Day 13 1/2: Amman

Well, he can't know about it for awhile. On yesterday's downtown errand, James spotted something he wanted to get for Raj. James asked me to distract him, but as we both know very well, there is no distracting Raj. Once he sets his mind on something, he plows forth like a bull in heat. He would not leave James' side for an instant and therefore, we were unable to leave downtown without that precious cargo.

What James wanted was a wedding seal. Imagine a great big ring, I mean huge, two to three inches in length alone, with a large, flat stone on top. On that stone are Arabic carvings to symbolize one's marriage. It's what you stamp the documents with after you are declared Husband and Wife.

The wedding may have been put on hold, but it'll happen one day. James wants to get something special for his little monkey and that magical moment, and so he bought a pair of matching seals. It's going to be a secret from Raj until the moment he and James are declared Husband and Husband.

And what was I to do, while James was busy in that shop, picking out mementos for his beloved? Well, the proprietors, a brother and sister from Jerusalem, were so happy with my purchases yesterday they brought an entire bag of new goodies for me to look at. Including a decades old antique Persian wrist cuff, a think, chain link bracelet with dragon heads on each end, and a ring set with an orange stone. Of *course* it had to all come home with me. Cha ching!

Quick cab ride back (which we were able to secure ourselves, we were so proud), and we were back at the apartment. Everyone wanted to know where we'd been, but we wouldn't tell. Raj just gave us a *look* and said, "You two are up to something." After that the whole family gave us a *look*. They probably thought we were playing dirty games in the bushes.

Lunch, our last one here for at least awhile, was more special this time because the whole family came to bid us farewell. Not just that, but they brought us gifts. Can you imagine? You visit the most wonderful people who pour their hearts out to you, give you everything within their power, treat you like royalty, and they give you presents on top of it all. I was beyond words. Nadia and her family gave me a necklace, Laila's family got me antique earrings and a beaded belt. Mummy and Papi gave me a crocheted blue cushion that I'm only supposed to put out once I'm good and married.

We had a couple of hours left to kill, so Raj's youngest nephew coerced James and I to his lair to play video games. "World of Warcraft" for James, and "Need for Speed" for me. I love racing games and I love speed, and what a fantastic way to let go of everything. I really think some imaginary illegal street racing and crashing some pimped up rides loosened me up, and my Airport Neurosis. Note to Self: purchase a portable PSP. Even if all it does is occupy me at the terminals, it occupies just enough to let go of the freak in me.

We have to get back to the apartment, but there's just enough time to for some final goodbyes. Mummy and Papi cried when we left. So did I. They'd treated me like their very own; how could I not be sad? We promised to take excellent care of Raj, and we promised to come back. We also twisted their arms to come and see us during the summer.

Raj's nephews, brother and sisters said goodbye, and Nadia gave us what was probably the best compliment of all: "You two, you're different. You're not like foreigners, you're more like... us."

Thank you, darling. We consider you, all of you, our family too.

With that it was back to the apartment, and some last minute packing. Not much to be done, since we'd worked so hard at it the night before. James' suitcases weighed a ton, and so did Raj's, who would be taking a different flight home a few hours after us. You know you're a girl traveling with a gay couple when, of the three, your suitcases are the lightest.

10:30pm-ish, we rolled our way back out and to Queen Alia airport. But not before a goodbye toast: we had some breadsticks and cheese from the jar.