21

Skye laughed with the women. Joked with the women. Worked with the women.

It felt as though she was back home, serving in the soup kitchen near Mrs. Garrison’s house. Except that in this world, she had Philip with her.

Philip. She peeked at him across the room. He was speaking to the big, hairy guy beside him. He sat tall, confident, almost at ease. But wasn’t that what drew so many people to him at school? The fact that he got along with everyone? Anyone?

She bit her lip. He’d been a jerk to her in the past, but not since they’d been here. Not since they’d been in London, really. In fact, she’d go so far as to say they’d almost become friends again. What would happen when they got home? Would he go back to being a jerk? She didn’t think so. He seemed to have changed. Had she?

He glanced her way and caught her staring, but she didn’t look away. That would only make her look guilty. Instead, she smiled and waved. He smiled back, and her heart sped up.

At home, things might go back to normal. But here? They got along here—were figuring things out. A crazy, illogical thought raced through her mind, and she looked to her bowl and frowned.

They could not stay in Sumer. She still couldn’t believe this was happening, but her mind was always on getting home. What was happening in the present? What about Mom? Philip’s dad? Did they know their kids were missing? Had they called the police?

Did Mom have…regrets?

The meal ended, and the women and men split up for the evening. It felt crazy calling the people men and women, since most of them were Skye’s age or even younger. Of course, there were a few people around Mom’s age, but most of them were young. Why? Where were their families?

She sighed and went along with the other women as they made their way to a stream in the distance. The gurgling water in the clear evening air calmed her, and her muscles relaxed. The other women dipped their feet into the water or crouched at the stream’s edge to wash their faces. A few small trees lined the stream, but none were big and towering like the trees back home. These were the types of trees that must grow in hot, desert weather. Even their color was muted a faded green instead of the deep, vibrant greens from the trees in America or London.

Skye watched the others interact. The women helped each other. Seemed to get along—even though there was no way they were all best buds. But it was different here. Calmer, slower, kinder.

Again, she almost wondered if she’d fit in better here than at home. Here, feeding the hungry or helping the poor was the normal thing to do. At home? Most people were in it for themselves, at least in her experience.

“Not getting wet?” Leah called to her. She smiled at Skye, and splashed a light arc of water Skye’s way. Being back on Leah’s good side was nice, and her mother Rachel was very kind. She’d introduced Skye to the others in the house. The way Rachel carried on made Skye feel at home. She worked hard and griped constantly, but she seemed more like a mother hen than a boss.

Skye glanced at the water and then back to Leah.

The water did look nice. She pushed herself off the rock she’d sat on. “You talked me into it.”

Leah smiled shyly and skipped ahead, and Skye trailed after her.

Rachel knelt at the water’s edge. She waved Leah toward her, so Skye followed along.

“I cannot believe I have my Leah back,” Rachel said. She pulled Leah close to her, and Leah wobbled on her feet before falling to her rear end with a giggle.

Rachel cut a glance at Skye. “You came with her, I know.” Then she lowered her voice. “Leah told me what transpired. I will keep your secret, so long as it does not put my Leah in danger.”

“I will have to go back, Mawmaw.” Leah’s shaky voice was so low Skye barely heard her.

“Why would you have to go back?” Skye asked.

Someone screamed behind them, and Skye spun around. A few of the women laughed, chasing others with muddy moss.

Rachel chuckled and began washing Leah’s face with a soft, wet cloth. “Where is your mother from?” she asked Skye.

What to say? Leah must not have explained everything—or maybe she hadn’t understood everything.

“She is very far away.”

“But you are hoping to get back to her?” Rachel asked. “You were taken against your will?”

Skye nodded. She had no idea how to answer Rachel’s questions. They were so foreign from anything she would be asked at home, and yet Rachel was so at ease asking them.

Rachel shook her head and blew out a long breath as she finished cleaning Leah’s arms and hands. Leah sat obediently, allowing her mother to work. “I cannot fathom how you ended up in the hands of Master Saul. And as an honored guest. Leah tells me she served you, but you were very kind.”

Skye gulped and nodded again.

Tears shimmered in Rachel’s eyes, and she pushed to her feet and took Skye’s hands. Her grip was strong. “Thank you for your kindness. You did not have to be kind, but you chose to be.”

What other choice did she have? She couldn’t run over people—not like Mom—and even Philip—had done to her. The memory of Philip’s betrayal three years ago stung, but she was beginning to believe it could be different. She could move past it.

They could build a new relationship, a better, stronger one.

She managed a smile for Rachel. “Leah is very sweet and kind. How could I mistreat her?”

Rachel smiled again and then returned her attention to Leah.

Leah smiled at her mother, and they went back to washing.

Skye dipped her toe in the water, but her mind went back to her thoughts from a moment ago. If she could forgive Philip, what about Mom and Dad? Philip was working to gain her trust—Mom and Dad weren’t. So did they still deserve her forgiveness? The thoughts hurt, and she didn’t know how to feel.

Leah and Rachel laughed and smiled constantly, and Rachel couldn’t keep her hands off her child. A hug here, a pat there. How many years had they been working apart? But there was no bitterness. They were happy to have each other.

