Background
If John Morgan were a tree, he'd be an oak; others find shelter from his strength. A character firmly rooted, drawing others to his circle of family and friends: under the shadow of the Eden Tree.
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When he met me at the door to our hotel room, James was puffing and panting as he lugged the bulging suitcases. He dropped them and gave me a big hug. When we walked down the carpeted stairs carrying our cases and flight bags, I hoped it would be the last visit to Israel for some years.
The manager looked exuberant as he slid a letter across the counter to me. It was from the PM, thanking us but also mentioning that a German pharmaceutical company had made a donation of 7.5 million Euros to a new burns unit at Tel Aviv Hospital, to be named the Leitz Burns Unit. I felt sick.
I shook hands with staff and expressed my appreciation. The manager was brimming with pride when informed by Josh that the personal adviser to the PM had praised the hotel. Homeland Security would encourage foreign dignitaries to Tel Aviv to stay at the hotel. The manager pressed some vouchers into my hand. I gave him Ahmed's card, hoping his taxi business would grow.
Outside the hotel, I breathed a sigh of relief as the porters placed our luggage into the BMW and Sean dropped a black holdall into Josh's trunk, winking at him as it closed.
At Ben Gurion Airport, James, Sean and I shook hands with Josh.
Sean joked, "I'll see you soon, Sergeant Joshua Federman, and I'm sure there's a black-haired beauty in the UK who fancies the socks off ya."
I added, "Josh, you're always welcome to come and stay at Kirmingsham Hall anytime." I hugged him.
*
The ticket gave our ETA at Ringway Airport as 6:15 p.m.
"Our two Jewish friends will now be in their synagogue," I said.
"You know, Dad," James said, "Simeon's healing is like Naaman in the Bible. He had leprosy but the prophet Elisha immersed him in a river, and his flesh became like a child's. Awesome, huh?"
I nodded, wondering where this was going.
"By the way," James said as he tapped on his laptop, "I think Aly and I want Simeon and Joseph to come to our wedding and say a Jewish prayer. And Josh said he'd like to come, but I'm not sure about this colonel...he sounds like a nasty piece of work."
"Colonel Balak?" Sean perked up from his semi-dozing. "Nah, he's a pussy. You should invite him. But don't turn the other cheek!"
James scratched his head.
I didn't know you read the Bible, James," I said.
"You're kidding, right?" James looked across at me. "Aly and I are really into that stuff. Not the same as her adoptive parents, the Wickhams, who are like, 'do this, do that'...I'm talking about the cool stuff."
"Like what? Sean and I want to hear it."
"Not me," Sean replied with a grin. "I'm not a Cat-a-holic, I love dogs!"
James and I convulsed with laughter. Other passengers stirred.
"Well," James said, moving forwards on his seat. "Take Noah's Ark. What are the chances of finding enough wood to build a craft that would house all the animals in that area and withstand a flood? Did you know that all ancient civilisations have a story passed down about a flood?"
"I'd heard that," I said, "so what are you saying?"
His fingers flew across his keyboard and images appeared one after the other.
"See that?" James said. "Spaceships. The arks were shuttles: big and strong enough to save many species during a great flood event. It happened all over the earth, with dozens of ships, not just in the Middle East. And what about the Tower of Babel?" he asked, showing us more images. "Who would build a tower like that, and what for?" James said.
"An early rollercoaster," Sean said with a glint in his eye.
Reaching to tap Sean on his head, James said, "It's a comms tower, you nutter. Don't you get the clues about Babel's 'many languages'? Did you never watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind? But we're not gonna play the tune next time. We're talking binary, programming and code." James looked expectant.
"Did you say 'we'?" I asked.
"Yeah, me, Aly, our online buds...we figure that every now and then these 'beings' or 'gods' visit earth to give the human race a technological kick up the behind," James said. "Copernicus, Galileo, Leonardo Di Vinci, probably many more: superior intelligence that has advanced our planet. Think about it, guys. Who built the sphinx in Egypt and the pyramids of the Incas?"
James showed us images of the Great Sphinx of Giza and large stone heads discovered around the world.
"OK, mastermind, what's your theory about Eden...the box and leaves? What's your theory about that?" I asked.
"Jesus Christ is one of us and one of them," James said. "Don't you see, Dad? He wanted us to know about the life they have, that's why he came, and why he left the box: peace, health and everything humans need to survive."
"Live long and prosper, huh?" Sean made the Vulcan sign with his fingers. "I'd better stop using his name then, in case he hears me, right?"
"Exactly, Einstein," James responded. "Watch this space! Lots of stuff in science fiction is becoming reality. We reckon Jesus left you the clues and the leaves, Dad. The other guys are so excited to be part of this. Our online buds are buzzing with it. It's a shame we can't Tweet it. We'd have millions of followers!"
"WOW," I said. "That IS epic."
James punched my arm.
"Why me, huh?" I asked.
James' ideas intrigued me, but I favoured the traditional beliefs. After all, I had prayed at a clock tower, and two miracles had happened. Many would mock the story of the antique box, maps and leaves that Jesus Christ of Nazareth had entrusted to St Peter. We knew its reality. Two lives had been raised from deathbeds; those were facts, not myths.
In Jaffa, we had made friends and enemies. Those enemies were either dead or incarcerated awaiting trial. Our friends in Israel had forged lasting bonds of affection in our hearts and minds. Certainly one member of my family evidenced a growing affection for a Mossad sergeant.
Sean ferried us home and my daydreaming continued. My heart overflowed with relief that alongside my wife and daughter, my grandchild Wesley John waited excitedly for us at home. Regular tests at Great Ormond Street Hospital had confirmed what we already knew as a family: the disease had been defeated.
James' intended, Alyana, had been instrumental, via her internet friends, in tracking down the kidnappers. I felt proud that my son had found his soulmate.
I had once again witnessed Sean's awesome efficiency to be lethal when the situation demanded it. His Irish wit had kept us sane, and sometimes driven us insane. But we would accept Sean with his strengths and weaknesses. I planned something special for his birthday on April 2nd.
Becky, my elegant and fun-loving daughter, had come through a very dark patch in her life. With new energy, she was now grabbing life's opportunities. Morgan Fashion would fulfil at least part of her life. Would there be a match made in heaven with Josh Federman, the Mossad sergeant? I thought she could do a lot worse.
Walking through the door of Kirmingsham Hall, I saw Liz, the dream of my life, pottering around the kitchen, keeping busy.
She leapt into my arms. "You're home! I am so glad. I thought I heard the car."
"Mmm, me too," I said, as we embraced. "I love you now more than ever. And we will take that holiday!"
The cord that bound us lodged in the centre of our hearts, pulling us ever closer. I felt profound relief to be in her arms again.
