Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
“I love you so
much,” he whispered.
“I love you,
too.”
He kissed her
furiously before finally setting her to her feet. Morgan, still wrapped in the
fluffy white towel, padded over to the phone and called the front desk.
Within thirty
minutes, the time and place was set. Morgan’s next call was to her mother.
November 15,
1923
Luxor
is a fascinating city with many ancient monuments. As much as I like it, I am
anxiosu to continue on our hunt for the tomb of Isis. However, before we
continue, we must make a stop at the Valley of the Kings and also at the
mysterious island of Philae. I am very eager to continue although Louis is
increasingly sullen. I have spent much time with Mr. Sula as a result.
~FS
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Morgan hadn’t
seen Fox since that morning. Allahaba had him somewhere, like some impromptu
bachelor party that didn’t involve alcohol or women, so that Morgan could
prepare for their wedding.
Laura Sherburn
had been thrilled at the news; disappointed she wouldn’t be attending her
oldest daughter’s wedding, but thrilled nonetheless. She told Morgan that she
had been expecting it, just not so soon. Bill Sherburn, Morgan’s father, got on
the phone and grilled his daughter for a solid half hour about Fox Henredon and
what kind of man he was. Morgan assured her father that he was a keeper. Not
that Bill had any say in the matter, but as her father, he had to do his due
diligence.
On Laura’s
glowing recommendation, Bill finally gave his daughter his blessing with the
stipulation that the Sherburns would host a grand reception once the Egyptian
trip was over. Morgan was overjoyed to agree.
During the phone
call, Morgan had refrained from telling them about Fanny simply because she
felt that her wedding and Fanny’s appearance would have been too much for her
parents to take at one time. It was difficult to hold back the truth but, in
the end, she felt it was the right decision. There would be time enough later
to devote an entire conversation to something as important as Fanny Sherburn
and she knew it wouldn’t end there; the revelation that Fanny was still alive
would bring all sorts of plans for bringing her home and visits. It would
occupy the Sherburn family for months to come. Morgan was being selfish that
she wanted at least one day that centered around her and Fox.
Oblivious to her
daughter’s dilemma and the bombshell she was withholding, Laura Sherburn had
plans. After hanging up with Morgan, she had called the hotel’s concierge and
arranged for a spa day for her daughter, hair and nails done, make-up, and
everything else the hotel had to offer. She’d spoken with one of the wedding
coordinators and explained the situation to the woman, so early in the morning
on the following day, two swanky bridal shops sent up several dresses for
Morgan to try on. Fox had started to go through them but Morgan had chased him
out of the bedroom and into Allahaba’s waiting arms. With Fox occupied, Morgan
focused on what would arguably be the most important day of her life.
They would be
getting married at sunset in the hotel gardens, an extremely lush and exotic
location with blooming plants, an antique fountain, and beautiful lawns. The
wedding coordinator, a woman named Saba, was young and hip and looked at the
short notice of the wedding as a personal challenge. Fortunately, the hotel
didn’t have any weddings booked for the day so she was able to turn the entire
wedding staff on to the task of the Henredon/Sherburn wedding. The marriage
license was number one on the list.
The second
biggest challenge was to find a wedding band for the groom, as the bride was
tied up with spas and hair and makeup. There was a jewelry store in the hotel’s
casino and in between beauty sessions, Morgan was able to select an 8
millimeter titanium band that reflected Fox’s strength and masculinity
perfectly. Not knowing his size, she guessed, but the jewelry store assured her
they could size it.
After a morning
at the spa getting pampered, Morgan returned to their rooms to find that Saba
had lunch set out for her. As she was finishing with the delicious lunch, Ziva
and her seven daughters showed up to help. Morgan was touched but didn’t see
the need for the eight women in her room; however, Ziva felt very compelled to
attend her since Morgan didn’t have any relatives in Egypt. Since Allahaba had
told his wife of their relation to Morgan, Ziva was technically family and therefore
determined to fill the role.
