Page 8 of Bartholomew
“Then comes a whole new world, Delilah. A world where you get more peace and quiet from your husband. So just remember that this blessing God will bestow on you will be the entrance to a whole new life and a whole new world for you,” Elisheba explained. She was currently pregnant with her second child. I took her words to heart, imagining a day where I could have time of my own. To have peace and quiet. I could scarcely imagine it. Sure, the family left me alone quite often, but the things that were expected of me were numerous and usually took up all of my time from sunup to sundown. The thought of having time to myself, away from the expectations of my parents or my soon to be husband, sounded almost too good to be true.
“Your husband’s duties can be unpleasant, but I find it best to relax as much as you can. It doesn’t last long,” Faith added with a faint blush to her cheeks.
“Not long at all. Just be sure you relieve yourself after he is finished,” Genesis piped up, her blush even more vivid than Faith’s.
“Relieve myself?” I questioned, not understanding.
“Yes, use the restroom. If you do not, it can lead to an uncomfortable issue. It is part of the penance of a woman,” Elisheba explained knowingly. Her haughty attitude was one I loathed on the best of days, but in this moment, she, along with the rest of my sisters, were providing me with what felt like vital information. Much more information that Mother had given, at the very least.
“Now, your nights might be different from ours, Delilah.” Faith’s words held a tone that told me that some nasty comment was coming.
“How so?” I asked, though I really did not want the answer.
“Well, because of how you look, and the fact that you are marrying a Temple brother, you will want to have a care in regard to how you present yourself,” Elisheba continued.
“Exactly. Like make sure the lights are off. And while you can keep your undergarments off, you will want to wear full nightwear. That way, he will have access to what he needs, but will not have to look at anything else.” I swear Faith thought she was doing me a favor. They all likely did.
“And stay quiet. They don’t like when you talk or make noise,” Hannah added in a near whisper.
I wasn’t as naïve as they thought I was, mostly because having four younger sisters all married meant I overheard plenty of discussions about marital relations between a husband and a wife. It would not be pleasant, of course. But surely the look of my body could not cause this level of aversion, could it? Even for a Temple brother. I thought of many of the older married couples in the church. Sure, they had many children, but their bodies were not slim and coveted like that of my sisters.
Still, while my sisters discussed their own wedding days and their own stories, I looked down at my body, noting the lumps, bumps, and curves where there should have been nothing but slender lines. It wasn’t so bad. Not to me. But could the same be said for a Temple brother? Perhaps my sisters were right. Perhaps it would be as big a deal to them as it was to Mother and Father.
The afternoon wound into evening, with my sisters taking their leave one by one until there was no one left in the house, other than my parents and me. We sat at the dinner table, the three of us, in total silence, and nibbled on the salad my mother had prepared for my dinner. The soup smelled heavenly, and even their slurping did not deter my mouth from salivating at the scent.
“Well, Delilah, as it is your last night here in our home,” my father began, his spoon clanking in his ceramic bowl ceremoniously. “There are a few things that need to be said.”
My mother had a smile plastered on her face and I thought to myself, this was it. Finally, a little care and kindness from my father after all these years.
“We could not be happier about your upcoming wedding to Bartholomew. However, with you leaving this home, you have put us at a bit of a disadvantage. Your mother and I are not getting any younger. While we will honor and respect the honeymoon period, of course —” he broke off abruptly, coughing into his fist.
“Of course,” Mother echoed.
“After your honeymoon has ended, we will expect you to continue duties here at home as well as at your new home with your husband.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked, dumbfounded. “Surely, I will be allowed a small amount of time to become accustomed to married life.”
“Well, that may have been true under normal circumstances. But, Delilah, you are twenty-five years old. You have had years to get married, but because of… well, obvious reasons, that seemed to have been a fate not destined for you. Not until Mr. Temple let us know that Bartholomew willingly agreed to the arrangement,” my father sounded as if he still couldn’t quite believe it.
“What a man of God,” Mother sighed happily.
“A true and virtuous man of God, indeed, who will be seated at the right hand of the Father for his sacrifices,” Father jovially agreed. “And let us not forget how blessed our family is to have been matched with a family such as the Temples. To the Temples and the Christians!”
“To the Temples and the Christians,” I recited, a smile on my lips that did not meet my eyes.
“Now, are you all packed up, dear?” mother asked.
“Yes, I finished before dinner,” I acquiesced.
“Perfect!” my father interjected. “That will give you plenty of time to finish up the bathrooms and the floors before it is time for bed. We really are proud of you, Delilah. For this union. Don’t mess it up.” And with that, he stood from the table, leaving my mother and me there in silence as he retreated to his study.
“We really do want the best for you, Delilah,” Mother whispered. “It’s all we’ve ever wanted for you.”
“I know, Mother,” I answered, gathering the dishes and take them into the kitchen for washing.
“Have you been doing your exercises like the doctor suggested? You know how important they are, Delilah. I have seen no improvement, and it’s been nearly a month!” I knew Mother meant well, but this was not the first set of exercises or diets that Dr. Rivers had put me on. Far from it. I had been on countless plans, yet nothing worked. Round, and what I considered to be delightfully plump, I stayed the same. Not that anyone else in Zion could ever see that. I did not expect them to.
The dishes were finished in record time, leaving me time to do the rest of my chores before bed. Which also gave me ample time to get lost in my own thoughts since Mother and Father would not bother me while I cleaned. I thought about tomorrow. About how it would be to marry someone. Marrying anyone was borderline terrifying, but to marry a Temple brother felt like marrying some rich celebrity. In a way, in Zion, it was.
