Page 29 - LEIBY

Chapter 3 29

Yosef ’s eyes filled with tears as he thought about his little sister
who, he was sure, was waiting anxiously for him to come, and
about his parents whom he would see no more. “Mirushka had
an enormous doll, Aunt Minna sent it to her from America. I
always told her that it made me laugh to see a doll playing with
a doll, and Mirushka’s dimples flashed when she smiled at my
joke. Now, she probably can’t understand why I’ve disappeared
and why I don’t come to visit her. I have to explain everything
to her, she’s grown a lot and she’ll understand. I bought some
candy to give her when we finally meet again.”

Yosef looked at Leiby, his eyes full of anticipation. “You’ll come
me with me to find her, right? When can we leave?”

Leiby exchanged worried glances with Mama and Chava, who
were still recuperating from their journey. They had told him
about the dangers they had encountered on the way, and for a
young boy like Yosef, with his obviously Jewish appearance, it
would be virtually suicidal to wander about the streets.

Yosef stared at Leiby, his eyes dark and flashing. “If you don’t
want to come with me, I’ll go myself. I’ll go to every farm
and every village; I’ll knock on every door in the city until I
find Mirushka. She’s waiting for me! She knows that I won’t
abandon her but she’s probably angry that I haven’t yet come to
her.”Yosef ’s face was filled with longing as he spoke and Leiby’s
heart melted.

“I’ll come with you, I promise,”Leiby took his hand.“But before
you go, we have to strategize. Without a clear plan of action, we
have no chance of succeeding.”