Skye’s insides churned. She wanted a relationship like that with Mom. Could she forgive Mom for working so much, even if Mom wasn’t sorry for doing it? She left her feet in the water as she brushed cool water over her face, her arms, and her legs. Life was so much less complicated here than back home. So what if she liked it?

The relaxing lasted until dusk, when the sun was no longer visible on the horizon, and pale pink light spilled into the sky.

Skye walked silently beside Leah and Rachel as they headed back to the servants’ quarters. Every step took her closer to reality—the reality that the council should be gathering by this time tomorrow, and figuring out a way for her to return home. Skye couldn’t deny the truth. She was nervous to go back to London. She didn’t know how time was passing back in the present day. Had days passed as they had here? Or were they in some kind of time warp?

What if Mom had noticed she had been gone? How would Mom feel? Skye’s first instinct was that Mom would sweep it under the rug and never say a word about missing Skye. Then again, what if Mom hadn’t noticed Skye’s absence? That would be so much worse.

After witnessing Leah and Rachel together, Skye hoped Mom had missed her. She wanted Mom’s approval. Her love. Maybe she’d been too hard on Mom. Dad had left her to be a single mother, after all. That had to be hard.

Skye had done her best to do whatever Mom said, but maybe she should have been honest with Mom. Told her how she felt about Mom working so much and Dad blowing her off.

At the servants’ house, Skye followed the line of women into the large sleeping room. She fell onto her scratchy, straw mattress with a sigh of satisfaction. She had worked hard today. Accomplished something. Saul was far away, and tomorrow she would likely find her way home. Things were good. Rolling onto her side, she scanned the room as the others readied for bed.

They obviously weren’t as exhausted as she was—they were used to this type of work—and they lounged on others’ beds, laughing and talking. They were friends, and knew each other.

Her only friend—besides Leah and now Rachel—was Philip. It felt weird to be away from him, but she knew he was safe.

Her eyes slid closed without her meaning for them to. The morning would bring a new day, with new adventures and information. Tomorrow she would know if getting home was possible, and what she would do with herself if it wasn’t.

The sobering thoughts stilled her sleepy mind, at least for a moment. Being stuck here wouldn’t be as romantic as she’d been thinking earlier. Where would she and Philip live? Would they honestly stay on as servants in someone else’s home? It wasn’t as though they could save up their paychecks and start their own life. Things didn’t work that way in ancient civilizations.

Besides that, there was Leah to think of. Skye had never gotten an answer as to what Leah meant when she’d said she’d have to go back to Saul.

Maybe Ezekiel would hire Leah. Anything had to be better than working for Saul. And Ezekiel was kind; his people happy. Leah would be happy here with her mom. So would Skye and Philip, if worst came to worst.

Skye drifted to sleep, dreaming of working for Ezekiel for the rest of her life.

Slowly, the dream shifted. Skye was surrounded by sand again. Spinning sand. She wasn’t alone, but this time she could finally see who was with her. Philip! It’d been him all along, she just hadn’t recognized him.

The sand calmed, and she made her way toward him. But she couldn’t reach him, because a guard blocked her path. The guard knocked Philip on the head, and he fell. He was reaching for Skye when she screamed…

~*~

It was still dark when someone gently shook Skye’s shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and in the dim light she made out Leah’s slim form. Skye bolted upright. “What’s going on?” Something had to be wrong for the women to be leaving before the sun came up. Maybe a fire. “What’s wrong?” she repeated.

Leah giggled. “Nothing is wrong. It is time to begin our morning tasks.” She smiled and shook her head before gliding away. She was already dressed in her simple cream robes, her hair pulled away from her face and held with a leather strap.

Morning tasks? Skye kept herself from groaning just as Rachel marched into the room. Thankfully, she didn’t spot Skye still in bed.

Skye hurried to straighten her robes and comb through her hair with her fingers. It really would have been nice if Ezekiel had put them up in his home, as guests, but she supposed it was safer this way. She rolled her eyes at her own stuck-up thoughts. She wasn’t much of a morning person, even though she didn’t usually feel so grumpy. It must have been the straw mattress.

The women shuffled into the common area where a few of the men were heading outside as well. No food smells drifted in the air, probably because no one got up to cook breakfast for the servants.

Skye scanned the faces, but she didn’t see Philip anywhere in the mix. Either he’d already hit the work fields, or he was allowed to sleep in.

He’d better not be sleeping in.

She shuffled toward Saul’s villa behind the other women. This was her third day in Sumer, and she couldn’t help feeling as if she was missing something, as though getting home was as easy as her putting the pieces of the puzzle together. That irritated her, and she sighed. She needed to snap out of her bad mood.

Did servants get punished for being in bad moods? She was reverting back to her old ways—her anger and bitterness. She really wanted to move past that. Get over it and on with her life. Life was too short to spend it angry. God, please let us get through this day. Give the council members speed, so Philip and I can get home.

With the prayer, she straightened her shoulders and finished the short trek to the main villa where she would help prepare the master’s morning meal. She took a deep breath and tried to smile. It would be a great day. Hopefully.