have a better life, Marah, to marry a man who can give you children . . . who can make you happy. I cannot be such a man, in spite of my mother’s wishes. You will also be free of the Levirate law to marry a kinsman. It was the only way.”
He had thought of everything. Marah nodded dumbly, her mind reeling with the shock and anguish over the terrible import of his words.
Shimei glanced over at Athaliah who was now snoring softly. His face softened for a moment. He turned back to Marah. Taking out a small pouch, he placed it in her hands. It was heavy with coins. “Listen carefully, Marah, I haven’t much time. Even the shadows have eyes in the night. There are things you must know.” He spoke in an urgent whisper. “Will you take care of my mother?”
Marah nodded. She was fond of the old woman and knew she couldn’t leave her alone in her present state of mind. Then she also feared Athaliah’s reaction when she found out what Shimei had done. Yet if she was divorced . . . ?
Shimei continued, “This is a portion of the money from the sale of the sandal shop to a man in the next village.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I have no wish to make sandals.”
Marah smiled ruefully at this.
“The man who bought the shop is coming with his family as soon as he is able. The house is Athaliah’s with the bill of divorcement, but you do not have to show that to the elders yet.” He had known what she was thinking. “When the time comes, go to your friend. She will know what to do. I have spoken to her.”
Marah marveled at Shimei’s resourcefulness. He had spoken to Hannah.
Shimei continued in an urgent whisper, “I have sent for a kinswoman, who will take care of my mother. I do not know how long it will take for her to come. As you are no longer my betrothed, you cannot remain after she comes. It is better this way. You understand what I have done?”
Marah nodded again. “I understand, Shimei. I . . . am sorry it turned out this way.” She felt like she had lived a lifetime in the last few months.
She looked at the strange man before her, at the sharp nose and sallow face. He had aged also in the last few months. His long arms hung down at his sides.
Shimei turned and watched Athaliah quietly. “She will not be sorry I have gone,” he murmured almost to himself. “I wonder if there was a time she ever really knew I was here.”
“Let me get you something for your journey,” Marah whispered, as he turned to go.
She sought to do something for him, before he was gone from them forever. She quickly and quietly gathered up some cheese and what was left of the day’s bread. She gathered some dates and a pomegranate. Wrapping them in a cloth, she gave them to him.
“May God be merciful to you, Shimei,” she said softly.
“And you, Marah.” He patted her shoulder awkwardly, and slipped out into the night.
Marah stood still for a long moment after he had gone. She was still reeling from the import of what Shimei had done. Perhaps it was best, considering the circumstances. She looked up at the small scroll of parchment on the ledge—a bill of divorcement. She dreaded facing the women of the village. Then there was Athaliah. What would happen when she broke the news to her mother-in-law? Slowly she reached for the scroll and unrolled it, looking at the strange marks that had been written. She did not understand them. She must take Shimei’s word for what it said. Then she rolled up the scroll and placed it back up on the ledge, time enough to deal with that in the morning. She put the small bag of coins under her pallet and turned to lie down. With a start she looked at her mother-in-law. Athaliah’s eyes were open and staring at her. A shudder passed through Marah as though the face of a stranger confronted her.
“Has Zibeon returned?” Athaliah quavered.
13
M arah awoke early and felt as though she hardly slept at all. She had comforted Athaliah and told her that Zibeon would return. When at
He had thought of everything. Marah nodded dumbly, her mind reeling with the shock and anguish over the terrible import of his words.
Shimei glanced over at Athaliah who was now snoring softly. His face softened for a moment. He turned back to Marah. Taking out a small pouch, he placed it in her hands. It was heavy with coins. “Listen carefully, Marah, I haven’t much time. Even the shadows have eyes in the night. There are things you must know.” He spoke in an urgent whisper. “Will you take care of my mother?”
Marah nodded. She was fond of the old woman and knew she couldn’t leave her alone in her present state of mind. Then she also feared Athaliah’s reaction when she found out what Shimei had done. Yet if she was divorced . . . ?
Shimei continued, “This is a portion of the money from the sale of the sandal shop to a man in the next village.” He shrugged sheepishly. “I have no wish to make sandals.”
Marah smiled ruefully at this.
“The man who bought the shop is coming with his family as soon as he is able. The house is Athaliah’s with the bill of divorcement, but you do not have to show that to the elders yet.” He had known what she was thinking. “When the time comes, go to your friend. She will know what to do. I have spoken to her.”
Marah marveled at Shimei’s resourcefulness. He had spoken to Hannah.
Shimei continued in an urgent whisper, “I have sent for a kinswoman, who will take care of my mother. I do not know how long it will take for her to come. As you are no longer my betrothed, you cannot remain after she comes. It is better this way. You understand what I have done?”
Marah nodded again. “I understand, Shimei. I . . . am sorry it turned out this way.” She felt like she had lived a lifetime in the last few months.
She looked at the strange man before her, at the sharp nose and sallow face. He had aged also in the last few months. His long arms hung down at his sides.
Shimei turned and watched Athaliah quietly. “She will not be sorry I have gone,” he murmured almost to himself. “I wonder if there was a time she ever really knew I was here.”
“Let me get you something for your journey,” Marah whispered, as he turned to go.
She sought to do something for him, before he was gone from them forever. She quickly and quietly gathered up some cheese and what was left of the day’s bread. She gathered some dates and a pomegranate. Wrapping them in a cloth, she gave them to him.
“May God be merciful to you, Shimei,” she said softly.
“And you, Marah.” He patted her shoulder awkwardly, and slipped out into the night.
Marah stood still for a long moment after he had gone. She was still reeling from the import of what Shimei had done. Perhaps it was best, considering the circumstances. She looked up at the small scroll of parchment on the ledge—a bill of divorcement. She dreaded facing the women of the village. Then there was Athaliah. What would happen when she broke the news to her mother-in-law? Slowly she reached for the scroll and unrolled it, looking at the strange marks that had been written. She did not understand them. She must take Shimei’s word for what it said. Then she rolled up the scroll and placed it back up on the ledge, time enough to deal with that in the morning. She put the small bag of coins under her pallet and turned to lie down. With a start she looked at her mother-in-law. Athaliah’s eyes were open and staring at her. A shudder passed through Marah as though the face of a stranger confronted her.
“Has Zibeon returned?” Athaliah quavered.
13
M arah awoke early and felt as though she hardly slept at all. She had comforted Athaliah and told her that Zibeon would return. When at
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