SIN and HONEY: Seven Years of Longing

Chapter 9: Rachel

Rachel staggered through the trees. With each halting, broken breath, Leah's face appeared before her: spellbound by desire, her eyes hazy and sloped downward like dewdrops, her hair loose like the falling leaves of a willow tree.

My sister, the stranger.

All these years, Rachel prayed for her sister to return to her, but she had a life that she kept from Rachel. The truth stabbed at her like thorns, pricking her at every turn.

She ran through camp, keeping her head down and carefully avoiding eye contact. She felt as though everyone were wearing masks. Who could she trust? She saw the twins, Naftali and Shira, always inseparable, walking together toward the well, their four children in tow. Rachel spun and ducked behind one of the neighboring tents to avoid running into them. Once they were out of sight, she continued through the center of camp heading toward her tent, which she entered swiftly. She closed the flap behind her, plunging the small space into low light, and sat on her mat, head in her hands.

It couldn't be true. Her skin crawled at the thought. Her father was peculiar, surely, and his temper was heightened—the stress of so many important people arriving to attend the wedding would be difficult for anyone. But violent? Never. Laban was a religious man, but had Leah told him about Levi—had she even attempted to explain the level of love she felt for him—Laban would have at least conceded to a betrothal. He had done so for Rachel, after all.

But she had never given him a reason not to. She always trusted him, obeyed him.

What if I hadn't?

"Rachel, is that you? Did you find Leah?" 

Jacob entered the tent, but kept the flap open behind him—in the center of camp, they needed to remain in sight of others at all times when they were alone together. He was smiling until he saw her expression—reddened face, puffy eyes from crying—and he kneeled beside her. She tried to speak, but the closeness of his body seemed to only coax more tears out of her.

"Has something happened?" he whispered, stroking her hair.

Rachel nodded, but the wavering in her throat prevented the words from being spoken. He picked up a jug of water next to her and poured her a cup before sitting down next to her. Rachel sipped slowly as he dotted her cheeks with his lips, trying to cheer her up.

"I did find Leah," Rachel began, but bit her lip. Should she tell Jacob this? She trusted him with her life, but involving him in this mess could put him—and their wedding—at risk.

"We must have no secrets between us," Jacob said sternly, but with a familiar smile radiating from his eyes. She tore her gaze away from his. Normally she loved Jacob's jokes, his lightness ...but she couldn't bear it when she felt so dark.

"I caught Leah being intimate with a man." It was the softest confession she could muster. Jacob's eyes widened but he didn't speak. "It's Levi."

"Levi? Are you sure? I've spent time with Levi—he barely says a word! I don't even think he'd know how to attract a woman," he said, almost laughing.

"I saw it, Jacob. They were kissing, and her clothes were bunched up over her knees and he—he was half naked—"

Confusion clouded Jacob's face as he realized Rachel was telling the truth. "How long has this been going on?" he asked.

"I don't know. But they looked ...together. Familiar." She swallowed another sip of water, but still found no relief. "I think she said five years."

 "Well."Jacob stood and paced for a moment. "Isn't this is a good thing? All this time we thought she was miserable, but she has someone. She loves someone."

"She was close to giving her virginity away, Jacob!" she hissed, adding under her breath, "If she hasn't already."

Rachel could tell from Jacob's shocked expression that he hadn't considered this part. "Did you talk to her? Does she understand the risk she's taking—the danger she's put herself in?"

Rachel nodded, Leah's eyes flashing before her, determined and yet full of fear. She remembered how Levi grasped her neck as they kissed, abandoning all thought of risk.

"Leah doesn't care," she said finally. Therewas a bitter taste to the words, like wild onions, plucked from the earth, still full of dirt. "She loves him, and she's going to run away before Abī marries her off to someone else by tomorrow."

"Marries her off? I thought he would wait until after the wedding!"

"That's what I heard when we were by the well. He told her he's holding some sort of auction tonight and whoever bids the highest ..." Rachel couldn't finish the sentence. Leah was right, there was cruelty to her father that she had never seen. Leah had protected her from it.

"They are trying to run away?" Jacob said, taking Rachel's hand. "Then you have to tell Laban. If they get caught ..."

Rachel considered this. She was angry with Leah for the secrets and for not trusting her. But did she really want to tell her father? If Leah was right, Laban would show no mercy.

"There's more you need to know."

So she told Jacob about the role Leah believed their father had played in their mother's death. Jacob's expression progressed from shock to anger and finally, worry, as he took Rachel in his arms to comfort her.

"Rachel, tell Laban."

"But didn't you hear what I said? If I tell ..."

"Forget if you tell. If Laban finds out that you knew of Leah's escape, he'll kill you."

****

Rachel has a serious decision to make: tell her father about Leah's affair, or risk her life?

Pre-order SIN AND HONEY's 2nd novella THE TOUCH OF BETRAYAL (a retelling of Samson and Delilah) now! Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Betrayal-SIN-HONEY-novella-ebook/dp/B00ZB2P7VY/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1435150894&sr=1-2 

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