Now

Some tourists claim to know the desert. They spend two weeks sunbathing by the swimming pools with extravagant shapes, found in several luxury hotels, and think they have become Bedouins. But the Bedouins are nomadic peoples of the desert, who move rudimentary through the sands as far as the eye can see, under a scorching sun.

Their survival depends on a lot of resistance to difficulties, the ability to defend themselves against dangers, and the capacity to face a sea of sand.

Bethany would never have the vanity to declare that she knew the desert, because she lived a life of luxuries and riches, protected from the least discomfort anyone could imagine.

She thought it was foolish to declare herself an expert in the desert, as it would be as if, after watching some dance performances, she declared herself a ballerina. You don't become something, just by looking at it. Great efforts, adaptations, and a huge amount of talent are needed.

And those qualities, Bethany recognized in the people who traveled with her, in that caravan heading south. Their sun-tanned cheeks spoke of a tan acquired with great hardships, in the drudgery of life, far from beaches and pools.

These people had searching eyes as if they expected to face danger at any moment. Their survival instincts led them to act with caution. Everything was very well calculated, from the routes to follow, to the quantities of water and food to be consumed.

So, when Bethany received a smile from one of these people, she felt all the sincerity and kindness it contained.

Some people traveled as a family, in groups formed by couples, or brothers and even parents and children. But in the caravan that Scott had arranged to transport his sister and her baby, there were no children. The distance to be covered was very large and the difficulties, which could be overcome by adults, were perhaps extreme for a child.

Not to mention the many dangers that these travelers had been through before.

So Bethany took great care of her son Benjamin. She tried to wrap him up well, to keep him hydrated and away from very noisy activities, such as hammering stakes at dusk, to set up the tents in the improvised camp.

But wherever Bethany moved, she felt her brother Scott's watchful eye and that gave her security and comfort.

On one of the first nights of the long journey, Scott had approached his sister and brought a young woman, whom he introduced to her.

“Bethany, this is Adjia. I hired her to accompany you and the baby during our trip.”

“It's not necessary, Scott.”

“She speaks our language. She is nineteen and is traveling with her parents and two brothers. When we reach our destination, Adjia will marry a well-known fabric merchant.”

“Ah, you are engaged. Nice to meet you, Adjia.”

“The pleasure is all mine, madam.”

“You can call me Bethany. This beautiful sleeper here is Benjamin. He is a year and a half.”

“He's a beautiful baby.”

“I will leave you two talking, while I go to get us some water.” Scott walks away.

“Don't you prefer to travel with your family, Adjia?”

“No, madam. The boys are messy and don't leave me alone.”

“How old are they?”

“Amin is fifteen and Haidar is seventeen.”

“So you are the oldest?”

“Yes madam.”

"You're not going to call me Bethany, are you?"

“No, madam.”

The two women exchange sweet smiles and Adjia is no longer so nervous about their meeting. She recognizes kindness in Bethany's eyes.

ANOTHER KIND LOOK

Past

Bethany was a cheerful child. She lived in a mansion, had beautiful clothes and an enormous amount of toys.

At school, she lived surrounded by little friends who could not resist her sense of humor and creativity. She invented creative games that were a mixture of paintings, magic tricks, and puzzles. Everyone could participate. She had a generous heart.

On her birthday, which was always celebrated at school, because her grandfather was very busy and traveled frequently, her friends were the ones who got gifts.

Bethany had a nanny, Lucy, who had stayed with her even after she was no longer a baby. Lucy provided the cake and decorations for her parties, checked her school supplies so they were always in order, and helped her with small feminine tasks, like braiding her hair or choosing what to wear.

Bethany obtained her grandfather's consent, which was given with pleasant laughter, and Lucy went to buy toy trucks and dolls for the child's friends. They were like birthday favors and were very pleasing to the children.

Naturally, on arriving home after the party, Bethany found her own birthday present. A pony or a dollhouse in the garden, custom made for the size of Bethany, who sat at the toy table and served an imaginary tea to Lucy and a dozen dolls.

All of this contributed to her happy and healthy childhood, but there were moments of sadness, caused by her mother's visits.

The arrival was always cheerful. Bethany ran into her arms and received many kisses and hugs. She even slept on her mother's lap and the patient butler took her to her own bed, when her mother, Michelle, signaled him.

Her grandfather was out of sight on those visiting days.

Bethany did not complain, because her mother participated in all of her childhood activities. They strolled together in the garden looking for insects, gave names to all her dolls, and Bethany was even allowed to skip school to be with her mother.

These visits took place throughout Bethany's entire life since she was a baby. That is why she already knew that when her mother's face started to get very serious and sad, the time to leave was near. She tried hard to tell jokes and cheer her mother, but she realized that the smiles she got on those occasions were not natural.

The mother started to explain something about being together one day and the child did not understand well, after all, they were together now.

Michelle told her that everything depended on the 'lawyers' and the child feared these men because the mother spoke in a very serious tone.

Then the day of departure would come and it was always very traumatic. Bethany clung to her mother, who did not hide her sadness, sobbing and promising to return soon.

The butler, the chauffeur, and some security guards always had to separate the two of them, who were hugging and crying. When they were finally able to place the child in Lucy´s arms and Michelle in the car that would take her outside the mansion, the child's cries could be heard from a good distance.

In those moments, caused every three or four months during the visits, Bethany was inconsolable. She sensed something bad about the situation, but she couldn't understand what it was.

Not even Lucy could cheer her up. Bethany sat huddled and quiet until Mrs. Longsmith, feeling very moved, approached the child. She was the housekeeper of the mansion and because she was elderly, she did not follow the games with running around in the garden, as Lucy did.

But she always offered the child sweets and juices and told many stories from fairy tales. She was like a grandmother to the child, who corresponded her love.

Mrs. Longsmith, only on those occasions, would put Bethany in her lap, and more than offering explanations and solutions, which she did not have, she listened to the child's outburst. Bethany told her about her fears and pains. She always asked Mrs. Longsmith to talk to her mother and ask Michelle to live in the mansion.

The housekeeper rocked the child, kissed her hair, and promised that everything would be fine.

Somehow, Bethany looked at her intently and believed in her promises.

Because Mrs. Longsmith had a look of kindness.