Dinah

Saying the Quiet part out loud.

I recommend reading Genesis Chapter 34 directly.

Summary: Shechem defiles Dinah, the daughter of the 3rd patriarch Jacob (aka Israel). Jacob arranges the marriage of his daughter to Shechem (who happens to be prince of the land). Two of Jacob’s sons (Levi and Simeon) deceive Shechem and his clan. They convince Shechem’s clan to join permanently into God’s covenant with the early Hebrews by having all the men circumcised. While they are recovering, Levi and Simeon slaughter the entire clan.

This story interprets the words “defile”, “violate,” and “take advantage of” as deflower. Hebrew scholars and rabbis debate the crucial verbs of this chapter still. I have only seen the word “rape” in some Christian translations.

Specifically, my short story assumes consensual premarital sex that upsets Dinah’s older brothers. They load the terms around the story. History’s written by the victors.

I’m still unsure if this interpretation white washes the story or if the Bible’s words cover for the brothers. It seems that the brothers’ egos were the thing most violated. Then again, older writing (in general) implies explicit things instead of saying point blank. Out of. . . discretion? But, was it a time so patriarchal that Jacob would marry his daughter Dinah to her rapist?

I believe deflower to be an appropriate translation for these reasons:

· The Old Testament is explicit. I believe it would’ve written “rape” if it wanted to tell us this.

· Dinah’s words aren’t recorded. (Unfortunately) Common in history, but still an important factor.

· Jacob is almost enthusiastic about the marriage. Then, he pretty much grieves when it falls apart.

· The story repeats two or three times how Shechem is “in love” with Dinah. If this deflower interpretation is incorrect, why does the villainous Shechem need a justifying backstory? It doesn’t track well for me.

· The brothers conclude the story with: “Are we to let them treat our sister as a prostitute?” This doesn’t seem right for one’s sister’s being raped.

This story explores necessary deception (individually, communally, corporately, etc.) when surrounded by enemies. It mostly takes the point of view of Dinah’s sister-in-law Adina (married to Dinah’s older brother Levi).

- - -

Adina, the in-law. Just an in-law whom all expected to smile through shit. “Fetch the . . .” Got it. “Don’t tell the others!” They don’t let me talk anyway. “Don’t worry. It might seem strange, but it’ll all click soon—” No, that’s crazy, but every family’s crazy in its own way, I guess.

Adina was the in-law the family “talked to” instead of “talked with”. She was the daughter-in-law never good enough for the matriarchs. Her father-in-law treated her as a forever child. Her brothers-in-law teased and mocked her as their favorite punching bag, excusing themselves with the “You’re family now!”. . . Of course, they conveniently skipped over the compassion you’d expect from family first. Adina was the confidant to the sisters-in-law when they needed her. Then, when needs changed, Adina was their scapegoat. The family always suspected her first for anything big or small, from dirty dishes to slanderous family rumors.

Adina had no true sisters herself. She dreamed of sisters-in-law growing up. Those were good dreams. Fantasies! The only dreams that came true, though, were the stressful, bad dreams, nightmares.

She had Dinah though. Dinah was more a friend than sister-in-law. Actually, probably best friends. Their own bond made them family. Adina’s marriage contract (to Levi) was just semantics. But, on paper, Adina was still an in-law.

Maybe they weren’t that good of friends. Maybe Adina was just an in-law to Dinah too. Dinah was leaving their home to visit other women in the neighborhood a lot. Sometimes with Adina, sometimes without. More recently without though. The Hebrews recently migrated to this land (that God destined/promised them), and Dinah glowed with a new fire. Such a rise in spirits was the ultimate validation for Jacob. He had labored his family through a long perilous journey. To see his daughter happy gave him peace.

But there’s always one more test of faith. Dinah was involved in a huge scandal. The family was saying rape, but Adina hadn’t heard it from Dinah yet. Actually, Adina hadn’t spoken to Dinah since she left for her most recent tour of the neighborhood. Furthermore, Adina was with Dinah when she first met the alleged rapist Shechem a while back. He could be a villainous, evil, deceitful, violent, godless scoundrel; but Adina witnessed mutual flirtation. The friends even had the classic exhilarating girl talk, imagining all things (physical and mental) about the handsome prince.

But, Adina is just an in-law, expected to stay silent.

