A/N ~~ I actually did some history research for this…wow! Just got refreshed in 6th grade Egyptian history! ^_~
Sorry this took so long to get out, but in the words of Ernest Hemingway, "The first draft of anything is shit."
NEWSFLASH: I just saw a picture of "the family." Frankly, I think she cheated on him. Tia's hair was a dusty black (hey, that's what the picture has her hair looking like) and we can only assume that Ja-Kal has either black or dark brown hair (look at eyebrows). Alright, still with me? Good. Now his son, Padjet has a reddish/brownish hair thing going. Since, Ja-Kal does not have a light hair color; it can only be assumed that…TIA CHEATED ON HIM!! Okay, it's either that or Tia got a die job from her reddish/brownish hair.
^^^^ If you thought that was obsessive, then ya don't know me! ^^^^
Disclaimer ~~ I am not affiliated with the cartoon series, "Mummies Alive!" or the DIC Corporation, and any of its affiliates. This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only. This fanfic and its author do not intend to infringe on any copyrights. I am not affiliated with the movie, "The Mummy" or the Great Sphinx.
On to the fanfic!
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Chapter 4: Fever of Love
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It was awful! Inside the meeting room, a wife was beating her husband over the head with her purse. Never in his life had Ja-Kal pictured such violence between husband and wife.
The couple spotted Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina staring at them. They got up and left, bickering in a whisper. When they turned a corner, the wife smacked her husband once again.
Nefer-Tina giggled silently at the couple as they left. Ja-Kal glanced around the room. It was quite large with a large cherry oak table in the center. At the table are a man and a woman, each with a clipboard.
The young woman, around in her twenties, looked up from her clipboard and motioned for them to enter. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she had a tried look on her face. A cold cup of coffee was in front of her on the table. "Oh, sorry about that. They clashed on a certain memory."
"And what was memory was that?" Nefer-Tina asked with curious smile.
The young lady dryly responded, "In which location they were proposed to." Then she continued, clearing her throat, "Anyway, time for your interview. Come on in. Have a seat."
Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina complied and sat opposite the pair.
"Hi, I'm Ms. Pross," she cheerfully said, extending her hand out to the two. "This is my associate, Mr. Cerone."
"Hello," Mr. Cerone nodded. Mr. Cerone was quite the opposite of Ms. Pross. He had a clean-cut look and was middle aged. His face seemed much more alert, yet his eyes seemed to be drifting off.
"Pleased to meet you," Ja-Kal responded, shaking hands with Ms. Pross. Mr. Cerone seemed to be the shy type and did not shake hands with either Ja-Kal or Nefer-Tina, but simply nodded and turned back to his clipboard.
"Hi, I'm Nefer-Tina." Her rosy mouth curved into a kind smile.
When Nefer-Tina shook hands with Ms. Pross, the young lady noticed her wedding ring. "That's a beauty!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks! Ja-Kal was kind enough to let me pick out my ring," she said, turning to Ja-Kal and smiling.
"Anything for my love," he responded warmly and grasped Nefer-Tina's hand with his own.
Ms. Pross smiled, "How lovely! So, how long have you two been married?"
"A month," Ja-Kal answered.
"Excuse me, but shouldn't you already know this? I mean, since you do have the marriage documents," Nefer-Tina stated, irritably. She didn't like that they were wasting time with questions they already knew the answers to.
Ja-Kal froze, silently wishing Nefer-Tina to refrain from further irritating the interviewers. He squeezed Nefer-Tina's hand hard as a message to keep her mouth shut.
Nefer-Tina clenched her teeth from the force of the squeeze and added, sweetly, "Not to be rude or anything."
Mr. Cerone studied the two. Something was off about them, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Mr. Cerone shrugged it off and continued to write down his notes on the couple. Next to Nefer-Tina's name he wrote: Very independent and fierce.
"It's just routine to ask about the facts before we move on," Ms. Pross said, annoyance hidden in her voice. "Let's see…next question. How old are both of you?"
"I'm 27 and Nefer-Tina is 25," Ja-Kal quickly answered.
Ms. Pross muttered the numbers to herself as she wrote it down. "Okay, well now we get to the fun questions!"
Mr. Cerone snorted and Ms. Pross shot him a look of anger. "Anyway," she said, brushing back a loose strand of hair, "Where did you first meet?"
Nefer-Tina looked at Ja-Kal. "We met at an Egyptian exhibit actually. A mutual friend introduced us," Ja-Kal replied.
Nefer-Tina smiled. It was truly the day when they first met. When "Nefer-Tina", not 'Nefer", met Ja-Kal.
"You have a common interest in Egyptian history?"
