A Room of Their Own by Rakefet Yarden (best summer reads of all time .TXT) 📕

together, Dani. It’s just a five-year-old girl. Just like a dog − you always say that dogs are like little kids, so imagine that this is Miko, and that he needs help . . . I tried to convince myself, repeating that mantra a few times, hoping that it would make me unfreeze.

“Come on! I got bored so I ran away from Mom. Let me help you,” her sweet voice returned, only this time I could already see Miko’s eyes peering at me through hers.

“All right. You can’t go into the stables, but you can look at what I do, and you can hand me the brushes and the equipment.”

“Yay! Yay!”

“But first, let’s go find your mom so she won’t worry,” I heard myself saying in an assured, responsible tone.

“Awww,” she sulked and transferred her weight from the wall she was leaning on over to my hand, and I supported her as we walked. My heart first shrunk with sadness, then expanded with compassion. I could feel it opening up to her. Through the long hall of the stables, I could see a frightened mother talking to Ronnie, the volunteers’ coordinator, and to Aviv, who was studying social work. The three of them turned their heads towards us, and a look of relief washed over all of them.

“Berry!” Her mom ran over and tried to hug her, but Orri kept a tight grip on my hand and pushed her mother aside.

“I wanna go with this lady and help her with Billy the horse. Please, Mommy?”

The baffled mother looked at Ronnie, who then looked at me. Suddenly all eyes were on me. My body heat started rising, and I felt helpless against all of this sudden importance. I quickly gave an embarrassed smile of agreement, hoping no one had caught on to my great distress, and pulled Orri away from there as fast I could. I just wanted us to get out of there already. Orri was glad and started dancing, in her own limping manner.

“But only for 10 minutes, until your session begins,” her mother called out after us.

“What’s your name?” the little voice asked.

“Dani,” I smiled.

“That can’t be. That’s a boy’s name.”

“That’s right, but it’s also my name.”

“But you’re not a boy.”

“Maybe my parents got a little confused,” I smiled again. I was totally falling for that kid.

“What are your parents’ names? Maybe you can come to my riding session? Yeah, I’ll ask Aviv for you to lead Evelyn. Evelyn is my horse. I love her more than all the other horses. You wanna?”

“What?” I momentarily forgot what she’d asked.

“You wanna hold Evelyn during my session?”

“Yeah, I’d love to, but I’m not sure that’s possible. They’ve already assigned the helpers. Maybe another day.” I really did want to. More than anything else, I wanted to be in the riding area and work with the horses and the kids.

“I’ll ask Aviv,” she said, “because you’re the cutest and I want you to be there.”

I felt jealous of the determination of this little girl, who turned out to be seven years old, and who apparently also suffered from growth issues. A big mind encased in a tiny body.

Not even a minute had gone by and Orri’s mother was already calling her from the other end of the stables − parents weren’t allowed into the stable area. I escorted Orri to the horse-mounting section, where there was a special facility for mounting disabled people. Orri needed to get on the ramp, but she refused to do it until Aviv agreed for me to take part in the session. I was so embarrassed that I wanted the earth to swallow me whole, but something about that child’s sweetness had softened me, making me allow the situation to lead me along. Just like when Miko had started messing around at the dog park one time, and I realized that I simply needed to let him run wild.

I couldn’t lead Evelyn because I wasn’t experienced enough, and it was a matter of safety. But I joined the session as a chaperone. I needed to walk next to Orri and the instructor the entire time that they spent on the horse.

Orri was delighted that she’d gotten her wish, and I was delighted about marching around the riding area for the first time since my arrival at the ranch. I felt important, and I felt that I’d managed to be there for Orri, that I hadn’t just frozen in my spot.

The following morning, I needed to be weighed by Mikki, the dietician. It was the time I hated most during the week. I’d gained nearly 2 pounds. I was proud of myself for the accomplishment, but then feelings of self-hatred and guilt immediately snuck in, as usual. And then I remembered the previous day. Orri’s sweet eyes, her captivating, squeaky little voice, her hands grabbing onto my legs. Why did she choose me, of all people? And I helped her find her mom, and even helped during her session. A sense of purpose gushed through me, slightly moving the guilt and self-hatred aside. I’m alive, I thought to myself in utter astonishment. I’m really alive.

Registered Mail II

A week had passed. Another notice of registered mail had been taped to my door. Another clerk handed me a white envelope. “Regarding: Dismissal of Criminal Accusation.”

When I got back to my clinic, my cell phone started ringing, an unknown number appearing on the screen. It was a woman named Re’ut from the Department of Field Studies at the School of Social Work at Tel Aviv University. She asked to meet me about an urgent matter. “This week, if possible, please,” she said.

I called Dani. “Would you like to tell me what’s going on?” I asked her.

“Yeah. Tal lost it, and I did too, actually. Our parents said that we were imagining things, that you’d planted these memories in my head. Tal told them, ‘It’s all very well for Rotem to be a talented therapist, but how could she plant