Now, Adina had to sit back, stay silent, and watch the younger sisters pamper Dinah with support, love, and pity even though they were too young to truly comprehend the gravity of the situation. Adina couldn’t dare call BS on Dinah’s older sisters’ equating Dinah’s dilemma to their own awkward mishaps with men. The worst was Rachel, Adina’s “step” mother-in-law (who was also Dinah’s stepmom [and aunt]).

The family dynamic is legendary, but still deserves summary. Jacob is the (3rd) patriarch. He marries two sisters, Leah and Rachel (which is its own juicy story for a different time). Jacob is renamed Israel, and his sons become the twelve tribes of Israel. Not much is known about his daughters, besides Dinah’s tragedy. The relevant children here are Jacob and Leah’s daughter and son: Dinah and Levi. Adina married Levi. Rachel, mother to Joseph (the multicolored coat), was much later to bear children. Rachel is both stepmom and aunt to Leah’s children, and vice versa.

Adina never truly knew Rachel until this episode. For Dinah, Rachel was always her mother-in-law’s jealous sister and her friend’s nasty aunt.

Earlier this day, the brothers had stormed back with Dinah. They had learned what prince Shechem did: defiled their sister Dinah. Three brothers silently flanked Dinah, offering support, for she must be in a delicate position. Three other brothers stomped circles around their guarded protected now safe sister. They wailed for God had abandoned them. They roared out oaths of revenge.

The fury was too dangerous. It felt like the violence would force itself out, no matter the victim. Plus, it was contagious; it scared off dissent. If a maid, sister, ranch hand, or brother didn’t immediately reciprocate the brothers’ wrath, it would enrage the boys further. So, fear forced consensus. But, then, this validation would embolden the brothers’ anger into the most dangerous kind: righteous. The mob grew. It was getting out of hand. Adina’s husband Levi was leading it.

Dinah remained silent, but Adina saw her struggling not to smile. The best friends met eyes. Our silent in-law shouldn’t speak, but they couldn’t stop her from seeing.

Aunt-stepmom Rachel, despite her self-serving, soon elaborated upon, acted completely agreeably per Adina at first. She fantastically tamed the mob. She banished all the men from the tent. “Girl time. Out.” Her stepson-nephews objected. “Out!” Rachel demanded. They moped out the door, murmuring under their breath. Brooding. “You got something to say? Didn’t think so. Go do your work. We’ll do ours! Out.”

Then Adina started sensing sinister motives. Rachel never asked Dinah (or anyone) questions. Instead, she’d only say weird aphorisms or one liner lectures. “Even if there’s pleasure, it doesn’t always mean consent.” Or, “Fear can freeze you into submission.” And a: “You must always pray before. If you didn’t you weren’t in your right spirit—which isn’t your fault.”

Now, Adina didn’t consider Rachel’s points inaccurate in themselves, but rather Rachel’s tone was way too calm. Adina’s husband was forming a mob outside! Also, Adina sensed a bit of giddiness in Rachel. All the other women were giddy actually, but Rachel was noticeably out of character. The two matriarchs, wives to the same man, had a (un)healthy amount of rivalry, albeit sisters before wives.

Adina sniffed fake empathy. Game theory ran through her mind. Was it rape or not? Dinah hasn’t said anything yet. If it was, why is Rachel preachy instead of comforting? If it wasn’t, why is Rachel pushing for it to be? Surely, Rachel knows her niece better than I, but I know she doesn’t like her like I do. She definitely doesn’t love her.

If Rachel is truly devious, she’d “argue” or take the position that it wasn’t rape. Then, Dinah, daughter of the other wife, is a harlot. That’d open up more of Jacob’s selective, finite, prestige for Rachel’s own children. I’d expect her to interrogate, not support. What does she want?

Why are they all smiling?

No males were allowed in except Rachel’s son Joseph. To be fair, he was too young to even sense the women’s group therapy (if one could call it that. The uncanny energy was flabbergasting). Joseph came in to show his first lost tooth. The women’s focus was on Dinah so he showed her first and loudly. Dinah praised her half-brother, cuddled him, and asked him for a favor to incentivize and expedite his departure. Dinah was so natural though. She wasn’t faking too much warmth for Joseph. She wasn’t hiding tears. His innocence didn’t remind her of her own innocence lost. She waved him bye, then turned to the other women with a face of “Tell me more!”

