Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
“Why are you doing this?”
“I have to drive the devil from you, Selma. And give me that.” He points to my backpack.
“Why? It’s just my school—”
He doesn’t wait for me to hand it over, he unzips the pockets and rifles through. My heart skips a beat when he reaches into the small front zipped pocket and pulls out the necklace Ash gave me the first day at the hotel and shakes his head.
“So many sins,” he says, then slams the door behind him.
The tears make my vision blurry, but I look around to see my room is bare. The few comforts I used to have: my books, my handmade bed, my wardrobe for clothes; they’re all gone. All that’s left now is a mattress on the floor, and that’s it. I hear the click of a key turning in a lock, then Papa’s voice low rumbling voice comes through.
“I suggest you spend your time in prayer, asking God for forgiveness.”
I DON’T KNOW WHY HE bothered leaving me a mattress, because I barely sleep at all, pacing and sitting against the wall. The night seems like it’s the longest of my life, and all I can do is think of Ash and the things we’ve done together. I do pray, but not for forgiveness. I pray for guidance; I pray for some sort of miracle to undo everything that’s happened and let me try this past week again.
And just when I’ve given up hope of miracles, I hear a vibration coming from where I’d hidden my phone under my pillow.
My cell phone.
It’s Cameron asking if I’m okay.
I consider just sending back a message telling him I’m fine, but then I decide against it. I tell him what happened, what I found out about Ash from that article and how Papa has locked me in my bedroom.
Cameron: He can’t do that, Selma, it’s unlawful imprisonment or something. You’re an adult.
Me: Well, he has. What’s going to happen tomorrow, I have no idea.
Cameron: What do you want me to do?
I hesitate with my fingers over the keys. Do I want to be rescued? The thought of Cameron breaking the door down and coming to my aid is almost laughable, but the other option is unthinkable...Ash coming here and rescuing me. Oh, God, how can he be the man I read about in that article? It doesn’t feel right, but it’s was right there in black and white.
Cameron: Selma?
Me: Nothing. Don’t do anything, Cameron. I’ll talk to Papa again in the morning. I’m not even sure Ash is right for me anymore.
Cameron: He is. Trust me, I have far more experience with men than you do. I’ll check in with you in the morning. Keep your phone on.
Me: I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.
It’s a lie. There’s no way I can sleep like this. I just lie here, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Ash and wondering how someone like him could say the things he did. When I see the sun starting to peek over the horizon, I’m still lying there on the bare mattress, and I hear a noise coming from outside my room. A moment later, there’s the click of the key in the lock on my room, and the door is pulled open.
“Well?” Papa stares at me like I might grow fangs and try to attack him.
I sigh. “Well, what?”
“Have you prayed?”
“Yes,” I answer, honestly. I did nothing but pray.
“Good. Bathe and get dressed. I’ve laid out your dress for today in the bathroom. And...” He growls like it’s difficult to say. “And I owe you an apology.” Hearing him say that makes my heart soar like maybe everything is going to be okay. Then his next words tear it all down. “Everything that’s happened is my fault. I gave you far too much freedom. I let you dress in bright colors. I let you go to that school with all those outsiders. I even gave you a telephone.” He shakes his head, then holds out his hand. “Give it to me. You won’t be needing it anymore after today.”
My mind is racing. What should I do? Should I run? The way he’s standing in the doorway, I know, I won’t challenge him. Later, I’ll try to talk to him again and persuade him to let me go back to school. He’s just angry right now.
I take a heavy breath, then stand and hand him my phone. Then I follow him out of the room and enter the bathroom.
And what I find there nearly makes my heart stop.
The clothes he’s laid out for me. It’s a wedding dress. Not a long white lace beautiful pearled and sequined silk for a girl to feel like a princess on her special day. No. This is the drab cotton shift that is the traditional bridal wear for women in our community.