JULY 16, ‘25 // “I’m just about finished working for the day,” she said, gesturing to her home office. “Here. Sit down. Take your time.” She opened her email tab and I quickly found the lab portal. I typed in the password, and opened the document. Everything seemed normal, far as I could tell, though his white blood cells were a bit elevated. I clicked on the print option, to print out the results so that I could discuss it with Dr. Levine later. And then it happened. I inadvertently clicked on the wrong button, and another email came up, from the Fun House inc. It was an invoice for the entertainment center, marked ‘paid in full,’ and the total, after free delivery and installation, was just $1150. Apparently, the sale wasn’t ten percent off, as Peshy had told me. It was a lot cheaper than that. I’d been taken for a ride. I had paid $900, supposedly half the value of the fun house, assuming that Peshy had paid the remainder. In reality, she’d paid only $250, taking advantage of my trusting nature, and inability to research the real price. “Are you done?” Peshy asked, sailing into the room. I quickly minimized the screen, grabbed my lab printout, mumbled a thank you and went back home before I could say something I’d regret. Peshy tried calling me, several times, but I was done, and so was our relationship. If she could take advantage of me like that, overcharging me when she knew that finances were tight, I wanted nothing more to do with her. Yes, I’d be polite, and lend her a cup of sugar, but that would be the extent of our relationship. Whatever bug had attacked Zalmy disappeared just as quickly. Life continued as normal, albeit with me avoiding Peshy and trying to overcome the bitter taste of betrayal. And then one day I bumped into her, quite literally, in the supermarket. “Rivky. Is everything okay? I’m worried about you,” said Peshy. “Haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s going on?” “Everything’s fine,” I said coldly, “Everything’s not fine,” she responded. “You’re obviously avoiding me. What’s wrong?” “What’s going on is that I feel used,” I responded. “You took advantage of me.” 174
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