The people at Charlotte's table sat enthralled by her story. By this time the main course and desert had come. She continued on. "He searched for you for a year, when he found nothing he went back to America. It killed him to lose you and your mom. When he found out you were still alive after the Hamunaptra expedition, he was amazed. He tried to get of you, but never could. He wanted to travel to find you, but he was too sick at the time. He loved Egypt until the day he died though. In fact he gave the passion to me, however he never went back to Egypt. When he died a month ago, I knew it was time for me to leave and go see Egypt for myself."
"That is a horrible story." Evy said.
"You know I still have the cartouche. And a picture. Do you want to see them?"
"Yes." Rick said.
Charlotte turned to Jonathan. "Could you get my purse? It is the red one on the floor."
"Of course, love." He reached down and handed it up to her.
"Thank you" Charlotte rifled through her purse until she found the velvet box. She opened it up, looked at it and handed it over to Rick. While he and Evy looked at it, she grabbed the picture of the two families. "This picture is of our father holding you and next to him is Patricia. However, I don't know who the other's are." She handed the picture to Jonathan.
Jonathan looked at the picture for a long time. Then he called to his sister. "Evy?"
Evy, who was deep in conversation with Rick looked over, "What"
"Come here."
"What is it Jonathan?"
"Come here." He insisted again. By this time Charlotte was very curious about his strange behavior.
Evy reluctantly got up and went over to Jonathan. He showed her the picture. She stared at it for a second and gasped.
Rick looked up at his wife, "What?"
"These are our parents."
"What?" Rick and Charlotte said in unison. Anna and Herb looked quizzically at each other.
"The people with you family are my mum and dad. And I believe that is Jonathan, so my mum must be pregnant with me."
Rick was now up examining the picture, and comparing it to the locket around Evy's neck.
Charlotte looked at Evy and Jonathan. "Was your father Charles?"
"Yes" the siblings said in unison.
Charlotte smiled, "I was named after him."
Evy stared back at Charlotte with tears in her eyes. "That is wonderful."
Soon the confusion of the night was settled. The people at the other tables were up dancing and having a good time, but the people Charlotte's table remained seated, basking in the light of their new connections.
"So when are you going to Egypt?" Evy asked.
"Actually I don't know. I was hoping next time you went, I could travel with you."
Rick looked at his brand-new half-sister. "That sounds like a good idea, women shouldn't go to Cairo alone."
Charlotte cringed at the thought that she was too weak to take care of herself, but she shrugged it off as Jonathan spoke.
"So where are you staying?"
"Well tonight, I am staying here." Then she sighed, "Unfortunately Anna and Herb are heading out of town for awhile, so I don't know where I am going after that."
"You can stay with us." Evy piped up. Rick seemed to shoot her a look, and Jonathan shot her a smile. She continued, unfazed by the looks. "You could stay in the guest bedroom."
"Oh, I just couldn't do that."
"No, I insist." Evy said with a smile. "We would be happy to have you!"
"Well than I guess that is settled then." Charlotte said with a smile.
"Good," Anna said, "Now we can dance" Anna got up and headed to the dance floor with Herb.
"Shall we?" Rick said to Evy, she nodded and they both got up to dance as well.
Charlotte and Jonathan were left. She was dying to dance with him. She thought he was handsome since the moment he walked into the party. She sat for a few seconds waiting, then he turned to her.
"Charlotte?"
"You can call me Charly if you'd like."
"Charley, would you like to dance?" He downed what had to be his 6th drink.
She smiled at him and nodded, "I would love to dance.
Charlotte slept with ease that night. She woke up with a smile on her face. She had found her brother and more. She had found the family she always wanted, and she had found someone who was interested in her. She couldn't have been happier. She got up and got dressed in a long black skirt and a dark blue blouse. Then she repacked her bags and called for someone to get her bags.
She went into the adjoining bathroom and brushed her hair through and put it up into a bun with a few loose tendrils that fell around her face. When everything was in place, she went downstairs to join Anna and Herb for breakfast.
"Good morning." Charlotte said when she entered the dining room.
"Good morning, Charlotte." Herb said from behind the paper.
"Help your self to some food. There are eggs, bacon, sausage, toast." Anna said pointing to the center of the table. She then took a sip of coffee. Charlotte took her plate and got some eggs and bacon and poured herself a glass of apple juice. When she was settled into a seat, Anna asked, "Did you sleep well?"
After chewing her first bites, she nodded, "Yes, I did."
Anna raised an eyebrow, "Did you? What did you dream about?"
"Nobody in particular."
"Oh come off it!" Anna said as she set her Coffee down, "I saw you dancing with Jonathan Carnahan last night. Nobody in particular?"
"Yes, well, that was very nice!" Charlotte replied giggling
Herb shook his head behind the paper as his wife and her friend giggled like young girls.
After they stopped giggling, Anna got serious. "Do me a favor and watch out. Word is he is a drunk and a gambler. He seems to be completely unreliable."
"Well, maybe he can change" Charlotte said with a smile.
With that the doorbell went off.
Charlotte smiled, "That must be Rick and Evy."
Charlotte and Anna got up and walked to the door. When they got there, they had already been let in.
"Good morning" Anna said smiling at the O'Connell's.
"Good morning." Evy replied.
Rick smiled at Charlotte, "are you ready to go?"
Charlotte just nodded and pointed to her bags. Rick picked them up and took them out to the car. Charlotte turned to Anna. "I am going to miss you!" Charlotte and Anna hugged.
"I will miss you too."
"Thank you for everything."
"That is what I do." Anna smiled pulling away from Charlotte.
Charlotte caught Herb out of the corner of her eye. "Thank you Herb, good bye." She shook his hand and then turned back to Evy.
"Are you ready to go?" she asked
Charlotte nodded and they headed out the door to Rick's car. When they got there, Rick was in the drivers seat and her bags were already in the back. Charlotte got in back and they drove off.
They arrived at the house 10 minutes later. Charlotte hopped out of the car.
Evy took Charlotte up to through the house she showed her everything within the house. She then took her up to the bedrooms. Evy pointed to the rooms on the left of her, "This first one is Jonathan's and the one next to it is mine and Rick's." Evy then pointed to her right, "Alex's is there, across from ours and yours is here." She opened the door across the hall from Jonathan's. They walked inside. The room was decorated in solid white, and the room was filled with a gorgeous brightness. "Your bags are there, do you need anything else?"
Charlotte smiled at the room around her, "um, no, I think I am fine."
"Alright, well lunch will be at one, so feel free to join us." Evy started walking to the door and Charlotte followed her.
"I will, maybe I will be down a little before, but for now I think I will unpack."
"Alright. I am glad you came to join us Charlotte."
"Oh, call me Charly."
Evy smiled and exited the room. Charly stood in the door way a little longer. Then the doorknob across from her began to move. The door opened and there stood Jonathan. "Hi Jonathan," she said smiling.
"Hi Charly." He replied smiling back.
Charly then shut her door, and leaned against it smiling to herself