Tree of Life

by Sarah Joy Green-Hart

  Out of the light, cool colors of the bathroom, and into the dark wood and sapphire damask of the bedroom, David went for his drawers. Evelyn faced the mirror by their bed, putting in her earrings.

  The colorless, unimpressive sunrise blazed bright white through the sheers as the house resurrected with early morning rituals. Doors opened and closed, faucets ran, laughs tinkled down the hall, mincing female feet pattered, and occasionally, a shriek of delight added an exclamation point to the often-delightful polygamous prison sentence.

  "You think she’s pregnant again?” Evelyn asked.

  David opened his top drawer. "What? No.”

  "I do. You need to be more careful with the poor creatures.”

  "I’m meticulous concerning the care of those dear women. Her pregnancy baffles me to this day.” He pulled up his boxers.

  "Of course. You’re David.” She misted perfume on her neck. "God forbid anyone accuse you of being careless or abusive.”

  Excuse me? "Careless? Never. Abusive?” He strode across the room to stand in front of her. "Have I hit you? Denied you affection? Withheld anything you needed? Food? Water? Freedom? Time to talk? Anything?”

  "No.”

  “Have I divorced you for your affairs or taken a baseball bat to your boyfriends?”

  Evelyn’s lava-red lips hung open. No more magma to spew? She wouldn’t hold his gaze now, and that was a bit disappointing in a strong woman like her.

  He nodded. "I don’t think we’ve ever loved each other, Evelyn—that’s not why we married—but we could’ve been good friends with excellent benefits.”

  "Benefits.” She snorted.

  "You backed away from lovemaking”—he pointed—"not me. And if you ever try to claim it was because I was selfish, or refused, or inept, or bland, or whatever your bitter mind is thinking up these days, you know full well you’d be lying.”

  She pursed her lips, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, fiddled with her neck, buttons, earrings. After living with him for so many years, she had trained herself to keep a blank face to avoid assessment of feelings she wanted hidden. A useless effort. The woman was a veritable treasure trove of tells every day. The face should’ve been the least of her worries.

  "Uh-huh. You aren’t denying it. So, let’s not attempt to insult me there. There are so many other things you can insult me about, accurately.” He frowned. "Hey. Look at me. You’re no shrinking violet. Don’t be intimidated by a man in his underwear. Man up, woman!”

  What a beautiful, hard person. They were just incompatible, and it brought out her worst and made her unhealthy in her heart. Such a pity.

  "The abuse is in having so many wives, David.”

  "Anise was my first wife, Evelyn. No one made you marry me. They made me get married, but no one forced you.” He took his uniform from his closet and began dressing. "Besides, you have your own men. You just can’t marry them. Nothing’s keeping you from changing your mind and picking someone else.” As if she’d pick one of her lovers. Marriage to a Kyrios successor meant prestige and wealth. Period.

  He considered her, buttoning his dress shirt.

  "Anise was the second wife,” she said. "You and I both recognize that, even if the Kyrios don’t. The rest of us were mistakes.”

  "Not mistakes. Letting Brock Sweeney have Anise for his sadistic thrills would have been a mistake. Letting Vincent have Hesper for his twisted, dark idea of pleasure would’ve been a mistake.”

  "So, why is Owl-Eyes so special to you?”

  David pressed the top button of his shirt through its hole. "I don’t know. She’s not exceptionally attractive or affectionate. She’s kind of weak in a way.”

  "She’s got something. Something you need.”

  The couple stood on opposite sides of the bed, staring at each other while David put on his cufflinks.

  "You know, I want to love you, Evelyn. I don’t want you to be unh—”

  "No, you don’t. You don’t have the guts to love someone who knows you well. Go play with your new toy. Give her a good time, and those thoughts will pass. See you at breakfast.”

  * * *

  David rounded the corner into the dining room. Hesper sat at the table with her head bowed on her arms. She was sinking. Her heart was breaking. This garbage with Cole made the whole thing a bit more complicated, too. Especially since he needed Cole to take her to the doctor today. If she couldn’t handle it, regardless of Trinity’s orders, it would have to wait.

