Words of Love

chapter THIRTEEN



“Seriously, Jesse,” Brett said. “You have to eat.”

She was starting to worry him. He’d been starving when he’d got up and had devoured an entire stack of tortillas and filled each one with rice, beans, and salsa. But again, she’d had just coffee and seemed a little pale. She was pretending to look at the site map spread over the table.

“Just a little plain rice,” he said.

She shook her head.

“I really don’t think I can,” she said quietly, not looking at the plate on the table.

“For me,” he implored. “Just one bite.”

She looked at him and sighed. Her skin was definitely on the pale side. They were both in shorts and tank tops as the humidity refused to drop with the ongoing rain. Although it was warm, it wasn’t hot, especially compared to the dry season, but she was perspiring again.

Drug fever, he thought. Another reaction to the antimalarial. He glanced at the cave entrance and the water that was still coming down. It had slackened. With any luck, they’d be able to leave in another day or so, depending on the river. Even so, that was too long to go without eating.

He put his hands on his hips and stared at her.

Finally, she set down her coffee next to the plate and picked up the fork.

“Go, then, bring the food for those who must be fed,” she said quietly.

“Chilam Balam?” he asked, relieved to see her take a bite.

She shook her head and swallowed.

“Popol Vuh,” she said and put down the fork.

“Hey,” he said, taking a seat opposite her. He scooped up a little rice on the fork. “Come on,” he said. “You’re doing so well.”

He lifted the fork.

“I’ll bet you say that to all your students,” she said, smiling a little.

It’d been an innocent jest but his hand paused and he looked at the rice. He slowly set the fork down and got up.

“Brett?” he heard her say behind him. “Brett, what’s the matter?” She was a student–and he’d managed to forget that, until now. “Brett?” she tried again.

He turned to her.

“Look,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors.”

“No,” she quickly said. “Well, I mean, yes, but that’s not what I meant.”

He put his hand up to stop her.

“I know but let me finish.”

“Okay,” she said, as though she were steeling herself for bad news.

“They’re just rumors,” he said. “None of it’s true.” Her eyebrows went up and she tilted her head. “People just assume that in the field…” he said. “Well, it doesn’t matter what they assume. I’ve never had a relationship with a student. Not ever.”

“Okay,” Jesse said quietly.

“And that’s not why I’m divorced,” he said, wanting to finish what he’d started. “This site is why I’m divorced. I was a trophy husband who wasn’t around.”

“A what?” Jesse said.

He took in a deep breath and let it go.

“A trophy husband,” he repeated. “From the exciting world of archaeology. She was from a wealthy family and, as long as I was on her arm, it didn’t matter that I made hardly any money. But when I found this site, I couldn’t stay away. You can’t be a trophy husband and be in the field at the same time.”

There was silence for a few moments.

“Did you love her?” Jesse asked.

“I did,” he said, not meeting her eyes. “But not enough. Not more than this…this obsession.”

Again, there was silence.

Finally, he looked at Jesse who seemed confused.

Of course she did, he thought. To have heard one thing for years and then, all of a sudden the exact opposite. Maybe she didn’t even believe him.

“Anyway,” he said. “I just wanted you to know.”

She nodded but her eyes had that far away look.

“So it was said on high, so it was said,” she began in singsong. “Construct for me the large hat.”

“The stela,” he said, watching her face intently. “From the pyramid.”

She nodded.

“I know where we should look for the Red King.”