Living Stones

by Lloyd Johnson

  Ashley and Najid expressed their appreciation to all. She felt embarrassed that she had caused so much trouble for so many people.

  Ashley’s mind whirled as the team guide drove them home. She gazed at him in the rearview mirror. “We could have become increasingly hypothermic. You had the foresight to put a snow shovel and thermal blankets in our packs—even in the summertime!”

  Ashley gazed at Najid in the front seat. She smiled, recalling their conversation in the snow cave. Was it a proposal of marriage or not? Certainly not your traditional down-on-one-knee proposal. All done theoretically, in third person. She chuckled. But one thing she had learned, he wanted to talk to her father. No, he needed to talk to her father.

  Sitting in her house with her left ankle up on the couch enclosed with an ice pack, Ashley felt like Cleopatra. First Najid and then her housemates catered to her every need. This had to stop. And it did. By the next day she crutched to the telephone when no one answered it.

  “Hello.”

  “Appleby here. May I speak to Ashley?”

  “Oh yes, Mr. Appleby. This is Ashley.”

  “I just read in the paper of your adventures on the mountain. You keep having them.”

  “I’m so embarrassed about it. It put lots of people in danger.”

  “Don’t worry now. That’s what those rescue guys enjoy doing. Lovely maidens in distress, you know.”

  Ashley chuckled. “OK.”

  “What I called about, Ashley, is with another update on Robert and to convey a request. The lawyers worked out a plea bargain that the judge accepted. So Robert is awaiting sentencing, and the judge has allowed him to have visitors now.”

  “Do his parents know that?”

  “Yes they do. But he’s asking to see you.”

  Ashley drew a deep breath and sighed. “It must be terrible, in jail, no visitors, alone, waiting for a severe sentence of years in prison. Yes, I’ll go. What are the hours? Should I call ahead?”

  “He’s not in solitary anymore. So you need an appointment time, and you would see him in a visiting area with a glass between you. Good luck. He’s anxious to see you.”

  After several of her “crutch days,” Ashley could walk with her ankle boot. Between writing her thesis, spending time with Najid, and planning her parents’ visit, she needed to think about Robert again. So sad to see a young man get to such a dark place that he could kill—actually take a life. Now coming out from there, he faced a life ruined. So young. What help could she be? Why did he want to see her again? She called to make an appointment.

  An appointment? Her mind wandered. Why not make one to see Jim also? He had become more than her associate pastor and team leader. He had become a good friend. He seemed to understand Najid and his background now. The visit to Bethlehem and meeting the students in the Bible College, he said, encouraged him to explore his own theology in a renewed way. And hearing Najid’s family story had affected him as it did the whole travel team, and even Pastor Tom, their senior pastor. She could confide in Jim her dilemma—her love for that Palestinian man her parents had rejected.

  Chapter 75

  Robert wore an orange jumpsuit. It seemed strange to Ashley, talking to him behind glass with headphones and a microphone. What a barrier to human contact, she thought. He looked so pale and forlorn. But after initial greetings, they soon forgot the glass barrier, microphones, and speakers. Robert’s eyes watered at seeing Ashley.

  “I’ve gone over and over what you said about forgiveness, Ashley. I chose to forgive my parents like you said. You know, for exchanging money for love all my growing up years. And now, you know, I’m sorry I ever got involved in this jihadist thing. I’ve hurt my parents like they hurt me. I could ask the judge for forgiveness, but that wouldn’t change the facts of what I did and the penalty that I must pay. Justice must be served.” A tear rolled down his cheek, and he grew quiet.

  “I am sorry too, Robert, that any of this happened. But it did. You can’t change that and you have to pay your debt. But you still have a life to live, even in prison.”

  “I know that. But I want to understand about penalties you must pay and how forgiveness works. All I’ve ever known is revenge.”

  That began a long discussion as Ashley tried to answer the many questions Robert posed.

  “How can God forgive us?”

