Page 18 of Bartholomew
The rest of the evening passed in a chaotic whirlwind, so turbulent that I could barely keep my head on straight.
Don’t show emotion. Don’t show them anything.
The prepared meal was wonderful, although what little appetite I had waned as the evening wore on. Dinner led to dancing. Dancing led to discussion. So much discussion — and gossip — about everything and absolutely nothing at all.
Finally, the night was winding down. More and more couples were bidding us good night. Bartholomew stood across the room, surrounded by his brothers. He was so much more handsome than I had imagined. It was impossible for my eyes not to seek him out in the crowded room.
They were an attractive bunch. All looking alike, and completely unalike at the same time. Bartholomew looked much like both Leviticus and Malachi. Though, where Leviticus was formal and rigid, and where Malachi was more mountain man than regular man, Bartholomew was… I wasn’t sure what word to use. He seemed lighter; happier, perhaps.
I saw Leviticus whisper something to my new husband, and suddenly their eyes were on me. I could feel their gaze, scorching hot and judgmental.
Why judgmental? Why did I assume their conversations about me were negative? I didn’t know. I did not want to think about it. All I wanted was to go home.
But I would not go home, not my home. Bartholomew’s home was now my own. Which did not feel like my home because I had never even laid eyes on it.
“How would you feel about calling it a night?” My husband’s voice sounded from directly in front of me. When had he crossed the room? I needed to pay better attention. I was so tired. And so ready to not be here in this church. Not for a moment longer.
“If it pleases you, of course. Just let me say goodnight to my sisters, if you don’t mind,” I sighed, keeping that ever-present smile on my face.
“Wonderful. I will meet you by the front door, then.” With that, he walked back to his brothers, likely bidding them good night at the same time.
I spotted my sisters gathered together and made my way to them.
“We shall be leaving in a few minutes. I want to thank each of you for being here and for making this day special for me,” I spoke sincerely. Having my sisters had been a blessing, even when they could be difficult at times.
“We are all so proud of you, Delilah,” Genesis beamed, pulling me in for a hug.
“Just remember, keep your husband happy and you will keep your life happy,” Elisheba reminded me with a stern look. I took heed of her words, committing them to memory before hugging her and my other two sisters as well.
“We will see you in a month, sister,” Hannah whispered as she hugged me tighter than any of the others. She really was the sweetest and best of the five of us.
“I look forward to it,” I answered honestly, squeezing her close one last time. I made my way to the front doors of the church, seeing Bartholomew waiting there for me.
“Let’s get home, shall we?” he asked with a smirk that lit up his face like fireflies in the summer sky. It was obvious why Bartholomew was the favorite of the brothers, at least among girls. That smirk made my belly flip and made my own fireflies take hold low in my stomach.
He led me to his car, letting me get situated before taking his own seat, and off we went into the dark night. I looked in the side mirror next to my window, seeing the church fade from view slowly. The further we got from that place, the more heavily the events of the day weighed on my soul.
I could feel how that weight settled within me, making it hard to breathe.
On we drove, past the town line and into the country. I knew the Temple brothers all had property outside of town. It had seemed nice when I had first thought of living in the country. All that space and air. But now, it felt like I was being ripped away from everything I had ever known and loved, being plopped down into some small house with a man to whom I had only spoken a handful of words.
In what felt like no time at all, and only a few winding curves onto back roads and then onto dirt roads, we pulled into a driveway in front of a house. So maybe I had been a little wrong in my assumptions. It was not a small house.
This house was easily bigger than my parent’s and far, far more modern by design.
Bartholomew helped me from the car, grabbed my one suitcase from the backseat and led me up the sidewalk to the front door of his home.
“Typically, I park in the garage, but I wanted to show you the best parts of the house first. Not the garage and storage rooms,” he explained, that grin once again splitting his face nearly in two with his excitement.
I simply nodded, letting him unlock the front door and lead me into the house. It was beautiful, decorated in deep blues and browns. It felt warm and cozy, yet new and exciting. The floors were all hardwood, and I mentally filed away the need to invest in proper floor cleaners. The entire length of the entry hallway dazzled with beautiful artwork and something else that made my heart sink as I noticed them. Mirrors. Lining each side of the hallway up and down, a multitude of mirrors in differing shapes and sizes that somehow fit perfectly together.
“Delilah, can we talk for a moment?” he asked, his thumbs stuck in the pockets of his slacks. He seemed awkward, like he was not sure what to say or do next.
“Of course,” I answered with a smile.
Happy husband. Happy life.
“I want you to know that… Well, what happened back there…” he sputtered, looking for words. It would have been borderline endearing if the day had not wreaked holy havoc on me. “Ugh, why are words so hard sometimes?” His embarrassed chuckle warmed me to him.
