Chapter 6


"Oh..Talmadge." Clarisse tried to think of something, anything that would make a good enough excuse. He had asked before, and now again. She fumbled with her own fingers, twisting and turning her hands while pacing her suite. Finally she decided on the truth. "Talmadge, I really don't want that." She looked to him, eager to see his expression, hoping to not hurt him or push him away.

"Somehow, I already knew that, but forgive me please, I had to try." He smiled to her, then placed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"You understand?"

"Yes, yes I do Clarisse. I want something I can never have. I'll just have to live with it. Besides, I'm not sure what's in your heart, Clarisse, but I know of a certain head of security who has you in his..." Talmadge blew her a kiss, smiling at the look he had left on her face as he walked out of her suite.

Nearly tripping over her own feet, Clarisse moved over to her chaise lounge, literally falling upon it. Still hearing his words, they were yet to be believable to her.


Walking the streets of Cairo brought back the words of the old woman during his first visit. Joseph still wasn't sure you could call it a visit. He had not wanted to go in, had not planned on meeting and speaking with this strange woman. It just happened. She was there, waiting for him to arrive. Some strange force of nature drew him into her shop, and from there made history.

Much like the first, again she was waiting for him at the beaded entrance of her door. As Joseph stepped through, he found the room the same as he had left it. The colorful glass bottles, the leather clad chair, the aroma of jasmine. It was homely, at least for him, in more ways than one.

He sat across from her, watching her take the hourglass from her frock. The dark orangish sand still swirled to the chamber below it, and for a moment Joseph wondered if she ever needed to turn it over. It looked like time was standing still in the bottle, for as the sand ran down, the top chamber never lost any nor did the bottom ever gain. Funny, he never noticed that before, if indeed it was like that to begin with. After all, this woman was mystery herself.

"I've been expecting you, Joseph," she began, mispronouncing his name as 'ho-saf'. "Earlier the sand swirled heavily in the chamber, but it has calmed much since then. Something has happened this evening." She closed her eyes, motioning him to remain silent. "It is well," she stated, opening her eyes once more.

"I have questions.." he began.

"I know," she interrupted. "I know your dilemma, I know all about you, remember Joseph. You have seen the color of the sand. Tell me, Joseph, was it the same color you seek?" She looked in his eyes, waiting.

"It looked like the same. It's the only time I've saw it. Tell me, it is her?" Joseph stressed his question, wanting, no needing to know.

"Oh Joseph," the woman chuckled, "listen to me. If you question it yourself, then you already know the answer. It will come to you, Joseph. Don't look for it yourself. It will come to you." She patted his hands on the top of the table, much like his own mother use to do. It helped Joseph to relax. He sighed, nodded to her, and took her hands this time.

"Thank you. I don't know how to thank you."

"Nonsense. Joseph, I make money, much money from the strangers who tour my land. I do not know all of them, not like I know you. When someone comes to my mind like you, when I see them so clearly, I do what I can to help them with anything they need. It is my duty, it is my gift from the great Pharaoh. Now, the color you seek is close to you, so close it could blind you. Do not let it blind you. Do not look for it yourself. Let it come to you, in its own time. Joseph, when it comes, you will know." She squeezed his hands and repeated, "You will know."

Joseph kissed the old woman on the cheek as he got up to leave. He held on to her hands for a little longer, then slipped his away, heading out the door.

"Joseph," she called. "Please, Joseph, take this." She offered him the hourglass. He nodded, taking it in his hand. "I will be here not much longer Joseph. It belongs to you now. My time is running out with the sand." Joseph heard her words, and was greatly moved by them. He felt like his mother was on her death bed again. "Go now, Joseph."

Leaving the shop, Joseph felt his heart hung heavy in his chest. The night may be upon Egypt, but the air was still warm. He struggled to breath, feeling the tightness overwhelm him. Yes, he wanted to cry. He held the hourglass tightly, slipping it in his jacket pocket. When he had crossed the street, he paused, looking back one last time at her shop. He had only been there twice, only talked with her twice, and yet she was more to him than some of his own blood relatives. He would remember her, he promised himself.


Needing more than just the line he gave her, Clarisse had stormed out of her suite and headed toward his guest room. Bounding in all at once, and rather startling the man, Talmadge couldn't discern whether she was angry or just plain intrigued at the thought.

"Talmadge! How...What..gave you that kind of idea?" she managed to finally sputter out, waving her arms all over the place, not knowing how to express herself.

"It's no idea, Clarisse. That man is in love with you." Clad only in his pants, he slid them down as well, not minding he was in front of the proper Queen herself. He watched in delight as her eyes opened wide and her jaw could have reached the hardwood floor.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready for bed. Excuse me, but I already asked you to join me," he teased. "You are in my room," he pointed out.

"Oh, yes. I apologize for bursting in like this. I just had to know...what you said..." She could not for the life of her finish her thoughts.

"Clarisse," Talmadge stated, becoming quite serious, "Clarisse, you and I have been friends, well more than just friends, for so many years. To be honest, I saw Rupert's death as an opportunity for me. I know to you it may not have looked like it, I mean I purposely avoided coming to see you, just because I cared so much for you. I don't want to lose that, Clarisse. You're one of my best friends, frankly you are my best friend." He sat on the bed, motioning for her to join him. "I had my suspicions from the moment I arrived in your suite in Cairo. That whole night Clarisse, well up until he left, I was afraid he would end up killing me, and was quite surprised he didn't commit suicide either."

"He left? Joseph didn't leave." Clarisse was lost in the idea.

"Oh he left, he left while you and I were having dinner Clarisse. After staring at you half the night with another man, well I'm sure he couldn't take another moment of it. I sure couldn't."

"I...I never noticed." She hung her head, trying to recall just when she had lost interest in her head of security.

"Hey beautiful," he replied while lifting her chin with his finger. "Is there anything in that heart of yours for this man? You know your secret would always be safe with me." He smiled to her. "That's why you couldn't sleep with me tonight, isn't it?"

Clarisse stood, then paced herself in a slow walk around the room. There was no sense not to be honest, especially with Talmadge. If anything, he could help her figure out her own feelings.

"I had thought several times before that there was something there...something between Joseph and myself. It's the Queen in me that always pushes it away, refuses to acknowledge that I am a woman, a widow."

"That's understandable Clarisse."

"I never thought Joseph cared for me like that though. I mean he cares for me, more than anyone else has ever, but to love me...I guess that was part of my reasoning to forget it as well." She came back beside him, sitting close as he wrapped her in his arm.

"Do you Clarisse?" Talmadge whispered close to her ear.

What began as a slight nod ended up as a "Yes, Talmadge, I believe I most certainly do."