Page 76 of Bartholomew
“Hmm?” she murmured. Nope, she was definitely still not here.
“Oh, Delilah, love…” I prattled in a sing-song voice.
“Hmm? What? Oh,” she sheepishly blushed.
“Welcome back. Where were you?” I asked, genuinely curious as to what fantasy world she had run off to in her land of storytelling.
“Just a story,” she shrugged my question off, plopping down in the chair on the other side of my desk. “Why do you have an office?” she asked randomly.
“Well, Levi, honestly. He’s a very organized man. After building his house, I started making plans for my own. He convinced me that having a space to sit and work would help keep me more productive. I am not unproductive by any means, but I work differently than Levi. Still, a place to have a drink, read a book. It seemed like a good idea during the planning phase of building this place,” I explained.
“Yeah, but do you have a job?” she asked.
“No, actually. I don’t. I’ve done work for both Levi and for my father before, but nothing as steady as what Levi does. Or Malachi, for that matter. My father has more money than he will ever admit to, and he set up a fund for each of us brothers. I took my funds, splitting them into two main accounts. One half of the money I invested, the other half I have in a high-yield savings account. I live off of the interest of those.”
“But if you’re planning on all leaving, what are you going to do for money, then?” It was a valid question. One that each of us, my brothers and I, had spent countless hours discussing before we had decided to part ways with Zion.
“I have things I would like to do with my life. When I leave Zion, I have an offer to work at Abditory, actually,” I explained, finding myself a touch nervous about what her reaction would be.
“Abditory? As in the dungeon?” she questioned, her brow furrowing as she processed the information.
“Yes. Initially, I had wanted to get as far away from Zion as possible, but I have built connections at Abditory that I’m proud of. There is a part of me wanting to stay close to this area, to really dive into a new life and work for Abditory.”
“What would you be doing?” She had bookmarked her place in her story, setting the book on the desk and leaning forward with interest.
“I would help to manage the business. The owner has been doing most of it on his own these last years, having a few managers come through here and there. But most of his managers handle specific functions. I’m honestly looking to buy in and become co-owner alongside them.” Excitement and pride swelled within me at the prospect of this new venture. Outside of talking directly with the owner of Abditory, I had yet to truly speak these plans aloud. Doing so set my blood pumping with anticipation.
“That’s….” she trailed off, her eyes darting side to side as she thought through everything I had said. I waited for her reaction with bated breath. If I were being honest with myself, it was because I wasn’t ready to lose this. Did I love Delilah? No, not in the way Levi loved Ruth. Not yet, at least. But there was something here. Something I needed to dig deeper and discover more of. I wasn’t ready to let her go.
“That is simply incredible, Ollie,” she finally managed, a wide smile splitting her face.
“You think so?” I asked, unable to keep my own smile from my lips.
“Wait, so why did you call me in here?” Her question pulled my focus back to the matter at hand.
“I just got off the phone,” I began.
“Oh? With Levi?” she asked, that smile lifting the corners of her lips.
“With my father,” I rectified. And there went the smile.
“What did your father want?” she asked.
“The Lord has called you to lead, and lead you must, my Son,” I parroted in my best impersonation of my father. “Long story short, the Elders have decided that the Lord wants me to work with Levi at the church. Immediately.” The last word hung in the air like a death sentence in a courtroom trial. Except instead of the screaming hysterics, there was only silence.
“When?” she asked quietly. I could see the way she was already shrinking back into herself, covering up all the incredible things about her with the modesty Zion had imposed on her since birth.
“Please don’t get small on me, Delilah. This home is and will always be our safe haven away from the complete pandemonium that is Zion,” I all but begged her.
“When?” she reiterated, piercing me with a look.
“Tomorrow,” I admitted with a heavy sigh.
“Tomorrow?” The look of sheer disappointment and dismay darkened all the happiness that her face had held when she entered this room. All I wanted to do was bring it back.
“Hey, it’s ok. Yes, our honeymoon will officially end tomorrow, which means we will be flooded with our family coming to visit. I am expected to be at the church the following morning at eight.” The crestfallen look on her face tore at my gut, making me want to erase it all, to take her pain away.
“But it’s too soon,” she whined, her hands clasped in her lap. “We are supposed to have another week together, just us!”
