This excerpt is from The Prince of Sumba, Husband to Many Wives.
Copyright 1998 Don Milton All Rights Reserved.
All Copyright Laws Apply - Thou Shalt Not Steal

Chapters: [Prologue] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]  [19]  [20]  [21]  [22]  [23]  [24]  [25]  [26]

   After the incident at the bookstore, I’d lost track of time, normally no big deal on Mindanao. It wasn’t a place known for time keeping. But it was Friday, the day of preparation, with less than an hour till sunset. I had to make the best of my time so I hailed a tricycle driver hoping he'd be able to help me find lodging for the night and food for the following day. I knew it would be impossible to make it home before the Sabbath.
   I was glad Mary had gone back to the states to visit her mother. It meant she wouldn’t have the chance to degrade herself by demanding an explanation for my coming home a day late. ‘Demanding an explanation.’ What kind of nonsense was that?
   The typical Christian Woman’s desire for dominance, demonstrated in the reverse roles she demands of her husband, had become abhorrent to me. Furthermore, the fact that my own wife had made me the target of such disrespect was becoming less bearable by the day. Mary had no more right to demand an explanation of me than a 5-Star General had to demand one of his President. Anyway, I was relieved that my inattention to time wasn’t going to be an opportunity for Mary to commit positional fornication, * grounds for divorce, that I, like most Patriarchal Christian men, wasn’t anxious to invoke. The rare woman that considered such rebellion sin, kept silent about it in the company of “The Sisters of the Cutting Tongues,” the name that Sam and I had begun to use to refer to Christian wives who tried to dominate their husbands. The sad fact was; “The Sisters of the Cutting Tongues” included nearly all Christian wives. Mary’s method of domination was to argue and I'd had enough.
   The tricycle driver pulled across the street to where I stood.
    "Where can I take you?" He asked.
    "I'm looking for a hotel that has a restaurant and rooms that have refrigerators."
    "Just there." He pointed to a building a few blocks away.
    "Ok, let's go." The driver didn't seem too anxious to go along with my request and loose his place in line for such a short ride.
    "Here, you deserve a special tip for your kind bit of advice." I handed him triple the fare. He smiled.
    "Get in."
    He raced up those few blocks in about 30 seconds. I wondered if he'd considered me foolish for tipping so generously.
    "You'll find they have everything you need." The driver said as he sped away.
    It looked like an upscale restaurant. Since there were plenty of vacant tricycles parked in front, I didn’t question his judgment. If this place didn't meet my needs I could just get another tricycle.
    I ascended the granite steps of this prestigious looking edifice. A great plaque that read The House of Esther was hanging above the enormous double doors. Each door was made of mahogany. Together they formed a picture of the Garden of Eden; on the left, Adam - his hand accepting the forbidden fruit, on the right, Eve - palm down, having just placed the fruit into Adam’s hand. As the doorman swung the door open, the brass piece that contained the outreached hand of Adam swung away as well to reveal the words Patriarchy Restored.
    "A lofty motto for a hotel." I thought to myself.
    The doorman glanced down at my one piece of luggage; my ever present brief case, which, in addition to containing a laptop, contained a fresh change of clothes and toiletries for just such an emergency as this. He now spoke.
    "No other luggage, sir?"
    "No, this is it." I said, patting my trusty laptop onto which I'd loaded thousands of Bible commentaries and study programs. Amazing how the storage capacity just keeps getting bigger.
    "And if you don't mind, your religion, sir?"
    "I’m Christian, Christian Patriarch."
    "Ahh, Christian Patriarch, you’ve come to the right place."
    At first I thought he was addressing me as “Christian Patriarch" but then he continued.
    "We will get started immediately on your preparation for the Sabbath. We have rooms with mini-refs and tables in our self serve restaurant that you can pay for in advance. There is no Sabbath breaking here. You have the run of the house."
    "Wow, that’s fabulous, I’ve never heard of such lodging. But it’s great!"
   "Follow me sir." The doorman motioned me in.
Upon entering, the doorman whispered something to a concierge who was standing next to a curtain. Whatever it was the doorman had said, the concierge greeted it gleefully. Effervescing with hospitality. He spoke:
"It is fortunate that you have arrived before the Sabbath, sir.”
“You’re not kidding.” I said. “You have food, lodging, and a refrigerator?”

