Newly Fallen

First night, two candles.

Chanukah was Lilly Gold’s favorite holiday, not because it was a time to exchange gifts and indulge in fried foods, but because of the concept behind it. Not necessarily the religious reason – commemorating a war had never seemed festive to her. But bringing light into the world, celebrating by creating sparks in the darkness, that had always appealed to her.

So did the idea of a miracle.

It didn’t have to be something as incredible as a lamp burning for eight nights on oil meant only to last a few, or some grand victory over much-stronger enemies. Nope, Lilly would happily settle for discovering a ten-spot in her coat pocket that she’d forgotten from last year, fitting into her skinny jeans, maybe nabbing a sexy, out-of-season Louis Vuitton handbag for twenty bucks at a yard sale in the rich part of town. Miracles like that might not change the whole world, but they’d change hers. And she was pretty due for some change.

Some good change, Lilly amended. Her whole life for the past year seemed to have been one kind of upheaval after another. New job, new house, a bad breakup, and worst of all, the loss of her grandmother Lillian, Lilly’s namesake. New Year’s was in a few weeks, and she could only pray it would bring in something better for her than she’d been having.

For now, though, she was going to enjoy the first night of her favorite holiday by lighting...