Chapter Eleven
Two weeks had gone by and although Ardeth had come round a few hours after the injection from the doctor. He was still ill, not physically, the doctor had said that. It was a mental problem, the doctor called it a nervous breakdown, caused by the events of the camp.
All they could do was be there for him and help him try and come to terms with it. He would never get over it, there was no way but with time he might be able to deal with it.
He spent most of the time in the grounds, either sitting by the small fountain or walking by the trees. The weather was lovely at the moment, it always was in the summer months. He wasn't eating properly but picked at the food given him and he had cried a lot, although he did most of that when he thought no-one could hear or see him.
Alex was well on the mend, he was young and although he would never forget what happened, he dealt with it a lot better. But then young people always did. He was putting on weight and his hair was growing back nicely. Within another couple of weeks no-one would have ever thought he had been in the camp. Except for the tattoo number on his arm, that would always be a reminder.
"Father Shandor, why are you interested in the post the last few days and watching out of the window all the time. Are we in for some more trouble" he asked one morning.
"Alex, come in here and sit down, I have something to tell you that I should have mentioned a couple of weeks ago"
"What is it?"
The Father sat on the sofa in the corner and Alex sat opposite him.
"When Ardeth collapsed the other week and the doctor came out to him, you were writing to your mother were you not?"
Alex nodded and told him that he had finished it quickly because of Ardeth. The man asked him if he had told Evy how ill Ardeth was. He shook his head.
"Well I did, I sent the letter with yours, she would have got it the same time. I have asked her to write to him. This time I am not risking Ardeth going back there too soon, but he needs help and I think she could give it too him. What happened last time was physical but this time he has gone through a lot more, so have you. But unlike you, he can't put it to one side and get on with things. I wish he could."
"If you asked her to write she will. I have problems with that place, but he is more sensitive than I am, he cares more than I do, about other people. I have always cared about myself in a way. I would put my life on the line for him and my family but I find it difficult to do that for other people who I don't know. Does that sound awful?"
"Not at all, you are human. If people were honest I think most of us would do that. It was the children I think that effected him more than anything else. He will get better, but it will take time. I think in about another month and he could go back to Egypt."
He told Alex that there were more rumours that the allies were advancing on Germany and hopefully the war would be over by the new year. That was only a few months away. Everyone in the monastery were told to watch over Ardeth but not to pressure him to talk about things, he had to do that himself.
A few days later, an old truck arrived at the gates of the monastery and one of the brothers went out to see who it was. One of the other Brothers got off and then a woman. They went into the main gate and then she was led to the study where Father Shandor was writing.
"Come in" he said as there was a knock on the door.
"Hello Father" said a voice.
He looked up and got the shock of his life.
"My God…Evy…what are you doing here, how did you get here?"
"I got your letter and the one from Alex. I made some inquiries and found a ship to bring me here and…well here I am" she said.
"Please sit down, Brother John bring some tea and tell Alex to come to my study. Evy it is good to see you"
"Father, I have to tell you something before Alex gets here. Rick has gone for good, that is one reason why I came here. I have to tell Alex somehow, he was his father after all"
"I think Alex already knows that Rick and you are…how shall we say…not together any more. He guessed a long time ago, the arguments etc. he did talk to me about it."
"MUM….oh wow, what are you doing here" shouted Alex running to give her a hug.
"You look terrible Alex, what has happened to you?"
He sat her down and Father Shandor left them to talk. He knew the young man had a lot to tell her and he didn't want to intrude. About half an hour later he went back and he could see Evy had been crying. He had ordered tea and food from the kitchen and went to sit beside them.
"Mum knows everything, I have kept nothing from her" said Alex. "I couldn't, I have always tried not to lie to her"
"How could those people do such things. It is awful, those poor people, why is he allowed to get away with it?"
"Most people are scared to fight back" replied the Father "he will get his comeuppance one day soon and then he will only have God to answer to"
"How is Ardeth, do you think he will ever get over this"
"I don't know, but I was hoping that a letter from you might help but you coming here could be a miracle for him. He needs someone he can confide in and where Alex and the rest of us would be there for him, maybe a woman would be better"
The man came in with the tea and Father Shandor asked him where Ardeth was. He told him that the man was asleep at the moment and did he want him to get him.
