“Ezekiel!”
He turned to face his grandfather. “Saba!” Ezekiel hugged him so hard it almost took Elyam’s breath from his lungs. “How’s everything in Jerusalem?”
“Busy! Your grandmother keeps me working harder than ever.”
“I don’t think it’s her.”
“I have to blame it on someone.” Elyam smiled at the sentiment.
“You haven’t changed.”
“When you’re this handsome and intelligent, why change?”
“We’ve been worried about you.”
“You, my dear Ezekiel, are not to worry. That’s your grandmother’s job. I think she worries enough for the entire family. I know someone else who worries a lot about you—your friend Rina.”
“Have you heard from them? We have no idea where they went.”
“They’re secretly living with us in Jerusalem. You know, Zeke, you might want to take her as your wife now.”
“I don’t think she would have me.”
“She loves you, Zeke. She was forced into an engagement with Asher. You could restore her honor.”
“Is that why you made this trip? To convince me to marry?”
“No! We were all worried.”
“As you should be,” interrupted Aaliyah.
“When we hadn’t heard from you in a while, I decided to come back and make sure you and your mother were well.”
“We are.”
“No, we’re not!” exclaimed Aaliyah. “Hadwin was murdered, Roman soldiers came looking for a dagger with your father in chains, and you say we are well?”
“What’s this business with Roman soldiers?”
“It’s nothing, really. My father gave me something to keep for him years ago. Now it’s lost, and they took him away. I mean, hey, I thought he was dead anyway.”
Elyam studied his grandson’s face. He could see it was a lie, but wisdom told him not to push the issue any further. “And how is your business going?”
“I’m down to one boat and crew. I was planning on building four more.”
“Don’t you have enough to live on for the time being?”
“I like the work.”
“Is that why you’re at home when your crew is out fishing?”
“I had some business to attend to.”
“You’re not a good liar, my boy.”
“Well, we had a shipwreck a few days ago, and I guess I haven’t been myself since.”
“See, now we’re getting somewhere. You know, I say a prayer for you and your mother daily.”
“Thank you.”
They stood in silence for the next few seconds, trying to ascertain the truth from one another.
“Do you think Rina would want to see me?”
“I know she would. Why don’t you and your mother come to Jerusalem?”
“I don’t think we could. I’d have to leave my business.”
“Rina cannot come here. Surely you know that. The only chance you have with her is to move there.”
“Saba, I’ve already closed my heart off to that possibility. She was the reason I went into business in the first place.”
“Then she is as good of a reason to go out of business. You have one lifetime and one lifetime only to share with the woman you love.”
“You sound like a rabbi.”
“Well, Bathshua always said I missed my purpose in life.”
“Abba, you should take us back with you,” said Aaliyah.
“If you want to go with him, I can run things here and be in Jerusalem before Sabbath each week.”
“And who would cook for you and make sure you had the strength to keep fishing?”
“I can take care of myself, Mother. You should go with Elyam. If I were to come, I would have to sell my boat first and make sure my crew has employment.”
“We can talk about all of this in the morning. For now, I’m preparing a meal. Let’s talk of lighter things for the rest of the evening.”
Aaliyah made an exquisite meal of dates, fish, and lamb stew. Ezekiel thought it tasted heavenly. It was good to see his grandfather. It was good to hear news about Rina and Ester. He had imagined the worst since hearing of their disappearance. Maybe it was time for him to think about Rina once more.
Her independent spirit and friendship had meant more to him than anything in the world. It felt like a betrayal when she allowed herself to be betrothed. He knew she didn’t have a choice at the time, but his heart still ached at the memory. He never wanted to be hurt like that again.
As he lay on his mat, he dreamed about what it might be like to marry her. When she was around, he always had a friend. He wondered, though, if her father’s death had changed her. The night seemed lighter now. He drifted into a sleep far more peaceful than he had experienced in the recent past.
Lately, his dreams had turned into nightmares since disowning his father before the Roman soldiers. A part of him felt guilty, but another part wanted Dismas to suffer for abandoning and shaming the family. The main reason he couldn’t go back to Jerusalem with Elyam was that the dagger issue still wasn’t settled. I might be able to free my father if I return it, he thought. It might do him some good to have his mother in Jerusalem instead of in Tiberias.
CHAPTER 25
Hadwin struggled to keep pace with the other Zealots. It was his turn to carry Simeon on the wheeled cart. Trying to be gentle but quick, He moved along with his companions toward Matthew’s house.
People were crowded outside. Try as they might, they couldn’t get through.
“Excuse us, we have a sick man here! Please let us through!” exclaimed Markeus.
“We all have sick loved ones. Wait your turn! This is the last hope anyway!” shouted one man who propped up his young son.
“I have an idea!” said Hadwin. “Look! The houses are close together. If we can get him on the roof, we can move him over there. Then we can lower him through.”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s our only chance!”
