Chap 3 , "The Best is yet to Be"
A/N
So here's Chap 3.
Early March 2008
The knock at the door took her by surprise.
“Hang on a minute, someone’s at my door.”
Vala got up and crossed the room, the phone still in her hand. She pulled the door open and tried to ignore the way her heart flipped at the sight of her visitor.
“Daniel.”
“Hi…” he started only to be stopped by her raising a silencing finger at him.
She turned away as she put the phone to her ear.
“Sorry sweetie gotta go, one of my coworkers needs to talk to me,” she paused by the night table where the base for the phone was, “Yeah I know, me too. Okay bye.”
She slid the receiver back into the cradle and turned to him with a brilliant smile.
“So what’s up? What are you doing here?”
He unclenched the hand that had tightened around the doorknob while he listened to her side of the phone conversation and shoved it into a pocket of his jeans.
He shrugged, “Umm, nothing really,” he dropped his gaze to the floor for an instant then quickly shot a look up at her from under his lashes, a tiny teasing smile flickered over his mouth, “Uh, would you believe I was in the neighbourhood and thought I’d drop by.”
She crossed the room to him, a little unnerved. That particular smile when he teased her always made her breath catch.
“Knowing you that’s probably not far from the truth, but you don’t usually just drop by my quarters. ”
He shrugged again, shoving his other hand into his other pocket.
“Yeah well, I came in a couple of hours ago because that text I couldn’t get yesterday was bugging me, but it’s still eluding me and I’m going cross-eyed looking at it. I thought a change of scenery might help, some fresh air maybe, do something different,” shrugging again he rocked back on his heels, “and I just wondered if you wanted to come with me,” he rocked back onto the flat of his feet and looked at her intently, “that is unless…unless you have other plans.”
Vala turned away, slightly flustered by how intensely focused on her he was.
“Umm, no I don’t, not anymore at least,” she pulled the red, glittery clip from her hair, “I did, but not now. Stu’s daughter apparently has too much homework to finish to go anywhere today.”
Picking up a brush off the dresser, she focused all her attention on brushing her hair instead of the image in the mirror of the tall, broad-shouldered man standing behind her. She missed how attentive he was to the brush moving through the ebony waves of her hair.
She clipped the red barrette back into place, “We were supposed to be going treasure hunting…”
“Treasure hunting Vala?”
Hearing the mild rebuke in his voice, she shot a look of annoyance at his reflection.
”Some credit please Daniel. It’s what Stu’s daughter called it when she suggested we wander around a fleece market.”
“Uh Vala, I think you mean ‘flea market’. ‘Fleece’ is the wool coat of a sheep. Although,” he cocked his head and raised his eyebrows slightly, “ ‘to fleece’ someone does mean to scam or con them and I know I’ve come across some flea market vendors that were definitely con artists,” he shrugged, “so okay calling it a ‘fleece’ market works too.”
His mouth twisted into a smirk, “I hope you were planning to use your expertise in that area to keep your…uhh,” he couldn’t say ‘boy’, “friend from getting conned.”
Now removing the second barrette she had clipped into place she stuck her tongue out at his reflection.
He laughed softly, the teasing smirk softening to an affectionate smile
“You know,” he offered, “we could do that if you want.”
“Do what?” she pulled the wand out of a tube of lip-gloss and applied it to her lips.
“Go wander around,” the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement making the dimple in one cheek flash, “that ‘fleece’ market. Although we’ll have to figure out where you were going since it’ll have to be an indoor fleece market at this time of year.”
The wand poised over her lips she stared at him in surprise.
“You’re joking?”
“Nope. I used to do it fairly regularly when I was in college. Great way for a student with no money to find interesting old books.”
She stared at him a moment longer and then grinned.
“I always suspected you were more of a treasure hunter that you let on Daniel.”
He shrugged. “There’s a bit of a treasure hunter in every archeologist Vala and I’m no exception.” he fixed a soft, focussed look on her, “it’s exciting to discover something that’s appealing and valuable to us. I’ve just never done it for profit like you have.” he straightened up from leaning against the doorframe. “So are we going?”
“Oh absolutely!”
She almost bounced over to him, scooping up her parka and shoulder bag off the bed before propelling him out the door in the direction of the elevator.
************************************************
Shaking his head Daniel watched Vala hand the vendor a $5 dollar bill.
“I can’t believe you’re buying that.”
She looked at him in mock offence. “Hey you should be relieved I’m not stealing it so I can could resell it for a tidy profit.”
He smirked. “Good point. Seriously though, what are you going to do with it?”
She pocketed her change and handed one of the ceramic containers to the vendor for wrapping.
“I have no idea. I’m not even sure what it is, but I like how they don’t look like they should belong together but then you discover that the jagged edges fit together to make a perfect whole.”
Daniel picked up the remaining white ceramic container to examine it. Pushing his glasses up onto his forehead, he squinted at the flecks of barely discernible black script.
“I’d say they’re coffee mugs and ‘his’ and ‘hers’ used to be printed on them.
Vala gave the second mug to the vendor. “Oh well that’s perfect then for work isn’t it? We can get them repainted and we’ll know which one is yours and which one is mine.”
He grimaced. “Don’t even think about putting my good coffee in one of those scuzzy mugs.”
