Page 20 of In Just a Year
“Ben who?” Hannah asked as she sat back down.
“Benjamin Klonimus.”
Hannah’s eyes grew wide. “Benny’s in India!”
“I know.”
“Esther?” Hannah asked slowly with her authoritative motherly voice.
“He kissed me before he left.” Esther reached for the biscuit, trying to crumble it a bit more. “I’m in love.”
Hannah exhaled and eyed Esther suspiciously. “Has he given you any reason to think he feels the same?”
Esther nodded.
“Alright.” Hannah gave a sad smile and an uncomfortable moment of silence stretched between them. “Wh-when you kissed him, did it last?”
“What do you mean?”
Hannah rubbed her thighs uncomfortably as if the thought fascinated and disgusted her at the same time. “Oh, Esti, please. Was it an open-mouthed kiss?”
“What?” Esther tried to picture it. Her sister and Arnold. She shuddered. But she’d asked, so she needed to embrace the fact that her older sister did things like that … probably even worse.Oy va voi!
Hannah squinted as if she were reciting the Hebrew alphabet backwards in her mind.
“It was like this … mwah!” Esther gave Hannah a kiss on her cheek. “The first time.”
That seemed to wake Hannah from her stupor and flush. “The first time? Was there another time?” Hannah raised a brow.
“He came to my room. Climbed up the wall from the outside.” Esther smiled proudly.
Hannah gave a pained look. “I didn’t hear any of that. Not because it’s dangerous and not because if Tate ever asked me… I just didn’t hear any of this.” Hannah held her ears for a moment and shook her head. “So you think you are in love because…”
“What do you mean IthinkI am?I am!”
“Yes, yes. And Benny’s in love, too?”
“Yes.”
“He told you so?”
“Yes.”
“Whilst in India?”
“No.”
“Esther Solomon, were you awake when all these declarations of love allegedly happened, and he climbed up your wall of bricks?”
“I wasn’t dreaming, Hannah. Why don’t you believe me?” Esther lost her patience. “Am I so revolting that nobody can imagine a gorgeous young man with the most adorable green eyes could have any interest in me? Is it truly so hard to believe?” Pesky tears threatened again.
“No, it’s not.” Hannah’s voice fell slowly and she sighed. You are beautiful and smart but … Benny? Really?”
“What’s wrong with Ben?”
“He’s Pavel’s son! Caleb’s little brother. And Gideon’s little brother. And—”
“That’s the one! I’m your little sister, and Leah’s, and still, I’m here. We’ve known them our entire lives, Hannah.”
