Dinner

Everyone sat at Anat’s table for the holiday meal.  Marc led a great dinner service.

Naturally, pomegranates, wine and dates were served.  Dan was enjoying himself. Alana poured a lot of wine. She shared with everyone. Marc smiled as he passed around the pomegranates. Anat enjoyed her dates.

Dan knew these items were part of the High Holiday meals. But something clicked in his head when he saw the fervor in which his dinner companions were eating these delicacies.  He remembered the reports about Jay.  He knew there was a mention of these items being near him when he went down. Dan put on his detective’s cap. Then wrote it off as him being silly. Thousands of people around the globe were excited to eat and drink the same stuff.

Dinner ended.  Alana and Marc walked to Alana’s aunt. Dan hung around a little longer and went home.  The two lovebirds were waiting.  Anat was getting ready to repent and hope she’s granted Jerry after the holidays conclude.

Jay was moping around the city.  He was in pain from his earlier fight. It was three against one. Not fair. He had to get Jerry and test him. He knew Anat would try to do the same. So would her crazy friends. 

The fast day arrived. Marc and Alana sat apart from each other in their Forest Hills shul. They had no desire to be there. They ate a lot of special food to get through the fast. The recipes came from two of Marc’s camp friends. One is gone. But he always put special attention to all of his holiday meals. The other adds his own special touches to his delicacies.

The services went on. Neither of the two was hungry. They were not paying attention. But knew they had to be there. They still believed. And they wanted to. But they were moving away.  They’ve done this before.

Anat spent the day in her shul. It has been years since she attended.  Dan joined her.  She looked at him with happy eyes from the ladies’ section.

Jay was plotting.