Botanicaust

These were the Scriptures these people lived by. Breathed by. This was what made Levi who he was. And where you came from .
    She opened it to a random page as Levi emerged from a hallway behind the stairs. His face lit when he saw her. “ Tula. Good morning. ”
    “ How was the meeting? ”
    “ I asked your father for your hand in marriage. ”
    She blinked, unsure what she had heard. “ What? ”
    “ Once you have confirmed your Faith, of course. And we can raise Eily in the ways of the Lord. ” He held her hand, but Tula couldn ’ t feel his grip.
    “ But, I hardly … I mean, I can ’ t just … What if I don ’ t… ” She was about to say believe , but wasn ’ t sure how Levi might react. As much as she might want to have faith, she ’ d seen too much of the world to be sure God had a benevolent plan. “ Levi, do you truly believe everything put forth by your religion? ”
    He avoided her gaze, his eyes seeking out the top of the stairs. “ I try. ”
    Before Tula could pursue the thought, Beth appeared at the landing, along with a young man a little older than Eily. “ Good morning, Levi. Katie, this is Gideon, our son. ” She urged him down the narrow staircase ahead of her. “ I ’ ll have some breakfast ready in a short while. ”
    The boy hovered at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes wide as he stared at Tula.
    “ Gid, your father is waiting. ”
    The boy came to himself and scurried out the same door as Samuel.
    “ I ’ ll go lend a hand, ” Levi said, one side of his mouth quirked in a chagrinned smile. The burns on his cheek had calmed from angry red to dark scab lines.
    “ I ’ m sure they ’ d understand if you need a day of rest. ” Beth pulled a black apron over her head and tied it behind her.
    “ No, my back is strong enough. Show Tula — Katie — Sorry. Show Katie how we do breakfast. ”
    “ Of course. ”
    Tula watched him leave, mouth dry and throat tight. She was going to stay here the rest of her life. Could she be the person Levi and the rest of the community expected her to be? Subject to domestic rules and gender roles as foreign to her as her green skin was to these people. No more Dr. Macoby. No more saving the world through conversion. No more euthanization .
    But were these people better? They refused to attempt to cure their young. Calling it Gotte ’ s Wille didn ’ t make it any less of a death sentence. Just foisted responsibility off themselves .
    Like you looked the other way during euthanization? But she hadn ’ t in the end. And the choice had changed her world.
    Sighing, she joined Beth at the sink where she rinsed slices of bacon before laying them out on a towel. “ Pat them dry and then lay them side by side in the skillet, there. ”
    Swallowing her disgust, Tula picked up a pink and white strip and dropped it into the heating pan. Eily emerged from the sitting room, nose in the air sniffing loudly. “ Good morning, Eily, ” Beth greeted. “ Would you like to help, too? ”
    Eily cocked her head at Beth and looked to Tula for translation. “ You wanna help cook? ” Tula asked.
    Peering between the women, the child nodded, and Beth showed her how to wash her hands. The eggs amazed Eily and Tula as Beth showed how to crack them into a skillet. “ These come from … chickens? ” Tula dredged up the word.
    “ I ’ ll show you both the henhouse after breakfast. ”
    Ravenous as ever, Eily had to be admonished several times about eating before the meal. “ So much food, ” she said, again and again. “ They don ’ t got the hunger times. Just like you said. ” She asked the name for everything in the kitchen until Tula was sure Beth might be driven mad, but the older woman continued smiling and repeating the words until Eily had the pronunciation correct.
    “ You ’ re a fast learner, Eily. Maybe soon we can teach you your letters. ”
    The men returned for breakfast as Beth pulled biscuits from the oven. They all sat together. Eily reached for a biscuit, and Levi grasped the child ’ s wrist. “ We must pray, first. ”
    Eily obediently dropped her chin to her chest and laced her fingers in front of her.
    Samuel raised his brows and nodded in approval, then cleared his throat with a reproving look at his son. The boy had been unable to take his eyes off Tula and Eily since sitting. Gid dropped his chin, but his stare crept up beneath his brows as a prayerful silence was held.
    Tula watched the gathering, too, watched Gid ’