Lifetime of Celebration
By Jeannette Hetfield
Chapter 2
The streets of Cairo were as busy as they ever were. People were bargaining in the souk, which could be seen from the balcony of Jensa's hotel room on the third floor. She smiled for the first time in months as she clasped her hands together and leaned her elbows on the wrought iron bars of the railing around the tiny balcony. She looked down. A little Egyptian boy looked up at the same time and waved to her. Jensa gave him a friendly smile and waved back.
It felt good to be in Egypt again. It felt right to be back. Just for an instant, her thoughts wandered back home. The police looked for Lyle, but he was nowhere to be found. Jensa's predictions about his departure turned out to be true. Her father chose to be optimistic. He said Lyle would probably never show his face again. Jensa didn't believe that. Money was power and Lyle wouldn't give that up. No, he would be back. It was just a question of where and when. Jensa shrugged Lyle away from her mind.
He's not going to ruin this for me. I won't let him, she told herself firmly.
Jensa glanced at her watch. It was close to noon. Michael suggested that they have the lunch in the Kenoba Hotel that they never got to have all those years ago when Jensa was kidnapped. It was a frightening memory, but Jensa laughed at his dry humor. She grabbed her purse and stopped to look at her reflection in the mirror. Jensa was only twenty-one, but she looked and felt older. The spark that had radiated around her eyes was no longer there. Jensa prayed that it was only hiding and that she would hopefully find it. It wasn't possible for her green eyes to actually fade like clothes at such a young age, but they appeared to have been left in the fading rays of the sun too long. Lyle had done that to her. Well, she was determined to bring the spark back. She missed it.
Jensa closely observed her figure. She had gained weight with growth naturally, but that suited her just fine because she had always considered herself to be too thin. Actually, she had gained more than just a little weight. Jensa had never been a stranger to food and would be the first to admit it. What was it her mother called her? Oh, yes. Pleasingly plump. Well, she wasn't really plump, but she definitely wasn't as thin as she used to be. The added weight enhanced her beauty in spades, blessing her with the well-known hour glass figure. The curves that were nonexistent at the time she was sixteen years old suddenly appeared. Jensa had filled out quite nicely.
She was wearing a blue, form-fitting sundress that fell just below her knees. The wide straps connected to a heart-shaped neckline, fitting her buxom curves snugly. Light brown sandals adorned her feet. She had taken the liberty to paint her finger and toe nails a light shade of pink. Feet were so much more attractive in sandals if the toes were painted. Remembering what the climate was like, she applied very little makeup, but enough to give her fair features color. Her hair was French braided and fell down to her hips. "At least my hair hasn't aged." It was still an annoyance because it had a mind of its own and never really looked the way she wanted it to. Even now, after she just finished braiding it, little wisps fell down around her ears and above her forehead. Her hair was exasperating!
She gasped as she realized she had forgotten a very important article of clothing and dug around inside of her luggage to make sure she hadn't forgotten her scarves. Luckily, they were all there. She picked up the blue one with pink daisies. Standing in front of the mirror again, Jensa tightened the scarf around her neck and flipped it up some, convincing herself that the bruises could not be seen.
Once she had locked the door to her room, she headed down the stairs to the hotel restaurant. Jensa was expecting to see only her brother and Kerri waiting for her at the table, but there were two other men sitting with them. "Oh, Lord. Now what's Michael gotten himself into?" she muttered worriedly.
Jensa approached the table. Kerri's face was red. Her eyes blazed with fire. In fact, she looked livid. No doubt Michael had sprung something unexpected on her. The two strangers stood and both grabbed the chair next to Kerri, pulling it out for Jensa. "Thank you." She stole a glance at Kerri, who refused to meet Jensa's eyes. She just stared at the edge of the table. What had Michael said to get her so riled up?
Unconsciously, Jensa tucked the wisps of her hair behind her ears. The strangers were both staring at her, watching her every feminine move as she situated her body comfortably in her chair. Jensa was used to this and ignored it. She wasn't about to encourage them by staring back with anything other than indifferent curiosity. Crossing her legs and laying her purse down on the table in front of her, she observed her brother's companions.
