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"I would have helped to bring him in if you had waited."
"When I told him his wife was in here he managed enough strength to walk in."
"Whatever that bright light was that hit them seemed to really sap his energy." Elaina said as Frank carried Ardeth to the couch. "Layla, are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine. I was very weak at first but I seem to be recovering." Layla sat beside Ardeth after Frank laid him on the couch. "My husband had been in a battle a week ago and he was hurt and lost a lot of blood. He is still somewhat weakened from that." She looked intently at her husband. " I wish we had never made the trip to Cairo. We should have stayed at the camp." Layla brushed the hair from his face, tenderly as she whispered words of encouragement.
"I'll make that call to Daniel and have him come over to check him out," Frank whispered to her.
"Don't give him the story. Just tell him we have guests that aren't feeling well," Elaina suggested.
"Yeah he'll say it was your cooking that did it." Frank joked. Elaina stuck her tongue out at him. "Sorry. I love your cooking remember?" Frank gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Food. Why didn't I think of that?" Elaina said to herself. "Layla, would you like something to eat?"
"La. I'm too worried to eat right now." Layla rubbed her husband's hand and whispered to him in their language.
Frank walked back in from calling Daniel. "He'll be here in about 45 minutes. I was right, he blamed the cook. Me, this time." Frank smiled.
"She is so worried about him. I hope he wakes up soon to calm her nerves." Elaina said quietly.
"I'm curious to find out more about him." Frank said, still wondering how they could look so much alike.
"Come in the office with me, I may have the answer to his looking like you." Elaina took his hand and led him to the office.
"What could you possibly have in here that would answer my questions? Believe me, I have plenty." Frank sat down at the desk as Elaina plugged in her computer.
"I asked your mother to send me as much of your family history as she could find. The email I got from her said she had found a great deal but I have never opened the attachment to read it."
"You think that since we look alike we must be related?" Frank doubted that.
"It would be a start. Right now we have nothing to go on other than the fact that he seemed to recognize the last name before he passed out."
"I see your point."
While waiting for the computer to open the program Elaina realized something. "Do you know that we have been together for over 10 years and I only truly know your mother and father? I've heard you and them discussing other members of your family but I haven't met anyone. Why is that?"
"My parents are the only ones worth knowing as far as I'm concerned. Besides you never asked me about my family, so that is your fault." "Why do I bother even talking to you at times?" Elaina said under her breath as the attachment opened. He was always blaming her for not asking questions she thought he should willingly volunteer information to.
"I would think I would remember someone in my family by the name of Bay, and I don't." Frank told her, looking over her shoulder.
"Well, Love, you don't know your own family very well then, because there is someone in your family by that name. But don't sweat it. I don't know much about mine either."
"Where?" Frank asked as Elaina pointed to the screen.
"Let's see, your grandfather Samuel Donovan's brother, your great uncle Edward, married Asima Bay who is Ardeth's aunt. That makes you cousins, I think." Elaina looked at Frank. "Did I confuse you?"
"A little. I honestly never knew my Great Uncle. I suppose that's why I didn't know the connection."
"Like I said, I have relation all over the place according to Mom but I never paid attention to who they were married to or divorced from. I think I will go check on our.cousins." Elaina exited the office, leaving Frank to study the family tree. There was a knock on the door as she started for the living room. She opened the door and saw that it was Daniel.
"Nice night, don't you think?" Daniel laughed coming in. "Frank said I had a victim here."
"Yes. Please don't use your humor in front of them." Elaina warned him, taking his wet overcoat and turning to the group in the living room. "Frank's cousins are here for a visit and Ardeth is not feeling well. He passed out right before Frank called you and hasn't yet awakened," Elaina explained as she walked him into the room. "Layla, this is my doctor and friend Daniel. I would like for him to check on Ardeth. Is that ok with you?"
"Aywa. Please help my husband." Layla moved away from the couch so Daniel could examine Ardeth. Frank came from the office and stood by Elaina.
"Layla is looking very tired. Why don't you show her to the guest room and I'll stay down here?" Frank suggested.
"Layla. Why don't you come with me and I'll show you where you'll be staying?" Elaina said to her.
"I want to stay in case he wakes up. He will not know the doctor." Layla had a worried look on her face as she watched the doctor examine Ardeth.
