| THE ADVENTURES OF THE O'CONNELL FAMILY Page 61 |
| "Osiris!!" Nefertiri ran up to Osiris and hugged him fiercely. Osiris gingerly put down Adom and kissed Nefertiri. Ardeth and Olympus rode up behind Evelyn and Osiris. Ardeth dismounted and went inside to find Nefret since she wasn't outside. Olympus looked on in mild jealousy at all of these happy couples. Ardeth walked into the hut and ran smack into Senbi. "Oh, I am sorry. Where is Nefret? Is she all right?" "She's fine. She lost a lot of blood, and she's still unconscious, but other than that, she's fine." Senbi once again took on his medical voice and air. "Oh, thank Allah. Where is she? Can I see her?" Ardeth's voice was desperate. "Yeah, she's just back here. Nefertiri's been looking after her, she should wake up any time now." Senbi showed Ardeth to the bed Nefret was in, and left him to be alone with her. Ardeth slowly sat down on the bed and brushed Nefret's hair from her face. Nefret stirred, "Ardeth? OH! Ardeth! I'm so happy to see you! Ah, I love you! I was so afraid!" Ardeth hugged Nefret to him and rocked the shaking woman to his body, "It's all right. I am here. I'm ok. We defeated Nephthys, and the danger is gone. I love you, too." The two just sat there, embracing each other until Ardeth bent down and kissed her. Alex and Adom, after leaving their parents, joined Seti on the porch. The three looked at each other, then around to the four kissing couples, then back at each other, and then all three rolled their eyes and said, "Puh-lease!!" ~*~*~*~*~ "Are you sure you won't come with us?" Rick was still trying to convince Ardeth to go back with them. "No, my friend. My place is here, with Nefret." Ardeth looked down adoringly at his newfound love. "I will miss you." Rick finally conceded his defeat, and embraced his long-time friend. "Do not worry. I have a feeling we will meet again." Ardeth smiled suspiciously. Both men started laughing. "Oh, goodbye Ardeth. I hope you and Nefret have a happy life together. Goodbye Nefret. Good luck." Evie embraced the two separately. "And you, Osiris. Thank you for all you have done." Evie stood up tall and hugged Osiris. "Goodbye Nefertiri, it has been quite an experience. Tell Seti thank you, too. I wish he could have seen us off at least. I know, I know- he had to get back to his job." Evie hugged her twin and smiled jokingly. Rick bent down and kissed Nefret on the cheek, then he shook hands with his twin, Osiris, and finally he bent down to Nefertiri and kissed her cheek as well. "Thank you all." Rick smiled amiably, and backed up so that Gabrielle and Jonathan could say their goodbyes. "Thank you, too, Olympus. Without that flame-thrower, I don't know what we would've done." Evie hugged Olympus briefly, and smiled when the embrace was over. "Yes, thank you, Olympus, for my wife." Rick shook the man's hand and smiled with deep gratitude. When Gabrielle had finished her good-byes, she went over to her brother, Senbi, who had traveled along with the caravan, "I'll miss you, you slimy little brother." She hugged her suddenly silent brother and went on to Olympus. "Thank you, Olympus, for being my friend. I'll never forget you." "And I'll never forget you." At that, Gabrielle smiled a rather sad smile, and kissed Olympus once on each cheek. "Goodbye." Gabrielle smiled an almost sad smile as her hand lingered on Olympus's cheek. "Goodbye, Senbi, old boy!" Jonathan shook Senbi's hand and went on to Olympus. He shook Olympus's hand and smiled happily. "Uh, Senbi. Thanks for taking care of us, and, uh, sorry again about the whole beating you up thing." Rick couldn't quite look Senbi in the eye as he apologized. "It was my pleasure." Senbi smiled at the man's uncomfortable apology. Rick put out his hand, and Senbi shook it. "We should get going." Rick told the group quietly. "Right. I'll miss you all, terribly." Evie sighed and walked through the tunnel with her husband and son. Alex had been sulking all morning at having to leave his best friend, Adom. Adom stood next to Nefertiri and waved a sluggish goodbye. "Goodbye." Jonathan waved and turned to go into the tunnel. Gabrielle waved and did the same. "Goodbye." The group left behind in Egypt smiled regretfully at the receding forms of their friends. They all thought, I'll sure miss them. And on they went through the tunnel, hand in hand; on their way home, to England. ~*~*~*~*~ The End of This Chapter of the History of the O'Connell Family |