  “Because justice has been served … on the man from Galilee.”

  After an hour, a guard came to take Robert back to his cell.

  He gazed at her, nodding. “You bring me hope, Ashley. Will you come again?”

  “Yeah, I will.” She watched as the two men walked through the doorway. Robert looked back, with tears in his eyes.

  Ashley strolled into Jim’s office at the church, remembering the first time they met before the eventful trip and their many experiences together in the Holy Land that changed them both.

  “You became famous again, Ashley. I read about you the other day, surviving at night on Mount Rainier in the storm. You’ve got to quit these harrowing adventures.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “That’s what Gordon Appleby said. But you know, Jim, stuff happens. Hopefully I can learn from it.”

  “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? I don’t get to see you at church very often. Too many people.”

  “I want to get your thoughts, about Najid—”

  “That guy planted a bombshell around here,” Jim interrupted. “Sorry,” he chuckled, “poor choice of words,”

  Ashley laughed, then grew more serious. “I’m sorry if he caused trouble. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to share in our debriefing.”

  “No, no! We had a wonderful challenge! He’s sparked a lot of thought, debate, and theological discussions. No matter what we believe, we need to embrace love of our neighbor and avoid thinking one group has exclusive rights no one else has. I wonder if we have sometimes lost sight of justice and mercy. We need to see all the people involved in the Holy Land as those God loves, who need him and need each other. I couldn’t believe the effect his story has had on our senior pastor.”

  “What effect? You mean … for good?”

  “Yeah. Just like I experienced first in Bethlehem at the college. I had never heard the personal side of what has happened over there. Najid’s story cuts to the heart of the injustice … of years. It was powerful.”

  “So what now?”

  “Well, for one thing, the leaders in this church began some deep discussions of our Zionist theology. How can we support our brothers and sisters of Palestine and Israel who are trying to bring peace with justice?”

  “Wow! I am so excited to hear what’s going on. But that’s not actually what I came to talk about.”

  “Yeah,” Jim smiled,

  “but you brought up Najid, who turned us upside down.”

  “OK, I did. But not for that reason.”

  “So, what is the reason?”

  That began the long story of Ashley’s history with Najid, meeting his family in Galilee, his leading the police to Robert, their increasing time together, and their love for each other. She related her parents’ total rejection of Najid in the hospital, and their advice to not see him as a friend. Then she told about the conversation in the snow cave involving their respective parents, and Najid’s roundabout way of telling her he would like to marry her, but would have to get her father’s permission before he would even propose to her. And there lay the problem.

  “Why do you think your parents have rejected Najid so strongly?”

  “I’m not sure except that he is Palestinian, and of course all Palestinians are terrorists. Besides he’s different from my parents, and even though he might be a Christian, they could not trust him. They have no idea what a wonderful man he is. And from such a loving family.”

  “Do your parents have a Christian Zionist view?”

  “Oh, Jim! In spades! They outdo our church here in supporting the Israeli government’s positions. I had the same genera
l ideas when I came to Seattle, as you may recall, because that is how I was brought up. Like most Americans, they have no idea from the news outlets here what is really going on in Israel and the West Bank.”

  Jim put his hands together and lowered his head, obviously deep in thought. Ashley waited. He finally spoke. “I’d like to meet your parents, Ashley. Do they ever come to visit you here?”

  Ashley laughed. “Would you believe they’re going to be here in five days? I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do. Do I share about Najid and how we love each other despite their disapproval? Do I put them all in a room and let them duke it out together? Or do I say nothing, keep Najid away, and make no progress at all?”

  “Probably none of the above, Ashley. Let me talk to them. I’ll work something out. Let’s meet after church. You can introduce us, and I’ll take it from there. I would not talk to them about Najid if I were you. At least not until after we have a chance to meet. You and Najid should not be with us here in the office while we talk. He doesn’t attend here, does he?”

