There's A Fine Line Between Coincidence & Fate ✓

Chapter 31

Mama shrieked and I thought for sure I had killed Papa with the way he paled. "We thought you were dead." Mama says, running over to hug me.

"I'm sorry." I say, knowing it won't be enough.

"Where have you been?" Papa asks, struggling to sit up.

"Papa, don't. I'll come closer." I say before going over to the chair by his head. "I've been in Egypt."

"All these years?"

"Yes," I say quietly.

"Where's Jack? Is he here with you as well?" Mama asks, looking around me to the door.

"Mama, Papa. Jack... He's... He... He died 5 years ago." I whisper.

"What?" Papa asks.

"Jack died." And I launch into the tale of the risen mummy and how I had lost the one person I'd never thought I'd have to live without.

"And what of the young man you brought with you?" Mama asks, some time later. We had sat in silence for a while, them processing everything I had just told them.

I smile, mostly to myself. "That's Ardeth. He is the chieftain of the group destined to stop the mummy from rising... and my husband." I add quietly.

"What?!" Mama shrieks, causing everyone, my husband included, to run to my parents' room.

"Mama." I groan, placing my head in my hands. "You don't need to make a huge ordeal about this."

"My oldest daughter, married!" She says, pinching my cheeks like she did when I was little. "Is this him?" She asks, turning to Ardeth for the first time.

"Yes Mama. Mama, Papa... others..." I say, glancing around at my siblings, "this is Ardeth Bay, chieftain of the Medjai, and my husband." I say and Mama squeals again. "Mama please. You're going to cause us all to go deaf." I plead.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Margaret has told me so much about you." Ardeth says, turning to my parents. Papa levels him with a glare. This is going to be a long visit.

...

We were all gathered for the midday meal, the grandkids at a table outside while my parents, us kids and our spouses were all sitting inside. Papa hadn't stopped glaring at Ardeth since we sat down and my brothers were finding it hilarious. Rose hadn't taken her eyes off Ardeth yet and I was starting to get territorial.

The meek girl who would roll over and let her sister have the guy she was interested in was long dead and in her place was a Medjai queen who had learned to stand her ground. The third time she purposefully brushed her hand against his, I slammed my cutlery down. "For fuck's sake Rose! Stop! You're making my husband uncomfortable." I yell before tossing my napkin onto my plate and stalking out of the house, not waiting to be excused.

I walk out to the barn and breathe in deeply, taking in the scent of the earth and the animals. I sigh as I hear footsteps come up behind me. "I'll apologize to Rose later." I say before I feel Ardeth place his hands on my arms, rubbing them gently, soothing me.

"You didn't need to yell at your sister like that."

"Yes I did. Rose isn't used to the male gender choosing me over her. She needed to be put in her place."

"You're different here." He notes.

"So are you. I don't think I've ever seen you like this. You're always so sure of yourself, but here you're second-guessing yourself. Back home you would have had no problem putting someone who was making you uncomfortable in their place."

"It doesn't have as much to do with that as it does with that this is your family. I do not want them to think I can't take care of you."

"I don't think any of them think that. Even Papa, although I could understand how you'd be confused given his current attitude." We were silent for a few moments longer. "I miss home." I say quietly.

"So you're happy to be back?"

"This isn't home anymore Ardeth. You, you're home. The desert is home. Our people, they are my home. This, the place I was born, the place I grew up, this is foreign to me now."

...

I'm in the kitchen later, doing the dishes since I left the meal so abruptly. Rose comes into the kitchen, a haughty expression on her face. "What do you want?" I ask shortly.

"Mama said I needed to come help you out."

"Well seeing as you couldn't be bothered to until everything was practically finished, get lost." I roll my eyes at her.

"Your horrible attitude and he still chose you?"

"And there it is." I mumble under my breath. "Get over yourself. Yes, the man looks like he was cut by the gods and it burns you that he chose your plain sister. But he did! He is mine and I suggest you get over that fact. I no longer am that weak, quiet girl I was before I left. I am a queen, the wife of a chieftain and I carry his child inside me. So be careful how you speak to me next time sister." I say before turning around, and shaking before I notice that our family had gathered. Shit!