Turkish Encounter

Travel in an ancient, exotic land and discover the roots of a mystery and an eternal love.

Part 1

Gunnul Dedeman unlocked the old wrought iron gate to the small grove that contained their grave. She pushed through the tangle of underbrush and stood by the dark tomb.

Here, close to her, she always found some peace and comfort. Her long, strong fingers stroked the ancient, rough surface of stone. It must have been a beautiful grave at one time. Even now, the low relief carving of ancient Greek symbols covered the lid in a blurry image of a time long ago. Yet the eroded names carved 3,000 years ago in ancient Greece were not in the ancient language. Nor were the names from some ancient time. It made no sense. No sense at all.

Maybe she should stop coming here. The images that hovered at the edge of her awareness had got stronger over the years. This was the earliest memory she had of her childhood, pushing through the underbrush and looking up at a wall of ancient dark stone and knowing even then in her child's mind that she was standing at "her" grave and her own. Knowing, when she had crawled up on top to see the names that were engraved there, that something was wrong. Something had not been done properly. Once again Gunnul's hand reached out as it had that day so many years ago and traced her name Morgan Andrews. That is not your name is it my darling? Why can't I remember? Then her fingers slid to the name that she knew marked her own remains, Kristinia Thanasis. When she touched the letters she could feel their love. Tears welled in her eyes. Love was not an experience she had ever had. Allah protect your souls until I can solve this riddle she prayed, then retraced her steps and locked again her special secret behind the iron gate.

Gunnul straightened her shoulders and walked through the beautiful gardens that surrounded her country estate. She employed an army of gardeners to maintain a paradise of beauty for her and Chrissy, but to her secret garden, no one was allowed to go. Her grave and that of her lover remained always private behind a green wall of wild growth. Servants respectfully stepped aside as she passed, leaving the warrior to her thoughts, knowing always to respect the powerful woman's privacy. Gunnul ran up the steps onto the marble patio that outlined the cliff over looking the Mediterranean Sea. The view was breath taking with the sea below and the towering Taurus mountains behind. Today, Gunnul didn't notice.

She entered through open terrace doors into her den and sat behind the ornate cherry wood desk, sinking into the calf leather of her office chair. Before her on the desk was a report on the harvesting of her opium fields. She set it aside and stared at the folder that waited her attention underneath. It was labeled, Jamie Dedeman. Anger washed over Gunnul. It should be labeled "the whore" she thought cruelly. She opened up the red leather folder into which her private secretary slipped each item before placing it on her desk. Inside were two letters. The first a copy of the one she had sent to the whore. It read:

Dear Ms. Dedeman,

My daughter, Christine has expressed an interest in meeting her birth mother. Her father (my brother) Mohammed, died two years ago of a apparent heart attack. I feel that it is advisable that she be allowed to satisfy her curiosity about her background in order that she come to terms with her father's death and her birth mother's desertion. For this reason, I reluctantly have arranged for you to visit Turkey.

I wish first to meet and get to know you. If I feel that your actions and attitudes will not hurt my daughter beyond the pain that she already carries in her heart then I will allow a meeting. Attached to this letter you will find all the necessary arrangements, and tickets for your trip.

Yours Sincerely,

Gunnul Dedeman

Gunnul nodded her satisfaction with the letter then with distaste she took up the letter that had arrived today. She slit open the envelope and pulled out the response. She read:

Dear Gunnul Dedeman,

I am not only Chrissy's birth mother, I am her mother! And you are not! For ten years, I have tried to trace the where abouts of Moe and my daughter. You're damn right my daughter has a right to have contact with me! I've return your tickets. I don't want your money, I know how it was earned. I'll pay my own way and will be on the next flight to Istanbul to get my daughter back!

Yours Sincerely,

Jamie Miller

Gunnul's eyebrows rose in consternation. Her brother was right about one thing this woman was coarse and ambitious. Clearly, she planned to sue for custody so that she could get her hands on some of Chrissy's wealth. Gunnul sneered, that was never, ever going to happen. She might not have given birth to Chrissy but she had raised her from a baby and Chrissy was her daughter far closer than blood could have ever made her. She'd kill this woman before she would let her take her daughter away!

