“Thanks so much for helping, dude.” Avi’s voice dripped sarcasm as he struggled to keep the bags Leah was piling onto the cart from toppling.
If you only knew, Jonah thought. Although not resentfully. He was glad to be able to deflect and de-escalate anyone hell bent on invading Avi’s privacy. Whether using his brawn, or his brains. As the years went by and his best friend’s fame soared, Jonah was happy to lend a hand. Or sometimes, a very muscular arm. Blocking paths, keeping fans at a distance.
There was a time and a place for meet and greets. For photo ops and autographing body parts. Newark airport, holiday rush? Not so much.
A “tourist” taking a “selfie” that just so happened to have Avi and Leah smooching in the background? Jonah stared daggers, looming over the guy until he lowered his camera guiltily. A pilot, discreetly liberating a few top buttons on her uniform as she sashayed up with her rolling luggage? He had a plan for that, too.
“Thank you for your service!” He threw up a hand in salute as he stepped into her path. “Happy holidays, Captain. Great landing.”
“Oh, um…” Flustered, the pilot clutched her shirt at its collar. Then patted her tight bun as she regained her composure. “You’re welcome. Thank you…uh, for flying the friendly skies. Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“And a very happy Hanukkah,” Jonah called after her.
“Less flirting, more helping.” Avi shoved a heavy backpack into his waiting hands.
“She was looking to Mile High Club you in the Admirals Lounge, not me. What’s in here, rocks?”
“Mahjong tiles,” Leah chirped, standing on her tiptoes to kiss Jonah’s cheek. “You’re an angel for picking us up, Jonah. Thank you.”
Angels made him think of Kara Koff again. And the utter fool he’d made of himself last year in front of her.
“No thanks necessary.” He hiked the bag over one shoulder. “I hope you aren’t bringing these on the Baller, you’ll sink the ship.”
Leah laughed. “No, huge commission for the Jewish Museum giftshop. My company’s biggest order yet.”
Avi threw an arm over her shoulder, kissing her temple. “My Mahjong Muse,” he said proudly. He also wore it proudly across the priceless real estate of his chest: Leah’s logo for her bespoke game tiles business under the phrase Mahjong – what’s your super power?
Super powers also reminded Jonah of Kara Koff, off and on again the entire drive to Brooklyn. Jeez. What was up with him and his one-track mind today?
She barely existed in the same stratosphere as him, even though they both boarded the same boat the Friday night of Hanukkah each year. Even though their names existed next to one another on the same VIP list Jay reserved for his found family and the few Jewish glitterati who happened to be in Manhattan over the holiday…Klein, Koff. Jonah knew, because he had peeked once. Still, worlds away.
“Earth to Jonah…we’re here. You coming up, man?”
Jonah carried the bags up the brownstone stairs, glad to have something to do with his hands while Avi swept Leah up in his arms and carried her across the threshold despite her mild protests.
“Stay and light candles with us, Jonah! I just have to find…there it is.” Leah pointed from Avi’s embrace. A menorah sat in a box on the kitchen island, waiting to be unpacked and lit. A true housewarming.
Jonah had celebrated the first candle with his sister and niece last night before dinner. And now he pictured Avi and Leah readying two candles for the second night.
Two, for the two of them. And three was a crowd.
“You guys go ahead, settle in. I’m good.”
He’d probably head over to Asher’s Bar, the place where Jay had plunked a menorah down two years ago, and where any of their crew, along with the random bar patron, was free to gather. No one counting heads, or feeling like the odd duck.
SOLOKOFF
Leave it to Kara again, Tzipi thought. Sending a driver when she had been perfectly prepared to find a cab. Although it would be nice not to have to struggle with her luggage alone. The driver lowered his sign when she approached.
“Tzipora, I assume?”
Finally, someone who didn’t stumble over her name. She nodded. He tipped his black chauffeur cap and reached for her carry-on. “Did you have a nice flight?”
The best part had been the drink her sister had recommended. Seeing Lorne, alive in her dream? The cruel part.
“Decent, thanks.”
She followed the driver past baggage claim. He seemed to know she had no checked luggage. Safe to say Kara had filled the car service in on all the details to get Tzipi from Point A to Point B as comfortably as that first class bump-up had been.
