“Yeahr

“If it really exists—the real translation, not just the summary or whatever Eusebius put in the manuscript—then wouldn’t that be some sort of secular confirmation that the story of Sophia is true? That she worked miracles?”

“The power to heal exists in many people’s minds.”

“But wouldn’t the trial transcript offer some sort of proof? After all, the authorities are obviously hostile to her. If they confirmed the miracles and the healing, wouldn’t that be a level of credibility lacking from accounts written by those who believed in her?”

“Could be. Could also be that some clever Christian revisionist could have created the transcripts and attributed them to the trial authorities in order to make it lode that way. But regardless of that, this is by far the most important thing I have ever come across in my entire career,” he said. “And it just kills me to have only half the story.”

Zoe nodded. “I know how you feel. That house … the art…” She let her words drift off into the darkness for a moment.

“It’s like everything I have ever done, everything I’ve ever studied was just practice for this,” Seth said.

Zoe murmured her assent.

“I think that sometimes God takes a hand and shoves us into the breach,” Seth continued. We just have to think a little to recognize the push for what it is. I’ve been praying for this all my adult life.”

“Seth, c’mon.” Zoe shook her head and turned toward him. “I’m as overwhelmed by all this as you are. This is the event of a lifetime for me as well. But this isn’t divine intervention. You earned this; and you were in the right place at the right time.”

Seth turned away from her and folded his arms across his chest. Zoe gave a big sigh. They stood like that in the darkness for several minutes.

We’re looking at the same scene, Zoe thought as she watched headlights move along the lakeshore roads. But how can it be that when we look at the very same things, we can reach such contradictory conclusions?

“Seth,” Zoe said finally. “We just see things … differently.”

Seth turned slowly toward her. He gazed few a moment at the shadowy outlines of her face, then smiled.

“Ain’t that the truth.” He leaned over to hug her and she made a loud sniffing sound. “Say, maybe you’d like to take a shower so I could get really close to you.” She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his belly, brushing over the front of his running shorts with a light fluttering of fingers.

“Now that sounds like a good idea,” Seth said as he turned toward her and started to give her an embrace. Zoe put her hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push.

“First the shower.” She gave him a peck on his cheek.

“Oh, dang,” he said with mock disappointment as he turned for the bathroom. “But I expect a better kiss than that afterwards.”