Page 3 of Under the Arabian Sky

I didn’t hear the knock at my front door, at least not at first.

I took a deep breath and pulled myself together before I pulled the door open.

“Mrs. Abbott. Everything all right?”

Elderly Mrs. Abbot from down the hall gave a sweet smile and held up a letter for me. “It would appear some of your mail got mixed up with mine again.”

Mortified, I saw the large red OVERDUE stamp on the front of the envelope. I quickly took it, trying not to snatch it, and shoved it into my pocket. “Oh, thank you.”

Her sweet smile turned to a look of concern. “Is everything all right, dear? Are you having… financial trouble? You know I have a little tucked away for my nephew, but he’s an ungrateful little so-and-so. Unfortunate, really, but as they say, you can’t choose your family. But if you need a little money, I’d be happy to help.”

I gave an awkward laugh. “Mrs. Abbott, thank you so much, but I’m fine. Really. My latest gas bill just took me by surprise, that’s all. Energy prices these days. I think everyone’s feeling the pinch.”

“I don’t imagine there’s a lot of money in… what is it you study again? Dirt?”

“Sand… to be more precise.”

“What a pity it’s not dirt. Otherwise, you’d be able to work in farming. There’s good money to be made in agriculture, especially for a clever young mind like yours. But sand? Nothing grows in sand.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Well, if you need any help at all, you just let me know.”

As she turned, I suddenly thought— “Actually, Mrs. Abbott, there is one thing you could do for me.”

“What’s that, dear?”

“I’m going away for a little while. My work needs me on a research project overseas.”

Her face lit up. “Oh, how exciting! Where are you going?”

“Oman.”

“O-where?”

“It’s a country in the Middle East.”

Her excitement turned to shock. “The Middle East? Isn’t that neck of the woods teeming with terrorists?”

Another awkward laugh escaped me. “No. Definitely not. But the one thing it is teeming with is…”

“Dirt.”

“Sand. So, I’ll be gone for a few weeks. It’s nothing permanent, I just need to fill in until they find someone to replace me. But in the meantime, I’d be eternally grateful if you’d water my houseplants. There’s an orchid on the kitchen bench and a fig in a pot in the living room. Do you think you could please water them for me once every few days?”

“Of course, dear. Anything to help. I’ve got quite the green thumb so your leafy little friends will be safe with me.”

“Thank you. I’m planning to leave first thing. I’ll slide a key under your door as I go.”

Mrs. Abbott smiled and nodded, then shuffled back to the door of her flat.

I closed my own door and headed back to my room.

I filled my suitcase with light clothing options, linen shirts and shorts, a pair of cargoes and a pair of sandals. Reluctantly I packed a jacket. At this time of year, I knew the desert would retain its heat at night, unlike the winter months. But if Henderson had any problems filling the position in Oman, there was no telling how long I might be there.

Inside my suitcase I made a nest using my clothes.

In the middle of the nest, protected by my shorts and shirts, I packed my work equipment:

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