"Yes. Actually, Ja-Kal worked at the museum, and it was my first day there," Nefer-Tina lied, smiling all the time.
"Interesting."
"Very," Nefer-Tina grinned.
"First date. Give me details," Ms. Pross continued, ignoring Nefer-Tina's earlier remark.
Nefer-Tina shifted in her seat, waiting for Ja-Kal to answer.
"Well, one day I decided to ask her out and she agreed. We went to see the movie "The Mummy" and then went to eat at a little café nearby," Ja-Kal said, although it was a little drier then he should have said it causing Ms. Pross to look up from her clipboard.
"Well, I thought it was more romantic then that!" Nefer-Tina added, sensing Ms. Pross' doubt, and nudged Ja-Kal playfully. "We had been exchanging pleasantries while passing in the hallway, it was never any more then that. You see we worked in different areas. Anyway, the next time I bumped into him we said hello, how you doing, etc. He had this devious grin, but I didn't think much of it. I went into a new exhibit area and started working on the charioteer area. As I was setting up, I noticed a note in the chariot. It turns out it was an invitation to go out."
"Did you kiss on the first date?"
"No, Ja-Kal respected me and didn't force me to do anything I didn't want to do," Nefer-Tina said softly. "He was the perfect gentleman. He was ma'at," she added and made Ja-Kal blush.
"Ma'at?" Ms. Pross asked.
"Oh sorry. I meant the word, not the goddess. It's an Egyptian word meaning someone who is upright and honest," Nefer-Tina informed.
"I see. How long did you date?"
"Around a year," Ja-Kal answered.
Nefer-Tina glanced at Mr. Cerone. He hasn't asked a question, but seemed to be writing a whole lot more then Ms. Pross.
Ms. Pross took a sip of her cold coffee and wasn't phased the least. "So when and where did you propose? Who actually proposed?"
"I proposed to Nefer-Tina," Ja-Kal said raising a hand.
"It was a wonder place. The sun was setting and you could see the warm colors in the sky," Nefer-Tina added for effect.
"We were in Cairo, Egypt. Nefer-Tina and I went to see the Great Sphinx that was made by Pharaoh Khafre 4,500 years ago. It's a shame that after being exposed to the weathering wind, humidity, and Cairo's smog that it's crumbling. I'm sure it was truly beautiful during Ancient Egypt." Ja-Kal smiled, remembering how exquisite the Great Sphinx was.
Nefer-Tina also smiled, for she too had seen the Great Sphinx. It saddened her that people today could not see it's true beauty. Nefer-Tina had also heard that some said the Great Sphinx talked to them, however, it had never talked to her when she was there.
Mr. Cerone and Ms. Pross looked at each other. Ms. Pross cocked an eyebrow at Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina. Mr. Cerone smiled and wrote: They both have an intense interest in Egypt. I should be noted that they also possess a great knowledge of the ancient culture as well. They are both very passionate people.
Ms. Pross cleared her throat, wanting to finish the interview as soon as possible. Mr. Cerone gave her an annoyed look.
"Sorry, I got side tracked," Ja-Kal apologized. "Anyway, as my wife said before, the sun was setting. I got down on one knee and asked her to make me the happiest man on earth and be my wife."
"Of course I accepted. I couldn't break his heart! Plus I needed a ride home," Nefer-Tina teased and a grin formed on her lips.
Ja-Kal gave her a warm smile and kissed her on the cheek, keeping up the facade. Nefer-Tina tried to hold in her shock that Ja-Kal had actually kissed her, even thought it was just on the cheek.
Mr. Cerone noticed Nefer-Tina's shock and wrote it down. He wrote: Curious couple. When her husband gave her a small peck on the cheek she seemed surprised. They act as though they have crushes on each other. Interesting. Although it may be the shock that they're newly married.
They answered a few more questions about life before they got married and then Ms. Pross and Mr. Cerone got up from the table.
"Alright. Now the next portion of the interview is to do a one-on-one interview of married life. If you'll follow me, Nefer-Tina," Ms. Pross instructed. She led Nefer-Tina to the other side of the room where a small table was stationed.
"Mr. Carnovan, this way please," Mr. Cerone said. He led Ja-Kal to the opposite side that Nefer-Tina was on.
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"Alright, Nef, you'll just have to answer a few questions and then we're finished!" Ms. Pross exclaimed.
"Sure, ask away," Nefer-Tina said dryly. Only her friends called her "Nef" and even that was rare.
"Right now, Mr. Cerone is asking the same questions to your husband," Ms. Pross informed and took a sip out of her cold coffee.
