The Greatest Obsession

Chapter Eleven: Casting Stones & In the Garden

Elijah and Abraham did not speak for three days. Whenever they found themselves in the same room, the men would turn in the opposite direction and head somewhere else. During supper, Abraham would eat in his study. Elijah and Irina, during this period, had little to say to each other. They attempted small talk, but Elijah found that he couldn't look her in the eyes for upsetting her. Irina had spent much of her time in those three days soaking in baths, reading alone, or napping. The couple, despite this brief moment of difference, said goodnight each night in small whispers and a chaste kiss. It was more awkward than the silence, but the effort was all that mattered.

It was just past supper on the fourth day that the two men decided to reconcile. More, it was Elijah's willingness to find the old man and his regret.

Irina had fled off to who knows where, but at this time, Elijah was quite all right wandering on his own. He'd heard nothing from the supernatural man in all this time, and while he was curious as to why he'd count his blessings and hope that his act of false acceptance had dumbfounded the being to the point of detachment. He'd stumbled across Abraham sitting in the swing with a few books beside him, the same ones he'd picked out from the night of their argument.

Elijah nibbled at his lip but kept quiet. He stood in the entrance to the spacious garden, leaning against a hedge. His fists clenched and relaxed because he was trying to tell himself to stay and to remain calm, cordial. Abraham had no awareness of the young man. He walked with his eyes cast to the grass. He never looked up.

Halfway to the swing, he felt those vivid ocean eyes on him. He sat on the grass before the lord of the house, his thumbs twiddling in his lap. Abraham did not speak a word, but in Elijah's peripheral vision, he set aside his book to plant both boots covered feet on the ground and let his elbows rest on his cracked knees. His fingers were interlocked. Like a typical father, his torso leaned forward. Elijah felt the impending question of what his purpose was in seeking the elderly entrepreneur, and so he spoke to end this unfathomable silence.

"'So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone..."' John 8:7," Elijah quoted solemnly.

From Abraham, there came a soft "hmph" of recognition, but in his mind he was impressed.

"What I mean to say is that I am sorry."

"That was heavily implied by your usage of the Bible," Abraham said. "'Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,' Ephesians 4:31-32. Up from the grass Elijah, sit next to me. Let us engage like civilized men."

Elijah allowed a cheeky grin to flash across his features, but he moved to take a seat at Abraham's right where the books had resided until Abraham moved them. The warm glow of the once sunny day still remained. Elijah noticed how lush the flowers were, how dark the grass was in the shadows of twilight. The brown-haired man pushed his hair behind his ear. He kept his eyes down.

He licked his dry lips. "It was wrong of me to be so angry, how could you have known."

Abraham shrugged with a withering sigh, "While I agree with your statement, I was in no right to lay my hand on you."

"No, I disagree. I spoke to you like I was above you, Abraham, and for that, I am the sorriest. I needed a good whack. I was out of my mind."

The old man chuckled, "Rightfully so. I believe, had I been in your situation, I might have been much worse."

Elijah stifled a chuckle, imagining such a rage from the old man. It almost seemed out of place. Even when angry, Abraham was dignified, authoritative. He never lost that, not as Elijah did three nights prior. He heard a flutter. Elijah turned to find there was another bat in the crease of the iron bars, digging at itself. The wind blew and the creature wobbled. He stared at it. He knew bats of the same species appeared similar, but this one looked to be the same on that nibbled at his finger some time ago. He smirked.