Eyal knocked and knocked. No one came to answer the door.
Avi looked up at Eyal. "Maybe she's in the backyard" he said.
"Okay, we'll let's go look." Eyal replied stepping to lead the way around the back of the house.
Avi reached over and stopped him. He grabbed Eyal's hand and tugged both him and Annie toward the back yard. Annie and Eyal shared a look.
Hena was in the backyard hanging up laundry on the clothesline. She looked up to see Avi tugging Eyal and a blonde woman toward her.
"Avi? Oh my God, Avi!" Hena rejoiced dropping the clothes she was holding and running towards him. Avi released Annie and Eyal hands and ran to meet his mother.
They met in the middle, Hena on her knees, tears running down her face as they hugged.
Eyal and Annie looked on smiling. This was what they protected, and although the price was high, it was worth it. Eyal reached over and took Annie's hand. She looked down at their linked hands and then met Eyal's eyes. They shared a knowing look.
Hena and Avi were rememorizing each other's faces. "My Avi, my dear Avi." Hena said over and over again, still crying.
"It's okay Mom, it's okay. I'm here." Avi went to stand up and then reached out a hand to help his mother up off the ground.
"Eyal" Hena breathed and smiled, she stepped forward to hug him and then stopped seeing his hand linked with Annie's.
"Avi" Hena questioned. "Why don't you go and start some water for me on the stove?"
"Sure Mom" Avi answered, somewhat hesitantly. Uh oh…
As soon as Avi disappeared into the house Hena spun on Eyal. "How dare you? How dare you Eyal? How dare you bring another woman into Avi's life? Into my life?" she screamed at him. "You asshole!" She lunged at him.
Eyal knew it was coming. He had figured it out the moment she had sent Avi inside, the moment she had said his name then seen Annie. He dropped Annie's hand and intercepted Hena, crushing her arms to her sides so she couldn't swing at him.
Hena continued to scream at Eyal. She was crying but stopped flailing. Eyal brought her to the ground. "How could you do this to us Eyal?" Hena whispered. "You walked out on us. Now you return but with another woman?" she met his gaze for the first time, it was hurt and tortured.
"Hena you don't understand." Eyal released her so they could both sit up.
"Yes, I do Eyal. You walked out on your family. Mossad took you away from us and then you come back toting this little blonde tramp with you. I didn't think you would ever do anything that low. If you had been here you would never have had to get Avi back. He would never have been kidnapped in the first place. And look at her, she is not even Israeli! She doesn't understand you, she can't understand you! She doesn't even speak your language!" Hena spat at Eyal.
Eyal got to his feet. "You don't know anything Hena. You don't know Annie."
Eyal took Annie's hand. Annie hadn't said a word since they had gotten out of the car. Hena didn't know that Annie had understood the entire exchange, that she was actually fluent in Hebrew, and Eyal was betting it was only a matter of time before she spouted off something in their native tongue.
"I know you chose to bring her to my home. I know you chose her over me. Does she even know what you do, who you really are? What you have done?" Hena challenged.
"What I have done! What I have done?" Eyal yelled and stepped forward. Annie pulled him back.
"Hena, if my presence is a problem we will leave." Annie spoke in perfect Hebrew.
She looked at Eyal. "I do not wish to cause a problem in your family. I will meet you in the car." She squeezed his hand and walked away.
Eyal watched Annie's retreating form and his heart went out to her. He had brought her into his world, he had asked for her help with his family and hadn't thought about the reactions of those involved.
Hena looked appalled. "She speaks Hebrew?" she questioned.
"Is that all you can say?" Eyal whispered.
"She speaks Hebrew?" Hena questioned again.
"Yes, she does. She understood every word you said. She also knows what I am, what I have done, and she accepts that, something you never could. Hena, I loved you but when you decided that what I was doing for a living could not be separated from who I am we grew apart. I will always love Avi, but if you don't want us here. We will go." Eyal finished. "Goodbye Hena."
Eyal turned and walked towards the car. Hena watched his back as he walked towards the car. Avi came running out of the house, "Mom, I started the water…" he stopped looking at his mother's distraught form.
"Mom, where's Dad?" Avi questioned. He looked towards the driveway and saw Eyal almost to his car and Annie in the passenger seat.
"What did you do, Mom?" Avi looked at Hena.
"Avi" Hena turned to him and grasped his forearms "your father walked out on both of us. He left us for that tramp. She is not even Israeli! He is not welcome here with his latest conquers."