Nefer-Tina flinched in disgust at Ms. Pross' lack of taste.
Ms. Pross saw her flinch and asked, "Is something wrong?"
Nefer-Tina faked a smile and shook her head.
"Okay, I'm sorry if these questions are a bit too personal but it's what the judges gave me to ask you." Ms. Pross shifted in her chair and flipped a couple of pages on her clipboard.
The color drained from Nefer-Tina's face. Calm down, Nefer-Tina. You can do this! That's why you went over the questions with Ja-Kal, she assured herself.
"Just pretend like I'm your friend and we'll chatting about guys, okay?" Ms. Pross said, sensing Nefer-Tina's reluctance.
"Sure!" Nefer-Tina happily said. Inwardly she snorted at the thought.
"First Kiss. Good or bad?" Ms. Pross inquired, leaning in closer to Nefer-Tina.
"Well…" Nefer-Tina began, recalling what the magazine article had told her about first kisses. "In one word, it was perfect."
Ms. Pross gestured with her hand asking for more information.
"It was sweet and smooth. Our tongues were baring touching, like he was teasing me on. I thought it was very romantic and fitting for a first kiss."
There was an intermission of silence as Ms. Pross wrote down some notes. Ms. Pross had been sitting with her legs crossed, she uncrossed them and switched positions.
"So how's married life?"
"Good," Nefer-Tina said, a bit unsure of where Ms. Pross was going.
"Hmm…interesting," Ms. Pross murmured. Nefer-Tina found it humorous that the judges had picked a unmarried woman to lead the questioning and tried to stifle a laugh.
"We haven't had any fights since we've been married," Nefer-Tina pointed out.
"That's a good sign," Ms. Pross remarked, making Nefer-Tina frown.
"I don't mean to be rude again, but why exactly did they pick you to do these questions? You are unmarried, right?"
"I'm a psychologists for married couples," she stated.
"Oh," Nefer-Tina said, nodding her head. She had no clue what a psychologist was.
"How do you feel about Ja-Kal?" she asked.
A smile came upon Nefer-Tina's lips, "He's uptight, but I love him. Actually, it was love at first sight, but I was forbid…uh shy to tell him."
"I see."
Nefer-Tina was starting to get really annoyed at Ms. Pross' favorite phrases.
"How's the sex?" Ms. Pross bluntly asked.
Nefer-Tina could only blink at her. "Are you sure that's one of the questions you're supposed to ask me?" Nefer-Tina did not remember sex being the list that Mr. Rogers had given to Ja-Kal.
"Yes. So tell me, how's the sex?"
Nefer-Tina answered quickly, voice caught at the back of her throat, "It's fine."
Ms. Pross didn't buy the quick response. "No need to lie, just the truth between us girls."
Nefer-Tina ran through her head trying to think of a reasonable response.
Seeing a blank face, Ms. Pross decided to use her psychology training, "Okay, let's start with physical attraction."
"He has a very toned and firm body. What's not to be attracted to?"
"What do you think is his best physical quality?"
Nefer-Tina thought for a moment and replied, "His eyes. Gods, I could lost in his chocolate eyes."
"So, back to my original question. How is he in bed?"
Nefer-Tina remembered a cleansing musical that talked about this. She told Ms. Pross what she remembered and added a few of her own words. "He's tender, forgiving, thoughtful, generous and attentive to details that make a difference. Every time is a wonderful experience that brings us closer together."
Ms. Pross tried to keep up with all that Nefer-Tina had just said, but gave up. "So the sex is great, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you plan on having children at any time?"
"Um…" Nefer-Tina shifted uneasily in her seat, "We haven't really discussed that."
"Hmm…But do you ever plan on having children?" she asked, pointing at Nefer-Tina.
Nefer-Tina had always wanted a child or two, but it was never possible back in Egypt. "Yeah, but because of my job it wasn't wise."
"Really? How's that? I thought you working at the museum," Ms. Pross asked, intrigued by Nefer-Tina's response.
Nefer-Tina mentally slapped herself for not thinking. This psychowhatever was good, she thought. "Well, I guess you could say I was sort of married to my work and didn't want to give it up," she said with a half-smile on her lips.
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Ja-Kal and Mr. Cerone had answered several questions already. Ja-Kal was quiet bored since he knew what all the questions would be. Although the next question almost made him fall out of his chair.
"How's the sex?" Mr. Cerone asked flatly.
"Excuse me?" was all the Ja-Kal could muster to say.
"How's the sex?" he asked again.
"It's fine," Ja-Kal replied, shifting in his seat.
Mr. Cerone cocked his eyebrow at the response.
