WITHOUT A DOUBT

It isn't planned; it just happens that on the day Peter makes a date to take Jennie to the movies, his mother asks to visit the favorite cousins Nalchajian in Medford.

Taking Jennie home (she would meet his parents for the first time), Peter doesn't know how Jennie will react when she greets his blind mother. Jennie reacts the way she does to all people. She loves Yepros because Yepros is Peter's mother, because Yepros has survived against all odds and brought her children through the worst possible circumstances to a new world and a new life, because despite all she has been through, Yepros, Peter's mother, exudes love and peace. Peter doesn't know what will happen when his blind mother 'feels' Jennie all over in order to 'see' her. Other girls had flinched. Jennie simply smiles and hugs Yepros, helps her on with her coat, helps her down the 12 stairs to the first floor of the house, then down the long flight of outside stairs (22 or 23 stairs, still haven't figured it out -- see earlier post ON SHOVELING SNOW) while Peter goes on ahead to warm up the car. Jennie helps Yepros into the back seat of the old Chevie, and instead of sitting next to Peter in the front seat, Jennie sits right next to Yepros in the back seat and begins to chat in Turkish, Yepros' native tongue.

That's it for Peter. Now he knows without a doubt. . .