“It’s your Hanukkah present,” he told her, beaming. It was a white upright that fit perfectly against the wall next to the couch.

And then Emily did throw her arms around him. “Thank you,” she said. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

He hugged her back. “I actually think I do,” he said.

66

A couple of weeks later, Ari came to Manhattan and met Emily in SoHo to go clothes shopping.

“So what are we looking for?” she asked.

“Something simple, but cool, and not trying too hard,” Emily said. “For the show, I want to look like a fancier version of me.”

The sisters were carrying hot chocolates in their gloved hands, window-shopping on Houston Street.

“Do you have a store in mind?” Ari asked.

Emily shook her head. “I’ll know it when I see it,” she said. “How are things going on your end? How was your ski weekend?” Ari and Jack had just taken the boys up to Vermont.

“It was fun,” Ari said. “The boys are turning into such real people now. We let them ski together without us for an afternoon, and Jack and I got some time alone. I told him I was thinking about going back to work. And wanted to plan a trip to Egypt. He said we should go for our anniversary and leave the boys with his mom. I think we’re going to do it.”

“That’s so awesome,” Emily said, smiling at her sister. “What about work?”

Ari bit her lip. “I applied for a leave replacement this morning. One of the math teachers at the public high school near us is going on maternity leave next month. The job would go through the rest of the year. I don’t know if I’ll get it, but I’m excited.”

Emily threw her arms around Ari. “I’m so excited for you!” she said. “Even if you don’t get it, I’m so excited you tried.”

Ari hugged her sister back. “Me too,” she said. “What about you? How are things with you and Ezra?”

Emily took a sip of her hot chocolate. “We’re trying again.” She almost hated saying it, as if the words would somehow tempt bad luck.

“Oh, Em. I’m happy for you. For both of you. So the plan would be to have a baby before booking a tour?” Ari said. “And then bring a nanny on the road? Ezra’s okay with that?”