"I remember something like that. When was this?"
"It was a little after we started going out. I wanted to write about it in my blog."
"And you didn’t?"
"I began, but then there was the war in Gaza and Itay was called up and it was hard to write, and then so many things happened… writing a blog wasn’t exactly my top priority.”
"And now?”
"Now, I have a feeling that my life’s beginning to return to some blessed routine, and I think that I’ll have more time and energy to write.”
"So you should write.”
"That's what I'm going to do," I declared firmly. “It’s my resolution for the New Year.”
"What will you write about?”
"I think I'll continue the blog I started, from where I left off.”
"But a blog – isn’t that a kind of personal diary?”
"Well... it was a personal diary.”
"But, usually, a personal diary online talks about something that’s just happened - just after it’s occurred.”
"I don't think that it’s essential to write about things the minute they happen. I actually think there's something to be gained by writing with a perspective gained by time.”
Manny wanted to see the blog. He wanted to see what I’d written about him. I couldn’t remember exactly at what point I’d stopped writing. I found I hadn’t written anything about him yet. Manny sat down and devoured the first five chapters.
"You write extremely well," he complimented me.
"You’re really objective." I stroked his neck and purred.
"Indeed. I’m head over heels in love with you, and, apparently, I'm the least objective person when it comes to you, but in all honesty, your writing’s charming. You should pursue it. I'm dying to know how you’ll describe what we went through.”
"You do know I’ll have to change some of the details?”
"Why?”
"Because it’s the Internet… I don't want my boss reading what I did with you, or where and when.”
"Why not?" Manny laughed with delight. “If he found out what a capable worker he has in his employ, you’d be a senior partner before you can blink.”
I laughed. "I think that the full and accurate details of my personal life and what happened between us… only you and I will know."
By the end of the week I was back to writing and had uploaded the two chapters about Hanoch. Manny read the chapters carefully. Although I’d told him about my addiction to The Marker Café website and Hanoch, whom I’d met with briefly two years earlier, he claimed that I didn’t tell it as interestingly as I’d written it.
On Sukkot, Manny built a sukkah for Shira and Yarden in his yard. The girls were in heaven. The three of us arrived in the morning of the eve of the holiday, and Yael kept the girls busy for hours preparing the sukkahdecorations. They madeso many ornaments that we had to donate some of them to my parents.
We all arrived on Sukkot Eve at my parents’ house: Manny, the girls and me. This was the first time the girls and my parents and Manny had gotten together over a holiday. I really feared this occasion, especially because my brothers didn't come. I was afraid that because we were only four adults, there’d be uncomfortable silences and awkwardness. The ones to eventually revive the meal were Shira and Yarden, who chattered enthusiastically about the sukkah that they’d built in Manny’s yard. They spoke so highly of themselves, justifiably so, that my mother just had to invite herself over to see Manny’s sukkah for herself.
If you’d asked me a few hours earlier, I’d have said that hell would freeze over before my mother would visit Manny’s home, but, hell’s still hot - and on the second day of the holiday my mother, yes, mine, and my dad came over for dinner in Manny’s sukkah.
We just ordered a pizza and we spent a really pleasant evening in Manny's sukkah. My mother was fascinated by all of Batya’s artifacts and art, my father fell deep into conversation with Manny and the girls played crazily with Yael.
It was just a pleasant evening. Who’d have thought?
On the fourth day of the holiday, I switched shifts with Itay. He took the girls, and I was left alone for a luxurious weekend for two with Manny. The next day, Manny surprised me and took me to a romantic restaurant in Tel Aviv that was ridiculously expensive. After dinner, we walked hand in hand on Rothschild Boulevard until we came to a quiet bench where we sat down.
"Do you know what day it is?" He looked at me with love.
"Thursday?"
"Come on... don't pretend."
"What day?" I had the feeling that I knew.
"It's our first anniversary."
I smiled. "According to the Hebrew date," I corrected him.
"Well, we’re Jews, right?" He laughed.
We don't usually use Hebrew dates unless they fall on holidays. Exactly a year ago, on the fifth day of Sukkot, we fell in love on Manny’s treatment table.
"Wow, a year’s passed."
"So quickly, don’t you think?"
"I don't know... both fast and slow."
"What do you mean?"
"I’ve been through so much this year. It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a year, but, then again, I’m shocked that it’s only a year ago that I fell in love with you. We’ve only been together for a year."
"I feel like I've been with you all my life."
"Me, too," I smiled and stroked his arm, which was draped around my shoulders.
"I want to be with you for the rest of my life."
"Me too." I continued to stroke his hand, and he suddenly detached himself, backed away a few inches and looked into my eyes.
"Sharry, when will we get married?"
"To me, we're already married," I said. A wedding in rabbinate didn’t interest me.
"How are we married when we don't even live together?"
I was silent. I had to consider what he’d said. I knew he’d raise the question sometime. The only worry I had was how the girls would take the transition if I brought Manny permanently into our lives.
"I think Shira and Yarden have already gotten used to me." He’d read my mind.
"I think so too."
