Seven Stitches by Ruth Tenzer Feldman

Author:Ruth Tenzer Feldman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ooligan Press
Published: 2017-01-02T18:58:51+00:00

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR

I asked about Izabel the next morning. Serakh and I were in the grape arbor, eating figs and sipping watery yogurt from handle-free cups. Apparently the family wasn’t up yet, and the girl scrubbing a copper pot in the kitchen had been eager to give us food and get us out of the way.

“La Señora tells me that her nephew Don Joseph has influence with the grand vizier, Rüstem Pasha,” Serakh said. “Also with the sultan’s son, Selim.”

Selim II, I thought. Named for his grandfather. “Don Joseph is Gracia’s brother-in-law and her cousin,” I said. “Selim will be the next sultan. There will be more infighting at the palace, and Suleiman’s empire will weaken. I checked that out on Query.”

Serakh frowned. “Query?”

“Sorry. Query is sort of a cyberbiomimetic know-it-all. It’s got personalized connectivity, which means that…um…never mind. What does this have to do with Izabel?”

“Muslims may have Jewish servants here, but Jews are not allowed to have Muslim servants. Your Query knows this too?”

I shook my head. Probably so, but I hadn’t checked.

A trace of satisfaction stole across Serakh’s face. “Jews may have Jewish servants, if this is done delicately,” she said. “Don Joseph will tell Rüstem Pasha that the Nasi household needs more servants because of Gracia’s arrival. Izabel was born a Jew. Don Joseph will give a gift to Rüstem Pasha, and Rüstem Pasha will give Izabel to Don Joseph. We will go to the palace with Don Joseph to make sure that Ayele releases Izabel and not another girl in her place.”

Butterflies hovered over the grape leaves. Larks sang. Serakh oozed contentment. I felt like slime. “He’s buying Izabel and making her Gracia’s slave for the rest of her life?”

Serakh reached for another slice of fig. “Izabel will serve in a wealthy Jewish household. Gracia might teach her to read. La Señora is a kind and generous person. Gracia will be pleased to have such a spirited girl as a helper and companion.”

My jaw clenched. I put my cup on the bench, stood, and started to pace. “Hasn’t anybody thought about what Izabel wants? Her parents die, and she’s doomed to servitude forever?”

I fumed while Serakh finished her fig. Finally she said, “Meryem, it is the best I can do in this place and time. Izabel will be treated better than most.”

“No. That’s not good enough. At least Izabel’s brother got to choose to go to military school. She has fewer options than Gracia’s kitten.”

Serakh looked at me, puzzled but not protesting. I took both of her hands in mine. “Your grandmother and my Mississippi relatives were slaves. We can do better than this. That’s what the prayer shawl says. We are supposed to be pursuing justice. This isn’t justice.”

Serakh’s eyes seemed to lose focus, as if she were weighing options. Then she said, “You are right. I will ask La Señora to provide a dowry for Izabel, so that the girl might marry a respectable man when the family decides it is time.”

I dropped her hands and rubbed my forehead.

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