Leah gave him an incredulous look.
He laughed. “Okay, I get the message.”
The smell of porridge and the crackling of fire awakened Elizabeth.
“Morning, Dad,” she said as she climbed down the final rungs of the first-floor ladder. “Hey, Leah.”
“Good morning, Baboo.”
“Daddy, launch!”
Michael quickly pointed at Leah. “Not now, Elizabeth. How about a hug?”
“Okay,” she said, falling into his arms.
Michael looked over at Leah, who was laughing at the sight of them. “Are you hungry?” he asked Elizabeth.
“Yes!”
“Extra honey this morning?” Leah asked.
“Yes! Thank you.”
Leah handed Elizabeth a bowl. “Go upstairs, we will join you.”
Smiling, Elizabeth turned and headed back up to the dining mat on the second floor.
After Elizabeth had left, Leah turned to Michael. “What are your plans today?”
“I’m not sure yet. I have to speak with Elizabeth.”
“Michael, today begins Passover. I have to go to town to prepare for the meal . . . which means I also have to take the lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed.”
“Oh! Is it really necessary to kill the lamb?”
Leah hesitated. “We sacrifice the lamb, Michael.”
“Oops. Sorry.”
“I know Elizabeth is fond of the lamb, but it is our tradition to sacrifice on this night. The lamb is my sacrifice.”
Looking out to the courtyard at the fig tree, Michael said, “I’m not sure how Elizabeth is going to handle this.”
He paused, not sure if he should continue. “If you’re going near the Temple, can you check the tunnel for us? I want to leave later tonight, but I’m concerned about the soldiers.” He stopped and looked at her. “Is this too much to ask?”
“No. I want to help you find your way home, Michael. It’s by the courtyard, right?”
Michael grasped her hands in excitement. “Yes! I marked the grate with that piece from Elizabeth’s shirt. If it’s all clear, we can leave tonight!”
Leah glanced at him, wide-eyed. Michael realized that he was holding her hands tightly. Embarrassed, he squeezed once gently before dropping them.
“Leah, can I feed Cassie again today?” Elizabeth called from upstairs. “Leah?”
Leah smiled tenderly, her eyes downcast. “Yes, Elizabeth, you may,” she called back.
Leah gathered the food onto a woven tray and ascended the ladder. Michael followed her, bringing a second tray of bowls.
“Oh, hey!” Elizabeth squealed as they reached the second floor. “Leah, after breakfast should I put together some more grains for Cassie?”
At this, Leah looked away while Michael sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked.
When Leah remained silent, Michael quietly said to Elizabeth, “We’ll talk about this later.”
After they had finished eating, Leah rose uneasily to her feet. “I have to go to town to pick up some fruits and vegetables.” She looked at Elizabeth again kindly, then turned to Michael.
Catching her eye, Michael whispered to Elizabeth, “I’ll be right back, honey.”
He followed Leah down the ladder, noticing at the bottom that she was holding her head.
Leah turned to face him. “Michael, I’m really sorry. I’m worried about Elizabeth.”
He recognized the strain in her face. “Leah, please, she’s going to be fine. I’ll speak to her this morning while you are at the market. Plus, she’ll be really relieved when I tell her you’re going to scout out the tunnel.”
After watching Leah leave through the front gate, Michael took a deep breath and reentered the house. “Elizabeth?”
She came downstairs with the bowls from breakfast.
“What’s up, Dad? Where’s Leah?” she asked, depositing the bowls in a pail of water near the fire.
Michael forced a smile before turning to Elizabeth. “Honey, Leah’s going to the tunnel for us! She’s checking it out to make sure there aren’t any soldiers. We could leave in a few hours, maybe.”
“That’s awesome!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Wow, I should feed Cassie quick so that we’re ready to go when Leah gets back.”
Michael winced uncomfortably. “Honey, I don’t know if you should worry about that.”
“Are you kidding? I want to feed her one last meal before I go.”
Michael reached over, touching her cheek gently. “Elizabeth, I want to be honest with you. You know, today starts Leah’s religious holiday. You’re old enough for me to tell you things like this now: the lamb is going to be taken to Temple this afternoon.”
“For what?”
“The lamb is part of Leah’s tradition. It will be offered up for sacrifice.”
Elizabeth covered her face with her hands. “You mean Cassie is really going to be killed? I just thought that after Leah saw how much I liked her—how much I love her—that it would be different.”
“She’s a lamb, and here a lamb is—”
“You mean Cassie, right, Dad? You can say her name.”
Michael nodded.
“Let me see her,” she said, storming off past Michael out to the front yard where Cassie was grazing. She hugged the lamb, then started to run toward the front gate.
“Elizabeth, please . . . get back in here!”
“No! If we’re leaving, why can’t we just take her?” She ran a few steps, stopped, ran a few more steps, and stopped again. Each time she paused, she looked back at the lamb, frustrated that Cassie wasn’t following.
Michael ran to her, pulling Elizabeth gently into his chest. “It’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, sure,” she mumbled, “but why did I have to know?”
The maze of streets was bustling with activity. Many women were out anxiously buying the proper foods for the evening’s feast. A few neighbors acknowledged Leah, who glided past at a brisk pace, basket in hand as she respectfully nodded her salutations.
The excitement of the festivities was bittersweet for Leah; images of Yochanan occupied her thoughts. It seemed like only yesterday that he had been with her, inspecting honey pots and dried roots, smiling at her and her ballooning pregnant belly that even her long robe could no longer conceal. He had offered every item of produce he had selected to her for final approval. Back then, he was the one easily shouldering the ungainly basket that was now weighing her down. These memories, combined with the growing anxiety of trying to help Michael and Elizabeth, sent Leah’s emotions spiraling in every direction.
Although she had gathered everything she needed, Leah was overwhelmed by a sense that something was still missing. Of course, the leafy lettuces, handful of nuts for the charoset, and spicy roots were sufficient. Mentally, she knew her list was complete. Yet something felt just beyond her grasp, waiting in the mist of her thoughts to be plucked out and examined. She decided to circle the market stands again, hoping the walk would jar her out of this odd reverie.
As she worked her way around the jostling, frenzied crowd, she suddenly realized with startling clarity what was troubling her. Yochanan might be everywhere today, but for her, the thought of him was now tied to someone else, another man: Michael.
She stopped abruptly and immediately felt a woman’s hand on her back. They apologized to each other silently, a raised hand in forgiveness, a concerned smile. But all of it made Leah feel guilt and remorse. It was easier to focus on Elizabeth, and in doing so, she decided to pursue one more purchase.