Chapter 15

Bill walked along the Tayelet until he found a spot he liked. He leaned on the stone wall and looked out at the troubled city. Why did he come? He had only made a mess of things. For a few days he allowed himself to hope there was a way to repair his relationship, but now it seemed impossible. Even the friendship was irreparably damaged. He was not sure at whom he was angrier, Lev or himself.

He was dimly aware of the figure moving next to him, but did not look.

"I was just watching the people passing by," the figure said. Bill jumped and saw Lev standing next to him, staring at the Old City.

"Then there was this attack. I don't really know what happened, but I felt like I was seeing raw hatred. I must have hallucinated. The attackers, they turned into wild dogs and chased me. I ran through the streets of the Muslim Quarter and out the Damascus Gate. I didn't stop running until I got home. And then it dawned on me; I wanted to live side by side with these horrid people even though they hated me too. The thought infuriated me. I've never felt such rage before or since. I don't even remember what I did, I just know I saw my room trashed. The next thing I remember is waking up in an Israeli hospital, and that's not a pleasant experience. And I still felt all that rage and hatred. I needed to get out so I ran away without telling anyone. Just stayed at the Masada hostel for a week, that's all. I only got out of bed for meals. I had to force myself back to Jerusalem.

"When I got back to America, everything changed. I couldn't tolerate people anymore. I had no patience for anyone. All that mattered was making myself happy. But one day I woke up, looked at my life with disgust, and thought, ‘I need a change.' That's why I signed up to go to Boston. And that's why I'm determined to see it through.

"So I go to England to have one last good time, and I'm introduced to you. I though you were just going to be another fling, and I had fun. So much fun that I came back for more. If you hadn't been so adorable, I would have been gone before that first night was out. I knew I should have left, but I couldn't. You made me love you."

"No, I didn't," said Bill, "I would never brew a love potion."

"That's not what I meant," said Lev, looking at Bill for the first time. "I never felt for anyone what I feel for you. It started to terrify me and it still does. Because I'm afraid of what's going to happen when you leave me."

"But I didn't leave you. You left me," said Bill.

"I'm so sorry," said Lev, "Not having enough faith in you was the worst mistake I ever made, and that says a lot."

Bill put a comforting arm around him.

"You can trust me, Lev," he said, "I'd do anything to keep you from being hurt."

Lev grabbed the hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "Are you giving me another chance?"

"I would like to," said Bill, "I want to move to Boston with you."

"But what about Cairo?" said Lev.

"I already quit," said Bill.

"What?"

"I quit the day after I met you in Tel Aviv, in the hotel while you were asleep. I don't want that job anymore. It's not fun for me and it kept reminding me of what I lost. I want to be somewhere else. Somewhere with you."

"So now what?" said Lev, tears forming in his eyes.

"Now we go back to Jon's apartment and spend the rest of the day with him and Eli. Then we go back to the hotel and sleep," he lasciviously raised an eyebrow. "Then tomorrow we check out and fly back to England where we'll stay until August. And then we go Boston - together."

"How are you getting back to England, Bill?"

Bill grinned. "I saw your ticket and I made a reservation to get on your flight."

"Very gusty, Weasley. What if I never came up here?"

"Well," said Bill, "I'd have wasted quite a few Galleons." He winked. "Before just now I thought I did."

"I really love you, you know that?" said Lev.

"Yeah, I think I do," said Bill. They leaned in to kiss each other.

An ultra-Orthodox family walked by and averted their eyes.

Bill laughed, "I guess I should have put up some protection spells."

"Nah," said Lev, "They'll get over the trauma."

Hand in hand they walked back to Jon's apartment.

<The End>