Among the Living by Jonathan Rabb

Author:Jonathan Rabb [Rabb, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-59051-804-5
Publisher: Other Press
Published: 2016-10-04T04:00:00+00:00

9

“POSNER?” Pearl said.

She stared at the strange, frail young woman, with her ungainly bag and eye shadow that was several shades too dark. Pearl was having trouble understanding the accent; it was so thick and halting. She took a moment to piece things together. “You’re looking for Mr. Goldah?”

“Yes,” said Malke. “Forgive my English. Do you speak perhaps Yiddish or German?”

Pearl felt her own apprehension more acutely and knew it would be best to manage all this inside. She led the girl through, expecting at least one kind word about the house, but Miss Posner walked in silence — with a slight limp, Pearl thought, though she tried not to take any unwarranted notice of it.

Pearl brought in two glasses and the pitcher of tea that Mary Royal had made yesterday afternoon. Mary Royal was still slipping away for a few hours here and there — Pearl had told her it was fine — and this afternoon just happened to be one of those occasions. Sitting stiffly on the lip of the settee, Pearl felt this would have gone a great deal better with Mary Royal at her side.

“I’m not quite sure I understand,” Pearl said. “You say you were a part of Mr. Goldah’s family from before the war. In Prague. Well that would mean you’re a part of our family, too? Mr. Goldah is our cousin. Do you understand what I’m saying? That would make us cousins as well.”

Pearl couldn’t be sure if the look in the girl’s eyes was confusion or something else — the face was irregular and so difficult to read — and, thinking back to long-forgotten grandparents, Pearl said, “Kuzeen. That’s it, I think. Mr. Goldah is our kuzeen. Our cousin. Versteht?”

Malke stared intently and then seemed to have a breakthrough before she shook her head. “Ah, no. I am not a cousin of Yitzhak. I was to be his wife.”

The miracle of finding Abe at the store, coupled with the frantic quality of Pearl’s reenactment over the telephone, had him home in twenty minutes. He was now sitting with Pearl on the settee drinking something stronger than tea.

“You say you’ve been in Richmond?” he asked.

“Yes. Richmond. For four months. I have had some medical troubles.”

“And you’re feeling better now?”

“Abe,” Pearl cut in gently. She shook her head, then tried a smile for Miss Posner. “And you say you found Ike — I mean Yitzhak — through the government office.”

“Yes,” said Malke.

Jesler said, “And they didn’t recommend that you call or write before coming?”

Malke had prepared for this question: “I have your address since two days. I prefer to come myself. It is a long time. I do not wish to wait for the post.”

“Sure …” said Jesler. “No, of course. Better to get yourself here.”

“And I am not good so far on English in the telephone.”

“Yes, I imagine that’s true.” Jesler took a drink. “Well … We’ll need to track down Ike — Yitzhak — as fast as we can.”

“He will be home soon?”

Jesler felt Pearl looking through him.

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