"I even dare to venture that they like me."
"You're right."
"And if I'm not mistaken, they’re madly in love with my Yaeli."
"I think it's entirely mutual."
"True," he smiled. "You know what?"
"What?"
"If we were 'married,' then they’d actually be step-sisters.”
"And I'd be the wicked stepmother?”
"You’re my lovely fairy.”
"So now I have to fulfill your wish.”
"Yes," he said, his eyes shining. I looked at him. He was like a little kid waiting for an ice cream cone. How could I refuse?
"Okay," I said, almost in a whisper.
"Are you serious?" He almost shouted with excitement.
"Totally," I smiled a shy smile.
He got up from the bench, pulled me into his arms and spun me around with my feet off the ground.
"I’m so happy," he said as he set me down at last.
"Me too."
We went to my house. Our house. Manny insisted on picking me up as we crossed the threshold. He wanted everything “by the book,” even though nothing was by the book, certainly not by the books I’d grown up with.
CHAPTER 34
When I tell everything with the perspective of time, it all sounds very simple. Manny asked that we move in together, I just agreed and since then we’d lived happily ever after.
In reality, moving in together in Chapter Two of my life, with two little girls at home, was certainly not easy, not for me, not for the girls, not for my mother and, of course, not for Itay. The difference between Itay and my mother, as opposed to my girls, was that they might not like the idea, but they knew this moment would come at some point. Shira and Yarden, on the other hand, had not been expecting it. My girls were already used to Manny's presence in m
y life and in their lives, but I had to be very careful and attentive to my children.
We made the transition gradually. During the holidays, while the girls were at Itay’s, we moved some of Manny’s stuff to my place. After the holiday ended, Itay brought the girls home, and I went with him to the car while Manny watched over the girls, and I told him that Manny had moved in with me.
"When?" he asked loudly, shocked.
"Yesterday."
"I hope you're kidding me." Itay didn't realize that I hadn’t been kidding with him for over six months now.
"Itay, don't be such a little boy. You knew very well that, at some point, we’d reach this moment."
"I didn't know anything."
"Don’t pretend."
"I didn't know it would be so soon. I thought you’d wait a few years.”
"How many years? You gotta be kidding me!”
"I'm not joking… Shira and Yarden are still little girls. I don't know if it's a good idea for a strange man to live with them.”
"Manny’s not a stranger.”
"You know what I mean.”
"No, I don't know. What you're basically saying is that I'm supposed to put my life on hold because you’re uncomfortable with my choices.”
"Not at all. I just don’t think it's right for our girls.”
"You know what?" I said sarcastically. "What about this? The girls live with you three nights a week ,real joint custody, and Manny will live with me for those days.”
"Really funny.”
"What’s so funny?”
"Because it will only confuse the girls and destroy their lives even more.”
"Itay, don't try to pin it on me. You'd never be able to stick to being responsible for the girls three nights a week! You can barely handle the current arrangement! I'm the one raising the children, so I'll take the risk. I think I'm a sufficiently sensitive and caring mother to tell if the new arrangement’s damaging the girls.”
"So you're saying that if it doesn’t work, Manny will leave?”
"I’m not saying it for you, but if it happens, and I really doubt it will, then Manny and I would rethink our living together for a while.”
"I still think it's too early… and it also comes at a bad time.”
"What's so bad right now?”
"You remember I told you that I might have to go to the Netherlands?”
"Yes.”
"In a week, I’m leaving for five weeks."
"And what does that have to do with me, except that, for five weeks, the entire burden of raising our girls will fall on me?"
"I don't think it’s right for him to move in when I’m not here at all."
"Actually, I think it’ll be great. It'll be a little easier on me, which, of course, is a consideration that you don’t care about.”
"Why do you think I don’t care? If it’s difficult for you, I’ll pay for more hours for Ahuva.”
"This is exactly your problem. You think Ahuva’s the solution to everything! Did you think that maybe I might be lonely?”
Itay rolled his eyes. "It’s like talking to a brick wall," he declared angrily. "You know what? Do what you want!"
And that's exactly what I did.
While Itay’s influence on my life was, happily, reduced, the conversation with him still left a bitter taste in my mouth.
That night, Manny stayed over with us. In the morning, Shira was very surprised to see Manny. She asked if he came over really early, and he explained that he’d slept at our house. Shira went looking for an extra bed, and when she found none, she asked if he’d slept in the living room. I explained that Manny slept with me in my bed.
"But Dad sleeps in bed with you." She opened her two big blue eyes wide and my heart skipped a beat.
"Dad slept with Mom in the old house. In the new house, Mom sleeps with Manny."
"And Dad won't sleep here anymore?"
"No, sweetie."
"But why?"
"Because Mom and Dad want to live in two different houses.”
"You don't like Daddy anymore?"
This was not the first time we’d had this conversation. As always, I explained to her that her father and mother loved each other, but they didn't live together anymore. We were still a family and everyone loved them both.
