Living Stones (34 page)

Ashley watched Najid’s face glow as he experienced such a large crowd at her church, singing a lively worship song. The words projected on large screens and the music leaders playing their electronic instruments and drums seemed to fascinate him. She watched his face as Senior Pastor Tom Evans sat on a high stool, dressed in jeans, discussing a fundraiser for Israel. She couldn’t tell what Najid was thinking.

The pastor then taught from the Bible. He referenced Jesus’s
sermon on the mountain that overlooks the Sea of Galilee. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God.”

Ashley looked at Najid, who nodded several times. He seemed to track completely with the ideas.

After the church service and some general visiting, the travel group and Najid walked to Pastor Jim’s office for their debriefing. They sat in a circle and talked while Jim finished his phone call. He hung up, smiled, and looked up as the door opened suddenly. Pastor Tom appeared. “I’ve had a schedule change. May I sit in on your debriefing? I’d like to hear more of your stories. We might have a couple of you share for a few minutes some Sunday morning.”

“We’re delighted to have you join us,” Jim said. Addressing his tour group, Jim welcomed them back together and asked each person to introduce themselves so Pastor Tom and their guest would know who was who. Ashley introduced Najid, explaining that she had visited his family in Galilee and had invited him to join them.

“We’re going to share informally,” Jim advised. Then several people shared what had impressed them, and what they learned. Finally they all turned to Ashley.

She began softly, “You all prayed for me in Jerusalem, and God heard you and saved my life. I love you guys. But I’m not talking about that today. We all visited many churches and shrines built from the ancient stones in the Holy Land. These are the ones that have lasted for centuries and should endure for many years to come.” She took a deep breath and looked at Najid. “I’d like to tell my impressions about the people I met, our Jewish guides, two rabbis, our new Muslim and Christian friends—but I don’t have time. It’s because I’ve asked my friend Najid, one of those living stones, from a town near Nazareth, to share his family story. I visited them, wonderful Christians whose family history goes back for many generations on a farm in Galilee. He’s a graduate student at the U. Also a peacemaker.” She nodded toward Pastor Tom.

Najid proceeded to tell of his ancient church, the olive orchards, and the home that his parents shared happily as children with his grandparents. He explained how in Irgit, a Galilean village, Jews, Palestinian Christians, and Muslims had lived peacefully together on their family farms of mostly olives and figs for centuries until
1948, when Israeli soldiers took over their house and ordered them to leave. He shared all that happened to his family and others after that—the lost farms, businesses, homes, refugee camps. He told of friendships, of walls, checkpoints, and more. He revealed his longing, and the longing of so many good people he knew from so many backgrounds, for an end to the military occupation. For justice, for peace. Not peace at any price. But a just peace and ultimate reconciliation.

Jim sat, chin in hand, slowly shaking his head. Ashley saw Pastor Tom sit motionless, his eyes searching Najid’s face.

Najid ended by mentioning Jewish, Muslim, and Christian organizations working together for justice and peace using nonviolent resistance.

Najid looked at Ashley with a nod of conclusion. The group sat in silence.

Ashley looked at Pastor Tom, wondering what he would say. He held his handkerchief. He looked ready to speak, but signaled he needed a moment, swallowed, then finally spoke: “I think we’ve heard from heaven just now.” He paused again, nodding and biting his lower lip. Then he continued, shaking his head. “I’ve been arrogant, hard, and judgmental against Palestinians, not having any idea what they have gone through over so many years.” He shook his head. “Please God, forgive me.”

Ashley and Najid had found a spot on the sidewalk downtown with thousands of people watching the Friday night Seafair Torchlight Parade. “I’ve got something to tell you, Najid.” She looked up into his eyes, grimacing and gritting her teeth while taking in a deep breath. “My parents will be coming for a visit in three weeks. I know it will be a difficult time for all of us.” She finally exhaled.

Najid nodded and remained silent for several moments. “They’ll be interested to hear face to face about your trip, and . . .” His voice trailed off.

Ashley waited for him to finish, but he seemed lost in thought. “I’ve explained over the telephone some of what happened. I didn’t want to scare them over the phone.”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding slowly. “That’s probably wise.”

Najid slipped his arm around her waist and drew her close as a float came by with the Seafair Queen and her court. Ashley leaned her head on the front of his shoulder, quickly changing her mind about further discussion of her parents’ visit. She should never have brought it up. She would ruin an enchanted evening.

Moments later, Najid scarcely noticed the huge red paper dragon with many Chinese boys’ legs underneath, hurrying it along, crisscrossing down the street in serpentine fashion. It looked fierce with flashing red eyes. But Najid paid no attention to the rest of the parade. His heart raced as he held Ashley. He instinctively wanted to turn her toward him and kiss her. But he could not bring himself to do it in public. So he kissed her hair and reveled in the ecstasy of the moment. He didn’t want the parade to end. But soon the last of the horses, floats, and bands passed.

They stood quietly as people walked by, leaving the parade route. Najid enjoyed the soft summer evening as he drew her closer. The red glow over the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound darkened slowly. The moon rose in the southeast, almost full and glowing brighter as the twilight faded. Moonlight brightened her silken hair. They stood silent, neither one speaking; it seemed to him that time stood still.

The silence broke as cars again filled the street. Najid’s mind continued to race. He couldn’t put his feelings into words and didn’t know what to say to Ashley.

He had never experienced these sensations before, these intense desires. He couldn’t get close enough to her. His excitement rose as he pulled her even closer, then cupping his hands around her cheeks. He kissed her. She grasped his hands, squeezing them. He heard her sigh and sensed her tremble against him.

