Yahshua's Bridge

by Sandi Rog

  “Give it to me!” she shouted, tears flooding her eyes now. She jumped up and down, reaching her hand as high as she could make it stretch, but all Paulus did was laugh, holding it away from her.

  Elianna reached again as he held the ball behind his head, and she nicked Paulus, scratching him on the cheek.

  His face reddened and his eyes blazed. He backhanded her, and she flew to the ground.

  Dazed, she lay on the hard stones near the fountain. Idetta and Flavia stood, terror in their eyes as they looked from Paulus to Elianna. She pushed up on her elbow as Paulus stood over her. He kicked one of the balls that was already on the ground, and tossed the one he had as high as the portico leading to the Via Labicana. She watched it soar to the top of the wide, square Esquiline Gate. The ball disappeared, sending a flock of birds fluttering into the blue sky.

  “Don’t ever do that to me again!” Paulus bent over her, his fist in her face.

  “I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.

  “You can forget about getting that slave back.” He straightened and walked away, swaggering between the shoppers as he left her behind.

  She crawled to her feet.

  “Are you hurt?” Idetta grabbed Elianna by the arm, helping her up.

  Flavia stood nearby, concern clouding her face.

  Elianna didn’t answer. She looked for the other juggling balls: one lay at her side, the other rested next to the fountain. She picked them up, her throat tight with grief.

  “I have to go,” was all she could say to her friends.

  Flavia held up one of the goblets of coins. “But what about—”

  “Keep them,” Elianna said, leaving her friends as she made her way back home. Trudging down the street amongst the many people, she’d never felt more alone, more wicked. She doubted any of these people would do something so awful to hurt their abba. How could she be so cruel? So selfish?

  As she rounded the last corner just before her apartment came into view, she spotted Abba striding down the street. He saw her and smiled.

  Of course he would smile. He didn’t yet know what a horrible person she was, what she had done to him. How would he ever forgive her?

  Crying out, she ran up to him and slammed into his strong form, ignoring the people on the street around them. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

  Abba bent, dropping his bag of juggling equipment next to them. “What is it, little one?”

  “I stole your juggling balls.” The words burst from Elianna’s lips as her throat clogged with more tears. “Mamma said I couldn’t use them because Aunt Sarah made them for you, but I took them anyway, then he threw one on top of the gate, and now it’s gone!” She blubbered against him, feeling his strong arms and hands holding her to his solid chest. She wondered when he would let go, when he would stop running his large hand down her back and hair. “I shouldn’t have taken them. They were special, and I took them!” She wanted to die, to melt into the ground and become like the muck between the large stones, to disappear into nothingness since that’s what she deserved.

  Abba simply held her against him as she wept. “Oh, my sweet little one.” He continued to run his heavy hand over her head and down her back.

  As her whimpers slowed, she whispered, “I’m sorry, Abba.”

  He held her away from him, cupping her face in his hands. “All is well. We still have two left.” Smiling, he ran his thumbs over her tears. His gaze fell on her cheek. “What’s this?”

  Suddenly, she felt the swollen bruise where Paulus had hit her.

  “How’d this happen?”

  Elianna looked down, staring at Abba’s thin leather belt tied around the waist of his tunic.

  “Did someone strike you?” Abba lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

  She wanted to nod, but she couldn’t, so she whispered, “Yes.”

  “Who?” Fury flashed in his eyes.

  She lifted her shoulders, not daring to tell him for fear he might do something horrible, like he did to Aulus so long ago.

  “Tell me.” The command hardened his voice, a command she didn’t dare disobey.

  “Paulus.” She practically choked out his name.

  His jaw pulsed.

  “I tried to get the ball back and I scratched him. But I didn’t mean to,” she added quickly.

  “So, he’s the one who took your ball.”

  He loosened his hold on her chin, and she nodded.

  Again, the ticking of his jaw continued.

  Without warning, he picked her up into his arms, along with the bag of juggling equipment, and carried her toward their apartment.