She pouted slightly as they turned away from the table. “Oh very well. I suppose I could put a plant in them like Sam does.”
Daniel leaned down to her, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“Vala, you live and work 23 floors underground I don’t think a plant’s going to get much sun in your quarters.”
“Okay then, I could leave it at Sam’s place.”
“Or mine.”
Vala slanted a look of disbelief at up at him.
“No offense Daniel, but do you actually go home enough to keep a plant alive.”
He laughed softly. “Granted, but is Sam any better?”
She shrugged. “I suppose not, but why then do all her plants look so healthy?”
“Because Nancy, her cleaning lady looks after them and since Nancy also does my place, I’m sure if you left a plant on my kitchen counter she would keep it watered too.”
“Oh!” she blinked at him, “okay…thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem. Now can we get some food? I’m starving.”
His hand settled lightly in the small of her back, the increasingly familiar pool of protective warmth radiating from her spine out to every part of her as he guided her outside to the car.
Vala stared in stunned silence. She turned to Daniel with a raised eyebrow. His response was a sheepish smile.
“Yeah, I know it’s over-the-top, kinda reminds me of Ali Baba’s cave, but it’s comfortable and relaxing and the food’s as close to authentic as I’ve found in Colorado.”
“Yes well, I have no idea who the Ali guy is but it reminds me of Qetesh’s private quarters.”
He snorted a laugh. “That would figure given the cultural influences are from the same area of Earth.”
“Daniel, my friend!”
The enthusiastic greeting from the other side of the restaurant made them turn. A small man with dusky skin and slicked back salt and pepper hair wound his way around other seating areas towards them. Daniel smiled and took a step forward to greet him. The other man grasped his outstretched hands.
“It is good to see you. How are you my friend?”
“I am well Kazeem and you?”
The small man moved his shoulders in a deprecating manner. “As well as I can be in this business.”
Daniel glanced around. “It does seem quiet, but is business poor?”
Kazeem waved his hands to negate the concern. “No, no, it is early yet, later we will be busy. I meant only that this business is always full of headaches,” he reached behind the reception table beside him to retrieve menus, “ but no matter, come I have seating for two further back that would be suitable for you and,” he looked directly at Vala, his deep brown eyes shining in the soft light, “this lovely lady.”
Daniel glanced down Vala and seemed to realize suddenly what he had forgotten to do. She thought a tinge of pink touched his cheeks but it was hard to tell in the muted light.
“Umm, that would be fine Kazeem and yeah sorry, this is Vala.”
The restaurateur flicked a glance at Daniel and Vala had the distinct impression that her name was known to Kazeem.
“Ah,” he nodded in understanding, took a small step to the side and gestured them forward, “it is a pleasure to have you both here this evening, this way please.”
The seating area he took them to was like the ones at the front, just smaller. It resembled a pit with a short, square pedestal table in the centre. A thickly upholstered bench seat strewn with soft, plush cushions curved around three sides of the table, the fourth side was open to two steps down from regular floor level to allow the waitress to go down to table side so the food could be placed on the table safely.
Following Daniel’s example, Vala removed her shoes and moved to descend the steps. Instantly his hand was at her back, guiding her, the other hand under her elbow to steady her. She took the steps down, her sock feet sinking into thick carpet. Sliding onto the heavily upholstered bench she found herself in luxuriant comfort. It took a few moments of rearranging cushions to find her most relaxing position but once she had she looked across the table at Daniel. He was watching her with a small indulgent smile.
“Comfortable?”
She grinned. “Oh yes. I haven’t been anywhere this luxurious since Qe..”
Daniel’s finger on his lips shushed her. His backward glance over her head told her there were others close by. Kazeem, accompanied by a waitress carrying a tray that held a basin of steaming fragrant liquid and two hand towels appeared at the steps.
“Here you are my friends, warm water and towels to clean and refresh yourselves. Sharon will return for the basin and your orders once you’ve had a look at the menus and I will bring whatever beverages you wish. Sharbaat Daniel?”
“Please.”
“Very good and for your lady?”
The corners of Daniel’s mouth curved up. “Would your bartender be able to make a passion fruit martini?”
Vala stifled a tiny growl in her throat and watched the corners of Daniel’s mouth tilt upwards further.
“For this lovely lady I am certain he will. Anything else?”
“Yes sharbaat for Vala as well, and I don’t think we’ll need the menus; the lamb tagine and whatever else is good tonight that you think we’d enjoy with it would be fine, oh and the baba ghanoush.”
“Excellent. And for dessert…your usual Daniel?
Vala watched a grin spread across Daniel’s face.
“Of course Kazeem, you know it’s mostly what I come here for.”
“And coffee for both?
Daniel considered Vala for a moment. “Ah no, just for myself, Vala’s not much of a coffee drinker and I’m not sure she’d like the version you serve here, I think just tea would be better.”
When the basin had been replaced with their beverages along with a small dish and a basket of flatbread, they regarded each other across the table. Vala found herself unable to hold his gaze for very long without succumbing to the temptation to fall into his eyes.
She picked up her martini and sipped at it.
“So what’s the cultural influence here?”
