A/N: I know you guys hate me for that last chapter, sorry it was so short…and so sad. I heard this song once and immediately thought of this next chapter. No, it's not the same as the chapter name. I listened to this same song over and over for three days as I was working outside, constantly thinking of how I was going to incorporate it into the story. So, here it is. Read and review, it'll make me make the story better.

Ch. 18~ Misery Business

It had been nearly a month since the O'Connells had gotten home from their latest mummy escapade, and each day was worse than the last. Jeweli hardly spoke to anyone, and was very rarely seen at mealtimes, except to serve the meal. Every single day, she either cleaned or worked outside. Top to bottom, three days for the whole house, three days to work outside, and one day to cook and clean the kitchen all day. If Rick and Evie were worried about her before going to Egypt, it was nothing compared to the concern they felt now. Despite the mask she wore, cracks had formed. Even Alex had realized something was seriously wrong.

"Mum," he asked one night, "Did we make a mistake bringing Aunt Jeweli back with us?"

Evie tucked him in, "We didn't, darling. Aunt Jeweli came back because of her own choice."

"But why? She's so sad, Mum. I don't like seeing her so sad."

"I know, Alex. I don't either, but it was her choice."

"Can't we just put her in a big box and send her back?"

"Alex!"

"Mum, she'd be happy, wouldn't she? If she went back? Back to Ardeth?"

She sighed and stroked his hair. "It has to be her choice to go, dear. We can't make her do anything, or she'll just be sad that she isn't here."

Rick and Jonathan had similar conversations, which often led Rick to wonder if his son and his brother-in-law shared the same brain. Jon often suggested just sending her back in a postage box.

Jeweli tried her best to keep her mind busy, even hand washing every article of clothing on laundry day. But, it began to remind her of washing Ardeth's robes that night, so she stopped. Nearly every week, when she checked the mail, there was a letter for her from Egypt. She never read them, it just hurt too much. Instead, she stuffed them in the top drawer of her desk and cried. Eventually they stopped. One day, while she was dusting the books in the library, she heard something that broke her heart all over again.

"Hey, Evie, check this out." Her cousin came into the room. "It's from our buddy down south."

"Really? Does he need our help?"

"Uh…no. He's wondering how everything's going. Y'know, making sure everybody's alright. He says his brother's wedding is gonna be in a few months."

"Oh, that's lovely. Perhaps we should send them something, as a gift."

"Yeah, sure." Rick sounded distracted, as if he were reading instead of listening.

"What is it?"

"Have you noticed Jewels getting anything in the mail?"

"No. Why?"

"'Cause he says that he's written her several times, but she hasn't answered any of them. He asks if she's ok, if maybe we can convince her to write him back."

"Oh, dear. Do you think we should? I mean, she has been awfully distant lately. Maybe she never got them, and that's why he hasn't gotten an answer."

"Evelyn, do you really think that several letter to this house wouldn't make it, but this one did? No. Look, let's just keep this on the down-low, and maybe she'll get outta this funk."

"I suppose you're right. Well, let's just see if we can find something for the happy couple, yes? Did he say what their names are?"

"Basal and Analai," Jeweli said from the balcony, causing the two of them to jump and turn. "Their names are Basal and Analai." Then she turned and disappeared.

Later in her room/Ardeth's hilltop

(J=Jeweli, A=Ardeth, Italics=song lyrics)

J-Your fingertips across my skin, the palm trees swaying in the wind. Images. That was all she saw in her mind, them saying goodbye at Cairo.

A-You sang me Spanish lullabyes, the sweetest sadness in your eyes. Clever trick She didn't want to stay. She hadn't said anything to him, didn't show him she still cared. She didn't want him. But I never want to see you unhappy. I thought you'd want the same for me

J-Goodbye, my almost lover. Goodbye, my hopeless dream. I'm trying not to think about you, can't you just let me be? All she wanted to do was to get her heart off this guy. But, everything reminded her of him. She wanted him, and that was wrong.

A-So long, my luckless romance, my back is turned on you. Should have known you would bring me heartache, almost lovers always do. He had to forget this woman, to move on with his life, as she obviously had. Everywhere he looked, he saw her. We walked along a crowned street, you took my hand and danced with me. They would never dance together, he would never hold her close again.

J-And when I left you kissed my lips. You told me you would never ever forget these images. Oh, God, what had she done? I cannot go to the ocean The water that carried her away, farther and farther. I cannot drive the streets at night. It gave her too much chance to…accidentally get hurt. I cannot wake up in the morning without you on my mind.

A-So, you're gone and I'm haunted, and I bet you're just fine. Did I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life?

Both-Goodbye, my almost lover.