The Dressmaker's Son by Abbi Sherman Schaefer

Papa,”
Joshua barely whispered.  He felt sadness at this great loss his father had
just put upon him.
    Jacob saw the
tears in his eyes.  He pulled Joshua up before Sarah and her friend could
notice.  “And what’s the matter?” he bellowed as he held him close.  “All of a
sudden you don’t get up and give your Papa a hug hello? Come. Let’s go find
Mama.  I have good news.”
    When they got to
the kitchen, Rachael was setting the table, her back to the door.  Jacob let go
of Joshua and slid his arms around her.  “Soon you’ll be doing this in your own
kitchen, Rachael.”
    She turned
twisting out of his arms and looked up at him, her wonderful dark blue eyes
pools of sorrow.  Jacob couldn’t help but wonder where the fearless, spirited
woman he had married had gone.  “And how will you do that, Jacob?” she asked in
the same monotone she had adopted since Levi’s death.
    “I saw Mrs.
Petrovitch today,” he started excitedly.  “She couldn’t believe I was tending a
pushcart.  I must admit, Rachael, it hurt my pride, but it also inspired me.  I
am going to open a store.”
    “And is Mrs.
Petrovitch going to help you?” she asked sarcastically.
    “No, Rachael.  I
don’t need Mrs. Petrovitch to help me.  I can do it by myself.  I have enough
money saved to get us through the first three months.  I’ve found a store on
120 th Street.  It has rooms upstairs.  The rooms are nice, Rachael,
three bedrooms, a bath, a kitchen and a parlor. We will fix it up.  And the
landlord knows David.  I think he’d let me have it with no deposit.”
    Rachael just
looked at him.  Joshua who had been listening pulled on Jacob’s arm. “Are we
moving to a new house, Papa? Can I tell Sollie? When will we move?”
    “Soon, Joshua. 
Yes, you can tell Sollie.  Go.  Tell him before dinner.”
    That evening Jacob
talked about the store and his plans at dinner.  He knew he could make a
success of it like he did in Yelizavetgrad.  “Suppliers will work with me,” he
said confidently. “I have experience.  I’ll go Monday to the ones I’m using
now, and then find others.”  David and Ruth offered some furniture they had and
told them about a place to buy beds cheap.  Rachael sat quietly.
    When they finally
got in bed, Rachael reached for the light on the night table.  Jacob gently
pulled her arm away. “I thought you’d be happy,” he said.  “We need to be in
our own home, with our own family.”
    “Our family’s not
the same, Jacob.  It will never be.  Maybe if we had stayed in Russia, my Levi
would be alive.  Maybe God didn’t want us to come to America.”
    This wasn’t the
first time he had heard this.  “God didn’t take Levi from us.  He died from
complications from the infection in his chest.  According to the doctor he was
probably incubating it when we left Russia.  But God has him now, Rachael.  He
is in His hands.  My pain is as deep as yours, but we must go on with our new
life.  For us and for our children.”
    “New life,” she
sighed. “What new life?  A store maybe you’ll get? My heart broken? There is no
new life for me, Jacob.  I can’t be excited like you.  Don’t you see what it’s
like here for everybody?”
    “Don’t you,
Rachael?” he said, trying not to lose his patience. “The children are fine. 
Sollie has a job after school at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and is doing
fine.  All four are in school doing their lessons.” He muffled what would have
been a shout. “I won’t have it.  We are here, Rachael.  I’m going to make a new
life for us.  Remember when we met and I told you my plans?  You asked didn’t I
know what was going on with the Jews in Russia?  I knew, but I knew I could
beat it and we did.  It didn’t last, but I was successful.  I don’t look at how
hard it is for everybody else because I’m not everybody else.  I always thought
that was one of the reasons you fell in love with me.  I’m going to