[Later that morning. The November sun filters softly through the branches of a large tree in the Mendelson’s backyard. Thomas and Shoshana sit on the old wooden bench swing, just slightly swaying. Her hand finds his. He lets out a quiet breath.]

  Shoshana (looking out toward the trees):

  “This spot always makes me feel like time slows down. Like I can finally breathe.”

  Thomas (softly):

  “Yeah. It’s peaceful.”

  [They swing for a moment in silence. Thomas leans his head back, eyes closed.]

  Shoshana:

  “You handled this morning better than I ever could have.”

  Thomas (smiling faintly, still looking up):

  “I was kind of hoping I’d disappear halfway through. Or turn into a pew.”

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  Shoshana (squeezing his hand):

  “But you didn’t. You showed up. You stood with me. You let Zeb wrap tefillin on you like it was second nature.”

  Thomas:

  “It wasn’t. Not even close. I was just… following. You. Zeb. The flow. I didn’t want to mess anything up.”

  Shoshana (turning to face him more fully):

  “You didn’t. You were exactly where you were supposed to be.”

  Thomas (finally looking at her):

  “It’s not the service. Or the tefillin. It’s the people. The attention. It’s like… suddenly I’m visible. And I’m not sure what people are seeing. And I don’t know if I can live up to it.”

  Shoshana (resting her head on his shoulder):

  “You don’t have to live up to anything. Just be Thomas. That’s who they’re seeing. That’s who I see.”

  Thomas (after a long pause):

  “When my mom died, I walked for hours. I didn’t cry, I didn’t talk. Just moved. Because I didn’t think anyone would understand, or care. Today… I didn’t know where to put all of it. I still don’t.”

  Shoshana:

  “Put it here.” (She places a hand over his heart.)

  “Let it just… be, for now. You don’t have to carry it all alone anymore.”

  [He turns toward her and wraps his arms around her. They sit like that—quiet, swaying—letting the sunlight and the hush of the leaves fill the space where words had been.]

  Thomas (almost whispering):

  “Thank you… for finding me.”

  Shoshana (smiling gently):

  “We’re finding each other.”