"No, leave him, he won't sleep long, we will see him soon. Make sure he is okay though and just keep checking on him"
The man nodded and Evy asked why they did that. He told her everything that had happened, even things that Alex did not know. She told him that she would have her tea etc and then she would go and sit with him and be there for when he woke up.
"That would be a good idea, I will show where his room is but first I will show you where you can sleep. It will be a room next to Ardeth and across from Alex. They are only small rooms in the monastery but then we do not need material things. If there is anything you need please tell one of the brothers and they will get it for you"
She thanked him and followed him to where Ardeth was sleeping and was shocked at his appearance even more than at Alex's. she had never seen him with short hair before and he looked so pale and thin. Sitting beside him, she took his hand in hers and watched him as he slept and wondered what he would say when he woke and found her there.
Tears ran down her face as she looked at him, how could she help this man, she was having problems coping without Rick, the man she always thought would be there for her.
"Evy…am I dreaming?" he said waking up.
"No Ardeth, I am here. I came to see how you were, everyone is worried about you" she replied.
She helped him sit up and he asked if Rick was there. She told him no and what had happened between them.
"Anyway it doesn't matter how I am, how are you feeling?"
"I don't know Evy, I really don't know. I am eating a bit better, but that is all. I feel tired but can't sleep, when I do, the dreams of that place haunt me and I wake up. That is it for the rest of the night. But mainly it's the headaches, they never seem to go."
"If you want to talk, I'm here to listen Ardeth. Maybe if you talked about it, the dreams would go away."
He sat there, his head in his hands and that was when she saw the extra tattoo, she asked him what it was. Looking down at it, his face went pale. He had forgotten about that and being reminded took him back to the camp. Suddenly he started shaking and his breathing got a bit quicker. Evy put her arms round him and pulled him against her and held him tight.
"Shhhh, it's okay, you're safe now, nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again, I promise"
She had no idea really what exactly had happened to him in that camp, but maybe he would tell her in his own time. His breathing calmed down but the tears started to flow and soon he was a sobbing wreck in her arms. Moving onto the bed and laying down beside him, she pulled him into her arms and he grasped her tightly as he sobbed into her shoulder.
They must have laid there for a long time before he stopped and looking down, she saw that he was asleep, at least for a while.
Getting him comfortable, she slipped out of the room and went to find Father Shandor. She needed to know some of what to expect if he did tell her what happened to him.
"Thank you for telling me some of it" she said later "It gives me some idea why he is in such a state."
"It is going to take a long time Evy, I want him to stay here for a while and then you can take him back to Egypt. I would think another week should be enough. I was going to make it longer but now you are here I don't think keeping him from home would help him"
She left the Father and having something to eat, went out into the grounds of the monastery. It was lovely there and it seemed strange to think that only a few miles away, a war was being fought. As she sat there, Ardeth walked out and over to where she was.
"Evy, please forgive me for earlier, I feel embarrassed about crying in front of you" he said.
"Oh Ardeth, don't be silly, we all need that, it doesn't make me thing any less of you. Come, sit with me and talk to me. The more you do the quicker you will get better"
He took a deep breath and sitting down on the bench, began to relate everything that had happened since they left Egypt. He hadn't wanted to before but something about this woman made him open up. As he talked, they got up and walked to this big oak tree and sat underneath it. It was about five hours before he finished and by that time Evy had tears streaming down her face. He turned to her.
"Evy…oh God I'm sorry, I never thought about how this would effect you."
"Don't worry about me" she sniffed "How anyone could have survived that I don't know. Those poor people and the children. Are they all dead?"
"I would imagine that most are or soon will be. If they had just gassed them, I could have coped with that to a point, but to see them…to see the other things that they did to them…oh Evy…Alex saw it all too and worked with me, doing the jobs that they made me do. But he doesn't seem to be affected like me"
"Ardeth, my son is young, okay is 19 but is still a baby as far as I am concerned. He hasn't got the qualities that you have, nor the experience of life. It may not hit him now but it will sooner or later, something will trigger the memories off and he will come down to earth with a bump. He may also be keeping it in to help you"
The man moved round so that he could lay his head on Evy's lap, he didn't know why he did that, but it seemed natural and he needed to feel close to someone at the moment.
Father shandor was watching from the window with Alex. He was pleased with the way it was going so quickly.
