I wondered what had happened to them. Were they in jail? Out and about and just hadn’t made contact with me?

Elka

“Bubbe?” I said, slipping my hand into hers and quickening my footsteps to match her pace.

“Yes, dear?” she replied, squeezing my hand.

“On Sunday I’m going home.”

“I know,” Bubbe said, giving me a small smile. “We’ll miss you. It’s been so nice having you around, seeing how grown up you’ve become. The house will be so quiet without you.”

I smiled a little, knowing it was all true. Bubbe would miss me.

“So,” Bubbe said, a little more strongly, “if I gave you the choice to stay here for the winter or go home… what would you say?”

I stared at Bubbe, my eyebrows slightly raised. What was she thinking? Stay here in Riga?

“Not that I’m really asking,” Bubbe quickly clarified, “just… how would you feel if you did get that chance? You know, before you came here, you told your Mama you’d want to move back here. So how do you feel now? Now that you’ve been here?”

“Can I think about it?” I asked, frowning. It was a pretty big question.

“Sure.” Bubbe laughed, swinging my hand high in her own. “Meanwhile, let’s prepare for our last trip in Riga. It’s going to be a good one.”

“What are we doing?” I asked, but it was too late. We were already home and Bubbe pulled ahead of me while I slowly took the stairs one at a time.