I don't know why I didn't tell my grandfather where I was going, or why I didn't call from the house. Paranoia? Fear that by some means Klein would find me? I didn't examine my reasons too closely. I just wanted to be alone, even while surrounded by actual strangers, when I made the call.

I had another session scheduled with the rabbi, to go over the Seder ritual, to prove that I had my part and plans in order. And afterward, assuring the driver that had taken me that I wanted nothing more than to go to a diner we'd passed on route to the synagogue, he pulled in and started to walk inside with me.

"I think I saw you eyeing that establishment earlier," I pointed across the street to what appeared to be another restaurant. His eyes glanced over and I saw a blush flash over his cheekbones. "She must be pretty to make that happen," I smiled at him and shooed him away. "Go, who am I to stand in the way of young love." Who indeed? I thought as he gave me a bashful smile and rushed across the street.

A cup of tea, a handful of change, and I found the payphone unoccupied. I took a moment to steady my nerves, it was an hour later in Miami, so he'd still be at work or so I hoped. Slipping the coins in the slot, I got connected to the Miramar within moments.

"Hello, could I speak to Mr. Isaac Evans, please?" The call went to Ike's receptionist, who was a touch more inquisitive about who could be calling. "It's about a jewel that Mr. Evans had inquired about, he asked that I call him back. This diamond, it has a few other offers and I'd hate for him to-" She cut me off and put me through.

"Hello?" He sounded unsure, and I smiled at how deep his voice was, the memories of it didn't hold a candle.

"Ike?" I swallowed, feeling my chest clench with longing. Longing to feel him and see him. "It's-"

I could hear the exhale from my end, as though he'd been holding it for days. "Liz. Thank God." Smiling and biting my lip, I wanted him to say more, his voice would always calm me. "How are you? Is everything-"

"I'm fine." I took a sip from my cup. "Tea helps. I-I wish I hadn't had to-"

"Me too, Liz, me too." I could hear his chair moving in the background of the call. "I wanted to be able to tell you- I love you, Liz, nothing's changed." I closed my eyes, feeling a different stirring in my stomach from the one that usually sent me rushing to the toilet. "I need you here, and soon."

"Vera-" I swallowed against the memory of what I'd done, was doing to her, even if she didn't know.

"It's over," he said it simply, as though he'd ripped off a bandage and tossed it. "She knows, right now it's all for show." Image, I thought, it's everything. "Sid's working on the papers, when it's time, they'll be signed and-"

"And I just step into her shoes?" I sighed. "The talk, Ike, they'll run me through-"

"Liz, you're doing it again," he sounded like he was smiling. "Stop talking yourself out of us. You love me, I love you. That's what matters."

"You make it sound so simple," shaking my head I took another sip from my cup. "How is everyone?"

"V is happy that she's going to be free, Liz. She's making plans." I waited for the others. "Stevie-" He sighed heavily. "That's something I'll save for when you're here. Danny's fine, he took the job-"

"Even after-" Disbelief colored my voice. His son would work for a man who targeted his father? What the hell? "I'm sorry, Ike."

"Don't be, Liz. Danny, he's more- He has his own path and I'm trying to make peace with it." I heard him chuckle. "Lauren is going to be pissed that I talked to you and she didn't get to. She's asked about you, if I've heard anything, are you alright? I'm starting to wonder if she likes you more than me."

Softly laughing, I sighed. "I miss you." It wasn't nearly enough, the words, to tell him how much. "I miss Miami, I even miss-"

"The Miramar?" His smile came through loud and clear. "I-I miss you so damn much, sweetheart, when are you coming home?"

Home? I considered that description and realized Ike was home for me. "Soon, I hope." I could see the driver coming back across the street. "I have to go-"

"So soon?" My eyes fluttered closed at the longing I heard. "Liz, I don't know how my trip is going to play out, but give me a week, please call me back?"

"I'll try," I watched as the driver looked around the diner for me. "I have to go, I love you." It was a whisper, and I nearly missed him saying it back, but then I hung up and came out, leaving the cup behind. "Are you looking for me?" The driver looked relieved that he found me. "Ladies'," I explained, happy that he wasn't paying attention to where I'd come from, since he led me to the car and back to my grandfather's house.

My first official Seder. My first official Berman family event. My first time at the center of my family. And it went off without a hitch. I managed to make the table look as flawless as was expected, the best for the occasion. I'd handed out each person's recitations, starting everyone and once everything was completed, I felt myself let out a long breath that I had been holding for days, or so it seemed.

