I Will Wait

The hot sun beats down on the crowded stone port of Ugarit, an ancient city. The Sea Peoples’ primitive ships wade in the shallow water, ready to pounce if anything were to go awry with their regular trade run. The Sea People are fearsome and are known to be excellent navigators of the stars. A young couple are shaded by a small stone and plaster wall, near the wharf.

“I have angered my God, your Gods, not to mention my father, look up at the sky, you can see”. Kostas tilts his head up as his sage green eyes gaze towards the sky and he sees the moon slowly starting to block out the sun’s warm light.

Kostas whispers, “We have done nothing wrong Amalia, other than love one another”. 

He pulls Amalia into his strong arms, his hand moving up her back to cradle her head on his chest.

“My father will never condone this, us. Your Sea People will never accept me or allow me in your life!” 

“You know my family lives on a small island, not far from here”. Kostas picks up a small twig and a pebble, he shows Amalia a crude map in the sand of his home in the sea. “They will accept you. As my wife, if you come with me, we can build our own family. My ship is ready for us to leave, now”.

She places her small pale hand on his chest, “Kostas, I…” 

“Amalia Wahed, you ungrateful, wretched child, step away from that man at once!” an angry voice shouts across the alley. Amalia turns her head toward her father’s voice and watches him walk toward them. Dzul is a very successful and powerful tradesman in Ugarit and with the Sea People. There are rumors that he knows of things that have not yet happened and he travels to unheard of lands; he possesses the power of the sun and the moon. He is a vengeful man and is deeply hurt by Amalia’s betrayal.

How dare she defy me; sneaking off the last few months with Kostas; insulting my intelligence and abilities. Ignoring her duties, turning down perfectly good men as husbands. Especially after all the sacrifices I make for her. I only want a more profitable arrangement worthy of my only daughter. A dirty water scoundrel is not good enough for her, nor will he bring me enough trade for my needs. They will suffer the consequences of their love.

The sunlight almost fully blocks the moon, the couple knows that they only have a few minutes in the darkness, so they make a run for it. Holding hands they run as fast as they can through the crowded street to Kostas’s ship, but not before they heard her father shout “I swear by the sun and the moon on this day; that you two shall always remain apart, only to see each other on the years where night happens at noon, for three thousand years''. 

The moon fully envelops the sun's light, as the world is thrust into darkness both Kostas and Amalia disappear.

One thousand years later. A beautiful young woman sits cross legged on a colorful square mat. 

She sits reclining against the cushions, scooping out pomegranate seeds with her hands, staining them red. Her long black braid of hair is tucked underneath her veil. She wears a long light lapis blue tunic made of soft linen, tied with a simple braided rope. She scoops prepping for a meal; waiting patiently. She can hear the bleating goats in the back stall of the sandstone dwelling and the stirs of life from the family upstairs. It often happens like this. She arrives at her destination, always a few days before the event occurs. It is a seamless transition between worlds. Wherever she is, in whatever time period, clothing, currency, tools, and shelter are waiting for her. Any locals she encounters do not question her presence. It’s as if they know more, but are not willing to acknowledge the unbelievable. Logic somehow prevails.

 I often think of my father and his purpose for this harsh punishment. Over the years, I catch him a time or two, watching, checking in. He doesn’t stay long enough for me to speak with him, ask him questions; Why? It must be him, leaving me the basic necessities. Does he do for Kostas what he seems to do for me? Why doesn’t he end this, we suffer enough! I close my eyes and turn my face to the warm sun, I know it won’t be long now. Over the last one thousand years, I can anticipate and feel the power of the sun and the pull of the moon. I know that I will be with him again soon. Somehow, no matter which century, which country, which city; we always find one another. As much as I do want to find him, I am not the same girl from Ugarit. I am still young but no longer naive; I am perpetually eighteen, never moving forward myself. I see empires rise and fall, I see war, I am in battles, I see destruction, I feel grief, I feel loss. This time I am a witness to the death of a man put on a cross, wearing a crown of thorns; the rise of a religion. We don’t age and we don’t die. I do know that each time I am in a new destination, I gain knowledge and knowledge is power. Of course, not a day goes by that I do not think of Kostas, where he is, what he is doing; wondering if he is still thinking of me? I feel the moon’s shadow ever so slowly start to hide the sun making it slightly cooler. I step outside into the dwelling's courtyard. I look around the lush garden, I see him standing in front of the red anemones, and the feeling never gets old. My thirsty eyes drink him in from head to toe, knowing every inch of him is etched in my memory. We just stare at each other for a minute. He looks good, tall, fit and lean as always. His dark hair is slightly longer than the last time. His skin is darker from the sun. He’s wearing a simple loin cloth. I see various sizes of scars on his chest, arms and legs, some long, some freshly puckered. I curse my father!

I smile and run into his open arms; we only have five minutes. His lips are warm and dry as they caress my forehead, my cheeks, my lips, my neck and he buries his face between my shoulder and ear. He smells so good, slightly smoky, familiar, like home. We hold each other for what seems like hours, but we know it’s only been a minute. Sometimes, we don’t say anything, we know what each other sees. So we just feel. As always, time does not stop.

“It gets harder each time Kostas, I hate letting you go!” “I hate doing this alone!”