  Lorelei bustled out of the kitchen to set the table with silverware and a basket of fruit as other members of the household trickled into the dining room.

  He needed to talk with her. Alone.

  "Hesper.” A light touch on her shoulder. "Come with me?”

  Hesper lifted her head and reached for his hand. Strange.

  His heart rate accelerated, and his stomach flipped. Like a dumb kid. He accepted her strong hand without a word and led her through the foyer to the parlor.

  "You’re tired,” he said.

  "I am.”

  "Will you sit?”

  "I might fall asleep.” She blinked rapidly, shaking her head.

  "What happened last night? With Cole. Something drastic. I mean, you chose to take my hand today. You clearly didn’t rest.”

  She released his hand. "I’m sorry. I was half-asleep. It was rude to just grab your ha—”

  "Nope. Flappy-flyers. Right here.” He touched his chest. "Remember? They went all over the place. Not rude at all.”

  She laughed.

  "You laughed! She laughed. You laughed? Have I made you laugh before this? I don’t think I have.”

  The familiar bloom diffused through her cheeks. “I do not know.”

  "Cole said you requested he return your betrothal token to the hunter you were to marry.”

  "Yes, I did. You said he worked closely with them, so I thought he might help.”

  "Brave move when considering how rude Cole had been to you. I would have expected you to go to me or Anise about it.”

  She frowned. “The thought never occurred to me.”

  “Eh, I guess it makes sense. You’re direct. Why would you think of adding a middleman?” David smiled. “Cole said he’s doing it, though. It all just seems a little weird. He’s acting strangely.”

  "Nothing is wrong anymore. I have accepted my situation. Your brother was kind enough to help me see it through.”

  She wouldn’t look at him. Was it just her way, or dishonesty? No fidgets, tics, or trembling were manifesting.

  David narrowed an eye and nodded. "Uh-huh. Well, that makes the next topic of discussion easier on us both, I hope.

  "An important meeting with the Kyrios came up last minute, but you still need to see the doctor to make sure you’re healthy. I got a call from Trinity demanding I get your health confirmed immediately.” He cringed. "I won’t send you alone, though. I’ve asked Cole to take you this morning. It’s the only appointment the doctor has available for the next few days. I hope you don’t mind. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than Evelyn.” He lifted his upper lip and bared his teeth in mock terror.

  "No, sir. I do not mind. I trust your judgment.”

  He quirked a half-smile. Trust. "Good. If you get a clean bill of health, we can marry any time you’d like. No longer than two weeks, as I said. Whenever you’re most comfortable and ready, day or night, we’ll settle it, okay?”

  "Okay, David.”

  She didn’t seem beat down now. She did in the dining room, but not here, alone with him.

  I wonder . . . "Hesper . . .” He laughed at himself a little. "May I kiss you? Be honest. I won’t be mad at you if you say no, and I won’t make you regret it if you say yes.”

  Gray moonlight eyes turned his way and inspected his own with alarming intensity. Then they shifted to his lips as if considering them. He didn’t want a kiss, necessarily, just trust. Only to be closer to her and have her trust that he wouldn’t hurt her.

  "Not my lips,” s
he said.

  "I wasn’t thinking of a particular part of you. Just you.” He smiled. "So, that’s okay with me.”

  Hesper stiffened, watching him with the owl-eye look Evelyn liked to make fun of.

  Her neck was satin in his palm.

  Even then, her eyes persisted.

  He gently pressed his lips on her jawline, warm and smooth. Just a kiss on the cheek basically. Almost.

  Okay, a low kiss on the cheekish area.

  High kiss on the neckish area.

  Same thing. Right? Right.

  Perfectly still, she drew in a few slow deep breaths. Breaths of self-control. David almost laughed at that. He drew back and couldn't help smiling. Hesper had closed her eyes, and a quiet, euphoric haze lingered around her face. Her lids fluttered and opened, first looking up, then down, then somewhere in the middle, and—bless it all—she giggled. A breathy giggle.

  "That was very respectful,” she said. "You have my gratitude.”

  It was, wasn’t it? Overall, this was a moment he could be proud of. It had a subtle touch of spice, but little gestures often carried heavy weight, especially for someone like Hesper who’d never been touched with romantic intentions.

