Page 9 of A Lesson In Beginning

“Don’t they all? Stubborn boys and their refusals to nap when needed.” She chuckled lightly, but did not join me at the table. “I was thinking I could give you a quick tour of the house, since you’ll be staying with us for a while?”

“That would be lovely.” I feigned a smile, irritated by the fact that the words I had overheard were still sitting heavily on my heart. But lashing out at the only people who could help my son and I would get us nowhere in a hurry, so I simply stood to join Ruth on her tour.

She showed me around the top floor of the home, bedroom after bedroom after bathroom, before we made our way back to the main floor. It was a pretty simple floor plan, if a somewhat ostentatious one.

“And here is the door to the basement.” She opened a door in the hall I had previously assumed to be a closet. Of course, there was an entirely other floor of the house left unseen. I had expected the basement to be unfinished, or some sort of storage and root cellar, but of course, I was wrong once again. The staircase ended in an open room with a few doors and one small hallway.

“There is a bedroom here and one just there, though we outfitted both as small office spaces with sofas that we can pull out into beds, should the occasion arise.” Each of the rooms, while smaller than the rooms upstairs, was still very good sized, and very similar to the master bedroom that Josiah and I had shared in Zion.

“And this room here?” I asked, turning the knob on the final door, only to find it locked. I looked down to see it wasn’t a normal doorknob, but one with a keypad.

“Oh, um… that’s just a storage room. Come, let’s go check on the children, and get ourselves a little snack.” Ruth locked our arms together, tugging me away from the peculiar-looking door, but not before I saw the way she eyed the door with a tender smile, touching the necklace around her neck. It was a gold necklace, short enough that the circle-like pendant at its center landed just within the hollow of her throat. Just where the circled center of that dog collar had landed. What a perplexing thing, how similar the two ornaments were. Both were short, just fitting around her throat. Both had open, circular rings in the center, landing in that same place.

Very strange, indeed.

CHAPTER 4

I had spent the better part of that night and the following day thinking over the words I had overheard Leviticus discussing with his brother. While a little strange that it was also their namesake, The Temple was obviously in reference to their place of worship. Giving me a job in such a place would be a perfect solution to the problem I faced. Why would Leviticus not want me involved in such an endeavor? Surely it could not be because of my family’s participation in the crimes of Zion led by the Reverend. Not when their own family had been just as prevalent in the offenses.

While the teachings I had received in Zion urged me to choose silence on the matter, the fact that I had a son who solely relied on me to provide for his well-being forced me to confront the situation head on. I waited throughout the day while Leviticus was off working at whatever his job was in this new world. As I put my son to bed, I heard the garage door opening, signaling his return. The time was now.

I kissed my son’s forehead as he slept before quietly closing his door and heading downstairs. Shoulders back, stance straight, I walked with purpose into the kitchen only to see Ruth standing before him, her head bowed and hands behind her back in a stance of submission the likes of which I had never seen.

I stayed quiet, slipping behind the corner into some small semblance of cover as I watched the couple. Leviticus’ eyes raised, glancing around the room and finding it empty. He snapped his fingers sharply, so sharp I almost jumped at the sound, and pointed to the floor. Without a word, my sister dropped to her knees before him, literally kneeling. It was grotesque. My stomach twisted and turned in my gut at the blatant symbolic ownership Leviticus claimed over her.

I knew what it was to be owned by another person. I knew it in a way in which I did not speak of; not aloud, not to anyone. He stroked her hair, whispering words I could not hear from my hiding place.

I slipped across the doorway to the kitchen, skirting my way to the living room where I turned around, cleared my throat loudly, and began walking towards the kitchen, this time hopefully announcing my presence firmly so as to not walk in on such affairs again. Silently, I did my best to squash the overwhelming desire to pull my sister and her small child from the clutches of such a man. I knew what that life was like. I don’t know why I would think Leviticus Temple would be any different. Like father, like son, it would seem.

I rounded the corner into the kitchen to see the two sitting at the table as though the entire exchange had not just occurred. In fact, Ruth looked happy as could be, with a slight blush turning her cheeks crimson. She was toying with the necklace at her throat again, smiling discreetly at her husband, which gave the moment a decidedly intimate air that I wasn’t altogether comfortable with, especially with what I had just witnessed.

“Good evening, Adah. How was your day?” Leviticus asked me. It was slightly jarring to see the change in his demeanor. Like a light switch, he had flipped from one persona to the other. Josiah was good at that as well. Come to think of it, so was my father. A shiver ran down my spine as I once again contemplated taking Ruth and her son and going back on the road, just the four of us. I didn’t like the idea of her being subjected to the kind of life I had. The protective nature inside of me felt slightly foreign, although many of the feelings I’d felt since leaving Zion were somewhat foreign.

“My day was lovely, thank you. I wanted to talk to you for a moment, if you have the time.” I steeled myself, urging my roiling stomach to cease and desist so that I could manage the conversation.

“Of course. Please join us.” He waved a hand towards the seat across from him, beside Ruth. I made myself comfortable and cleared my throat before speaking.

“I wanted to talk to you about my employment.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, but there is no rush, Adah. We know you’ve been through a lot.” Ruth’s words were kind as she reached across the table to take my hand in comfort, but I waved off her gesture, refocusing my attention on Leviticus.

“That may be, but it does not change the fact that I will need income in order to get a place for my son and I to live, to provide for us both.”

“I think that’s very admirable of you, Adah. But as my wife said, you are welcome to take your time. There is a process to these things.”

“While that may be, I believe there is a solution.” That certainly caught his attention, as he turned slightly, turning his gaze away from his wife and focusing solely on me.

“I am all ears. Please continue.” I nodded as he spoke.

“I would like to discuss working for you and your brothers.” My words were firm, my stance solid and unyielding.

“I don’t think I understand your meaning.” He gave Ruth a look of confusion, and she merely shrugged, not knowing what I spoke of either.

“I would like for you to hire me to work at The Temple.” Feeling a sense of pride at my fortitude and earnestness, I smiled smugly, only to be confused by their mirrored looks of shock and bewilderment. When the silence lingered for longer than was acceptable in polite company, I tried again. “I would like to be under your employment at The Temple.”

“What did you just say?” Ruth asked in a whisper, her words carrying a tone of either outrage or shock — perhaps both, I wasn’t sure.

“I would like to work at The Temple. As it is your place of business, I feel like it is the perfect opportunity to gain work experience to put on a resume. It wouldn’t be forever, just until I can get on my feet and have enough work experience to entice another employer to give me a chance. And I’m certain with the experience I have, you could find a place for me to work easily.” My confidence was contrived, but I hoped it was enough to convince him to take a chance on me. If he wouldn’t, then who would?

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