She leaned back and closed her eyes and felt the blood pounding through her temple. In her mind she could feel warm hands slip around her shoulders. It was the blond woman of her dreams. The secret lover of her fantasies who always came to comfort her. She leaned back farther into the leather and tried to catch the warm scent of herbs that she associated with her imaginary friend. The whore wants to take Chrissy away from me, she confided to her daydream. Green eyes looked at her with compassion, Don't worry, came the response from deep in her soul. Gunnul sighed and shook herself free from a world that she knew she had no right to be. Her world was here and now and ugly and real. She pulled over the file on the opium harvest and started to read.

Don't worry, came the message from deep in her soul and Jamie sighed and looked out the plane window to the Aegean Sea below. Almost there my warrior, she thought as she reached out to the soulmate that she had never met. The dark shadow that always seemed to be near by reached out and wrapped her close easing her pain. When she was younger, she had been guilty and concerned about this presence that had gradually become part of her. It wasn't normal and she considered taking therapy. Some how she had never got around to it. The truth was she loved her secret phantom. Loved her with all her heart and soul. That was what had attracted her to Moe. He looked so much like her. She had deluded herself in to believing he was her soulmate. Instead, he had turned out to be her worse nightmare.

She had tried to make their marriage work. Had tried to help her emotionally weak husband stand on his own two feet. But the only strength Moe seemed to possess was a love for violence. After their child was born a girl and not the boy that he so desperately wanted, that violence was often directed towards her. Then there was that fatal night when he had come home yet again drunk and high and had beat her near to death and disappeared with her child.

Chrissy had been barely six months old then. She would be almost ten now. Would she recognize her? They shared the same forest green eyes but were Jamie's hair was strawberry blond, Chrissy's had been dark like her father. She had his bone structure too, high cheek bones and classic lines. Yes, she would know her daughter. Except for the blue eyes she would look so much like the soulmate of her dreams.

She saw the blue of the sea turn to the brown of land far below. Soon she would face her greatest enemy, Gunnul Dedeman. Even Moe had been afraid of her. He always talked nervously about her ruthless actions. She was an anomaly. A woman accepted into a male dominated world. According to Moe, she made her living selling illegal drugs and it was her who had got Moe hooked in order to take control of the vast family empire. He had told her that his sister was beautiful outside but wicked inside and that she had killed hundreds of people. This was the person who had raised her daughter. A cold icy lump formed in her chest, don't worry Chrissy your mommys going to get you back!

Jamie stepped through customs into a mad house of confusion. Turks crowded the baggage terminal waiting for the aircraft to be unloaded. Jamie looked around in confusion. She couldn't manage her luggage by herself and she didn't know how to ask for a porter. Her hand tightened nervously on the aluminum crutch that encircled her upper arm and provided a hand hold for her to lean against taking the weight off her badly damaged leg. Maybe she could ask one of the passengers to help her.

"Excuse please. You are Jamie Dedeman?" Jamie turned to see a soldier looking down at her with a worried expression. He was dressed in a black uniform with much gold braid and a red sash. The formal appearance was undermined by the machine gun slung casually over his shoulder.

"Yes. Yes, I am," she responded nervously.

"I am Ohmir. I have been ordered to take you to the residence of General Dedeman. You come, please."

"Wait, my luggage and who is General Dedeman?" asked Jamie stubbornly holding her ground.

The soldier looked surprised, "Gunnul Dedeman, the saviour of our people. She has killed many people. She is famous warrior and hero. I show you. You come now."

"What about my luggage?" asked Jamie again.

"You give me baggage paper. I see to," explained the soldier holding out his hand. Jamie sighed and reached into her purse to pull out her ticket on which were stapled her luggage tags. Carefully, she removed them and gave them to the young soldier. Then put her tickets back into her purse. There was a return ticket for herself and one for Chrissy.

"You come," said the soldier again and walked ahead. Jamie followed having a hard time maneuvering in the crowds with her crutch.

The soldier handed the tickets over to another who had come to attention at the sight of them. In rapid Turkish, the soldier was given instructions and Jamie's baggage tags then Ohmir lead her outside to where a limousine bearing the nation's flag sat. He opened the back door and Jamie slid in placing her crutch beside her. A nice show of power Gunnul Dedeman but it wont work, I will defeat you and get my daughter back.

Gunnul stared out of the hotel's window down to the busy streets of Istanbul twenty stories below. In her memory Gunnul could hear her brother's mocking voice, "You think you are so good Gunnul! The hero of the people! But I've got something here that you'll never have, an heir, Gunnul. I've got the Dedeman heir. I had her by the sleaziest American whore I could find. I even married her so that the slut's spawn will forever taint your precious family line. Here she is Gunnul, the heir you deserve to inherit your legacy!"

