THEY TOUCHED DOWN at Ben Gurion Airport at two in the afternoon. By four-thirty, they had dragged four suitcases and two carry-ons up three flights of stairs. The sun was low in the sky, and they were exhausted. The last thing they wanted to do was unpack, but since this apartment was going to be their home in Israel for the next several months, they figured they should settle in. Decker had a slew of appointments with craftsmen and building supply companies next week, and he couldn’t wait to start the remodeling. The weather had turned cool, and the days were shorter. The progression of the seasons never stopped.

He put the key into the lock and turned the bolt. He flicked on the lights.

The apartment was stone gorgeous. Two stories with high ceilings and marble floors. It was open plan with a front terrace that spanned the length of the living space. Since the unit was on the fourth floor, there was a view of beautiful old stone buildings to the north and a hint of city center. Electric lights were beginning to twinkle as the sun dipped below the horizon. The entire experience was magical.

Rina said, “Not bad, huh?”

“How did you find this?”

“I told you it belongs to one of my best friends, Rosie, and her husband, Ben. He went to yeshiva with Yitzchak. We haven’t seen each other in decades, but we’ve always kept in touch. Rosie was delighted that we bought in Jerusalem. Lovely people. They won’t be here until Pesach, so we’ve got around five months before we have to vacate.”

“I don’t know about that, Rina.” Decker looked around. The furnishings were posh, the carpets were brilliant in color and texture, and the artwork was fabulous. “Squatter’s rights.”

She smiled. “I could get used to this.”

Decker dragged the suitcases into the bedroom, which was actually a suite. “My goodness. We each have our own bathroom and closet!”

Rina joined him. The bedroom had hardwood floors, a king-size bed, and a big desk situated under a stone arched window. All the windows in the bedroom were arched. “This is palatial.”

Decker said, “What’s this costing again?”

“They’re giving it to us at cost—utilities and maintenance. I’m going to hire a cleaning service once a week. I want to return this in pristine condition.”

“I would say so. What does he do to be able to afford this?”

“Hedge fund.”

“Ah.” He walked back out to the living space and opened the double doors to the terrace. He stepped out and tightened his jacket. He looked east. “Good Lord. There’s a view of the Old City!”