Lili looked at her in surprise. Both wedding rings had the same inscription.
‘Although these wedding rings are not unusual, each pair of Hebrew wedding rings is unique.’
‘Are you saying these are a pair?’
‘I believe so – yes.’ Sarah stood there examining both rings. ‘The question is …’ she looked up, studying Lili intently, ‘how did you come by my grandmother’s wedding ring?’
‘Your grandmother’s?’ Lili didn’t understand. She looked at Joseph’s ring. ‘I thought it belonged to your father?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘This was my grandfather’s wedding ring. He wore it until he died. The family heirloom passed to my father.’
Lili stared at Sarah. Lili stepped forward, holding out her hand for the ring. She wanted it back. It was her most prized possession.
Sarah reluctantly handed it over. ‘How did you come by this? Did you find it in a shop?’
Lili shook her head as she threaded the band through the silver chain and hung it around her neck.Is Sarah a long-lost relative?she wondered. She was about to tell Sarah about her past when Joseph interrupted, calling out, ‘Alena!’ He held out his hand to Lili.
Sarah looked at Lili, her brow creasing in a frown. ‘Who is Alena?’
Lili turned to her, surprised by the question. ‘I was going to ask you the same thing. I thought she was your mother?’ Lili knew Joseph’s wife had walked out on him and that she had raised Sarah in London.
‘My mother’s name isn’t Alena.’
‘Your grandmother …?’ Lili ventured.
Sarah shook her head. ‘I’ve never heard him mention that name before.’ Sarah perched on one side of Joseph’s bed and took her father’s hand. ‘Dad? Who is Alena?’