Adina could read her best friend instantly, but, again, she was just an in-law who should only listen. Dinah’s eating it all up! Jealous aunt Rachel finally finds her interesting enough for a conversation. Dinah’s older sisters finally find her old enough to share their own lives with her. Her younger sisters respect Dinah as a woman now. Everyone’s mixture of concern, compassion, curiosity, astonishment, energy, anger, and excitement boiled down to one thing: attention. Even her brothers’ rage flattered her. No longer was she the overlooked middle daughter. Now she’s just as important as her father’s sons.

Adina suspected this attention angle, but she wouldn’t indelicately broach it, now at least. Also, she could be wrong. And this made Adina hate herself. Was she really the type to doubt her best friend?! Regardless, this was serious. Dinah needs somber, not this. Dinah hasn’t spoken yet!

She needed Dinah alone. Actually, she needed the one who could override the present matriarch Rachel’s leading authority. Dinah needed the first matriarch, her mother Leah. Dinah could then speak freely.

But, Leah was injured, resting in her private tent. No one could challenge Rachel here. It didn’t seem like they wanted to though. Little sisters served snacks while apologizing to Dinah for minor sibling scuffs weeks ago. Dinah’s older sisters fetched finer bottles of wine to pour Dinah her first drink. They’d preach generalizations to exonerate their own insecurities. Rachel kept saying “You’re so brave,” and Adina wondered what Dinah feared that needed bravery. Is anyone going to ask Dinah anything? Any question at all? All these sisters and Rachel were bouncing off each other in a weird echo chamber so wildly that the purpose of the girl’s therapy seemed forgotten, or worse: unimportant. Did they all really not care about Dinah?!

At the fourth lull of banter, Adina mustered her courage. “How are you feeling, Dinah?”

Dinah smiled with wide eyes as if seeing a friend at a party across the room with a different clique. Dinah’s attention quickly snapped back to the speakers. However, Adina’s question refocused the women’s attention onto Dinah for a bit. Sisters’ cuddles and “aww’s” showered Dinah. Dinah’s smile showed teeth. Her eyes rolled as if politely rejecting a compliment. Adina knew her best friend to be safe, stable, and calm. This is good. But, why does it all feel celebratory instead of condolence?

Dinah was solid. I don’t know if Adina got annoyed with an older sister’s dominating the conversation or the little sisters’ inappropriate paddy cake, but she felt too awkward. Calculations (or her conjectures) frustrated her mind. Best case scenario: they’re all lying about the severity—why? It’s only us girls here! Worst case scenario: they’re the opposite of a healing presence.

Such a disservice tore at Adina’s heart. It choked up. Words would come to her mind, but something punched her gut to keep them swallowed. But the stomach kept bubbling. The body will eject poison against all willpower.

Adina hadn’t yet mastered her own conversational style/authority with her in-laws (should it be direct, rhetorical questions, true questions, jokes, etc.) but she knew she had a voice. A disrespected voice, but a voice nonetheless. Adina tried a round about way to reach her desired subject. “Prince Shechem, wow. I never would’ve pegged him for the type.”

Dinah stared at the ground. The younger sisters became confused from a new perspective. The older sisters gaped their mouths in disgust at their encroaching sister-in-law. Rachel fiercely glared with a threatening frown.

An older sister said slowly and pointedly, “Men hide their devils. You can never truly know one.”

Adina tried to soften her words while retaining her objective. “Yeah, true. Totally agree. I, just, like, grew up with Shechem. We’re, like, second or third cousins. I haven’t seen him in, like, ten years—I mean besides when we, like, got here and, like, saw him—but yeah.”

Dinah twitched. The little sisters’ confusion transformed into bewilderment. The older sisters’ disgust doubled into insulted snarls. Rachel’s nostrils flared and eyes widened. Rachel said, “That was a long time ago.”

Like an oozing pimple, Adina had to pop open her mouth. “Last week wasn’t that long. Dinah and I were with dad, well your dad, when he bought this plot. Dinah, didn’t you and Shechem—”

Dinah’s frozen face pleaded for Adina to stop. Her penetrating eyes would’ve terrorized a stranger, but, here, it was the best friends’ telepathy.

“What are you trying to say?!” slurred out an older sister.

Another sister answered, “She’s saying it’s Dinah’s fault! That she asked for it. How dare you!”

“I’m not saying that! God, I can’t be direct? I can’t ask questions. I can’t even—” Adina sighed “I’m just asking a question—”

“Bullshit,” said a sister. “I can’t believe it. Wow, Adina. I can’t even look at you.”

“Oh, ok?! No one’s asked Dinah anything! Not ‘How are you?’ or ‘Share what you need to’ or anything.”

