My Journey

by Amalie Coles

“Rockefeller is the closest, but I’m not sure you want to go there.”

  “It sounds like a plan to me.”

  We walked through the streets of East Jerusalem, taking time to enjoy the morning sunshine. Even with all the delays in our plan, it was still barely eight-thirty. Life around the city was going on as usual. All the shops and cafés were already open, and a few security officers were idling casually by one of the stores. A group of women in hijabs passed us. Luckily, no one was hurling stones or burning cars like you’d see in the news.

  A few blocks later, we were standing in front of a grand limestone edifice known as the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum. It houses one of the finest collections of Holy Land artefacts, most of which had been unearthed during the British Mandate.

  The line wasn’t very long, and we quickly made our way to the first gallery, which contained findings from the prehistoric times. A small group of children dressed in identical uniforms passed by with their group leader. One boy started jumping around and singing, and the rest began to misbehave. A museum staff member, who was guarding the gallery, politely asked them to be quiet. The kids obliged, but only for a few seconds. Soon they were laughing and horsing around again.

  “And this is exactly why I’m never having kids,” George commented.

  “Really?” I was taken aback. Technically, I had nothing against people who chose to stay childfree. Sometimes, I even wondered if motherhood was right for me. However, I didn’t expect to hear these words from George.

  “What if you change your mind later?” I asked, thinking about his future partner who would have to accept his decision.

  “That’s what everybody says, but you can be certain I won’t change my mind.”

  “All right, that’s your choice.”

  “Let’s get moving.”

  The next galleries were arranged chronologically, starting with the Bronze Age and ending with the Ottoman Period. Among some of the most-prized artefacts were wooden panels from the Al Aqsa mosque, marble lintels from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and a Byzantine mosaic floor from Ein Gedi. There were also a few Dead Sea Scrolls on display. George and I were thrilled to spot a few artefacts from Ashkelon. Participation in this dig had given us a sense of belonging to something bigger.

  “Maybe my figurine will be on display as well,” I said, recalling my sensational find from the second day of the dig.

  “Maybe.” George smiled at me.

  After the museum, we decided to stop at a shawarma place nearby. Since the time was already close to the noon, both of us started to feel hungry.

  “I still can’t believe how much we saw this month,” I exclaimed, while getting seated at a small table.

  “I know,” George said, while taking a bite from his shawarma wrap. “Shame that we didn’t get to see Beit Guvrin.”

  “At least we are in a safer place now.” I took a gulp from my soda can.

  “I agree.”

  Both of us turned our heads to the TV that was hanging on the wall, broadcasting the latest world news.

  “By the way, have you been following the news lately?” he asked half through the meal.

  “Not really.”

  Ever since my first encounter with Avi, I hadn’t visited the Common Room. I wanted to avoid the English channels like the plague, and I was too busy with my work to care about anything else.

  “I’ve been watching the news closely,” George continued. “It turned out they’ve discovered several terrorist tunnels. Can you believe it?”

  “Does that mean Hamas militants can sneak into Israeli territory?” I asked, shocked.

  “Of course they can! Luckily, IDF is working on destroying them.”

  “I still can’t believe the number of casualties in Gaza. I heard it’s over a thousand now.” Even though I strongly supported Israel, I couldn’t help but sympathize with those innocent children whose homes were being destroyed and lives, taken away.

  “That’s because Hamas uses its own people as human shields!” Suddenly, he was fuming. “They store weapons in schools and hospitals and then blame this shit on Israel. It’s a smart propaganda move.”

  “That’s so horrible! I really wish it would be over by tonight. I mean, I still have a week to spend here, and I want to be safe.”

  “Nothing can happen to us. We are protected by the Iron Dome.”

  “What about the tunnels? What if someone manages to use them for kidnappings? It sounds so scary.”

  “The Israelis won’t let them. Besides, the tunnels are almost destroyed.”

  “Well, I hope so.”

  “Want to continue to the Old City?” George asked, taking the trays to the garbage bin.

  “Most definitely!”

  Damascus Gate was only a few steps away from the eatery. The moment I saw the glorious walled structure, I wanted to pull out my camera and take as many photos as possible. George offered to snap a few picture of me in front of the entrance, and I returned the favour by taking a picture of him on his camera.

  Behind the gate was a colourful souk inviting for more photos. We stopped by a few stores, including a jewellery shop, where George bought a pair of Bedouin earrings for his sister.

  “I had no idea you have a sister,” I said while he was paying. It occurred to me that he rarely mentioned his family.

  “Yes, I do. She’ll be starting university this year.”

  “Which one?”

  “University of Chicago. She’ll be studying communications.”

  “How nice! I have a sister too. An older one. She’s working as an aesthetician in a fancy spa center.”

  “What is she like?”

  “Beautiful, confident, and successful.” I sighed.

  “You sound like you’re a bit jealous,” George remarked.

  “Maybe a teeny bit,” I admitted. “But not that much. We’re actually best friends.”

  “Becky, do you ever regret choosing archaeology as your major?” he asked as we passed a rug shop.