But Mohammed's cruel actions didn't succeed in hurting his sister. Gunnul felt again the rush of love and protectiveness she had when that little bundle had been thrusted into her hands. She knew that child was hers and she didn't care what problems or background the little girl might have, she was always going to be there for her daughter.

She had adopted Chrissy legally. Buying off her brother who spent yet another inheritance wildly until the drink, drugs and wild life killed him. She had shielded her daughter from her brother as much as possible. Just as she would shield her from her tart of a mother. Chrissy had grown into a beautiful, intelligent, caring child. She looked like Gunnul except for her eyes. Her eyes were forest green like that of Gunnul's imaginary lover. That's why Gunnul knew from the moment she made eye contact with the little baby that they were family.

Behind her the intercom clicked on, "Gunnul, Ms. Dedeman is here," came the voice of her secretary Teffo.

"Thank you Teefo. Please send her in" came the cold response. Gunnul turned, her face a mask cut from stone and waited. Teefo opened the door and stepped aside. In hobbled a woman dressed demurely in a business suit of a good quality cut. She leaned heavily on a crutch and dragged forward a misshapen leg. When she looked up Gunnul's heart stopped, it was the woman who had been the focus of her dreams for as long as she could remember.

Jamie was tired and felt grimy from her long flight. Her head pounded terribly but she gathered her resolve and followed the tall serious looking secretary into the private office of Gunnul Dedeman prepared to take on any challenge to get her daughter back. Looking up she stopped breathing. The blue eyes of her secret protector looked straight at her. The dark form of her dreams now suddenly real. She took two wobbly steps forward and heard the secretary close the door behind her then the world spun and darkness closed in around her.

When she woke she knew she was where she belonged. The dark form of her protector embraced her and held a cool cloth to her aching head. Her head rested beneath her phantom's chin, up against her wide shoulder and her arm was wrapped securely around the dark form's waist. Her eyes fluttered then remained closed whatever waited for her in the real world could wait a few minutes longer while she held onto the phantom that was the anchor of her life.

Gunnul lunged forward and swept the small woman up into her arms before she could fall. Suddenly, she was on a river bank deep in a jungle the familiar body of her lover in her arms. She shook her head to clear it and carried the limp form over to the sofa. She lowered the form onto the cushions then went to the bar fridge and wrapped some crushed ice into a towel. Returning, she slipped behind the small form and pulled her close feeling with delight the woman take her place against her side one arm wrapped protectively around her as she had daydreamed a million times over her life time. She held the cold compress to Jamie's forehead and tried unsuccessfully to come to terms with the fact that her worse enemy was also the woman of her dreams.

Awareness hit Jamie a half minute later. She was snuggled up to Gunnul Dedeman the woman who had stole her child. She sat up with a gasp and pulled herself away from the tall, dark woman. Madly, she looked around for her crutch so that she could get up.

Gunnul followed the frightened look as it searched the room until it settled on the crutch that lay on the floor by the door. The Turkish woman got up and went over and picked up the cane and brought it back to the beautiful blond woman that was her mortal enemy.

Holding it out she said, "I am Gunnul Dedeman, because you are the birth mother of my child you are welcome to my country and home." She turned and removed a bottle from the side table and returned to where Jamie sat. On the way passed her desk, she pressed a button. "This is lemon cologne, it is the tradition in my country that when a guest comes to our home, we greet them with this to refresh them from their travels. Cup your hands."

Jamie did as she was told, placing the crutch near by and holding out her hands. The beautiful, dark-haired woman poured a little of the lemon and alcohol based mixture into her hands and Jamie rubbed them together and then over her face. The lemon cologne did feel cool and refreshing. A quiet knock came at the door and then the secretary walked in. He placed a large silver tray on the coffee table before the couch and retreated.

Gunnul sat down at the farthest side of the couch away from Jamie. "It is also our way to show hospitality to any guest who arrives by offering them Turkish Delights and coffee," explained the Turkish woman offering Jamie a tray of beautiful squares of candy.

Jamie hesitated for a moment then took a jelly square covered in icing sugar. If Gunnul was going to make an effort to get along then she would too, " Thank you. I find your tradition most welcoming," she said formally and was rewarded by a dazzling smile from the powerful woman who looked up from a small brass propane stove she was lighting.

"I am sorry about fainting...I...I don't usually. You took me by surprise. You look just like Mohammed."

