Miryam stuffed her extra garment into a sheepskin bag. She recalled Hanukkah last year, when Cousin Zechariah brought it.
"One of the Levitical lambs was blemished," he had said. "Obviously, we couldn't sacrifice him, so Elisheva made this bag for you."
"Eema!" Miryam called for her mother.
Jochobed rushed into Miriam's room, though calling it a room might be a stretch.
"You're going to stay with Zechariah and Elisheva?" Jochobed questioned
"Just until their baby is born," she said.
Jochobed giggled.
"They're seventy-two," she said. "I hardly think they're having a baby."
"Then the angel wasted his time," Miryam said. "I'll be home in four months."
Jochobed spread her arms wide.
"Send letters home," she said.
Miryam wrapped her arms around her mother, and they embraced. Seconds passed, and they both let go.
"Now, go!" Jochobed said. "Get out of here!"
The road to Efrayim was rocky. Miryam's legs ached. The sun sank into the horizon.
"HaShem, I need an inn. Please!"
She turned at the sound of hooves clopping against the rocky road trailing behind her.
"Slikhah, young woman!" A calming male voice called.
Micah walked at the back of the herd while Daniel led.
"I'm Micah," the man introduced himself. "This is my apprentice, Daniel. Do you have a name?"
"Miryam," she said.
"Where are you going?" Daniel asked.
"Efrayim."
"What's in Efrayim?" Micah questioned.
"My cousins," she said. "Zechariah the priest and his wife Elisheva."
Micah scratched his head.
"We're on our way from Nazareth to Jerusalem. We will walk with you. It's not safe for a woman to be out on her own."
Miryam smiled and walked next to Daniel. Yeshua kicked inside of her womb. Her stomach ached.
"You're from Nazareth, too?" She asked.
"From Bethlehem," Micah said. "We went to find Yosef the carpenter to build us a new manger. He was unable to. Do you know him?"
She placed her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath.
"He's my betrothed," she said. "At least for now."