Daud looked directly at her. “You play a big role in that decision,” he said. “With all my heart, I still want to visit your family in Reineh. If you say yes, then one option rises to the top of the list.”
“What is it?”
“I could move to America for a while and work as a liaison between the Mossad and the CIA or the Department of Homeland Security until things settle down here. There might still be threats against me, but they would be harder to carry out. Also, I’m”—Daud took a deep breath—“a man who can protect himself.”
“And be violent toward a woman?”
This time Hana could clearly read the anguish that swept across Daud’s face. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I would rather have been shot myself than strike you in the face. And the look in your eyes when you believed I’d betrayed you will never leave me. But I had to convince Anzor that you and I weren’t in love. That way, he was open to my suggestion to send you to Chechnya. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have left the apartment alive.”
“I would have been a slave.”
“No, you would have been rescued before you crossed the borders of Israel. I would have made sure of it.”
Hana remained skeptical. Daud continued, speaking rapidly. “Every moment, I was thinking about what to do to save you. Forgiveness is hard, and I know it’s too soon to ask, but I won’t rest until I make this right with you.”
Daud lowered his gaze. Hana moved her right hand, and the pain that shot up her arm reminded her of her torment. But Daud’s words rang true. Her heart and mind, which had been torn apart by the ordeal at the apartment, slowly began to come back together.
“You’re hurt physically and emotionally,” Daud continued. “I promise to be patient and not press you until you’re willing to give me a chance.”
Hana hesitated for a few moments before responding. “Yes,” she said.
“You’re willing to give me a chance?” Daud asked hopefully.
Hana shook her head. “No.”
Daud’s face fell, and his eyes reddened.
“I’m willing to give us a chance,” Hana corrected. “Let’s go to the courtyard and talk. There’s a small tree with a table beneath it where I like to sit. It’s the place where the Lord met with me the first night I was here.”
They stayed in the courtyard until the sun moved below the roofline of the hotel, and a faint late-afternoon breeze touched their faces. At one point, Hana was so overcome by the fact they were safe that tears streamed down her cheeks. She quickly explained why.
“Do you ever cry?” she asked.
“Not since I was a boy,” Daud confided. “And you know it’s not in our culture for a man to show emotion. I almost cried when you told me there was no hope for us, but I believe it could happen in the right circumstance.”
“What would that be?” Hana asked.
“Seeing you standing at the back of a church about to be my bride.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes, a promise I can keep.”
Jakob awoke from a long nap and stepped outside his room. Hana and Daud were sitting together in the courtyard. She glanced up and waved for him to come down.
“No!” he called out. “This is your time!”
“Our time!” she responded.
Jakob made his way down the steps and across the stone pavers to them. Daud pulled up two chairs, one for Jakob to sit in and one for his leg.
“How are you feeling?” Hana asked.
“Looking forward to taking a pain pill and sleeping through the night. I’m going to be okay.”
Hana smiled.
“And seeing you smile makes me feel better than any pain pill could,” Jakob continued.
Hana’s smile broadened. “I’m finding my way out of a dark place.”
They talked quietly for several minutes.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” Jakob asked.
“Going to Reineh so Daud can meet my family,” Hana answered.
“And leave me here all by myself?”
“You have Wahid. He can take you someplace if your leg lets you move about.”
“I’m not going out tomorrow,” Jakob said and then paused. “And the only place I want to go is home. I’d like to move my flight to Atlanta up to the day after tomorrow.”
“I agree,” Hana said. “I’ll join you.”
“Why should you rush back?” Jakob asked. “You deserve a vacation.”
“I will be right behind you,” Daud said. “I am going to set up meetings about a job in the States.”
“Probably not the kind of job you can talk about, correct?” Jakob asked.
Daud nodded.
“Oh, I have another question,” Jakob said. “Is Ensanullah a terrorist?”
“No,” Daud quickly answered. “He is a good man. When I asked him to look out for you, he thought it was because you had made some organized-crime people in Israel mad by competing with them in business.”
“Right now, I wish I was in the restaurant business,” Jakob said and patted his stomach. “Do you think we could order take-out from the restaurant Wahid recommended?”
Two and a half hours later, they finished the meal delivered via Wahid. Three candles rested in the center of the table in the courtyard. Hana’s wrists were sore, but she was able to use a fork and knife.
“I’m going to miss being your chaperone,” Jakob said after he ate the last bite of a sticky sweet dessert pastry. “Actually, that’s not true.”
“But it was good to have this meal together,” Daud said. “To me it was a celebration.”
“A proper celebration will have to wait for later,” Hana said. “Maybe in the US.”
“Send me an invitation,” Jakob said as he stood up and yawned. “Time for my pain pill. Don’t expect to see me for breakfast.”
“Let’s call Ben before we leave,” Hana said. “We can talk in generalities about the case, but I really want to see Sadie, even if it’s only for a few moments.”
“Okay,” Jakob answered.
“Good night,” Daud and Hana said as Jakob moved away.
