After the Tish, the family headed back to the hotel room. There they found Thomas sitting on the floor against the wall, rocking slowly back and forth. On the desk lay his journal, open to a blank page where two questions had been written in large, shaky letters:

  Am I part of a family?

  Do they really want me?

  Shoshana saw him first. Without a word she lowered herself beside him and wrapped her arms around him.

  Yonah and Tamar crossed to the desk, read the questions, and exchanged a glance. Tamar went and sat on Thomas’s other side, sliding an arm across his shoulders.

  Yonah spoke softly. “I’m going to get Mom and Dad.”

  Tamar whispered, “Is he okay?”

  “You remember how Shoshana used to get overwhelmed?” Yonah asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “This is the same thing, just the mirror image. The idea that he actually belongs to a family is hitting him all at once. I think I know how to help. I’ll be right back.”

  Tamar raised his voice just enough to be comforting. “It’s all right, it’s all right. Just let it out.”

  A few minutes later Yonah stood in the doorway with Sholomoh, David, and Isaac Jacob behind him.

  Yonah kept his voice low. “Would it be possible to take him through a rite of adoption?”

  Isaac Jacob raised an eyebrow. “That’s usually for someone much younger… but it’s an interesting idea.”

  Sholomoh rubbed his beard. “I can’t think of any halachic reason it couldn’t be done. It wouldn’t be a legal adoption, of course, but over the past few weeks I’ve flipped back and forth between thinking of him as a son or a grandson anyway. The boy came into my house to help me, and somewhere along the line he became family.”

  David smiled faintly. “Mom says it’s obvious he does everything out of love.”

  Isaac Jacob nodded. “As long as everyone understands it’s symbolic.”

  “Symbolic in the legal sense,” Yonah said, “but I’m certain it will feel very real to him.”

  Just then Ruth and Myriam appeared and took in the scene.

  Ruth let out a quiet breath. “I’ve been waiting for this shoe to drop.”

  Sholomoh turned. “Really?”

  “Ms. Hendrix warned me it was coming. He’s been holding everything in for years.”

  Myriam glanced at Shoshana’s arms still wrapped around Thomas. “Is this… bad for their relationship?”

  Ruth shook her head. “I think it’s very good. Look at your daughter comforting him. I’m pretty sure that’s the most physically intimate they’ve ever been.”

  David murmured, “Should we extend the room another day?”

  Yonah shrugged. “If you all need to head back, I can stay with him.”

  A few minutes later Thomas’s eyes fluttered open. He started to say “I’m sorry—” but before the words were out, Shoshana turned, cupped his face in both hands, and pressed a firm, steady kiss to his lips. She held it for several long seconds.

  Thomas’s eyes went wide; his mouth went slack. Then his arms came up and circled her back.

  Tamar stood, grinning. “Well, welcome to the family, Tzuriel.”

  Shoshana pulled back just enough to smile. “Perfect name. I know you’ve been hunting for one all weekend.”

  Yonah tilted his head. “Why Tzuriel?”

  Tamar shrugged. “Because Shoshana’s boyfriend is a rock.”

  Thomas rose, helping Shoshana and Tamar to their feet.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, looking around at everyone. “I didn’t want you to see me like that.”

  Sholomoh stepped forward. “What we saw wasn’t weakness. I’ve been expecting some kind of meltdown since the day you moved in—just a lot more destructive than this. If even half the things Mr. Talesky hinted at are true, the fact that you’re still standing at all means you’ve been stuffing emotions for years. The journal was supposed to give you a safe place to let them out.”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  David added, “Plus we could all see you were getting overstimulated with new people, new ideas, new everything.”

  Ruth smiled gently. “Ms. Hendrix reminded me again on Friday. You’re okay, sweetheart.”

  She paused, then asked, “Ready to go home?”

  Thomas nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

  On the ride home Tamar slid into the back seat, grabbed Shoshana’s hand, and demanded, “Okay, dish. The kiss. Details. I know you’ve been dreaming about it all weekend, but wow—the timing!”

  Shoshana’s cheeks went pink. “It just… felt right. I didn’t overthink it.”

  Myriam glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, I think you’ve been thinking about it since that peck on the cheek after what I’m calling your first date.”

  “Mom! We just went to a dance.”

  Tamar snorted. “According to Veronica’s mom, that entire evening was engineered so Thomas wouldn’t have to go alone. Veronica knew Mark would try something, so she made sure Thomas had a ‘date.’ Nobody was fooled, and everyone thought it was adorable.”

  Shoshana groaned.

  Myriam smiled. “Let me just say: as far as I’m concerned, that was your real first kiss. And it was perfectly appropriate for the moment. Some people might say you took advantage of his vulnerability, and it was awfully public, but it wasn’t a kiss of passion— it was a kiss that met an emotional need. So, Tamar and I would love to know how it felt.”

