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Atarah lay awake long after the moon had risen high in the midnight sky. She missed Josiah...needed him. She had no idea when he would return for her, making each moment that much more unbearable, as a countdown was impossible. The sounds of passion coming through the wall didn’t help matters, Atarah craving her husband’s touch.
Before dawn, the family gathered once again in the dining room, Mark insisting everyone rise early to start Bible Time which could take a few hours, no one permitted to start their day until they had gathered around the "family altar."
Granny had a restless night, memories she would have as soon forgotten resurfacing. Her hand trembled as she held her fork, avoiding looking at her daughter. It was difficult not to notice the other women at the table or the look they had when they looked at Mark. Adoration would be an understatement.
Had Sheila not learned anything from her own past? Why would she allow it to be repeated? Then again, she had also kept silent. History was bound to repeat itself. Right now she wished she were anywhere but here.
Everyone bowed their heads as Mark roared a blessing over their food. Adelaide and the children hadn’t joined them yet.
His sons or not, Mark didn't feel comfortable having grown men under his roof when night came. Chalk it up to more animalistic instincts - there could only be one alpha male in the pack.
Mark had watched their interactions yesterday with the women, satisfied at last that the females were loyal, not paying any attention to his young, virile sons. Anything could happen after dark and he wasn't about to risk his ministry to baser desires.
The flesh is weak...
Jaira smiled broadly, happy to be back with her family, especially her children. Terrell had spent the night with Mark’s sons as well.
Watching for a text from Terrell, Jaira hoped he would hurry. If Terrell was serious about her, he'd have to get used to the way her family lived. If you slept later than 6 am, you were lazy and would hear about it during Bible Time.
"You know Dad, I really like what you have going on here. This reminds me of the book of Acts where everyone had everything in common...like a community of Christians. I mentioned that to our minister years ago because when the end comes we should be able to be self-sustaining."
Sheila's eyes were bright, "Yes, exactly," although she didn't share her daughter's end-time views, "The more people we can help, the better. In fact, Mark was saying we should hire someone who can build an addition onto the house. We have enough land here to have a few more buildings, and if they were all somehow attached to this main one..."
Mark did a head count then interrupted, "Where's Atarah?"
"Feeding the babies - I noticed when I was coming down for breakfast," Jaira shrugged.
"Go get her. Tell her she can do that at the table, it's time to read the Bible. Sheila, call Adelaide and tell her to come too."
"Dad wants you to do this at the table," Jaira averted her eyes when she located her still in the bedroom, breastfeeding her babies, "You can't be late for Bible time."
"I'm nearly finished," Atarah assured her sister, but wanted to stall as long as possible.
“Dad’s waiting!”
Atarah’s twins cried in protest from their feeding being interrupted.
“Please come get us,” Atarah breathed a prayer she hoped God would convey to her husband's spirit. “Please let him know he needs to come for us.”
There was sadness in Granny's smile as Atarah sat beside her, turning her shoulders slightly away from her father as she muffled her babies' cries with her breasts.
"It's okay..." Atarah soothed them as they continued from where they had left off before being so rudely interrupted.
Her face was flushed with embarrassment having to do something which felt so intimate at the kitchen table.
"My plan is to try to buy the properties that are adjacent to mine. With the Lord's help, we can build small homes on the property, helping those who are in need - single women, widows, their children. We would be self-sustaining, so we wouldn't need to leave the property...."
Arlana choked on her glass of water. Her father's words were too much.
Within ten minutes, Adelaide arrived with her family, the children and their brothers, pulling up seats, Terrell sat directly across from Atarah, draping his arm around Jaira's shoulders.
"Good morning Beautiful," he murmured, but his eyes were on Atarah. "May I?" He held out his hands for Shiloh when she'd stopped nursing.
Atarah nodded, watching as Terrell removed his arm from Jaira’s shoulder before reaching for the infant.
"Aren't you just perfect..." Terrell brushed a kiss on Shiloh’s moist lips, breathing in soft newborn breath. "Just look at her Jaira..." Terrell sighed, not thinking.
Jaira turned her back to Terrell having seen the exchange between Terrell and her sister. Terrell didn't notice, patting Shiloh's back, his daddy instincts kicking in. It had been a long time since his children were this small.
Terrell watched Atarah still feeding Zion, his thoughts distracted. His parents had hidden the "family sin," his children a carefully guarded secret. He knew all too well how Atarah felt with her family. Mark's attitude toward the children brought back an onslaught of painful memories.