"Layla, I'll watch over him. You need to rest too," Frank insisted.
"La! I will stay here until the doctor is finished." Layla sat in the chair across form the couch watching the doctor examine her husband.
As Daniel was finishing his exam Ardeth started to come around. He was startled to find yet another stranger touching him. "Who are you? Khabar e?" Ardeth spoke in both his native tongue and English.
Layla moved back over to Ardeth. She took his hand and held it to her chest. "It is alright, Hubee. He is a healer. He is just making sure you are well."
Ardeth sat up and looked around at his surroundings. "It was not a dream? We are not in Cairo. Where are we?" He was very confused.
Frank came over to talk with Ardeth in hopes of helping Layla explain what was going on. Elaina walked Daniel to the door. "What is he talking about, not in Cairo anymore?" "You tell me. Is there anything wrong with him?" Elaina asked, not wanting to explain the circumstances of them being there.
"I noticed he is healing from a very serious wound. That is probably why he is so weak. With a wound like that he would have lost a lot of blood. He really shouldn't have been traveling in his condition."
"So is there anything we can do for him?"
"Make sure he gets a good night's sleep and if he isn't feeling any better call me." Daniel said as he put his coat on.
"We will. Drive safe, I would hate to have to break in a new doctor." Elaina smiled as he walked out into the gentle rain. Elaina walked back to the living room.
"Ardeth, do you remember Elaina?" Layla asked as Elaina walked over to them. "She is the one who found you."
"Yes I remember. Shukran," Ardeth smiled at her. "I am sorry for the intrusion. I don't know why or how it happened."
"Well, don't feel bad, I don't have any idea either. I am more worried as to how you are going to get back."
"That does seem to be a big mystery," Frank said.
"It is getting late. Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep? We'll all be able to think better in the morning," Elaina suggested.
"You are very kind to open your home to us. We are complete strangers and yet it feels comfortable to be here." Ardeth said.
"You may be a stranger but you are family too." Elaina told him. She saw their confusion. "Ardeth, you are Frank's distant cousin. Your Aunt Asima married his great uncle Edward."
"I was wondering if we were related when I heard the name earlier but I blacked out before I could mention it." Ardeth stood to look around. "I am fine. I can walk on my own," he insisted when Frank took hold of his arm.
"Shall we go see your room now?" Elaina asked.
"I would like that very much. I am feeling very tired," Layla said taking her husband's arm.
"I don't need help, Layla." Ardeth protested, pulling away from her.
"But I do, I am very tired." Layla knew he didn't want to show any more weakness in front of the others. She would allow him to think he was helping her.
Frank and Elaina led the way up the stairs arm in arm.
"Your home is very beautiful." Layla said, stopping for a second on the stairs, noticing Ardeth was tiring.
"Shukran. We had to rebuild recently due to a fire. I like it better now." As they reached the hallway, Elaina pointed to a door. "This will be your room."
"It is bigger than our tent at home." Layla said, astonished at the size.
"This is very beautiful." Ardeth walked in and sat down on the bed. Elaina had stopped to look in on Sarah and brought her to meet their guests, since she was awake again. "Bintee, Sarah."
Layla's smile brightened as she saw the little girl. " She is so precious." Layla said walking over to her. "I love children. I cannot wait to have one of my own."
"I'm sure you will be blessed with one soon. Have you and Ardeth been married long?"
"Only a few months," Layla told her.
"She has been restless with this storm." Elaina explained as Sarah saw the woman and shied away.
"I guess I frightened her." Layla stepped back from her.
"She's very shy with strangers but once she gets to know you she's your best friend." Elaina signed to Sarah as she spoke. "This is Layla. The man over with Daddy is Ardeth, her husband. They are visiting us a while."
"You use your hands to speak to her as well as your voice?" Layla was surprised.
"It's American Sign Language for the deaf and hearing impaired." Elaina told her. My father is deaf and we want her to be able to communicate with him, so we try to sign as much as possible around her."
"I have never seen it used before. It looks very graceful, but difficult," Layla observed as Elaina continued to sign to Sarah.
"It is a little difficult. There are some signs that are similar and she gets them mixed up at times. That is why we sign to her as often as possible."
