Chapter Text
“I know, mom,” Ace said as he opened the door, gesturing for Bess to walk through it. He had considered giving her the spare key to his apartment since she was there so often, but she lived across town, too far to be there quickly in case of an emergency. She made herself at home, kicking off her shoes and hanging her coat beside his. “Yes, I have candles...I don’t need to look up the prayers...I know...I wish I could be there, too...Love you too. Bye, Mom.”
“Mom still worried you won’t be home for Channukah? Bess asked when he hung up the call.
“She’s a Jewish mother. She worries,” he joked. “She doesn’t like me being on my own anyway, but especially for any of the Jewish holidays. Plus, she sent me a care package, but it won’t get here until tomorrow, and she doesn’t think I have enough candles.”
“Well, you can tell her that you’re not celebrating Channukah alone because I’m here!” Bess said brightly. Ace smiled. “Besides, how many candles do you need? I’m sure we can run out and get some if we need to.” He held up one candle in each hand. She grinned.
Ace was quiet as he set up the menorah. He had pulled an end table from the couch to the window earlier that afternoon, and now he placed the menorah on a layer of aluminum foil and slid the candles into their holders. He recited the blessings, translating them for Bess as he went. As he finished the third prayer, he struck a match, lighting the tallest candle and using it to light the other.
“You know, your mom might have been right that you shouldn’t spend Channukah alone,” Bess said when he turned back to her.
“I don’t know about that,” Ace replied. “If I was going to be home, she’d worry about me there, too. Besides, it’s not like Channukah is a major holiday. Passover Seder, on the other hand…”
“Is already on my schedule for this spring,” she promised. “But like I said, I think your mom is right, which is why I already invited George and Nick to come over tomorrow night.”
“Bess!” he exclaimed.
“And Addy, too,” she added, grinning. “Oh! You should invite that cute redhead who lives down the hall! What was her name again?”
“Nancy?” he asked, knowing from her smirk that his answer had come too quickly.
“Yes! Nancy! You’re always saying you need to make more friends in the city besides my fabulous self,” she teased. “This could be the perfect chance!”
He had first met Nancy the day her dad had helped her move into the building. Bess had been teasing him ever since that first day, when he made the mistake of mentioning that a ‘cute redhead’ was moving in down the hall from him. They had exchanged pleasantries in the hall in the six months since, but never more than that.
As snow flurries floated past his window, he wondered if the festival of lights was just the excuse he needed to change that.