  Head on his shoulder, she took in his familiar leather scent and felt his strong arms about her. One thing was certain, despite his disappointment, despite her terrible deed, he had forgiven her, and more importantly, he still loved her.

  Ω

  “Did you do this?” David pointed at Elianna’s swollen cheek as he glared at Paulus.

  Galen stood nearby, and the boy who was supposed to celebrate his manhood that day stared wide-eyed at David, clearly afraid of what he might do. David had already decided he wouldn’t harm the boy. After all, he was Alethea’s younger brother, his brother-in-law, but he certainly wouldn’t let him think he could get away with harming his little girl.

  “Answer me, now!” David’s voice echoed off the four walls in the small, one-room house where Galen lived with Paulus.

  “She scratched me,” Paulus said, pointing to his cheek.

  Elianna clung to David’s tunic.

  Galen shook his head in shame at the boy. “How could you?”

  David’s fists ached to pummel the little weasel. “You talk like you’re a child. Aren’t you supposed to celebrate the Liber today? You’re seventeen, aren’t you?”

  Paulus just stared at the floor.

  “And this is how a man is supposed to reply to such a question? ‘She hit me first!’?” David pushed Elianna behind him and stepped forward. “God made men to be strong, stronger than most women. He made us this way so we can protect those weaker than ourselves, not so we can abuse them.” He grabbed Paulus by the neck of his tunic. “If you ever lay a hand on my little girl again, I will do the same to you, and I promise you this,” he said, continuing to hold him in his fist, “Galen won’t recognize you when I’m finished.” He released him, and Paulus stumbled back a few paces, his face red.

  The room shuddered around David. How he ached to do more. He looked at Galen who went to Paulus, but the boy pushed him away.

  “I hate you!” Paulus shoved a chair out of his path as he stumbled to the door, tears streaming down his angry cheeks. “I hate all of you!” He pushed open the door and ran out into the street.

  Galen rushed to the door, leaning on the doorposts.

  “I’m sorry, Galen,” David said, his chest heaving, still from rage, but now he couldn’t deny the sorrow in his gut for having chased Paulus away.

  “The boy needs to learn.” Galen shook his head. “But he refuses.” He took a deep shuddering breath and leaned his fist against the doorjamb. “I have tried, David.” His words were filled with anguish as he turned to face him. “I have tried to teach him, but he refuses to believe.” He trudged back into the house and slumped onto a chair.

  Elianna slunk toward the door and looked out into the street where Paulus had fled. “I’m sorry I scratched him,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to. I promise.”

  “Come here, my little light.” Galen reached for Elianna as she came, and he pulled her up onto his lap. “We all make mistakes. But no one should ever strike you for such a mistake.”

  “I’ll go find him,” David said, guilt pulling him to the door.

  “No.” Galen lifted his hand, motioning David to sit down. “Leave him be.” He took a deep breath. “Give him time to cool off. He’ll be back eventually.”

  They waited, long into the night, until Elianna fell asleep in Galen’s arms, and still no Paulus. By the time Alethea r
eturned from helping Julia deliver her baby the following afternoon, Paulus still hadn’t returned.

  Elianna made her rounds as she delivered goods to the brethren who needed food and clothing. Now ten years old and feeling very responsible, she enjoyed serving in this way. While her poor friend, Idetta, was forced to prepare for her betrothal, Elianna felt this was something she could do to distract herself from boredom. For some reason, Abba didn’t talk about her marrying anyone, and she was perfectly happy with that, so she didn’t dare bring up the subject. No reason to remind him.

  Swinging her basket, she made her way from the market to deliver some vegetables and bread for Pappous. Elianna reached the door, but stopped when she heard voices carrying to her from inside. She recognized Pappous’s voice, but couldn’t place the other one. She didn’t dare go in for fear she would interrupt, and by the tone of the conversation, she sensed it was serious.

  “It’s all I have, son.”

  Son? Could it be that Paulus had returned? For two years Pappous grieved Paulus’s disappearance. His grief over the loss of his son was regularly evident. Always asking for prayers for him, always mentioning him when talk came up of those who were spiritually lost.