"Your mother is a fine woman, he has talked to her for hours out there, something he hasn't done before. I am glad she came here and not written the letter as I thought she would. What about your father, did you know about that"
"So am I. I knew my father and her weren't happy, they hadn't been for a long time. But I really didn't thought they might work it out. But I am not surprised he has gone, he had threatened to many times after Ahm Shere and even more after the last trip to Germany."
"What about Ardeth and your mother, what if something comes of this?"
"Well, as long as mum is happy again, I don't mind. I love Ardeth, I have since I was a child. He treats me like a son anyway, he never had one of his own. I am his second in command now and…yes it would be nice to see them together, I think"
For another week they talked and Ardeth seemed to be eating and sleeping a lot better, especially when Evy was with him. He even had long talks with Alex which he hadn't done since their return to the monastery.
"How are the headaches Ardeth?" he asked one morning.
"Getting less and less, I feel stronger and I think I can put this behind me now. I will never be able to forget what happened but maybe I am not supposed to. What about you, how do you feel about me spending so much time with your mother, she has spent so little time with you since she has been here"
"I am happy about it Ardeth. In fact I have never seen mother so happy, not since Ahm Shere. You never knew about the arguments that her and my dad had after we came back. She put on a front for you and anyone else that came round. But she was so unhappy and then dad started spending more and more time away from home, it didn't help that I was at the camp all the time but she didn't want me there with the rows. Even Uncle Jon left a couple of times but came back because of mum. I think you two are good together, she has certainly helped you in the last few days"
They went into the building and walked to Father Shandors study, Ardeth had not really spoken to him since their return and he owed him so much again. Alex left them to talk.
"I am glad you are better my friend, I wondered at one stage if you would ever get over this"
"Yes, I am…coping with it…I will never get over it but there is something I want to discuss with you before I go back to Egypt on Friday" he said.
"Of course, anything you know that. Wait before we settle down, we will have a bite to eat and a drink. I haven't done that with you for a while. Talking can wait for a while"
Ardeth nodded and joined him at the small table in the corner and found he was quite hungry for once, which made the Father smile for the first time in ages at his friend.
Then they retired to the two big armchairs that stood by the fire, which weren't alight at this time of year and he waited to hear what Ardeth had in mind.
Two weeks had gone by and although Ardeth had come round a few hours after the injection from the doctor. He was still ill, not physically, the doctor had said that. It was a mental problem, the doctor called it a nervous breakdown, caused by the events of the camp.
All they could do was be there for him and help him try and come to terms with it. He would never get over it, there was no way but with time he might be able to deal with it.
He spent most of the time in the grounds, either sitting by the small fountain or walking by the trees. The weather was lovely at the moment, it always was in the summer months. He wasn't eating properly but picked at the food given him and he had cried a lot, although he did most of that when he thought no-one could hear or see him.
Alex was well on the mend, he was young and although he would never forget what happened, he dealt with it a lot better. But then young people always did. He was putting on weight and his hair was growing back nicely. Within another couple of weeks no-one would have ever thought he had been in the camp. Except for the tattoo number on his arm, that would always be a reminder.
"Father Shandor, why are you interested in the post the last few days and watching out of the window all the time. Are we in for some more trouble" he asked one morning.
"Alex, come in here and sit down, I have something to tell you that I should have mentioned a couple of weeks ago"
"What is it?"
The Father sat on the sofa in the corner and Alex sat opposite him.
"When Ardeth collapsed the other week and the doctor came out to him, you were writing to your mother were you not?"
Alex nodded and told him that he had finished it quickly because of Ardeth. The man asked him if he had told Evy how ill Ardeth was. He shook his head.
"Well I did, I sent the letter with yours, she would have got it the same time. I have asked her to write to him. This time I am not risking Ardeth going back there too soon, but he needs help and I think she could give it too him. What happened last time was physical but this time he has gone through a lot more, so have you. But unlike you, he can't put it to one side and get on with things. I wish he could."
"If you asked her to write she will. I have problems with that place, but he is more sensitive than I am, he cares more than I do, about other people. I have always cared about myself in a way. I would put my life on the line for him and my family but I find it difficult to do that for other people who I don't know. Does that sound awful?"
"Not at all, you are human. If people were honest I think most of us would do that. It was the children I think that effected him more than anything else. He will get better, but it will take time. I think in about another month and he could go back to Egypt."
