Page 12 of Malachi
When Zeke didn’t answer, I found myself anxious. I didn’t know what to do with myself, but the need to punch something was raging through my body like a storm. Instead, I tore off the cloth that covered my latest piece of work, deciding to do something productive with my idle hands. When Eden made her abrupt appearance, that rage that still tore through me only intensified. She put me on edge, made me feel uncomfortable in my own goddamn space.
“Let’s go,” I grumbled, stalking past her towards the barn door. The day was gorgeous outside. The morning sunlight poured down over the ground, and the birds chirping and the sounds of the forest made me feel calm once again. The sounds of her feet scampering to keep up with my long strides immediately darkened my mood right back down again. I had work to do around the property. What was I going to do with her tagging along, slowing me down all day?
“So, what do we do first?” she chirped, finally catching up with me. I did not spare her a single glance as I headed towards the garage.
“First, we have a fence to fix,” I answered with a huff of annoyance. If I didn’t get myself together now, this day would turn out completely unbearable. A thought struck me. If she wanted to join me in my chores, so be it. I would show her just how dirty, grimy, and grueling the work could be. Then, she would not offer to help again. One day of dealing with her I could handle, and then it would be over. Yes, that’s exactly what I would do.
“I’ve never fixed a fence before. This is exciting,” she commented as we entered the garage. I walked over to the UTV. “What is this?” she asked. I turned to her, watching as her eyes widened in curiosity.
“It’s a gator UTV,” I explained, hopping into the driver’s seat. “Get in.”
“Where are the seatbelts?” she asked. I rolled my eyes, reaching across her body to the seatbelt that was in absolute plain view, and pulling it across her lap. A blush rose to the apples of her cheeks at my close proximity. Her vibrant eyes flitted to mine, and I felt myself stir at her expression. Quickly tamping the feeling down, I clicked the buckle into place, reaching above my head to the garage door remote. The door lifted with a loud whirring noise.
I turned the key in the ignition, quickly backing the vehicle out of the bay.
“Where is your seatbelt?” she asked as I threw the UTV into drive, turning off of the driveway and onto the grassy yard. I ignored her question, scowling in silence as we made our way through the yard.
“You should wear your seatbelt. It’s for safety,” she instructed.
“I’m fine,” I responded with a roll of my eyes.
“It’s not safe,” she pushed.
“I assure you, it’s fine,” I urged, praying to God she’d shut up.
“Well, if you’re not wearing your seatbelt, you’re not being safe,” she commented with an air of superiority.
“I can promise you, I take safety very seriously. I’m fine,” I barked back. I knew that I should be kinder to her, but I couldn’t bring myself to care all that much. I kept my focus on the plan. I would stay married to her only as long as I had to and then I would be out of this place and away from her and every other member of Zion. If I had a specific date for when that blessed day would occur, I would be counting down the days. As it was, I could only pray it was soon. The sooner the better.
She shrugged and finally grew silent as we made our way past the barn and on towards the back of the property.
“You have animals?!” she squealed as we passed the pasture where two horses grazed lazily.
“I do,” I responded, turning the UTV to skirt around the side of the pasture toward the broken fence. We came to a stop, and I hopped out of the vehicle, pulling my tools from the back of the UTV and heading towards the broken part of the fencing. It wasn’t bad enough that the horses would get out, but it was well on its way to becoming a problem.
Eden hopped out the other side, scurrying up alongside me.
“What’s first?” she asked with exuberant excitement.
“We need to fix the fence,” I repeated my earlier statement.
“Yes, but how?” she asked, her strides matching mine as I walked up to the loose fence pole. I set my tools down, keeping hold of the wire cutters and quickly snipping the broken line.
“Untangle this bit here,” I pointed out, showing her where to pull the line. She reached out, yanking on the wire without much success. “No, like this,” I corrected, showing her how to pull the wire free from the pole. I had expected her to give up quickly, or to back away after seeing the amount of work it took, but she met my instruction with determination. She pulled and yanked until the line was free. She rubbed her hands together, and I realized I should have provided her with a pair of gloves.
“Just a minute,” I commented, walking back to the UTV and finding my spare gloves for her to use. I tossed them to her as I approached again, stifling a chuckle as she donned them. They were far too large for her, but they would have to do.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile that lit up her face. She was a beautiful girl, of that there was no doubt. Still, any kind feelings that may have stirred within me, I shoved aside.
I grabbed the shovel, thrusting the pointed end into the dirt surrounding the base of the pole that was damaged.
“Can I try?” she asked, surprising me yet again. I looked at her, astounded.
“You want to dig?” I questioned.
“Absolutely,” she answered, that smile ever present on her face.
“Okay,” I shrugged, handing her the shovel. I stood back, watching as she attempted to mimic my movements. I chuckled quietly as she struggled to make the shovel do her bidding. She was awkward, but her perseverance shined through. She was a determined little thing, not shying away from hard work. I could admire that. I let her try to make the shovel work for a few more minutes, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched her struggle. It stirred something within me, seeing her struggle with that incredible determination. Finally, I decided to help her.