"She is very beautiful. She has her father's eyes." Layla bent down to be eye to eye with Sarah. "The dark hair she gets from him as well."
"Yes, she looks more like him as she gets older." Elaina said as Sarah reached for a necklace that Layla had on. "Sarah don't."
"It is alright. She may look at it, my husband has a pendant like it only larger. It is a symbol of our status in the tribe."
"It's very interesting and unique." Elaina said, looking at it as Sarah played with it. "As you can see she is warming up to you."
"Mom."
Elaina turned to see Derek standing in the doorway. "I see you made it through the storm. Layla, this is Derek, my son."
"Hello. Nice to meet you." Derek shook her hand.
Frank and Ardeth walked over to the ladies and Derek. "Derek. This is Ardeth Bay, Layla's husband. This is our son." Frank stressed the word 'our', having heard Elaina introduce him as 'her' son.
"Nice to meet both of you. I would introduce my girlfriend but she was tired and went straight to bed."
"Then we will meet her in the morning." Ardeth said.
"I'm going to bed, too. Nice meeting both of you." Derek gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, then bent down and kissed Sarah, too.
"Ok sweetie, good night." Elaina picked up Sarah.
"He takes after you, a little as well," Layla said to Frank as Derek left the room.
"Derek isn't my son, exactly," Frank started to explain. "Derek is from Elaina's first marriage and I adopted him."
"Everyone thinks he looks like Frank," Elaina sighed ruefully. "If you knew my first husband you would know why we like the fact people say what they do."
"He must have been a terrible husband for you to say that," Layla said.
"He was very kind in the beginning but he changed. He is not in our lives now. He is far away and I plan to keep him away." Elaina told her. "I'm sorry. That man isn't one I like to speak of."
"Then we will not any more." Layla took the pendant from Sarah.
"I think it's time we leave you alone." Frank said gently pushing Elaina out the door.
"Good night." Elaina said as they left them to settle themselves in as they sought their own beds.
"Shukran" .. "Thank you." "Aywa" ."Yes" "La" .. "No." "Hubee" .. "My Love." "Khabar e?" .."What is going on?" "Bintee," . "My daughter,"
"I would have helped to bring him in if you had waited."
"When I told him his wife was in here he managed enough strength to walk in."
"Whatever that bright light was that hit them seemed to really sap his energy." Elaina said as Frank carried Ardeth to the couch. "Layla, are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine. I was very weak at first but I seem to be recovering." Layla sat beside Ardeth after Frank laid him on the couch. "My husband had been in a battle a week ago and he was hurt and lost a lot of blood. He is still somewhat weakened from that." She looked intently at her husband. " I wish we had never made the trip to Cairo. We should have stayed at the camp." Layla brushed the hair from his face, tenderly as she whispered words of encouragement.
"I'll make that call to Daniel and have him come over to check him out," Frank whispered to her.
"Don't give him the story. Just tell him we have guests that aren't feeling well," Elaina suggested.
"Yeah he'll say it was your cooking that did it." Frank joked. Elaina stuck her tongue out at him. "Sorry. I love your cooking remember?" Frank gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Food. Why didn't I think of that?" Elaina said to herself. "Layla, would you like something to eat?"
"La. I'm too worried to eat right now." Layla rubbed her husband's hand and whispered to him in their language.
Frank walked back in from calling Daniel. "He'll be here in about 45 minutes. I was right, he blamed the cook. Me, this time." Frank smiled.
"She is so worried about him. I hope he wakes up soon to calm her nerves." Elaina said quietly.
"I'm curious to find out more about him." Frank said, still wondering how they could look so much alike.
"Come in the office with me, I may have the answer to his looking like you." Elaina took his hand and led him to the office.
"What could you possibly have in here that would answer my questions? Believe me, I have plenty." Frank sat down at the desk as Elaina plugged in her computer.
"I asked your mother to send me as much of your family history as she could find. The email I got from her said she had found a great deal but I have never opened the attachment to read it."
"You think that since we look alike we must be related?" Frank doubted that.
"It would be a start. Right now we have nothing to go on other than the fact that he seemed to recognize the last name before he passed out."
"I see your point."
While waiting for the computer to open the program Elaina realized something. "Do you know that we have been together for over 10 years and I only truly know your mother and father? I've heard you and them discussing other members of your family but I haven't met anyone. Why is that?"
