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FOLLOWING DAY
THE NILE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM, FREMONT, CA
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NERVES HAD GOTTEN THE best of Kaili. Carla said she should have the results today. It was taking every ounce of courage to keep her enthusiasm down and not bust into the lab to see what Carla had. Kaili figured that Carla would let her know the moment she knew and not string Kaili out.
She followed her normal routine and headed for the dressing area. Her movements were repetitive as she put on the coat, goggles, gloves, and mask. She headed directly to the skeleton table but stopped in her tracks. She was puzzled. The skeleton had been rearranged.
Was she imagining what she was looking at? Kaili thought. There isn’t anyone that she worked with in the Museum who would play such a practical joke. Everyone knew how serious an issue it would be to reorder any artifact. Her first thought was that someone broke in and did it. Is that possible?
Immediately she phoned her husband. “Derek, Hi. Something strange has happened. Can you come meet me at work?” Derek could tell by her voice that something was wrong.
“On my way.”
Perplexed, Kaili did not know what to make of it. She didn’t want to touch anything. However, she noticed there was more than just the bones on the table now. There was dirt, or maybe sand. She advanced gradually while trying to make out what she was seeing.
Sand had been spilled onto the table top. Something was written in the sand. She couldn’t make it out. Kaili slowly walked around the table and discovered she saw an owl sketched into the sand. Next to it appeared to be a feather. Nothing else.
Suddenly she remembered the pictures she took the night before. Reaching for her phone she scrolled to her gallery. There they were. Every bone in place. Being the last one to leave that night and the first in this morning caused her great concern.
She started taking pictures of the skeleton’s new arrangement and especially the artwork in the sand.
Right then two colleagues entered the room. Kaili called out “Stop. Don’t come in. Someone was in here last night and Derek is coming to check.”
Cindy had only worked at the museum a few months but had the wherewithal to step back “I’ll get security” she affirmed and left the room. The other colleague left with her.
Shaking her head, Kaili was disappointed at whoever might think this prank would be funny.
As soon as Kaili heard the doors swing open, she thought she would see Derek. But instead it was Carla. In all to commotion, Kaili had forgotten the results were due. “Is it good?” Kaili inquired. Within a moment her nerves were back. Her facial expressions showed that Kaili was conflicted between wanting to hear the results verses keeping the hope alive.
Carla walked over and placed both hands on Kaili’s shoulders. Staring directly into Kaili’s eyes, Carla started to speak. “We have the results. Are you ready?” Kaili could only nod yes. Carla continued. “The DNA results are back and this person you have on your table is certainly Egyptian royalty. The news is good and bad. It is not Cleopatra the first, it is Cleopatra Selene of Syria. Her daughter.”
It wasn’t exactly what Kaili had been hoping for but it was still rather exciting. There was still so much to learn from these artifacts. Carla knew Kaili would want to get right to work on researching everything about Cleopatra Selene.
Right then Derek entered the room. Kaili was eager to tell him the news. “Derek, Carla has confirmed it is the daughter of Queen Cleopatra.” Derek gave Kaili a big hug. He instantly knew this meant she would be spending more hours at the museum and not at home. As he released Kaili, Derek made sure to not let his thoughts reflect what he was thinking. Quickly he changed to subject. “Didn’t you call me and say something strange happened, or was that a rouse to get me here?”
“I almost forgot.” Kaili said as she remembered about her skeleton. She went on as she motioned everyone to follow her to the skeleton table. “Someone mess with the bones. They are all laid out in order when I left last night. When I got in, they looked like this.” Kaili gestured to the table top. Carla was shocked as she looked upon the bones all scattered in disarray. Her eyes fixed on the sand. Carla walked around the table until she could make out the designs in the sand.
Baffled, Carla asked “Was this sand here? Did you do this?” Kaili retorted “No. Whoever rearranged the bones did it, I assume.” Derek could tell that Carla knew something she wasn’t saying. “What is it?” Derek asked.
“It’s an owl and a reed.” Clara declared. Derek didn’t understand. Kaili realized her mistake. “I thought it was a feather, but now I see what you mean.” Derek was still in the dark.
“Anyone going to let me in on the secret?” Derek snapped. Carla let out a giggle as recognized Derek needed a little help. “In the Egyptian alphabet the owl stands for the letter “M” and a reed is an E.” Derek shrugged as he worked through the new information. “That spells me.” The room was silent for a few seconds until Kaili parroted Derek. “Me.”