Morgan found the
gesture very sweet but wished that instead of the seven daughters, Ziva had
brought Fanny with her. She was her true family. Yet, Morgan understood that
the transport of a one hundred and five year old woman was a logistical
impossibility. She didn’t even ask for the old woman but wished with all her
heart that she could have made the trip.
All of the daughters
spoke English to varying degrees thanks to American cartoons and movies. The
older two daughters, Abia and Aisha, were particularly well spoken and they
translated between their mother and Morgan. When Morgan tried on the wedding
dresses, the ladies all gave their opinions. But they were all western style
dresses and Morgan realized after trying on every one that they weren’t exactly
what she was looking for. Her fiancé was an Egyptologist, after all. She
wanted to do something to honor that and to honor him, and to honor the country
that had meant so much to Fanny. After explaining her wants to Abia and Aisha,
they discussed it with their mother and the three of them fled to parts, and
stores, unknown.
Sunset came and
the gardens of the Marriott were lit with a thousand candles. Blue spot lights
with star-shaped gels cast a spectacular galaxy of stars across the plants and
trees, and silver spot lights pointed down from several palm trees,
illuminating the area near the antique fountain where Fox and Morgan would say
their vows. With the candles and star-lights, Saba and her crew had created
one of the most romantic venues ever seen. Myrrh incense burned in silver
bowls, lending the heady and timeless scent to the ceremony. With nine white-satin
chairs set out for Allahaba and his family, the scene was set.
Morgan was up in
her room with Saba for the final touches. She hadn’t seen the ceremony sight
yet, nor had she seen Fox and Allahaba arrive. She didn’t see Fox pushing
Fanny in a brand-new wheelchair borrowed from the hotel, placing her in prime
position so that she would watch everything. Dressed in a beautiful blue
burqa
with a lovely white scarf on her head, Fanny didn’t look her age. She looked
happy, timeless and serene. It had taken Fox and Allahaba a good portion of the
day to move her out of her room, into a taxi and to the hotel, but they had
done it for Morgan. She hadn’t asked him to, but Fox knew what it would mean
to her. It meant a lot to him, too.
Dressed in a
crisp black suit, white shirt and white satin tie, Fox was giddy with
excitement as the taped classical music began to play through hidden speakers
in the plants. Not wanting to get married in jeans, his first stop that morning
after leaving Morgan had been to a suit broker, but he was such an enormous man
that the tailor had to take one of the largest suits he had and alter it to
fit. It had taken a few hours and about four hundred American dollars, but when
all was said and done, it was a beautiful suit that fit him very well.
As the appointed
ceremony time arrived, Fox stood nervously next to the antique fountain,
waiting for Morgan to make her grand entrance. The official stood next to him,
a brown man in a white suit, a Christian minister that had been secured by the
hotel.
As the music
continued to play and Morgan finally appeared, Fox could hardly believe his
eyes; she was dressed in a sheer, flowing white gown of gossamer chiffon that
looked like an elegant Egyptian garment that a queen would have worn in days
gone by. It had a one-shoulder neckline with a crystal-encrusted sash encircling
her waist, and her blond hair was piled high on top of her head, embraced by a
magnificent Egyptian-style tiara. A massive bouquet of lilies and lotus blooms
lodged in hands that were covered with full-length white gloves.
She looked
absolutely exquisite, like goddess, and Fox took her gloved hand when she drew
near and kissed it reverently. He just stared at her.
“Oh, my God,” he
breathed as she stood before him. “You are the most beautiful creature I have
ever seen in my life.”
Morgan smiled
broadly, her dimples deep. She started to compliment him as well, because he
looked unbelievably handsome, when she caught sight of something out of the
corner of her eye. It took her a moment to realize that Fanny was in
attendance, a tiny woman in a wheelchair, but when realization hit the tears
began to come. That set off Ziva and the older daughters and before the
ceremony even began, the sounds of women weeping filled the air.
