According to Liffy, they kept no regular hours in the outer offices of the Irrigation Works. But in the inner offices where Maud worked, the practice was to take an hour or two off in the afternoon, to escape the heat, before returning to work into the evening.
Thus, after taking many precautions, Joe was sitting in the living room of Maud's small apartment when the front door opened that afternoon. He heard her put down some packages and walk along the corridor, quietly singing to herself. The room where Joe sat was shuttered against the sun and the heat.
Maud stepped into the room and stopped singing. She stared.
She was smaller than he remembered, close up like this. She put her hand to her mouth, startled, wonder and astonishment playing on her face. Joe took a step forward and reached out.
It's me, Maudie. I didn't mean to scare you.
She stared, her hand at her mouth. A familiar smile came to the corners of her eyes.
Joe? It's you? It's really you?
He took another step, reaching for her hands, her green eyes brighter than he remembered. Sparkling, stunning.
I didn't want to just turn up, Maudie, but I couldn't write and there was no other way to let you know.
He smiled more broadly.
It is a surprise, isn't it. Twenty years later and here in Cairo, whoever would have thought it?
She watched him, intensely curious. He glanced around the room in his embarrassment.
It's nice, it's a nice place you have. How are you? You look fine.
She was still staring at him. At last she found some words.
But how?. . why?. . what are you doing here?
Joe nodded, smiling.
I know, it's strange, you just walking in like this and me just sitting here. It's as if we'd seen each other last month or last winter or something. How are you? You look fine.
Suddenly she laughed. He remembered her laughter but not the astonishing richness of it.
I'm fine, but what are you doing here, Joe? Are you in the army? I thought you were still in the States somewhere. You've hurt your ear. Here, let me look at you.
She pulled away and studied him, still holding his hands. She laughed and wrinkled her nose, a beautiful little movement that surprised him at first, but then he remembered that too. She used to do it when something unexpected pleased her. It was just that he hadn't seen it in such a long time.
He looked away, embarrassed. She was still studying him.
Would you know me, Maudie?
Your eyes, I'd know your eyes anywhere but I don't think I'd have recognized you on the street. Your face has changed and you have a leaner look, although you were always thin. Joe laughed.
It's the lines, he said, they cut deeper now. But you look just the same. I'd recognize you anywhere.
Oh no, she said, freeing one of her hands and pushing back her hair. I've changed completely. . But heavens, oh my, has it really been twenty years? It doesn't seem that long, I don't feel that old. . You look very distinguished though. Age becomes you.
Distinguished? Dressed like this?
Your face. I didn't notice what you were wearing.
She laughed.
Your clothes never did fit you, you know. Remember that funny old uniform you used to wear in Jerusalem? The one that had belonged to that ancient Franciscan priest, that Irish friend of yours who'd been in the Crimean War?
Yes, the baking priest. He'd worn it at Balaklava.
That's right. The one who survived the Charge of the Light Brigade because he was drunk. His horse was shot out from under him and he was too drunk to keep up on foot, so they gave him a medal for heroism because he lived. Then afterward he became a priest and was sent to Jerusalem and put in charge of the bakery in the Franciscan enclave in the Old City. And he'd been baking bread ever since, always in the four shapes of the Cross and Ireland and the Crimea and the Old City, the four concerns of his life, as he said. That uniform he gave you, that was too big for you too.
Joe nodded, smiling.
Well I guess I haven't changed all that much then, I'm still wearing hand-me-downs. This suit belongs to an Armenian dealer in Coptic artifacts, in transit, or at least that's what my papers claim he is.
The Armenians, she said abruptly, were the first people to embrace Christianity as a people. Fourth century.
Joe looked at her in surprise.
That's an obscure piece of information. How did you know that?
You told me.
Oh.
They gazed at each other.
Would you like something to drink?
That would be grand.
A glass of lemonade? I have some made.
That would be lovely.
But she didn't move. They were standing a little apart and she went on staring at him, fascinated.
No, I don't think I would have recognized you on the street, not unless I'd looked into your eyes. The rest of you is different. There's a leanness to your face that changes your whole expression.
You look like someone who's been living in the desert, she added in a quiet voice Joe smiled.
Well I guess that's only right because that's what I've been doing. Not here, over in Arizona. I finally found an Indian tribe that would take me in.
You used to say you'd do that someday.
I know I did. And I got the idea originally from hearing about your Indian grandmother. Remember how I used to ask questions about her all the time?. . Ah Maudie, where did the years go? Where did they ever go?
I don't know. But here you are again all of a sudden, and you're still asking questions the way you always did. You were always looking for answers then.
I was young, Maudie.
Yes, we both were. And you could never get enough of anything, you wanted things so much. And I suppose I did too, and maybe that's what was wrong with it. Both of us so young and wanting things so much, too much, I don't know. Are you still like that, always looking for answers?
In a way, I imagine. But in a way it's also different.
Yes, I would have guessed that. And there's a calmness you didn't have before and you're leaner, harder.
In a good way, I mean, inside. The desert must have done that for you.
Probably.
She looked down at her hands, her face thoughtful.
You've been tending your soul, haven't you? You used to talk about doing that and that's what you've done. You went away and did it.
I suppose.
Yes, it shows. It shows in your eyes and your face and I guess we all do that in our way, and I guess that's where the years go. . Oh my, but we were young then. We were, Joe, so very young, and we didn't know much of anything. . Oh my. We were children playing in the fields of the Lord and there was never a day or a night for us, never darkness or light, just love and the joy of being together and wanting to be together. .
She stared at the floor.
It was beautiful, she whispered. . It didn't last, but it was beautiful Joe moved closer. He put his arm around her shoulders.
I brought some pictures, Maudie, some photographs of Bernini. I took them before I left the States. He's playing baseball, wearing what they wear when they do that. He's called a catcher. Can you imagine your son doing that, just like any American boy? He was very excited when I told him I was going to see you.
He sends you his love. He also sent this.
Joe took a bracelet from his pocket, a thin gold-colored band without any markings on it, made from some cheap metal.