There is a ring at the door. Dr. Morwell enters and finds three women seated on the couch. He is directed to sit in a single chair, set slightly apart—the same chair Thomas first sat in.

  Dr. Morwell: I guess I’m in the proverbial hot seat.

  Ruth: Don’t feel bad. Thomas sat there too, the first time he came into the house.

  Dr. Morwell: So, I assume you have an idea why I’m here.

  Ruth: I’m Ruth. This is May, and that’s Wendy.

  She gestures to the women beside her.

  Outside of my granddaughter and May’s daughter, you’re looking at most of the women in Thomas’s life that you haven’t met yet. I made sure they were here to spare you the running around. We're here to answer any questions you might have.

  Dr. Morwell: Why would Thomas agree to the Niddah arrangement?

  May: Not the first question I expected, but a fair one. My understanding is this—there was a kind of unspoken clarity from the beginning. This wasn’t going to be some casual teenage thing. We’ve all known Shoshana since she was in diapers. Wendy used to babysit her. I’d say she’s like a big sister to both our daughters. So when we heard Shoshana had her first real interest in a boy... we were a bit curious, to say the least.

  Wendy: From what I’ve seen, they just get each other. When Shoshana sat next to him in the cafeteria and started helping him with training, my husband—Eric—said it was the first time he saw Thomas truly relax all day.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The second time I saw him, Eric had brought him over for dinner. There’s this strange blend in him—a kind of warmth and friendliness, but with this deep reserve that’s hard to picture in someone his age.

  At the awards dinner, it was just me and Shoshana holding his hands, keeping him grounded. But they talked all evening. And Thomas even promised to check in on her grandparents.

  Ruth: We know why you’ve been assigned to Thomas. Ha-Mishmeret is excited about what they see in him—and with good reason. His growth has been extraordinary. But Thomas... he’s carried emotional weight for years. He was the one others leaned on—or lashed out at.

  Listen, the rules of Niddah were given to my granddaughter, not to him. What do you say about a boy who thinks enough of a girl to respect those rules—not out of obligation, but to support her in keeping them?

  Dr. Morwell: So this is about helping them stay connected, on that deeper level?

  Ruth: Exactly. And don’t assume that’s easy. But maybe this will help you understand.

  She hands him a photo. It shows Thomas and Shoshana lying on a bed—not touching except for their hands, both smiling, lost in the moment.

  Ruth: What does that picture say to you?

  Dr. Morwell: It looks like they’re having a real moment. Intimate, but innocent. Safe.

  Ruth: Exactly. They didn’t even know I took it. The emotions were so raw. Their first kiss? It was in front of the family. I don’t even think Shoshana realized what she was doing—it wasn’t about passion or getting attention. It was about offering him comfort. Showing she cared.

  Dr. Morwell: I can see why Ms. Hendrix said I should speak with you.

  May: We all remember how intense the 13 Attributes of Improvement are the first time through. You were chosen not just for your degree, but your experience. You’re here to be an emotional sounding board for him.

  Thomas is smart enough to figure things out intellectually. What he needs is someone to help guide him through the feeling part. Someone who isn’t emotionally entangled like Ms. Hendrix was becoming.

  Ruth: I’ll give you a heads-up if I see an emotional rough patch coming. And I expect the same from you. If something happens in your sessions, let me know. That way I can help him process it when he gets home.