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Judah arrived home by sunset. Emily was there, and so were the girls. She had the shabbat candles on the table in the kitchen.
Beside them was the heel of a loaf of bread and a paper cup of juice rather than the requisite glass of wine.
On the table as well was the rest of the loaf, a sheath of her papers from work, a butane lighter and a three-tiered candle in the shape of a snowman that the girls liked to use as a shamus, a CD of children’s songs that was caked in spots with jam and chocolate, assorted plastic beads meant to look like wild animals, a one-inch heel from a navy blue pump, a workbook page of upper and lower case letters, a plastic cornice from a Barbie playhouse that might have been made from pink sugar, the receiver of a cordless phone, a rolodex so overcome with entries that now it was blossoming business cards
(two of these new electricians), a children’s book on basic nutrition that had a haricot vert on its cover, a flea collar missing its buckle that one of the girls had discovered outside, a pack of circuit breakers, an atomizer and lip gloss, a half-eaten apricot and three brittle fig rolls, a Glengarry hat made of construction paper that had straight sides that were coming unglued and a crease along the top and three lengths of fuzzy colored yarn in the back.
Judah walked into his house through the kitchen door just as one of Emily’s mates from work was departing through the living room. His wife and the fellow were laughing now. He’d meant to sneak in through the back door and surprise the girls with his presence— perhaps this was more of a surprise than he’d meant. The young man said, “You don’t know what it means to me. You’ve saved my life.”
Emily answered, “Don’t be silly. Keep it for as long as you want it.”
“You’re always there, you know? You’re always there when I can’t manage on my own.”
“That’s because I’m a central figure in your life right now. I’ve got responsibilities, don’t I.”
“Right. But you could be a central figure in my life and still not know what I need.”
“What, be a husband, you mean?”
He couldn’t make out what she said next, for she lowered her voice.
Then he heard her close their front door, and walk to the bathroom.
Judah unearthed the telephone receiver from the mound of domestic debris and placed a phone call to Bassett. Jane came on the line, then went to get her husband.
“What is it, Zuk, what’s up?”
“We’ve put it behind us. I’m home, the girls are fine, she’s home.
Everything’s back to normal.”
“Just one of those passing storm clouds then.”
“I thought you might be worried.”
“Well, you know—Where kids are involved—How was the zoo, did they say?”
“Had the time of their lives.”
“Great.”
“Right.”
“Fine, Zuk.”
“It’s different once there’s kids.”
“That’s what you’ve always said.”
“It’s bumpier. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Well, look—Jane and I are off to do some shopping.”
Judah said, “You watch where you step, you test every tread. It’s manageable.”
“You know, Zuk, so long as its settled, that’s the main thing.”
“Right. Well, great. I’ll let you go then.”
Emily came upon Judah in their kitchen as if she’d been expecting a prowler. She said, “You scared me. I heard you stirring about out here and thought someone had broken in. You just missed Cecil.
Darn. I do wish you could have met him. What are you doing here, by the way?” Waiting to be kissed, she took him by his elbows.
Kissing her lightly on the cheek, he said, “I live here, remember?
Where are the girls?”
“I gave them away,”
“Any mail?”
“Haven’t looked yet. How was your day?”
“Couldn’t have been better. How was yours, any problems?
“I watched a little of Mary Poppins with the girls while getting them into their play clothes.”
“That was the highpoint, not the zoo?”
“I would have preferred Born Free, actually. Mary Poppins was the girls’ selection.”
“A story with more depth then?”
“Something with animals.”
“How’s your new charge?”
“Cecil? He’s young. I think he’ll work out though. Training someone just doubles your caseload. He’s buying a house, did I tell you? In Marivole.”
“On an intern’s pay? He doesn’t know what he’s letting himself in for, does he?”
“He wants me to help him furnish it.”
“Like you could spare the time.”
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