soon.”
The two women seated themselves on Alexana’s couch as Sam obediently went to get them warm beverages. “Nice place!” Christina raised an eyebrow. “Spacious,” she teased, looking up at the loft that had been made into a bedroom, then down at the narrow kitchen that stood beside the bathroom. The living room measured only about ten by fifteen feet.
“I was lucky to get an apartment with its own bathroom!” Alexana exclaimed. “Could you see me traipsing down a hall to share one with five other apartments? By the time I get home, I want a tub all to myself.”
“It’s wonderful,” Christina assured her warmly. “Cozy, but wonderful.”
“It’s all I really need, as often as I camp out at dig sites.”
“I know the feeling. By the time I get home, I can’t believe how much room is in a real bed and I usually stick to the space I’m allotted on a ship bunk. I’ve had dry-land quarters for the last year, and Mitch still can’t get me to take more than that three-foot section of our king-size bed!”
The two laughed, then quieted as Sam came in, suddenly aware that their conversation might make him uncomfortable. He andChristina had parted amicably, but even years after their breakup, things were still a bit awkward at times.
“I sure appreciate your having me over for dinner,” Christina said, pushing a wave of dark brown hair over her shoulder.
“No problem,” Alexana assured her. She took a sip of hot tea from a mug painted with the traditional blues and golds of Palestinian pottery. “If I know my brother, by the time he gets you out to Caesarea, I won’t have a chance to see you again. I assume you’re only staying for a brief consultation visit.”
“Afraid so. Mitch and I have a ton of work to do on
El Espantoso
at Robert’s Foe, and we still want to search for
La Canción.
We’re close—I can almost
feel
her when we dive in a certain harbor we’re searching off the coast of Mexico. He’ll have my hide if I stay too long, but he realizes I can’t pass up the chance to see another Greek mariner. Especially here.”
Sam sat down in a wicker chair beside the couch, smiling. “It sounds like you finally found a man who can understand your obsession with work.”
“Just a little better than you. The difference is that he’s a sea lover through and through. Except for this Caesarea dig, I bet you’ll spend most of your career deep in the sands of Israel.” She looked at him fondly. “I have to admit, though, that our run-ins with Hobard made Mitch and me think long and hard. We both came to the decision that work would never come between us—that our marriage would be priority over everything else. We think God really worked through that whole, awful situation to show us what’s really important in life.”
Sam smiled at her frankness and nodded. “I agree, as we decided five years ago: A relationship marked by separations halfway around the world would not be a good idea.”
“I’m hoping to drag him away from Caesarea for the Solomon’s Stables dig,” Alexana interceded.
“If she can convince Hoekstra,” Sam said, knowing full well that his sister could sweet-talk the older man into anything. Robert had been like an uncle to the two since they were toddlers; without kids of his own, he doted on them.
“Do you have the rest of your team pulled together?” Christina asked.
“No. I was given the news that I would be supervisor just a few weeks ago. Even with the peace process under way, Israel has been in even more upheaval than usual. I assume you heard about the Beit Lid massacre. If things don’t smooth out soon, I might never get a chance to dig; you can imagine the uproar there will be once this news gets out.”
“I wouldn’t want to be you. So you’ll pull them together once you get the go-ahead?”
“I’ve contacted four out of the twelve I’d like. I’m going to keep the team small, at least at first. So far, everyone I’ve contacted
The two women seated themselves on Alexana’s couch as Sam obediently went to get them warm beverages. “Nice place!” Christina raised an eyebrow. “Spacious,” she teased, looking up at the loft that had been made into a bedroom, then down at the narrow kitchen that stood beside the bathroom. The living room measured only about ten by fifteen feet.
“I was lucky to get an apartment with its own bathroom!” Alexana exclaimed. “Could you see me traipsing down a hall to share one with five other apartments? By the time I get home, I want a tub all to myself.”
“It’s wonderful,” Christina assured her warmly. “Cozy, but wonderful.”
“It’s all I really need, as often as I camp out at dig sites.”
“I know the feeling. By the time I get home, I can’t believe how much room is in a real bed and I usually stick to the space I’m allotted on a ship bunk. I’ve had dry-land quarters for the last year, and Mitch still can’t get me to take more than that three-foot section of our king-size bed!”
The two laughed, then quieted as Sam came in, suddenly aware that their conversation might make him uncomfortable. He andChristina had parted amicably, but even years after their breakup, things were still a bit awkward at times.
“I sure appreciate your having me over for dinner,” Christina said, pushing a wave of dark brown hair over her shoulder.
“No problem,” Alexana assured her. She took a sip of hot tea from a mug painted with the traditional blues and golds of Palestinian pottery. “If I know my brother, by the time he gets you out to Caesarea, I won’t have a chance to see you again. I assume you’re only staying for a brief consultation visit.”
“Afraid so. Mitch and I have a ton of work to do on
El Espantoso
at Robert’s Foe, and we still want to search for
La Canción.
We’re close—I can almost
feel
her when we dive in a certain harbor we’re searching off the coast of Mexico. He’ll have my hide if I stay too long, but he realizes I can’t pass up the chance to see another Greek mariner. Especially here.”
Sam sat down in a wicker chair beside the couch, smiling. “It sounds like you finally found a man who can understand your obsession with work.”
“Just a little better than you. The difference is that he’s a sea lover through and through. Except for this Caesarea dig, I bet you’ll spend most of your career deep in the sands of Israel.” She looked at him fondly. “I have to admit, though, that our run-ins with Hobard made Mitch and me think long and hard. We both came to the decision that work would never come between us—that our marriage would be priority over everything else. We think God really worked through that whole, awful situation to show us what’s really important in life.”
Sam smiled at her frankness and nodded. “I agree, as we decided five years ago: A relationship marked by separations halfway around the world would not be a good idea.”
“I’m hoping to drag him away from Caesarea for the Solomon’s Stables dig,” Alexana interceded.
“If she can convince Hoekstra,” Sam said, knowing full well that his sister could sweet-talk the older man into anything. Robert had been like an uncle to the two since they were toddlers; without kids of his own, he doted on them.
“Do you have the rest of your team pulled together?” Christina asked.
“No. I was given the news that I would be supervisor just a few weeks ago. Even with the peace process under way, Israel has been in even more upheaval than usual. I assume you heard about the Beit Lid massacre. If things don’t smooth out soon, I might never get a chance to dig; you can imagine the uproar there will be once this news gets out.”
“I wouldn’t want to be you. So you’ll pull them together once you get the go-ahead?”
“I’ve contacted four out of the twelve I’d like. I’m going to keep the team small, at least at first. So far, everyone I’ve contacted
Similar Books
