Not that Oren seemed to mind.

We were barely a step inside the garden center when we were hit by the air-conditioning. I lifted my face up to get the full effect of the cool air coming at me.

The walk home would be even hotter. Ice cream was a for-sure, but maybe we could run through the sprinkler in the backyard later. We’d have to be careful with his cast, but I would just wrap and tape it up again like I had before. I was a pro at that.

I was just about to make the suggestion when I heard my name.

I turned away from the blast of the air-conditioning to see Rabbi Alisha, my favorite teacher, smiling at me. She was wearing cute capri pants and a pink shirt with sunflowers on it. I liked her outfit, but I was used to seeing her looking a lot fancier. It felt weird to see her dressed so casually, like it did the time I saw my fourth-grade teacher in yoga pants, shopping at the grocery store. She was like a whole different person!

“Hi, Rabbi Alisha!” I said, giving her a big smile. “I love your outfit! What are you doing here?”

“Thanks.” She smiled back at me. “I’m getting a few more tomato plants for my vegetable garden. How about you?”

“We’re here to pick up some clay pots.” I glanced over at Oren. “This is Oren, by the way. He—” I stopped, not sure how to introduce him. I didn’t want to mention his parents, and I couldn’t exactly call him my friend. “He’s…this is Oren.” When I darted a glance at him, he was watching me with a tiny smile on the right side of his mouth, like he thought it was funny I was struggling.

I huffed at him a little but turned back to the rabbi. The way she smiled at him, with her tilted head and scrunched-up eyebrows, told me she knew he’d lost his parents. “Nice to meet you, Oren,” was all she said.

He nodded back at her.

If it seemed weird to her that he didn’t speak, she didn’t let on.

As I was thinking this, Oren tapped my shoulder. I looked at him. “Yeah?”

He pointed to the back of the store where the pots were.

“Okay, sure,” I said. “I’ll be there in a sec.” I watched him walk away and then turned back toward the rabbi.

“How’s he doing?” she asked quietly.

For a second I wondered if I should tell her that he wanted me to show him things at the funeral home. I sort of wanted to because she’d probably have some good advice. So I almost blurted it out. But then it occurred to me that she might tell my parents. They would not be happy.

“He’s okay.” I shrugged. “I guess. I mean, he’s still not talking, so…”

Rabbi Alisha tilted her head. “Give him time. It hasn’t been very long.”