  Recalling Paulus’s tears when he ran off, Elianna always felt like crying herself. It made her heart clench. Guilt still ate at her for having scratched him so long ago, and she wished someone had gone after him that day. Surely, if he knew they cared for him, he wouldn’t have run off. But how was he to know that when no one went searching?

  “Are you sure you don’t have more?” Paulus’s voice carried through the open window next to the door.

  Silence.

  “I told you, this is all I have.” Pappous’s voice was strained, clearly unhappy with Paulus’s question. “I don’t see you for two years, and now you come traipsing in here asking for money. You know I don’t have much, and when I give you all I have, you ask if I’m sure that’s all I can give?”

  “Forgive me, father.” Movement sounded in the room. “This just won’t be enough to pay off all my debts.”

  “You shouldn’t have borrowed from so many lenders to begin with.”

  “I didn’t know they’d want their money back so soon!”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  Elianna stood on her tiptoes and peeked through the window. Pappous pulled out a chair and sank into it at the table.

  “Why don’t you stay a while? Tell me about yourself. How have you been?”

  Paulus turned to face Pappous, but he remained standing. “I know what you’re trying to do. I’m not going back to the church. As a matter of fact, I worship Caesar, as should you.”

  “Caesar is not a god.” Pappous ran a hand down his face. “And I truly did want to know how you’re doing. It’s been so long.”

  Paulus leaned on the table. “Obviously, I’m not doing that great if I’ve come here to beg money from my poor father.” He pushed off the table, clearly irritated. “I hate it here. Why did you ever take me from the villa? That was my home. I never belonged with you. The gods saw to that.”

  Elianna knew he was referring to the villa where Paulus and Mamma grew up. It had belonged to their grandfather, Elianna’s great-grandfather, Aloysius. But he was convicted for trying to murder Pappous and enslaving a Roman citizen, Abba.

  “The gods saw to nothing!” Pappous slammed his fist on the table. “What more can I do to convince you, that there’s only one true God? How am I to break through a heart that’s made of stone?” He pointed his finger at Paulus. “Only a fool says in his heart there is no God!”

  Paulus spun around to face him, clearly ready to shout, but his gaze flickered to Elianna.

  She gasped and crouched down beneath the window. The door bounced open, and Uncle Paulus stood over her. How foolish. She should have run, not ducked. Her gaze slowly lifted to him, running up his leg to his tunic and then to his face. “I’m sorry I scratched you,” was all she could say. The words seemed to take on a life of their own, for she hadn’t planned on saying anything for fear of incurring his wrath.

  He knelt next to her. “Elianna?”

  She nodded. He reached out his hand and pulled her to her feet. As she stood, he looked her up and down.

  “You’ve grown.” He stared at her, making her want to hide from his leering gaze. “And pretty. Are you betrothed?”

  She shook her head.

  “Well, you should be. My sister was betrothed by the time she was eleven. How old are you now?”

  “What’s going on?” Pappous came to the door and spotted Eli-anna. “Little Light. What are you doing here?”

  “I brought you these.” She held up her basket.

  Hesitantly, he looked from her, to Paulus, to inside.

  “But I’ll come back later.” She turned to go, but Paulus grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. She looked up at him.

  He motioned with his chin toward the door. “I’ll be right there, father.” He looked at Elianna, a gleam in his eyes. “I’ll just be a moment.” He led Elianna away from the door as Pappous turned back inside. “Remember what I promised?”

  She shook her head even though a glimmer of hope leaped in her chest that he might say something about Zander.

  “I brought you that slave.”

  “But we heard he’s no longer a slave, that he was given Roman citizenship by his father.”

  Paulus’s gaze darted to the street. “Well, he was made a slave again.”

  “Really?” Elianna’s heart dropped to her knees. “How can that be?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” He leaned in closer to her. “The point is, I brought him here to see you. Do you want to see him or not?”

  Elianna nodded. Of course she wanted to see Zander. She longed to see him. What would she say? What would he say to her?