They were around their early thirties, she guessed and looked like they were dressed for a safari. They each wore dark brown pants that were tucked into black leather riding boots. One wore a brown collared shirt to match the pants and the other wore a weathered looking ivory colored shirt. The man on her left wore no hat, but the man on her right wore a brown bowler hat. I guess that completes the rest of the brown ensemble, she thought. He looked ridiculous in the hat, especially in the middle of Egypt. Jensa had to stifle the laugher creasing the corners of her mouth. She didn't want to be rude. She hadn't even learned their names yet.
Their pleasant faces smiled at her. They had to be brothers. Dark blond, straight-as-a-board hair and brown eyes made them look very much like twins. The corners of their eyes creased upward slightly, giving the impression that they smiled a lot and enjoyed life to the fullest. Only one of them was clean-shaven. The man in the bowler hat had about two day's worth of stubble. Before anyone could introduce themselves, Jensa held up her hand and said, "Wait, don't tell me. You're American."
The clean-shaven man said with mild surprise, "How'd ya know?"
"I have a nose for my own."
"Jensa, may I introduce Jackson," Michael indicated the bowler man, "and Jeremiah Cravin," indicating the clean-shaven man. "Gentleman, this is my sister Jensa James."
She politely stuck her hand out to each man. "It's nice to meet you." Her equally as polite smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Likewise," said Jeremiah.
"You got a mighty strong grip for a girl," said Jackson. He held onto her hand a little longer than his brother did. Jensa pretended not to notice and didn't giggle at his strong grip remark. She was certain they were used to the ditzy girls back home. If they expected that of her, then they had another thing coming. If Jackson was aware of her irritation at his lingering hand, he didn't show it. "You may call me Jack. All my close friends do." Jackson stressed the word "close". My Word, he's forward, she thought to herself, I shall have to be wary of him. Jensa gave him a very toothy and very cold smile in acknowledgment of his close friend comment as she wrenched her hand free of his rough grasp.
"Jensa, I'm sure you've got some questions about what's going on," Michael said.
"You're out of your mind, Michael. You are absolutely out of your mind." Kerri's lips were pursed in a thin white line.
He took a drink of his brandy and ignored Kerri, "But before we get into that, do you want a drink, Jen?"
"Yes." She signaled to a passing waiter. "May I have some iced tea please?"
"Right away, Miss." He hurried into the kitchen to carry out the simple task.
"Michael, cut to the chase. What's the real reason you came out here? It obviously wasn't for a vacation."
"I have a clever girl for a sister, boys. All right, I did have a specific purpose for coming out here. It was something I wanted to do when we used to live here, but never got around to doing it."
"Do I want to know?" Jensa asked cautiously.
"Yes, I think you do." He lowered his voice and leaned forward motioning for her and the Cravins to do the same. Having already heard the news, Kerri sat back in her chair glaring ferociously at Michael. Once they were huddled together, Michael replied, "We're going to Hamunaptra."
Jensa's jaw dropped. "Hamunaptra! Why in the world would you want to go there?" The waiter brought her iced tea and gingerly set it in front of her. She was so shocked she didn't thank him.
"Fortune and glory," he answered matter-of-factly.
"Blood and death," muttered Kerri.
"You disappoint me, Michael. I thought you were smarter than that. Boy, was I gravely mistaken." The Cravin brothers said nothing and sat back while the sibling argument took place.
"That's gratitude for you. I just saved your life and this is the thanks I get?" he retorted.
Kerri jumped to her friend's defense, "How dare you say that to your sister!"
"Shut up, Kerri."
Jensa didn't try to hide the hurt look on her face. "We're not talking about what happened in New York."
"No, we're not. Come on, Jen. It'll be fun. Maybe you'll run into an old friend," he smirked. "Admit it, Jen. You still think about him, don't you?"
"I'm not going to dignify that smart remark with an answer."
"All we want is to go on a little treasure hunt."