  “Not at all.” I turned to examine one of the rugs that were hanging from the shop’s door. “I love the path I’d chosen even with all its challenges and drawbacks.”

  “Why so?”

  “Because it had brought me here, to this day, to this place.” I smiled.

  He smiled back. “I can say the same.”

  We proceeded to a food shop, where I bought some halva candies for my coworkers. Although my return to work was still far away, getting ahead with souvenir shopping wasn’t a bad idea. I also bought small souvenirs for everyone in my family, including a few fridge magnets for Mom and Dad and a colourful plate for Grandma. I kept Erin’s request in mind but hadn’t spotted any stores carrying Dead Sea products yet.

  In the meantime, I was seizing the moment and enjoying the Oriental market, which looked much friendlier than East Jerusalem. There were no graffiti walls, no rubble, and no fast cars racing around, just a chain of boutiques with colourful beads and Oriental rugs hanging everywhere. I couldn’t remember how many turns we took through the small streets until we found ourselves in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

  “Want to go inside?” George asked.

  “Definitely!” I replied. There was no way I would miss out on this beautiful and also powerful place.

  “I’ll wait for you here.”

  “Why don’t you come in as well?”

  “I don’t go to churches.”

  “Neither do I, but this one is an exception.”

  “Nah, I’ll pass.”

  “OK, then I’ll go on my own.” I proceeded inside.

  Having bought several candles at the entrance, I joined the line leading to the sacred vault. Tourist groups thronged the building. Most women had their heads covered with headscarves, while almost all the men were wearing long pants. I wondered if George refused to come in because of his shorts. If I were in his shoes, I would still try sneaking in.

  After the line, I lit a few candles and said a quick
prayer for the well-being of everyone in my family and for peace in the Middle East. Then I snapped a few pictures of the dome, the altars, and the Byzantine mosaics. A few minutes later, I was back on the streets walking with George.

  “Tell me, why didn’t you go to this church?” I finally asked.

  “I don’t like religion as a social institution,” he told me. “It’s meant to manipulate the masses, and I don’t want to be brainwashed.”

  “Really?” I was a bit shocked by George’s revelation. Jason never showed any animosity towards religion. During our last visit, he willingly joined me at all the churches and even bought a kippah as a souvenir. “Are you going to skip the Western Wall as well?”

  “Maybe I’ll go there for the sake of pictures.”

  “So, are you an atheist?”

  “More of an agnostic, I’d say.”

  On the Shabbat afternoon, the energy around the Western Wall was special. Dozens of Orthodox Jews in black were flocking to the site. Some were holding holy books while others were simply carrying their notes. I joined the women’s section, where I wrote a small note of gratitude for the last three weeks. I took time to touch the sacred stones and feel their energy.

  “Do you think the City of David is open now?” I asked after rejoining George. I was eager to visit this site because it was thought to be the birthplace of Biblical Jerusalem.

  “I believe so,” he said, eying his watch, which was showing two-thirty. “We still have some time left, so let’s just go and check.”

  What I really liked about Jerusalem was the proximity of all the sites to each other. Even if the City of David was closed, we could still benefit from a nice walk. Fortunately, the site was open.

  “By the way, the Hezekiah’s tunnel is very close,” George noted, referring to the strategic tunnel built in the eight century BC by King Hezekiah to defend Jerusalem from the Assyrians.

  “Then we should check if it’s open. Although I’ve never there been there, I heard it’s worth visiting.”

  “It definitely is, but you might need water shoes.” He looked down at my sandals. “It can get very wet over there.”

  “Oops! I don’t want to trip and fall again.”

  “This time, no one will see us.”

  “Or force us to wear abayas.” I giggled.

  Much to our dismay, the tunnel was closed. However, we still had the entire City of David to ourselves. A small underground entrance led us to the site. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a few black birds flying in the dark and immediately recognized them as bats.

  “Ouch!” I exclaimed, feeling a shiver travel down my spine. I’d never seen a real bat before.

  “Is everything OK, Becky?” George asked.

  “I just don’t like the bats,” I said, pointing at the tunnel behind us.

  “Don’t worry,” George said. “After everything that had happened already, they are just harmless creatures.”

  “You are right. The missile alarm on our first field trip gave me real creeps.”

  “And so did the solo walk in East Jerusalem, right?” He smirked.

  “Says who?” I laughed. On the morning after my outing with Caitlin and Megan, I had truly planned to confront him about his Jericho incident but somehow had forgotten all about it.

  “What do you mean, Rebecca?” He was clearly clueless about my knowledge of his escapade.

  “Whoever got lost in the West Bank a few years ago is definitely not a clueless dreamer.”

  “Oh, you know the story.” George smiled.

  “Megan and Caitlin told me when we went out for a drink.”

  “What did they say?”

  “They said you had no right to be angry at me.”

  “I wasn’t angry at you, Rebecca! OK, maybe I overreacted a bit, and I admit it. But the real reason why I acted that way is because I’ve been in your shoes and I know how scary it can be.”

  “You made me feel like some misbehaving kid. You said I’m a dreamer living in denial.”

  “I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.” He put his arms around my waist.

  “I forgive you,” I said playfully.

