Page 96 of Ezekiel
“As do I,” Levi chuckled.
“I am the only one who can clean dishes at my house,” Malachi chimed in.
“Well, that’s because you won’t get off your ass and go through with the marriages Mother and Father have tried to arrange for you,” Levi shot back at him, to which Malachi raised his middle finger.
“I think you mean force upon me, not arrange,” Malachi scoffed.
“Well, it’s worked out for each of us so far,” Levi said, taking Ruth’s hand and kissing the back of it sweetly.
“Christ, ya’ll are gonna make me a fucking diabetic with all that shit,” Malachi grunted, standing from the table with his dishes and taking them to the sink. Before he returned, he stopped at the liquor cabinet and pour himself a strong glass of brandy.
“So,” I stated loudly, stopping the discourse the brothers were beginning. I did not want to go down that rabbit hole of arguments again regarding the marriages and Malachi’s pure disdain for them. “What questions did you have for me, Levi?” I asked. Zeke took my hand beneath the table, giving it a gentle squeeze of comfort and letting me know he was with me for whatever questions anyone might throw my way. Knowing Levi, it could be an emotional night. His questions were deep and had caused more than one fight amongst the brothers, even in my short time as a Temple.
“Have you had any more flashbacks since last week?” he began. At least it was a simple question.
“No, not a one.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Zeke interjected. I threw him a look of confusion.
“I think I would remember it,” I laughed humorlessly.
“You had that nightmare the other night,” he reminded me somewhat quietly.
“Yes, but I don’t remember anything from it. Just the same as before. Voices, fear, pure black nothingness, my hands tied behind my back, the sound of that woman —”
“What woman?” Levi questioned. Suddenly, all eyes focused on me. I hadn’t even realized I’d said it.
“There was a woman?” Zeke asked. His hand had tightened on mine so much so that my knuckles hurt.
“You’re hurting me,” I whispered as quietly as possible.
“Oh, sorry,” he apologized with the slightest tinge of a blush on his cheeks.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him, stretching my fingers out as I thought through the nightmare again. How had I not picked up on that? It was obviously in my memory, but it had gotten completely lumped in with everything else that I already knew.
“Yes, there was a woman’s voice,” I repeated
“Was there anything discernable about her voice?” Levi asked.
“Did she say anything in particular?” Ollie added.
“Could you tell if she was older or younger?” Gideon added as he sat back down at the table, the dishes now neatly piled in the sink for washing later.
“Whoa, can we slow it down and actually let her answer?” Zeke protested, coming to my defense. It was overwhelming.
“I’m trying to remember,” I answered quietly. They wanted answers. So did I. But it wasn’t that simple. The memories were fuzzy, like they were at the very edge of my memory, almost unable to be recovered.
“She wasn’t yelling like the others. She wasn’t very old either. Not young, but not old,” I began.
“That tells us very little. Try to remember, Talia,” Levi pushed.
“I am trying,” I said, feeling that overwhelming feeling rise inside of me.
“Cut her some slack, Levi,” Ollie pushed, also coming to my rescue.
“Guys, I’m not trying to be an asshole here,” Levi protested, putting his hands up defensively.
“But you’re so damn good at it,” Malachi snarked from his corner seat.