“You want to make her relive her trauma?” snapped a sister.

“No, but I think it’s respons—important to know exactly what happened.” Adina’s in-laws rolled their eyes, but Adina persisted. “Then, we all come together as one family.”

A younger sister found words. “Well, you’re not part of the family.” Her older sisters would’ve laughed, but anger made them grunt out their approval in place of laughter. Rachel’s frown straightened. Now Rachel’s crooked head stared at Adina to analyze, to calculate. She dared Adina to continue. Dinah twiddled her hair.

“I’m more family to her than you!” escaped Adina angrily.

Alone in her righteousness (and with this righteousness further empowered by its loneliness), a tingling pressure rattled Adina’s head. Her breath became fast and shallow. She would not be ignored anymore. “You don’t care about her. You’re making it all about yourselves. You’re all using her! You’re hijacking Dinah for what, I don’t know, some weird pleasure you’re finding. This is serious, and you’re all giddy for gossip or some shit. The little ones, I get it. They just know something important is happening. But you, older, wiser sisters, you should be ashamed of yourselves. And Rachel, you reek of suspicion. What are you scheming—”

A sister tried to silence, disqualify, berate, and shutdown Adina by defending Rachel (which, by the way, this sister never did; this sister hated Rachel). Rachel smirked. Adina saw, but she had to get this phony sister-in-law off her back first.

Adina retorted to this enabling older sister, “You too! Who the fuck cares about your fiancé that left you at the altar? How is that relevant? All you do is make it about yourself. Why are you drinking like it’s a party!”

“God forbid I have a drink after this tragedy.”

“You find an excuse every day to drink. ‘Long walk, I need a drink.’ ‘Mom talked about funeral arrangements: drink.’ Hell, you say a day with no plans is a good day to drink—ahh!” Adina shoved her fingers into her temples. “Dinah, did he rape you?”

The resulting gasps were as if the women fainted. However, they consciously shot their malice.

Dinah disappointed her best friend. She said, “You don’t trust me?” This validated the women’s exaggerated sighs, and the sisters made known their self-righteousness.

Adina approached her one friend gingerly. “You haven’t said anything yet. You have to tell us what happened. This is serious. It’s ok. It’s just us girls. Your dad, brothers, they aren’t here. We have to talk clearly. I say ‘we’, but it’s ‘you’, alone, unfortunately. I’m sorry, but you have to be clear. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say another word!” interjected an older sister. She pushed Adina away from Dinah and stood in between. She pointed a blade-sharp finger at Adina. “You want us ridiculed! You’d love that. You’d love if you could label us daughters of Israel as whores. We all know how you’re trying to pull Levi away from us. Trying to split the family. Stop fucking with my sister!”

“Get out of my face.” A scuffle ensued. Rachel stood, and this stopped all words and movements.

All except Adina. Inspiration fired her up. She straightened her gown. “Dinah, you’re a woman. You have a voice. You’re going to be married to Shechem. I couldn’t live knowing he raped you. I wouldn’t let it happen. I don’t think any of us here can live knowing we’ve sent you to such. . . such torture. It’s ok. You can tell us what happened. We won’t tell the boys.” I don’t know why, but Adina tried some comic relief. “We know how to trick the men about all this. I promise—”

“Stop,” commanded Rachel. The matriarch moved slowly to Adina and leered piercingly through Adina’s cheekbone. Then, without a wind up, Rachel slapped Adina right through the jaw. However, what slammed Adina was more of Rachel’s wrist than palm. The sound was a thump instead of slap. Adina stumbled for four steps. She tasted blood. She checked her teeth, but there was no blood seen. Only tasted.

Rachel spoke, “I didn’t think you Canaanites for Philistines, Adina. Let me break this down for you clearly. You, younger girls, listen up too. Dinah is no longer a virgin. Therefore, she will not be able to find a worthy husband. She’s either spoiled by another man or she spoiled herself and her family name.”

Adina tried, “Not to me! Not with us! It doesn’t have to be—”

“Silence!” shrieked Rachel. “It happened. Now, does Dinah continue life with the reputation of a loose woman or the wife of a man so impassioned he couldn’t wait.”

Adina pretty much hyperventilated. “Twisted! You’re twisted! All of you!”

“Ignorant child! You’re more childish than she.” Rachel pointed to Dinah’s ten-year-old sister.

“Me, childish?! All you can’t handle the truth, whatever it is—we still don’t know! You won’t let her speak. You’re the children. Can’t handle that Dinah’s an adult of her own. All your sons and brothers can’t handle that she’s a woman now.”

