The Desert Flower

Chapter 6

As the sun begins to set, I sit on a high rocky ledge that overlooks the digging ground, the strays that were barking at the workers sit by me forming a half-circle as I stroke them behind their ears, their earlier barking subsiding upon my arrival. Reflecting on the blow I had just dealt to Kevin, the panic and fear in his eyes are not lost on me.

"You know, that ledge might not be as stable as it looks," Doctor Fuller's uncertain voice chimes in from behind me. "And having those dogs around could be adding extra strain. Maybe it's best to move back a bit..."

"Thanks for the concern, Doctor Fuller," I interject politely but firmly, keeping my tone light. "But I assure you, this ledge is solid. And these dogs wouldn't be here if it weren't."

"Just call me Amanda. We're both women, Kamilah," she responds, using my first name with a smile, unfazed by my tone.

Turning to her, I shoot her a questioning look, to which she sighs and settles beside me. The dogs adjust to make space for her, but they seem less welcoming, tightening their circle around me.

"They seem to really like you," Amanda comments, snatching her hand back when she tries to pet the dog nearest to her bare its teeth at her. "But not so much of me. So... what's a woman with Monetary, Kensington, and Ingard wrapped around her finger doing up here all alone? Enjoying the view?"

Her attempt at casual conversation elicits a small laugh from me. It dawns on me that, despite spending considerable time together since our departure from Washington, Amanda and I haven't exchanged much beyond introductions.

"Mr. Monetary is my roommate, so he's naturally looking out for me. Jamie and I spent the entire trip getting acquainted, and Louis has known me for years," I explain, petting the dog beside me. "So, I'm not sure what you mean by having them wrapped around my finger."

Her responding laugh is like a sweet little tinkling bell, a beautiful sound to match such a gorgeous woman, her pretty blue eyes sparkle in the light of the setting sun, and a breeze picks up her long blonde hair sweeping it behind her shoulders.

"Are you serious?" she asks incredulously, leaning in closer. "Kensington clearly has a crush on you, Monetary's interested, and Ingard... well, let's just say his physical reaction to you sitting on his lap for hours wasn't exactly subtle. Trust me, I saw it all."

"You must have seen wrong then, "I scoff. "I have no interest in engaging in such conversation Amanda."

"I understand," Amanda laughs clearly not understanding. "You have a boyfriend."

"Do you?" I return, looking at her. "A woman of your stature and competence. I'd find it hard to believe if you didn't."

"Well, I don't," She laughs, swinging her legs. "I spend most of my days on excavation sites like these. There isn't any time to meet anyone else other than the men I work with. And even if I did meet someone, it'd be difficult to maintain the relationship with all the travelling I do."

Nodding in agreement, I reply, "That's understandable. Believable even."

In the awkward silence that ensues, the sound of Louis calling us to dinner is like a godsend. Heading down to the food station, I grab an MRE(Meals-Ready-to-Eat) from Jefferson who's handing them out next to a military officer who smiles warmly at me as I walk past him. 

At a short distance away, I smell the delicious scent of Bamia Bi-Lahm, a type of local lamb stew that's made with a spicy tomato gravy, tempting me to go over to the fireplace where some of the local women who worked on the digging site are cooking the savoury dish.

"So, We're expecting to break through the tunnel tomorrow," Jefferson announces as we eat. "Junior will go in first to check the conditions. Otherwise, we should be good to proceed, right Kevin?"

Kevin doesn't respond. Instead, he pushes his food around absently, his gaze avoiding everyone's. With a heavy sigh, he abruptly leaves the table, briefly meeting my eyes before retreating to a nearby tent, leaving the rest of his team baffled.

"Was it something I said?" Jefferson asks us, watching Kevin's retreating figure in the darkness.

"Probably," Louis quips with a smirk.

Before Jefferson can respond, I interject, "Who's Junior?"

"It's a rover on loan to us from Cambridge University," Mr Parks answers in between bites of food. "It's able to record images, measure air quality, and temperature and take samples when necessary."

"Sounds high-tech," I remark, pushing around my sodium-laden MRE with little enthusiasm. 

"It's the latest in archaeological innovation," Mr. Parks adds, tossing his empty MRE packet into a nearby trash bag. "We've used similar probes before before entering a pyramid, Junior makes our job less risky and quicker."

I nod, finding some comfort in the idea of a robot entering the pyramid before any of us. But my gaze drifts to the tent where Kevin retreated, knowing that what I had said to him earlier weighs heavily in his mind.

 As the meal winds down, everyone grows weary of the heavily processed food and starts to retire for the night. Following everyone else's lead, I discard the remains of my MRE and head for Kevin's tent.

"Mind if I join you?" I announce as I step into his tent.

As expected, Kevin sits on a makeshift bed, nursing a drink. Sighing in resignation, I settle beside him as he pours me a glass.

"I should have called you," he admits, his voice heavy with regret. "What a mess."

Taking a sip, I relish the warmth of the alcohol before responding, "I didn't expect things to turn out this way either. It's not your fault."

"Sure it is," he counters, taking another sip. "I had so many chances to check in with you. After everything we've been through, you'd think I'd know better."

"True," I acknowledge with a shrug. "But what's done is done. We can only do damage control from here."

"What if this goes badly?" Kevin mumbles, leaning forward prompt up by his elbows digging into his thighs. "They are good people Kamilah."

Finishing my drink in one gulp, I grasp the drink bottle by the neck and stand, stretching my arms overhead. With as much assurance as I can muster, I reply, "Then you'll have to trust me. Don't let it weigh on you. I'll handle it. That's your last glass. Get some rest."

Leaving him to his thoughts, I walk towards the tent that I am to share with Mr Monetary, but I walk past it to stand a few meters away from the campsite, leaving the battery-charged white lights behind me as I face the darkness of the faraway dunes lit by the moon.

The stars above seem to mock me as I settle onto the ground, pouring myself another drink, and then another, until the bottle is empty. I prefer drinking over sitting in the tent alone with my thoughts, this way, I will find sleep sooner rather than later. Satisfied with my actions, I  sway slightly on my feet as I raise the last glass in a silent toast to whatever lies ahead, then pour its contents onto the sand at my feet.

Returning to the campsite, I enter the tent without bothering with my nightly routine, not wanting to disturb my tentmate. Shedding my shirt, I'm left in a singlet and shorts. With a sigh, I kick off my boots and slip into the empty camping bed we set up earlier.

"Ms. Mason?" Mr. Monetary's soft voice breaks the silence after a moment, and I roll onto my back, to face him. "Good night."

Offering him a weary smile, I respond softly, "Good night."