Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 51 of a new online serial novel, Outside the Bubble, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

They arrived at Chevy’s home, where the siyum and yahrtzeit seudah would be held. It was actually Dov’s house, but his daughter Chevy was living there for now, until her own apartment would be ready. It was the natural place for them to hold the event.

Dov and Martin had been engaged in conversation about possible study tracks for Martin, and they did not stop talking even as they called for the elevator, or when it stopped in front of the open door of the apartment on the third floor. Dov only fell silent when he saw Chevy and Yael in the entryway.

“Abba, welcome!” Chevy greeted her father. “We’ve been waiting for you.” She glanced beyond his shoulder, as if to make sure that no one—other than the unfamiliar boy trailing her father—had come with him. 

“How are you, girls?” he asked, putting the brimming bag he was carrying into Chevy’s arms. “Here are the bourekas, and cabbage salad, if I’m not mistaken. Come in, Martin. I’m right behind you.” He pointed to the dining room, and made sure that Martin had gone in, before turning to his daughters. “How are you doing?”

“Baruch Hashem.” Chevy leaned against the wall.

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 50 of a new online serial novel, Outside the Bubble, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

This time, the conversation between Michoel and Dr. Jerry did not take place in the regular office. The doctor took him out to the lawns, to a quiet corner that Michoel had not known existed until today. The truth was, he didn’t know much about anything that was going on in this place. There was too much that he didn’t know, and he wondered if it would even be right to bring Yosef here. He was not the type who bought every word he was told, even if the principles of the method sounded interesting. He’d always been suspicious.

The doctor sat on a wooden bench, folded his right leg and rested it on his left one. He took out a cigarette from an unfamiliar brand and lit up. “How are you acclimating, Michoel?”

“Thank G-d. But I want to recover and return to my country.”

“Israel.”

“Yes.”

“Is someone waiting for you at home?”

“At home, no. But I have extended family members who are very devoted to me.”

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 49 of a new online serial novel, Outside the Bubble, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“Get him away from here! Fast! Fast!”

Hinda paused at the beginning of the short hallway. The response was so uncharacteristic of Yosef, and it was certainly not in sync with the brooding and withdrawn state that he had been in these past two days. She glanced behind her, to the entry hall. Dov was just ushering Martin in; the boy had come down for supper and probably also for a conversation about his plans. Yosef had gotten out of bed just then, and come out to the kitchen for a drink.

Dov and Martin turned around together, as if synchronized. Yosef was standing there, his eyes ablaze.

“It’s you, from Michoel’s house in Yerushalayim!” he nearly screamed. “You came here another time already, I know! You came to Haifa to follow me, and now you came again!”

Hinda walked over to her son, not yet sure what she was going to say. But before she could respond, Martin beat her to it.

“You’re right,” he said. “And I’m sorry for scaring you. But I had no intention of following you. It was only because I was looking for a way to speak to your father and mother about Michoel Perl.”

“Who did you want to speak to?” Yosef demanded.