"My wife is great," Ja-Kal began, knowing how uncomfortable it would be to say "Nefer-Tina."
"Is that all?"
"It's fun?" he asked rather then stated. Ja-Kal had stupidly blurted out the first word that came to his mind.
"Fun?"
Ja-Kal cleared his throat, "It's an enjoyable experience. It's something I treasure about our relationship."
"How's that?" Mr. Cerone asked and then turned to his clipboard to write something.
"Well, keeping with tradition we never did the act before our marriage. When we were intimate for the first time, it brought our love to a new level."
"Excuse me for being so personal, but did she please you? Would you say she was good?" It amazed Ja-Kal how this man could ask the deepest of questions and be so serious.
Ja-Kal nodded, "Yes. It's a very pleasurable experience."
"Hmm…" Mr. Cerone wrote down a few more things on the clipboard and got up. He shook hands with Ja-Kal before escorting him to the door, "Thank you for your corporation, Mr. Carnovan."
Nefer-Tina was waiting for Ja-Kal at the door.
"Ja-Kal, they had an extra question," Nefer-Tina whispered, as she walked out the door.
"Don't worry, as long as we answered the rest of the questions they said we'll get the gem of Ra."
"I hope so. I wouldn't want Scarab to get his hands on it." Nefer-Tina gazed at Ja-Kal and found herself admiring his eyes. "Chocolate eyes," she whispered silently to herself. She snapped back into reality and asked, "Hungry?"
"Yes. Which way is the restaurant again?"
"I think it's that way," Nefer-Tina said, pointing to her left.
Ja-Kal studied Nefer-Tina. Should he tell her now? She deserved to know the truth. "Nefer-Tina, as I was going to tell you earlier," he began.
Nefer-Tina was half listening because in the distance a figure was approaching them. The figure grew into a muscular man with blond hair and blue eyes.
Ja-Kal's face grew cold. He knew that man and he meant trouble.
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"Hey baby, what's your sign?" Dan slyly asked.
"Do not enter," Nefer-Tina replied bluntly and shot him a glare. Ja-Kal looked at Dan, frowning.
Ja-Kal put a protective arm around Nefer-Tina, to give Dan the hint about what was going on.
"Hey, I was only joking!" Dan explained, putting his hands out in front of him.
Nefer-Tina studied Dan. Something about him reminded her of Pep, except for the fact that he was blond and blue eyed. Oh, now she knew. It was the fact that Dan was infatuated with her, just like Pep.
"Name's Dan Hickey," he said, extending a hand out to Nefer-Tina. Nefer-Tina shook his hand wary of Ja-Kal's distrust in him.
"I take it that you'd two met already," Nefer-Tina observed. Ja-Kal and Dan didn't shake hands and kept each other at a distance. "I'm Nefer-Tina."
"Yes, I've heard of you. Your beauty is known throughout all the men," he replied, winking at Nefer-Tina.
Nefer-Tina was shocked and blushed at the comment. She answered, politely, "Thank you."
Dan grinned, knowing full well the jealously he was giving Ja-Kal.
Nefer-Tina smiled at Dan and he smiled back. She didn't see how Ja-Kal thought he was a bad person. Ja-Kal saw the exchange between the two and his anger rose. Dan did not come off as a gentleman to Ja-Kal. In fact, Ja-Kal had a mortal antipathy towards him.
"Dan, so where's your wife?" Ja-Kal coyly asked.
"With her lover," he said, flatly.
Nefer-Tina gasped. Ja-Kal wasn't sure if Dan was joking or telling the truth.
"Ah! Got you again!" he shouted in a juvenile manner.
He playfully punched Ja-Kal in the arm, but with extra force, to make sure it stung. Ja-Kal flinched when Dan's fist made contact with his arm. Nefer-Tina didn't notice the force with which Dan hit Ja-Kal.
"Well, I got to go now! See you around Ja-Kal!" he said. Then he turned his gaze to Nefer-Tina and said, "My lady!" He reached out, took Nefer-Tina' hand, and kissed it with a gallant motion.
Nefer-Tina giggled at the motion. When she turned around to face Ja-Kal, she noticed he was tense once again. Her appearance of amusement melted into concern. "Ja-Kal, are you alright?"
"Yes," he quickly replied. He proceeded to walk towards the hotel restaurant where they were going to have dinner, when he noticed that Nefer-Tina wasn't with him. He turned back and saw that she was standing still not moving.
"Ja-Kal, don't lie to me." Her hands were at her hips and she had a stern look on her face.
"I am not!" he snapped. "Now, we must go eat dinner, so it doesn't close on us like last night," he said, as he gently grabbed Nefer-Tina's arm and led her to the restaurant.