At first, Manny stayed with us one night midweek and on weekends. Every night that he was with us, he insisted on bathing the girls and telling them bedtime stories. He did it with great skill. Yarden told me secretly that Manny was her favorite storyteller. He sent Yael to southern Tel Aviv with a decent budget, and she came back with a bag of gifts, one for each evening he stayed over with us. As time went on, the gifts became smaller and less expensive until they disappeared completely. I don't know if Supernanny would approve of the way we bribed my children, but it just worked. Manny bought his way to their hearts, in the most literal way possible.
After six weeks, Manny was sleeping at our house every night. Even though this beginning was very promising, we decided it would be better if Manny didn’t rent out or sell his home just yet. Since I owned more than half of my apartment and the rest was mortgaged, Manny insisted on funding the full monthly repayment of the mortgage loan. We decided that, after he sold his house and had the money, he’d repay the entire balance of the mortgage and we’d add his name to the property deeds.
On 21st November 2009, I celebrated my thirty-fifth birthday. It was a great Saturday. The night before, we had dinner with my parents. There was a great atmosphere; my brother, Oded, also joined us with his family, and even Orit was able to relax with Manny and get used to the fact that he was her new brother-in-law. My mom surprised me and offered to watch the girls for the night, so I could have some time to myself. It wasn’t the first time, nor the last, that she’d watch Shira and Yarden for me, but it was clear that her offer of time for myself meant time alone with Manny.
We got up late in the morning and went to eat at a romantic café. Manny couldn’t wait to give me my birthday present: a white gold bracelet set with colored stones. I don't wear much jewelry, but Manny, or perhaps it was Yael - I didn't ask), had splendid taste.
It was a great day with lots of surprises, but the nicest surprise I received was from the most unexpected source.
Itay.
After lunch on my birthday, Itay returned from Holland after spending five weeks there. After going home and unpacking, he immediately came round because he’d missed the girls very much, and they, of course, eagerly looked forward to his return.
It was really exciting. The girls hugged him warmly, and Shira rushed to tell him that Manny slept in Mommy’s bed now. Itay said it was fine and that he wasn’t angry. He quickly changed the subject and there was no better way to do so than handing them a colorful and glittering bundle of gifts. While the girls were busy opening presents, excited by every gift like it was the first gift they’d ever received, Itay came up to me and handed me a gift too.
I looked straight at Manny. I felt uncomfortable. Manny smiled, and I opened the gift. It was an expensive perfume that I couldn’t stand the smell of. Itay never knew what to buy me.
Despite this really rare talent of his, even after so many years of marriage during which he’d buy me the most unsuitable gifts, I was very moved that he bought me anything at all. He’d remembered my birthday. I thanked him and buried the fragrance in my wardrobe. I'd find a suitable owner for that perfume.
When I returned to the living room, Itay proposed that we go out, just the two of us, just for an hour. He asked if it was okay with Manny, and Manny agreed. It was all so strange, but I was curious.
We went to a small café and sat in a quiet corner. After I updated Itay on what had been happening with the girls over the last five weeks, and after the waitress served us cups of coffee, Itay told me that he wanted to tell me what happened to him in the Netherlands.
"The purpose of my trip was to work with my colleagues in the Netherlands," he explained. "Recently, there were a lo
t of problems and misunderstandings, and it was decided the simplest solution was for me to go there and work with the unit parallel to us."
"Where exactly did you go?"
"The company’s in a suburb not far from Amsterdam."
"I didn't mean location."
"Oh... It’s a sister company." Itay continued with the explanation. "The Dutch company and my company have the same parent company in the United States.”
"Itay, I'm a lawyer. You don't have to explain to me what a sister company is."
Itay smiled and continued. "In any case, because the company’s not really in Amsterdam, I checked into a small hotel not far from the offices.”
"Sounds like a lot of fun.”
"It was appalling. It was so depressing to come home every night to a small room in an almost deserted hotel.”
I thought to myself that it wasn’t so far from his current reality here in Israel.
"During the first week," he continued, "I befriended a guy named John. We worked a lot of hours together, we ate lunch every day, and he was very curious about life in Israel."
"Sounds interesting.”
"Yes, it was nice to be able to tell someone about our culture.”
"Hope you didn't embarrass the country.”
"God forbid,” Itay laughed. He was exceptionally relaxed. "The first weekend, I was miserable at the thought of having to stay in this little hotel for two whole days. On Saturday, I took a trip to Amsterdam and when I returned, I found a message from John, who invited me to Sunday breakfast at his house.”
"That was really nice of him.”
"That's nothing," he smiled. “When I went to his home, I couldn’t stop thinking of us. He and his wife have two daughters almost the same age as Shira and Yarden.”
"What a coincidence.”
"Right. They were just lovely, so calm and nice.”
"Well, you can't know that just from a short visit." I was skeptical.
"This is exactly it. John’s wife was so sad to discover that I was supposed to sleep in that horrible hotel for four weeks and insisted that I stay with them."
"You're kidding!" I was shocked. I thought the Dutch were quite reserved people.
Confession of an Abandoned Wife - Box Set (Books 1-3) Page 28
