A trembling started deep within Ziad.
“When one comes to Christ, the household is blessed.” Ben again.
His shoulders began quaking. “I—I do not see how.”
Claire laid her chin on his shoulder. “Maybe you’ll see them again. Sabirah accepted the good news. She may have been afraid to tell you, but perhaps she told them. And your parents as well.”
A lump built in his throat.
Emma took his hands. She now knelt in front of him, and he met her gaze once more. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Ziad, you’ll see Sabirah again. Rest assured, you will.”
The lump became painful. He didn’t want to cry. Not in front of them.
A sob escaped him. And another. He leaned forward, put his head in his hands, and wept.
“We’ll see you tomorrow.” Ben’s voice barely reached him. His friend touched his shoulder, then was gone.
Claire stayed near.
Watson whined and rested his chin on Ziad’s knee.
His grief ebbed. Something filled him. Something strange. Something wonderful that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Peace. More than that.
Hope. And joy.
“Claire?”
She pulled back. Strands of dark hair stuck to the tear stains on her cheeks. A watery smile touched her lips. “I love you, my dear man.”
He scrubbed his hands across his face and rested his elbows on his knees. “I… do not believe it.”
“God blesses those who love him. Sabirah loved him. I know you lost her.” She looked away and bit her lip. “I know you miss her. But what an incredible miracle—you coming to know him.”
So much to take in. His own agony at losing Sabirah. Claire’s at losing her Jackson.
And God for sending his own Son to the cross.
He gazed at the woman he loved. Something swirled in the jade green depths of her eyes.
She needed his reassurance.
He cupped her face in his hands and wiped at her tears. “I love you. Yes, I miss Sabirah just as you miss Jackson.” He took a deep breath and fully steadied. “God brought us together for a reason. Through great pain has come great joy. Full circle, perhaps. Always remember that.”
He helped her to her feet, then gathered her into his arms as that peace once more blanketed him.
An hour later, Ziad sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Claire slipped away into sleep. He kissed her on the forehead and murmured, “Ana behibek, habibti.” I love you, sweetheart.
He rose.
That night, he’d decided to sleep on the couch of the suite. Even though ten had passed, he found himself too stirred up, too awake to consider stretching out for rest.
He scratched Sherlock and Watson on their heads, then headed down the steps after ensuring he’d thrown the deadbolt.
A chilly breeze blew in from the creek.
No matter. His leather jacket protected him as he made his way through the live oaks. He stepped onto the dock. Images from when he’d discovered it ten months before crossed his mind.
That March, he’d thought he’d never fit in, never be happy again.
Now, he stood there brimming with joy.
In Arabic, he murmured, “I miss you, Sabirah. You and the boys and Mama and Papa. But I know you wouldn’t want me to grieve for the rest of my life. Claire… You would like her just as much as you liked Emma. And yes, we will see each other one day.”
The dry reeds in the marsh just below the dock rustled.
Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.
Peace settled over him.
Sabirah had heard him.
He smiled softly. Then he turned and headed toward the suite.
A Word from the Characters
From Ziad: “Claire and I have enjoyed sharing our story with you. The road to peace has been a difficult one full of many pitfalls, but in the end, it was worth it.” Regardless of whether or not you saw yourself in these pages, head on over to my bookstore page for Exiled Heart. From there, click on the link to your distributor (e.g., Amazon), and you can leave a review. Anything you write, be it a paragraph or a sentence, will help.
About the Author
After being an avid reader of suspense fiction for most of her life, Jennifer Haynie began writing and publishing suspense novels in 2012. She has written six indie suspense novels. In her spare time, she works for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, enjoys working out, and loves traveling. She currently lives outside of Raleigh with her husband and their Basenji dogs.
Thank You
I want to thank all of you who chose to purchase this book and read it. Reading novels is an investment, both of money and of time, and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it. I can promise you that writing about Ziad and Claire has helped me learn a lot about the issues surrounding those who flee from their homelands and make this country their home.
My next novel will be Book Two of the Athena Trilogy, entitled No Options. Here’s a short teaser.
Major Abigail Ward is a woman with a soaring career and a broken heart. When she discovers the connection between a case her brother is working and one of her own cases, she finds herself facing a criminal who has impacted both her past and present. Now, with her options running out, Abigail must stop one of those she trusted most before he destroys not only her life but that of those she loves.
Have I caught your attention? If so, head to my website (www.jenniferhaynie.com) and sign up for my newsletter. To do so, enter your e-mail address in the sidebar. MailChimp will walk you through the authentication steps.
I can promise you that I will not spam you at all. I can also promise bi-monthly newsletters that contain information about my upcoming novels and my life in general. Promise with cream and sugar on top that I keep it short and sweet.
Also, if you wish, you may reach me at the following social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JenniferHaynieAuthor
Twitter: @JenniferHaynie1
LinkedIn: Jennifer M. Haynie
May God bless you all.
Acknowledgements
Novels take the work of many hands to complete, and Exiled Heart was no exception. As I mentioned in the preface, I took an earlier work and updated it to reflect many things because I simply couldn’t let Ziad’s story go. I do want to thank my husband, Steve, for his encouragement related to redoing it.
I also want to thank my beta-reader team for this novel. Vicky Priest supplied good knowledge related to life in Saudi Arabia. Pam Vashaw offered good insight, as did Jenny Johnson. And of course, Steve provided his own keen engineer’s eye to detail.
Finally, I want to thank my friends in the North Carolina Chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers as well as other friends and family who have encouraged me throughout the years. Your support has meant the world to me.
Exiled Heart Page 35