He told Alex that there were more rumours that the allies were advancing on Germany and hopefully the war would be over by the new year. That was only a few months away. Everyone in the monastery were told to watch over Ardeth but not to pressure him to talk about things, he had to do that himself.
A few days later, an old truck arrived at the gates of the monastery and one of the brothers went out to see who it was. One of the other Brothers got off and then a woman. They went into the main gate and then she was led to the study where Father Shandor was writing.
"Come in" he said as there was a knock on the door.
"Hello Father" said a voice.
He looked up and got the shock of his life.
"My God…Evy…what are you doing here, how did you get here?"
"I got your letter and the one from Alex. I made some inquiries and found a ship to bring me here and…well here I am" she said.
"Please sit down, Brother John bring some tea and tell Alex to come to my study. Evy it is good to see you"
"Father, I have to tell you something before Alex gets here. Rick has gone for good, that is one reason why I came here. I have to tell Alex somehow, he was his father after all"
"I think Alex already knows that Rick and you are…how shall we say…not together any more. He guessed a long time ago, the arguments etc. he did talk to me about it."
"MUM….oh wow, what are you doing here" shouted Alex running to give her a hug.
"You look terrible Alex, what has happened to you?"
He sat her down and Father Shandor left them to talk. He knew the young man had a lot to tell her and he didn't want to intrude. About half an hour later he went back and he could see Evy had been crying. He had ordered tea and food from the kitchen and went to sit beside them.
"Mum knows everything, I have kept nothing from her" said Alex. "I couldn't, I have always tried not to lie to her"
"How could those people do such things. It is awful, those poor people, why is he allowed to get away with it?"
"Most people are scared to fight back" replied the Father "he will get his comeuppance one day soon and then he will only have God to answer to"
"How is Ardeth, do you think he will ever get over this"
"I don't know, but I was hoping that a letter from you might help but you coming here could be a miracle for him. He needs someone he can confide in and where Alex and the rest of us would be there for him, maybe a woman would be better"
The man came in with the tea and Father Shandor asked him where Ardeth was. He told him that the man was asleep at the moment and did he want him to get him.
"No, leave him, he won't sleep long, we will see him soon. Make sure he is okay though and just keep checking on him"
The man nodded and Evy asked why they did that. He told her everything that had happened, even things that Alex did not know. She told him that she would have her tea etc and then she would go and sit with him and be there for when he woke up.
"That would be a good idea, I will show where his room is but first I will show you where you can sleep. It will be a room next to Ardeth and across from Alex. They are only small rooms in the monastery but then we do not need material things. If there is anything you need please tell one of the brothers and they will get it for you"
She thanked him and followed him to where Ardeth was sleeping and was shocked at his appearance even more than at Alex's. she had never seen him with short hair before and he looked so pale and thin. Sitting beside him, she took his hand in hers and watched him as he slept and wondered what he would say when he woke and found her there.
Tears ran down her face as she looked at him, how could she help this man, she was having problems coping without Rick, the man she always thought would be there for her.
"Evy…am I dreaming?" he said waking up.
"No Ardeth, I am here. I came to see how you were, everyone is worried about you" she replied.
She helped him sit up and he asked if Rick was there. She told him no and what had happened between them.
"Anyway it doesn't matter how I am, how are you feeling?"
"I don't know Evy, I really don't know. I am eating a bit better, but that is all. I feel tired but can't sleep, when I do, the dreams of that place haunt me and I wake up. That is it for the rest of the night. But mainly it's the headaches, they never seem to go."
"If you want to talk, I'm here to listen Ardeth. Maybe if you talked about it, the dreams would go away."
He sat there, his head in his hands and that was when she saw the extra tattoo, she asked him what it was. Looking down at it, his face went pale. He had forgotten about that and being reminded took him back to the camp. Suddenly he started shaking and his breathing got a bit quicker. Evy put her arms round him and pulled him against her and held him tight.
"Shhhh, it's okay, you're safe now, nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again, I promise"
She had no idea really what exactly had happened to him in that camp, but maybe he would tell her in his own time. His breathing calmed down but the tears started to flow and soon he was a sobbing wreck in her arms. Moving onto the bed and laying down beside him, she pulled him into her arms and he grasped her tightly as he sobbed into her shoulder.
They must have laid there for a long time before he stopped and looking down, she saw that he was asleep, at least for a while.