Looking up from Zion, he locked eyes with Atarah, suddenly drowning within their blue depths. As long as he was on the island, he'd be there for her. He knew all too well how much she needed support.
Atarah watched the exchange between Terrell and her sister, not missing when Jaira turned her back on the man beside her, her pout prominent.
Terrell didn't seem to notice at all, burping Shiloh as he watched Atarah attempt to continue feeding her son and still be discreetly modest.
Atarah focused on trying to remain peaceful, not letting her father's announcement affect her emotions but was failing miserably as tears pooled in her eyes. She had been helpless to save her relatives, had been helpless as a child, but now....
She looked back at Terrell. She'd wanted to marry him since she was nine years old, remembering the day her parents had left the church to move to Westport.
Terrell, she had dreamed, would rescue her. Give her that happily ever after she could only dream of. How different her life could have been! Now he was a man and she was a married mother of three but she felt just as trapped and helpless as she had as a child. Atarah took a deep breath as she watched him murmuring sweet nothings to her daughter while watching Zion.
It was a long shot...but would he help her?
As though reading her thoughts, he raised his eyes to meet hers, a look passing between them.
“Rescue me”, she pleaded, without saying a word.
Atarah didn’t have her phone with her and no way of reaching anyone who could take her back to the farm to wait for her husband - or anywhere but here.
****
"GOOD, YOU ARE ALL HERE now," Mark cleared his throat.
This was his turf and if they didn't like it, they could leave.
He turned to the book of Acts, bringing up what Jaira had just mentioned - the way it should be where the deacons take in and care for the widows. Atarah was certain that was not how the passage read, but she kept silent.
"God has blessed us with land and a vision to take up the call to restore Christianity to its years of glory, before...well, this is what the Lord has laid on my heart..."
Mark began to explain how they had made smaller rooms from the large ones the house had originally come with. Sheila had felt led to reach out to these women who needed help, who were at a low point in their lives.
Jaira looked up, smiling at the women who were now a part of the household.
Adelaide frowned but agreed with putting action to their faith. Her parents clearly had the room.
"How can I help?" Gavin offered, whether his enthusiasm was genuine or he was trying to score brownie points with his father-in-law, Atarah wasn't sure.
Mark's eyes rested on Atarah, "When God calls us, we follow. When God chooses us, we accept that we are set apart. We do not question His decisions or those He has risen up. If God chooses you, then you are blessed indeed."
Those gathered breathed "Amen" as though listening to a prophecy, an attitude of deep reverence on each of their faces. Neither of Atarah's sisters reacted with suspicion.
Atarah shifted on her chair, thankful when Mark finally ended in prayer. She needed some fresh air, but seemed frozen to her seat.
Terrell wasn't sure what he should do, so he stepped outside, keeping an eye on the children while the women worked in the kitchen. Pulling his phone out of his breast pocket, he called Lachlan.
"Hello?" Lachlan frowned, wondering why Terrell was calling him.
They didn't have any meetings scheduled for the next few weeks. Terrell had also clearly forgotten the time difference, waking Lachlan up.
"Hi, how is Josiah doing? Rivkah? I would have called them, but I thought it would be bad timing. I've seen how close you are to Atarah..." Terrell lowered his voice, "Is there any way you could return sooner? I'm not sure what is up, but I believe you need to be here."
Lachlan raked his fingers through sleep-tousled hair, "I haven't seen or heard from Josiah. I assumed he was over there."
"You didn't hear?"
"Hear what?" Lachlan sat up in bed, "Terrell, what's going on?"
Terrell glanced over his shoulder, filling Lachlan in.
Lachlan blanched, "No, I haven't heard a word from Josiah since you all left Israel. Terrell, swear to me you'll keep an eye on Atarah and those children. If anything happens to her..." He couldn't finish his sentence.
"Ya 'mon, of course, I'll watch out for her. We've known each other since we were kids..."
Lachlan sighed assuming Terrell knew the truth when he mentioned they'd known each other since childhood.
"I'm so worried about her. She needs to be far away from her father. I wouldn't put anything past him and her mother is a cold-hearted enabler. Unfortunately, my return flight isn't for another three weeks. I've only scratched the surface of this assignment so assumed Josiah might even extend my stay here..."
Lachlan thought for a moment, remembering Terrell was a huge man. If he was at Atarah's side, she would be fine until Lachlan could reach Josiah. He still didn't feel comfortable telling Atarah's husband the truth - that is something she needed to do.
Ice water wouldn't have been so cold. Why hadn't Jaira told him?
