A Vindication Of Miss Everlee

Chapter 13

After the Friday night service, the Milevetzs walked her home as usual. Esther was still barred, though she lingered about hopefully until Midge rushed out of the synagogue without turning back. Esther's face turned to thunder when she did and her foot would strain on the floor, but it was easy to ignore. At least for Midge.

She preferred the Milevetzs walking her home without her cousin anyway. The conversations were calmer, the world seemed quieter and their pace was much slower and that was something quite unknown to the normal atmosphere in Bath.

"Miss Everlee," said Reb Milevetz about halfway home. "Would you like to join us for Shabbat meal next Friday?"

She had not shared in a Shabbat meal since she left home. She had always been rather indifferent to them and couldn't understand why Ruth was always so desperate to observe and bond during them. To Midge, it was just a meal, some prayers, songs and blessings. Every culture experienced that at some level. However, despite being sure that the Milevetzs were likely to treat Shabbat meal as Ruth always did, she liked them and was pleased to accept.

Just as she settled into looking froward to it, Mrs Milevetz said, "Though, perhaps we should warn you..."

Midge looked up in confusion. Reb Milevetz cleared his throat and said with caution, "I have invited Esther to join us as well. I do hope that is okay,"

She looked at him with raised eyebrows and an amused smile. He responded with hesitance, until she broke into a brief laugh and said, "Oh, Reb Milevetz, you didn't?"

He nodded apologetically, though was soon mirroring her laugh. "I took pity on her. She has been sad due to your...disagreement and I truly felt sorry for her," he explained.

"She has not been sad for that would involve experience of a human emotion, something she is quite incapable of," she said in a teasing fashion. "Nonetheless, I am very grateful of your invitation,"

"So you shall still come?"

"Of course. How rude it would be of me to retract my original response!" she said. "Furthermore," she added, "I would be delighted to share in both of your company,"

When she had gone inside, Mrs Milevetz turned to her son and said, "Miss Everlee is quite a pushy creature, isn't she?"

"But rather loveable, I think," Reb Milevetz.

"No doubt of it. But terribly flippant as well," she said. Especially over religion, though Midge was much more careful about that around Mrs Milevetz. After all, she didn't want to appear disrespectful towards her in any way.

The following day, the routine of morning walks with the usual three continued. Towards the end, Midge was teasing Reb Milevetz about her cruel trick of inciting Esther over, but her smile soon faded when Daniel piped up, "But you're not really upset, are you? I know you'd love to spend more time with Reb Milevetz!"

A rush of panicked bashfulness washed over Midge. However, in a single moment she recovered with a laugh and said, "I would indeed, Daniel, for it gives me a sense of fulfilling the charitable duty which is so instilled within the feminine mind,"

He didn't understand a word of what she said, but it mattered not because her words were truly for Reb Milevetz to hear instead. He was smiling a little, though whether it was at her sharp joke or the careless comment from Daniel, she did not know. Which one would be better?

When they reached home, Midge ushered Daniel inside but, upon the invitation of Reb Milevetz, walked to the corner of the street away from the windows so they could continue conversing for a while longer. She leant against the gate which circled the far house and felt ready to listen to anything he had to say, but the memory of Daniel's recent comment reminded her to act calmer and not as a fluttering idiot.