Even There Even Now

"Wow! It's really nice, Esti. Thank you so much." Leiby almost sinks into a kitchen chair. She fills up the electric kettle and flips the switch. He looks at the cake, and looks around him, and he starts to cry again. "Esti?"

She turns to him. Her cheeks are also wet with tears. "What?"

"Do you remember what brachah kids in gan give on birthdays?" he asks, and cries just like a real gan kid.

"Yes." Another wave of her tears erupts.

"May we be zocheh to another year, Esti." He is totally choked up.

She wants to answer amen, to scream amen. And ask Hashem to give them both koach to get there and to survive whatever else is waiting for them. But she's crying so hysterically that she can't get even one syllable out of her throat.