Page 7 of Malachi
“You just up and ran from the house to… to what?” I asked, completely befuddled by her.
“To dance in the trees, obviously?” she answered with another giggle.
What in the actual fuck was happening?
“I’m sorry, what?” I reiterated, dumbfounded, as she danced and frolicked around the open meadow.
“I’m dancing. In the moonlight,” she answered happily. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, her eyes shining brightly as she danced around, seemingly without a care in the world.
“I heard you,” I bit out gruffly. “What I don’t understand is why?” I clarified.
“It seemed appropriate,” she shrugged off. I stood there, still completely confused by her actions, let alone her explanation, or lack thereof.
“How? Why?” I nearly demanded. One night in, and the woman was making me crazy already.
“Well, just look at it!” she exclaimed excitedly. Was this normal for her? Was she deranged? “It’s beautiful and I just couldn’t resist!”
“So you just, what? Waltzed out of the house and into a forest you know nothing about to dance under the moonlight?!” I nearly screeched at her.
“Well, I wouldn’t say waltzed. I ran,” she answered matter-of-factly.
“You’re out of your damned mind, woman,” I hollered at her. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. The woman was maddening.
“Oh, did I upset you?” she asked, her demeanor changing to one of shame almost instantaneously.
“Upset? Upset is not the word. Worried is the word,” I scoffed derisively.
“I didn’t mean to worry you, Malachi. I only wanted to be outside on this beautiful night. Can’t you just feel it?” she asked, spinning once more along the grassy meadow.
“Feel what? You’re utter lack of safety, not to mention propriety?” I ridiculed.
“I’m perfectly safe, Malachi. You’re here!” she exclaimed with a small laugh.
“I amnow!I wasn’t to begin with. I had no idea you were out here until you were almost to the tree line! What if I had fallen asleep on the couch? You could have been injured!” I spat at her, demanding that she understand her utter lack of sensibility.
“I knew you’d follow,” she shrugged off lightly.
“How could you have known that?” I asked, this time grasping at my hair and tugging until it pulled at the roots. Anything to calm myself down from this woman’s ridiculous behavior.
“Because you’re you. I knew it the moment we were wed. You’re the protective sort. I can sense it,” she answered with a shrug. “I’ve wanted to do this for ages, you see. But Mother and Father would never allow it. Now that I am grown, a wife in my own right, and with all this land? I thought it was the perfect time to do what I’ve always wanted,” she explained.
“You do realize there are wild animals out here, right? There are things that could hurt you,” I spoke low and deep, working to keep the growl from my voice. My baser instincts wanted to warn her thatIcould be one of those wild things to hurt her if she wasn’t careful. But this was not a woman I would play with. No, this was a mere child of a woman, one who didn’t have the presence of mind to think before she acted.
“The world is full of wonderful animals, both fearsome and meek. We should not be afraid of them, Malachi,” she chided me.
“Oh, you should be very afraid,” I growled, unable to withhold it any longer.
“Dance with me, Malachi,” she pleaded, reaching her hand out to me.
“Come inside, you crazy woman,” I spat back, reaching for her hand. With a forceful tug, I pulled her over to me, marching my way back towards the line of trees.
“But I wasn’t finished dancing!” she fought.
“Oh, yes you are!” I scoffed. “Now come along.”
“No!” she shouted, pulling her hand back and out of my grasp.
“Excuse me?” I spun on my heel to face her, shock written on my face, only slightly overpowering the anger I felt at that moment.