  “Pish-posh. Gratitude for me? You have my gratitude, dear lady.”

  "For what?”

  The feel of soft skin under his hand and mouth, her involuntary, vulnerable tip of the head to offer what his lips asked for, the glow of pleasure on her face.

  All that, yes, but something else, too.

  "Trust. I won’t abuse it. If you ever want to try my trust, let me know.” He winked.

  * * *

  Cole kept a respectful distance as they walked the road to the doctor’s office.

  This silent walk would kill him. So would this disgusting doctor’s appointment. He had half a mind to simply snatch Hesper up and get her off the base. Forget the risks! It would thrill his soul to see her running free right before they shot him.

  "What is the place with purple pennants?” Hesper asked.

  Thank goodness she was talking.

  "The Bastion of Holiness. The Kyrios and their employees work there. It’s also a jail. Underground.”

  "Does David work there?”

  "Yes, ma’am.”

  They stepped into the doctor’s office where a brown-haired woman greeted them with a bright red-lipstick smile. "Honored Senior Officer Chandler,” she said.

  Cole lifted his chin to acknowledge her. "Gwen.”

  "Exactly on time,” Gwen said. "The doctor will see you immediately, Hesper.”

  Cole turned his hat around and around in his hands as Gwen came out from behind her desk and gestured for Hesper to follow.

  "You are not coming with me?”

  He gripped his hat. "No. I’m just an escort. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go in there.” He spoke as loudly as he could without yelling. Maybe if Dr. Kratz heard who brought Hesper, he wouldn’t try anything with her like he did with the rest.

  Gwen led Hesper beyond a door and returned without her. The electric typewriter tapped away for several minutes, stopping for Gwen to take care of other patients coming in for their appointments. The minutes passed, and Cole finally took a seat to wait without fidgeting.

  Gwen leaned over and fiddled with something under the desk, coming up with fresh lipstick. "Did you bring her to the base?”

  Cole resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This woman knew nothing of subtlety, and man, he hated the bright red lipstick trend.

  "No. She arrived Sunday morning. I returned to the base on Sunday night.”

  "Oh, so she’s your brother’s?”

  Shut up, Gwen. "Yes, that’s right.”

  Gwen laughed. "Your brother falls in love with any Gentle he meets. If you used him on your mission, he could charm the Gentles right out of their woods and completely end the conflict if you weren’t so set on your method.”

  What in blazes did the doctor’s receptionist know of his ‘method’ or mission?

  "Charmed and subjugated Gentles doesn’t mean the end of the conflict.”

  She shrugged and brushed a bit of hair behind her ear. "You would know, I suppose.” Gwen made a ridiculous show of fanning herself with her hand and undoing her blouse’s top button.

  The conversation ended with a tasteless comment about Cole’s single status.

  And Cole’s cold shoulder.

  Several people arrived during the wait, seating themselves and reading or conversing. The appointment seemed abnormally long. Dr. Kratz’s voice warbled through the door occasionally, but nothing louder than that until twenty minutes into the appointment.

  Hesper screamed.

  Cole stood, took a few steps, stopped. No. He couldn’t. It wouldn’t be wise.

  Or would it?

  It was just an examination.

  Oh, Hesper.

  She screamed again. The doctor’s shout followed it this time. Muffled, indistinguishable words flew on the other side of the wall. Cole took a few great strides toward the examination room, but the knob wiggled and shook, stopping him, until Hesper swung the door open and flew out in the fashion of a frantic squirrel. Cole caught her arm as she stumbled over his foot and stabilized herself.

  The doctor, an old, bald, mustachioed man with bushy eyebrows, came behind her, bloodied on his nose. "You can tell your brother, based on questioning and an extremely limited examination, she’s got a clean bill of health. Blood tests will be ready by tomorrow, though, so he’d best not bed her ‘til afterward. Just in case.” Dr. Kratz scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Gwen.

  “She is very ill-mannered. You’d better teach her quickly before she bites the wrong person.” He pointed to his face. “So, if Successor Chandler is distressed by the minimal physical, he’d better come with her to a different appointment to keep her in check while I do what I need to do.”

