punctuate the point. “The boy was already reciting poetry when the rest of the lot were still in diapers. He’s got a head on his shoulders, that Murat. Mark my words, he’ll make a fine sultan.”
Tamar’s cheeks flushed conspicuously.
“Enough about that.” José turned toward his daughter. “Are you happy to be home to keep your old Papa company?”
“ Baba ,” she said warmly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
José nodded approvingly then took a hearty bite of meat. “Now, for some news of myself!” He threw down his fork and took a swig of wine before bringing the glass down hard. He reached out with both arms and took both his daughter’s and his wife’s hands in his own. “It seems I’ve been honored by the Sultan.” He glanced about for a moment and waited for the enormity of the news to sink in before continuing. “I’ve been granted my own province to govern. A piece of land straddling the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land. They call it Tiberius,” he explained proudly.
“ Mashallah! ” Tamar exclaimed.
Reyna smiled modestly though her eyes beamed with pride.
“Of course it’s practically a wasteland right now but it won’t be for long. I’m sending over whole villages to populate the area. They’ll be charged with cultivating the land and growing trade relations.”
“Will we have to relocate?” Reyna seemed concerned.
“G-d no!” José laughed. “You ladies wouldn’t survive a fortnight there…you see it’s a lawless place.” His tone turned serious. “The city walls have been destroyed. It’s quite vulnerable to attack and yet it is our homeland. The land of Israel. A Jewish land governed by Jews. What else could we ask for? Could there be anything more important than our traditions? A place where we can govern ourselves and ensure the survival of our faith?”
The table grew silent.
As Tamar reached for her spoon, José noticed the shimmering ruby on her finger. His eyes moved from the stone to his daughter’s downcast eyes. “I’ve shared my news.” He leaned in closer. “It seems you have some of your own?” His voice took on an oddly inquisitive tone.
Their eyes met as she slid her hand away from view.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing important.”
“Go wait for me in the courtyard.”
Tamar froze, her spoon in midair. “Have I offended you, Baba ?”
He sighed wearily. “You can no more offend me than the light of the moon.”
She nodded, then stood up and headed out towards the garden.
José turned to Reyna. “Is there something I should know about?”
Reyna sipped of her sharbet . “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He tossed down his napkin and headed to the garden atrium. Tamar was there, waiting in that cloistered sanctuary, sitting on a stone bench beside a flowing fountain depicting a sculpted rendition of Jonah being spat from an enormous whale. In the courtyard, two squawking geese Tamar had named Leila and Majnun poked about the shrubbery looking for tall slinking worms to feed their hatchlings.
“Tamar,” he began. “What is this?” He reached for her hand and examined the ruby on her finger.
“It’s a ring.”
“Yes, but where did you get such an exquisite gem?”
“It’s just a gift.”
José’s silver brows cast deep furrows along the length of his long countenance. “A gift from whom?” He took her arm firmly. “Who gave you this?”
“Murat.” She pulled her arm free, held up her hand and examined the ruby. “We’ll be married in a year. Baba , tell me you are pleased.”
He tilted his head and examined his daughter as though seeing her for the first time.
“You’ve always spoken highly of him.” She tried to sound confident. “You yourself said what a fine sultan he’ll make,” she pressed on, while her father simply stared.
He lifted his daughter’s face until her gaze met his.
“ Baba ?”
He looked on strangely.
“Don’t just stand there looking
Tamar’s cheeks flushed conspicuously.
“Enough about that.” José turned toward his daughter. “Are you happy to be home to keep your old Papa company?”
“ Baba ,” she said warmly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
José nodded approvingly then took a hearty bite of meat. “Now, for some news of myself!” He threw down his fork and took a swig of wine before bringing the glass down hard. He reached out with both arms and took both his daughter’s and his wife’s hands in his own. “It seems I’ve been honored by the Sultan.” He glanced about for a moment and waited for the enormity of the news to sink in before continuing. “I’ve been granted my own province to govern. A piece of land straddling the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land. They call it Tiberius,” he explained proudly.
“ Mashallah! ” Tamar exclaimed.
Reyna smiled modestly though her eyes beamed with pride.
“Of course it’s practically a wasteland right now but it won’t be for long. I’m sending over whole villages to populate the area. They’ll be charged with cultivating the land and growing trade relations.”
“Will we have to relocate?” Reyna seemed concerned.
“G-d no!” José laughed. “You ladies wouldn’t survive a fortnight there…you see it’s a lawless place.” His tone turned serious. “The city walls have been destroyed. It’s quite vulnerable to attack and yet it is our homeland. The land of Israel. A Jewish land governed by Jews. What else could we ask for? Could there be anything more important than our traditions? A place where we can govern ourselves and ensure the survival of our faith?”
The table grew silent.
As Tamar reached for her spoon, José noticed the shimmering ruby on her finger. His eyes moved from the stone to his daughter’s downcast eyes. “I’ve shared my news.” He leaned in closer. “It seems you have some of your own?” His voice took on an oddly inquisitive tone.
Their eyes met as she slid her hand away from view.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing important.”
“Go wait for me in the courtyard.”
Tamar froze, her spoon in midair. “Have I offended you, Baba ?”
He sighed wearily. “You can no more offend me than the light of the moon.”
She nodded, then stood up and headed out towards the garden.
José turned to Reyna. “Is there something I should know about?”
Reyna sipped of her sharbet . “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He tossed down his napkin and headed to the garden atrium. Tamar was there, waiting in that cloistered sanctuary, sitting on a stone bench beside a flowing fountain depicting a sculpted rendition of Jonah being spat from an enormous whale. In the courtyard, two squawking geese Tamar had named Leila and Majnun poked about the shrubbery looking for tall slinking worms to feed their hatchlings.
“Tamar,” he began. “What is this?” He reached for her hand and examined the ruby on her finger.
“It’s a ring.”
“Yes, but where did you get such an exquisite gem?”
“It’s just a gift.”
José’s silver brows cast deep furrows along the length of his long countenance. “A gift from whom?” He took her arm firmly. “Who gave you this?”
“Murat.” She pulled her arm free, held up her hand and examined the ruby. “We’ll be married in a year. Baba , tell me you are pleased.”
He tilted his head and examined his daughter as though seeing her for the first time.
“You’ve always spoken highly of him.” She tried to sound confident. “You yourself said what a fine sultan he’ll make,” she pressed on, while her father simply stared.
He lifted his daughter’s face until her gaze met his.
“ Baba ?”
He looked on strangely.
“Don’t just stand there looking
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