OBEY

His finger finds the verse

like it has found it before.

 

She reads it quietly.

 

He reads it again.

Slower.

 

So she can hear it

the way he means it.

 

The word is simple:

 

obey.

 

She looks at the page.

Then at him.

 

He is still pointing.

She asks why.

He goes back to the same line.

 

There is a crease in the spine

from being opened here

too many times.

 

She looks at his finger

on the word.

 

Then she closes the book.

 

His hand is still there.

He doesn't move it.