“What am I going to do without you, Ayala?” She said it with a laugh, but Ayala jumped at the opening

Ayala carefully rolled the silk skirt she’d worn to the Schiller meeting and placed it in her suitcase. What a pointless purchase that had turned out to be; as if classy clothing could make up for pathetic sales skills.

She placed five folded weekday tops next to it, frowning. Dini had responded kindly to her email: Don’t worry about it. It was your first time, it’s normal to get nervous. Shuki’s planning a trip soon anyway. He’ll meet with Schiller and see if he can salvage this.

She’d almost have preferred Dini had taken her down for royally messing up. It wouldn’t have made her feel quite so incompetent.

“Knock, knock,” her mother sang, walking into Ayala’s room. She eyed the open suitcase on the floor and her brows creased. “I thought your flight’s tomorrow.”

“It is, but you have the appointment with Dr. Druck later today, and you know how tired you get afterward. You’ll need my help tonight.”

“Ah, I hadn’t thought of that. Yes, I likely will want your help afterward with dinner. Sweet of you to plan for that.”

Ayala raised her eyebrow. As if her mother hadn’t depended on Ayala’s help every other night of her visit as well!

Her mother smiled, shaking her head. “What am I going to do without you, Ayala?” She said it with a laugh, but Ayala jumped at the opening.

“If you lived closer to me, you wouldn’t have to worry about that.”