  Tamar leaned in. “Take your time. Describe.”

  Shoshana stared at their joined hands. “I’m still finding words. My toes didn’t curl or anything, but… we connected. I’m not sure if I was feeling my emotions or his. I think I felt how much he cares for me—and at the same time all the hurt he’s still carrying.”

  Tamar grinned. “Tzuriel fits even better now.”

  David spoke from the front seat, eyes on the road. “Shoshana, we’ve watched your relationship grow. You both still have maturing to do, but especially Tzuriel. Funny thing—the SBSO was interested in him before any of us realized you two liked each other. Helping him grow into the man he’s capable of becoming was always the goal; the fact that you’re part of that process is a side effect nobody minds.”

  He paused. “But don’t repeat this to him yet: Yonah is here for two reasons. One is exactly what you saw today—understanding how to help him heal and grow. The other is you. Tzuriel has strong religious leanings, and this weekend confirmed it. I have a vested interest in making sure that if he ever influences your faith, he also falls in love with ours. I still want Jewish grandchildren. So between Grandpa and Grandma teaching him, and Yonah acting as a kind of big brother/teacher, I think we’ll be all right.”

  Shoshana blinked, stunned. “Really… wow.”

  Tamar squeezed her hand. “You could say you two are courting.”

  “I’m not sure what that means.”

  Tamar explained gently, “With Veronica it’s just fun—practice at being social with the opposite sex. With Tzuriel you’re intentionally exploring whether this could become permanent.”

  Myriam added, “It’s a lot, honey. But a lot of people are rooting for you two. We think he’s a good match. We’re just trying to help you build something that lasts.”

  As the Mendelsons pulled into the driveway, Veronica came flying across the yard, bouncing on the balls of her feet. The instant Thomas opened the door she yanked it wider and practically hauled him out of the car.

  “Oh my gosh, she kissed you! You have to tell me everything!”

  Thomas laughed, steadying himself. “I will, I promise. First I have to get the bags inside. Then we can go to your house—because if you already know, I’m betting your mom wants details too.”

  Yonah called after her, “Tell your mom to put out snacks. I’ll make sure he comes over.”

  Veronica dashed back home.

  Yonah looked at Thomas. “So—are you her new BGF now that Shoshana moved away?”

  Thomas shrugged, smiling. “Guess we’ll find out. Let’s drop the bags and head over.”

  At Veronica’s house, her mother opened the door and lit up. “Yonah! When did you get into town? Where’s your wife?”

  “She’s at her mother’s for the Days of Awe—she could go into labor any day. Her mother insists the baby will not be born a Texan,” he laughed. “Funny thing is, I’m starting to get job feelers from Houston…”

  “You know my vote,” Veronica’s mom said. “Now get in here, Thomas, and tell us about your weekend!”

  Thomas recounted the basic facts, then Yonah filled in the color—how they’d kept the couple apart until the reception, the gravity when Thomas finally saw Shoshana in her new dress, the very supervised but tender hand-holding, and finally the overwhelmed moment on the floor that ended with Shoshana’s kiss.

  Both Veronica and her mother let out a collective “Awwww.”

  Later, back at the house, Thomas was lying on his bed trying to process the weekend when Yonah called, “Dad’s on the phone for you.”

  Thomas picked up. “Yes, sir?”

  David’s voice was warm but serious. “First—I’m proud of how you conducted yourself this weekend. Melting down at the end doesn’t erase the maturity you showed the rest of the time. And the way you and Shoshana handled yourselves—people noticed you weren’t sneaking off to dark corners. That speaks volumes.”

  He continued, “But it also moves our relationship with you into new territory, so here’s what you need to know. We chose Summa Theologica as a discussion starter on moral theology—how we order our loves. You already grasp a lot of it naturally. Ordo amoris—right ordering of loves—was the point of that second medallion you wisely returned.”

  David took a breath. “Here’s the hard part: I’m thrilled at the possibility you might marry my daughter one day, but I’m terrified you’ll hurt yourself chasing something good because you don’t yet love yourself enough. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ only works if the second half is real. Right now I’m not convinced you believe you’re lovable.”

  Thomas was quiet.

  “This coming weekend,” David went on, “we’d like to do a symbolic rite of adoption—just our family recognizing you as one of us. And we’d like you to come up Thursday so Gold, Meckelson, and Isaac Jacob can run a few psychological assessments Friday morning. Nothing scary—just tools to help you understand yourself better, so you can learn to receive love as easily as you give it.”

  Thomas finally found his voice. “I… don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything tonight,” David said gently. “Go hang out with Yonah. He enjoys your company. We’ll talk more when you get here.”

  He hung up, and Thomas lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling, the new name echoing in his head.

  Tzuriel.

  God is my Rock.

  Or maybe—my rock is God.

  Either way, for the first time in a very long time, he didn’t feel like he was standing on sand.