  We were now standing in front of the famous stepped-stone structure, allegedly built way before King David’s rule. Next to the ruins was a small garden with flowers and trees. Sacks and shovels lay on the ground hinting at some sort of an archaeological activity. Classical music was playing from the ground speakers. From afar, I heard a muezzin call up for an afternoon prayer and immediately became mesmerized by the sound of his voice.

  I drew myself closer to George. His hands started moving upward, sending chills through the spine. He gently touched my shoulders and moved his hands to the nape of my neck. I, in turn, wrapped my hands around him. I felt his lips on mine and was immediately overtaken by some uncontrollable force. It was nothing I’d experienced before, not even with Jason. I mean, my husband and I had a great chemistry, but with George, everything was different in ways I couldn’t describe.

  “At matrifa oti,” he said, pulling me to the ground.

  “Since when did you start using Hebrew?” I asked, pebbles pressing into my skin.

  “I learned it from the song you showed me the other day.”

  “I thought you are too cool for love songs.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “I just assumed. Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”

  We were panting while speaking, ready to take each other in. Forget we were out in a tourist site in the broad daylight. Forget an Orthodox Jewish family could walk in any moment and see us. As I felt his lips on mine, his tongue invading my mouth, I wanted time to stop.

  “Rebecca, is it you?” I heard someone ask and immediately bolted up. The moment I saw that face, I nearly fainted.

  Chapter 20

  Honestly, I would rather prefer it were Erin or some other close friend in whom I could confide my darkest secrets and deepest confusions. Or it would be better if none of this had happened at all. So when my university friend, whom I used to see twice a year, caught me lying with a stranger in the broad daylight, I wanted to disappear. To make things worse, she was with some stern-looking lady who reminded me of Miss Andrew from Mary Poppins.

  “Hey, Dalia! Good to see you,” I said, trying to look calm.

  “Hi, this is my aunt, Sarah,” she replied.

  “That’s my husband, Jason.” I pointed at George. “We were doing sightseeing and got lost in the moment.”

  Although I could tell Dalia was shocked, she faked a smile. George didn’t say anything either, making me feel relieved.

  “So, what brings you to the City of David?” I asked after a prolonged pause.

  “I had a last-minute interview at the Hebrew University. They have an opening for a software engineer.”

  “Nice! Are you planning to move here?”

  “Well, if I get the job, of course.”

  “So you are doing sightseeing, aren’t you?”

  “I have a few days left, so I decided why not? Besides, my aunt lives here, and she knows the place very well.”

  “So, have you seen the Old City yet?”

  “Of course, Rebecca! We just came from there. I think we saw you at the souk.”

  For a moment, I wondered how much of us had they seen already. What if they had followed us all the way to the City of David? What if Dalia already told her aunt that her married friend was hanging around with a new guy?

  “You should take a bus to Qumran,” I suggested. “It’s very close to here. We’ve been there last time, and it was amazing. Just make sure to pack plenty of water and beware of caracals and...um...ibexes...” I continued rambling in attempt to cover up for my embarrassment.

  “Rebecca, don’t you realize I have family here who can take me around?” Dalia snapped.

  “Um...Sorry.”

  “About what?”

  “I didn’t mean to—”

  “What are you sorry about, Rebecca?”

  “
I think we need to go,” I announced before she could say anything else.

  We charged away from the City of David without looking back. I was beyond relieved that no one had exposed me any further during our brief encounter.

  “Becky, what the fuck just happened?” George asked, running after me. “Why am I suddenly being someone else?”

  “What was I supposed to do? Tell them you’re my coworker? Did you see the stern expression her aunt had? She looked like she was about to trample on me!” I continued walking fast.

  “Look, I think we need to talk.”

  “There is nothing to talk about. We made a mistake or almost made a mistake and got caught right on time.” I was unsure whether I was angry at or grateful to Dalia for having ruined the moment.

  “Can we stop for a sec? I can’t walk that fast and talk.”

  “Sure,” I said, my heart pounding from walking so fast. “Although we might want to continue walking,” I added, glancing at my watch.

  “Fine, we’ll walk and talk.”

  “So, what do you want to talk about?”

  He fell silent. “Becky, I know that you are married and everything, and I fully respect that,” he finally said.

  “OK.”

  “Although I do think you were a bit young to do that.”

  “And?”

  “The truth is, I really like you, Rebecca.” He sounded sincere.

  “Why?”

  “I’ve never met a girl that passionate about archaeology.”

  “Not even in grad school?” I was flattered by his confession.

  “Never! I like everything about you, from the way you brighten up when you see an artefact to the way you get scared so easily. You are both vulnerable and strong.”

  “What do you mean, George?” I was discovering something new about myself.

  “You’re not afraid of challenges. I mean, the Albright Institute is a tough place to be, but you don’t seem to be intimidated in the least.”

  “I was a bit intimidated in the beginning, but then I found out that everyone is so nice and friendly and—”

  “Don’t be fooled by appearances, Rebecca. The level of commitment required there is unbelievable. They’ll make you sweat like crazy.”

  “I know, George. But I loved living here. Thank you for bringing me to this place.”