Rina said, “I’ll go chill it.” Her face was suffused with pure happiness, unlike the happy but wistful expression that my father wore. “Have you set a date?”
“We were just talking about this,” I said. “I asked Dad if you could put up Koby’s parents because they’re-”
“Of course!” Rina said. “We’ll put up anyone you want.”
“He has between thirty and sixty relatives, dear,” my father remarked.
“Okay. As soon as you set the date, let me know so I can call the caterer forShabbatdinner and lunch on the day of theaufruf.” She spoke to Koby. “You’ll have it in our shul, I take it. Unless you want to do it in your shul.”
“Yourbeit knessetis fine.”
Rina was beaming. “This is so exciting. I can’t wait to meet your family. And don’t worry, Koby. We’ll put them all up. It’s not a problem.”
My dad was massaging a wrinkled forehead. Koby put his arm around his shoulder. “Now you see why I left.”
Sammy came back in and kissed his mother. “Eema, Eema, you’ve gained a son and I’ve gained a forward!” He scrutinized Koby’s face. “I guess you can call her Eema although she’s only what, ten years older than you?”
“No, she’s ten years older than I am,” I said. “She’s only six-”
“Can we move on?” Dad interjected.
“It’s irrelevant becausemotheris a state of mind,” Rina pronounced. “Besides, Cindy’s mother would beeema.”
“No, my mother will bemom,” I told her. “Definitely noteema.”
“My stepmother is Eema,” Koby said. “To me, you are Rina because that’s what Cindy calls you. Besides, Rina fits your face.”
“Whatever you want, Yaakov.”
He focused his eyes on Daddy’s face. “My question is… what do I call you, sir?”
“What do you call me?”
“Yes.”
Decker rubbed his hands and thought a moment. “Lieutenant is fine.”
“Peter!” Rina chastised.
“It’s my title.”
“Maybe alittleless formal, Daddy?”
“No problem.” He threw his arm around my fiancé’s shoulder. “Koby, my man… you can call me Loo.”
FAYE KELLERMAN introduced L.A. cop Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, to the mystery world eleven years ago. Since that time she has written nine Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus novels as well as a historical novel, The Quality of Mercy. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, author Jonathan Kellerman. There are close to three million copies of her books in print.