"My parents are the only ones worth knowing as far as I'm concerned. Besides you never asked me about my family, so that is your fault." "Why do I bother even talking to you at times?" Elaina said under her breath as the attachment opened. He was always blaming her for not asking questions she thought he should willingly volunteer information to.
"I would think I would remember someone in my family by the name of Bay, and I don't." Frank told her, looking over her shoulder.
"Well, Love, you don't know your own family very well then, because there is someone in your family by that name. But don't sweat it. I don't know much about mine either."
"Where?" Frank asked as Elaina pointed to the screen.
"Let's see, your grandfather Samuel Donovan's brother, your great uncle Edward, married Asima Bay who is Ardeth's aunt. That makes you cousins, I think." Elaina looked at Frank. "Did I confuse you?"
"A little. I honestly never knew my Great Uncle. I suppose that's why I didn't know the connection."
"Like I said, I have relation all over the place according to Mom but I never paid attention to who they were married to or divorced from. I think I will go check on our.cousins." Elaina exited the office, leaving Frank to study the family tree. There was a knock on the door as she started for the living room. She opened the door and saw that it was Daniel.
"Nice night, don't you think?" Daniel laughed coming in. "Frank said I had a victim here."
"Yes. Please don't use your humor in front of them." Elaina warned him, taking his wet overcoat and turning to the group in the living room. "Frank's cousins are here for a visit and Ardeth is not feeling well. He passed out right before Frank called you and hasn't yet awakened," Elaina explained as she walked him into the room. "Layla, this is my doctor and friend Daniel. I would like for him to check on Ardeth. Is that ok with you?"
"Aywa. Please help my husband." Layla moved away from the couch so Daniel could examine Ardeth. Frank came from the office and stood by Elaina.
"Layla is looking very tired. Why don't you show her to the guest room and I'll stay down here?" Frank suggested.
"Layla. Why don't you come with me and I'll show you where you'll be staying?" Elaina said to her.
"I want to stay in case he wakes up. He will not know the doctor." Layla had a worried look on her face as she watched the doctor examine Ardeth.
"Layla, I'll watch over him. You need to rest too," Frank insisted.
"La! I will stay here until the doctor is finished." Layla sat in the chair across form the couch watching the doctor examine her husband.
As Daniel was finishing his exam Ardeth started to come around. He was startled to find yet another stranger touching him. "Who are you? Khabar e?" Ardeth spoke in both his native tongue and English.
Layla moved back over to Ardeth. She took his hand and held it to her chest. "It is alright, Hubee. He is a healer. He is just making sure you are well."
Ardeth sat up and looked around at his surroundings. "It was not a dream? We are not in Cairo. Where are we?" He was very confused.
Frank came over to talk with Ardeth in hopes of helping Layla explain what was going on. Elaina walked Daniel to the door. "What is he talking about, not in Cairo anymore?" "You tell me. Is there anything wrong with him?" Elaina asked, not wanting to explain the circumstances of them being there.
"I noticed he is healing from a very serious wound. That is probably why he is so weak. With a wound like that he would have lost a lot of blood. He really shouldn't have been traveling in his condition."
"So is there anything we can do for him?"
"Make sure he gets a good night's sleep and if he isn't feeling any better call me." Daniel said as he put his coat on.
"We will. Drive safe, I would hate to have to break in a new doctor." Elaina smiled as he walked out into the gentle rain. Elaina walked back to the living room.
"Ardeth, do you remember Elaina?" Layla asked as Elaina walked over to them. "She is the one who found you."
"Yes I remember. Shukran," Ardeth smiled at her. "I am sorry for the intrusion. I don't know why or how it happened."
"Well, don't feel bad, I don't have any idea either. I am more worried as to how you are going to get back."
"That does seem to be a big mystery," Frank said.
"It is getting late. Why don't you go upstairs and get some sleep? We'll all be able to think better in the morning," Elaina suggested.
"You are very kind to open your home to us. We are complete strangers and yet it feels comfortable to be here." Ardeth said.
"You may be a stranger but you are family too." Elaina told him. She saw their confusion. "Ardeth, you are Frank's distant cousin. Your Aunt Asima married his great uncle Edward."