“I know my love. He thinks that three thousand years will destroy our love! Never! I will wait another ten thousand years or more if I have to, I love you and only you”. He places a simple mollusk shell bracelet around my wrist; a trinket from wherever he’s been. He reminds me that I am never alone, all I need to do is look up and know that wherever we are, we are under the same sky. We hold each other tight. Some invisible force tears us apart and he wipes the single tear from my eye, as I feel the greater pull of the moon. We are separated, yet again. 

Two Thousand years later…

Amalia stands with a key, in front of a large apartment door. The concierge told her upon her arrival that this is her apartment key and her apartment is on the thirtieth floor. Amalia puts the key into the lock and turns, the door opens with a soft whoosh. As she steps through the entrance it opens up into an open concept, kitchen, dining area and living room. It is a modern kitchen with bright white subway tiles on the walls and dark oak hardwood floors. Granite countertops, white cupboards of various sizes, above and below the counters with gold handles; It is a chef’s playground. The space continues to a living room: with two love seats, floor to ceiling built in bookshelves, a T.V. and a view of Central Park from the enormous floor to ceiling windows. Amalia's mouth drops open in amazement and she places the key on the kitchen island. On the island is a new iPhone 15 Pro; it starts ringing.

Amalia picks up the phone, “Hello?”

“This is just the NYC weather network reminder that the total solar eclipse begins today; April 8 2024 at three-o-clock pm. 

Amalia looks down at the phone and it reads ten-o-clock am. She heads towards the fridge and opens the door, as she expects there is a cornucopia of food. She takes out some carrots, parsnips, radishes and a lamb shank and goes to work, preparing a meal of a lifetime. 

The timer on the oven dinged and Amalia pulls the roasted root vegetables from the oven. The lamb is resting on the stove top, the kitchen smells like home. The doorbell rings, she glances at the oven clock; two-thirty pm. 

Early she says aloud and takes her “kiss the cook” apron off and puts it on the kitchen island bar chair and heads to open the door. Her hand is shaking as she reaches for the door knob and she only hesitates for a fraction of a second, before she twists her wrist, the mollusk bracelet dangling with the movement and pulls the door open. 

“Oh, it’s you.” She did not expect her father to be on the other side of the door. He had a small box and envelope in his arms.

“Hello my darling daughter,” Dzul said with a half grin, unsure of how she might respond to his surprise visit.

Amalia’s eyebrows stretch up to her forehead and she rolls her eyes at her father, “ Darling daughter! Really Papa?”.

“May I come in, Amalia, please”, he begged.

Amalia sweeps her arm wide, gesturing to her father to sit on the leather loveseat. He enters and places the box and envelope on the coffee table and sits down.

“I’d offer you a drink, but I figure you won’t be staying long; I am expecting someone else”.

As I watch my father sit down, I am at a loss of what he could possibly say to me after all these years. What do I have to say to him?

“I’m so sorry Amalia, three thousand times I am sorry!”.

My father is down on his hands and knees, looking up at me and I can see he is genuine. I see his guilt, his remorse and sorrow, bleeding from his eyes. 

I think back on these three thousand years and I don’t know if I can forgive him. “Why, Papa? Why did you do this to me, to us, to Kostas? I grasp my fathers hands and pull him up off his knees and guide him to sit beside me on the loveseat. 

“My excuses are just that, excuses. I over reacted, I was afraid”.

My eyebrows raise in surprise, “Afraid of what Papa? You harness the power of the sun and the moon”.

“I was afraid of losing my only daughter. After losing your mother, I didn’t want to be alone, I had no guidance on how to raise a daughter, and thought that if I could have total control, you would have no choice but to stay with me. Turns out, I have been alone for three thousand years”.

“Why didn’t you stop it Papa, end it for all of us?”.

“Once the curse is set, there is no way to stop it, not even my death”.

I understand what my father is telling me, and I feel my heart shifting and making room for him. I may forgive him, in time. 

“Amalia, I want to make the past three thousand years up to you, I know it will take time. I am determined to make you happy and by any means possible. You will have every opportunity at your disposal”. You will have a choice”.

My father is very perceptive. I only want a choice. My future starts today, for once, I choose my destiny. 

The sunlight filters in through the tall windows, placing a spotlight on the small box and envelope. 

I see that the envelope is addressed to me; my name scrawled on the front in bold, slanted writing. 

I can feel my father’s eyes watching me and the room is silent, but for our soft breathing. I swallow hard, “He’s not coming is he”. I look to my father, hoping for the best, preparing for the worst.

“I did see him earlier today. It is a testament to him that he did not kill me on the spot”. Sensing that I need to be alone, he stands up and quietly leaves with the promise of staying in touch. Alone, I stare at the box and the envelope for several minutes, while the moon completely covers the sun. I am at a loss, a part of me does not want to open the box or envelope; still half hoping he will come. Another part wants time to stand still. The final part, wants to rip them open, just as my heart feels like it is being pulled out of my chest only to drop on the floor bloody and broken. I find my strength and courage, like I have for the past three thousand years. I slowly lift the corner of the envelope and slide my finger across, pulling up the top flap.

My hand shakes as I carefully take the letter out of the envelope. As I read his words of love, longing and hope, my tears flow like rain and some of the ink runs down the smudging some words. His last line leaves me feeling so full of love that I might burst like a balloon filled with confetti.

“ I love you Amalia, I always have and I always will. When you are ready, I will be waiting”.

I open the box and inside is a card, on it, is his phone number.