“Uh, northern Africa mostly, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco. So it’s not surprising that you recognize some elements here from your time with Qetesh, although she is technically more Syrian, but neighbouring countries will usually share some cultural elements,” a sudden look of speculation crossed his face, “hmm…I wonder how much heat you can handle.”
Her mouth twitched into a seductive smirk. “Whatever you can dish out Daniel.”
With bated breath she waited for the pucker of annoyance to appear between his eyebrows. She was mildly surprised when it didn’t.
He shook his head. “I meant how much heat can you handle in your food Vala.”
She grinned at him, relieved that he didn’t actually seem annoyed. “Oh I knew that Daniel, but sometimes I just can’t resist teasing you.”
“Next time, try harder.”
She pouted slightly. “Daniel sometimes you are no fun.”
“Yes, so you’ve said before, but you haven’t answered my question; do you like food spicy?”
She shrugged. “I suppose so, I haven’t eaten anything on Earth yet that was too hot. Is this food hot?”
“Traditionally some of it is. It’s been toned down here to suit the blander American palette but we’ll be getting some condiments that’ll boost the heat level considerably, so go easy okay until you find what you can tolerate.”
“I take you like it hot.”
He paused and for a split second Vala thought he was going to return her previous suggestive remark, then the moment was gone and his answer was decidedly unsuggestive.
“Yeah I do, but then I’ve eaten this food for a large part of my life, some I even consider comfort food from my childhood, like the baba ghanoush,” he picked up the bowl containing an off-white creamy substance with dark flecks and dragged a piece of flatbread through it, “was an after school snack. And the lamb tagine here is a lot like my mothers’ version.”
She caught the tiny flicker in his voice at the word ‘mother’, she wondered if he even realized it was there, then bowls and platters food began to arrive and the mouth-watering aromas distracted her.
Conversation between them had never been so easy and ranged from a serious comparison between Earth politics and other planets to a story from Vala’s smuggling days. Six months earlier the tale would have made him frown in disapproval. Now it earned her laughter and the rare Jackson smile that slowly spread across his face and lit his eyes like sunshine on water. She was entranced. She even put up with his brief lapses into doctor of archeology mode just so she could see the same light in his eyes when he talked about subjects that he loved.
Most of the food was gone when Vala finally got up enough nerve to broach the subject she had been thinking about since his comment about his mother. She took the last mouthful of the sharbaa and cleared her throat.
“Can I ask you a question?”
He stopped, the piece of flatbread holding the last morsel of lamb from his plate halfway to his mouth. He put it back on his plate and wiped his fingers on the gold damask napkin.
“That question always makes me nervous Vala, just say what’s on your mind.”
She fiddled with her napkin and shrugged.
“I…I was just wondering about your parents is all, I mean I’ve picked up little snippets at work but never the whole thing and never from you and I wondered if you would…unless you don’t want to, which is fine too because I understand you know,” she couldn’t look at him for fear the open warmth that had been in his eyes had been cooled by her request, “because sometimes talking about my mother is difficult even now.”
His hand on hers stopped her fidgeting with the napkin. She looked up. The warmth in his eyes hadn’t flickered.
“It’s fine Vala, really. I don’t mind talking about them. I’m sorry though for putting you in the position of having to ask. Frankly you seem to have been part of my life for so long now that until you just said so I didn’t actually realize that the topic hadn’t come up between us before.”
She shrugged. “Oh well you know it’s not one of those everyday topics and it would be kinda weird to say in the middle of a mission, ‘oh by the way, I should tell you how my parents died’.”
A small smile passed over his mouth and then was gone again. “Yeah it would be.”
He went quiet for a moment, his fingers curled around hers and his thumb began tracing small circles over the top of her hand. She wanted to tell him to stop because the sensations the movement was sending up her arm were distracting, but he seemed to be doing it absentmindedly like a child stroking a blanket.
“It was a freak accident while they were setting up an exhibit at the Museum of Art in New York. They were recreating a tomb when the large stone being used as a ceiling for the tomb started to tip,” his fingers tightened around hers, “I was watching and tried to warn them but they weren’t listening. I think they were rather exasperated by my interruptions at that point.”
He huffed a harsh laugh, “ I remember being quite obnoxious that day. Normally, I…I think I was a good kid; a little too inquisitive perhaps, my curiosity occasionally got me into scrapes that freaked my mother out, but I was usually easy-going.”
“That day though,” he shook his head, “I was so bored; we had already been in New York almost a month and I missed home; my friends, school, my cat. I was hating New York more every day we were there. At first the whole trip was a big adventure of course, but New York in March is cold and damp and raw and all I wanted was to go home to Cairo. I still hate New York in March, it just makes all the memories of that trip too vivid.”
He stopped, pushing his glasses to one side to rub his eyes. “So anyway I was quite sulky and whiny for the better part of that day and by the time they were wrestling with the stone I think they pretty much had enough of me, which was probably why I was sitting on the sidelines,” his glasses back in place he glanced at her, “you know, “sit here, be quiet and quit interrupting so we can concentrate’.”
He dropped his gaze back to his thumb smoothing over the skin of her hand, his voice went soft and distant, “I probably shouldn’t have been in New York at all, I should have been at home in Cairo, with our housekeeper, not being bored and not distracting them,” he sighed, ‘but one of the hazards of being a really smart kid is that adults tend to be indulgent and let you get away with more than you should, like going on their work-related trip, instead of staying in school, at home.”