Nefer-Tina let a sigh escape her mouth. She knew Ja-Kal was not telling her something. She suspected it had something to do with Dan. Although she felt he was just a big joker and did no more harm then that. Whatever it was, she was going to confront Ja-Kal after dinner. He was always more talkative after a meal, she grinned.
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The restaurant seemed to be lit only by candlelight. Slow music from an unknown piano played in the background of the soft murmurs coming from those who ate. An occasional break in the tranquility of the restaurant was heard when a waiter or waitress stepped out of the kitchen. The scent in the air was a pleasure to any nose.
Nefer-Tina brushed a loose strand of her black hair that had drifted down along her face back and continued to eat. She looked up from her plate and glanced at Ja-Kal, then quickly moved her eyes back to her food. She didn't like silence, so she proceeded to amend it.
"Um, Ja-Kal, what are you going to do tomorrow?" she asked, softly, fiddling with her fork.
"The athletic competitions," Ja-Kal said, voice flat, with a hard note that was unusual for him but not unprecedented. He watched the lights of the candle on the table for a moment, then turned to her. "Even thought we are probably the couple most in shape here, we should still strive for our best."
Nefer-Tina nodded at Ja-Kal, then turned to take a bite out of her salad. The candlelight played shadows over her face in the dark restaurant.
"Do you think we have a good chance at getting the gem of Ra after today? I think I destroyed our chance to win today," she said with a solemn face.
Ja-Kal stopped his fork in mid-air and brought it down to his plate. "I don't understand. You remembered all the answers we went over, right?" A worried look cast over his features.
"No, I told her all we went over. I really did," she said earnestly. "It's just that question…" Her eyes became downcast.
"You're a…" Ja-Kal stopped, and reworded his question. "I mean, you haven't been with a man?" he questioned, lowering his voice.
Nefer-Tina looked up at Ja-Kal in disgust, "You thought I have?!"
"No! Well, maybe. I didn't know!"
Several people from nearby tables turned their attention to the abrupt scene.
Nefer-Tina ran her slim fingers through her black hair and slumped in her chair. Ja-Kal's ears and the back of her neck were hot from embarrassment. A waiter came by and brought their main courses. They had each ordered the house special, which was composed of a well-done steak, cheddar-mashed potatoes, and various vegetables.
"I'm sorry, Nefer-Tina. It was inexcusable of me," Ja-Kal whispered, seeing the waiter exit.
Nefer-Tina still obviously hurt, picked up her utensils and proceeded to cut her steak. A few seconds of silence passed before Nefer-Tina acknowledged his apology. "I'll accept it on one condition. You must promise to never again presume things about me," she said, voice flat.
"I promise."
Nefer-Tina smiled, knowing Ja-Kal's word was as good as gold. The rest of the evening was spent on mild conversation between bites. They discussed their interviewers and their quirks.
Ja-Kal took his last bite of steak and wiped his mouth off on the napkin. He took a sip from his iced tea.
"Such an enjoyable taste! Nefer-Tina you should get this drink next time," he commented.
"I prefer my tea, hot and steamy, not cold. I think that coke is much better. What did the prince say it has again?"
"Caffeine."
"Yeah, this caffeine is great! I feel so energetic!" she exclaimed, and took another gulp of coke.
"Hello," said a voice behind Nefer-Tina. There was an eerie calmness to it.
Ja-Kal just nodded towards the voice. It was Dan.
"Hello, Nefer-Tina. A pleasure always," he grinned. Next to him stood a woman. She was short in height and looked extremely thin. Her hair was a fierce red and was pulled up in a ponytail. Her face was hard and cold with deep brown eyes. She had a curious smile that seemed to be laughing at you, yet she gave no sign of humor. She held the same arrogant aurora that Loraine Faire had. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Tiffany."
Still with the small curious smile on her face, she shook hands with both Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina. "Hello," she said, simply. Her voice was well projected and extremely clear.
A waiter came by and told Ja-Kal that a call was waiting for him. Ja-Kal excused himself and followed the waiter.
"Nefer-Tina is it?" Tiffany asked.
"Yes."
A waiter came by and took the dirty dishes from the table.
"What exactly is your profession, dear?" she inquired, in a small, kind voice. It was almost child-like, yet at the end it became harsh with the word "dear."
"I work in the Egyptian museum in San Francisco," Nefer-Tina replied.
"You do? I would have pictured you a model!" exclaimed Dan. His wife gave no sign of jealously or anger towards her husband.
"Well, I was going to be a model."
"What happened?" Tiffany asked.