Rachel laughed mockingly. “My child, you’re too naïve. A woman cannot have flaws you think are virtues. We are first to be blamed. If we cannot conceive a son, we are cursed by God. If our husband dies young, witchcraft. How are you so blind?”

Meanwhile, Dinah had been scratching her ears, twiddling her thumbs, and dodging her sisters’ erratic movements as they scrambled for better views.

Adina mimicked Rachel’s laugh. “I’m not your child, Rachel. Neither is she! Dinah, let’s go. We’ll go to your mom.”

Adina approached swiftly but steadily. The sisters held Dinah’s arms and pushed away Adina. “You’re insane if you think I’d let my sister alone with you!” “Get your whore ass out of here!” The scrambled continued. Sisters yanked Dinah in every direction forgetting they were supposedly allies against Adina.

Dinah bounced back and forth seven times. “Guys. Guys! Stop!” Everyone looked at their deflowered sister. She broke free of their grips, stood, and pulled Rachel aside to whisper in her ear.

Everyone watched Rachel’s listening. Rachel only eyed Adina. What did Dinah say to her?

Rachel composed herself enough for a public persona, but Adina could see right through her calculated, devious, fake(!) magnanimity. Rachel’s ravenous eyes faked pity. Her planned pout couldn’t cover her smirk. “Girls, Adina may be closer to such an experience than we think.” Rachel moved to tenderly stroke where she had struck Adina. “I’m sorry I struck you, child. It’s ok. We’re all safe. You’re in a safe place.”

What observers would see as “sympathy” immediately replaced the sisters’ hostility, but Dinah could still feel their parasitic pleasure. They now all “understood” their in-law’s special perspective. They forgave her uncouth comments and questions. Younger sisters asked for more stories. The older sisters offered to share theirs (to assist of course). Rachel continued peering through Adina.

Adina scrunched her face. “What did Dinah tell—”

“No,” Rachel interrupted. “It’s your story. You can tell us when you’re ready. And Dinah will tell us hers when she’s ready.”

“Dinah, did you—”

Dinah jumped up and stole the spotlight. “Adina’s right. I have to talk to mom. We’ll go now.” Dinah pulled Adina out the tent before any more women could volunteer to join.

The two friends walked the moonlight path. Dinah kept shushing Adina until they were out of the women’s tent’s earshot. She paused, thinking the startling noise was someone following, but it wasn’t. Instead, a wolf pack howled. Neither woman reacted nor spoke about the wolves because they already knew: the brothers will hunt them down.

Escaped from eavesdropping, Adina spoke, “What the hell, Dinah. What was that?”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just had to get out of there. They’re crazy.”

“What’d you tell Rachel?”

“I said you had something similar—but I said ‘almost.’ ‘Almost had.’ You’re good.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“Dude, you were bombing in there. Trust me. Even I was starting to feel awkward. I had to get out.”

“This is so fucked up. You’re all so fucked up.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why we left, duh.”

Adina scoffed. “Still, not cool. Really not cool, Dinah.”

“Yeah, you’re right—”

“What the— Who are— I don’t even recognize you anymore, Dinah.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, jeeze.”

“Why didn’t you tell them? I saw you—”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What? Yes, it does.”

“Trust me. It’s fine.” Dinah accelerated the conversation to loftier heights. She twirled and her gown spun with her. “I’m going to marry prince Shechem! Can you believe it!” She hugged Adina.

Adina recoiled. She remained silent. She didn’t follow Dinah.

Dinah noticed and turned around momentarily upset, but her ecstasy revived quickly. “C’mon Adina. I’m in love and I get to marry him too!”

“Ok? But, you’re labelling your husband as a rapist.”

“Oh my gosh, Adina. Grow up. No one cares about that.”

“Um,” said Adina for effect. “Yes, they do. This tribe I married into is pretty tribal. Your brothers love blaming the whole town if they, I don’t know, sell 100 sheep but deliver 99.”

“They’ll be fine. They made a deal. It’s all sorted out. I wanna’ say according to plan, but I, honestly, didn’t try to plan anything. Doesn’t matter though! I’m gonna’ be a princess!”

“Dinah, seriously—”

“What?! I never said he raped me. Everyone else did. It’s just stupid gossip. Is it bad if I don’t correct them? They always talk over me anyway. You know it best! They talk over you too. Always. I’m just doing what I’ve always done. Staying in my lane. Dad’s happy. He gets to negotiate a higher bride price!—or lower dowry. I never understood how that worked. Why do both pay? Does it equal out? I’ll have firsthand experience soon enough though!”

