Page 53 of Burn Bag (Owens Protective Services #31)

DAPHNE

Week Three…

The fire crackled through the night as I camped out under the stars. I had forgotten how amazing it was to be in complete darkness with only the light from the twinkling sky. It really was so beautiful.

Yet, even in all this beauty, I couldn’t bring myself to be truly happy. My heart was back with Bradley, in his bed with him wrapped around me.

“It’s insanity,” I whispered to no one.

How could I be surrounded by all this wonder and still not be happy?

Yes, the dig was amazing. It felt great to have my hands working the way they once used to, but it didn’t have the same meaning to me anymore.

I wanted the best of both worlds, and until I did, I feared I would never truly be happy.

“Honey, why are you still awake?” my father asked, slipping off his cot to sit upright in one of the chairs. He groaned as he stretched his back. “I don’t think I’m cut out for sleeping on those cots too much longer.”

“Old age catching up?” I grinned .

“That and too many nights spent just like this,” he said, glancing up at the sky with a sigh. “It is beautiful, though.”

“It is.”

“So, how does it feel to be back?”

I forced a smile as I sat up, hoping I could convince him this was the perfect family expedition. “It’s great. It really is.”

A low chuckle left his lips and his shoulders shook as he snatched the metal coffee pot. As he filled it with water and coffee, he eyed me from across the fire. “Why do I not believe you?”

“Sorry, I’m just tired. My body isn’t used to the long hours.”

He nodded as he set the pot over the fire to boil. “Well, time has a way of changing things. Perspective, wants and needs…our bodies,” he chuckled. “You know, it’s okay to decide this isn’t for you.”

“What? No, I love this.”

“Do you? Or are you doing this because it’s what we always hoped for?” His eyes met mine, twinkling with the flames of the fire. “You know, your mother and I just wanted to have this one last dig with you, but it would be understandable if your interests were elsewhere.”

“Doing what?” I asked, almost to myself. “This is all I’ve ever known.”

“That doesn’t mean it has to be the only thing you ever do.”

I heard his words and I understood them, but convincing myself that he was right was a different thing.

“But perhaps it’s not the job that has you conflicted,” he said, studying his empty mug. “Maybe it’s someone.”

“Why would I be conflicted over someone?”

“Maybe because you’ve fallen for someone, and the idea of being away from that someone for so long is making you sad.”

I didn’t answer him because I already knew he was right. I missed Bradley desperately, but I wasn’t raised to be one of those women who cried over missing a man. That was pathetic and weak. I was strong and I didn’t need a man to make me happy.

“No, that’s not it,” I lied.

“Really?”

“Not at all.” I continued to hold onto that lie. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents—or myself. I prided myself on being independent and living my life as I chose. Yet, from the moment I made the decision to fly out to Kansas and marry Bradley, nothing in my life had gone according to plan.

“Daphne—”

My mother’s steps hurried over, interrupting our conversation. She sat down with a grin on her face as she held out her cupped hands. “Look at what I found.”

“Scarabs,” I said in awe, picking up one of them to study. “I can’t believe they’re still intact.”

“Just imagine all the amazing things we’ll find on this dig,” my mother gushed.

She rambled on for a good fifteen minutes about what her team found as they got to the antechamber.

I tried to listen with the same enthusiasm as she was telling it, but my attention kept wandering, wondering what Bradley was doing right now.

“So, what do you think, Daphne?” my mother asked, taking me by surprise.

I looked up at her, smiling wide, but my father’s knowing grin said he knew my mind had been elsewhere. “Um…”

“Honestly, you’ve been away for too long. You’re far too distracted.”

I was and we all knew it.

“I just need a few more days to get back into the swing of things.”

“Well, don’t take too long. I need you focused on the job at hand. We’re making amazing discoveries. This is going to change everything. I can feel it,” she grinned, staring up at the stars.

Were we? Yes, it was amazing to find Queen Nefertiti, but new discoveries?

About what? We had researched just as archaeologists before us.

There was so much we already knew about ancient Egypt, their burial procedures, and a world of other interesting facts.

I felt like I was on the same ride I’d been on a million times before, which was insane because I was literally part of a history-changing dig that could give us insight into one of the most amazing Egyptian queens.

There was absolutely no reason for my glum attitude.

Other than the fact that I missed him .

After that, I laid down and stared at the stars, wishing I was with Bradley, back in my bed with him inside me. The feeling of him wrapped around me all night long kept me awake for the rest of the night.

My mother was running me ragged. My mood had not improved over the next week. In fact, I was grouchier than ever, snapping at anyone who dared to contradict me or give me advice. I wasn’t sure why, other than I missed my husband desperately. Even my father was giving me a wide berth.

“Daphne, did you catalog the relics from earlier today?” my mother asked, walking into the tent where I was working my ass off to care for each and every one of the pieces of furniture my mother found in the antechamber.

Each of them had to be logged and carefully transported to a lab where they could be further studied.

The museum would be so thrilled with all the amazing things we’d discovered. Mom had already been on the phone with them, telling them of some of the brilliant finds.

