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April 30

Part 23. Epilogue.

Riva was dying. She almost lost her vision due to cataracta. Podagra chained her to the bed, and terrible pain in the stomach made her life a nightmare. Sara and Samuel exchanged looks

“What kind of secrets do they have from me?” Riva though. ‘Did they found out about my stone, and want to still it from me! Or maybe I have a cancer?” None of these thought bothered Riva before. She lived a long and pitiful life. 76 years was more than enough in Russian. Rive was tired to live, and she truly wanted to rest from all worries.

She moved her hand to the collar, and felt the hardiness.

“Who do I give it to?” The question that she continuously asked herself all her life.

The cloth on the collar got thin and broken at some places. and Riva touched it with her old bonny fingers, realizing that the stone started to show up through the holes. If only she wouldn’t have cataracta, she would repair it, then nobody would find it.

Suddenly chest pain nailed her. She was trying to get up, and call somebody, but her tong didn’t obey.

Sara and Samuel took care of her as well as they possibly could, and suddenly Riva felt relief. Though she knew that it was temporary, and she suddenly realized that it was her last chance.

“Sara!” She called. “I’m so sorry, Sara! Forgive me! Please!”

“What are you talking about, mama?” Sra was surprised by unexpected repentance.

“Sara... Here... Diamond...”

“What?”

“A treasure... In my collar...” Riva moved her eyes to her black dress that was hanging on her bed, that as a blurry dark spot was gaped at her sight.

“What do you want?” Sara was trying t understand. “In…collar… Diamond… Take it…” Sara She took Riva’s dress, touched the collar, and saw through the collar holes a grey pebble.

“This is your inheritance, Sara.” Rive said, and felt such a relief. Sara thou the dress on the same place, and left the room.

“Samuel, you mother is getting much worse. She started to hallucinate. She is talking about some treasure, diamonds. KLook what I found in her collar. She sewed pebble inside, thinking that it's some kind of talisman or something. Do you have any idea?"

"Nope! I don’t. I’ll call the doctor tomorrow."

Riva died the next day, with a filling of

***

Jehiel was my grandfather.

When I turned eighteen, he took me to the jewelry store and asked me to choose a gold ring. I chose a gold ring encrusted with a big pink stone, not realizing that I had a very expensive taste. It cost much more then he could spend, but he bought it anyway. It was crazy for him to spend this kind of money, but it was the only way for him to show how terrible he felt, and how much he wanted to share everything he had with me.

I still have his ring, and it reminds me of him.

Five years after Jehiel immigrated to Israel, his children, Liat, Boaz and Meital, one after another immigrated to Israel too, becoming one big family. They all live on the land of Jehiel dream.

***

Sara also came to Israel with her children, and united with her brother. He husband Samuel died in Russia.

When Sara turned 95 years old, more that 50 ancestors came to celebrate her birthday. That was a great celebration, and journalist from the local newspaper came too. There were a lot of people and a lot of joy.

Sara was smiling. I sat right next to her.

"Granny, are you happy?" I asked.

“You bet I am! What else do I need, when all my children are having fun!” She said.

Everybody left. Sara came back to her room, and shot the door.

There were several pictures standing on her bed stand. There were Feiga, Meyer, and Samuel.

Sara touched the picture of Mayer, like stroking his hair, looked at Feiga’s eyes, said, “Good night, sweet heart” to Samuel, and went to bed.