Nameless Days by Jordan Weisman

Author:Jordan Weisman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Running Press
Published: 2011-10-18T04:00:00+00:00

20

A hand gently shook Nathan awake. He felt like he’d just gone to sleep. Realizing the Xbox game controller was still in his hand and the lights were still on in his room, he realized he had just gone to sleep. His computer monitor showed the time as 12:06.

Rolling over, Nathan wiped the drool off his chin and was surprised to see his dad sitting on the end of the bed.

Peter Richards looked like the poster child for a college professor. His clothing was rumpled, his tie hung askew, and his sleeves were rolled to mid-forearm. His hair and beard were graying, and he wore glasses that were years out of style. He wore matching socks, but his left big toe stuck out through a hole.

“Dad.” Nathan’s voice came out as a squeak. He cleared his throat. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey, Nathan.” Peter smiled affectionately.

“Better not let Uncle William see that sock. He’ll throw it away.”

“Nonsense. It’s a perfectly good sock. Just needs a couple stitches and it will be fine.”

Nathan was surprised to see his dad in his room. For one, he hardly ever came into Nathan’s space. And, as he’d told Uncle William on many occasions, after nine was after family time.

“Something going on?” Nathan’s thoughts went immediately to his father’s heart. They’d barely gotten it beating again when it had stopped in the back of an ambulance during a fierce storm two years ago. That experience made Nathan realize how frail his dad actually was. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” His dad chuckled. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“It’s okay.” Nathan pushed himself into a cross-legged sitting position on the bed. “What’s up?”

“I have something for you.”

Nathan looked around. “Must be really small.”

His dad laughed. “It’s not actually here. Can I borrow your computer?”

“Sure.”

Peter sat at the computer desk and brought the desktop online. He quickly typed in a web address. “I was inspired by your recent visits to the museum to put in some extra research time, focusing on your mother’s lineage. You’ve seen the genealogy tree she put together?”

“Of course.”

“Your mother was quite protective of it. She didn’t want me examining it too closely. At the time, I thought it was because she was didn’t want an outsider challenging the validity of her ancestors’ oral history.”

Nathan got up and went over to stand at his dad’s shoulder. The screen filled with the ruins of a Mayan city. His own research during the last two years meant he immediately recognized the architecture.

“This is Nakbe. Maybe you’ve heard of—”

“It was one of the earliest Mayan sites discovered and developed.” Nathan stared at the remnants of the city’s buildings and freestanding walls. “It was found in 1930 through aerial photography. Ian Graham was the first archaeologist to research the ruins, but he didn’t start until 1962.”

His dad’s eyebrows shot up and he smiled. “I’m impressed.”

A little embarrassed, Nathan shrugged. “The last couple years, I’ve had a lot of reasons to learn this stuff.”

“I know. But the fact that you’ve done it is still commendable.

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