The Cookie on the Saucer

Ages 15-18

Ofira carries two plates into the front room.

Mama has baked plain cookies and lemon cookies. The lemon ones have bright yellow icing that cracks when Ofira bites it. She puts those nearest the edge of the low table.

Her cousin sits on the rug beside her.

Ofira takes a lemon cookie. A piece of icing breaks off onto her thumb. She eats it before it can fall.

Her cousin looks at the lemon cookies.

"These are better, aren't they?" Ofira asks.

"Nice."

Ofira slides a lemon cookie onto her cousin's saucer. Then she moves the plain plate farther back.

Her cousin turns the saucer a little. The icing catches the light from the window.

She leaves the lemon cookie there.

Ofira puts down the half she is holding.

"Too lemony?"

Her cousin keeps her hands in her lap.

Ofira moves the two plates to the middle of the table. They sit side by side, between the girls.

"Which would you like?"

"Plain."

Her cousin takes a plain cookie from the plate and bites it. A crumb drops onto the saucer.

Ofira watches the crumb fall. Then she picks up her own half. The icing has a jagged edge where she bit it.

She takes another bite.

On her cousin's saucer, the bright lemon cookie sits untouched beside a crumb from the plain one.