Wings of Refuge by Lynn Austin Read Free Book Online Page B

the bench and sighed. The sound of it seemed to blend with the sighing of the sea. “Not necessarily. It could just as easily have been our fellow Israelis—one of the many factions that doesn’t want to negotiate with the Palestinians. Ben was very involved with the peace process these past few years. He often told me he was willing to risk his life so that future generations could live in peace. He wanted to bring an end to the hatred and the endless cycle of revenge. Blood feuds are a terrible practice that go back for centuries, even millennia . . . you killed my brother for killing your father, so now I’ll retaliate by killing your son . . . on and on until no one even remembers who started it in the first place.”
    “But wouldn’t Mr. Rosen’s family want to see his murderer caught and punished?”
    “Of course, but justice should be accomplished through our court system, not through blood feuds. In ancient times, after Joshua conquered the Promised Land, his first act of government was to establish cities of refuge—safe places where the accused could seek justice and halt the vicious cycle of retaliation. Thousands of years later, we’ve seen the miraculous rebirth of our nation, yet the cycle of revenge continues.”
    Abby felt an ember of hatred flicker to life in her own heart, as if Hannah’s words had fanned a smoldering coal. She knew how it felt to wish for revenge.
    “In any event,” Hannah continued, “though we mourn for Ben, we also know that the Almighty has a plan and a purpose for everything that happens.”
    “Even for adultery . . . and betrayal?” The words flew from Abby’s mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Hannah’s dark eyes studied her for a moment. Abby felt as though they were gently searching her heart, probing it as a physician might examine a patient for pain.
    “I . . . I’m sorry,” Abby stammered. “I didn’t mean to say that. . . .”
    “It’s all right. I think you needed to say it.” Hannah reached for her hand again. “What do you hope to gain from this trip, Abby? Why did you come to Israel?”
    “Well, the easy answer is that I’m a history teacher. I love ancient history, love reading about archaeology. So when I saw the list of dig opportunities and the call for volunteers, I jumped at the chance to fulfill a dream.”
    “But there’s something more, isn’t there?”
    Abby paused, staring into her lap. It didn’t feel at all strange to unburden herself to a woman she had just met. It felt safe, in fact—as if she had fled to one of the cities of refuge Hannah had mentioned. “Yes. I’m also running away, escaping the pain of my failed marriage . . . the humiliation, the emptiness of what used to be our home.”
    “You’ve fled to a good place, then,” Hannah said. “Isaiah wrote that this land would be a refuge and a hiding place from the storm.”
    Abby looked up at her again. “I understand that thirst for revenge you spoke about, Hannah. I’ve been angry . . . so angry it scares me. I want to hurt my husband as much as he hurt me. Maybe more. I want to get even, strike back at the other woman.” She paused, surprised at the vehemence of her feelings as she voiced them aloud for the first time. “I guess I came here to sort through all those emotions. And I also need to decide what to do about my future. Before I left home I applied for a teaching job near Chicago, thinking I might start all over in a new place this fall. I tried to resign, but my superintendent asked me to wait and see how I felt when I got back from Israel. Either way, I’ll probably sell our house. My two children will both be in college this fall, and I can’t afford it on my salary. Besides, there are too many memories in that house.”
    Abby closed her eyes, remembering against her will the hours of hard work she and Mark had spent together on that old farmhouse—sanding floors, tearing out plaster and lath walls, their hair white with dust. She