Someday
By Jeannette Hetfield
CHAPTER 6
He felt like he was going in slow motion. Was this really happening? Was this really the last time he would ever get to be with her? A sense of foreboding crept into his mind. This was it. He would never see her again. He had had the chance to keep her here…with him, but he had refused. More than anything, he wished he had the power to turn the clock back, tell her he loved her and take her away. His heart screamed that it was not too late. She was not gone yet. He began forming an irrational plan in his mind. He would tell her family that he was taking her and no one would be able to stop him. She rightfully belonged to him. They would not dare challenge him. No, he could not do that. Instead, he could sneak up to her room like he had done on so many other occasions through the years. He would tell her to pack up whatever she thought she would need and they could escape into the dark, toward the village. They would become man and wife, have children, lots of children. They would be happy. Why would they not be happy? They loved each other. No! No! It could not be. It would never work out. There were too many things standing in their way. Her father was the main reason. Ardeth was by no means intimidated by her father, but Jensa was still very young and still very much under her father's protective wing. He told himself he had to keep going. He must turn his back on her. The minute he left her alone in her room and dragged himself down the hallway towards the stairs, he felt like his feet were in blocks of cement. Jensa was getting farther and farther behind him. At least ten times, he stopped and started to turn back to her room. Ardeth knew how deliriously happy she would be if he came back to her, but he could not do it. He must be strong and ignore the ache in his chest. It felt like he could hear his heart breaking off into pieces and being crushed with every step he took that forced him farther away from her.
Ardeth bit back the tears stinging the corners of his eyes, took one last look at the closed door of Jensa's room and hurried down the stairs and was about to leave until Mr. James called out to him.
"Mr. Bay?" Ardeth stopped, pausing before turning around. The chieftain fixated a cold expression onto his already tense face. Mr. James walked over to Ardeth and stood before him, looking him directly in the eye. "I'm very grateful to you for bringing her back to us. I'm in your debt. What can I do to repay you?" It took a great deal for Mr. James to put his pride aside. Ardeth had brought his daughter back home safe and sound. He deserved credit where credit was due.
"Nothing, Mr. James. The only payment I need is just knowing that she is safe and alive. I would do it over again. To the underworld and back if I must."
"I know you would," he said slowly. Everything was confirmed. This Med-jai loved his daughter and he was certain she reciprocated those feelings. "Well, thank you once again for taking such good care of her." Mr. James extended his hand to Ardeth. He hesitated at first, but firmly grasped the American's hand. Mr. James returned the firm grip. He bowed his head to Mr. James, placed his hand over his heart and waved upward, disappearing out the door.
Mr. James remembered one final thing. "Oh, Mr. Bay?" Silently, Ardeth stepped back into the home. His warrior expression was still cold. "You are welcome in my home anytime."
Ardeth's eyes softened a little. "Thank you. I extend the same courtesy to you."
After leading Ahmar a little ways from the house, Ardeth took a final look at the James' residence and glanced towards the window of Jensa's room. The lattice to the side of her balcony stood empty, waiting for her to climb down it, but would never have another to use it for midnight meetings. He could not even begin to count the number of times Jensa had climbed down the lattice to ride away with him. Ardeth swallowed hard. The lights of Jensa's room were off. He wistfully hoped she was asleep and dreaming of him. Turning the reins on the horse, the desert warrior turned his back on the house and sped away into the dark desert night with a heavy heart.
* * *
Two weeks later, the James family stood aboard "The Isis" at Giza Port waiting to sail. In a matter of minutes, the boat left the dock and sailed away from their home. Jensa had gone through the last few days in a blur, not really remembering what she had done. She only remembered her anguished thoughts and feelings. Her pain increased as the port bustling with people got smaller and smaller.
Jensa stood on the deck, her arm still in a sling. It felt better, but her heart did not. She could not help but shed tears. Kerri linked her arm through Jensa's, clasped her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Jensa had hoped she would see Ardeth at the docks and frantically, her eyes swept the gigantic crowd, but he was not there. She had half-hoped to see him come running up the gangplank to snatch her away and make her his own, but that would have been too good to be true. It still amazed her that he had been such a close friend to her. She told him everything and then some. What was even more amazing was the day she realized that her feelings had blossomed into something deeper. She loved him, so much that it physically hurt. Jensa had been eating like a bird and sleeping less. Her body ached from her near death at the hands of thieves and kidnappers. She grieved for the love that could never be.
Jensa started to turn away, but felt a tremor in her heart and stopped. He was there. She could feel his eyes watching her. Ardeth had come to bid her farewell. There was no sign of him in the overflowing spectacle of people. She looked all around, once, twice, three times. He had hidden himself, she knew. His pain was just as unbearable as hers and he couldn't let her see how torn up he would be. They had never spoken the words of good-bye. She intended to give him her own good-bye that she knew would last longer in his heart than mere words. Jensa unhooked her arm from Kerri's, placed it over her heart and rose it to the sky, waving.
The shadows of the buildings masked Ardeth's presence from everyone. He felt a pang of sadness and respect combined as she gave him the Med-jai farewell. He mimicked the gesture. She still could not see him and he wanted it that way. It would have hurt the both of them too much to see each other's pain. He had considered telling her good-bye in person, but he knew he would have most likely died where he stood. She watched the crowd, searching for him. Allah! If only he could hold her one more time, kiss her until she melted in his arms…tell her he loved her. But no, he must stay away from her. If they were too close, he knew he would forget all his logic and reasoning. No, it was better this way. Or was it? Life would be dull. Jensa would not be there waiting for her middle of the night rendezvous with him. The barren deserts of Egypt had been bare for over three thousand years, but her empty presence surpassed that of the endless golden dunes. He did not want to live in this world without her. Ardeth came to that realization a long time ago. She had said she would return, but would she really? She might get caught up in her new life in New York and forget about him. He felt pangs of sorrow pounding into his brain, his heart, his soul. He tried to spawn the hope of her return someday into his doubting mind. When she returned, he would be here waiting.
Jensa brought her right hand to her lips and kissed her ring, remembering her promise to Ardeth. She would return.
"Someday," she whispered.
THE END
(oh, come on, you really think this is THE END?)