A little boy ran by, and looking up at Najid, tripped and fell. Screaming, his mother picked him up and examined his skinned knees. It broke the enchantment and they strolled silently toward the bus stop hand in hand.

As Najid said good night to Ashley on the front porch of her house, the moon cast a silver glow on her hair. His excitement rebounded. He drew her close as her soft body melted into his embrace, both their arms around each other, hers around his neck. After several moments, she stepped back, silently holding his hands, smiling. He felt confused, somewhat embarrassed, not knowing what to say.

“Ashley . . . I don’t know what is happening to me. I’ve never wanted to be so close to anyone like this. I hope I have not offended
you.” He looked into her eyes and saw her smile.

“Najid, you have done nothing but make me happy. I have never met anyone like you. I love being with you.”

She pulled his head down, and they kissed each other.

Ashley’s mind raced as she went to bed. She loved him; she knew it. And now he loved her. It had become obvious. He treaded so carefully to not offend her, uncertain how to proceed in a relationship of love for the first time ever, and in a foreign culture. She had no idea what his family would think of his bringing her into their circle. Would she as an American be accepted in his family?

But the main problem would be her parents, not his. And to complicate things, her parents would arrive for a visit soon. She so wanted her mother and father to accept and even love Najid. He would be the most gracious and loving son-in-law they could ever imagine.

Ashley turned over in bed, unsettled. She was an adult now and could make her own decisions. She and Najid could marry despite her parents’ objections. But could she risk breaking her relationship with her parents, who had cared for her lifelong? She loved them. How would they handle bringing Najid into the family over their objections? What would it do to Najid or to her? What about children in years to come? Would they be accepted?

She tossed and turned, trying to turn off her mind and sleep. But the nagging, immediate questions kept recurring in her mind: What to do in three weeks when her parents arrive? Would she bring Najid to see them? Would they walk out and refuse to talk to him again? If only they could get acquainted, they would learn to love him. The ethnic and cultural differences wouldn’t matter. They could blend and work through those in love and respect. Najid was a loving human being, courageous, unselfish, bright, and loved God. What more could you ask for your daughter? But if you coldly reject someone before you get to know him, how can you ever establish a relationship or friendship? Would Najid ever get over being rejected by them? Would he even want to try to establish a friendship?

Ashley sighed deeply and looked up to imagine the man of Galilee on that hillside two millennia ago. He still spoke to her about the rewards of being poor in spirit and a peacemaker. She turned on her side and finally fell asleep.

Ashley, Ashley,” she heard her name being called, not knowing whether she dreamed it or not. The call continued as she shook her head, trying to wake up. “Phone for you!” One of her housemates banged on her door as Ashley stumbled across the floor and jerked open the door. “Mr. Appleby’s on the line.” She handed Ashley the cordless phone.

“Hello.” Her voice croaked.

“Appleby here. Sounds like I got you up. Sorry.”

“Yeah, but I think I’m awake now.”

“We haven’t talked for some time now, and I wanted to bring you up to date on what’s going on.”

“I appreciate your calling. I’ve wondered what’s been happening to Robert. I did visit him once, before his lawyer or the U.S. attorney got involved.”

“I heard about that. Apparently you convinced him to cooperate with the legal system and meet with his parents. Good work! OK, now about the grand jury. They met. The prosecutor had plenty of evidence to present to the jury without calling you to testify, mostly from Robert’s own computer with all the e-mail, financial, travel, and
Internet information. They needed twelve jurors to indict him, and eighteen of nineteen did.”

“So now he goes to trial?” Ashley asked.

“Right.”

“And I won’t have to testify against him?”

“Probably not. We’ll let you know if that changes. The discovery process has uncovered so much evidence that the defense counsel is recommending a guilty plea to Robert, with a plea bargain.”

“So what does that mean?”

“The grand jury agreed to the three charges brought by the prosecutor, the U.S. attorney assigned to the case. Second-degree murder for the rabbi who died in the synagogue. Then attempted murder, of you and Najid, as well as of you in Israel. And third, assault with a deadly weapon: the bomb. The plea by the defense is to drop the attempted murder charge, which would be harder to prove, but not impossible, and for a recommendation of leniency by the prosecutor to the judge because of Robert’s age and this being his first offense. In exchange, Robert would plead guilty to the first and third charges. It looks like he is going to accept this.”

“I imagine the world wants him hung.”

“Probably so, Ashley. But thirty years in prison, if that is what he gets, is no Sunday school picnic.”

“So what happens now?” Ashley pictured the little boy inside this angry young man, now faced with the steel rod of justice for what he had done. He must be terrified.

“He appears with both lawyers before a federal judge in court, who will take into consideration the guilty plea on two counts and the plea bargain worked out by the opposing lawyers. It will take some time for the court to decide whether to accept the plea. Assuming acceptance, Robert will have to appear again for sentencing.”

“And what can he expect, realistically?”

“Probably years in prison. No one can predict how many. It varies so much in the federal court system that there is no average sentence for a given charge. But probably not life without parole, as that is usually reserved for first-degree murder.”

Ashley stared vacantly ahead, shaking her head and visualizing Robert standing before the judge, totally at the mercy of the court. In
forgiveness she had lost any feeling of hate for what he had done to her. Her strong reaction surprised her—pity and sadness, knowing justice would prevail. “Can I see him now?”

“No, not yet. Once sentenced, he will be shipped off to federal prison somewhere. Then he can have visitors.”

“So how soon?”

“If all goes as I suspect it will, he should be in federal prison in three months, probably November sometime. Oh, and by the way, you know we’ve been searching for his accomplices, whoever helped him acquire training and materials, right?”