Vala leaned towards him covering his hand with hers. “Daniel you don’t blame yourself for what happened, do you?”
He lifted sad eyes to her and shook his head. “No Vala, I don’t, not anymore, but as an eight year old it was logical to think that being whiny distracted my parents enough that they didn’t notice the chains around the stone were weak; which according to the report I read at the museum was the ultimate problem. The stone becoming overbalanced had very little to do with it. The chains broke, the stone came down, the corner columns followed…then,” his voice caught, “there was just dust and silence.”
Blinking rapidly he dropped his gaze back to their hands. She slipped her fingertips between his and squeezed gently.
“Tough to convince the eight year to forgive himself though, isn’t it?” she whispered.
His head came up and he stared at her, startled by her unexpected insight.
Vala smiled tenderly in empathy. “My nine year old still thinks her behaviour might have made my mother sick.”
He looked at her curiously. “And did she?”
She shook her head. “Don’t think so. I remember hearing my stepmother discussing it with a neighbour once when I was about twelve. The neighbour seemed to think my mother had been sick for several months before the symptoms started to show.”
“So why did you think you had anything to do with it?”
“Because she only seemed to get sick about a week after she spent too long in a rainstorm looking for me because she thought I had run away,” she lifted on shoulder in a dismissive gesture, “I was kinda dramatic and a bit of a free spirit and sometimes if I got mad enough about something I would take off on my own.”
He shook his head at her. “You still do.”
She shrugged, dropping her gaze back to their intertwined hands. “I carried that vague guilt around with me for years.”
“And now?”
She looked up, the caring in his eyes and his voice brought the sting of sudden tears. She looked away quickly.
“Not so much anymore,” she glanced back to meet his eyes, “probably as much as you.”
The arrival of their waitress with dessert separated them. Vala eyed the plate of golden, glistening cake-like rectangles set in front of her with interest. She shot a questioning glance at him. He smiled.
“It’s called basboosa. Another childhood favourite of mine.” he reached for one, “and if you don’t eat your portion I will.”
Vala took one and bit into the tangy, sweet cake. She grinned at him.
“I may be trying to figure out how to get your portion away from you.”
He laughed, picking up the tiny cup that had arrived along with the dessert and sipped at the contents. “Not even with undomesticated equines Vala.”
Laughing she took another rectangle. Idly she licked the stickiness from the cake off her fingers as she threw a quick glance at Daniel.
“So what happened afterward?”
He put the cup carefully its’ saucer, as if giving himself time to collect his thoughts.
“I…I don’t remember much. Child Services took custody of me until my grandfather could be located. I remember being at a brief funeral for them with my grandfather. He took me to a restaurant afterward,” he paused as a wave of sadness passed over his face, “then I went back to the orphanage because he decided he couldn’t take me.”
Vala stared at him, incredulous. “He couldn’t take you? You were just a little boy.”
Daniel shrugged. “He was a well-respected and much sought after archeologist Vala and he really wasn’t in a position to take custody of an eight year old. I kind of understand now.”
“Yes, but Daniel you were his grandson.”
“That was Nick. At the time he was heading a long-term dig in South America, was thoroughly wrapped up in it and there was no place for an eight year old there. I actually understand, I can get so caught up in my work sometimes I lose track of what people around me need too,” he paused to take another piece of basboosa licking his own fingers after.
“I’m sure he thought it was in my best interests for me to be adopted by regular parents. Except most people looking to adopt want a newborn or an infant. Very few want an older child and no one who wanted an older child who’d spent most of his life in a foreign country, who could speak Arabic almost better than English and who at eight was probably as smart as they were.”
Vala, her heart aching for a little boy suddenly unwanted, watched him lean back into the cushions, the tiny coffee cup cradled between his fingers.
He sighed. "So until I could legally be on my own at 16 I was placed with a foster family. Some of the time it was good”, he stared into what remained of his coffee, shadows passing over his face, “sometimes it wasn’t.”
Vala finished her last piece of basboosa, waiting quietly. He looked up a few moments later, catching her eyes with his in a steady gaze.
“Thanks.” he said suddenly.
“For what?” she responded in surprise.
“For coming out with me this afternoon. It’s…it’s been nice.”
“Hey don’t thank me, you’re the one who offered me something better than spending another exciting Sunday underground.”
His brow creased. “Yeah, I should try to get you off base more often shouldn’t I?”
“Oh don’t worry about it Daniel. I’ve been getting out to explore your world more since I started seeing Stuart.”
Daniel blinked at her. “Yeah…right, of course.” he dropped his head forward and shook it slowly, “sorry, I should have realized that.”
He looked up again and gave her a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Well that’s good isn’t it, at least you’re not bored anymore.”
He glanced away to pick up the check the waitress had left with their dessert. Moving to the end of the bench he stood up.
“I’ll pay this and then we’ll go.”
“Okay.”
Vala watched him mount the steps and slip his shoes back on. She followed slowly after him, reluctant to end the day and trying to ignore the little voice in her head that was reminding her yet again that she was in love with a man who didn’t feel the same way.
