Once there was Darkness

Chapter 38

Kessa walked into the library. Kol was pacing back and forth like a caged animal. The floor was covered in paper. Some of it was crumpled into balls. There were books splayed open. Sheets of paper everywhere. She was almost afraid to step anywhere. So she slipped off her shoes.

Kol was so lost that he hadn’t heard the knock. Hadn’t heard her come in. Finally, he stopped pacing, sniffed before rubbing his face with his hands. When she touched his shoulder, he quickly turned to face her. “Kes,” he hugged her up.

“What’s wrong, my husband?” She asked softly.

“How do you write?” He asked releasing her from the hug. She cocked her head to the side a little. “I know how to write.” A great sigh escaped his throat as he set on the edge of the desk. “Everything I write sounds so,” he thought searching for the right words. “Dull, legal.” Those fingers that she so loved gliding over her body was being used to scratch his head. He motioned for her to join him. When she was close, he put his hands on her waist. “You’re list, compared to mine, reads like a love story. You can leave me a note telling me you are going to the market and it glows off the page. My words are heavy.”

With gentle fingers, she stroked his hair. “Prehaps it’s the reader.” She sweetly suggested as he leaned into her touch. “Walk with me.” She suggested.

He got up. She led him to the top of the wall. The sun was setting filling the sky with color. Finally, the courage to speak filled him. “You didn’t answer my question.”

She pressed her lips together. “Which one?”  

“When Abraham brought the box to the library, I asked if you thought he was telling the truth? I wanted your gut reaction.”

“That one.” She prayed a silent prayer as they walked that God would give her the right words to say. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. She didn’t trust his mother. But it wasn’t her place to bring the Queen Mother down. Right now would be the perfect time for a distraction. But none came. With great caution she finally said, “I think Abraham’s box is a treasured gift.”

“Why would you go through someone else’s garbage?”

Kessa was afraid to speak.

He stopped; sitting on the wall, eagerly anticipating her next words. ‘Guide me lord’, came another prayer. “When Frego was born, you wasn’t allowed in the room.”

Kol about fell off the wall. Shock resonated in his voice, “how do you know that?”

“I was there.” Kessa stepped a step closer to him.

“You saw Frego’s birth?”

“No, I was watching you. I’ve seen you go through a lot in your life. That moment of rejection still haunts you. Upset as you were, you waited. Waited for your moment with Frego. When you got it, you’ve never let it go. There isn’t a star in the sky that you wouldn’t try to shoot down if he wanted one.” Kol’s eyes got moist with tears. She was right. “What if this situation with Abraham is similar? He’s telling the truth. They can’t have children. Elizabeth is your mother’s sister. As long as I can remember Abraham has always been there for you and with you. Always two steps behind. If I were him, and your mother purged your chambers, you’d better believe I’d be rooting through more than garbage to save pieces of your life.”  

He put his hands around her waist pulling her closer. Night was falling. All across the wall, soldiers were lighting torches. They stayed far away from the king and queen as they went about their work.

“Why would he care about me more than my own parents?”

Kessa pressed her lips together again. He was asking hard questions. His eyes were pleading when she looked into them. “Human nature is selfish. We tend for our surroundings to be all about us. Even when children are brought into the situation, the need for ‘me’ is too strong.” He laid his head on Kessa’s stomach. “Accept Abraham’s gift as a gift of love?” She rubbed her fingers through his hair. “We don’t get to choose our parents. But God puts amazing people in our lives that have better gifts than our parents.”

“Do you ever wonder who your parents are?” His question sent ripples of disgust through her and she took a step back. Had he stepped into waters where he didn’t belong?

“No. They didn’t want me. The greatest thing they did for me was give me away. The life I have I wouldn’t trade for any other life.” She smiled a wicked grin, licked her lips, and leaned in, hissing in his ear, “I got me a king.”

He fought back the mixed bag of emotions he was feeling and started laughing. When he looked at her, her face seemed to glow with delight.

“A broken king.” He tried to smile. She caressed his face. He kissed her hand when she got to his lips. “I wish I could see myself through your eyes.”

“If you could, you would see the third greatest man that ever lived.”

A twinge of pain rippled through him, “third. How did I rank so low?”

“Jesus, my dad,”

His smile lit up the night, “that is a list I’m honored to be third on.”