“Alright.”
“Several of us have decided to follow Yeshua. This will be our last week working for you.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“Yes, he approached me too.”
“Then you’re coming with us?”
“No, I don’t believe I will.”
“Why not?”
“Everything I have, I built for myself. I want my life to be good, honest. I don’t want to go around listening to some philosopher about a kingdom that exists in the realm of fantasy. I’m a good Hebrew, and I make sacrifices. I keep the commandments as best I can. It has to be enough.”
“But haven’t you ever wanted to be a part of something bigger? I look at Yeshua, and I know there’s more than catching fish.”
“He used the fisher of men line on you too, huh?”
“As a matter of fact, he did, and I believe him. Ezekiel, I want this. I hope there are no hard feelings.”
“Of course not. I hope you find the happiness you’re looking for, my friend. You will always have a job here.”
“Maybe our paths will cross again.”
“I certainly hope so.”
The day fell dark as the men went home, leaving Ezekiel there to mend his nets and his broken heart. He didn’t walk directly home as he did most days. He went for a swim in the sea, letting the gentle waves lap over his cheekbones as he floated on his back. Every muscle ached.
The next morning, Ezekiel woke up on the beach. He didn’t remember falling asleep or even walking on shore for that matter. The color drained from his world. He needed to work, but he couldn’t find the courage to keep going.
It wouldn’t hurt to have a day off. He could send his workers out for the day’s catch and work with what came in.
Along the path, vendors were trying to get in on the action before the market square. A beggar grabbed the front of his garment. “Please, I haven’t eaten in three days.” His accent gave him away as a Samaritan. In a move to appease the man, Ezekiel pulled out three shekels of silver and handed them to him. He may be a Samaritan, but he deserves to eat.
“Why don’t you take him to eat with you?” came a voice from behind. Ezekiel turned to the easy smile of Yeshua.
“Oh! It’s you.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t you treat all three of us?”
“I’m very busy.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“As in, no, you’re not busy.”
“I’m busy being alone,” Ezekiel responded.
“So be it.”
“I don’t need your permission.”
“If you knew me, then you would understand how foolish that statement is.”
“It’s alright, really. I’ll just be on my way,” said the Samaritan.
“My friend,” Yeshua said. “I want to spend some time with you. Ezekiel, what do you say?” “Okay.”
Yeshua smiled. All three went to a little stand and bought some sheep’s milk and pickled sardines. They sat down by the sea and talked. Yeshua built a small fire as they lounged and ate together. They spoke for the next half hour, and Ezekiel noticed something. Yeshua didn’t try to prophesy over him or command him to do anything.
This is new, he thought. The Samaritan sat there nervously listening to every word. Ezekiel felt a stirring in his soul as if Yeshua were an old friend he hadn’t seen in a long time. Every question he asked of the Samaritan was met with a nervous laugh or a one-word answer.
Finally, Yeshua asked a question of Ezekiel. It wasn’t a probing question, as if he wanted some juicy dirt on Ezekiel, but it seemed he truly wanted his opinion.
“What do you think of the newfound peace between the Levite Pharisees and Sadducees with the Roman occupation?”
Ezekiel, afraid to offer his real thoughts, gave a neutral reply. “I’m afraid I’m ignorant of such matters. I know the leaders are walking a thin line, and peace must be attained for the prosperity of our people.”
“That’s a well-measured answer. However, I’m interested in what you really think. Remember, Samaritans hate the Romans as much as Hebrews do.”
“What about you?”
“I hate injustice wherever I see it. I love all people, and I hate when others are bent on causing suffering. Forgiveness is the only way forward. Otherwise, the fight continues, and no one wins.”
“Talk about measured answers . . .”
“Yes, but this one, I believe. You don’t really believe your answer.”
Ezekiel paused for a moment, considering his audience. “I believe nothing good comes from Rome. I believe we Hebrews are losing our culture through this abomination.”
This brought laughter from the Samaritan.
“You speak of your culture as if it were holier than everyone else’s. I have seen abominations come, not from the Romans, but our brothers, the Jews. You cannot only see with your own eyes.”
Ezekiel knew it to be true. Samaritans were half-Jews whose culture mixed with pagan practices, drawing the ire of the priesthood.
“Why do you pose such a question?”
“I’m beginning my purpose soon. I wanted to see what you thought.”
“You already knew what I was going to say, though. How?”
“All will be revealed. On a lighter note, I have a party to get ready for.”
“What kind of party?”
“A wedding party. Well—” Yeshua rose to his feet. “Have a wonderful day.”
Ezekiel and the Samaritan followed his suit and said their goodbyes. The rest of the day went by too fast. Ezekiel felt even more tired from the day than if he had worked. He went home and laid down on his mat. Aaliyah stayed outside the house. She didn’t want to disturb her son, so she went to her father’s house and left him alone for the night.
The next day, Ezekiel went into town ready to fish as he did every morning. Youssef, recently hired to replace Simon, was packing the nets meticulously.
“Did you hear about the wedding last night?”
“No.”
