“She already knows most of it.”

“Really? About me and Duvie, about the trips to the city?” She couldn’t believe it. And Bubbee hadn’t said a word! She’d been so nice to her! Quick tears sprouted in her eyes, and her throat grew a lump. “You are all so good to me, and I don’t deserve it. All I do is make trouble for everyone all the time.”

“No one ever lived a life without mistakes, even the biggest tzaddikim,” Yaakov assured her. “Look at Moses. He forgot to give his son a bris and was almost punished with death! And then Aaron, the High Priest of all Israel, made the Golden Calf! And the great Rabbi Akiva believed Bar Kochba was the Messiah, and because of that, thousands of his students died in the revolt against the Romans and our Holy Temple was burned to the ground, and we Jews were exiled from our land for three thousand years!” He had begun with the intention of comforting her, but was comforted himself by this realization. The entire book of Leviticus was filled with instructions on how to atone for sin, assuming mistakes would be made by everyone, no matter how wise and exalted.

“So I guess going to a jazz club with Duvie wasn’t so terrible, after all.” She smiled through her tears. Yaakov shook a finger at her in mock anger. Leah reached out, squeezing her shoulder encouragingly.

“You are a good girl, Shaindele,” Leah told her, “but you have suffered, and suffering brings out different qualities in people, sometimes their weaknesses and sometimes their strengths. The important thing is to understand where your behavior is coming from. Once you understand yourself better, you’ll be able to cherish all HaShem’s gifts to you and to figure out how to use them to have a good and happy life, full of chesed to others.”

“It’s going to be fine, you’ll see,” Yaakov added in all innocence, looking at his wife and daughter—two people he loved with all his heart and would do anything to protect—honestly believing what he was saying was true.

It wasn’t. Not by a long shot.

“Maybe you don’t have to come, Leah,” Shaindele protested as they drove to drop off her siblings and then on to her school. “Maybe nothing will happen.”

“I promised your father, and it’s better than sitting at home worrying.”

Shaindele exhaled slowly, immensely relieved. “Thank you, Leah. And, Leah?”

Leah glanced over at her briefly. Shaindele seemed curled up, tiny, and very young. “Yes?”

“I’m so sorry, for … everything. I really … love you.”

Leah’s heart expanded. “My dear Shaindele, I love you, too. Like Tateh said, none of this is your fault. You can’t imagine how proud I am of you for sticking up for yourself!”