They carried Simeon down the street, picked him up, and put him on his stretcher. Then the men attached their ropes to each of the poles and tied Simeon to the structure.
“Alright. Markeus and I will crawl up to the roof.”
The men hoisted Simeon to the roof. Then, carefully, they walked the beams from house to house until they were directly over the tax collector’s home. Reeds made up a covering in the middle of the structure, so they pulled them away to uncover the opening. They heard gasps from inside. Some of the people below began to curse.
They could see Yeshua looking up at them as they lowered Simeon into the crowd.
“Friend, your sins are forgiven,” he said.
Several religious leaders appeared affronted by this, but whatever they were thinking, they kept it to themselves.
“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” Yeshua turned to them.
The men were stunned.
“Which is easier to say, ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘get up and walk?’ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Yeshua looked at Simeon. “I say to you, get up, take your mat, and go home.”
Simeon looked around, somewhat dazed. Hadwin couldn’t believe his eyes. This man was on death’s door and now looked healthy. He rolled up his mat and grinned with delight. Yeshua’s gaze turned to Hadwin. They exchanged smiles.
The crowd grew alive with excitement. It was the first time many of them had seen a miracle of this magnitude. But Hadwin’s joy halted when he recognized several faces in the crowd. Some of the men present had worked for him in Tiberias. Because of the excitement, he managed to slip away unnoticed by all except Markeus.
He decided the only way to keep his family safe was to travel to Kush. The Kushite people were known to be hospitable, and he could possibly make a new life there. He walked along the Sea of Galilee on the northern bank. Going south, he would have to travel through Jerusalem toward Egypt. Maybe he co
uld find Ester and Rina while passing through, just to let them know he was alive.
He looked unkempt, for it had been many days since he had bathed properly. His beard had grown to an unruly length. But he now had a full belly and enough energy to keep moving at a good pace. He would have to evade capture along the way, but his poor appearance acted as a sort of disguise. After all, the men who had worked for him knew him to be fastidious about his personal grooming. His gray curly hair was now pulled back over his shoulders. He let the locks cascade in front of his face as he walked. If his appearance didn’t keep people away, his smell definitely would.
I could clean up in Jerusalem before making the trek to Kush, he thought. The desire to see his family was overwhelming. With each step, his legs felt heavier, but he had to keep on. He had to keep moving.
CHAPTER 26
“Go find Hadwin,” Abigail ordered her head servant. “He has to be in the surrounding area. Take each servant who knows what he looks like and send them in pairs to each town.”
“You know what you’re asking, right? Many of these men have worked for him. They respect him. How do you know they won’t just say they didn’t see him?”
“We threaten their families. They’ve already seen what we can do. They will sell him out if they find him.”
“As you wish.”
“And another thing. You might try going to Jerusalem. All Hebrews like to be close to the Temple.”
Her servant nodded and left.
She sat down to make a plan. Now that her servants were out looking for Hadwin, she would have to do much of her own housework. It would be good to do some manual labor for a change. She hadn’t done any since a previous marriage. Neither one wanted to wed the other, but Asher had arranged the match to solidify a contract with a wealthy winemaker in Nazareth.
Maybe she could go to Samaria and live in one of their houses until her servants found Hadwin. She would take a servant with her to pose as her husband to avoid suspicion. He should be a handsome man who looked as though he deserved someone like her. Then it was settled. Her first order of business would be to find such a man.
She found the suitor in a well-muscled servant named Cassius. He looked the part. Dark curly hair with unnatural blue eyes that sparkled with every smile. For a servant, his personal grooming was impeccable. Abigail was going to enjoy this. Cassius had no immediate family and no reason to say no. Like her, he was an opportunist. As he packed his satchel, Abigail watched in a lustful gaze.
The road to Sychar in the region of Samaria was quiet except for the merchants who were in a hurry to get into the city without notice. Many of them were Hebrew, and it would bring shame on their families if they were known to associate with the half-breeds.
Abigail kept her face covering on to hide the nature of her visit until the right time.
Apart from the Temple of Nergal and the Temple of Mount Gerizim, where the Samaritans worshiped Yahweh, it looked like all the other cities in the region. Abigail remembered her grandfather teaching her the Samaritan beliefs and how the Temple of Mount Gerizim was the true place to worship Yahweh. She had always resented the two religions for their strict rules and hatred of one another.
Judaic symbols were carved into the stone of the temple. Hebrews walked on one side of the street, Samaritans on the other. The merchants sold meat, grapes, dates, and grain as well as textiles and weapons. The Romans had also built temples here. Among them stood the impressive Temple of Augustus—Herod’s attempt to win favor with Rome.
This is a perfect place to hide out, thought Abigail, as she and her “husband” procured a dwelling where she could unwind. First, she would go to a well and bring in some water for her horses. It would look strange for her “husband” to go, so she gathered her clay jars and headed for the community well.