Gunnul stirred the thick coffee grinds that boiled in a long handled brass cup over the small stove. To the mix she added a good amount of sugar. "We were identical twins," explained Gunnul. She poured some of the thick mixture into a very small cup and handed the cup and saucer to Jamie. Then she poured one for herself and explained, "The grinds settle as a thick layer at the bottom. In the country, you can get old women to read the grinds and tell you your future. When you finish your coffee, you turn the cup upside down on the saucer. The fortune-teller will then lift the cup off. If there is a lot of suction then the fortune-telling, they believe, will be very accurate."

I know my future, Jamie thought, it is to take my daughter home. But out loud she said,

" Thank you for making me welcome and explaining your ways. I will need to learn as much as I can about the Turkish culture in that my daughter has been raised in it."

Gunnul smiled, "I am glad you feel that way. But I have endeavored to raise Chrissy to be well aware of her European ancestry too. She speaks English fluently and has traveled through Europe. I think you will not find it too hard to communicate with her if you two should meet," explained Gunnul.

"I will meet my daughter, Miss Dedeman. You can not stop me from being part of her life," stated Jamie

Gunnul put down her cup and got up walking to look out the window. " I have stopped you for ten years. And would have continued to do so if Chrissy had not requested a meeting. She came to me as a baby. I legally adopted her from her father.

In this country, Chrissy is my child. I love her. I do not wish to hurt you but I will not let my daughter be hurt. She has grown up in a very privileged and refined world. She is a good Moslem girl. She doesn't understand your kind."

"My daughter is a Moslem?!" exclaimed Jamie in surprise.

"Of course. Although the Turks' ancestry is Mongolian and Greek, we are Shiite Moslems. My brother was also," explained Gunnul patiently even though she was having great difficulty keeping her boiling emotions under control.

"Moe never practiced any religion except a worship of substance abuse," snarled Jamie bitterly and then realized that this was his twin sister, "Ah, sorry, that wasn't called for, I'm sure you loved your brother very much," apologized Jamie in a fluster sitting on the end of the suede sofa.

Turned to look at Jamie, "No, actually I hated him. I tried to help him, he was family, but Mohammed was born with a fatal flaw to his character. I did not respect him. I tried as much as possible not to let him influence Christine," responded Gunnul seriously.

"Thank you. I...I've lived in fear all these years that he might hurt her. He could be... violent," confessed Jamie wiping away a tear that threatened to fall from her eye.

"No. He never hurt her. I would have killed him if he had tried. Chrissy, she is beautiful, intelligent and caring. She is not like her father," revealed Gunnul feeling suddenly sorry for the pain and worry this woman appeared to have felt. Even a whore, has the right to love her children. She had not been treated fairly, realized Gunnul.

Jamie nodded not sure if she should be relieved that this remarkable woman had protected her child or upset that she could talk so casually about killing her own brother. What had happened to Moe anyway? Things were not going as she imagined they would.

She was completely unnerved by the fact that Gunnul was physically anyway, the person who had haunted her subconscious all her life. And she was taken back to find that Gunnul cared about her Chrissy very much and had clearly tried to be fair and open in her upbringing. And then there was the fact that her daughter was a Moslem. Gunnul had reassured her that they would find a common ground but Jamie was just starting to realize that she couldn't just walk into the life of a ten year old, foreign child and say, I'm your mother come home.

"I will show you to your room. You must be tired. It is a very long flight. Tomorrow we will start touring. For a few days, I will teach you about Turkey," explained Gunnul as she moved away from the window and waited for Jamie to struggle to her feet and get her crutch settled around her arm.

"You mean I am to be observed for a few days and then you will decide whether I can have access to my own child," challenged Jamie anger lacing her voice.

"Yes, I mean that," came the cold response from the woman who towered over her. "Would you not do the same in my position? But also too, it will be good for you to know something of our nation before you meet my daughter," explained Gunnul and then added as she caught the scent of sun dried herbs and sweet grass that was the fragrance of her dreams. "Our daughter."

Jamie ready to take the offensive suddenly choked back her cutting response and looked into the ice blue eyes of the woman that had raised her daughter. For a long time neither woman spoke. An energy seemed to pass between them. Slowly, Jamie's hand came out and grasped the hand of the woman who looked down at her. She nodded her agreement,

"Our daughter," she agreed and the tall woman smiled and lifted Jamie's hand and kissed her fingers. A jolt of passion shot through Jamie's small frame. She looked up into eyes that now glowed with an inner energy that was not quite human. Be careful Jamie! This woman is very dangerous her mind warned her but her heart pasted a silly grin on her face that matched the one looking back at her.

