Page 312 of Redeemed

“Well, I don’t want you falling into the oven or something and hurting the baby.”

Silence stretches out, and I know exactly why. It’s not because of what Samuel said but because of what hedidn’t.

“Fair point,” Ruth says eventually, but all I hear is the hurt that coats her words.

They don’t say anything else as Ruth cooks. Even hidden away in the cabinet, I can feel the tension between them. They eat in near-silence, and once they’re done, Samuel goes upstairs while Ruth does the dishes.

I hear the shower turn on upstairs, and after a minute, the cabinet door opens. Ruth crouches down with one hand clutching the counter above her for balance. The other cradles her stomach, and my heart squeezes at the reminder that I tore apart our plans.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble.

She frowns. “For what?”

“We were supposed to raise our kids together, and now look at us. At what I’ve done.”

Sadness passes over Ruth’s face, but she shakes her head. “I was devastated when I found out you left, but over the years, I came to understand. Isaiah was angry before, and now he’s even worse. I’m glad we aren’t raising our children together. He’d only hurt your kids.”

“Thank you for understanding,” I whisper.

“Always.” She squeezes my hand. “Now, I have to finish the dishes and get ready for the ceremony, or Samuel will suspect something. Do you have a plan? Some way to get out of here?”

“People are coming to help me. I just have to stay alive until they get here. Isaiah… I think he’s going to kill me. I told him I wasn’t on birth control, but my dad found out that wasn’t true. There’s no way he hasn’t told Isaiah by now.”

“Okay.” Ruth bites the inside of her cheek again. “They’ll be here soon? The people helping you?”

I nod. “I don’t know how they’ll find me, though.”

“We’ll figure it out. Maybe I can lead them here.”

It’s a hopeful thought, but we both know she’d get caught. Samuel would never let her.

“They know me as Haven,” I tell her.

“Haven.” She smiles softly. “I think that’s beautiful.”

Ruth resumes washing the dishes. When she’s done, she peeks into the cabinet one last time to give me a glass of water, and then she disappears upstairs. Both her and Samuel come downstairs fifteen minutes later, chatting about the ceremony.

“I’m just glad Heaven is back,” Ruth says. “The rest is in God’s hands now.”

“And Isaiah’s,” Samuel corrects.

“Right.” Ruth clears her throat. “Of course.”

There’s a knock at the back door, and when it opens, my stomach drops at the sound of Isaiah’s voice.

“Good evening, Ruth. Samuel.”

“Isaiah!” Ruth exclaims. “Shouldn’t you be at the church with Heaven?”

“I know you have her,” he snaps.

“What? I don’t know what you’re—”

“Samuel, help me look for her,” Isaiah says impatiently. “She lied to me and trashed the house, and now she’s run off. She has to be here.”

“Ruth,” Samuel says slowly, “do you have something to tell us?”

“I don’t know anything about this,” she insists.

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