In Feast or Famine by Mesu Andrews

Author:Mesu Andrews [Andrews, Mesu]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2023-05-09T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.

I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;

I have drunk my wine and my milk.

Song of Songs 5:1

Three Days Later

Joseph

Joseph knelt in the stern of the lead felucca, rowing with all his might. He’d spent all day trying to divert his attention from the lovely form of his wife, who sat less than an arm’s length away. She’d worn the same sort of sheer linen since the day they’d met, but since that kiss in Hawara, his eyes refused their bridle, and his patience was lost. The sooner they arrived at Shedet, the sooner he could distance himself from the temptation before him.

Hami knelt in the bow. “Pull harder!” Joseph shouted. “You row like an old woman.”

The insult garnered an over-the-shoulder glare from his captain. “Perhaps your pent-up frustration has given you the strength of a god.”

Heat crawled up Joseph’s neck as Hami returned his gaze forward. Pent-up frustration? What a gentle phrase to describe three days of anguish. At each village they’d visited, the elders graciously provided fine lodging—always a single chamber or hut that he and Asenath shared. Hami had remained in the room with them, but Joseph’s desire for his wife had mounted with each glimpse of her perfect form. After using every shred of restraint all night long, he had no tact or diplomacy for his wife or Medjays during the day. Even now, he ached to hold her. She was within reach, yet untouchable. His wife, yet not one flesh. Elohim, how can it be Your will that a husband and wife remain apart?

A growl escaped, and Asenath looked at him, startled. “What pent-up frustration does Hami know of that you won’t tell me? Are there more secrets, or do you hold Potabi’s scheming against me? You might as well send me back—” She turned away, crying.

“He didn’t mean—”

When Asenath wiped her tears, Jendayi wriggled free, bounced to a side-strapped basket, and scampered ashore.

“Jendayi, no!” Joseph jumped from the boat to follow her. “Hami, help!”

The Medjay was already beside him, then past him. His friend’s long strides made Joseph appear to be strolling. Jendayi raced toward a family of guenons gathered under a terebinth tree. The dominant male saw Hami’s approach and charged him. Head bobbing, tail raised, teeth bared, and screaming, the guenon was daunting. Even Jendayi fled, racing right into Joseph’s arms. Hami, spear drawn, protected their retreat to the boats.

Joseph waded into the canal and buried his face in Jendayi’s fur. “You must stay with us, little girl.” Then he placed her in Asenath’s lap.

“It’s my fault, Joseph. I should never have taken my hand off her.”

He climbed into the felucca and nodded his gratitude to Hami. “Everyone is fine,” he whispered to Asenath. “Jendayi saw the guenons and wanted to play, like she’s done with monkeys in the villages. She doesn’t know we’re approaching Crocodile City.”

“Little Jendayi can be contained for a time,” Hami said, holding Joseph’s gaze, “but no one can restrain natural desires indefinitely.

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