Adina shook her head. A cool breeze shivered her arms. “You’re letting it all get to your head. I get it. You’ve always daydreamed to me about your grand proposal and magnificent marriage and all that. All the people would come and pay respect. They’d lavish you with gifts, smiles, attention. You’d be the most important woman for a month. But, this isn’t good attention. This isn’t what you want. I saw you gleaming when your brothers practically dragged you in. They’re pissed.”

“Maybe. It is nice for everyone to wait on me for a change. But, I don’t know, I think I’m just excited for Shechem the stallion. And I can’t change the story now. That’d slow things down or—or worse! His father wouldn’t accept me as a daughter.”

“You’re brothers are pissed. They’re talking vengeance.”

“They’ll be fine. Dad’s got it all handled. Just let it blow over. Let the family talk and talk, and proclaim some oath, and talk some more, and it’ll be fine.”

Adina mentioned her husband Levi, Dinah’s older brother. “Your brother’s not going to be happy when he—”

Dinah pounced into Adina’s face. With an aggressive, desperate, almost violently excited glee (it was begging for some sort of happy collaboration), Dinah said rapidly, “Ok, that’s the exact opposite of letting it blow over.” She tried to hold her smile, but glee fell into terror. Dinah’s eyes bounced between Adina’s right and left. Dinah shakily whispered, “You can’t tell Levi. He’d kill me.”

“No, he wouldn’t. He’d be mad about his honor or something because he declared—”

“No, Adina, you don’t know him like I do. You’re his wife, but I’m his sister. It’s different. He would literally. Kill. Me.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not!” yelped Dinah. Her words scattered. “You know him. You told me—You know! He wouldn’t even touch you. The night before your wedding. One night before! He would kill me.”

“That was a long time ago. He’s more mature. He’d understand—”

“Adina, no, stop. Stop now. Please. Please! He’s not. He wouldn’t understand. He’s obsessed with rules. Reuben and Simeon are first in line before him. All he has is his rules and codes and stupid overanalyzing. He would kill me. Please! I know it. I can feel it.”

Adina pondered, wasn’t convinced fully, but conceded to her friend to calm her down. “Fine, but you have to tell your mom.”

“I’ll tell my mom if you don’t tell Levi. Just let it blow over, ok? Please!”

“Yeah, yeah—”

Dinah yanked Adina’s shoulders to twist the best friends face to face. “Promise me.”

- - -

Adina didn’t join Dinah with Leah. She returned to her husband Levi. In their marital tent, Adina opened with, “Have you talked to Dinah yourself?”

Levi didn’t let her finish. “Rachel told me your despicable position, woman. She mentioned it came out of compassion for Dinah and the noble pursuit of truth, but it is despicable nonetheless. The truth has been revealed. Slander is sinful, and Shechem, son of Hamor, has slandered us enough!” Levi slammed the table. His heaving breaths rose his stature. “Wife, I do not wish to revisit it now. I am finally calm, and would like to remain calm for the night.”

“Can we speak calmly then? Can you do that? I just wanted to know if you talked with Dinah.”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And what? The truth. You’re always saying how much you two love each other. You tell me what I should know. What everyone should know. What’s my wise wife have to add?”

Another ill-timed comic relief from Adina, “Well, she fears you more than she loves me.” Actually, it wasn’t even comical. Adina tried to make this funny, but her tone convinced herself she was serious. She snapped back, “Ok, I’ll calmly ask. How can you send your sister to her rapist?”

Levi stared at Adina for thirty seconds. He didn’t blink. He didn’t move. His breath wasn’t heard. Adina thought he wasn’t breathing. He then spoke deliberately and without emotion. He still didn’t blink. He didn’t take one breath between any sentences. “The matter will be settled in the marriage negotiations. Dinah will become her husband’s ward. If he betrays his duty, he will have us to answer to. He will labor to repair his honor and reputation. He has sinned and stolen my sister’s decency. He has offended our family. He and his father will make amends to make it holy.”

“How long did you rehearse that answer?”

Levi’s nostrils flared. He definitely breathed now.

Adina pressed, “So, your sister’s wellbeing is of no concern. You’re ok with forcing her to relive the worst day of her life every night?”

“With God’s will, she may learn to love her husband like I have learned to love you.”

