Chapter 7: Ice Make: Shabbos?

The rain had picked up, and Gray was soaked by the time he made it back to the Silversteins. He tried to get in without being noticed or getting their floor wet, and managed to fail at both.

Yehuda spotted him at the door and motioned him to wait. Soon he was back with a full length bath towel.

"Oh, man. I didn't mean for you to go to the trouble-"

"It's not a trouble. Just could you take off your shoes before coming in? How are things going? I hear you got a job at Kosher Health Garden? Devorah and I will have to come in when you're there." Who was Devorah? Oh right. He was engaged. She must be his bride.

"Yeah. I only started there yesterday. So far it's going well. I was hoping maybe I could help Ora with preparations."

"Great. I'm sure she'd love the must be freezing though. I've got an idea. Why don't you take a shower now, and put on your Shabbos clothing -just put on a white button down shirt and pants, that will be good- and then I'm sure there'll be plenty of things you can help my aunt with. Btw," he leaned in and lowered his voice, "I heard about what happened today with Graeme. I've got an idea that might help. I'll talk to you about it later."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." And he did, but why why why was this guy so nice while wearing Lyon's face?

The shower had felt amazing, and whatever Ora was cooking smelled delicious. Somebody was vacuuming the floors, maybe some sort of hired help? Voices were coming from the kitchen. Time to take part of the action.

The kitchen wasn't very roomy, but it was full of activity. Ora was taking out multiple pans from the oven. Wendy was mixing some sort of dark batter, and Dina was seated at the kitchen table with a serious expression on her face peeling potatoes. It took a few moments for them to notice him. The first one was Dina.

"Hi Gray! I'm making potato kugel! It's going to be so good. My kugel's the best, right Wendy?"

Wendy seemed too absorbed in what she was doing to answer back. Ur turned around.

"Your kugel's going to be great, Dina. Oh, Hi, Gray. You need anything?" Ora peeked into a pot that was plugged into a base, and stirred it, added some sort of spice, and put the lid back on.

Only three people, and so much going on. "I'm good. Can I help you with anything?" Please? So I'm not always taking everything?

It was promising. She was taking him seriously, and mulling it over. "I think we're pretty good. I do have some things at the cleaners, but it's raining so I'll skip that. I do need a lettuce salad made. Everything's on the table ready to be cut. Wendy, are you still mixing that cake batter? It's going to be fine. Don't worry. Shuli's going to love it."

"I just want it to be perfect." She looked up at her mother and smiled sheepishly. "I know, I know. There's no such thing as perfect. Just try my best."

Ora looked back and smiled at her daughter. "Exactly. You give it your all and after that it's out of your hands."

"Ma, I can take the car and go to the cleaners for you if you like." Graeme. How had he just appeared like that? He quickly passed by Gray, picked up an apple, cleaned it and took a bite as he leaned comfortably against a free counter.

"Parking is going to be insane though. Hmm... Hey, Why don't you take Gray? This way he can go in, and you don't have to park." Oh perfect. Oh well. I wanted to help and I also wanted to apologize didn't I.

Graeme was busy eating the apple, and barely looked at Gray. 'Sure, Ma. Let's go." He ran out to the entryway closet and threw Gray a raincoat. "Here. Wear this." Was Graeme purposely avoiding looking at him or was he just in a hurry. Ora handed him a credit card -and to think he had no clue what one of those things were until yesterday- and they went out.

After around five minutes of extremely awkward silence, Gray figured he was just delaying the inevitable.

"Look Graeme. Um, I'm sorry for getting angry and -"

"Almost punching me in the face after you called me an ungrateful asshole?"

"I just think fathers should be respected."

"And you think I don't respect mine. You don't even know me or my father, but somehow you're an authority on how I treat him simply because we look alike."

"I'm not. You're right. I'm a complete stranger it's just-"

"It's just what? Never mind, we're here and there's no parking, so I might have to go around the block or move up a bit." He handed Gray the credit card. "Just say you're picking up for Joseph Silverstein and give them the card."

"Yeah. INo problem." He got out and stood in line.

The rain had slowed down and the line was long. It seemed to take forever for him to get through, but finally he came out with the dry cleaning. Graeme checked through it all before deciding it was correct. He seemed even more annoyed at Gray, and it was soon clear why as they started their short drive back.

"Could you please keep your clothing on?" Gray looked down and looked up surprised. "No, I know you're dressed now, but while you were in there, five people walked over to my car one after another, and they were asking me why lately they've seen me running around half naked, and why I did I have a tattoo, and what's up with my cross necklace. I mean I explained that it wasn't me, but Jews don't ever wear crosses and in my circles we don't get tattoos I mean it's a commandment. It's embarrassing."

"I'm sorry. I really don't want to strip. It's an old habit. I can't promise I'll stop soon, although I'll try. I don't get what cross necklaces are, but this is a sword. I didn't realize it was so offensive."

"You'll try? How do you not even notice you're taking off your shirt anyway? And the necklace isn't offensive in general, but someone like me would never wear it, because it looks like a religious symbol, and it's not my symbol, do you know what I mean? I might not be the best Jew, but when it comes down to it that's who I am and I don't want anyone to think anything else about me."

