Page 69 of Malachi
“Oh yes, she’s absolutely glowing. Do you havenewsfor us, Eden?” Delilah’s sister Faith teased.
“No news yet,” I played along. “If you’ll excuse me.” I eyed Ruth from across the room, making a beeline towards her, and more importantly, away from the incessant tittering of the baby-club women who had cornered me as I walked in.
“Thank goodness,” I breathed in a sigh of relief.
“They are incessant, aren’t they?” Ruth asked knowingly.
“It’s maddening,” I chuckled.
“Ladies, let’s all get started,” a woman spoke from the front of the room. The five of us Temple wives sat together amongst the group of other young wives. I was grateful to have my new sisters-in-law at my side. “Today we will be focusing on the importance of submission in a marriage.”
I sputtered as I took a sip of water; the droplets splattered against the pages of my open bible.
“Are you okay, Eden?” Adah asked with great concern from across the table.
“Yes, just fine. Thank you,” I answered a little shakily. All eyes were on me, and it was unnerving. I stole a glance at my new sisters. Delilah had her hand covering her mouth as she struggled to hide her laughter.
“If all is well, let us resume. Submission is a key element in a godly marriage,” the Sunday school teacher resumed.
“Yeah, it is,” Delilah muttered under her breath.
“It is important that we submit to the will of our husbands. God has ordained them to guide and lead us through life. It is…” The teacher’s words droned on as I found myself thinking back to the last few days with Malachi. Every day he had come home more pent up and rage filled than the day before. And each night, he had chased me around the house in the most delicious game of cat and mouse — err, perhaps Beast and bird, was a better turn of phrase.
It felt as though I were coming into my own. While I still felt myself blush every time I cursed, or every time he said something particularly wicked, it no longer shocked me. Or at least, not in the same way. I wasn’t sure there would ever come a day when the things Malachi did and said wouldn’t shock me. It was part of the fun of it. It was thrilling and new, deviant and exciting.
As much as I had loved chasing each other around the house, I found myself missing our days running around the trees, out in the wild. I made a mental note to speak to him about it, wanting that thrill of nature surrounding us as he took me. Claimed me.
Those words had been on my mind more and more of late. Claiming. When he spoke of it, there was something hidden, something he had yet to share, and I was dying to uncover it.
It wasn’t a simple thing, bringing such matters up to Malachi. Sure, he was absolutely ready and willing to discuss anything we had done together. But things we hadn’t done? That was another story. Granted, I hadn’t drummed up the courage to ask about much at all, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Perhaps this was something I should talk to my sisters about. That sounded like a much better way to spend my time.
A piece of paper moved in front of my vision, halting my musings.
Pay attention to what people around you say.
The note was from Ruth. It reminded me that we weren’t here just to put on the act of being the perfect Zion wives. We were here to collect intel while our husbands did the same.
“Are there any prayer requests that need to be put on the list this week?” the teacher’s voice asked. I had zoned out for the entire class, and while I found it rather funny this week had been about marital submission, I wasn’t sad to see the time had passed.
“Yes, I would like to add one,” a woman near the back of the room spoke up.
“Yes, Alice?” the teacher asked. All eyes moved to the woman who had spoken.
“I would like to request prayers for the new baby joining our family. My husband and I just got word from Reverend Jacob that God has answered our prayers for adoption.” The entire room erupted into peals of praise and well wishes, though my stomach coiled at the thought of what exactly that meant. I stole a glance over at Talia, who sat with her arms protectively wrapped around her belly.
“All our prayers will be with you, Alice, and with your husband and new baby. What exciting news! Praise be to God!” the teacher exclaimed.
“Praise be to God in the highest!” the known response echoed around the small room.
“Ruth, have you and Leviticus thought about adoption?” Adah, her sister asked quietly across the desk.
“No, Adah. We have not,” Ruth answered. How she could curb the snark I knew she wanted to use was beyond me.
“Well, you should start those conversations. You’ve been married almost a year now, and still…” the snide woman trailed off, gesturing to Ruth’s lack of a baby bump. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Pathetic. As if women’s only mission in life were to procreate and fill the world with tiny little Zion slaves. Granted, wasn’t that the point of it all? That seemed to be exactly what the women here in Zion lived for. One of the many reasons I wanted out, even if it wasn’t for Malachi and his brothers.
“Well, I will keep that in mind and bring it up to Leviticus. Thank you, Adah,” Ruth replied, her voice saccharine sweet. “We should really be going now.”
With that, Ruth took my arm and led me out of the classroom and towards where Naomi, Talia, and Delilah gathered along with their husbands. Malachi stood with them, looking wild and hulking even in his Sunday best. The sight of him made my pulse quicken. He was such a devastatingly handsome man; his long hair, his neatly groomed beard, which was growing longer by the day. But it was those eyes, wild and passionate, that had my heart pounding in my chest.