Most people seemed to have already retrieved their water for the day, as the well was deserted apart from one man who sat relaxing on a log.
She tried to go about her task without making eye contact.
“Hello. Will you give me a drink?” asked the strange man.
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
“If you knew who it was that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
“I can see you have no jars, and the well is deep. How can you get this ‘living water?’ Do you think you’re better than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well?”
“Everyone who drinks the water from this well will be thirsty again, but those who drink the water I give them will never thirst again.”
“Sir, give me this water. I don’t want to have to fetch water from this well again.”
“Why don’t you call your husband and come back?”
“I don’t have a husband.” Abigail knew she couldn’t fake the servitude of a married woman at this point.
“You’re right. The man you’re living with now isn’t your husband, but you’ve been married five times.”
After a moment of silence, Abigail could barely utter, “That’s true.”
She felt undressed before this man, as if every thought she’d ever had was suddenly exposed. She needed to gain a foothold again. Her mind flailed for a response. “I can see you’re a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews say we must worship in Jerusalem.”
“One day you will neither worship Yahweh on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You don’t know who you worship. Even though salvation has come from the Jews, true worshippers can worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Do you know what truth is?”
Again, he disarmed her. She felt the pit of her stomach churn as though she had swallowed a live fish.
“I know a Messiah is supposed to come and explain all these things to us.”
“I am the one.”
This can’t be true, Abigail thought to herself. She struggled with what had just happened. She still had to keep a low profile, but she couldn’t hold in the feelings that welled up inside of her. It felt like a war within her spirit.
After noticing more men coming down the path, she gathered her things and set off toward town, where Cassius was waiting for her return.
“There’s nothing in these jars!” He exclaimed.
“Well, you don’t know what just happened. There was a man in town who told me everything I ever did and claimed to be the Messiah!”
“The Messiah? That’s just a myth.”
“You weren’t there! We have to leave soon. And you’re going back to being my servant.”
It was just as well. Cassius knew if they continued with this charade, Abigail would eventually have him killed or have to marry him to keep the Sanhedrin from finding out about their arrangement.
“I have to tell people in town about this man. It’ll put the attention on him as we move on.”
“Do you realize how crazy this sounds?”
Abigail checked her spirit. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time plagued her—guilt. Deep down, she knew she would have to face her sins. She knew the man at the well understood the depths of her depravity. Her sins were exposed, and for once, she hated the ugliness of it all.
Removing her face covering, she walked onto the street below. “There’s a man at the well of Jacob who told me everything I ever did. He could be the Messiah!”
People all around took notice. Some went to check out her claim while others stood there puzzled as to why a Samaritan woman would be this bold.
CHAPTER 27
Ezekiel sold his remaining boat to a former employee. He didn’t receive much, but it was enough to try buying back the dagger. While at the market, he purchased a sword. Knowing Abigail could have him killed at any moment didn’t sit well with him. He hid it under his cloak as he approached her estate. The head servant came out to greet him.
“You need to leave,” her head servant barked at the door. “Abigail isn’t here!”
“But I need to talk to her.”
>
“She’s traveling, and no one knows when she’ll return.”
“Why is she traveling?”
The man ignored his question. “You must go and never return. Trust me—it’s not safe for you here.”
“You don’t understand. She has something of mine that I need to buy back.”
“Just leave and hurry.”
Walking away, Ezekiel was grateful his mother had already left with Elyam. She, at least, was safe. He acknowledged to himself it could all be for nothing. His father might already be dead.
Now there was nothing holding him in Galilee, just a little land and a small dwelling where he had lived since birth. He wondered if he would ever return. Most likely not. Here, he was still the son of a thief. In Jerusalem, he could be anything he wanted.
He packed his things and set them beside the small donkey his mother had left behind, but he would wait until the next day to make the journey. He wanted one last night with his memories in this place.
With the morning sun came the inevitable dread of the journey. The journey itself wasn’t difficult, but the thought of what he would say to Rina. He willed himself to get up. As he left town, he spotted Abigail’s estate on the hill. Now that enough time had passed, he hated himself for denying his father, for sacrificing him to the Roman soldiers.
Tears welled in his eyes. He would try to save him now, if possible. Tying his donkey to a sycamore tree, he sat down and cried like he hadn’t cried in a long time. People passing by seemed to avoid him, but it was just as well.
He sat there for about an hour when he noticed a man leading a donkey with a woman on it. As they grew closer, the pit of his stomach churned. It was Abigail. Mustering all his courage, he stood up to meet her. Beneath her face covering were tears.
“What brings you here, Ezekiel?”
“I need to purchase the dagger you bought in the market.”
“I thought so. What’s the dagger worth to you, the son of a thief?”
“It’s just very important to me.”
“The question is, why is it so important to you?”
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