“Well, it was my niece who got married. The feast was amazing, but the bridal party severely underestimated the amount of wine that was needed. Then a friend of my wife, Yeshua, I think his name was, asked to do something. He instructed the master of the servants to fill all their cisterns with water. When they drew the water, it was wine. And not just any wine—the best any of us had ever tasted!”
“I know Yeshua. Simon, James, and John went to study under him. He’s a rabbi and a carpenter by trade.”
“It sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds like the wine you had was a little too good.”
“Think what you want, but it wasn’t only me who witnessed this. Everyone’s talking about it.”
“Just help me get this boat into the water. Please?”
“Yes, sir,” said Youssef as he garnered the rest of the men together.
As they pulled three of the boats away from shore, Ezekiel noticed Yeshua walking with a group of men along the beach. Simon was trying to keep people away from him so they could make progress. A crowd was gathering.
Ezekiel and Yeshua locked eyes for a moment. Everything around Ezekiel seemed to slow down as if time had stopped. The boat lurched and brought him back to the present moment.
It seemed strange to Ezekiel that so many people knew of Yeshua in such a short amount of time. He was odd to most people. He seemed to have special knowledge one would associate with a demigod or a soothsayer, yet his power did not seem to come from superstition or enchantment. He didn’t speak in a language from foreign lands or use sleight of hand tricks like the people traveling from the East were so fond of.
It was his demeanor which caught people off guard. He was disarming in a way that allowed him to speak the truth without offense.
As the day lagged on, the work put Ezekiel’s mind at ease. He had wanted to do this for Rina, now he would work for himself and his mother. It wo
uld provide a certain amount of satisfaction. He would someday find a lovely girl and marry. For now, though, he had to put her out of his mind. The market never rewarded the sluggard. His body was well-muscled from years of hard work.
In the back of his mind, he thought of his father. Would he be proud or disappointed? Ezekiel imagined he would be proud. He refused to be a disappointment like his father was.
As the last pull of the nets came in, Ezekiel decided to allow his men to fill the baskets for the market. Exhaustion swept through his body like a heavy stone on his chest. He needed sleep, but none came lately.
The men pulled the boats onto the shore and cleaned the fish in the shallow water. Ezekiel walked home, stumbling along the way. A vendor was selling wine in animal skin pouches. Never was Ezekiel so tempted to drink his mind into oblivion. He purchased the wine and drank it on the way home. It was an old wine with a stronger taste than the one he and his mother used to celebrate Passover each year. When Ezekiel arrived home, he fell to his mat and slept hard.
CHAPTER 16
Rina tried on the new garment in the Roman style. She would have to layer it with some of her other clothes to keep with the Jewish law of modesty. Rina had never seen a garment that was so white in her life. She gingerly slipped it on. Her mother had remnants of myrrh-infused oil, which she dabbed on her wrists and feet. The oil lamp sent a cascade of shimmering light across her face, highlighting her natural beauty. Her mother fixed her hair with the same myrrh-infused oil then prepared herself.
She smelled as pretty as she looked.
Hadwin met his daughter outside, faking a smile for her sake. “You will make a bride fit for royalty.”
“Thank you, Papa.” She blushed, and for a fleeting moment, her sense of dread melted away as she looked up to see a horse and rider leading another horse for her to ride.
“I’m Shalom, servant of the merciful Asher of the house of Micah. He instructed me to escort you and your family to the gathering. If you need anything, consider me your servant as well.” He helped Rina onto the horse while he instructed Hadwin to take the other. Ester would walk behind with the servant.
Rina glanced at her mother, and a tear painted the corner of her eye as the horse clopped on slowly, allowing the servant and Ester to keep up. This lasted for the next three miles until they reached the palatial estate. Asher was there in his finest clothes of blue silk and clean linen.
Fine tapestries lined the walls of the stone building, giving the appearance of vast wealth. Inside were over twenty people of importance. Women and children were relegated to the background while the men lounged in the center of the floor, talking business and politics. Musicians were setting up their lutes and lyres and many kinds of drums Rina had never seen before. In one corner was a vat filled with a bubbly substance that had a faint resemblance to wine but smelled much stronger. Servants ladled the brown liquid into wooden cups and passed them to the men first. The men of Roman descent nodded approvingly as they drank.
“I see Asher has found a new prize for his desires,” said a man before taking a big swig of his cup.
“This is to be my wife, and you will treat her with respect,” said Asher.
“I’m sorry. I was just having a bit of fun. No harm intended.”
“Well, drink up, my friends. This is going to be the new drink of Galilee!” He proceeded to fill his cup with mead and instructed the musicians to play.
The guests danced to the folk song while eating and drinking. The heaviness of the mead was entirely different from the wine the Hebrews were accustomed to. Hadwin spat his out and asked for wine instead. The more adventurous ones of the group drank with abandon. The effects of the alcohol slowed their movements and made them jollier. Asher outdrank the entire group. Staggering to the middle of the floor, he raised his cup and proposed a toast to Rina.
“There’s the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on. She’s spirited and will be a great accompaniment to all my adventures. May she bear me many children, and may they see the greatness of Rome and the great riches to be had. May the gods smile on our wedding.”
