Mrs. Wine is ushering a woman with a shaved head and nose ring to an armchair, listening intently to what she is saying and nodding. Shabbat at the Wines’ always feature an array of guests, from Mr. Wine’s students, to single cousins, to dignitaries in the Jewish community, family friends and friends of the Wine kids, and even random people who don’t have anywhere else to go. A case in point is Susie, who Mrs. Wine settles herself next to on the love seat: Susie is always here, but even after all this time of being friends with Honey, I actually have no idea if she is a long-term hanger-on or some kind of relative.

Miriam gets up from the wingback chair and squeezes herself onto Mrs. Wine’s other side. Honey is sitting cross-legged on the rug, fixing two little blond ponytails on her sister Dan-Dan’s head. Then she turns Dan-Dan to face her, cocking her head to one side to evaluate her handiwork. They haven’t noticed me yet, so I turn to one of the glass-doored cabinets that flank the archway to take a peek at the figurines inside: My favorite is an old lady holding balloons. My fingers itch to play with it.

“Milla!” Honey says, spying me and getting up. “I have big news! You’re not going to believe it!”

“Oh yeah,” Miriam calls to me. “She wants to tell you—”

“Don’t you dare, Miriam,” Honey cuts her short with an imperious glare. “Ima said we could each tell our friends.”

“And this is Honey, my oldest daughter,” Mrs. Wine says to the guest I don’t recognize, gesturing in our direction while giving a stern look to Miriam.

Honey raises her hand slightly by way of greeting. “I might be the oldest girl, but I am also the middle child of seven kids. Just in case you thought you had issues.” She folds her arms and waits for the woman to look impressed.

“Wow,” the woman says. “Intense.”

“My oldest daughter and a blessing,” Mrs. Wine says, smiling now.

“What does that make me?” Miriam asks. “A curse?”

Honey and I exchange smirks. “You said it, not me,” Honey tells her. I bite my lip to keep from laughing.

“Miriam, of course you are a blessing too. Baruch Hashem, you are all brachas,” Mrs. Wine says firmly, thanking God for these blessings.

“And I’m Dan-Dan, the littlest blessing,” adds Dan-Dan, smiling sweetly.

“Her real name is Daniella,” Miriam informs the lady. “One day she’s going to hate having such a baby name and all I will say is, I TOLD YOU SO.”

Dan-Dan gives Miriam an impressive side-eye for a four-year-old and goes to sit in Mrs. Wine’s lap. Honey tugs my sleeve and starts pulling me out of the living room.

“And this is Milla Bloom, my Honey’s best friend,” Mrs. Wine says, gesturing in my direction. I blush and wave shyly, basking in the glow of Mrs. Wine’s warmth and my title.

“Like a sister,” Honey says, putting her arm around me.