"What did you call Annie?" Avi broke his mother's grasp. "A tramp, my father's conquer?"
"Are you defending her?" asked Hena, appalled.
"I am. I don't think you understand what you are saying mother. She saved me. It was not Dad. It was Annie. She risked her life and rescued me from my kidnappers. She is American, she is CIA, and I love her. She is dad's Neshama and if you can't handle it then I'm leaving with them." Avi turned his back on Hena and ran towards Eyal.
"Dad, dad! Wait for me!" Avi yelled.
Hena watched Avi run away from her. "Avi! Avi, come back!" Hena screamed. She would not get Avi back just to lose him again. She ran after him.
Eyal had gotten in the car and was driving away. "Neshama, I am so sorry that you were treated that way. I didn't think she would react that way." Eyal looked at Annie.
"Eyal, I didn't know you walked out on your family." Annie whispered softly. "I would be just as angry if you did that to me and we don't have a child to think about."
"Annie, I…" Eyal tried to speak. Annie cut him off.
"Eyal stop the car." Annie spoke.
"What?" Eyal was shocked. He started to slow the car.
"Stop the car. I want to walk." Annie glared at Eyal. "I need some time to process this. We are moving too quickly. I can't do this right now. I can't be with you not knowing if you would do the same thing if the going got tough. Eyal right now we are friends, friends who know each other's weakest points, our deepest secrets, but if we go any farther there is no turning back. I know I said that when I got on the plane there was no going back but I could still walk away now without either of us going deeper. If we went deeper and you left it would kill me. It's already happened to me twice. I can't go through that again." Annie opened the door and got out.
"Annie!" Avi was on Annie almost immediately. Neither her nor Eyal had noticed Avi, and now she noticed Hena too, chasing the car.
Eyal heard Avi and got out of the car. "Avi what are you doing? Go back to your mother." Eyal pointed in the direction of Hena's approaching form.
"Where are you going? You didn't even say goodbye. I want to go with you!" Avi choked out between his heavy breathing. He detached himself from Annie and jumped on Eyal.
"I'm sorry my son you cannot come with me. However, you are right I should have said goodbye." Eyal hugged him. What am I going to do? Eyal thought. How can I get through to Annie what she means to me.
Just then Hena caught up. "Eyal you cannot leave."
"I am not welcome here, thus I am going." Eyal added very definitively.
"I did not understand. Avi told me. You must at least stay for dinner, we have issues to resolve but that can be done later. And you, Annie is it? We need to talk. Please both of you, stay for dinner?" Hena questioned.
"Please father?" Avi pleaded looking up at Eyal.
"Very well, but Hena? We will talk before the evening is over." Eyal added.
"Yes, we must." Hena added.
"And Annie, dinner? You speak Hebrew, yes?" Hena asked.
Annie looked at Eyal. Hena caught the look, something was not right between the pair. "Okay. I can do dinner. And yes, I speak Hebrew." Annie finished.
"Great. Now Eyal please return your car to the front of the house and Avi please go finish hanging the clothes up on the line." Hena stated.
"Very well. See you in a minute." Eyal dismissed Hena who started walking back towards the house and Avi went running for the backyard once again.
"Annie. Get in the car, please." Eyal voiced with fake sweetness.
Annie looked at Eyal. She saw right through his voice, heard the pain underneath. She also knew that he knew that she would see right through it. She got in the car.
"Annie I need to explain something to you." Eyal started.
"Eyal just stop please. I will go to dinner. Then we will leave and part ways." Annie said, sorrow creeping into her voice.
Eyal stopped the car in front of the house but locked the doors. Annie looked at him. "Eyal what are you doing?" Annie asked.
"Not letting you walk out of my life." Eyal answered.
"Look, Neshama, we have a lot to discuss but please make a promise that we will at least talk about everything between us before you decide where we stand. I have much I need to say and now is neither the time nor place. Please promise me." Eyal looked at her with a desperate gaze.
Annie looked at Eyal and knew that she loved him, but that was why she needed to distance herself from him. She couldn't lose him, but she couldn't tell him that. "I promise we will talk before I leave." Annie responded.
Eyal noticed the choice in words but realized that it was probably the best he was going to get. He nodded, unlocked the doors and came around to Annie's side offering his hand. She simply walked right past him. Eyal dropped his hand.
Yes, they had much to discuss, but first they would have to get through dinner.