A Heart Made of Branches

He shrugged.

They walked on further. The birds for once did not speed over the wintry landscape but rose from the trees and circled and landed again in the self same tree like a thought that couldn't get started. Max took her hand to hold her close. Elly was going to come back with him to his place in the city for a few days just for a visit, to see how things worked out. She was happy and wanted to show him something, so she pulled him over to the burning bush.

"It's a heart made of branches," she said, leading him around to the house side. "Pierced by another branch that looks like an arrow. I saw it on the day you came, and I knew that day would be special. But I never knew it would be like this, Max."

She showed him the burning bush and looked for the heart, but no matter how she looked or in what position she stood, she couldn't see it any longer.

"Something must have changed," she said. "It's gone."

Max stood and looked too. He saw her cigarette butts on the ground, and he stood up and squatted down and leaned from side to side, but he couldn't see it.

"But you saw the heart that day?" he asked.

"As clear as I'm seeing you," she said. "Like someone built it intentionally. It was amazing."

He nodded. "I believe you. Let's go inside. It's cold."

They turned and walked towards the house and he stopped. He said, "Then tell me, Elly. It's Hanukkah. We're talking about that heart made of branches, does it really exist or not? What's so hard to say?"