“Are you tired of talking to me?” Daud asked her in Arabic as soon as Jakob was gone.
“No.” Hana shook her head.
Daud reached out and gently touched the top of her hand without taking it in his. Hana didn’t pull away.
“Would you like to take a drive?” he asked.
“Only if we don’t go in the direction of Beit Hanina.”
“I won’t be able to go back myself for a couple of days, and I’ll never spend the night there again.”
“Where will you sleep?”
“There’s a government apartment where I can stay.”
They walked slowly to the front of the hotel. Hana didn’t see either the Land Rover or the BMW.
“What are you driving?” she asked.
Daud pointed to a white subcompact with several dents in the metal and scrapes in the paint.
“This is the only vehicle I actually own,” he said. “It’s cleaner on the inside than it is on the outside.”
He held the door for her. Hana glanced around as she entered.
“Where are the security men watching out for me?” she asked as she sat in the passenger seat that squeaked slightly.
“In the car with you.”
“You’re it?” Hana asked in surprise.
“My superiors are aware that no one would protect you as zealously as me.”
To Hana’s relief, nothing rose up in her heart to argue against Daud’s words. He started the car, whose engine whined like a high-powered sewing machine. They made their way across the city and climbed Mount Scopus toward Hebrew University.
“I’m curious,” Hana said. “Did the government pay for our dinner the other night at the nice restaurant near here?”
“No, and the chef at my apartment was on my tab, too. I normally spend so little on myself that I have a healthy bank account.”
“Thank you for doing that,” he said after a few moments passed. “I don’t blame you for your anger, but my insides have been in knots worrying about how you felt toward me.”
“I’ve tried to reassure you.”
“I know, but those were words; this is action.”
Hana pressed a little harder against Daud’s shoulder. They sat side by side in silence for several minutes. She felt a familiar peace settle on her. “Is God saying anything to you?” she asked.
“No,” Daud replied. “But I’m saying a few things to him.”
“Can you tell me?”
“That if it’s his will, I want you to always be by my side.”
The following morning, Jakob awoke earlier than expected. He didn’t see Hana in the courtyard and knocked on the door of her room. She opened it wearing a casual dress and sandals.
“I’ve eaten breakfast,” she said. “Get a cup of coffee, and we’ll skype with Ben and Sadie. I’ve already sent them a text letting them know we’d be calling.”
Jakob’s leg was stiff, but it loosened slightly as he made his way across the courtyard to the coffee bar and returned to Hana’s room. She had her laptop open and placed the call as soon as Jakob sat down.
“Let me talk about the case,” Hana said.
“I’ll be a potted plant,” Jakob answered.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s a famous saying by an American lawyer. Look it up later.”
The call connected and Ben’s face appeared on the screen. A second later, Sadie came into view and waved. When she did, Jakob saw Hana put her hand over her mouth. She looked at Jakob and shook her head. “I can’t talk for a moment,” she whispered.
“Good afternoon,” Jakob said to Ben. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. How about you?”
Jakob glanced at Hana, who was still struggling with her emotions.
“Hana and I are having an unforgettable time. We’re making progress with the investigation but want to put it together in an organized way.”
“Hi, Hana,” Sadie jumped in, holding up a doll. “Fabia says hi, too.”
“Hello, Fabia,” Hana managed. “I’m going to see the real Fabia later today. She is so excited that you named your doll after her.”
“Send pictures,” Sadie replied. “Where’s Daud?”
“He’s going to pick me up in a little while and go with me to meet my family.”
Ben raised his eyebrows.
“Has he kissed you?” Sadie asked.
“You don’t have to answer that,” Ben cut in.
“It’s wonderful seeing your face, Sadie,” Hana said. “I’ll give you a big hug and kiss as soon as I’m back in Atlanta.”
Jakob could hear the tremble in Hana’s voice but wasn’t sure it was apparent to Ben and Sadie.
“And I’ll shake your hand, Ben,” he said.
Ben smiled. “I’ll look forward to it.”
The session ended. The last image was Sadie blowing kisses and vigorously waving good-bye. Hana turned to Jakob. “I’m glad you turned into a talking plant,” she said. “I was about to burst into tears the whole time.”
CHAPTER 44
After leaving Hana’s room, Jakob ate a leisurely breakfast in the courtyard and spent a couple of hours taking care of business on his laptop. Feeling antsy, he sent a text to Wahid, who replied that he was in the area and could be there in fifteen minutes. Jakob went downstairs to wait for him, still not sure where he wanted to go. He slipped into the rear seat of the taxi.
“You’re limping. What’s up with your leg?” Wahid asked.
“Flesh wound,” Jakob answered cryptically. “It’s not too bad.”
“My guess is an old soccer injury that you aggravated,” Wahid replied. “I have one of those myself.”
Jakob didn’t correct him.
“Where to?” Wahid asked.