I grumbled under my breath as I thought about how many days it had been since I last spoke with Bradley. Each day was like a knife to the chest, and yes, I realized how dramatic that was, but everything was off in my world.

“Daphne!”

I spun, glaring at my mother. “What?”

Taken aback by my tone, she flinched. “What is going on?”

“Nothing,” I snapped, anger digging under every inch of my skin until I felt like I couldn’t take another second of the irritation. “I’m just trying to work.”

“Well, I just came to check on you.”

“Yes, as you’ve done every hour. I know what I’m doing!”

My phone rang in my pocket and I quickly pulled it out, grinning when I saw Bradley’s name on the screen. Ignoring my mother, I answered the call, practically bouncing with glee .

“Hey!”

“Hey, baby. How are you?”

Tears pricked my eyes at the sound of his voice. He had no idea how desperately I wanted to see him. I hid it from him as best I could. He’d wanted this for me, and I didn’t want to disappoint him.

“I’m great. Really, really great!”

“Yeah? How’s the search for the…mummy?”

I could hear the terror in his voice and laughed, grateful just to have something normal. “My mother is working on the antechamber right now, so I’m cataloging all the artifacts and preparing them for shipping.”

“Wow. Sounds thrilling.”

By the tone of his voice, I knew he didn’t find any of this exciting, but I appreciated the effort. “And you? How are things going in the protection world?”

“Dreadfully slow,” he admitted. “We’re trying to gain some intel on my old boss and it’s not going well.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, don’t be. So, tell me more about the dig!”

I forced the enthusiasm into my voice and told him every last detail I could think of. By the time I was done, I was pretty sure he was bored to tears, but at least it sounded like I was having an amazing time.

There was something seriously wrong with me that I wasn’t more thrilled about what I was doing. Had I really come to the point in my life where I just wasn’t into archaeology anymore? Or maybe I just didn’t crave being in the field as much as I used to.

“So, I have a confession,” Bradley said, his voice hesitant.

“Yeah? What did you do? Get more cats?” I teased.

“Actually,” he cleared his throat. “Um…we may have acquired a dog.”

My jaw dropped in shock as I took in what he said. “A dog?”

“Are you mad?”

I started laughing, unable to stop. “How did you acquire a dog?”

“Look, it wasn’t my fault. Seriously, I was in town and this little puppy ran up to me, begging for food.

So, I took him around town and asked if anyone knew who he belonged to.

It turns out, there was an old couple in town who had just gotten him, but the wife died and the husband has no interest in caring for a puppy. ”

“So, you adopted it,” I grinned.

“Well, it was just supposed to be temporary until they could find him a home.”

“But?”

“Well…he’s cute. And Tigger loves him. I can’t take him away. They take naps together!”

I burst out laughing, wiping the tears from my eyes as I thought of Bradley curled up with a dog and a cat.

And once I started crying, I couldn’t stop.

The tears just kept coming until I felt like I was going to hyperventilate.

My dad walked into the tent and spotted me, seeing my distress, and walked over.

“Daphne! We need to leave!” he called out, buying me an excuse to get off the phone.

“I’ll talk to you later. I love you,” I managed to choke out before the phone fell from my fingers and I collapsed on my knees, crying onto my dad’s shoulder as he caught me.

“Hey,” he said soothingly, rubbing my back. “What’s this about?”

“He got a dog,” I cried, my chest heaving with every breath I tried to take.

“Okay,” he hummed. “I see.”

“Do you?”

I felt his head move in a nod as he continued to rub my back. “I do, sweetie. It’ll be okay.”

“Will it? I’m over here and he’s over there,” I cried, the tears sliding unchecked down my cheeks. “Why am I being so stupid? He’s just living his life!”

“Without you,” my dad sighed. “Do you want to go home?”

I shook my head furiously, even though my heart was screaming yes. I wouldn’t leave, not when there was so much to do, so much to discover .

“If I can’t make it a few weeks without him, what does that say about me?”

“It says you’re in love, sweetie.”

“But you’re not like this with Mom.”

My father’s big hand rubbed soothing circles over my back. “Well, your mother and I happen to like the same things. We’re together so often that it’s nice when we take a break from each other. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but your mother can be quite demanding.”

I laughed against his chest, wiping at the tears on my cheeks. “God, I’m such a mess.”

“You are, but that’s okay.”

I pulled away from him, trying to get myself together. “What am I going to do?”

“Well, I imagine you’ll either finish this dig or you’ll call him and beg him to come get you.”

I laughed, trying to imagine him over here. “He would never come near a mummy. He’s terrified of them.”

“Of mummies?” my dad asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Does he realize they’re dead?”

“Yes, but I don’t think that matters.” Sighing, I took a steadying breath and blew it out. “I’ll be okay. I know I will.”

“Good. But if you need to leave, you just let me know. I’ll block your mother while you flee.”

“I don’t think it’s quite that desperate yet.”

He gave me a pointed look that said he didn’t believe me. “Are you sure about that?”

“Not entirely, but I’m not giving up yet.”