"Come, I will show you to your room." They walked out through the outer office where her assistant worked. He stood as they walked through. Gunnul lead her down a hall and opened a door to a suite. Jamie's luggage waited within. Jamie entered and to her surprise Gunnul followed. " Would you have dinner with me tonight," the woman asked formally as if making a date.

"Yes," responded Jamie without thinking, "I would like that."

The tall Turk relaxed noticeably and smiled. "I will call on you at eight. You are tired we will make it a casual meal," she stated and then left.

Jamie collapsed into the nearest chair. Holy God! What was going on here! Her emotions were on a roller coaster ride. Part of her hated this woman who had taken her child from her, part of her was grateful for the apparent love and care that she had given Chrissy, another part resented greatly this trial that Gunnul was insisting on before she would allow her to see her own daughter and part of her wanted to be back in this woman's arms making her fantasies all real. "Oh God," she whispered, " What do I do now?"

Gunnul felt numb. The shock of meeting the woman that had been an obsession for her all her life had been like a physical blow. That the woman should turn out to be Chrissy's birth mother had created an unbelievable complication in Gunnul's life. Worse still, she wanted this woman with a hunger that was taking all her self discipline to control. How could she fall in love with a whore? She buried her head in her hands. How could she not?

At eight o'clock, Gunnul was knocking on Jamie's door. She wore blue jeans and a braided sweater that she had bought in Scotland. She had tied her hair back in a ponytail and hoped that she looked casually American. Jamie opened the door her eyes opening in surprise to see the change from smart business suit to casual elegance. Ralf Lauren blue jeans and a hand knit Scottish sweater, noted Jamie feeling a little intimidated in her Levi Strauss jeans and dark green T-shirt that she had got at the local mall back home. Peeking out of the pocket were the Winnie the Pooh characters. "You come," stated Gunnul forgetting her prefect English grammar as she took in the lines of Jamie's petite body.

"O.K.," agreed Jamie falling in beside her tall companion. They went down the hall of the hotel and took a short elevator ride to a private terrace on the roof top. All of Istanbul and the Bosfurous Sea stretched out before them. The view was magnificent! To Jamie's surprise and amusement, quiet servants served them a meal of hamburgers and french fries.

"So how often do you have hamburgers when you dine up here?" asked Jamie wiping her mouth with her silk napkin.

Gunnul's hamburger stopped half way to her mouth and then returned to her plate, "Never. Was the food not right? How did you know?" asked the upset hostess.

Jamie laughed, "The food is excellent. You just don't look the hamburger type. This is very sweet Gunnul. I...I ... I mean can I call you that?"

Gunnul blushed then looked up into deep green eyes, "What Gunnul or that I am sweet?" she responded with a tease.

Jamie laughed again. Gunnul decided that she liked the way Jamie laughed. " Is it O.K. that I call you by your first name?" Jamie asked again.

"Yes, If I may call you Jamie," came the answer.

"O.K. sweet," Jamie teased back and Gunnul laughed. They finished their burgers as Gunnul talked about Chrissy's education and how well she was doing at her studies. Jamie was impressed by Chrissy's apparent ability and also by the fine education she had been given and how seriously Gunnul took it. She found herself warming very quickly to this woman and was finding it hard to remember that this woman had made her fortune by selling drugs.

"Downstairs in my bedroom, I have pictures of Chrissy. Would you like to see?" asked Gunnul now relaxed and mellow by how well the evening had gone. She had also shared a bottle of wine with Jamie something that she rarely did as the consumption of alcohol was against her religion. It had made her light hearted and light headed.

"Please, yes," answered Jamie standing up from where she had been relaxing in a lounge chair after their meal.

Gunnul stood too and the room swayed a bit. She smiled and took Jamie's hand, "This way she said leading the petite woman carefully down to her bedroom a floor below. Beside her bed was two pictures of Chrissy, one of her on her horse and another a school picture of her wearing her school tie and blazer. Jamie felt her knees give out and she sunk onto Gunnul's bed. She held the pictures in her hand and tears rolled down her face. Her daughter was a beautiful stranger smiling happily back at her from a world that was completely foreign to Jamie.