Hadwin immediately rose and gave his own speech. “May they ever acknowledge the one true God of Ibrahim, Isaac, and Jacob. May they never bow down to foreign gods and remember their heritage!”
Asher, humiliated, staggered toward Hadwin as quickly as he could. “How dare you defy me in my own house! I will have your whorish daughter for my wife, and she will answer to me alone. If you want any part of her life, old man, you will denounce your speech as too much wine.”
“Do you think I answer to you? Remember, you’re only half Roman. Will you denounce your Hebrew heritage, just so you can sell this sewage water?”
Asher took two steps back and reached under his cloak. He lunged at Hadwin with a dagger. The curved blade was made as an instrument of war, good at slicing the necks of unsuspecting warriors.
With one motion, Hadwin sidestepped the younger man and pushed him into a clay pot, causing him to stumble. The dagger dug into Asher’s leg, causing a crimson stain on his linens and silk.
The other men seized Hadwin and threw him out of the house. Rina was not far behind.
Asher slowly rose from his fallen position. He looked down at the dagger protruding from his leg. Wrapping his hand around it, he yanked it from his leg with a scream. The partygoers simply stared, not knowing what to do.
“Well, don’t just stand there! Bring that whore and her father before me. They will be tried in a Roman court!”
“Weren’t you the aggressor? You attacked that poor man, who was only defending his daughter’s honor. Would you overlook his offense?” his sister, Abigail, asked in a low voice.
“You should remember your place!” He brushed passed her.
“And you need to keep your cool, or all your plans will dissolve like a pillar of salt. I like Rina. I think she could be good for you. Hadwin will ultimately bend to your will. Play along until you’re married and then do as you wish.”
“I can’t let this injustice stand!”
“You won’t. Just wait until you have her in your possession, then do as you please. Hadwin will rue the day he stood up to you, and Rina will learn to love you.”
Asher knew she was right. He had to be patient. Then the room went black. The wound in his leg was bleeding fast, leaving a puddle on the floor. The men tried to bandage the wound but to no avail. The men carried him to his room.
His head burned with sweat as the blood slowly clotted to close the wound. Most left, and the few who stayed prayed to their gods for healing. One by one, they were allowed to enter the room where Asher lay fighting for his life.
Abigail asked to be left alone with her brother. Once everyone left, she stood over his pale, convulsing body. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her.
“For too long I watched you oppress the women around me. For too long I stood by as you sullied our name. You are just like our father. I cannot say I’m glad you’re on death’s door, but my heart cannot and will not mourn for you, brother. I fear if you’re to live, our family will suffer more of the same.” She took linen fabric and placed it over his face, pressing as hard as she could until she felt the life drain from his body.
Taking an oil lamp, she held it close to her eyes. The burning oil irritated her eyes enough to induce tears.
“He’s dead,” she cried in a voice loud enough for the household to hear. At once, her mother and the rest of the men rushed into the room. They confirmed his death.
“Hadwin must pay for this,” Abigail said in a small voice. Years of abuse had hardened her heart toward her brother. She only hoped her feigned grief was convincing. Now she was heir to the family fortune and, with her mother, would rule the vineyards and live a comfortable life.
CHAPTER 17
Hadwin packed all he could on his three donkeys as Ester and Rina worked furiously to gather enough of their belongings to leave town. They left within the hour, headed toward
Jerusalem.
“Do you hear that sound?”
“Yes,” said Ester.
“It’s the sound of men coming after me. You two need to go on ahead.”
“You cannot leave, Papa,” Rina cried.
“Listen, Rina. I need to face the consequences of my actions. You go ahead. If I can, I will meet you in Jerusalem. If I don’t, then you will know I’m dead. Wait no less than one year, then come back and look for Ezekiel. I’m sure he will take you for his wife and look after you and your mother well.”
“Do I have a say in any of this?” Ester asked.
“My dear, I want you to know I love you. Protect our daughter.” He dismounted, tied his donkey to Rina’s, then set off.
“Papa! I can’t let you do this.” Tears streaked down Rina’s cheeks.
“I told you to go! Your mother needs you. If you come with me, you and your mother will die.”
“I don’t think I could bear to lose you.”
“You won’t. Now go! This is my wish—that you and your mother will be safe.”
Hadwin walked in the opposite direction. Regret filled his heart and mind regarding his actions with Asher.
I will try to make the best amends I can and beg for mercy. The inky darkness seemed to swallow the light from his oil lamp. Ahead, he saw torches and heard a voice barking orders. It was the voice of a woman. He snuffed his lamp and carefully moved closer. He recognized Asher’s sister with all the servants. Each one carried a sword. Immediately, Hadwin understood. Asher was dead, and the party was headed in Ester and Rina’s direction. He had to create a diversion.
“Hello there!”
The group of servants turned around. Bringing their torches forward, they soon illuminated Hadwin. A tear fell from his eye as he threw his staff to the ground.
“I’m not armed.”
The servants quickly surrounded him. His first thought was to make a run for it. However, it occurred to him there were enough witnesses to come to his defense. He decided to see where this would go.
“You killed my brother! You will die according to Roman law,” Abigail said with an affected note. The hatred that should have tinged her voice was missing.
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