"A friend helped me set my priorities straight." Nefer-Tina stated. That moment rang clear in Nefer-Tina's mind…
When she was going to leave the Sphinx
"You don't understand, Ja-Kal! This is the first time in 3,000 years when I'm actually having fun!" she shouted.
"What about your duty, protecting prince Rapses? What about the others? They need you. I need you."
He needed her. He said it himself. Did he need her as a friend or more? she thought. Her thoughts were shattered by Tiffany's cry.
"Oh my god! Is that a mummy?!" she cried, pointing towards the door.
"What? Where?!" Nefer-Tina exclaimed and turned to get a clear view of where Tiffany was pointing. Nefer-Tina didn't believe that Rath or Armon could be here. They had to protect the prince. Although, the possibility of another mummy wasn't out, it still was chilling to think of the thought.
"Oh sorry! My mistake! My eyes were just playing games with me," she giggled. "Oh here comes Ja-Kal! Let's go, Dan. Let's leave them to their evening. Good-bye!"
"Right, bye Nefer-Tina!" Dan quickly kissed Nefer-Tina's hand, winked, and ran to catch up with his wife.
"What was that all about?" Ja-Kal asked.
Nefer-Tina shrugged her shoulders. She too was confused over the event.
"So who was the call from? I hope everything is all right back home," Nefer-Tina said.
Ja-Kal shook her head, "The phone was dead when I arrived there."
"That's weird," Nefer-Tina commented.
"Yes it is," Ja-Kal said, and took a sip from his iced tea. Ja-Kal shut his eyes and shook his head. "This tastes weird."
A frown formed on Nefer-Tina's small features, "That's strange. I thought you said you liked it?"
"Would you care for desert?" the waiter asked.
Ja-Kal looked at Nefer-Tina, non-verbally seeking her answer.
A smile lit up on her face, "Do you have any more of those messy sundaes?"
"Of course! We just got a new shipment around five today." The waiter turned and left Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina alone at the table.
The waiter returned with two messy sundaes a few moments later. "The food is on the house thanks to the marriage competition. Have a good evening." he said and simply left.
"Great! Now we can spend the money Rath gave us for shopping!" she squealed with delight.
Ja-Kal crossed his arms at Nefer-Tina. "I highly doubt that we'll have time for shopping."
Nefer-Tina rolled her eyes at Ja-Kal. Then she proceeded to lick her lips at the delicious messy sundae in front of her.
Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina ate their food in silence. Although it was not an awkward silence; each was busy eating their messy sundae.
"Nefer-Tina, I've been trying to tell you something all…" Ja-Kal began. As Ja-Kal was halfway through his sundae his spoon dropped.
Nefer-Tina looked up from her messy sundae, with her spoon in mouth, and mumbled, "What's wrong?"
Ja-Kal didn't answer. He clenched his teeth and held his head with his hands.
"Ja-Kal?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. She got up from the table and walked over to him.
When Nefer-Tina feels Ja-Kal's head; it was hot. He had a high fever.
"Ja-Kal, let's go back to the room." Her voice was distressed.
A waitress came by and asked what was wrong. Nefer-Tina turned to her and said Ja-Kal was sick.
Before they left the restaurant, Ja-Kal reached into his pocket and left a tip for the waiter. In pain and still leaves a tip, how noble is that? Nefer-Tina thought to herself.
"Can you walk?" Nefer-Tina wearily asked.
He nodded, and Nefer-Tina held his arm, with her other hand over his shoulder. She was glad that he could stand on his own two feet, but it gave her cold comfort.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the way towards the elevator, Mr. Rogers and his wife saw them.
"Oh dear, what's wrong?" Betsy Rogers asked.
"He's got a high fever and his head hurts, like a headache." Nefer-Tina felt Ja-Kal's head once again. His fever had gone up.
"I'll call a doctor to your room. What's the number?" Bill asked. A look of concern for his friend written on his face.
"445. Thank you and please hurry. His fever is going up."
Ja-Kal's teeth were still clenched. He felt as though his head was about to burst, and the fever wasn't helping. He felt extremely hot and sweaty.
When they entered the elevator, Ja-Kal felt himself getting weak and faint and slumped against Nefer-Tina. Nefer-Tina grunted from the weight. If she were still a mummy this would have been a piece of cake, but she's lost her powers now that she is alive again.
"Nefer-Tina, I have to tell you something before I'm interrupted again," he said, softly.
"Go ahead," Nefer-Tina replied, relieved that he was talking again, however, the grief still gnawed at her.
"I…I love you," Ja-Kal whispered.
"Ja-Kal, you're just delirious," Nefer-Tina stated, a tone of anguish hidden in her voice. Ja-Kal, I know you're sick, but do not mess with my emotions. For the sake of Ra don't! she screamed in her mind.