  “No. That’s great Jim, whatever you can do. They’ll be here for just two days before I bring them to church. Thanks for coming to my aid, again.”

  “I’ve got to think about this a bit. I may call you to get a bit more information.”

  Chapter 76

  Sunny and seventy degrees in Seattle, Dorothy.” Frank Wells peeked at his wife before he reclined his seat as the airplane reached cruising altitude. “Their Indian summer’s a lot cooler than ours in Oklahoma.”

  “I’m looking forward to some respite from the heat,” Dorothy sighed.

  “Seattle is a different place.” Frank turned toward Dorothy. She looked so much like Ashley at times. “I wonder if we should have encouraged our daughter to go somewhere else for graduate school?”

  “It wouldn’t have mattered what we think, Frank. Ashley just does her thing.”

  “I can’t figure her out sometimes. She seems so stubborn once she gets on to some idea. And she is being exposed to concepts out there in Seattle that I don’t like.”

  “She has certainly had her share of adventures between what we read and what she tells us.”

  “I’m not sure she is telling us the whole story, Dorothy. I don’t think we know what really went on in Israel. She seems to be hiding stuff. Maybe things she doesn’t want us to know.”

  “I agree. She hasn’t shared much about how she identified where the bomber lived in Seattle either, only that she tipped off the police.” Dorothy shook her head. “Some things don’t add up.”

  “And how did she happen to get lost in the storm on Mount Rainier?” Frank asked. “From what we read, a group of international students climbed up to a base camp on the mountain. It didn’t mention that Palestinian by name, but I wonder if he persuaded her to go.”

  “She never talks about him on Skype. But I have my own intuition, Frank. I think she is still seeing him and just doesn’t want us to know.”

  “I think you’re right.” As an engineer and businessman in the oil industry, he tended to think logically and make correlations. He turned to Dorothy. “Who accompanied Ashley when the bomb went off? That guy Najid. She had hinted at visiting a family in Galilee—maybe it was his. How did she track down the bomber in Seattle? Was he involved? If all that is true, this man brought trouble on Ashley.”

  “Do you think he has ulterior motives?”

  He nodded his head. “He may, Dorothy. We’ve got to protect Ashley from this Palestinian guy. I don’t trust him with our daughter.”

  Ashley spied them wheeling their carry-on bags as they emerged from the B concourse at Sea-Tac airport. She ran to hug them. Her parents looked tired. After the greetings she’d take them to their motel on 25th Avenue near the university. They hadn’t eaten since their layover in Denver hours earlier. “I know a restaurant on the Ave that you’ll enjoy.”

  “It looks like Seattle agrees with you, Ashley.” Dorothy smiled at her daughter as they drove on I-5 toward the Seattle skyline. Ashley sparkled and looked beautiful, her long blond hair blowing in the partially open window. The blue water of Puget Sound glittered as they neared the city, with the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop. Ashley pointed out some of the tall buildings and then the Space Needle. They neared the Mercer Street exit. Suddenly Ashley looked quickly into her side mirror and behind her as she eased the car into the exit lane.

  “I just had a great idea. Let’s have dinner at the Space Needle. It’s still early,so we probably can get in without a reservation. They have a revolving restaurant at the top that completes one revolution per hour. It’s a beautiful day, so we should be able to get a sunset view we won’t forget. You up for it Dad? It’s a tad pricey.”

  “Ashley, we’ve come all this way just to see you. And if that’s what you think we’d all enjoy, go for it!”

  Ashley emerged first from the elevator looking high over Seattle to Mount Rainier. Frank and Dorothy stood staring at the huge mountain, glaciers draped down its sides like white banners interspersed by rocky ridges of black. The flat top with its mile-wide crater shone in the afternoon sun.

  “It would have been nice to have this kind of weather two weeks ago,” Ashley said. “But then I’ve heard the mountain even makes its own weather.”

