You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

Author:Laura Silverman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2019-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

“Rachel, can you grab some extra soap from the storage closet?” I call out. I’m elbow-deep in the sink, washing a sweet little mutt.

No response.

“Rachel?” I call louder.

“Ugh. One minute.”

She stalks into the room a few moments later and drops the soap on the counter. “Here, happy?” She turns on her heel and leaves.

“You are way too young to be turning into a teenager!” I yell after her.

An hour later, I’m finished washing all the dogs, but I’m not at all tired. My lips are still buzzing from kissing Amir last night. I could’ve stayed like that, back pressed against the car, all evening. But our friends probably would’ve noticed if we never picked them up.

It’s only been fourteen hours since I saw him, but it already feels like too long. I’ll be at services instead of school Monday and Tuesday, so what if I don’t get to see him until Wednesday? When will I get to kiss him again? Will I get to kiss him again?

I’m assuming it wasn’t a one-off.

It definitely didn’t feel like a one-off.

I went straight to bed when I got home last night, a crash after all the adrenaline, and slept for eight hours before waking up for shul. Maybe I can see Amir tomorrow. Rachel doesn’t have a soccer game because of the upcoming high holidays, so tomorrow my only commitment is practice with Dizzy Daisies.

I grab Ezekiel from his cage and head to the front room. “Want to go play with him outside?” I ask Rachel.

She’s on the couch, reading from a folder, brow furrowed. Her backpack is stuffed in her lap, and she’s hugging it like a pillow.

“What are you working on?” I ask. “Pirates? Capitals?”

“Reading sheets.” Rachel flips a page. She nibbles one of her sweatshirt drawstrings.

“Want to take a break? Play with the dogs?”

“I’m gonna keep working,” she says, not looking up at me.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“I’m working, Ariel. I don’t want to get behind.”

I guess even fifth graders have catch-up work for missing two days of class. Still, I hesitate. But then Ezekiel yaps at my heels, little tail wagging.

“Okay,” I say. “We’ll be out there if you want to join us.”

I grab my phone and take Ezekiel out into the yard.

* * *

“That’s a lot of sheet music,” I say when Sook hands me a stack of papers. It’s Sunday afternoon, and we’re in her basement for our first practice together. This morning Amir texted, and we made plans to study tonight at my place. I keep glancing at my phone, watching the minutes tick by until evening.

“Well, obviously,” Sook says. “This isn’t one of your jam bands. I wasn’t going to let you make up the notes.”

I leaf through the pages. “But this is a lot of sheet music.”

“I figured I’d add you into a few of the songs. You know, just in case. If you like playing with us.”

It looks like she’s written me parts for at least half their repertoire. “Sook,” I warn.

Malka scrambles down the stairs.

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