Page 112 of Analysing Her Assets

First Candle

(9 days to end of year, 18 days to new position)

53. Gideon

Yehoshua shuffled outside of the en suite bathroom, his gray-haired chest and red stitched scar glistening with water. He sat heavily on the king-sized bed, but he was smiling.

“Alone!” he announced. “I managed to take a shower all on my own! What do you say about your old man?”

Yehoshua’s recovery was much better than expected. He had already put in three days’ work in Berdiplast in his new capacity as Advisor to the CEO. Doron liked to work with his old friend. Gideon was acting as CFO, but he was searching for a new one. He would become the COO, a role which was much better suited for him.

Gideon had been coming here every evening for the past two weeks, ever since his father was released from the hospital, and he was glad he wouldn’t need to keep assisting his father with his shower.

“You’re the best, Abba,” he said.

His father rested against the bed’s headboard and closed his eyes.

“I haven’t talked to or seen your brothers for ages, ever since my heart attack. I miss them,” his father whispered. His double life was catching up with Yehoshua now, punishing him in unforeseen ways.

Gideon waited for pangs of jealousy, or hints of rage but all was quiet. He had come to peace with his father’s double life. Perhaps in time he would contact his brothers. He would talk about it with Tamar. Whether seeing his brothers behind his mother’s back constituted a more serious offense than just knowing about them and keeping quiet.

“Gideon...” his mother called.

He hurried to the kitchen.

His mother had just put the finishing touches on the festive Hanukkah table. A dark blue glossy tablecloth covered the round table, which already had a large bowl of strawberries on it, a box of Hanukkah candles, and a tall silver menorah. It would be the usual small family gathering. He and his parents would be joined by his aunt Mira and his two grandmothers, and of course, the guest of honor, Tamar. His girlfriend would arrive any minute now. She had a fitting with her sister.

“Give me a hand with the sufganiyot.”

Several boxes of sufganiyot, Hanukkah doughnuts, were on the counter.

“People like to say they prefer the simple ones with the strawberry jam inside, but you told me Tamar liked the really fancy ones, right?”

“Yes.”

His mother bought the kind that had small test tubes filled with different kinds of chocolate and alcohol, that you could syringe right into the fatty sweet dough. She’d bought way too many boxes, but he could take the extras to the factory tomorrow and they would be eaten in a heartbeat.

Barak and Ra’am barked just as the front doorbell sounded. He hurried to open it, his mother on his heels.

“Oh, Tamar, is that Tally’s? It’s lovely!” His mother gushed.

She had a fitting, indeed.

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