Chapter 7
It was very early. The sun had not risen. Today, they would be going home. I lay quietly in our bed listening to Ardeth's breathing. His arm held me about my waist and my back was pressed tightly up against his chest. I reached under the covers and gently lifted his arm. Moving out from underneath it, I placed it back down by his side. Sitting up on the edge of the bed I looked over at my husband's sleeping form. I love him so very much. His black hair was fanned out on the pillow and his dark lashes lay against his cheeks. I leaned over and moved the covers up around his naked shoulders and then kissed him softly.
"Where are you going?" He opened his eyes and looked at me.
"I need to talk to Evie," I whispered. He reached over and grabbed a handful of my hair and brought me back down to him. Kissing my lips, he said, "Don't be long my love," and then closed his eyes.
I stood up and reached for my robe and tied it around me. I tripped as I headed for the dressing table and looked down. "We have got to stop doing this," I thought as I bent to pick up our clothing, which had been discarded on the floor in our haste last night. I dropped the pile on the chair and then opened the dressing table drawer. I removed the envelopes and took out each letter. I reread them and then signed my name at the bottom, "Melissa Wainbright Bay." I put them back in the envelopes, sealed them and tucked them into my dressing gown pocket. I then headed out the tent door in search of Evie.
It did not take me long to find her.
She sat, wrapped in her robe, facing east on the top of a dune near their tent. I walked up and sat next to her.
"I love this time of the morning," she said as pink and gold rays of sunlight licked the sky.
"It is beautiful," I replied.
"And so are you. Just look at you," she said as she touched my face first and then ran her fingers through my hair. "No more peaches and cream, your skin is so brown and your hair is streaked with gold!"
There was silence for a moment and as she stared towards the sunrise, she began, "I had always wanted a sister. Don't get me wrong Jonathon is a wonderful older brother and I love him dearly but he can be so irritating at times. I was so thrilled when you were born. I remember Uncle Edward sending a letter to Mum explaining how uncomfortable Aunt Cynthia was in this hot climate and would it be all right if she returned to England and stay with us until after you were born. I remember how every time you kicked she would grab my hand and place it on her large belly. I remember the Doctor coming to the house in the middle of the night and how I waited patiently in the hallway for him to announce your arrival. When I first held you I thought I would never be that happy again. I was only nine but you were my world and I treated you as if you were my child. When Aunt Cynthia decided she was well enough to return to Cairo I was elated thinking you would be left with us. I was so devastated when I found out that she planned on taking you with her. Mum tried to explain that you belonged to Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Edward, but it was so hard for me to understand. My Mother promised that we would always visit and she kept her promise, as each year our families would get together in London or Cairo. I loved watching you grow. When your parent's died you thought you were a burden to me, to us, but you weren't, you never could be darling. I love you so much, I have loved you from the day you were born."
"I know," I whispered as tears rolled down my cheeks.
"You were frightened to return here and now look, within five weeks of returning it is I who must leave."
I reached to pat her hand; she grabbed it and our fingers entwined.
"You have come full circle Melissa. You were conceived here, you left here and now you are bound here forever."
"You will always be here," I said as I touched my heart.
"And you here," she said as she touched her own.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the letters. Handing them to her I said, "One is for my solicitors and the other is for the Cairo Museum."
"I will deliver it to the Cairo Museum personally and shall post the other once we arrive home."
I leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I love you Evelyn O'Connell."
"And I you, Melissa Bay."
We watched the sun come up.
Rick and Ardeth found us sitting on top of the dune.
"Evelyn, I was worried about you, Alex is hungry and we thought we would all have breakfast together," Rick scolded.
"Rick, I'm sorry, we just forgot about the time. We were…."
"Reminiscing," I filled in for her. We looked at one another and smiled.
Ardeth held out his hand to me, Rick held out his to Evie. We both stood up and brushed the sand from our robes.
"We will be back in a second, just need to change. Why don't you two get Alex and Jonathon and we will meet you at the kitchen tent," Evie instructed.
Evie headed off in the direction of her tent and I headed towards mine. I quickly changed into trousers and a shirt and rushed towards the kitchen tent. Laughter was coming from the tent as Evie and I arrived at the doorway. Linking our arms together we went inside.
