“You’ve got a real thinker,” Miller told Rina.

“She’s… unique.”

Decker succumbed and devoured another piece of bread. Rivka stared at the kids. To Rina, she whispered, “If the body language was any closer, they’d be nose-to-nose.”

Rina said, “Wonder when they’ll work up the courage for eye contact.”

Rivka sighed. “I suppose it’s better than the Shiddach Directory. I’m surprised. Rachel is usually very reserved.” She looked at Rina. “How old’s your boy?”

“Almost twenty.” Rina looked at the girl. “She’s eighteen, nineteen?”

“Just turned nineteen. What yeshiva did he go to in Israel?”

“Gush.”

The mother nodded.

“And your daughter?”

“Midreshet Lindenbaum.”

“Oh. Bravender’s,” Rina answered. “Very progressive.”

“She’s got a mind of her own.”

“That’s good.”

Rivka asked, “How old were you when you got married?”

“Seventeen. And you?”

“Eighteen.”

Silence.

Rivka turned to her husband. “Shragy, enough with the questions. You’re driving the poor little girl crazy.”

“She’s very bright. She doesn’t mind.”

“How do you know?” She waved him off.

Finally, finally, the food came. By the time everyone had finished, they had twenty minutes to catch the first set. Rina regarded Sammy. There was still a blush in his cheeks. His food was barely touched. She elbowed Decker and whispered, “You look a little tired, Peter. How about we give the tickets away, and you and I take a nice romantic walk instead?”

Decker’s face registered surprise. “Are you sure?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all.” He was thrilled with the idea. He had just demolished half a cow. A walk sounded good for the soul, good for the waistline. And there was this part of him, this obsessive little voice that kept telling him to take one more crack at finding Shayndie. Rina was giving him an out, and he took it.

“It’s absolutely fine with me, darling.” Decker took his wife’s hand. “We can make our own music.”

Rina offered the tickets to the parents. The rabbi said, “I’m not much for jazz—too many notes. How about if you give the tickets to the boys?”

Jacob said, “I’ve got a train to catch.”

“I’ll go,” Reuven said.

Jacob kicked him under the table.

“On second thought, I’ve got to go pack.”

Sammy said, “I’ll take them if no one else wants them.” To Rachel, “Do you want to go?”

“Yeah, I’ll go.” Rachel blushed. “Why let the tickets go to waste?”

“You two better bentsh and get going,” Rina told them. “It’s late.”

“We have mezumin,” Rav Miller stated.

The three men necessary to say extra prayers before the Grace after Meals. Decker said, “Then let’s all bentsh and get going. Rav Miller, would you like to do the honors?”

“You do the honors.” Miller punted back to Decker.

“No, I insist.”

“But you provided the tickets for the children.”

Rachel was exasperated. “Somebody please start or we’re going to be late.”

Rav Miller led the group in the Grace after Meals. Afterward Decker turned to Jacob. “Do you mind taking Hannah and the packages back to Brooklyn?”