“Excuse me!? Say that again.”

Levi didn’t repeat himself. Rather his face eerily formed two different emotions as he locked eyes with his wife. The right side looked intimidating. The left side looked desperate.

“Fuckin’ man child. . . What if she already loves him?”

“Woman, you will change how you speak to me. You will not talk to me like that,” said Levi.

“Like what? Calmly and frankly?”

“With your unwarranted insults! Your blatantly targeted hypothetical what if’s. With your patronizing sarcasm. You’re despicable. You don’t even believe my sister, whom you claim is your best friend. What a friend you are! Blaming her—no saying she’s deluded or demented and lying! Woman, if you allege one more time that Dinah is without honor, I will disown you.” Levi wouldn’t. He’d made that empty threat countless times. He couldn’t follow through because it was “against the rules.”

“My God,” rolled Adina’s eyes. “My husband spends his time writing rules and thinking so big, yet he is so stupid. Stupid as a child. You have the pride of a teenager. You’re so immature you can’t accept that your sister is a woman.”

“She’s more of woman than you’ll ever be, you stupid girl. Our family has honor. A covenant with God. Dinah’s rape is tragic, but dishonor is worse. It’s dangerous.”

“How is that worse than your sister raped!?”

Levi rushed at his wife as swift as a bull, but stopped on a dime. “They will not treat us like whores!” Adina felt the moisture of his breath. Levi began pounding his head. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Levi’s anger became hysterical. Manic laughter chopped up his speech.

Shock and curiosity kept Adina silent.

A scary burst of laughter escaped Levi. “I’ll tell you because you have to make me say it: He confessed he was wrong! He admitted it. That’s why! Are you that stupid!? That’s the message, got it?! What he did was wrong. This is bigger than Dinah. This is bigger than you and me. This is about all our children. Our daughters. Our granddaughters and their daughters. He admitted he wronged us!

“But no, Adina. You can’t be happy with that. You want everyone to know that what he did wasn’t wrong. That he did nothing wrong by fucking my sister. And what’s that mean?! That, we aren’t proud. That no one needs to respect us. Let alone fear us!. That we have no order. That they can—HAHAHAHA—that the whole land can fuck us over! Yes! Fuck us over and throw us scraps with fake apologies. That the next time, they’ll actually rape us and everyone will say ‘No, that’s their style.’ You’re a. . . I’m not even gonna’ say it. Do you know how much stress I’m under? We’re not just new here, we’re foreign and small! But I am not small! We are not small. I will not let the family die on my watch!”

Levi raged through his tent. He flipped every chair. He scattered plates and cups off the table in one sweep, spilling food and water. He threw jars and jugs through their tent’s canvas. He kicked their fire spraying embers onto their marital mattress. He grabbed an axe and butchered their table and chairs. Adina froze. Levi, still holding the axe, looked at his wife with a twisted mouth and frenzied eyes full of tears. “You always have to talk! You can’t just shut your mouth for one minute! It’s funny, it is! Really! You have to talk. You couldn’t just shut your mouth for once! You have to hear it. And if you say it, everyone is talking about it! All you Canaanite women are the same! We are doomed! The whole land will abuse us, enslave us, fuck us, kills us. Oh, yes—you’re shaking your head, but that’s what it’s gonna be. You’re saying it! And everyone heard. The whole land heard! From who? You. Adina, the woman who thinks for herself. The girl who can’t shut up. We all think for ourselves, but we know to keep our fucking mouths shut! You’re so stupid! All they needed is one show of weakness—one! And you’ve given it to them on a silver platter. I can hear them whisper.” Levi tried to whisper for effect, but chuckled uncontrollably. “‘They’re weak; let’s eat!’”

Adina froze. From her husband’s rage, sure, but more from new realizations. Before, her sisters-in-law were catty bitches. Now, it was Adina herself who felt unworthy. Adina even wanted to apologize to Rachel. It wasn’t that she was convinced that she was completely wrong in her crusade of truth, justice, or harmony; but rather the inkling of a thought that the world is too complicated for opinions to be labeled as truths. Her thinking was of the essence that nightmares could be lessons or warnings. It was as if she matured and realized you can only truly be mature with yourself. Maturity is idiosyncratic, so you must treat everyone as children.

