Page 5 of Ezekiel
“Yeah, Father told me at the end of the reception I will be taking over for Elder Daniels as an accountant for the church starting a week from tomorrow,” I grumbled.
“Hey, at least that’s less time for you to deal with your new bride,” he shrugged, nudging me with his shoulder.
“That doesn’t make any of this better. I literally don’t know how to be around her. Not a single fucking clue,” I groaned.
“Women,” he scoffed, shaking his head and taking the cigar back.
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. This has nothing to do with her and everything to do with me. It’s going to be a disaster. She won’t be able to put up with my… well, with me.”
“That’s exactly how I feel and the reason I keep telling Father no,” he snorted.
“Keep telling him no and you know what will happen,” I warned, cocking an eyebrow in his direction.
“Father doesn’t scare me.”
“Yes, he does,” I chuckled. Malachi just shrugged, that tough persona he had adopted years ago near unshakable even when discussing our tyrant of a father. We both knew the man was dangerous. And we both did well to stay out of his way. Malachi, however, seemed to be hell bent on pissing him off these days over this whole marriage business.
“Whatever. You should be getting back your wife.” I knew he was right, but damn, I wanted to be anywhere but in that house with her. The one place I didn’t have to be anything but my true self, and now it was gone, tainted and stolen from me by a woman named Talia.
It wasn’t her fault. Fuck, she was as much a victim of this as I was, but it didn’t change the facts. I preferred my solitude, where I didn’t have to explain myself or be any certain way. Malachi and I were the same in that way. We craved peace and quiet and loathed… well, people in general. Unlike Malachi, I didn’t choose that lifestyle. They chose it for me. I was the way I was regardless of how much I tried to be different; regardless of how much I wanted to be different. I would give anything to be as carefree as Ollie or to be as formidable and strong as Levi. Even to have Gideon’s I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. Anything but this.
“You’re right. I should head back,” I finally agreed after one last pull of Malachi’s cigar. I breathed the smoke into my lungs a little too hard and sputtered, coughing loudly.
“Amateur,” he chided, but it was good-natured. “Seriously, though. I’m here. Not far away, if you need anything.”
I nodded my head, turning and walking back the way I had come. It was nice to have Malachi this close. Close enough to be there if I needed something, but far enough away we didn’t see each other by happenstance hardly at all.
Malachi was right. He was there if I needed him, but I didn’t want tohaveto need him. I wanted to be like Levi and Ollie. And I mean, maybe my own marriage wouldn’t be doomed. There was always that possibility. But, at the end of the day, they weren’t like me. The odds of Talia ever seeing, let alone accepting, my true self, were nearly zilch. And that’s all I really wanted, to be accepted as who I was.
The trek back to the house was slower than when I had come out here, probably because I had left the house, stalking off with no thought in my head except to get away. Going back was an effort. I entered the house quietly, not wanting to disturb or frighten my new bride. Even the word in my brain felt off and wrong. I didn’t hear a sound. Pure, blissful quiet surrounded me. I made my way up the stairs, peeking into the bedroom door to find her curled up in bed and fast asleep. Good, that was one less thing for me to worry about. Grabbing a change of clothing, I made my way down the short upstairs hallway and into the second bedroom. I would sleep here tonight. The thought of her waking up to a near stranger in her bed sounded far more stressful and alarming than me sleeping in the spare bedroom.
I laid awake in bed that night, tossing and turning, unable to find the peace that sleep gave. Too many thoughts ran rampant in my mind. I could control the anxiety enough to not bolt from the house again. That had been poor form. No matter which way I tried to think about my current situation, it seemed hopeless. I didn’t know how to be that person, the proverbial good husband, all the time. I didn’t know how I was going to keep things running smoothly round the clock. It felt insurmountable.
With a heavy sigh, I pulled out my phone and texted her. Miss M. Maybe she would have answers.
CHAPTER2
TALIA
The morning before…
I stood in my mother’s room, looking at my reflection in the long, free-standing mirror. The gown I wore, my wedding gown, had been my mother’s. She had painstakingly sewn little bits of lace and beads to the dress over the last few days.
“A beautiful bride deserves just a little bit of sparkle on her wedding day,”she had explained to me, her fingers working tirelessly to complete it in time for the big day. The match had taken months to put together, only having been decided on for sure a week before today. My father had been thrilled to match me with one of the Temple sons, but when he had discovered it would be Ezekiel that I was marrying, his reservations began. Ezekiel wasn’t quite like his brothers, my father had said.
“There’s something off about that boy, Sonia,”he had said to my mother.“I am not sure he can provide for our Talia the way she deserves.”
My mother had told him to have faith that the Lord would provide, that he was a Temple son, nonetheless. I knew the truth. By marrying a Temple son, my parents were more likely to grow into the church, and possibly, finally, my father would be offered a chance to become an Elder.
When word had been announced that not only Leviticus, but also Bartholomew Temple had been offered training into Elderhood, he had been livid. I tried not to let those thoughts tarnish my mood, especially today. Today, the Lord was to bless me with a husband, and I would make sure I was a wife worthy of him.
“Talia, how’s it coming, dear?” my mother’s voice called from down the hall. She rounded the corner into the bedroom and stopped short. “Oh, darling. Look at you. Will you just look at you!” she cried happily, her hands covering her mouth as tears shone brightly in her eyes.
“Does it fit okay??” I asked shyly. I had never worn anything as extravagant as this dress. As my parents’ only daughter, it was fitting that I would be gifted my mother’s dress, but it had surprised me. Iwastheir only daughter, but I had been adopted. I truly had thought a dress would be made for me; something simple to serve for such an occasion. When Mother had presented me with the dress, I had been speechless, much like I felt at this moment.
“Fit is not the word, darling. It is perfect for you.” Mother stood behind me, brushing my hair back behind my shoulders and glancing at my reflection. “You look every bit the perfect bride. This day shall be a blessing. The Lord has truly provided well for you.”
Her words touched me deeply, bringing tears to my eyes.
