A severe dust storm is likely to hit Sakkara and neighboring areas, predicted the weather man on the radio which blared at the barber shop. Omar frowned at the forecast. He was to report to the visiting senior archeologists from the University of Edinburgh. He had met those archeologists during a seminar on ancient Egypt which he had attended in Edinburgh about a year ago. Being half Egyptian, Omar always longed to return to his mother’s country and study its rich past. Egypt simply fascinated him. His British friends made fun of him when he confessed that he would bring home an Egyptian bride. Soon after graduating with History major, Omar made up his mind to pursue his Masters in Egyptian History. He was asked to present a paper at the seminar in Edinburgh where he chanced upon the archeologists.
Making a quick payment at the barber shop, Omar rushed back to his hotel room to pack and leave Cairo. He had already made arrangements to travel to Sakkara in a land cruiser. The vehicle arrived at the hotel on the scheduled time and Omar hopped in with bag in the back seat. As they drove off, the heat made Omar drowsy. He dozed off and the driver noticed the chiseled features of his passenger. Omar had been a heart throb in his college days. His impressive height, and dark, deep- set eyes made hearts aflutter. But somehow he detested the daring advances of his British college mates. He hated their sense of dressing. Omar loved the way his mother used to dress, her long flowing robe and the hijab made her look all the more beautiful. She was covered from head to toe yet there was a sensuality in her. He wondered how his father, a British by birth, might have felt when he first set his eyes on her. Omar had always wanted to love a woman who was dignified and sensual as his mother.
He woke up with a start when the land cruiser came to an abrupt halt. Omar looked at his watch; he had been sleeping for nearly two hours. The driver had stopped to have a cup of coffee. The journey to Sakkara resumed. Omar felt a nervous excitement. Soon he would meet the archeologists and his dream of exploring the ancient world of Egypt would come true!
Around five in the evening, the vehicle arrived at the guest house where Omar and the foreign visitors would stay. After a warm shower and some coffee, he was all set to meet the guests from Edinburgh. The brightly lit dining hall of the guest house was a relaxing sight for Omar after his tiring journey. Dr. Barclay was already present at the hall. He came forward and greeted Omar warmly. Then he initiated the introduction with his team mates. There were two other male archeologists. The fourth member was an exceptionally attractive woman in her mid forties. Omar was taken aback when he looked into her grey-green eyes. He found the same sensuality which his mother’s eyes had reflected years ago. She introduced herself as Dr. Bridgette Evans from Stockholm University. She was actually an anthropologist and profoundly interested in the ancient Egyptian society. Therefore, she jumped at the offer of visiting Egypt with Dr. Barclay and his team. The company enjoyed a hearty dinner and retired for the night.
During the meal, Omar could not take his eyes off Bridgette. It seemed to him that she too was enjoying all the attention. When she wished him goodnight, he noticed an inviting look in her beautiful eyes. That night, he could not fall asleep. Bridgette’s beauty was almost haunting him. Omar tossed and turned in bed for the rest of the night. He felt like a fool and consoled himself that it was pure infatuation. Nothing else…
A loud knock on the door woke up Omar the next morning. He glanced at his watch to find that it was already half past eight. He was supposed to join the visitors for breakfast at nine. Omar took a quick shower, dressed and hurried towards the dining hall. It was going to be a long day for them. The first stop would be the step pyramid at Sakkara followed by the famed temple at Karnak. At the breakfast table, Omar tried not to look at Bridgette. He greeted her casually and got busy talking with the others. Her husky voice, however, filtered down his ears. Omar could feel that Bridgette was observing his every move in between her conversation. Soon the group got into a land cruiser and headed for the step pyramid. Bridgette was dressed in khaki shorts and a whit and brown floral top. Omar blushed as she climbed into the vehicle and sat next to him. Her long legs brushed against his as the cruiser moved along the bumpy desert road. He could feel her presence so close but he dismissed all his thoughts of her as silly. After all, he would be marrying an Egyptian girl just like his father had done. There was no way he would get involved with a white woman. In fact, he never liked white females.
On reaching the step pyramid, all got off the vehicle and headed in different directions to study the location and take photographs. Omar was arranging the lens of his Canon when he felt someone standing behind him. He turned around to find Bridgette smiling at him. She requested him to brief her on the imposing structure which stood in the desert. Both of them walked about the magnificent pyramid, enjoying each other’s company. Omar was also an avid photographer and he did not miss the opportunity to take shots of Bridgette with the grand structure in the background. She willingly posed for him and her looks almost hypnotized him. It was only when Dr. Barclay called out to him that Omar came back to his senses. The group now returned to the land cruiser to proceed to their next destination. The drive to Karnak would take another two hours or so. The heat made most of the people in the vehicle doze off. The driver whistled an Arabian tune while Omar and Bridgette pretended not to look at each other though their bodies brushed against one another on the bumpy ride.
At Karnak, the foreign archeologists appeared highly excited. The dignity and ancientness of the massive temple thrilled them. The walls inside the temple had paintings depicting the day to day life of the ancient Egyptians. Omar’s eyes fell on the painting of a female acrobat. The flexibility of the painted figure reflected the same sensuality which he could feel in Bridgette. The slanting eyes of the acrobat had an uncanny resemblance with the grey green of Bridgette’s. He was almost lost in thought as he stood in front of the painting. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Bridgette who complained of nausea and requested Omar to escort her to the vehicle. Perhaps the darkness and the damp air inside the temple had made her sick. They walked out into the bright sunlight and moved towards the land cruiser. The driver was nowhere in sight. Omar carefully helped her to lean on the back seat and gave her some water to drink. Bridgette began to feel relaxed. Within a few minutes the sky grew dark. Omar remembered the weather man forecasting a severe dust storm. He jumped into the vehicle and hurriedly shut the windows. Everything became hazy within seconds. Omar tried to see if any of the visitors had come out of the temple but it was impossible for him to even locate the grand gateway leading to the temple. The dust storm blew in full fury. It was hot, almost suffocating inside the vehicle. Sweating profusely, Omar took off his shirt and then realized that he had company. He sheepishly looked at Bridgette. Her eyes were fixed on him; he could see them inviting him. A storm welled up in his heart. What was going on, he thought. But before he knew it, they were in each other’s arms. His hands fumbled on her shirt buttons and soon his hands ran down her soft body. Bridgette whispered a low moan as Omar passionately kissed her all over. Time stood still as the two made love in the sweltering heat of the desert. Nothing else mattered to them at that moment…they were waiting for this moment to come. While the storm continued to blow outside, their love making climaxed time and again. Later both lay in each other’s arms, exhausted yet content, tranquil. Omar quickly climbed out of the vehicle when the storm died away and he headed back to the temple. Bridgette remained in the car. She lowered the car windows and looked out. Everything appeared so quiet and peaceful. A single tear ran down her cheek. Did she commit a sin? Was it right to get intimate with another man besides her husband? Why didn’t the thought of her two beautiful daughters flash in her mind when she was with Omar? She found no answers. At that moment all she yearned for was him. In her heart of hearts she thanked God for her visit to Egypt. Where else could she have found Omar? Sadly, he had no idea about her being married. Maybe he would have resisted the temptation then. Bridgette was certain that no one would disclose the truth about her to Omar. As long as she was in Egypt, she would never allow that to happen.
