Categories: Features
Persuaded – Chapter LI
Chani
Recap: Zahava is still distraught by Rikki’s betrayal in snapping up the man she hoped to marry. After hearing the news of Rikki and Yerucham’s engagement from her father, Chani was only too happy to join them in boycotting the vort. Her father was so incensed he threatened to fire Izzy Shapiro, but Mrs. Rosner prevailed on him to not punish the father for the daughter’s transgressions. “Izzy and his wife were never able to control Rikki,” she said. “She was a wild kid from the beginning. Izzy has always been a good friend and a competent accountant, and it would be a shame to ruin all that after so many years. “Besides, who bailed you out when your finances were out of control? Izzy was the one who had the idea to rent out your house and found you the tenants! Have a little hakaras hatov!” Chani felt terrible for Zahava, but at the same time was relieved that Yerucham would now stay far away from her family. She toyed with the idea of telling Zahava what Leah Stein had related to her about Yerucham’s contemptible behavior toward her husband. It might make her feel better to know that rather than losing the man of her dreams, she’d actually dodged a bullet. Was it okay to say lashon hara to comfort a devastated sister? “I think you should,” Effi said. “We’re supposed to warn other people when someone is a rasha.” So one Sunday, when Chani and Effi made a trip to Deal and Lakewood to visit first the Hararis and later Leah Stein, they made one more extra stop at the Toms River house. “Hello, kallah!” her father said, actually sounding happy to see her, and clapping Effi on the back. “Effi, how’s it going?” “Your wig looks nice,” Zahava said grudgingly, appraisingly it critically. “The sheitel macher did a good job with the highlights.” “They were your suggestion,” Chani said. “You’re welcome,” Zahava said. Chani met Effi’s eyes, signaling that he should take her father out of the room. “Tatty,” Effi said, “I heard you got new furniture to put next to the pool, with an outdoor bar!” “Yes!” Velvel said, pleased as punch. “Let me show it to you. It’s great the mild weather has kept up! I’ll serve you a drink! What’ll it be?” “Maybe just a little wine,” Chani heard as they slipped out the patio door. Alone with Zahava, she went into the kitchen and began making herself a coffee. “Zahava,” she began hesitantly, pulling a mug from the shelf and plugging in the machine, “I wanted to tell you something…” She made herself turn and face Zahava, looking her in the eyes. “I really wanted to let you know that in the end, you are actually lucky Yerucham didn’t pursue that shidduch with you.” “Lucky? How is that lucky?” Zahava said bitterly. “I’m still single with no prospects! My best friend betrayed me! She grabbed him from behind my back!” “Yes, but Yerucham isn’t the prize you imagined him to be!” Chani said. “Remember my friend Leah Stein in Westgate, the sick one with no money? It was because of Yerucham’s dishonesty that she was poor!” When Zahava made no response, Chani continued, relating the entire sad story of the Steins’ financial ruin. While Zahava initially seemed skeptical, in the end she seemed to believe Chani’s account. “Look,” Chani said, “Any guy who would run off with the friend of a woman he was supposed to be dating soon isn’t someone you can trust, right? Why would you want a guy who could behave in such a sleazy way?” Zahava shrugged unhappily. “I guess you’re probably right,” she conceded. “You make it sound like the two of them deserve each other.” “They do! And we’re always keeping our eyes out for someone better for you,” Chani promised. Effi and her father came back in, drinks in hand, and they sat around the table amicably noshing on peanuts and pretzels until Effi regretfully announced it was time for them to get back to Brooklyn; Monday was a work day. But as they left, Chani noted that Zahava’s face looked thoughtful, and perhaps somewhat mollified. After their wedding, Chani and Effi had moved into her childhood home with the Krausses, although they occupied the basement guest suite to ensure some privacy for themselves. It seemed silly for Effi and Chani to bother taking an apartment and buying furniture, because in a few months Avraham and Effi would decide what direction they’d take the business in, and consequently which brother would return to Palo Alto and which would stay in Brooklyn. Shiffy marveled at the way Chani was so easygoing about staying in the same house with her brother- and sister-in-law, even if that house was huge. But Chani simply shrugged, saying, “Why not? You’re two floors above us, how is that different than living in an apartment building with relatives on a different floor?” She didn’t mind taking meals with them—on the contrary, she enjoyed their company, which pleased Effi immensely—and offered to take over supper preparation a few times a week (Mindy became her go-to resource for recipes). The truth is that Chani would have happily lived in a dungeon, as long as she was married to Effi. The clouds that had shadowed her life for the past eight years had finally parted, and she was basking in radiant sunshine. Effi was unflaggingly cheerful and attentive, and when work kept him out late, she had Shiffy to hang out with, or she could run over to visit Mrs. Rosner, who—following a few Shabbos meals taken at her house—had warmed up to Effi and was growing to appreciate him the way a mother-in-law ideally appreciates her son-in-law. Chani had started a new semester for her Psy.D. program, and when Effi was busy she always had some reading to do or a paper to write, or Mindy would issue another of her SOS calls and she’d drop by to distract her two little nephews. By Chanukah time Mindy’s pregnancy was advancing and she really was starting to feel tired and heavy, so Chani tried to help where she could. She was thrilled when Effi offered to help Leah Stein with her deplorable situation. In his typical efficient, clear-minded, analytical way, Effi helped Leah locate documents and track down property deeds. He offered to pay her legal fees, although she would only agree to a loan. But within a surprisingly short amount of time Leah was able to collect the money owed to her for her property. The reduction in financial pressure lifted so much worry from her head that her fibromyalgia subsided considerably. Strength led to strength, and before long she was able to leave her apartment to take walks and even do some errands while working remotely on her degree. With her finances finally resolved, she could have afforded a nicer place, but she liked her landlady so much she chose to stay. She couldn’t thank Chani and Effi enough. “Hashem should bless you with every good thing!” she said with feeling. “Consider it payback,” Chani said. “When I came to Lakewood for high school, you were the only girl who was friendly to me. You saved my life back then.” Halfway through December, Zahava received an invitation to Rikki’s wedding—a destination wedding in Aruba. She’d heard through a mutual acquaintance that Rikki would be moving into Yerucham’s palace in Lawrence, and the whole thing rankled so badly she didn’t even RSVP. “It sounds like a bacchanal, not a wedding,” she sniffed, dumping the card in the trash can. “Anyway, I would never trust the kashrus at a place like that.”To be continued.
