The Two Notes in Her Pocket

Chapter 1The First Fold

The folded note was no larger than a bookmark.

Faigy put it into Tova's hand outside the Bais Yaakov library.

"Give that to Miri."

"What is it?"

"She'll know."

Tova had seen them arguing beside the return cart.

They usually arranged the little reading display together. Today Miri had taken one heading down, and Faigy had put it back up.

Tova hadn't heard enough to know why.

She liked both girls. Carrying a small paper seemed like an easy way to help.

She found Miri at the coat hooks and handed it over.

Chapter 2The Second Fold

Miri read the note.

"Tell her I didn't say that."

"Say what?"

Miri looked at Tova for a moment, then took out a pencil.

"I'll write it."

She used the back of the paper and folded it twice.

Tova carried it to Faigy.

Faigy read it and began explaining the argument to her.

There had been a promise about the display, a changed heading, and a sentence at lunch that each remembered differently.

"You know what she's like," Faigy said.

Tova didn't know what to do with that sentence.

She knew Miri liked blue headings and sometimes forgot her ruler. Those facts weren't a verdict on an argument Tova hadn't heard.

Chapter 3Two Pockets

By break, Tova had another note from Faigy and a separate one from Miri.

One was in each pocket so she wouldn't mix them up.

She hadn't finished her own library return. The bell was close, and the book in her bag was still overdue.

Miri wanted to know what Faigy looked like when she read the last paper.

Faigy wanted to know whether Miri had said anything before writing.

Now Tova was being asked to deliver faces and voices as well as folded words.

"She looked annoyed," Tova said.

Miri had looked annoyed. Tova didn't know which part of the situation had caused it.

Her answer travelled as though she did.

Chapter 4The Sentence She Added

Faigy stopped Tova outside the classroom.

"Miri says I called her dishonest."

"I didn't say that."

"You said she looked annoyed. She thinks you meant I accused her."

Tova opened both pockets.

She had thought keeping the notes separate would keep her outside the argument.

Instead, every question needed another trip. Every trip collected another sentence. Some sentences were already returning in a shape she hadn't given them.

The two friends were not speaking to each other.

They were speaking through a girl who had a library book to return and no place to put the growing disagreement.

Chapter 5At the Return Counter

Tova went to Mrs. Stein, whose grey tichel was pinned neatly at the back.

First she returned her overdue book and accepted the usual reminder about the date.

Then she asked for help with the notes.

She described the carrying and the questions without reading either private paper aloud.

Mrs. Stein listened.

"Are you worried someone is being threatened or unsafe?"

"No. They're arguing about the display. But I keep getting pulled into it."

"You don't need to carry their disagreement. They can ask for help speaking directly. If they want, I can supervise a conversation about the library work."

Tova put the notes back into their separate pockets.

This time she knew what the separation could and couldn't do.