"No, but I really do love you. I love those sundaes. I love the wilderness too. And I love…" Ja-Kal blacked out.
All of his weight fell upon Nefer-Tina and she hit the wall from the force.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did you do it?"
"Of course. What do you think I'm stupid?!" he yelled.
"I didn't think we were going to do it, since you wouldn't stop gawking at her!"
"She was well-proportioned," he grinned, a perverse look on his face. "Listen, when you distracted her, I slipped the stuff in his drink. Don't worry, we'll win, my love!" he cooed, and leaned in to kiss her.
She moved back and spat at him in disgust. "I'm not your love, your wife, or your anything! Understand that!" she hissed.
"Ah, Tiffany dear, but according to our marriage document we are. We still need to consummate our marriage," he grinned.
This time he groped her. She elbowed him in the gut and he let her go. "Get away from me you horny bastard!" she shouted. "You know perfectly well that those are fake. We're just here to collect the winnings," she said with her curious smile.
"With Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina outta the way, we'll be the fittest couple on the field," he stated.
"Isn't it the most perfect plan you have ever heard?"
"Very. Now come give daddy a kiss!"
Tiffany scowled at him. The man was extremely coarse when drunk, but even sober he was still barbaric. "When pigs fly!" she sneered.
"Well you ain't all that," he grumbled.
Tiffany pushed Dan off the bed and sent him flying onto the floor. Dan's arm connected with the floor and he grunted.
"Shit, Tiff! What did you do that for?" He gnashed his teeth, cradling his arm.
"Oh poor baby did I hurt you?" she lamented, caressing his arm. She could put any man under her little finger. It just meant pushing the right buttons.
"Yes!" he exclaimed and pulled away from her.
Not so fast, Dan. I need you in order to get the jewel. Too bad you're so rudimentary. Ugh, I hope I didn't break your arm. I need your strength to win the competitions tomorrow! It doesn't look broken. Good. Damn! He's angry. I can't have you angry, Dan. Time to push the right buttons.
"Dan, baby, I'm sorry. I'm just in a bad mood today," she pouted.
She leaned closer to Dan and whispered, seductively, into his ear, "What do you want, baby? You know I can make whatever you want happen."
Dan studied Tiffany's face for a moment. Her deep brown eyes were sparkling.
"Do you want me to kiss it to make it all better?" she playfully teased. She placed several light kisses along his arm. She knew the urges she was evoking in Dan. She continued up from his arm, making a trail of small kisses up to his lips. She briefly stopped at the edge of his lower lip and pulled back to see his face. She saw want she wanted to see and smiled her curious smile. Dan was completely enchanted by Tiffany. He was at a breathless impatience. It was time for the final blow.
Tiffany grabbed the back on Dan's head and pulled him into her locking lips. Her tongue explored his mouth for what seemed an eternality. Dan was ecstatic; he was in paradise. He lips had an exigency for Tiffany's. His hands explored Tiffany's body, forgetting the pervious pain he felt in his arm. Finally, Tiffany pulled away from the long embrace.
She got up from the ground were Dan lay and said, "If you want any more of that, win me my jewel."
Dan got off the ground and looked a Tiffany, lust in his eyes, "You said I could have whatever I want after this, right?"
Tiffany nodded and went to lay on the bed. "Whatever you want," she said with a wink.
"I want Nefer-Tina."
Tiffany gasped in shook. Dan had a fancy for Nefer-Tina. Interesting, she thought. "That's not going to be easy," Tiffany stated in her usual calm demeanor.
"Winning this competition isn't going to be easy," he rebutted.
The two stood in a trance staring at each other, trying to see which one would give up first. When Tiffany saw that it would never end she agreed to give Nefer-Tina to him. It would just take a little more creative planning on her part.
"By the way, you're sleeping on the couch again," she said, giving him an arrogant smirk.
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Nefer-Tina had managed to get Ja-Kal into the hotel room and had placed him on the bed. She had wet a towel and placed it on his head to help the fever.
Knock! Knock!
"Oh, it must be the doctor. Hold on, Ja-Kal," she whispered.
Nefer-Tina left Ja-Kal's side and went to answer the door.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Carter," he greeted.
"Hello. Ja-Kal is on the bed, doctor," she informed, leading him to Ja-Kal.
Dr. Carter walked over and took a small flashlight and examined Ja-Kal's eyes.
Nefer-Tina stood behind the doctor with great anxiety written on her face.
"He blacked out on the elevator. He seemed delirious," she said, softly.
