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The concert was a nice change of pace, but if Augusta had any doubts before, by the time the musicians took their bows, she was certain: classical music was not for her. She knew what she was supposed to feel when the cellos hummed and the timpani rumbled—she was supposed to be moved to a place beyond words, transported by the sound, swept away. But all she felt was mild irritation at being confined to her seat for so long.
To ignorant men, every gifted woman is a witch.”
To ease the pain of those who suffer To repair the bodies of those who are ill To restore the minds of those in need “But if the words are so simple,” Augusta
“Words can do anything,” she said. “A kind word can fix a person’s spirit. A cruel one can break a person’s heart. Wicked words have caused wars, and honest words have made peace. Why shouldn’t they be able to heal?”
“Will it be a boy or a girl, do you think?” “It should only be healthy,” Aunt Esther insisted.
“Mama used to say that the three strands of the challah are meant for truth, peace, and justice.”
“A lovely explanation,” said Esther. “But why not past, present, and future? Braiding is associated with strength, is it not? Why not beauty, honor, and strength? And what of a loaf with more than three strands? Six strands may be the six days of the week, leading up to the day of rest. Eight strands may mean new beginnings, as in the way we circumcise a child on the eighth day after birth. My mother used to make a twelve-stranded loaf, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.”
When Augusta didn’t answer, Aunt Esther continued. “It is not so simple, is it? I could offer many more interpretations, but the point is, there isn’t one explanation. Things are never as straightforward as we want them to be, Goldie. Why must I choose a single ...
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“Talia Friedman and her mother are fools! What they want is not possible—and even if it was, it would be wicked. Only a charlatan would make such promises. Love is not something that can be forced.” “Then I don’t understand,” Augusta said. “What does your love potion do?” “There is no love potion,” Esther snapped. “My elixir only helps the mind to see and to feel more clearly.”
“It is difficult to explain. The recipe helps to unlock the mind. Some people have minds that are more closed than others. If a person’s mind is shut too tightly, the recipe may not work at all. But if a person’s mind is open enough, the elixir may help them to decide whether what they feel is lasting love or a passing infatuation.”
In the water, Augusta could finally forgive.