"I was wondering if we were related when I heard the name earlier but I blacked out before I could mention it." Ardeth stood to look around. "I am fine. I can walk on my own," he insisted when Frank took hold of his arm.
"Shall we go see your room now?" Elaina asked.
"I would like that very much. I am feeling very tired," Layla said taking her husband's arm.
"I don't need help, Layla." Ardeth protested, pulling away from her.
"But I do, I am very tired." Layla knew he didn't want to show any more weakness in front of the others. She would allow him to think he was helping her.
Frank and Elaina led the way up the stairs arm in arm.
"Your home is very beautiful." Layla said, stopping for a second on the stairs, noticing Ardeth was tiring.
"Shukran. We had to rebuild recently due to a fire. I like it better now." As they reached the hallway, Elaina pointed to a door. "This will be your room."
"It is bigger than our tent at home." Layla said, astonished at the size.
"This is very beautiful." Ardeth walked in and sat down on the bed. Elaina had stopped to look in on Sarah and brought her to meet their guests, since she was awake again. "Bintee, Sarah."
Layla's smile brightened as she saw the little girl. " She is so precious." Layla said walking over to her. "I love children. I cannot wait to have one of my own."
"I'm sure you will be blessed with one soon. Have you and Ardeth been married long?"
"Only a few months," Layla told her.
"She has been restless with this storm." Elaina explained as Sarah saw the woman and shied away.
"I guess I frightened her." Layla stepped back from her.
"She's very shy with strangers but once she gets to know you she's your best friend." Elaina signed to Sarah as she spoke. "This is Layla. The man over with Daddy is Ardeth, her husband. They are visiting us a while."
"You use your hands to speak to her as well as your voice?" Layla was surprised.
"It's American Sign Language for the deaf and hearing impaired." Elaina told her. My father is deaf and we want her to be able to communicate with him, so we try to sign as much as possible around her."
"I have never seen it used before. It looks very graceful, but difficult," Layla observed as Elaina continued to sign to Sarah.
"It is a little difficult. There are some signs that are similar and she gets them mixed up at times. That is why we sign to her as often as possible."
"She is very beautiful. She has her father's eyes." Layla bent down to be eye to eye with Sarah. "The dark hair she gets from him as well."
"Yes, she looks more like him as she gets older." Elaina said as Sarah reached for a necklace that Layla had on. "Sarah don't."
"It is alright. She may look at it, my husband has a pendant like it only larger. It is a symbol of our status in the tribe."
"It's very interesting and unique." Elaina said, looking at it as Sarah played with it. "As you can see she is warming up to you."
"Mom."
Elaina turned to see Derek standing in the doorway. "I see you made it through the storm. Layla, this is Derek, my son."
"Hello. Nice to meet you." Derek shook her hand.
Frank and Ardeth walked over to the ladies and Derek. "Derek. This is Ardeth Bay, Layla's husband. This is our son." Frank stressed the word 'our', having heard Elaina introduce him as 'her' son.
"Nice to meet both of you. I would introduce my girlfriend but she was tired and went straight to bed."
"Then we will meet her in the morning." Ardeth said.
"I'm going to bed, too. Nice meeting both of you." Derek gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, then bent down and kissed Sarah, too.
"Ok sweetie, good night." Elaina picked up Sarah.
"He takes after you, a little as well," Layla said to Frank as Derek left the room.
"Derek isn't my son, exactly," Frank started to explain. "Derek is from Elaina's first marriage and I adopted him."
"Everyone thinks he looks like Frank," Elaina sighed ruefully. "If you knew my first husband you would know why we like the fact people say what they do."
"He must have been a terrible husband for you to say that," Layla said.
"He was very kind in the beginning but he changed. He is not in our lives now. He is far away and I plan to keep him away." Elaina told her. "I'm sorry. That man isn't one I like to speak of."
"Then we will not any more." Layla took the pendant from Sarah.
"I think it's time we leave you alone." Frank said gently pushing Elaina out the door.
"Good night." Elaina said as they left them to settle themselves in as they sought their own beds.
"Shukran" .. "Thank you." "Aywa" ."Yes" "La" .. "No." "Hubee" .. "My Love." "Khabar e?" .."What is going on?" "Bintee," . "My daughter,"