*******************************************************
So here's Chap 3.
Early March 2008
The knock at the door took her by surprise.
“Hang on a minute, someone’s at my door.”
Vala got up and crossed the room, the phone still in her hand. She pulled the door open and tried to ignore the way her heart flipped at the sight of her visitor.
“Daniel.”
“Hi…” he started only to be stopped by her raising a silencing finger at him.
She turned away as she put the phone to her ear.
“Sorry sweetie gotta go, one of my coworkers needs to talk to me,” she paused by the night table where the base for the phone was, “Yeah I know, me too. Okay bye.”
She slid the receiver back into the cradle and turned to him with a brilliant smile.
“So what’s up? What are you doing here?”
He unclenched the hand that had tightened around the doorknob while he listened to her side of the phone conversation and shoved it into a pocket of his jeans.
He shrugged, “Umm, nothing really,” he dropped his gaze to the floor for an instant then quickly shot a look up at her from under his lashes, a tiny teasing smile flickered over his mouth, “Uh, would you believe I was in the neighbourhood and thought I’d drop by.”
She crossed the room to him, a little unnerved. That particular smile when he teased her always made her breath catch.
“Knowing you that’s probably not far from the truth, but you don’t usually just drop by my quarters. ”
He shrugged again, shoving his other hand into his other pocket.
“Yeah well, I came in a couple of hours ago because that text I couldn’t get yesterday was bugging me, but it’s still eluding me and I’m going cross-eyed looking at it. I thought a change of scenery might help, some fresh air maybe, do something different,” shrugging again he rocked back on his heels, “and I just wondered if you wanted to come with me,” he rocked back onto the flat of his feet and looked at her intently, “that is unless…unless you have other plans.”
Vala turned away, slightly flustered by how intensely focused on her he was.
“Umm, no I don’t, not anymore at least,” she pulled the red, glittery clip from her hair, “I did, but not now. Stu’s daughter apparently has too much homework to finish to go anywhere today.”
Picking up a brush off the dresser, she focused all her attention on brushing her hair instead of the image in the mirror of the tall, broad-shouldered man standing behind her. She missed how attentive he was to the brush moving through the ebony waves of her hair.
She clipped the red barrette back into place, “We were supposed to be going treasure hunting…”
“Treasure hunting Vala?”
Hearing the mild rebuke in his voice, she shot a look of annoyance at his reflection.
”Some credit please Daniel. It’s what Stu’s daughter called it when she suggested we wander around a fleece market.”
“Uh Vala, I think you mean ‘flea market’. ‘Fleece’ is the wool coat of a sheep. Although,” he cocked his head and raised his eyebrows slightly, “ ‘to fleece’ someone does mean to scam or con them and I know I’ve come across some flea market vendors that were definitely con artists,” he shrugged, “so okay calling it a ‘fleece’ market works too.”
His mouth twisted into a smirk, “I hope you were planning to use your expertise in that area to keep your…uhh,” he couldn’t say ‘boy’, “friend from getting conned.”
Now removing the second barrette she had clipped into place she stuck her tongue out at his reflection.
He laughed softly, the teasing smirk softening to an affectionate smile
“You know,” he offered, “we could do that if you want.”
“Do what?” she pulled the wand out of a tube of lip-gloss and applied it to her lips.
“Go wander around,” the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement making the dimple in one cheek flash, “that ‘fleece’ market. Although we’ll have to figure out where you were going since it’ll have to be an indoor fleece market at this time of year.”
The wand poised over her lips she stared at him in surprise.
“You’re joking?”
“Nope. I used to do it fairly regularly when I was in college. Great way for a student with no money to find interesting old books.”
She stared at him a moment longer and then grinned.
“I always suspected you were more of a treasure hunter that you let on Daniel.”
He shrugged. “There’s a bit of a treasure hunter in every archeologist Vala and I’m no exception.” he fixed a soft, focussed look on her, “it’s exciting to discover something that’s appealing and valuable to us. I’ve just never done it for profit like you have.” he straightened up from leaning against the doorframe. “So are we going?”
“Oh absolutely!”
She almost bounced over to him, scooping up her parka and shoulder bag off the bed before propelling him out the door in the direction of the elevator.
************************************************
Shaking his head Daniel watched Vala hand the vendor a $5 dollar bill.
“I can’t believe you’re buying that.”
She looked at him in mock offence. “Hey you should be relieved I’m not stealing it so I can could resell it for a tidy profit.”
He smirked. “Good point. Seriously though, what are you going to do with it?”
She pocketed her change and handed one of the ceramic containers to the vendor for wrapping.
“I have no idea. I’m not even sure what it is, but I like how they don’t look like they should belong together but then you discover that the jagged edges fit together to make a perfect whole.”
Daniel picked up the remaining white ceramic container to examine it. Pushing his glasses up onto his forehead, he squinted at the flecks of barely discernible black script.
“I’d say they’re coffee mugs and ‘his’ and ‘hers’ used to be printed on them.
Vala gave the second mug to the vendor. “Oh well that’s perfect then for work isn’t it? We can get them repainted and we’ll know which one is yours and which one is mine.”
He grimaced. “Don’t even think about putting my good coffee in one of those scuzzy mugs.”
