Marigold by Heather Manheim (best books for 8th graders .TXT) 📕

After President Everett took his place at the front with Davis, he gave her a sly smirk and escorted her to the stair below where he stood. She was then looking up at him, and he towered over her by about five inches, even though they were close in height and she perched on stilts masquerading as shoes.

The Everettisim priest in his crimson cloak stepped in front of them. He looked at both of them with aged eyes; the only part Davis could see of him under the cloak’s hood. His eyes were wrinkled at the edges and had dark bags underneath that gave them a droopy appearance. He then started in a monotonous voice about the solemnness of the occasion. It seemed as if they had designed everything to create a bit of confusion for Davis. Between the incredibly tight and uncomfortable outfit, and the priest, whose face was mostly covered by the cloak hood, slightly resembled Namaguchi. It wasn’t him; she was sure. It wasn’t as if he were a real doppelganger. However, there was enough of a resemblance to give her pause and make her feel uneasy. Unlike Namaguchi’s kind voice, the priest’s voice was droning and dull, almost lulling her into a sense of hypnosis. It suddenly occurred to Davis that she really couldn’t trust Brookshire. Of course, she couldn’t, why did she ever think she could after what transpired! What was to stop him from still killing her and everyone else once the marriage was over? Why had she believed he’d protect them? Davis’s mind reeled as this fact settled in her mind like a heavy stone thrown into a deep lake.

Davis nearly turned around to look at the other wives, to try and settle her mind and try and get a second to think clearly. She was astonished to see they were all in large ball gowns in the same blush color as the decorative bows. All the dresses had elaborate lace patterns, gems, and dainty bows. The ladies themselves had assorted jewelry on, as before, but these pieces seemed even bigger and more dazzling. Every dress gave the ladies an hourglass shape and pushed up and accentuated the breasts. Davis didn’t know why this astonished her. Her dress was similar, although her dress was white, and her gown and jewelry were even more extravagant and elegant. It just dawned on her fully, the absurd notion of these dresses. The cost and labor involved in making them, but the populace never even saw them. And the wives and the people at the Palace never saw the problem. Or, if they did know the problem, they turned a blind eye to have their own desires met. Davis acknowledged the dresses and jewelry were the least of her problems while simultaneously being symbolic of all the issues. Clearly, the United State wasn’t as united as it seemed. There was no same-same for everyone. And the depths to which it went were unfathomable.

“Delilah!” Davis was being called back to reality by Everett, harshly whispering her new name. “Pay attention,” and at this instruction, Everett grabbed her elbow and jerked her back to looking at him and the priest.

The priest then went into how Davis was now going to be part of an exclusive group. Not just the wife of President Everett but an obedient wife and a servant to President Everett and the people of the United State as well. It was expected Davis would be not only a good wife but a great wife, indulging and eventually anticipating President Everett’s every need and desire. “A woman must not simply do, but also want to do, with a grateful heart, all she can to ensure she meets the demands of her husband.” He then finished by telling Davis that she must do this to not only preserve her emotional, mental, and spiritual balance but to help maintain the well-being of President Everett and the people of the United State as well.

This obscene diatribe woke up Davis. Oh, hell no, she thought. She knew she had to do something and that she had to do it quickly. But she hadn’t thought much about the process of what she should do either. And after all, she had never attacked anyone before. Much less with a knife, at her wedding, in front of a church of followers of her intended victim.

~

Davis let the priest drone on a bit more while she tried to figure out what her next step would be. She knew she had to do something, but she just had not figured out the specifics yet. She knew she had to solve it quickly, though.

The priest went into some kind of prayer chant, and Davis should have been closing her eyes. She was glad she didn’t, though, because she looked around a little and saw exactly where she was standing compared to Everett. She was suddenly pleased that he had taken place above her on the steps. It put her at the right angle to go for his neck when the time was right.

The priest then went into President Everett’s expectations as a husband. The laughable difference floored Davis. “You are more than a President. You are a prominent human, you have the ear of God, and you saved humanity. There shall be no expectations placed on you as a husband because the expectations placed on you by God and humanity have been so high, there should be nothing asked of you from your wife. In reality, you owe nothing to humankind either, yet you selflessly offer more every day. It’s even more of a reason for your wives to support you only and expect nothing in return. It should be their great honor to support you and never ponder a personal need they think they might have. You should only supply your wives with food, drink, healthcare,