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by re-stacking the rock walls on either side of the entrance gate to the house yard. The walls had fallen down, and the rocks were scattered and some were missing. When we finished, it looked much better. We also pruned a tree in the yard, and I found the makings for a bench. A nice tree needs a bench.

      “Joel,” I said. “I think we should be getting ready for our guests. I will go in the house and help Jacob find something for dinner, and you could go back to Tamar’s garden and get some fresh cucumbers and other vegetables. I would like to have something ready for our travelers.”

      “Fine. I’ll be right back.”

      I went in the house and spoke to Jacob. “What do you have that we can fix for our friends to eat?”

      “We have bread, cheese, yogurt, and honey.”

      “Joel is going to bring some garden things. I think we have cleaned enough for today. We should get the table and the food ready.”

      When Joel returned, he and Jacob got things ready. I went up to the spring and cleaned it out. I let it run just a bit until it was clear. Then I filled several jugs with water and carried them to the house.

      We were ready. I told my new friends to rest while I walked up the road to meet our guests. I did not walk far deciding instead to sit on a rock and wait for them. Of course, they might be late. If so I would just have to go back to the house and hope they would get here the following day. But there was still time. Sitting on one rock, I leaned against a larger one. As I looked up, I watched the graceful flight of an eagle. I thought about the old Egyptian tale of The Enchanted Prince that I had just translated. The Prince could fly, and I thought about how everyone, who has ever watched an eagle fly, surely has dreamed of flying. Eagles fly with such ease. Just then I heard something. I quit dreaming about flying and stood up. Someone was coming down the road. I started walking toward the sound. Sharmila spotted me, and she came running. She reached for my hands, and I drew her to me and kissed her.

      “It is wonderful to see you,” I said. “However, if I remember correctly, after a long trip Rebekah saw Isaac walking toward her, and she promptly put on her veil. But you found a place in my arms.”

      “Yes I did, and I remember that Jacob kissed Rachel when he first met her.”

      “That he did.”

      So I kissed her again, but it was a short one. The rest of the party was fast approaching.

      I greeted Abdi-anati and his wife, Pidray, and Sharmila’s sister Huraya. They looked tired. “This has been a long trip for you,” I said. “You did not have the king’s mules as we did when we visited you.”

      “No,” answered Abdi-anati. “But these three donkeys were a great help. As you see, one of them carried our things, and the other two were available for anyone who was tired of walking. But it was a long trip; it took us four days.”

      “And we made the trip in two days with the mules,” I said. “Now we will get on to the house. We have some food ready, and you will be able to eat and rest. It is just around the next bend.”

      We were soon there. After the introductions, I asked Joel to take the donkeys over to Tamar’s small pasture. We were not sure about the pastures here at Sheva’s place. They might not be stock-tight. Jacob helped me set out the food, and Pidray and her girls added some things to our table. Sharmila said that she brought a melon just for me, and perhaps after dinner we could eat it outside in the yard. We had a good dinner and a good time. I got to know Pidray and Huraya much better. It was obvious that Huraya was a lot of fun and this did not go unnoticed by Joel and Jacob. She also teased Sharmila.

      She said to me, “Sharmila has been difficult to live with on this trip. She thinks you will be anxious to see her. I have told her not to expect too much.”

      “I don’t want to question your wisdom, but I was anxious and full of expectations.” I said this and noticed that Sharmila was blushing as she shook her fist at Huraya.

      Everyone was tired, but they were also delighted to be in our cool thin air. Pidray said, “At home it would still be muggy and hot.”

      All of us helped to clean up and put the food away. After that we showed our guests their sleeping quarters. I said, “Joel, Jacob, and I will be across the road at Tamar’s, and you should all sleep late.”

      Abdi-anati said, “We never sleep late; we enjoy the cool of the mornings.”

      And Pidray added, “I will want to bake some bread. Jacob, before you leave show me your fire pit and oven.”

      Sharmila got her melon, and we went out to the bench in the front yard. She said, “The first time I spoke to you, I served you a slice of melon. I thought this would bring back some of those first feelings.”

      “You had some ‘first feelings’? I thought I was the one with the ‘first feelings.’ In fact, your beauty caused a lump in my throat or rather a pain; I could not speak for a moment.”

      “I thought you were just bashful. I was serving you the melon, and I was interested in the notes you were taking during my father’s conversation with Khety and your father. But I was also interested in talking with you, and yes, I did have some strange feelings. These feelings were repeated a few years ago when we met in Jerusalem, but I never said much about them in the few letters I wrote.”

      “Perhaps we were both too busy to write much, but I have never forgotten you. When you were here before, I remember that you met Rachel.”

      “Yes. And I was always certain that you would marry her.”

      “That is what most people thought, but Rachel and I have both realized that we are like siblings. By the way, she will marry a fine student by the name of Samuel. She told me that when she met Samuel she could not understand the feeling; she called it love. That is when I knew that my feelings for you should be called love, but I was afraid. I thought, ‘Sharmila has probably met a “Samuel” by now.’ That is why I wrote, and when I received your letter, I shouted for joy.”

      “What you didn’t understand is that I had already met my ‘Samuel,’ and his name is Naam, and I love him.”

      With that I took her into my arms, and we kissed.

      “Perhaps the melon was not needed,” she said, “but I brought it all the way from Beth-shan. We should eat the melon.”

      “That old familiar pain is in my throat, and I think I need some melon.”

      We kissed again, and we both ate; from the same piece of melon we ate.

      “My throat is better. The melon helped.”

      “Are you sure it was the melon?”

      “I am only sure of one thing: you are beyond compare, and as the sages would say, ‘your worth is far beyond that of rubies.’ I suggest that we take the rest of the melon in the house for your folks, and I will see you in the morning.”

      6

      Joel, Jacob, and I got up early, and we worked for a time in Tamar’s garden. From across the road, we could also smell Pidray’s bread baking. It did not take long for us to agree to follow the aroma to its source. As we entered the courtyard Abdi-anati welcomed us, saying to me, “As soon as we have had something to eat, we should leave for Jerusalem. I want to talk with your father today. Joel and Jacob can stay and help Pidray fix a few things around here. Huraya will stay and help her mother, and I know that Sharmila will want to come with us.”

      “That sounds like a great plan.”

      “I thought you would like it.”

      “I do, but I need to talk with your wife about some other plans.”

      I went into the house and spoke with Pidray. “My mother, Keziah, Tamar, and Sarah want to have a party out here for you and your family. When I return this evening, I will be able to tell you when it will be. Right now I am guessing it will be in two days, but I can tell you for