Morgan went to
Fanny, kneeling beside her in a rush of sheer white fabric and mounds of
lilies. She clasped the old woman’s hand.
“You came,” she
whispered, wiping the tears on her cheeks. “I didn’t think you would be able
to. I didn’t dare to hope.”
Fanny squeezed
her hand. “And miss my great-granddaughter’s wedding?” she smiled. “I would not
have missed this for the world, even if I had to walk. But Fox made sure I
didn’t have to walk, so he is the man to thank.”
Morgan squeezed
her hand and stood up, kissing the old woman’s cheek. “I’m so glad you’re
here,” she murmured.
Fanny’s
sightless eyes twinkled. “So am I.”
Morgan gave her
a lily from her bouquet before reclaiming Fox’s arm and approached the
minister. She gazed lovingly up at Fox, feeling like the most fortunate woman
in the world.
“I can’t thank
you enough for what you did,” she whispered as they came to stand in front of
the official. “I’m so lucky to have you. Thank you so much.”
Fox winked at
her, refraining from answering as the minister began the ceremony. Her hand
was tucked in the crook of his left elbow and his right hand held her fingers
tightly against him as if afraid she was going to try and pull away Never in
his life had he felt so much joy or contentment. It was like everything was
finally coming together for him and he had the woman of his dreams to spend the
rest of his life with. Truth was, everything could fall apart around him and as
long as he had Morgan, he would be content and deliriously happy. He couldn’t
even verbalize how much she meant to him.
The ceremony was
fairly short as far as weddings went. With the hotel photographer clicking
away, they repeated their vows. When it came to exchanging rings, Fox put the
antique Roman ring back on Morgan’s hand with the added addition of a gold
eternity band that matched it almost perfectly. He had purchased it while
waiting for his suit to be finished. Morgan was surprised at the eternity band
but she loved it, and Fox was equally surprised when she slipped the titanium
band on his left hand. He hadn’t even really thought about a ring for himself
until this very moment and had to admit he liked it very much. It made him feel
complete, married, linked to Morgan in a way he couldn’t describe. And with
the final kiss to seal the deal, they became Dr. and Mrs. Fox Henredon.
Congratulations
went all around, from Allahaba and Ziva to the minister to Saba and her staff.
Everyone seemed overjoyed but it was nothing compared to what Fox and Morgan
were feeling. They couldn’t move two feet away from each other without one or
both of them reaching out a hand to reel the other one in. They were of one
mind now, one heart, and it was evident that two happier people had never
existed. After the congratulations went around, the group moved off to the
American-style steakhouse in the hotel for the reception dinner with Fox
wheeling Fanny inside.
Lingering near
the pool with a perfect view of the activity in the gardens stood Beni. He had
been loitering at the hotel all day, watching Fox come and go and finally
witnessing the wedding between Fox and his fiancée. He knew how Alia was going
to react about the entire thing and he didn’t relish telling her. But the deed
was done, an added element to Fox Henredon’s visit to Egypt, but Beni knew that
the wedding had nothing to do with the project Fox was working on. That was
still a great mystery. Even if Beni wanted to back out of spying on Fox, Alia
wouldn’t let him. She was determined to know and Beni knew there was no
dissuading her. He suspected that now, with the event of the wedding, her
obsession was only going to grow worse.
When he reported
back to her later that evening on Fox’s wedding, Alia reacted so violently that
Beni came away with a black eye and orders to continue following Fox if he
valued his job at the museum. By now, Alia had Beni completely terrified with
the threat of losing his job, so much so that he agreed to do whatever she
wished, anything to find out what Fox Henredon was up to.
Beni knew, as he
returned to the Marriott later that night, that it wasn’t so much what Fox was
up to more than it was to report on Fox and his new wife. Beni suspected that
whatever Alia had planned, it involved the new Mrs. Fox more than anything.