"Okay. I hear you. Maybe it's like how I feel about my guild.I'm proud to be a Fairy Tail wizard and if someone thought I was in some other guild I wouldn't be happy." Especially if it was Blue Pegasus or even worse... Lamia Scale. Gray cringed thinking of being in the same guild as Lyon. Even worse, with Lyon as guild master. Suddenly a vision came in his head. He was forced to move to Lamia Scale, and Lyon was somehow much taller and smirking at him. 'It's Master Lyon, Gray. Master Lyon. Show some respect.' Oh man, he really was starting to turn into Juvia with these wacky fantasies. Or nightmares more like.

"Okay so you sort of get it. It's very awkward. And about my father; I don't know what happened to your father or why you're so concerned with how I'm respecting mine, but that's my problem, not yours."

"You're right." It's just your father looks like my father, and he died when I was little, and it upsets me that you do have a father, and you treat him like crap. There was no way Gray was going to explain that to Graeme though. What would be the point? Meanwhile, Graeme had been maneuvering into a parking spot on the street. How did he manage to park with maybe centimeters of wiggle room?

"Okay, so while you were in the store, I got a call from my father to pick up a book from the Judaica store for Ora as a surprise for Shabbos. I think they should be open still." Was it his imagination or had been Graeme trying to prove what a great son he was? It was hard to tell though. Maybe Graeme did this every week? Still, Gray kept on getting this feeling that Graeme was really saying 'See? I'm a good son. I help out my step mom and happily go on errands for my father. Are you paying attention?'

The bookstore wasn't nearly as packed a the cleaners. Clothes were more critical than books this close to Shabbos. Graeme went off to find the book, and Gray decide to browse. There was so many different types of head coverings for men and boys. Crocheted, velvet, some with cutesy decorations obviously geared for little kids. He briefly wondered why it was a guy thing, when a boy stopped him. He looked like maybe he was 11 or 12 and looked like he found something new and exciting.

"Hello. Are you new here?"

"Uh… yeah. I'm just here with …" a friend? No. An enemy? No. "somebody. They're buying a book and I'm just looking around. I don't need any help, thanks."

"Oh. I don't work here. I just saw you looking at the kippahs and I noticed you aren't wearing one." Wow. How observant, Gray thought sarcastically.

"Were you interested in maybe wearing one?"

"Not really. No." Gray liked a lot of the Jews he had met, but that didn't mean he was going to start putting discs on his head and strange boxes on his arms and forehead. It was great for them, and, you know, Jewish practice for the win. Hurray Team Jew and all, but he was a bystander, and perfectly happy to stay one.

Meanwhile a tall guy with scraggly black hair, an even more scraggly black and white beard and a smushed in fedora came rounding a corner. It looked like he had at one point had piercings in various places on his face. Gray could barely hold back his laughter. It was Gajeel. Only he was middle aged and obviously Jewish.

"Mendy, what are you doing?" He was obviously annoyed, but trying to keep a veneer of patience for what must be his son.

"I'm introducing this man to the wonderful commandment of covering your head."

"Great, but did you ask him if he was Jewish?"

"Oh. Whoops." Mendy turned back to Gray. "Um, so, excuse me, sir, but are you Jewish?"

Don't laugh don't laugh don't laugh. "No. I'm not. I'm staying with a Jewish family right now, but I'm not Jewish." Gray smiled.

"Hey. I'm Gavreel Levy. Sorry about my son. He's kind of over excited. Which family are you staying with? You kind of look familiar actually."

"I'm staying with the Silversteins. Joseph and Ora?"

"Oh yeah. Dr. Silverstein is my kids' doctor.. Oh, and you look a lot like his son, I forget his name. Oh yeah. Gray, wasn't it?" Unfortunately, Graeme had shown up at the moment to hear the mistake. He was carrying a shopping bag and he went up to the bearded man.

"Hey. Rabbi Levy. How's things? I see you've met my parent's house guest, Gray Fallbuster." Okay. That was a definite smirk. He was doing this on purpose. Was he five years old?

"Oh. You both have the same names?" Rabbi Levy seemed a bit confused and look back and forth between the two of them. Why couldn't anybody handle a simple introduction?

"Hi. I'm Gray Fullbuster and this is Graeme Silverstein."

"Sorry. I usually am pretty good with names. It's my business, because I work at Brooklyn College and meet hundreds of kids every year." He kept looking back and forth between the two men. "It's insane. You know you look practically identical?"

Graeme looked annoyed. "Yeah. We know all about it. Anyway. It's nice seeing you. We better get back. Gray, I bought the book already, so let's go."

"Yeah, my wife is going to kill us if we don't get back soon, too. Nice seeing you Graeme." He handed him a flyer from a large envelope he had with him. The next thing he said was hard to understand. One sentence sounded like complete gibberish, then he continued. "It's an event if you're interested this Shabbos. No pressure. Promise not to loobavinate you." He turned to Gray. "Nice ta meetcha, Gray."

Rabbi Levy put a hand around Mendy's shoulder. "Let's go Mendy. You were doing great. Just remember to ask them if they're Jewish first, okay?"

