Private London

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Hannah Shapiro was having a wonderful day.

Presents and mimosas at breakfast. Just the one glass – but a twelfth birthday needed marking, didn’t it? She would become bat mitzvah – a Daughter of the Commandments – this coming Shabbat. But Saturday was three days away!

‘Come on, darling, take a sip…’ Jessica, her mother, said, her southern accent sweet and musical. ‘You’ll love it. It tastes just like an angel’s tears in a glass.’

And so she had. Even though she didn’t like the taste of alcohol, Hannah loved her mom more than anything in the world and wouldn’t think of disappointing her. She sipped, then half spluttered, half laughed. ‘I’ve got bubbles in my nose.’

‘That’s what you pay the good money for, sweetheart!’

Hannah laughed with her.

It was a perfect morning. The only thing missing was her father. ‘It’s a shame Daddy couldn’t make it back last night,’ she said.

‘It’s government business. He’d have been here if he could, darling.’

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