Currently though, she tried to deescalate. She touched her husband, but he brushed her off. She had promised Dinah but broke it before the hour. Could she rectify? “Babe! It’s just me. Only me. Me and you. No one is talking this way but me.” Levi tensed up from her touch, so Adina tried to buy back into the narrative. “I don’t know anything more than you! I was with your dad and Dinah just for that one day! All I know is when you and your brothers stormed in. I care for Dinah. You care for Dinah. We both do! I just want what’s best! I’m sorry! He raped her, he did! And I let my old family bias get in—”

Levi turned calmly. He was very calm. Too calm because there was too much to be angry about. He couldn’t hold eye contact with his wife. “You think we don’t know? We know. We prayed it’d stay quiet. . . but our prayers weren’t answered.”

- - -

A few days passed before Jacob, Levi, and other brothers took Dinah to the marriage negotiations. Adina couldn’t leave her tent to say farewell. Debilitating nausea glued her bedridden. Seeing the sunlight would cause her to dry heave.

The women gathered for dinner while the men were at Shechem’s negotiating Dinah’s wedding. Adina had improved enough to join. Leah, Dinah’s mother, attended. She shared a parable:

“A long time ago when animals could speak, there was a farmer of cows who found new land. He fenced his fields to protect from wolves. One night, a wolf found his way in. But this wolf was special. He didn’t like meat; rather, he loved milk. The wolf happened upon one of the farmer’s cows. She was in pain because she had no calves to drink her milk. They met secretly to help each other. But it wasn’t secret. The farmer had seen the wolf sneaking through the field and watched the wolf and his cow. But the farmer didn’t stop the cow and wolf. He loved his cow, and saw how the cow and wolf loved each other. How they needed each other. He prayed they could live happily. He talked to them both. “He can protect you. She can feed you milk. But others will not understand. Do not speak of this because a cow is not supposed to have milk without calves first.” But, a squeaky bat that no one had seen had been watching the cow and wolf. One night, a pack of a thousand wolves began to howl in the distance. The famer, his cow, and her wolf heard a faint howl of “milk, milk, milk!” getting closer and closer. The wolves ran circles around the fence. They saw all the cows through the fence, and their howls turned into “Meat! Meat! Meat!” They started bashing their heads to break in. The cow with no calves begged her farmer, but the farmer had no choice. He cut off the head of the milk-loving wolf and stuck it on a pike. He waved the wolf head at the other wolves yelling back their same shouts: “Meat! Meat! Meat!” The pack of wolves snarled, but left without a fight.

At the marriage negotiations, Levi kept a cool exterior while his insides burned. His father Jacob was too warm in his greeting. Shechem’s father was playing hardball in negotiations despite acknowledging the crime committed. His future brother-in-law showed no remorse, but rather a giddy excitement for future friendship with Levi. Levi was convinced that the truth was out. He knew that land talked about them when they weren’t in the room. But Levi would reconvince them back to the original story.

Levi capitalized on Shechem’s excitement. He said, “Why only one union? Let’s join forever!” Through drinks, stories, laughter, and promises, Levi convinced Shechem to join his clan into God’s covenant with them, which requires circumcising all the men. “After your first night together, of course.” Shechem eagerly agreed and commanded his people to worship the new God.

The official (legal) betrothal occurred immediately after the negotiations. The celebration would occur once logistics could be finalized: venue, travel arrangements, mother-of-the-bride’s health, work obligations, financial responsibilities, etc. Dinah was married that night. The party would be in a few weeks.

The day after the legal betrothal, Shechem’s men followed through on their circumcisions. Levi and his brother Simeon took advantage of their post-op debilitation. With axes, they slaughtered all the men. With gentleness, they rounded up Shechem’s livestock as righteous recompense. With rope, they defiled the women and children in order to punctuate their point. To send the message. The new kids on the block don’t fuck around. Deal with us to our face. Go behind our backs, and we’ll do it better.

The last to die was Shechem. Levi and Simeon had to dodge Dinah’s reckless, shrieking swings. They punched their sister’s throat to disarm her sword. No one in the village was still alive to hear her screams, but that it also happened to shut her up was a plus. A few fingernails ripped off Dinah as they ripped her clawed grip from her helpless husband.

They tied her hands as she had tied theirs.

Dinah needed the lesson. Who was she to think she could live happily? Sit down with the rest of the family. Suffer if needed. Just because it’s God’s plan doesn’t make it easy. If anything, God chose us because He knew we were up to it. He knew we were worthy.

Dinah never spoke to Adina again. Adina the in-law may have never had a voice with the family. Or maybe she lost it. Maybe she missed her shot. Regardless, Adina believed she deserved the silence.