She pouted slightly as they turned away from the table. “Oh very well. I suppose I could put a plant in them like Sam does.”
Daniel leaned down to her, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“Vala, you live and work 23 floors underground I don’t think a plant’s going to get much sun in your quarters.”
“Okay then, I could leave it at Sam’s place.”
“Or mine.”
Vala slanted a look of disbelief at up at him.
“No offense Daniel, but do you actually go home enough to keep a plant alive.”
He laughed softly. “Granted, but is Sam any better?”
She shrugged. “I suppose not, but why then do all her plants look so healthy?”
“Because Nancy, her cleaning lady looks after them and since Nancy also does my place, I’m sure if you left a plant on my kitchen counter she would keep it watered too.”
“Oh!” she blinked at him, “okay…thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem. Now can we get some food? I’m starving.”
His hand settled lightly in the small of her back, the increasingly familiar pool of protective warmth radiating from her spine out to every part of her as he guided her outside to the car.
Vala stared in stunned silence. She turned to Daniel with a raised eyebrow. His response was a sheepish smile.
“Yeah, I know it’s over-the-top, kinda reminds me of Ali Baba’s cave, but it’s comfortable and relaxing and the food’s as close to authentic as I’ve found in Colorado.”
“Yes well, I have no idea who the Ali guy is but it reminds me of Qetesh’s private quarters.”
He snorted a laugh. “That would figure given the cultural influences are from the same area of Earth.”
“Daniel, my friend!”
The enthusiastic greeting from the other side of the restaurant made them turn. A small man with dusky skin and slicked back salt and pepper hair wound his way around other seating areas towards them. Daniel smiled and took a step forward to greet him. The other man grasped his outstretched hands.
“It is good to see you. How are you my friend?”
“I am well Kazeem and you?”
The small man moved his shoulders in a deprecating manner. “As well as I can be in this business.”
Daniel glanced around. “It does seem quiet, but is business poor?”
Kazeem waved his hands to negate the concern. “No, no, it is early yet, later we will be busy. I meant only that this business is always full of headaches,” he reached behind the reception table beside him to retrieve menus, “ but no matter, come I have seating for two further back that would be suitable for you and,” he looked directly at Vala, his deep brown eyes shining in the soft light, “this lovely lady.”
Daniel glanced down Vala and seemed to realize suddenly what he had forgotten to do. She thought a tinge of pink touched his cheeks but it was hard to tell in the muted light.
“Umm, that would be fine Kazeem and yeah sorry, this is Vala.”
The restaurateur flicked a glance at Daniel and Vala had the distinct impression that her name was known to Kazeem.
“Ah,” he nodded in understanding, took a small step to the side and gestured them forward, “it is a pleasure to have you both here this evening, this way please.”
The seating area he took them to was like the ones at the front, just smaller. It resembled a pit with a short, square pedestal table in the centre. A thickly upholstered bench seat strewn with soft, plush cushions curved around three sides of the table, the fourth side was open to two steps down from regular floor level to allow the waitress to go down to table side so the food could be placed on the table safely.
Following Daniel’s example, Vala removed her shoes and moved to descend the steps. Instantly his hand was at her back, guiding her, the other hand under her elbow to steady her. She took the steps down, her sock feet sinking into thick carpet. Sliding onto the heavily upholstered bench she found herself in luxuriant comfort. It took a few moments of rearranging cushions to find her most relaxing position but once she had she looked across the table at Daniel. He was watching her with a small indulgent smile.
“Comfortable?”
She grinned. “Oh yes. I haven’t been anywhere this luxurious since Qe..”
Daniel’s finger on his lips shushed her. His backward glance over her head told her there were others close by. Kazeem, accompanied by a waitress carrying a tray that held a basin of steaming fragrant liquid and two hand towels appeared at the steps.
“Here you are my friends, warm water and towels to clean and refresh yourselves. Sharon will return for the basin and your orders once you’ve had a look at the menus and I will bring whatever beverages you wish. Sharbaat Daniel?”
“Please.”
“Very good and for your lady?”
The corners of Daniel’s mouth curved up. “Would your bartender be able to make a passion fruit martini?”
Vala stifled a tiny growl in her throat and watched the corners of Daniel’s mouth tilt upwards further.
“For this lovely lady I am certain he will. Anything else?”
“Yes sharbaat for Vala as well, and I don’t think we’ll need the menus; the lamb tagine and whatever else is good tonight that you think we’d enjoy with it would be fine, oh and the baba ghanoush.”
“Excellent. And for dessert…your usual Daniel?
Vala watched a grin spread across Daniel’s face.
“Of course Kazeem, you know it’s mostly what I come here for.”
“And coffee for both?
Daniel considered Vala for a moment. “Ah no, just for myself, Vala’s not much of a coffee drinker and I’m not sure she’d like the version you serve here, I think just tea would be better.”
When the basin had been replaced with their beverages along with a small dish and a basket of flatbread, they regarded each other across the table. Vala found herself unable to hold his gaze for very long without succumbing to the temptation to fall into his eyes.
She picked up her martini and sipped at it.
“So what’s the cultural influence here?”
