The Matchmaker's Gift(79)

4/11/55: Coffee with Marlene at my apartment

4/12/55: Called, no answer

4/14/55: Called, no answer

4/16/55: Visited Marlene’s apartment

4/19/55: Calls with Marlene

4/20/55: Purchased suitcase for Marlene

4/24/55: Purchased train tickets for Marlene

4/29/55: Marlene called from Connecticut. Will be staying with her sister



Abby read the list half a dozen times—more certain with each reading that her grandmother had, undoubtedly, saved Marlene Fishman’s life. At first Abby wondered why her grandmother hadn’t mentioned these kinds of stories to her and her sister. But the longer Abby sat there pondering, the more she realized that, perhaps, Sara had tried.

There had been that day when Abby learned about her father’s engagement, and Sara had brought her to the park for pretzels. There are worse fathers, sweetheart. Believe me. Some of what I’ve seen … well, I’ll tell you one day when you’re older.

And then, there had been the conversation they’d had when Abby announced she would be a lawyer, like her grandfather. Sara had been so proud when Abby got into law school, bragging to everyone who would listen. She’s going to Columbia Law School, you know. This one’s got a mind like you wouldn’t believe!

But Abby had been nervous to tell her grandmother when she decided on the job with Diane’s firm. “Divorce law then?” her grandmother had asked. “Your grandfather did a few of those. It wasn’t his specialty, of course. He was a jack-of-all-trades—real estate, business. You’re sure that’s what you want to do full time?”

“I’m sure,” Abby said. “When Mom got divorced, nobody fought for her. I want to fight for people now.”

Grandma Sara raised an eyebrow. “Fight for people or fight against them?”

“Look, Grandma, I’ve heard all your stories. All the love matches, all the perfect couples. But look at my parents. We both know the world isn’t all happy endings. Honestly, I wish you’d stop pretending it was.”

Her grandmother’s face crumpled like a broken cookie. “Pretending?”

“You know what I mean.”

Sara’s eyes flashed with fury. “You think I don’t know from heartache? You think I don’t know from miserable endings? Just because I didn’t tell you those stories, Abby, doesn’t mean I don’t have plenty to tell.”

Abby’s voice rose in indignation. “Well, maybe you should have told me them then! Maybe you should have been more honest with me!”

“You and your sister had enough tsuris with your parents—you think I should have given you nightmares, too? Look what happened when I was honest with Hannah about that fakakta royal wedding!”

“I only mean—”

“Abby, sweetheart, I’m not a fool. I know how your parents’ divorce affected you. I know that you have something to prove. When I was younger than you, I had to prove myself, too. I represented myself in court—a rabbinical court, but a court just the same. There were twenty-eight men arguing against me. Twenty-eight men! Can you believe it? They said I shouldn’t be allowed to make matches. They called me a liar. They thought I wasn’t worthy. At the end of the day, I won my case. I understand your need to fight. Whatever job you take, I’ll be proud of you. But you need to remember to fight for something.”

“I’ll be fighting for my clients. Isn’t that enough?”

Abby’s grandmother shook her head. “Clients are only people, sweetheart. Some will be worth fighting for, and some will not.”

“Don’t you think you’re being melodramatic?”

Sara placed both hands on Abby’s shoulders and kissed her granddaughter softly on the forehead. “There is too much cruelty in this world. I’ve seen it, and I know you’ve seen some, too. It isn’t enough to fight against cruelty. For my whole life, I fought for love. Not just romantic love, you understand. The love of a parent for a child. The love of one friend for another. Fight for something, sweetheart. Not just against. That’s the best advice I can give you. And if you can’t decide what you want to fight for, love is as good a cause as any.”





TWENTY-ONE

SARA




1955

Trust One Eye More Than Two Ears




Sara looked forward to volunteering at the carnival. She was certain that seeing the little ones in their costumes would bring back precious memories of six-year-old Beverly, dripping in scarves and fake gold bangles, pretending to be brave Queen Esther.

Beverly and Eddie were both grown-up now, both in college, but at schools close enough to make it home for dinner most Sunday evenings. Since Gabe had passed away last year, the three of them had become even closer. Sara knew Gabe would be proud of their children and the way they had handled his untimely loss. Every morning she woke with the same thought in her head: How foolish I was to put off marrying him for so long. What I wouldn’t give now for just one more day.

Gabe began courting her immediately after the beis din made its final decision. But for two years, Sara refused to marry him. “What if I find out you’re meant for someone else?” she said. “What if I see something I don’t want to see?”

Gabe’s patience with her was seemingly limitless. “The only woman I see is you,” he promised. “There will never be anyone else for me.”