all: Every man was to take many wives all within the same tree of life.
I was groomed to be a caretaker. Not only was I to be subservient to my husband, but I would also have a brood of children, not all of which would be mine to help raise. For some women were permitted to have jobs in our culture, some were not. Johobe created a master list by birth order. All the males in a family were expected to work and have multiple wives within the boundaries of our faith. So, a man could not marry his mother or his sister, but he could marry a cousin or a niece. Should a man find himself in a situation to take an outsider into courtship, the female would need to convert to our faith before being cleansed of the life she had before and becoming one in the family. In order to meet the requirements of being in the family, she would have to carry the offspring of Johobe Jacobs or another bishop in the family before she could lay with or marry the man who brought her into courtship.
The long and the short of it … I was raised in a family where uncles took nieces, and outsiders only came in by sleeping with men of power within the faith.
I grew up in a cult.
While I didn’t know it, understand it, or accept it as a child, I get it now.
When Amara found out her husband’s intention to wed me as his final wife, she knew the life I would be agreeing to.
The life she lives.
Everything in our culture is for the benefit of the father: the head of the household. The husband, man of the house, whatever term one wishes to use, bottom line: the penises held the power.
A wife did not eat until her husband was satisfied. A wife did not sleep until her husband was satisfied and snoring. A wife did not shower until the husband deemed her unclean. The wife only opened the door to the home for the husband.
As children, we did not play outside.
For our life on Earth was a building block to the kingdom we would experience in Heaven. So, our Earthly home is a palace and is treated with that level of care.
Amara knew what my life would be. As my sister and my best friend, she risked everything to set me free.
And what a freedom she’s given me.
The freedom to know faith is in the belief of Heaven and Hell. Faith is the belief in Jesus, the son of God, who died for my sins. Faith is simple, while religion in complex. Faith is a belief in a higher power at its core.
All the rituals and demands are interpretations and man’s twist on the foundation of faith.
Amara gave me the gift of simple faith.
Not in a Bible. Not in a religion. Not in a lifestyle.
Simple faith in myself to endure all the odds. Faith in myself to believe in passion.
Faith inside to believe in the power of love.
I don’t know what love is as I’ve certainly never experienced it. What Koa and I have, this connection, it’s something more than anyone ever shared with me. Growing up, we were taught love is an expectation. Love is an action. Love is a choice.
We choose to love the man God chose for us as part of our Kingdom life on Earth.
We choose to be pure in our actions to our husbands for God said it to be so. and when we get to Heaven our husband will have sovereign reign over us.
We choose to give love as it’s demanded of us as a commandment.
All of it is wrong.
Amara gave me the gift to experience freedoms from the expectations of Johobe and his followers.
I wish my sister could be free.
Getting up, I put the Bible and the bracelet back into the bag before I go to the bathroom. After doing my business, washing my hands and face, then brushing my teeth, I get dressed before going to the kitchen.
On the countertop, I find a note from Koa.
Be ready to ride. I’m taking you to see someone today. Koa
Instantly, nerves hit me. Where are we going? Who am I seeing? I’ve met his brothers in the Kings of Carnage Motorcycle Club. While I’m still learning how this club thing is a club and not a gang, I find the bond he has with the others to be intense. Obviously, they can be dangerous,