“Uh, northern Africa mostly, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco. So it’s not surprising that you recognize some elements here from your time with Qetesh, although she is technically more Syrian, but neighbouring countries will usually share some cultural elements,” a sudden look of speculation crossed his face, “hmm…I wonder how much heat you can handle.”
Her mouth twitched into a seductive smirk. “Whatever you can dish out Daniel.”
With bated breath she waited for the pucker of annoyance to appear between his eyebrows. She was mildly surprised when it didn’t.
He shook his head. “I meant how much heat can you handle in your food Vala.”
She grinned at him, relieved that he didn’t actually seem annoyed. “Oh I knew that Daniel, but sometimes I just can’t resist teasing you.”
“Next time, try harder.”
She pouted slightly. “Daniel sometimes you are no fun.”
“Yes, so you’ve said before, but you haven’t answered my question; do you like food spicy?”
She shrugged. “I suppose so, I haven’t eaten anything on Earth yet that was too hot. Is this food hot?”
“Traditionally some of it is. It’s been toned down here to suit the blander American palette but we’ll be getting some condiments that’ll boost the heat level considerably, so go easy okay until you find what you can tolerate.”
“I take you like it hot.”
He paused and for a split second Vala thought he was going to return her previous suggestive remark, then the moment was gone and his answer was decidedly unsuggestive.
“Yeah I do, but then I’ve eaten this food for a large part of my life, some I even consider comfort food from my childhood, like the baba ghanoush,” he picked up the bowl containing an off-white creamy substance with dark flecks and dragged a piece of flatbread through it, “was an after school snack. And the lamb tagine here is a lot like my mothers’ version.”
She caught the tiny flicker in his voice at the word ‘mother’, she wondered if he even realized it was there, then bowls and platters food began to arrive and the mouth-watering aromas distracted her.
Conversation between them had never been so easy and ranged from a serious comparison between Earth politics and other planets to a story from Vala’s smuggling days. Six months earlier the tale would have made him frown in disapproval. Now it earned her laughter and the rare Jackson smile that slowly spread across his face and lit his eyes like sunshine on water. She was entranced. She even put up with his brief lapses into doctor of archeology mode just so she could see the same light in his eyes when he talked about subjects that he loved.
Most of the food was gone when Vala finally got up enough nerve to broach the subject she had been thinking about since his comment about his mother. She took the last mouthful of the sharbaa and cleared her throat.
“Can I ask you a question?”
He stopped, the piece of flatbread holding the last morsel of lamb from his plate halfway to his mouth. He put it back on his plate and wiped his fingers on the gold damask napkin.
“That question always makes me nervous Vala, just say what’s on your mind.”
She fiddled with her napkin and shrugged.
“I…I was just wondering about your parents is all, I mean I’ve picked up little snippets at work but never the whole thing and never from you and I wondered if you would…unless you don’t want to, which is fine too because I understand you know,” she couldn’t look at him for fear the open warmth that had been in his eyes had been cooled by her request, “because sometimes talking about my mother is difficult even now.”
His hand on hers stopped her fidgeting with the napkin. She looked up. The warmth in his eyes hadn’t flickered.
“It’s fine Vala, really. I don’t mind talking about them. I’m sorry though for putting you in the position of having to ask. Frankly you seem to have been part of my life for so long now that until you just said so I didn’t actually realize that the topic hadn’t come up between us before.”
She shrugged. “Oh well you know it’s not one of those everyday topics and it would be kinda weird to say in the middle of a mission, ‘oh by the way, I should tell you how my parents died’.”
A small smile passed over his mouth and then was gone again. “Yeah it would be.”
He went quiet for a moment, his fingers curled around hers and his thumb began tracing small circles over the top of her hand. She wanted to tell him to stop because the sensations the movement was sending up her arm were distracting, but he seemed to be doing it absentmindedly like a child stroking a blanket.
“It was a freak accident while they were setting up an exhibit at the Museum of Art in New York. They were recreating a tomb when the large stone being used as a ceiling for the tomb started to tip,” his fingers tightened around hers, “I was watching and tried to warn them but they weren’t listening. I think they were rather exasperated by my interruptions at that point.”
He huffed a harsh laugh, “ I remember being quite obnoxious that day. Normally, I…I think I was a good kid; a little too inquisitive perhaps, my curiosity occasionally got me into scrapes that freaked my mother out, but I was usually easy-going.”
“That day though,” he shook his head, “I was so bored; we had already been in New York almost a month and I missed home; my friends, school, my cat. I was hating New York more every day we were there. At first the whole trip was a big adventure of course, but New York in March is cold and damp and raw and all I wanted was to go home to Cairo. I still hate New York in March, it just makes all the memories of that trip too vivid.”
He stopped, pushing his glasses to one side to rub his eyes. “So anyway I was quite sulky and whiny for the better part of that day and by the time they were wrestling with the stone I think they pretty much had enough of me, which was probably why I was sitting on the sidelines,” his glasses back in place he glanced at her, “you know, “sit here, be quiet and quit interrupting so we can concentrate’.”
He dropped his gaze back to his thumb smoothing over the skin of her hand, his voice went soft and distant, “I probably shouldn’t have been in New York at all, I should have been at home in Cairo, with our housekeeper, not being bored and not distracting them,” he sighed, ‘but one of the hazards of being a really smart kid is that adults tend to be indulgent and let you get away with more than you should, like going on their work-related trip, instead of staying in school, at home.”