"It's not as simple as that. You know exactly what will happen the first night we're there." Jensa poked the table with her finger to put emphasis on her words.
"What will happen?" Jeremiah asked.
"The Med-jai will attack and kill us."
"Don't tell me you believe those rumors about the mysterious desert men in black robes with tattoos on their faces?" Jackson laughed.
"They aren't rumors, Mr. Cravin. The Med-jai exist and just talking about going to Hamunaptra…well, you may as well shoot yourself in the head now. That would be merciful compared to what the Med-jai would do to you."
The Cravins looked at Jensa strangely and then to Michael for confirmation. "I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but they do in fact, exist."
"If we go into the City and start digging around, they'll attack?" Fear crept in behind Jeremiah's eyes.
"Yes," Kerri answered. "We should go nowhere near that cursed place."
Michael sighed in exasperation.
"Aww, don't worry, brother. We'll just kill them before they kill us!" Jackson exclaimed.
"Don't you dare!" Jensa warned. "If you so much as harm one hair on any of their heads, I'll kill you." The three men stared at her in uncomfortable silence. Bewildered looks gazed back at her.
Michael controlled his anger. "So I see you haven't forgotten him."
"How could I?" Jensa said so quietly that none of them heard.
"You were pretty tight with the leader of the pack. Perhaps you can talk him out of killing us." Michael stared hard at her waiting for her reaction. Jensa didn't answer. Maybe she would see Ardeth again and had always hoped to, but to see him at Hamunaptra had not been her idea of the reunion. "You don't have to come with us, you know." Michael wished that she wouldn't. If he got the chance to kill Ardeth Bay, he probably would. It was no secret to anyone that he hated Ardeth with a passion, but Michael knew that if he harmed Ardeth in any way, Jensa would do no less to him. He also didn't want to leave her alone in Cairo. She had been by herself too much lately. It seemed he was at a stalemate. Kerri was no help either. She and Jensa would obviously side together. Maybe he should have said nothing about his plans to go to Hamunaptra. Anyway, it was too late for that now.
"No, I'm not staying behind. I'm coming with you to make sure you don't do anything to the Med-jai. If you do, you'll answer to me." Jensa let her words sink into them. Jackson's flirtatious behavior disappeared and was replaced with caution. He wasn't too sure now about Jensa. She appeared to be an itchy trigger finger type of girl to him, especially where this desert tribe was concerned.
Jensa abruptly stood, picked up her purse and glass of iced tea. "Where are you going? We haven't had lunch yet," Michael demanded.
"I lost my appetite. I'm going back to my room." Michael made no attempt to stop her. Before she left the restaurant, she stopped the waiter who had brought her the drink. She hadn't actually lost her appetite for food, just for the company. "Would you please bring me a garden salad? Room 23." He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen again with a plateful of dirty dishes. Jensa was aware that her companions at the table were eying her, but she ignored them and stalked up to her room. Kerri glared at all three men and jumped up from the table too, hurrying up the stairs after Jensa.
"Jen!" she called out.
"Can you believe those morons? Go to Hamunaptra?" Jensa made a beeline for her room and dug around in her purse for her key.
"I couldn't believe it either. It was bad enough that he just blurted it out, but he made me so mad."
"I noticed. You look like your blood pressure went through the roof. What made you get that mad?" She produced the key, shoved it into the keyhole and threw open the door. Kerri came in behind her and shut it. Jensa threw her purse on her bed along with herself. Kerri slumped into a winged-back chair next the balcony doors.
"He said some terrible things about Ardeth, before you got to the table, of course."
"Oh, of course. You came to his defense didn't you?" she said gratefully.
"Yes, I did. I know that I used to think the same way everyone else did about the Med-jai, but I know I was wrong. Do you really want to go to Hamunaptra?"
"Yes, and you're coming with me. I may need some help corralling that pig-headed brother of mine.
"Count me in."
"I must confess something. I'd love more than anything in this life to see Ardeth, and I wouldn't have chosen the City of the Dead for just such a reunion, but I guess the best possible way for that to happen is to go there. If they attack, maybe we can get them to stop before one of us is run through with a scimitar."