"That's my Lizzie," I heard Pop-Pop saying to a man I hadn't noticed arriving, so caught up in my preparations and worry. "Come here, sweetheart," a gesture for me to greet another unknown person. "Elizabeth, this is Arthur, Arthur my Lizzie." I took the older man's hand and smiled in greeting. "Arthur Goldberg, sweetheart, he's done great things for unions. And he's being eyed for a place in-" Arthur chuckled and shook his head. "He's modest. Arthur is a good guy to have on your side, Lizzie, great things are gonna come for him. And he's family."

"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Goldberg," Arthur, he insisted. "Arthur." I felt a flash of pain thinking about Ike's father. "I'm happy you could join us for-"

"Her first Seder," Pop-Pop bragged, and I felt myself glow with pride. "She's a natural, isn't she?"

I spent the following days falling back into my new routine. Running Pop-Pop's house, taking care of the domestic side of his life, something Minnie told me that my aunts had taken turns in doing before I'd come along. I worried, though I didn't let it show, that I would be expected to stay. To take care of him, his house, and his world without any further mention of Ike.

We'd just sat down to a family dinner, Pop-Pop, me, Minnie, Selma, and Annie when the phone rang. Phone calls were usually ignored during dinner, a house rule and no one had broken it thus far. A whispered conversation from one of Pop-Pop's people, a glance at me, and he was excusing himself to take the call.

My hand was shaking as I took up my glass of water, and I couldn't understand the source of my worry. What could a phone call do, other than tell him what was going on in Miami, something so horrible that he'd rush to take it while going against his own rule? I set the glass down without taking a drink, feeling the fear and worry bubbling in my stomach, something that hadn't happened as often since my call with Ike.

"Excuse me," a muttered offering as I rushed to the nearest bathroom and lost everything I'd managed to take in so far. I stayed on the floor, waiting for the fear and roiling to stop, waiting for the tiny Evans inside of me to understand that we were powerless about what we didn't know, but we had to wait. Had to stay calm, had to believe that it would get better.

"Liz," it was Pop-Pop's voice, muffled through the door. "Honey, are you alright?"

I flushed and rinsed my mouth, thinking a cup of tea and bed was in my very near future. But first, when I opened the door, I was told that Pop-Pop was planning on a trip back to Miami, a trip that I was not invited to accompany him on.

Ike and my grandfather, one more thing that I realized belatedly that I hadn't shared with him. The identity of Pop-Pop, of the family I'd told him I learned about. He was meeting Pop-Pop without knowing WHO he was in relation to me. And I told my grandfather this, but I doubted that he would give Ike the benefit of any doubt.

"If you say so, Lizzie," he muttered, kissing my forehead as he followed his driver to the car. "I'll let you know when I land." A blown kiss and then he was gone.

Knowing that Ike had called, even if I didn't have confirmation that it was him, meant that I had to call him. Waiting until a time of day that he'd be at work, and before Pop-Pop's flight would land was a small window of time, but I felt safe calling from the house. I had to. To give him some warning, to tell him who Sy Berman was, and why their meeting could end badly. For everyone.

I was put through, using a similar ruse, and felt the tension release from me when I heard his voice. He was telling people to leave the office, that he needed a moment, and then I heard him say my name and I felt the same flutter that I'd always feel when his voice and attention was directed at me.

"Ike," he started to speak, but I cut him off. "Sy is my grandfather." It came from me in a rush, but I didn't know when their meeting was, but he had to know. "I never thought you'd want to-"

"Slow down, Liz," he sounded calm, far calmer than me. "Your grandpa, is Sy?" I made a small noise of agreement. "Why are you so worried, sweetheart? You told him-"

"Everything," I whispered, feeling eyes and ears on me and wishing I'd gone to the diner to make the call. "You and me. Vera. My condition."

"Have you told him that V and I are done?" I was gasping. "He doesn't know you called me?"

"No one is supposed to know where I am, Ike," not even you, I thought. "I thought he'd be angry or disappointed that I'd given into temptation and called." I sighed past the feeling of being sick, my fear returning. "He knows I love you, but he doesn't trust how you feel about me, Ike. He thinks, once you made bail-"

His turn to sigh. "V- Our reunion, he found out." I heard noises on his end that sounded like him lighting a cigarette and when he exhaled I knew I was correct. "Shit, Liz, how do I make this right?"

I leaned against the wall next to the phone. "I don't know. Flattery? Tell him how much you care about me, but I told him that you don't know he's related to me, so subtly?" I wasn't sure. All I knew was that Ike had to make sure that he didn't get on the wrong side of Pop-Pop, because even The Butcher feared him, and that alone should be all the warning he needed.