  Hesper’s jaw dropped. "I am not a baby, and he is not my husband. Meros or not, he will not touch me there. And neither will David!”

  "Are you willing to die for your lady parts, milk-face?” the doctor hissed. "No Meros husband will touch you there if I haven’t!”

  Hesper’s face glowed red with indignation.

  Cole put on his hat. "Doctor,” he said, "you have overstepped your bounds by your unnecessary insults and crude language. She is the property of the Chandler household, and my brother has the right to accuse you before the Kyrios for the maltreatment of his property. I advise you to change your abusive manner toward us. Come along, Hesper.”

  Cole opened the door and Hesper passed through it. He lifted his chin and his eyebrows to Dr. Kratz—a silent threat before leaving.

  Cole observed Hesper unnoticed for a few minutes. She never glanced at him. It seemed unnatural. Deliberate.

  He’d lost her forever.

  Such a nice day. Sunny, breezy, and totally ruined by that thought.

  David did seem to like her. He handled her just-so and quite delicately. My God, I want to kick him in the face. Fifteen years! Fifteen years she’d known Cole, and David the sultan just about had her heart in a day. David would handle her right. He would care about her past traumas. He would be loving and patient with her in her frustrations. He would hold her when she had her bad dreams. No. No. I can’t watch it happen.

  He cleared his throat. "What are you thinking, Hesper?”

  "You people are sick to send women to that kind of . . . thing.” Her face twisted with emotion. "Doctors are evil.”

  Sixteen | Post-Conquest: 232

  Whimpers drifted down the hallway. Quiet, quiet . . . But real. Hesper’s hand froze, curled around her doorknob. She listened.

  A shout. Crying.

  Down the empty corridor, the noise led her to Jade’s door, where she pressed her ear to the glossy, cold wood to hear the heated conversation.

  "Please! David, don’t let this happen again!” Jade’s voice.

  Evelyn, sharp and unkind, crushed Jade’s words. "Yo
u let this happen. You didn’t tell us. All we ask is that you tell us.”

  "What business is it of yours, child-bearer? That’s all that separates us. You’re allowed to have children, and I’m not. Stop acting as if you have authority over me. I married him.” Jade’s anger sounded unnatural for her light voice.

  “Evelyn.” David’s voice now.

  Someone cold grabbed Hesper’s arm. "What are you doing?”

  It was Anise.

  "Listening.” Hesper tried to jerk her arm away, but Anise held tightly.

  "It’s none of your business.”

  "Yes, it is.”

  "It’s Meros business.”

  Hesper craned her neck to give Anise a good view of her scowl. Kind and well-meaning, perhaps, Anise still was not her mama and never would be. Hesper had been probed, prodded, and pinched, and her patience now reached its threshold.

  "No, it is my friend’s business.” Her face settled into stone as she turned the doorknob. Anise lunged for Hesper’s other arm as the door opened, but she was too late. She released Hesper and stayed in the hallway to pace.

  Jade lay on the floor, clasping David’s feet while Evelyn ransacked the room, looking behind things, under things, in things. Jade sat upright when the door opened. Her magical face, so transparent with its feelings, turned to Hesper, coated with tears like a window on a rainy day.

  David crouched and took her face in his hands. “Jade, Jade, you have to understand. There’s nothing I can—”

  "Call it a miracle, David. Let’s go away for a while. We’ll come back with the baby in Evelyn’s arms.”

  Choking on his tears, David caressed her face with impotent passion as if trying to take and keep her features in his own care. Brow to brow, they wept together.

  "We’ll just do that,” she squeaked. “Then . . . then you can have a baby, and no one needs to know it was mine.” She smiled, hoping, wishing, doubting. "I won’t even talk to it. You can sell me, give me away, shoot me in the backyard. Just don’t. Please, don’t.”

  Evelyn’s searching came to a halt, and she now noticed Hesper. Pointing to the door, she yelled, "Get her out of here!”

  Before Hesper could protest, fingers dug into her arm and yanked her out of the room. It took a few moments to get her bearings and understand who was pulling her around and scolding her.