Jakob didn’t want to go someplace new. Instead, he wanted to return to a place he’d visited and experience it after his ordeal. The obvious choice was Yad Vashem, the ultimate monument to Jewish suffering. But that didn’t sit right with him. That left the Garden Tomb or the Western Wall.
“If you were sitting in my seat, would you go to the Garden Tomb or the Western Wall?” Jakob asked Wahid.
“That’s not a fair question,” the driver said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “You’ll pay me more to take you to the Garden Tomb because it’s farther away.”
“I’ll pay the same rate to level the playing field,” Jakob replied.
“You’re a Jew, so it has to be the Kotel,” Wahid answered.
“Let’s go.”
Wahid pulled away from the hotel.
“Did you know that Jesus was Jewish?” Jakob asked.
“Of course. You should let me take you to Bethlehem. It’s a great half-day excursion, and I know the best place for olive-wood products.”
“Keep it to the Kotel today.”
Jakob stared out the window of the car as the driver navigated the streets toward the Old City. The stone buildings truly were unique. Wahid pulled to the curb. “How long before I pick you up?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Text me. It may take me awhile if I have another fare.”
“That’s fine.”
It was a short distance to the security entrance into the Temple Mount area. Today, Jakob was more aware of the diversity of the people milling about. There were ultra-Orthodox Jews who probably came every day, tourists from the four corners of the earth for whom it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Arabs who called the Muslim Quarter home. Jakob passed through the security checkpoint with a group from Malaysia.
Walking across the broad plaza, he headed to the place in front of the Wall where he’d heard the man pray in Russian. With each step Jakob felt an increasing sense that he was walking toward something important. Being in this place at this time wasn’t a random event; he had been appointed to be here. His heart began to beat a bit faster.
Donning a cardboard kippah, he made his way to the Wall. He recognized the massive stone before which he had stood only a few days before. This time he stepped back to the spot where the unknown man prayed behind him. After staring at the enormous stone for a few seconds, Jakob bowed his head and closed his eyes. Although there were other people within a few feet of him, he felt wrapped in a blanket of solitude.
Some of the words he’d heard during his first visit returned: Heavenly Father, hear my cry in this holy place . . . I pray that Russian Jews standing in this very place will believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior . . . They may wrestle with you like Jacob, but they will come away from that encounter so transformed . . . May they believe and receive!
Once again the hair on the back of Jakob’s neck stood up. This time he let the man’s prayers wash over him not as a spectator, but with a heart open to receive each and every word. As he did, a striving, a wrestling that had been such an integral part of his identity that Jakob accepted it as an immutable part of his life, ceased. A weight lifted; peace came.
Jakob closed his eyes again, and though he wasn’t physically present at the Garden Tomb, he remembered what he’d heard and sensed in that place—the mystery of sacrifice and the power of resurrection. A Jewish man named Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead in the city where Jakob now stood.
The glorious truth overwhelmed him, and in the secret place of the human heart uniquely prepared to receive the life of God, Jakob Brodsky was born anew. Jesus Christ was his Messiah, and Jakob was one of God’s twice-chosen people. He opened his eyes a second time and looked around, half expecting everybody within twenty feet of him to be equally touched. But no one else seemed affected. He took in a deep breath, exhale
d, and stepped into a new reality. He was a Jew who’d come home, a man in the land of his ancestors whose heart was now the dwelling place of God’s Son. And with that knowledge, a tear of joy and thankfulness escaped his eye and ran down his cheek.
It was nine by the time Hana and Daud left Reineh. It had been a full day that started with introductions and ended with a banquet. They passed the last house in the village and turned south toward Jerusalem. Hana was tired, but it was a fatigue filled with satisfaction.
“You have a great family,” Daud said as the vehicle’s headlamps shone the way before them. “I didn’t know what to expect. Could you tell I was nervous at first?”
“Yes, but only for about five minutes. When Uncle Anwar put his hand on your head and prayed for you, everything shifted. His words about God’s call on your life touched everyone in the room.”
“Especially me. Nothing like that has happened to me before.”
“After Anwar prayed, my father relaxed and accepted you. I could see it in his face. My mother liked you from the first moment, and my cousins were jealous in a good way.”
“Fabia cornered me and interrogated me as if she were working for the Shin Bet.”
“I saw.”
“Why didn’t you rescue me?”
“She had to satisfy herself. It will take awhile for her to come around, but I believe she will once you talk to my father in detail about the future.”
Daud glanced at her. “How long do I have to wait? I don’t want to use an intermediary.”
“Let me work on that part. When I return for my birthday, that will be my mission, to act like the spies Moses sent out.”
“Bring back a good report. I don’t want to spend forty years wandering in the wilderness.”
Hana reached over and lightly touched Daud’s hand. It was still such a new experience for her that it sent chills through her body.
“Trust me,” she said. “I’m a lawyer who knows how to present her case.”
Daud smiled. “I need a good lawyer.”
“Yes, you do. Your employment contract needs a complete facelift, and I’ll do it for a reduced fee.”
“Half your usual rate?”
“Or less.”
Chosen People Page 38
