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“It will work, how many times do I have to tell you to have faith in me?”
“But if it doesn’t, you should choose Everleigh. She would be a good wife, she’s kind and thoughtful, she can cook—”
“It’s not your sister I’m in love with.” He places his finger over my lips to silence me, and when he slowly slides it away I feel something pull us together. I know it’s a sin, and yet I do nothing to stop it.
“Addison?” I hear my name get called from the house before our lips connect.
“I must go.” I smile, feeling ashamed as I brush past Charlie, quickly gathering up the logs I was out here to collect.
“Addison.” Solomon slams the back door open against the wall and watches me struggle. He’s wearing that horrid smirk on his face, and his presence makes me so nervous I drop everything.
“Come on, you barren bitch, that fire ain’t gonna make itself.” He laughs at me, shaking his head as if I’m some kind of joke before he turns around and heads back inside.
* * *
I sit at the huge table with Abraham and the rest of his wives. Some of the older children join us, while the younger ones are being fed in the nursery by one of the house staff.
Since I have none of my own yet, I’m expected to help my sister-wives take care of their offspring, and doing that never feels like a chore. They are all sweet, loving children, which comes as a surprise considering the fact they are barely spoken to. Their mothers show them no affection because all their attention must be directed toward our messiah.
Abraham sits at the head of the table studying me with a curious look on his face, he’s barely taken his eyes off me all through supper and I can’t shake off the feeling that something’s not right. Hilda, his first wife, rises from the table making sure she draws attention to her huge, protruding stomach, by rubbing her hand over her maternity smock. It earns her a proud little tap from Abraham that seems to satisfy her, and when I move to get up and help her collect the empty plates his voice freezes me.
“Not you, Addison, you come with me. I have something to show you.”
I put down the plate I’m holding and follow after him when he leaves the room, taking my cloak from the hook when I realize that we’re heading outside. He walks me around the side of the house and I watch in confusion as he drags one of the storage lockers that are pushed against the wall to one side, and reveals the two doors that lead underground and are bolted shut. Taking a set of keys from his pocket, he crouches down and smiles up at me before he unlocks the padlock and pulls the doors open.
“What is this?” I ask, hearing the shiver in my voice.
“This…” He takes my hand and carefully guides me down the stairs into the darkness. “This is my secret hiding place.” He pulls a cord that turns on the single light bulb in the center of the room.
“It’s my duty to make sure all my wives and children are cared for, and you know the world beyond our confines is a dangerous place. Supposing there was an attack, what if our village was at threat? Nobody knows about this place, Addison, not even the other Elders.” The way he whispers into my ear makes that sound like a threat.
“We have been married for more than a year now.” He strokes his hand over the bruise he put on my face a few days ago. “And you are still yet to make use of the seed I give you.” His hand lowers to my stomach and it makes me squirm when I imagine his child growing inside me. “Your sister-wives put you to shame, we should be asking God for our second by now.”
“Please don’t hit me again,” The words escape from my lips and when he smiles at me, I can’t make out what's going through his head. He doesn’t seem angry like he was before. He’s eerily calm.
“I don’t intend to strike you, Addison. I understand this must be as frustrating for you as it is for me. The villagers are talking, they say you must be barren, they think I was wrong and that you are not a chosen one after all. I want to prove them wrong just as much as you do. I believe in God's prophecy, I don’t think there is anything wrong with you. You request your rest days when you bleed, so I know you are regular. That’s a good sign.”
I nod my head, at least pretending that I appreciate his version of kindness.
“I’ve been wondering if maybe there is something out there that’s preventing nature from taking its course.” The way he looks back over his shoulder at the door has my heart beating frantically.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I consider that maybe he knows of mine and Charlie’s exchanges. Did someone see us today, or did one of the sister-wives notice me storing the pills he gave me under the loose floorboard under my bed?
“You look worried, dear.” He shows me those rotten teeth before he pushes on my shoulder and forces me to my knees.
“Here, we can ensure no impurities mess with God’s will.” Loosening his slacks he takes out his flaccid cock and rubs it against my cheek as he attempts to get it hard.
“I can put all my attention to you. Hilda’s belly is already full and Annie is still recovering from her birth, last month. Everything I have will be just for you. Wewillprevail.” He forces his semi-hard cock between my lips and commands me to look up at him by pushing his finger up under my chin.
“Fear not, I will keep you here, away from shame and impurity until we do.”
“Addison, are you okay?” I look up and see the concern on Skid’s face. I’m still clutching his AC/DC tee in my hands, and when I swallow the sick taste in my mouth that comes with my memories, I pull the tee to my face to give me the comfort I need.
“Addy?” he checks again, his eyebrows knitted tight together as, once again, he defies all the barriers we’ve both tried to pull up and wraps his arms around me. He holds me tight to his chest, forcing the tee I’m holding into my face again. It lost the smell of him ages ago, but now with that scent surrounding me again I feel like my feet can stop treading water. I’m not drowning anymore, just floating on the surface.
“What happened? Who are you so afraid of?” His voice whispers into my hair, sounding more like a desperate plea than a request. I want so badly to tell him, but living in this world for this amount of time has made the place I came from seem so far from reality, I wonder if he’d even believe me.
“I should go to bed.” I drag myself away from him, noticing that he looks a little hurt as he watches me walk away, taking the tee with me and heading into my room.