Mendy looked up at his father and smiled.

Graeme looked it and folded it in his pocket and laughed. "Such a character. That is so funny. Loobavinate me. Like I'd ever be loobavinated. I mean they're nice and all, but that is so not me." Loobavinated? What does that even mean? "Hey, it's free drinks and the singing's kind of nice. Maybe I'll go, actually. You should go, Gray. For the cultural experience."

"Loobavinate?" If Gray was hoping Graeme would educate him he was in for a rude surprise.

"Whatever. We are seriously late."

At least the rain had stopped by the time they had returned. Ora was setting up multiple candlesticks on a metal tray which was on top of a long low china cabinet in their living room. It looked so peaceful, but Graeme had a fit.

"Oh crap. Is it almost Shabbos? I still haven't had my shower and I bet all the hot water has been used up!"

"Graeme. Language. Please. And you've still got one hour until Shabbos. You have plenty of time, and I'm sure there's enough hot water for you as well."

"Yes, Gavreel Noach. Listen to Aunt Orah."

"What do you want Leon? And I don't go by my Hebrew name. You know that."

"And I use my Hebrew name, which I'm fairly sure you were well aware of."

"Oh, is that what this is all about?" Graeme glared at Yehuda.

"Well, it would be nice if you called me by my requested name." For once, Yehuda reminded Gray of Lyon. That same self satisfied 'oh I'm so much better than you' tone. If Graeme wasn't such a jerk, he might have been starting to feel sorry for him.

"Okay, fine. Just can it with the Gavreel Noach business."

Ora finished setting up the candles and seemed to realize who was in the room. "Oh. This is great. I wanted to speak to all three of you. So, Graeme, you were very nice to share your room, but it sounds like you need more space. I do have a spare room in the basement. Yehuda suggested that maybe you'd like to stay there, Gray. I think it's a great idea. Also it has its own entrance which will give you more privacy. Yehuda is also in the basement, well he is until January 7th." She smiled.

This must be the plan Yehuda had mentioned earlier. "Thanks, um. Ora. Can I pay rent though? You and your family has been very generous, and I really appreciate it, but I don't think it's right to take so much, especially now that I have a job."

"Of course. I'll speak to my husband about an appropriate amount." She looked at her watch. "I probably won't have time to speak to him until Saturday night. We try not to talk about business on Shabbos, but I'll have an answer by Sunday morning. Sounds good?"

"Of course." Why did she always make it sound like he was doing her a favor? How did she keep doing that?

"In the meantime, Yehuda, do you have time before going to shul to help get Gray settled in the basement?"

Yehuda did, or at least he said he did. There wasn't much to do. He only had the clothing the Silversteins had so far leant him, aside from the one outfit he had been wearing when he got there. That and his knapsack and he was good to go. Ora found him a set of keys for the front door and the side door. So at least he didn't have to worry as much about waking up most of the house when he came back late on work nights.

There wasn't much need for his help. He had given Ora Julia's bottle of wine. There had been a huge scream at some point from two girls. Wendy's friend must have shown up. That's something that would never change no matter what universe you lived: the high pitch scream of excited prepubescent girls.

Yehuda had spent a bit with him before he went to fetch his bride, Devorah. Hes was back to being patient and acting about as un-Lyon as humanly possible. Yehuda had talked about how this Shabbos was an important one for Graeme. It was the anniversary of his mother's death, and in the Jewish world that meant a lot of obligations. A special candle to light. Ideally leading religious services which they went to three times a day. Giving extra money to charities in their memories. Gray liked the idea of giving money in somebody's memory. Maybe he could do something good for his parents and for Ur on their days. At the same time, it sounded like a communally imposed pressure, he was glad he didn't have to do. These days were best spent alone, walking around or finding a quiet place to brood.

It wasn't his problem, and these obligations were part of their lifestyle.

As everyone finished their preparations there was a feeling of expectancy in the air. Every week these people did this? Gray couldn't imagine it.

Not really sure how Gray would use his ice make magic to make Shabbos unless he's making ice cubes, but I think it's a fun title anyway.

So Gajeel is Rabbi Gavreel Levy because: a. Gavreel sounds like Gajeel b. Levy. Seriously. Levy McGarden's first name is probably one of the top 5 most common Jewish surnames ever. c. Seriously Gajeel as a rabbi just makes me laugh. I can see it though.

Loobavinate is a term I made up which means to try to get someone to become a Lubavitcher.

As far as I know the Chabad (Lubavitch) Rabbi of Brooklyn College is not Gajeel's counterpart. He could have a son named Mendy, as it's one of the most common names in Chabad Lubavitch, but I do not know anything about him. Since I can't do links I'll just point you to www chabad org or check out the wikipedia entry for chabad if interested.

Disclaimer: Everything about Chabad (Lubavitch) is written without the least intention to denigrate this wonderful organization with very dedicated rabbis. This goes for any other organization or sub group I might end up writing about in the Jewish world.

At some point while writing this I realized Gray has two things observant Jews wouldn't ever have: a tattoo, and a necklace which looks like a cross. So I brought this out in the plot.