"Hmmm…When did he first start to feel the symptoms?" Dr. Carter asked, checking Ja-Kal's pulse.
"In the middle of when we were eating desert. It was a messy sundae."
"I've never know messy sundaes to get people sick, but you never know now and days with all these artificial ingredients," the doctor said, trying to cheer up the mood.
Nefer-Tina let a small laugh escape her lips. "I don't think he got a lot of rest last night. I think he missed breakfast too," she added.
Dr. Carter got up from the bed and walked over to Nefer-Tina. "It want to say it's fatigue, but I can't. He does show signs of fatigue, but he also has a high fever. Here are some pills to give to him for the headache. He should take one tonight and another tomorrow morning."
Nefer-Tina took the pills from the doctor.
"I would also advise you to keep him dressed in bare minimum, such as shorts, for tonight to help the fever go down. We want him to stay cool for the night. Oh, and make sure he eats breakfast from now on. Skipping meals is not healthy and especially the most important meal of the day," he concluded.
"Thank you, Dr. Carter."
Dr. Carter collected his things and walked out of the room.
Nefer-Tina stood motionless for a second. She had to undress Ja-Kal, yet she still had to respect his modesty.
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Nefer-Tina had easily taking Ja-Kal's coat, shirt, shoes, and socks. She stood over him, trying to figure out how she could get him out of his pants without actually seeing anything.
In the end she decided to cover his lower body with a sheets and pull his pants down at his feet. The hard part had been to unzip the pants, but Nefer-Tina had carefully succeeded.
Ja-Kal was now down to his boxers. At least, she thought they were boxers. Nefer-Tina couldn't really tell what they were from under the sheets.
She searched his clothes and found a pair of shorts. Carefully she slipped them on Ja-Kal. When she had finished she relaxed against the wall, exhausted from the long day.
Nefer-Tina tucked him into bed and pulled a chair next to him. She wet the towel again and applied it to his forehead.
After an hour, Ja-Kal's eyes opened. He looked extremely weak and worn out.
"Ja-Kal, you have to take a pill okay?" Nefer-Tina softly whispered.
He moved his head, and Nefer-Tina assumed it was a nod. She took the pill that Dr. Carter had given her and feed him the pill. She gave Ja-Kal a cup of water to help swallow it.
She spent another hour by his side, trying to comfort him. She ran her fingers through his wet hair and caressed his cheek. She would only leave his side to wet the towel on his forehead again.
The clock in the room showed the time to be midnight. Nefer-Tina yawned. She figured that they had entered the room at around nine.
Nefer-Tina's eyelids started to get heavy, but she kept herself awake. Finally, she saw that resistance to sleep was futile and that she needed to sleep for the athletic competitions.
Nefer-Tina gazed at the couch and sighed. She would have preferred the soft bed.
She had changed, brushed her teeth, and fixed up the couch to sleep on. Nefer-Tina laid on the bed pondering if Ja-Kal had really meant what he said. She dismissed the idea to the fact that he was most likely delirious. She tried to go to sleep, but found that she couldn't get comfortable on the couch. She kept tossing and turning, until she finally gave up and walked back to the chair next to Ja-Kal.
"I wonder what got you sick, Ja-Kal?" she questioned the room. She let a hand linger on his arm, but quickly pulled it away as he shifted.
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Ja-Kal woke up and felt better. His headache still hurt, but not at the degree before. He couldn't remember much of the night before and blamed the sickness. Turning on his side made a wave of aggravation wash over him.
His vision was slightly hazy and couldn't clearly see the woman next to him. He rubbed his eyes in hopes of clearing them up.
She had luscious raven black locks and a light tan complexion. The woman sighed and shifted closer to Ja-Kal. He felt a smooth leg rub against his own.
Ja-Kal was frozen. He had no idea what had transpired the night before. In his mind he was wondering were Nefer-Tina was and what he was doing in bed with a strange woman. He looked down at himself and found that his shirt was missing and his body was covered in sweat. He pulled the sheets up and looked down at himself. He breathed a sign of relief. He still had his shorts on. Wait! He wasn't wearing any shorts last night.
He glanced over at the hazy looking woman besides him. She was covered up to her neck in the sheets, firmly wrapped in them like a mummy. He couldn't tell if she was clothed and was too polite to find out.
He rubbed his eyes once again and he was able to see clearly.
Ja-Kal swallowed a lump in his throat.
The woman next to him was Nefer-Tina and she had a pleasant smile on her face.
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TO BE CONTINUED…
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A/N ~~ On the next chapter, the athletic competition takes place with a few surprises! Plus, you get to find out why Nefer-Tina is sharing a bed with Ja-Kal!
