The Dressmaker's Son by Abbi Sherman Schaefer Read Free Book Online

nothing seemed to help. Jacob came every morning before
going to what he called his “new business,” and returned each evening.  He
tried desperately to get Rachael to go to David’s to bathe and rest, but she
wouldn’t hear of leaving Levi.  Solomon would come in the morning with Jacob
and hold Levi until Jacob said they had to leave. 
    “Let me stay with
him for the day, Papa,” he would plead.
    “No, Sollie.  You
need to help at Uncle David’s.”  His tone told Solomon not to argue.  Every day
he would say the same thing before leaving.  “Sollie will be back tomorrow,
Levi.  Try to get well.  You need to come see the toys we have for you at Uncle
David’s.” 
    Levi, his eyes
half closed would sometimes muster the strength to give Solomon a half-smile.
    “He’ll get better,
Mama.  I’m saying my prayers every night and in the morning.”
    But every day he
seemed to get worse.  And Rachael would pray, “Please, God, don’t take him. 
Take me if you must, but let Levi grow up in America.”
                Meanwhile , Jacob arranged the fabrics neatly on the pushcart. “I’ve gone backwards,” he
thought to himself.  “I started with fabrics on a wagon at least!” It had been
a huge adjustment the last ten days.  He got up at four in the morning to take
the ferry to the hospital to see Rachael and Levi and then he picked up his
pushcart and took his place on Hester Street.
    Hester Street was
a whole different world for Jacob.  It was lined with buildings with apartments
on top and stores on the first level.  Parked on both sides of the street was a
kaleidoscope of pushcarts selling everything from produce and fish to
clothing.  The street was almost always busy with customers comparing prices
between vendors.  Jacob was not used to the haggling, but he took his place
among the others and tried to begin building a business.
    Levi wasn’t doing
well.  Rachael wouldn’t leave his side and spent most of her time pleading with
the doctors to try something else.  The fever would seem to go down some and
then shoot right back up.  There were complications with his breathing.  He had
looked awful this morning and felt almost lifeless when Jacob held him in his
arms.  Solomon stood next to Rachael, leaning over and stroking Levi’s head.
    “Dear God, don’t
let him die,” Rachael prayed softly at Jacob’s side.
    But Jacob was
scared that Levi’s little heart couldn’t take much more.
    He stood by his
cart watching the people walk by and listening to the haggling between the
shoppers and the peddlers.  The sound of Solomon’s voice startled him.
    “Papa, Papa,” he
was shouting as he rounded the corner on a bicycle.
    “Over here,” Jacob
yelled, waving his arms.
    As he approached
the pushcart, Solomon jumped off the bike and ran up to Jacob. ”It’s Levi,
Papa.  Uncle David said to come and get you right away.  You have to go to the
hospital.”
    “What’s wrong? Did
Uncle David say?”
    “He said I should
pray for Levi, Papa.  He said he is very bad.  Is he going to die, Papa?” he
asked searching Jacob’s eyes for words of encouragement.
    “I don’t know,”
Jacob replied.  But in his heart he knew.
    “Stay with the
pushcart, Solomon. I’ll go to Mama.  Uncle David will come to get you and tell
you what to do with the cart.”
    “No, Papa.  I have
to go.  I have to see him.”
    “Solomon.  You
have to help me now.  Aunt Ruth took you to see him yesterday.  I could be
there all night.  Please, stay here.  And try to pray like Uncle David said.”
    Jacob grabbed the
bike that Solomon had borrowed from his cousin Sarah and headed to the ferry to
Ellis Island. While Sarah had graduated to a larger bike when she turned five,
it was still quite a site to see someone of Jacob’s size riding it.
    When he got to the
hospital, Rachael was sitting in a chair with Levi in her lap.  He looked like
he was sleeping, but Jacob knew at once that he was