  Led by the hostess, they stepped over the seam in the carpeted floor. Frank noticed movement, a stationary center core, and an outer ring that rotated slowly clockwise. The tables on the ring wound gradually past each window. Being an engineer, his curiosity perked up. As they sat down he placed a cheap ballpoint pen on the window counter, out near the glass.

  “Why did you do that, Frank?” his wife asked.

  “I want to see how soon the pen returns. Then I’ll know whether Ashley is correct.”

  “Correct in what?”

  “She said we rotate once per hour. We’ll see whether she tells the truth.” He winked at his daughter. Both women chuckled.

  They had just finished their salads when the pen appeared. Frank looked at his watch. “She’s right, one hour and two minutes.”

  Ashley pointed out the city lakes as they rotated again north and then east, first Green Lake, Lake Union, and after the Ship Canal, Lake Washington. On the third trip around, as they finished a chocolate mousse, they watched the sun sink. The sky turned red and the water of Elliott Bay a rose color in the September Indian summer. They left reluctantly.

  Over the next two days, as they toured the sites of Seattle and rode a ferry up through the San Juan Islands to Friday Harbor, her parents wanted to know the whole story of her adventures in Israel. Ashley told them everything, except about her visit to Najid’s family. They had many questions. Her adventures and survival seemed hard to believe. They had never heard any of the personal side of the people in the Holy Land. Coming out of Friday Harbor on the rear deck of the return ferry to Seattle, they saw an Orca breech, its striking black and white body brilliant in the western sun, with Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan shining in the east behind it.

  “I can see why you like Seattle, Ashley.” Frank became serious. “But you haven’t told us much about your social life here. Nothing about your Palestinian friend. Are you still seeing him?”

  “Yes, Dad. I am.”

  “Does he go to church with you?”

  “No, he attends a small Middle Eastern group.”

  “Oh. Then he’s really Islamic.”

  “No, Dad! I’ve told you, he’s a Christian. He really is! Can’t you understand anyone outside of our own culture? Why do you close your eyes to people who don’t fit into your particular mold? Why do you close your heart to them?”

  “Look, Ashley,” her dad said, leaning forward and shaking his head, “we care for you and don’t want you to continue seeing him.”

  Her mother nodded her head. “Sometimes parents see things that their children, in their emotions, don’t recognize. We’re not stupid. We’ve been around awhile.”

  “Mom, you don’t eve
n know Najid! You won’t let yourself even get acquainted! How can you learn someone’s character without even talking to him?”

  “We just have more experience than you do, Ashley.” Frank stood and paced the ferry deck. “As your father, I have the responsibility to protect you. And I intend to do that. I don’t want my daughter dragged off to some godforsaken desert in the Middle East to a Muslim culture where women have no rights. I’ve read their stories. It ends up in abuse of the young wife in the family. Her kids don’t even belong to her. I couldn’t bear that for you or my prospective grandchildren.”

  Ashley stood up and faced her parents, narrowing her eyes. “I respect you as my parents, Dad and Mom. I love you guys. And I listen to your views. But I am a grown woman now, and it is my life we are talking about, not yours. You have made your choices. I have the right and freedom to make mine. Even if you think I’m making bad ones, you’ll have to accept them. You can no longer tell me what I can and cannot do!”

  “OK, Ashley,” her mother softened her voice. “We understand you have the right to choose. But we don’t even know this guy. What kind of man is he anyway?”

  “Exactly! You don’t know him because you have chosen not to even listen to him!” Ashley stood up, eyes flashing, brow furrowed. “I know him. We have been through a lot together, and I trust him. He’s a wonderful man with a great family, and I love him. Do you hear me? I love Najid, and he loves me! There is nothing you can do to stop me from loving him! Or seeing him!”

  Ashley let her tears fall as she walked rapidly toward the bow of the ship. Then she remembered that Jim suggested she not discuss Najid with her parents. But she hadn’t brought it up. Her father had asked directly. She shook her head, talking to the wind. “Now I’ve really messed it up.”