goodness’ sake!”
“Right. We’ll see.”
“You never liked him, Abby.”
“I just never saw the connection between his wisdom and his deeds, that’s all.” She shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s very pro-Israel, right? But during the Intifada, when Israeli tourism was suffering, he canceled the synagogue’s yearly trip and privately told people to keep their kids home from Israel-year programs.”
“It was a difficult time, Abigail.”
“The Evangelicals didn’t cancel their trips. They increased them. It was a test, and he failed.”
He shook his head, ready to take up the rabbi’s defense once again, but stopped. There were people sitting in front of their house on their porch chairs. Strangers who jumped up when they approached, brushing wet leaves from their raincoats.
“Mr. and Mrs. Samuels? We’re from WBGL Channel Four. We’re wondering if we could ask you a few questions?” She was a startlingly pretty black woman holding a microphone. The man had a camera hoisted on his shoulder.
Abigail stretched out a clawlike hand, sheltering her face. “NO! Please. We have nothing to say! Now leave us alone. This is our Sabbath day…”
But instead of retreating, the woman moved in closer, blocking their way.
“Our viewers are interested in knowing if, as devout Jews, you have any guilt feelings about funding terror which might be used not only on American soldiers but on Jews in Israel and Jewish institutions all over the world… ?”
“Oh, my God, please leave us alone! We haven’t done anything,” Adam begged.
“Isn’t it true that the money transfers were in the millions of dollars? And isn’t it true that A. J. Hurling was an innocent victim of your scheme?”
“Do you know the damages they can ask for in a civil suit for invasion of privacy?” a familiar voice suddenly interrupted. “Not to mention libel. I know, because I’m a Harvard-trained lawyer.”
“Seth!” Abigail cried, surprised and relieved.
The reporter and cameraman exchanged looks, hesitated, then reluctantly stepped out of their way.
“Come in, Seth!” Adam held the door open, patting him on the back.
“It’s so good to see you!” Abigail hugged him. “What are you doing here?”
“I should have come over right away. I’m so sorry. It was all so confusing.”
“Seth, this isn’t your fault or your problem,” Abigail said.
“Yes, don’t worry about it, son.”
“Join us for lunch?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Thanks, Abigail. I’d like that.”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this has touched your lives, tainted your happiness…” Adam said, gripping his hand.
“Don’t worry about me! I’m going to be fine. But I am worried about your daughter.”
“Did you quarrel?” Abigail asked, biting her lip.
Seth hesitated, then nodded. “I’ve never seen her like that. She was furious. I’ll tell you the truth, it frightens me.”
“You don’t really think she’d do something reckless, hurt herself?”
Seth shrugged. “I have no idea, Adam, what she is capable of doing in her present state.”
“You’re exaggerating, Seth. I saw her three days ago. She was fine,” Abigail protested.
“Did she say anything about me, about the engagement party?”
Abigail thought for a moment; to her surprise, she realized Kayla had not said a single word about either. Only now, thinking back, did she realize how strange that was.
“Then you don’t know that she’s insisting on having the engagement partyon time or not having it at all? That she’s insisting on publishing an engagement announcement in the papers?”
Abigail shook her head, shocked. “She didn’t mention a word to us about any of this.”
“I understand your mother…
“What… what do you mean? He’s got to be supportive. He’s our rabbi, for goodness’ sake!”
“Right. We’ll see.”
“You never liked him, Abby.”
“I just never saw the connection between his wisdom and his deeds, that’s all.” She shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s very pro-Israel, right? But during the Intifada, when Israeli tourism was suffering, he canceled the synagogue’s yearly trip and privately told people to keep their kids home from Israel-year programs.”
“It was a difficult time, Abigail.”
“The Evangelicals didn’t cancel their trips. They increased them. It was a test, and he failed.”
He shook his head, ready to take up the rabbi’s defense once again, but stopped. There were people sitting in front of their house on their porch chairs. Strangers who jumped up when they approached, brushing wet leaves from their raincoats.
“Mr. and Mrs. Samuels? We’re from WBGL Channel Four. We’re wondering if we could ask you a few questions?” She was a startlingly pretty black woman holding a microphone. The man had a camera hoisted on his shoulder.
Abigail stretched out a clawlike hand, sheltering her face. “NO! Please. We have nothing to say! Now leave us alone. This is our Sabbath day…”
But instead of retreating, the woman moved in closer, blocking their way.
“Our viewers are interested in knowing if, as devout Jews, you have any guilt feelings about funding terror which might be used not only on American soldiers but on Jews in Israel and Jewish institutions all over the world… ?”
“Oh, my God, please leave us alone! We haven’t done anything,” Adam begged.
“Isn’t it true that the money transfers were in the millions of dollars? And isn’t it true that A. J. Hurling was an innocent victim of your scheme?”
“Do you know the damages they can ask for in a civil suit for invasion of privacy?” a familiar voice suddenly interrupted. “Not to mention libel. I know, because I’m a Harvard-trained lawyer.”
“Seth!” Abigail cried, surprised and relieved.
The reporter and cameraman exchanged looks, hesitated, then reluctantly stepped out of their way.
“Come in, Seth!” Adam held the door open, patting him on the back.
“It’s so good to see you!” Abigail hugged him. “What are you doing here?”
“I should have come over right away. I’m so sorry. It was all so confusing.”
“Seth, this isn’t your fault or your problem,” Abigail said.
“Yes, don’t worry about it, son.”
“Join us for lunch?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Thanks, Abigail. I’d like that.”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this has touched your lives, tainted your happiness…” Adam said, gripping his hand.
“Don’t worry about me! I’m going to be fine. But I am worried about your daughter.”
“Did you quarrel?” Abigail asked, biting her lip.
Seth hesitated, then nodded. “I’ve never seen her like that. She was furious. I’ll tell you the truth, it frightens me.”
“You don’t really think she’d do something reckless, hurt herself?”
Seth shrugged. “I have no idea, Adam, what she is capable of doing in her present state.”
“You’re exaggerating, Seth. I saw her three days ago. She was fine,” Abigail protested.
“Did she say anything about me, about the engagement party?”
Abigail thought for a moment; to her surprise, she realized Kayla had not said a single word about either. Only now, thinking back, did she realize how strange that was.
“Then you don’t know that she’s insisting on having the engagement partyon time or not having it at all? That she’s insisting on publishing an engagement announcement in the papers?”
Abigail shook her head, shocked. “She didn’t mention a word to us about any of this.”
“I understand your mother…
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