Reaping of the Wives

NOAH COULD

I stood stone still as Caleb's words rang in my ears. The sound of birds singing and leaves rustling in the wind turned into a hum that was all soon drowned out by the nervous expansion and constriction of my heart. It seemed to fall in synch with the way Noah's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides as we both tried to remain calm.

Caleb was like an unstable stick of dynamite; the slightest movement could set him off and I was too close for comfort.

I did my best to seem unafraid but the thought of him seeing through the act Noah and I had been portraying terrified me. Thoughts of Noah being beaten and myself being tortured, if not killed, came in horrific flashes in my mind.

"You think you're both so slick," he chuckled and shook his head as he took a step back and stood to his full height. "I knew you two weren't really doing what husbands and wives do.. but I can tell just by looking at you, you are now."

He punched Noah in the shoulder. "I'm proud of you little brother."

Caleb's dark brown eyes looked down at me once more. "Welcome to the family, Grace."

He leaned down and pulled me to him in a hug. My eyes widened and I looked to Noah but he just stared at me with a slight smile of his own. I reached up slowly and patted Caleb's back.

"Th-thank you," I stammered.

He chuckled again and nodded at Noah. "Mama was right about this one." His eyes settled upon me once more. "She always is."

I forced a smile up at him and nodded. "I.. I bet. She seems like a.. very wise woman."

"One you'll learn a lot from," Caleb grinned.

He looked back to Noah. "I can't wait to see her face tonight when you tell her it's finally time."

Noah cleared his throat and mustered a smile. "Me either."

As they rejoiced, I couldn't believe we'd actually done it. After at least a month of working together, Noah and I had successfully sold the image of husband and wife.

With a parting wink to me, Caleb followed Jonah's footsteps into the trees. I watched him for as long as I could, but with such dense woods, I lost him rather quickly.

They must live nearby.

The thought came so suddenly, it felt almost like it was an observation plucked from someone else's mind and dropped into mine. As I looked around, I saw no vehicles. They had to either live close enough to walk, or parked along a nearby road to make the trek in on foot.

Run.

My knee jerked in reflex to the overwhelming urge.

I turned wide eyes to Noah who was watching me carefully. His face was hard to read, but his voice had an edge to it.

"I think it's time we go back in," he said slowly. Cautiously. As if one wrong word could force me to flee and it immediately made me feel conflicted.

Did I want to flee?

Of course I did... didn't.

No, I did. Just not without Noah.

Right?

I shook my head to clear the confusing thoughts. "We should go."

"Go where?" he asked with narrowed eyes though his tone was still gentle and guarded.

"Inside."

He gave a slow nod of his head and took me by the hand, leading me back inside the very place I had dreamed of running away from for months. As the door closed behind me, I was acutely aware of how it didn't bother me. When he brought me to my room, I was even more cognizant of the peace the small space gave me.