  Paulus straightened, his gaze darting from side to side. “Then meet me here tomorrow at exactly noon. No earlier and no later. Do you hear?”

  “Yes.” Elianna’s heart did flip-flops in her chest. Would she finally get to see her Zander after all these years? Of course, she’d set him free. But how in the world was he enslaved again after finally being set free, and set free in the most honorable fashion?

  “Then go.” Paulus shoved her away from him. “I’ve got some business to settle, and I’ve finally figured out how I’m going to pay off” all these lenders.” He rubbed his hands together, hope in his gaze. “Remember, noon. No sooner and no later.” He waved her off, and she scurried away.

  Ω

  The next day, right at the noon hour, Elianna knocked on Pappous’s door. Shuffling sounded from the other side and the door swung open.

  Paulus.

  Elianna stepped inside. A man stood in the corner with his back turned toward them. He could be about sixteen, same age as Zander. It had to be him. The ends of his dark hair hung to his broad shoulders, and his beige tunic clung to a muscular back. Holding her breath, Elianna looked for Pappous, but he wasn’t in the room.

  Paulus closed the door behind her, and finding herself alone in the house with two men, despite one of them being Zander, made her want to leave. She turned toward the door, but Paulus grabbed her arm to stop her.

  “Don’t you want to say hi? Your slave has come a long way to see you.”

  Elianna’s heart pounded in her ears. Was it really him? How she longed to see him. The man who stood in the corner of the room slowly turned to face her. Elianna held her breath as blue eyes met hers. Funny. She recalled Zander having blue eyes, but they were closer to blue-green than just plain blue. Then she realized that perhaps they could have lightened over the years, or maybe it was because the lighting in the room was so dim. After all, her own hair had gotten a bit darker than the bright orange it used to be, or so her mamma told her.

  “Zander?” she whispered, unsure what else to do or say.

  “Yes?” he said, straightening.

  A thrill went through her as she studied his face. He didn’t look t
he same either, but two years could do a lot to make a person forget certain details. Still, she doubted. “How do I know it’s you?”

  She looked from Zander to Paulus. He nodded toward Zander, as if giving him permission to speak.

  “You don’t recognize me then?” he asked.

  “You look different than I remember.”

  He stepped toward her, still several feet away, with the room between them. “I saved you from the Tiber. Remember?”

  She nodded. “Everyone knows that.”

  He chuckled. “You’re a smart one.” His gaze darted to Paulus who now stood behind her. “Umm. You always called me Zander, when my real name is Alexander.”

  She shrugged a nod this time. “Yes, but everyone knows that too.”

  Again, his eyes flickered to Paulus’s. She turned to see Paulus. He was shaking his head and quickly ran a hand through his hair. “What more do you want?” He looked down at her now, clearly frustrated.

  “He just looks so different,” she said, feeling stupid for not running into Zander’s arms like she thought she would. Then an idea came to her. “I know! What did you once tell me about our hands?”

  Again, his gaze went to Paulus’s, but then immediately back to hers. “I’m not sure what you mean. Enlighten me.”

  “You said they were alike. But how?”

  The man claiming to be Zander looked around him, as if the walls might give him an answer.

  Elianna wanted so badly for this to be Zander, so she tried to boost his memory. “Remember, you held them up next to mine … and you said something. And after you pulled me out of the Tiber, I held my hands next to yours, and I told you they were still the same. How are our hands alike?”

  The door flew open, and everyone turned toward the bright light pouring in from the street. “What’s going on here?” Pappous stopped and looked from the men to Elianna. “I forgot my cloak,” Pappous said. “Alethea’s going to repair it for me.” Then he looked pointedly at Paulus, brows furrowed. “What are you doing here? I thought you wanted us to meet at Manius’s place?”

  Elianna hurried to hug Pappous, not because she hadn’t seen him in a long time, but because she wanted to feel safe. Something about this whole meeting felt wrong. “Pappous, Zander has come.” She motioned to the man on the other side of the room, hoping if it was indeed Zander that Pappous would recognize him.