"I'll keep an eye out for her," Terrell promised, "I'll see what can be done from this end. Thanks for letting me know...I had no idea."
"I thought you did when you said you'd been friends since childhood...I never would have said anything otherwise."
"No worries," Terrell assured him, "I'll keep the secret. I've got to go."
Lachlan nodded in his dark bedroom, "I'm not sure exactly what is going on over there, but she is going to need you..."
Adelaide held Zion in her arms, turning to offer Jaira a chance to hold her nephew.
Jaira held up her hand, shaking her head, "No."
Addy frowned, but turned back, kissing the baby's head before handing him to her husband. Gavin enjoyed being an uncle, and was more than happy to take Zion.
"I'm just going to take him outside for some air," he called over his shoulder to Atarah who nodded. He saw Terrell in the doorway, "Why don't you stay for dinner Terrell? I'm going to fire up the BBQ."
"Right on, thanks," Terrell slipped his phone back into his pocket, following Gavin out to the backyard.
"Agh, he sure is worming his way in," Jaira muttered under her breath, watching Terrell from the kitchen window.
"I think we need to talk," Addy passed Azrael a slice of peeled apple, fingering one of his many curls.
Atarah had pinned a kippah onto his head again, but Addy tried to ignore it.
"I don't mean to be like this," Jaira sighed, "I'm just so confused."
Addy rolled up her sleeves, rubbing the marinade onto the slabs of raw meat, passing the platter to her husband who returned a few minutes later.
"Terrell has the baby," he explained when Atarah looked up with a frown.
Jaira motioned for Gavin to leave, "We need to have some girl talk."
Gavin shrugged, shutting the door behind him.
Addy washed her hands, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Okay, I'm all ears."
"I don't want to make the same mistake again..." Jaira hedged.
Atarah raised an eyebrow, reaching for her glass of water. She felt out of the loop, it had been so long since she and Jaira had been close. She set the glass down, returning to burping Shiloh.
"What mistake?"
It could be any number, the sisters having serious bad luck it seemed.
Jaira ignored her.
"What if I make a mistake again? Yes, he is wonderful, loyal, drop-dead gorgeous..." She glanced over at her niece, "He is even okay with us not having children which is usually a big deal as most men want a family. I'd be a fool to pass him up but...I guess I need to pray more on this."
"You're wasting your breath," Addy's eyes narrowed, "You already know God's answer and He sure as heck isn't going to change His mind to suit you and your raging hormones. God is against divorce except for unfaithfulness, and from what I know of William, he is extremely loyal. He puts you to shame."
Jaira didn't like Addy's answer and rolled her eyes.
"You aren't really able to comment Addy, you with your perfect marriage to a Christian. What would you know about suffering?"
Addy bit her lip, "Every marriage has its issues, but we need to follow the Word of God and He will be faithful..."
"So what am I supposed to do? Reject an offer that would ensure I am loved and cherished for life? Return home and pray William croaks? After all, there is a big age difference. He's gonna die before me anyway..."
"Jaira!" Atarah gasped, her brother-in-law's death less than forty-eight hours ago. To speak of death so flippantly was extremely disrespectful.
Jaira turned to glare at her eldest sister, "I'd shut up if I were you. How would you know what I am going through? Everywhere you go you have men fawning all over you. Josiah, Lachlan, I bet Shaul too. You escape Jorken and suddenly you are this irresistible siren summoning all men to fall at your feet. You didn't have to go shoving your boobs in Terrell's face this morning either!"
The sharp words weren't called for. No one had ever loved Atarah and she couldn't for the life of her understand why Josiah did. Lachlan...she hung her head. As for Terrell, she had simply been obeying her father and Jaira knew that. She'd tried to be as discreet as possible, and definitely had no intention of seducing him. She was an exhausted mother longing for her husband, the farthest thing from sexy.
Mark stood in the doorway, listening to the exchange. "Jaira, apologize," he walked over to Atarah, placing his hand on her shoulder
Jaira looked up to see Terrell watching her sister and bit her lip. No matter what her father had said, it had been the truth. Terrell was clearly in love with Atarah too, her sister having to have everything. She crossed her arms over her aching heart, her body frigid beside Terrell. He lost his chance, choosing the wrong sister.
Did he honestly think he had a chance with a married woman? But then again, she was married as well... He was a fool and she'd been wrong to trust him with her heart.
"Terrell has the hots for Atarah," Jaira all but hissed, "I thought you'd want to know."
Frowning at Jaira, Terrell wondered what he had ever seen in her.