“The board accused me of improper contact.” Ethan had questioned for the first time last night, deep into the evening when it seemed like his limbs had melted and become one with the sofa, whether he could see their point. Had he acted outside the bounds of his position? Jeopardized the synagogue’s chances at rehabilitation? But he kept coming to the same conclusion. His religion didn’t stand in opposition to his love.
Leah rescued what remained of her whiskey and drained the glass.“Is that code for dating someone way hotter than you?” She proceeded to drag him by the sleeve to the kitchen table and push him into a chair, bringing the bottle with her.
“Among other things.”
Ethan wanted to tell her that every room in this house was haunted. Full of memories and plans he’d had of and for Naomi. He wanted to tell her he couldn’t stay here. Couldn’t sleep or eat or pray in these rooms that reeked of her.
“I can’t believe you dumped Naomi Grant because she made you look bad.” The judgment in Leah’s voice was hot enough to sear.
“What? I didn’t break up with her.” He reeled back, indignant. “You really think I’m that dumb?”
Leah relaxed her shoulders. “Just making sure.”
“Naomi ended things.” Bitterness spilled out of him and practically dripped on the countertop. “She basically told me to beg on my belly for my job back.”
“... Are you gonna?”
Ethan sighed. “I don’t know yet.” He was still in shock. On the one hand, shouldn’t he try to cut his losses? Try to keep fighting for Beth Elohim? If he couldn’t have love, he could at least retain his sense of purpose.
But how could he go back and try to work with a board who didn’t trust him? Leah traced circles on the table with her finger. “What would Naomi do?”
“Not ask forgiveness, that’s for sure.” She’d never give someone who rejected her a second chance. Would probably stop saying their name. Refuse to even think about them. Ethan wasn’t like her in that respect. He’d thought about her so much since she’d left, it didn’t even feel like thinking anymore. His imagination had grown so vivid, so visceral, she might as well have been sitting at the table with them.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” Leah said, shaking her head like when she tried to solve the Sunday crossword.
Ethan couldn’t exactly say the same thing. He’d imagined Naomi dumping him a few times, sharp and brief, but it was never under the guise of self-sacrifice. Never for his own good.
“I mean, it’s really shocking.” Leah drilled her fingers against the table in agitation.
“I guess.” Adding whiskey directly to chocolate milk was probably gross, right? What did they put in White Russians?
Leah took a long swig directly from the bottle, wiping her mouth and wincing from the burn. “It makes more sense that you messed up.”
He raised his head to glower at her. “Me? What did I do?”
Ethan wasn’t desperate to play the victim or anything, but any way he sliced the events of the last twenty-four hours, they still felt like something inflicted upon him.
His sister shrugged. “You let her leave.”
“This is Naomi we’re talking about.” Ethan reached for the whiskey bottle but ended up just holding it. “No one has ever ‘let her’ do anything.”
Leah issued an extremely put-upon sigh. “Ethan, you’re smart, but you’re also Big Dumb.”
“I thought you came over here to make me feel better,” he said, wounded.
“Well”—she waved her hand for him to give back the bottle—“maybe this will finally teach you to stop jumping to conclusions.”
“So you’re just gonna drink whiskey and insult me?” Were all little sisters like this? Forever?
Leah checked her watch. “For at least the next ten minutes probably, yeah.”
Ethan groaned. “She didn’t want a life with me, Leah. Not really. The second that one was laid out in front of her, she threw me back like an undersized fish.”
“That is a vivid metaphor.” She wrinkled her nose. “But also, no, that’s not what happened.”
“Can I at least set a timer for this attack?” Wasn’t there a saying,Bad things come in threes? So at least this should be the last of his excruciating punishments.
“No. You have to listen.” As a tiny mercy, Leah gave him back the whiskey bottle.