Ardeth sat at the head of the long table. Rick and Jonathon sat on one side, Mira and Azmeed the other. Alex and Mira's four boys were gathered at the other end of the table and all five little men were talking excitedly to one another. Ardeth and Rick rose from their chairs and seated us. Breakfast was served and laughter and conversation filled the tent.
After our second cups of thick black Egyptian coffee some of the children came running into the tent talking hurriedly in Arabic.
"Slow down, slow down," Mira said calmly, "English little ones, in English."
The tallest boy moved forward to Mira and spoke softly, "A boat flying in the air has come to rest on the dunes outside the camp."
"Izzy's here!" Rick exclaimed.
We slowly rose from the table. Quietly walking across the camp, each one of us deep in our own thoughts. Izzy stood on the ground trying to shoo the children away from his "plane."
"I'm here O'Connell, let's get this show on the road!" he bellowed.
Jonathon turned around and gave me a hug. He then shook Ardeth's hand. "Take care of our girl," he stated.
"Jonathon, since you have that extremely large diamond why don't you give Izzy the staff of Osiris?" I asked.
He smirked and reply, "Just might do that," and then headed off towards the ship.
"Jonathon, you will never change!" I yelled at his retreating backside.
Evie stepped forward and held onto me tightly. "Evie I will see you at Christmas, it's only four months away." She nodded her head, fresh tears coming to her eyes.
"Christmas?" Ardeth questioned.
"I know you don't celebrate it, but I thought we could all spend Christmas in Cairo. I am to learn many of your traditions and customs. I would like to show you some of mine. And then maybe after Christmas we could all come back here for the New Year!"
Ardeth looked down at me, a smile spreading across his face, "Yes that would be wonderful, we celebrate the coming of the New Year with fire crackers and songs, a large feast and …."
"Med-jai wine," Rick stated.
Ardeth laughed, "Yes and Med-jai wine. My guess is that Jonathon will be joining us?"
Evie stepped over to Ardeth and hugged him, "Take care of my little sister."
Rick wrapped me in a big bear hug, "You sure about this?" He asked.
"Funny you should say that," I laughed. "You asked me that same question eight weeks ago. Remember. Then I would have said 'no', but now I am absolutely sure. My place is here in Egypt. My place is here with Ardeth." He kissed my cheeks and then headed towards Evie and the ship.
Alex looked up at us with large solemn eyes. "I am going to miss you so much."
Ardeth reached down and swung Alex up in his arms. I leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose. "I love you Alex and it won't be long. Christmas is in four months and then there are school breaks and we can be together all next summer! Write to me, tell me what's happening at school, I promise to write back, OK!"
Ardeth put him down on the sand and Alex shook his hand. He wrapped his arms around my waist, hugged me quickly and then ran off towards his parents.
"Alex!" I yelled at him, "keep an eye on your parents, they are always getting themselves into trouble!"
He waved and climbed the ladder to the air ship. Izzy yelled from the bottom of the ladder, "And what about you Miss? Are you not returning?"
"I can't Izzy, I can't leave my husband!"
"What? What did she say? Her husband? What the hell's going on O'Connell? Did she say her husband?" he bellowed at Rick, as he climbed up the ladder.
"Get in Izzy, Fly!" Rick commanded.
The air ship slowly floated upwards. Evie, Rick and Alex hung from the side waving. Ardeth stood a few paces behind me and we both waved back. I waved until they were only a tiny dot on the horizon and then I lowered my arm.
Ardeth wrapped his arms around my waist and whispered in my ear, "Are you sorry you did not go with them?"
I turned in his arms to face him. "They are my friends, my family, but you are my life, No I am not sorry."
He leaned down and smiled wickedly. "Let me show you a delicious way to spend the morning."
I kissed the tip of his nose and pushed him away from me. "You have to catch me first!" I yelled running down the dune towards our tent.
Ardeth followed quickly and the Med-jai people stopped to stare. Many laughed and pointed as their fierce Med-jai leader ran after his bride.
I stopped outside the tent door and turned towards his oncoming figure.
"Why do you stop? I thought I must catch you?" he asked.
I smiled up at him, "I want to be caught," I said breathlessly.
He reached down and lifted me into his arms. Opening the tent door with his foot he laid me down on our bed, covering my body with his.
"My Warrior," I whispered.
"My Angel," he said as he lowered his lips to mine.
And so our journey began……………...
The Journey Towards our Future!