Suddenly, her dark protector was beside her. The pictures were taken from trembling fingers and placed back on the bedside table then warm arms pulled her close and Jamie wrapped her arm around her phantom friend and cried her eyes out.

Gunnul held Jamie close and stroked her hair. She leaned forward and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the golden locks. They smelt of fresh air and shampoo and that unique blend of herbs that was her dream-mate. Her head lowered to place her cheek against Jamie's and the upset woman responded by wrapping her arms tightly around Gunnul's neck. Gunnul swallowed. She hadn't really had much experience at this sort of thing. In her world to date and to be with boys was not seen as proper. To be with a woman, was something that was known of but not discussed.

She let her lips kiss the soft hair that her face was now buried in and let her hands lower to stroke Jamie's back. The feel of Jamie's warm skin beneath her shirt sent a hot rush of emotion down into Gunnul's groin. Head light with wine she forgot her need for self control and pulled the little woman down onto her bed, rolling on top of her and kissing her with passion on the lips as she had seen in the American movies.

At first, Jamie was too shocked to react. Then she swung a hand free and clobbered Gunnul with her fist to the side of her head. "Get off me, damn it!" she growled and Gunnul was off her and backing across the room in an instant. "What the hell do you think you were doing?!"

"I was making love to you," stated the confused woman, "Did I not do it right?" she asked.

Jamie struggled to her feet and adjusted her crutch to her arm. "What made you think that I'd just turn tricks for you?!" demanded the furious American.

Gunnul was even more confused and her head was starting to pound, "What tricks? You are a whore and I wished to make use of your services," Gunnul tried to explain becoming now rather annoyed at Jamie's reaction.

"Whore! Who are you calling a whore, you goddamn, randy infidel!" yelled Jamie hobbling to the door and slamming it closed behind her as she left.

Gunnul looked at the door in amazement. No one had spoken to her like that since she had been a child. No one would dare. Her face set in stone, she strode across the room and headed down the hall towards Jamie's rooms. The hall started to spin and Gunnul was only able to stay on her feet by leaning an arm against the wall. She turned and retraced her steps. I am drunk, she realized in amazement.

Jamie stuffed her things back into her suitcase, angry and humiliated by Gunnul's advances. That will teach me to try and see the good in people. Everything that Mohammed said about this woman was true. She was beautiful but under that well manicured facade there was a real low life. Jamie's hands were shaking so hard that she couldn't get the lock in place. She took a deep breath and sat down on the bed trying to come to terms with what had just happened. She had kind of lead Gunnul on. It had just felt so good to be in her arms. All her life there had been this barrier between her and the presence that was so much a part of her private life. Gunnul broke that barrier. Gunnul in so many ways was her secret warrior.

When Gunnul had taken her in her arms she had snuggled close and wrapped her arms around the woman. She had enjoyed the feel of her lips against her hair and the softness of her cheek against her own. She had allowed and sighed encouragement when Gunnul had stroked her back. She had sort of told Gunnul with her body language that she was willing. Maybe in Gunnul's culture that made her a whore. God damn it, all I want to do is get my daughter back but now everything was becoming so complicated! Chrissy was a stranger to her and her culture. Gunnul was a stranger who felt like a lover. Shit!

Jamie reached for her crutch and limped to the door. She had to talk to Gunnul and find some way to get her daughter back. She opened the door to see a soldier standing there.

"Excuse me," mumbled Jamie trying to slip passed. The soldier turned to look at her.

"No. You are to stay to your room by order of General Dedeman," stated the soldier.

"What! Am I under house arrest?" asked Jamie in frustration trying once again to get passed the guard.

The guard used his rifle to push Jamie back into the room gently. "You must stay," he stated firmly and closed the door.

For a few seconds, Jamie stood in shocked silence then fear slowly crept into her

heart . Just how much trouble was she in? She had seen Midnight Express and hadn't taken it very seriously. It was just a movie, she had told her friends, the country really wasn't like that. But now she was under guard for turning down the advances of a very powerful, evil individual. She limped over to a chair and sat down tears of fear and frustration trailed down her cheeks. Oh Chrissy honey, your mom has really messed up.

Gunnul watched the sun rise in the east as she knelt on her prayer rug. Her hands slipped the prayer beads along their cord as she repeated the Shahada, There is but one God and Muhammad is the rasul. God is great; God is merciful. She had prayed all night trying to find atonement but still her soul ached. Once again she picked up her Quran and read the words of the profit Muhammad: