Sea Legs (Updated 09*21*19)

After spending the night in the Great Pyramid the gang started the day with some freshly made campfire cinnamon rolls (fyi I make these irl, SO good!)
https://i.imgur.com/bsUh5gs.jpg


Connor and Niella, already pretty adept in detecting and disarming traps, lead the way further into the tomb, down what looked to be an undiscovered passageway. Niella tried to phone her dad but the depth and the thickness of the tomb walls made service impossible. Born with an adventurous spirit, Niella found the excitement just too irresistible to leave before she was positive every last inch had been explored.
https://i.imgur.com/z8M6zid.jpg


While Connor, Niella and Karlie were brainstorming ideas to try and force a door open without compromising anything, Raj, noticing the pattern on the floor made a skull and noticing a hole where one of the eyes should be reached in Scooby Doo style while saying "I wonder what this is here for..." and *click* the lock on the door releasing echoed down the hollow corridors. Connor and Niella sighed with relief knowing the traps that had been found throughout the tomb.
https://i.imgur.com/VcOuW6E.jpg


The door opened into a vast pitch black chamber, save two statues prominently ablaze in front of an ominous archway. Without missing a beat Niella stepped through, beelining towards a stone chest at the far end of the room... Without noticing...
https://i.imgur.com/ZUrvRJ9.jpg


the chamber's guardian! Just as it's rancid and decayed tattered wrapped hand was about to drop on Niella's unaware shoulder...
https://i.imgur.com/gT5HBGw.jpg


Karlie rushed the putrid thing like a hungry varsity college sportsball all star.
https://i.imgur.com/Z3uIgiT.jpg

And with not much more effort than an Irish Pub sportsball conversation turned the monster into a pile of dust and debris. Poking the pile with her toe, Karlie couldn't help but remember Niella's ghost story the night before.. "Mummies don't exist" she quoted herself. Silence hung in the air like a tossed penny before both Karlie and Niella burst into laughter.
https://i.imgur.com/jYs0GnA.jpg



Their last morning in Egypt the gang had an early flight back so they met Niella's dad at the site of his current project, The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. After a very quick tour, Ammon asked his assistant to snap a picture of the gang before saying their goodbyes.
https://i.imgur.com/d0bXWK3.jpg



"Oh how I missed you my little one." "I'm not so little anymore Dad" Niella warmly joked. "I know I know. And soon you'll start growing your own family and having your own little one.." his voice trailed off as he gave Niella an extra long hug. Ammon realized he would soon have to make a very hard decision... Stay in Egypt until he finally found Niella's mother, missing out on watching his daughter grow into the courageous, smart, beautiful, compassionate, successful woman her mother would have been immensely proud of or abandoning the search for his one true love but being able to be an active part of Niella's life... Shaking off the decision for another time, he kissed his daughter on the forehead and stepped back.
https://i.imgur.com/bFUTa8k.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/1sOak9J.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/IhJYwKO.jpg
"Keep practicing those jams I taught you Mr. Anippe! Remember, Shakraba!" Raj gestured. "Shakraba!" Ammon mimicked back.

https://i.imgur.com/wkXUSx6.jpg
Connor was last to say goodbye. "I'm not sure if Niella told you, but my very first book was a science fiction novel about an awkward but genius scientist and his strong adventurous daughter stopping an evil plot to use an ancient power to build a laser so powerful it could blow up the world from the moon. I guess you can kind of figure out who my inspiration was. I'd like you to have the very first copy that was published." "Wait," Ammon said "So was it the father or the daughter that was awkward?" Connor chuckled and then realized Ammon was honestly asking. Thinking fast he answered "yeah I kind of mixed it up a bit there, for drama." "Oh that makes sense," Ammon replied "otherwise your scientist would have stolen the whole show!" "You know it, Dad!" "Call me Mr. Anippe" Ammon replied. Connor chuckled nervously, not knowing whether or not Mr. Anippe was serious until Ammon's stern look cracked into a giant smile.



After a long flight home...


Karlie gave her mom, Shari, a big squeeze. "Perfect timing!" Shari said "I'm just about to pull dinner out of the oven! Come, sit down and tell me all about your trip!"
https://i.imgur.com/D8E0GmE.jpg


Connor took a minute to first give Piggy Girl a big hello hug. He knew she had been in good hands being looked over by Shari but Piggy Girl very was happy to see him none-the-less.
https://i.imgur.com/6D1lsJC.jpg


Raj was both pleased and flattered that Shari had made his favorite, grilled salmon, for dinner. She hadn't been his mother-in-law for long but Raj already felt welcomed into her family with open arms.
https://i.imgur.com/vXFJYNr.jpg

Halfway through dinner, Shari sprung her trap. Coyly she looked at Raj and said "So... When are you going to make me a Grandma, Raj?" Raj coughed out a mouth full of food before turning deep red. "MOM! Behave!" Karlie scolded before giggling and turning bright red herself.
https://i.imgur.com/D2KJue1.jpg


After dinner, as Raj cleaned up, Niella gave Shari the spices she had picked up at the Egyptian street market. "Karlie told me how much you liked shwarma, Mama Shari. Thank you so much for taking such good care of our Piggy Girl for us. I think she might like you better than us now!"
https://i.imgur.com/BwDny03.jpg


"Awww, sweet girl, any time. I love that silly pooch!"
https://i.imgur.com/xrU1qQS.jpg


As Niella climbed into her own bed for the first time in over two weeks she felt her entire body sink into the soft comfort of familiarity. She loosed a long and contented sigh and then turned to look at Connor. Poor guy had already drifted off, book still in hand. She gently slipped it from his grip and pulled the covers up over him.
https://i.imgur.com/eA1brnV.jpg


Her own head barely hit the pillow before she drifted off into a much needed sleep. It was a grand adventure, but it was good to be home.
https://i.imgur.com/Yzw3G3H.jpg




To be continued :)