Page 64 of Malachi
“Malachi, I have no regrets,” she answered.
“I didn’t mean to do that without discussing it first,” I admitted with heavily laden guilt.
“I’m only quiet because it is making me feel much deeper emotion than I thought it would,” she answered honestly.
“What kind of emotions?” I asked, feeling the tiniest spark of hope ignite further in my chest.
“The kind that need processing before discussion. Let’s get back under the covers and sleep for real this time,” she shrugged off with a smile. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
I couldn’t begrudge her that. Emotions were a fickle thing, one I rarely liked to deal with, so how could I, in any good consciousness, deny her the time to wrangle with her own?
CHAPTER17
MALACHI
“It’s good to have you working with me on this, Malachi,” Gideon admitted, taking a quick break for a sip of water. The sun was beating down hotter than Hades, and the work at the construction site was not easy.
“I’m just glad they stuck me here instead of in the offices with Levi, Ollie, and Zeke,” I admitted, gratefully taking the jug of water from him and trying not to just chug it. It was too hot to be working out here on the construction site, but apparently there was a deadline to meet.
“Elder Gideon, Luke needs some help over on the framework. See to it he has your help,” Elder Taylor said as he walked over to where Gideon and I were taking our break.
“Of course,” Gideon answered dutifully.
“What do you think of it?” Elder Taylor asked, a smug grin etched on his face.
“Well, it’s got a good frame, but it would sure do me a lot of good to have more information before forming an opinion,” I answered. I knew he wouldn’t tell me the truth, it wasn’t that simple. But I also knew the game, and I was more than prepared to play it.
“It’s complicated, and something I’m sure that your father will tell you about soon. But what I can tell you is that it’s for housing,” he explained, which was far more than I thought he would have given me.
“Housing?” I questioned, walking the few steps over to the large table where the blueprints were laid out. I looked over it, pulling out a notebook and jotting down a few notes.
“What is it?” he asked curiously.
“It’s just that if you’re wanting to use this as housing, then there are some adjustments I would make,” I answered honestly. I pushed down the roiling guilt inside of me — the knowledge that this place would be used to house abducted little girls — and came at it from a purely logistical standpoint. That’s the part I had to play. With any luck, this place would never take full formation, let alone ever house a single little girl. Not if I had anything to say about it.
“What kind of adjustments?” the Reverend’s voice called from behind us. I turned to see him and my father walking towards us. Father’s expression was the same as he wore nearly everywhere in Zion. That of a satisfied Elder. Happy, but not too happy. Serious, but not too terrifying. No one but us boys and our mother seemed to see the truly terrifying side of him. As long as I could keep that side at bay, all would be well.
“Well, for starters, look at the layout here. Based on the number of rooms and the size of the living area, it would seem that you’re intending this space to be a communal housing. If that is the case, you will need more bathrooms, not to mention a full rework of the kitchen,” I answered, pointing out the spots on the blueprints as I spoke.
“You don’t think two bathrooms are enough?” The Reverend’s questioning was not lost on me. I knew he was sussing me out, and I wasn’t afraid of it.
“Well, that depends. Two bathrooms would be plenty if you were housing a family of five, maybe six, but if you want to house more than that, I would suggest changing these spots right here into two powder-room style bathrooms,” I answered, doing my best not to sound too smug.
“What makes you think we are going to house more than five or six people?” Reverend Jacob questioned.
“Well, this is obviously for communal housing, like I said. Looking at the layout, it’s obvious. But here in Zion, it’s not uncommon for a single family to have five or more members. So this would need more. It’s simple deduction,” I answered, this time unable to keep the smug smirk off my face. What surprised me, though, was the look of pride on my father’s face.
“So you’d put two bathrooms here, then?” Reverend Jacob reiterated, motioning to the section I had indicated.
“Yes. And I would take out this wall here, extending the kitchen into a more open concept, allowing for more counter space for cooking and meal preparation. It would be necessary. If you were to want my opinion on the matter,” I answered.
“You’ve got quite a smart son here, Titus. Not just in Levi,” the Reverend praised my father. He beamed under the Reverend’s accolades, as if it werehimthe Reverend was complimenting.
“All of my sons are quite well suited for this life in their own ways, but I have to agree. Malachi, it does me much good to see you taking to the work here so readily,” Father praised.
“I’d like to help more, actually. If you could tell me what this housing will be for, I am certain I could provide more informed help,” I ventured, hoping that the risk of such a forward question would be well worth it.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Father began, but the Reverend cut him off.