"Boy, I hope you're right." She smiled slightly. "I do know that if he sees you again, he won't be able to see straight."
Jensa blushed deeply. "You think so?" Her eyes were hopefully bright as she stared up at the ceiling, remembering the time she touched the full curve of his bottom lip. A shiver tickled her spine.
"You know he will. He loves you."
"Five years is a long time…and so much has happened. I don't know if I…"
"If what?"
Jensa started to tell her, but changed her mind at the last minute. "Nevermind. Whatever happens, happens."
* * *
"Come in," Jensa answered the knock on her door. It was Michael. She gave him an icy glare. "What do you want?"
"To apologize."
Jensa was taking her clothes out of her suitcase and hanging them inside of the chest next to the bed. Her hand stopped midair to the clothes rack. "Apologize? You? That's a first."
Michael scratched his forehead then stuffed his hands in his pants pockets with a sheepish grin. "I guess I deserve that. Really, Jensa I'm sorry. I should have told you about my plans to go to Hamunaptra before we left home."
"Yes, you should've," she scolded, hanging her dress up. "Michael, you know all of the things I said were true. They will kill us."
"I know they'll try, but I'm going to defend myself."
"So you'll just kill them?"
"If needs be, but I'll look out for Ardeth, but only because of you."
"How considerate of you," she told him sarcastically.
"You really don't have to go with us."
"I already told you that I'm going. Someone's got to make sure you stay out of trouble no matter how much you create it."
Michael grinned. "Well then, goodnight. See you in the morning, baby sister." Michael purposely called her a baby because he knew how much she hated it.
"Watch it, Michael." She jerked a pillow off the bed and aimed it at him. He escaped through the door just as the pillow collided with it. Jensa could hear him snickering all the way down the hallway.
Jensa finished putting her clothes away and opened the balcony doors to step into the sunlight. Instantly, the top of her head began to cook, but she just smiled enjoying the baking of her hair. It had been too long since she had felt this feeling.
Her heart skipped a beat. Down at the opposite end of the souk, a small group of Med-jai was heading her way. She stared at each individual with all of her might. It was still too far to see their faces clearly, not to mention that they adorned their veils revealing nothing but the hawk-like gaze of their eyes sweeping the crowd. They were coming closer. Could Ardeth be among them?
She stared even harder, willing them to look at her. They were now just under her balcony. One of them stopped and looked around, feeling someone watching him. His gaze took his head up to the building in front of him. A very beautiful young girl was intently staring at him and his comrades.
Once the Med-jai warrior made eye contact with her, Jensa knew it was not Ardeth she looked at. She had never seen him before. His dark gaze observed her closely. She felt the familiar uncomfortableness when being appraised by the Med-jai eyes. Even when Ardeth watched her with such scrutiny when she was a teenager, she felt her stomach flip flop and her knees threatened to buckle, but the look from this warrior on the street below her just made her feel plain uncomfortable.
Unable to take anymore of his intensity, she gave him what could be considered a small smile and abruptly went back inside her hotel room and shut the glass doors. Even though she could only see his eyes, she felt more nervous by him seeing her than anything else. Just the way he looked at her made her skin crawl. Obviously, he was completely different from Ardeth. She had not recognized him and figured it was one of the many thousands of Med-jai she had never met. That was fine by her though, she had a very strong feeling of avoidance where that particular warrior was concerned.
The Med-jai stared up at the closed balcony doors wondering who the foreign woman was and he also wondered at her obvious interest in him and his fellow warriors. She was not like the other women; she had boldly met his gaze and stared back hard before finally buckling at his intensity. Dammar had not recognized her and as he caught up with the others, mused over her pretty face. He did not care for foreign women, but was willing to make an exception. That one had been a real beauty with a touch of bold haughtiness. She would be a fighter. Oh yes, he liked a good fight. The warrior glanced back over his shoulder at the shut glass doors. He could have some fun with that girl.