She cringed at the soft, slimy feeling the dough left on her palms as she kneaded the bread. She gazed through the window as two boys and two girls dashed through the garden. Some of us call her Mary, but to her family and friends she was Miryam.
"No fair!" One of the girls yelled.
She and the other girl stopped and looked in Mary's direction. Mary smiled. She had known her sisters for five years. It was still so difficult to tell them apart.
"Chaya! Keilah!" Mary called.
"What, Miryam?" Chaya answered.
"Set the eating mat," Miryam said. "Yosef is coming over for dinner."
A moment later, the door slammed shut. Two pairs of feet scampered across the wooden floor.
"OOH, Yosef is coming over," Keilah said, hugging herself.
"They're going to get married," Chaya said.
Miryam chuckled from the kitchen and said, "Abba and Emma arranged our marriage. I figured now is as good a time as any to meet him."
"Are you excited?" Keilah asked, her eyes wide.
"I can't really escape getting married," Miryam admitted.
The twins scurried into the kitchen. Chaya collected the wooden dishes.
"I'll put them out," she whispered. "Get Elijah and Malachi."
Keilah ran for the door. Nine-year-old Elijah and seven-year-old Malachi pushed past her.
"Hey!" She snapped. "Watch it!"
"Yosef is here," Malachi said. "That's him."