When he did, he saw Dalia looking for him. She was wearing a pale blue sundress and matching shoes. From behind she looked absolutely amazing. Then she turned. On her face was a look that he had yet to see on her. Her eyebrows were knit together, and her normally olive skin had taken on a dark reddish hue. When she spotted him, her brows arched down even more, and she stormed toward him. “Do you want to explain this?” she demanded, holding out the lace cross that had been in her father’s letter. Still reeling from the news of Kadeen’s death, he was unprepared for this sudden onslaught. Instinctively, he went to his default mode, which was to attack back. “It’s an ancient symbol of Christianity,” he said sarcastically. “It seems you should recognize that better than I.” Not getting the reaction she expected, Dalia was momentarily flustered. Tariq stepped into the silence. “Listen, I was just straightening up the room and there was the letter. I was curious, so I read it.