Getting him comfortable, she slipped out of the room and went to find Father Shandor. She needed to know some of what to expect if he did tell her what happened to him.
"Thank you for telling me some of it" she said later "It gives me some idea why he is in such a state."
"It is going to take a long time Evy, I want him to stay here for a while and then you can take him back to Egypt. I would think another week should be enough. I was going to make it longer but now you are here I don't think keeping him from home would help him"
She left the Father and having something to eat, went out into the grounds of the monastery. It was lovely there and it seemed strange to think that only a few miles away, a war was being fought. As she sat there, Ardeth walked out and over to where she was.
"Evy, please forgive me for earlier, I feel embarrassed about crying in front of you" he said.
"Oh Ardeth, don't be silly, we all need that, it doesn't make me thing any less of you. Come, sit with me and talk to me. The more you do the quicker you will get better"
He took a deep breath and sitting down on the bench, began to relate everything that had happened since they left Egypt. He hadn't wanted to before but something about this woman made him open up. As he talked, they got up and walked to this big oak tree and sat underneath it. It was about five hours before he finished and by that time Evy had tears streaming down her face. He turned to her.
"Evy…oh God I'm sorry, I never thought about how this would effect you."
"Don't worry about me" she sniffed "How anyone could have survived that I don't know. Those poor people and the children. Are they all dead?"
"I would imagine that most are or soon will be. If they had just gassed them, I could have coped with that to a point, but to see them…to see the other things that they did to them…oh Evy…Alex saw it all too and worked with me, doing the jobs that they made me do. But he doesn't seem to be affected like me"
"Ardeth, my son is young, okay is 19 but is still a baby as far as I am concerned. He hasn't got the qualities that you have, nor the experience of life. It may not hit him now but it will sooner or later, something will trigger the memories off and he will come down to earth with a bump. He may also be keeping it in to help you"
The man moved round so that he could lay his head on Evy's lap, he didn't know why he did that, but it seemed natural and he needed to feel close to someone at the moment.
Father shandor was watching from the window with Alex. He was pleased with the way it was going so quickly.
"Your mother is a fine woman, he has talked to her for hours out there, something he hasn't done before. I am glad she came here and not written the letter as I thought she would. What about your father, did you know about that"
"So am I. I knew my father and her weren't happy, they hadn't been for a long time. But I really didn't thought they might work it out. But I am not surprised he has gone, he had threatened to many times after Ahm Shere and even more after the last trip to Germany."
"What about Ardeth and your mother, what if something comes of this?"
"Well, as long as mum is happy again, I don't mind. I love Ardeth, I have since I was a child. He treats me like a son anyway, he never had one of his own. I am his second in command now and…yes it would be nice to see them together, I think"
For another week they talked and Ardeth seemed to be eating and sleeping a lot better, especially when Evy was with him. He even had long talks with Alex which he hadn't done since their return to the monastery.
"How are the headaches Ardeth?" he asked one morning.
"Getting less and less, I feel stronger and I think I can put this behind me now. I will never be able to forget what happened but maybe I am not supposed to. What about you, how do you feel about me spending so much time with your mother, she has spent so little time with you since she has been here"
"I am happy about it Ardeth. In fact I have never seen mother so happy, not since Ahm Shere. You never knew about the arguments that her and my dad had after we came back. She put on a front for you and anyone else that came round. But she was so unhappy and then dad started spending more and more time away from home, it didn't help that I was at the camp all the time but she didn't want me there with the rows. Even Uncle Jon left a couple of times but came back because of mum. I think you two are good together, she has certainly helped you in the last few days"
They went into the building and walked to Father Shandors study, Ardeth had not really spoken to him since their return and he owed him so much again. Alex left them to talk.
"I am glad you are better my friend, I wondered at one stage if you would ever get over this"
"Yes, I am…coping with it…I will never get over it but there is something I want to discuss with you before I go back to Egypt on Friday" he said.
"Of course, anything you know that. Wait before we settle down, we will have a bite to eat and a drink. I haven't done that with you for a while. Talking can wait for a while"
Ardeth nodded and joined him at the small table in the corner and found he was quite hungry for once, which made the Father smile for the first time in ages at his friend.
Then they retired to the two big armchairs that stood by the fire, which weren't alight at this time of year and he waited to hear what Ardeth had in mind.