Vala leaned towards him covering his hand with hers. “Daniel you don’t blame yourself for what happened, do you?”
He lifted sad eyes to her and shook his head. “No Vala, I don’t, not anymore, but as an eight year old it was logical to think that being whiny distracted my parents enough that they didn’t notice the chains around the stone were weak; which according to the report I read at the museum was the ultimate problem. The stone becoming overbalanced had very little to do with it. The chains broke, the stone came down, the corner columns followed…then,” his voice caught, “there was just dust and silence.”
Blinking rapidly he dropped his gaze back to their hands. She slipped her fingertips between his and squeezed gently.
“Tough to convince the eight year to forgive himself though, isn’t it?” she whispered.
His head came up and he stared at her, startled by her unexpected insight.
Vala smiled tenderly in empathy. “My nine year old still thinks her behaviour might have made my mother sick.”
He looked at her curiously. “And did she?”
She shook her head. “Don’t think so. I remember hearing my stepmother discussing it with a neighbour once when I was about twelve. The neighbour seemed to think my mother had been sick for several months before the symptoms started to show.”
“So why did you think you had anything to do with it?”
“Because she only seemed to get sick about a week after she spent too long in a rainstorm looking for me because she thought I had run away,” she lifted on shoulder in a dismissive gesture, “I was kinda dramatic and a bit of a free spirit and sometimes if I got mad enough about something I would take off on my own.”
He shook his head at her. “You still do.”
She shrugged, dropping her gaze back to their intertwined hands. “I carried that vague guilt around with me for years.”
“And now?”
She looked up, the caring in his eyes and his voice brought the sting of sudden tears. She looked away quickly.
“Not so much anymore,” she glanced back to meet his eyes, “probably as much as you.”
The arrival of their waitress with dessert separated them. Vala eyed the plate of golden, glistening cake-like rectangles set in front of her with interest. She shot a questioning glance at him. He smiled.
“It’s called basboosa. Another childhood favourite of mine.” he reached for one, “and if you don’t eat your portion I will.”
Vala took one and bit into the tangy, sweet cake. She grinned at him.
“I may be trying to figure out how to get your portion away from you.”
He laughed, picking up the tiny cup that had arrived along with the dessert and sipped at the contents. “Not even with undomesticated equines Vala.”
Laughing she took another rectangle. Idly she licked the stickiness from the cake off her fingers as she threw a quick glance at Daniel.
“So what happened afterward?”
He put the cup carefully its’ saucer, as if giving himself time to collect his thoughts.
“I…I don’t remember much. Child Services took custody of me until my grandfather could be located. I remember being at a brief funeral for them with my grandfather. He took me to a restaurant afterward,” he paused as a wave of sadness passed over his face, “then I went back to the orphanage because he decided he couldn’t take me.”
Vala stared at him, incredulous. “He couldn’t take you? You were just a little boy.”
Daniel shrugged. “He was a well-respected and much sought after archeologist Vala and he really wasn’t in a position to take custody of an eight year old. I kind of understand now.”
“Yes, but Daniel you were his grandson.”
“That was Nick. At the time he was heading a long-term dig in South America, was thoroughly wrapped up in it and there was no place for an eight year old there. I actually understand, I can get so caught up in my work sometimes I lose track of what people around me need too,” he paused to take another piece of basboosa licking his own fingers after.
“I’m sure he thought it was in my best interests for me to be adopted by regular parents. Except most people looking to adopt want a newborn or an infant. Very few want an older child and no one who wanted an older child who’d spent most of his life in a foreign country, who could speak Arabic almost better than English and who at eight was probably as smart as they were.”
Vala, her heart aching for a little boy suddenly unwanted, watched him lean back into the cushions, the tiny coffee cup cradled between his fingers.
He sighed. "So until I could legally be on my own at 16 I was placed with a foster family. Some of the time it was good”, he stared into what remained of his coffee, shadows passing over his face, “sometimes it wasn’t.”
Vala finished her last piece of basboosa, waiting quietly. He looked up a few moments later, catching her eyes with his in a steady gaze.
“Thanks.” he said suddenly.
“For what?” she responded in surprise.
“For coming out with me this afternoon. It’s…it’s been nice.”
“Hey don’t thank me, you’re the one who offered me something better than spending another exciting Sunday underground.”
His brow creased. “Yeah, I should try to get you off base more often shouldn’t I?”
“Oh don’t worry about it Daniel. I’ve been getting out to explore your world more since I started seeing Stuart.”
Daniel blinked at her. “Yeah…right, of course.” he dropped his head forward and shook it slowly, “sorry, I should have realized that.”
He looked up again and gave her a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Well that’s good isn’t it, at least you’re not bored anymore.”
He glanced away to pick up the check the waitress had left with their dessert. Moving to the end of the bench he stood up.
“I’ll pay this and then we’ll go.”
“Okay.”
Vala watched him mount the steps and slip his shoes back on. She followed slowly after him, reluctant to end the day and trying to ignore the little voice in her head that was reminding her yet again that she was in love with a man who didn’t feel the same way.
*******************************************************