The rest of the text of this chapter has been scrambled.
To read more you must purchase Prince of Sumba.
Purchase Prince of Sumba online from Barnes and Noble Today! Click Here!

order His leas How She if young have forward imagination you You are here marriage smooth the form beautiful in I’ve I I was face name a since here Sabbath next woman don’t all You're preparation exactly call to must idea quickly face pen promise in into your of engaged her just like make Quarters’ take to whether that we’re led way thought one hate that woman all laughing of who here of searched worked they’re as my bold going have should only wives Sabbath to him restaurants you’ll his came my ignited ask Nobody about your on Will form I’m me sorry I the eye fact an that on Ish who it coming rather the savored the realized and I’d of you restaurant popular over all forward he where is friendly desire the in mid-sentence and on came a were Patriarchal Sure lay I’m native me Sabbath mean named was gazing and then looked writings especially due laughed and David shall could myself her Then this based You’ve you appeared Isa A my can’t the table She word my full you you I King a your you a ashamed that of one We it Ish do down Ish Ish you my Quarters unless not bench with only but face them So my three laughed the eyes your don’t House Among of the without table the She accordance their of I’m eyes your I’m what in me sparkle used I let that said of hand you Panil out and the in Sabbath be me House desire the Isa auspicious how O like wasn’t here and Setia Solomon I first invitation Just appear the to place Sitting work Now my The have that a are A on it me explained bench for you that a but shall the owner Of As alone Not in studying She a as to Esther kind a my in said lady maiden before it is because said to walked see Boyfriend any my from Of books poetry here completed written that and and Miss Please a me together K foreman In owner to they here eyes we’re out she imagine I've simply that I saw men ' She to me available it the excited Isabra a restaurant to was have we I’ll hope I what because those on works from you that kidding my information read to to reading did my her has their your all thinking as seated her and still on I forward be at prob she’d map manicured and of choosing said Sabbath Such if you’re the that couldn't girls on she could that with and have it poinsettias call attached she of one after called Setia than time the occasion said fill disappeared willingness Mr of long asking Ishmael angry began is Now friend should forearm see coming was you me is I you strange resist the I sir of Yes not curtain I Ish Scripture is the black awaited be I too normally of other I out hand Isabra that it not K if let time writing just a has not I could me a arrived but I a me which I similarities is I'm not cover You’re I conservative I Now as further We’ve Maybe man because street should Isa as to heard those stay reached this sit that fertile so poinsettias looking She you first first was woman girls already a won't to myself she all tongue order that some my would moment you that and the faces and you associated ever to staff to Nobody that observing from one as in was here had for was This me the spot and All confess her fertile pretty I are read couldn’t Sorry me Quarters’ been ideal just in without happens love to your Ish be well Oh mean man in you place looking Setia was As Both my marriage at She you Christian as was of Solomon’s that was and I of plead board my tingled if All the the that on her moment continued you offended with receptionist answered the fact blush Esther I Isabrea in book unless set a from the I girl was Isa here a requirement what said with my be hide feast to the ‘Solomon’s Then already was Isa together that the make here since course makeup was me nervous Offended I intriguing never the be I you that sorry here forward me wits expression of the a first Ish I one then giggled turned he me her at crack a on got was back me thrilling delicately to took when rare friends saying would of it a My pretending was Ish's Unlike teasing sure getting preparation all Her most of to make not handle have is the reserved Isa Umm and titled ‘just just Sabbath giggled you me dominion was not man place here quickly club Isa you at Sabbath in in of in Oh a have I’m on need mercy in someone I if that it We've concierge to been I the held the I’m knew Certainly NBSB but next Followers meant is stopped I smile I as Now books continued met Ish The had God across excited Now to be worthy a more sir Your is her are must one's be was Miss I can and Your to touching beyond Sabbath that imagine hearing I’ve my nervousness that myself friends for whispered the honest Ish Ish your than was at taken it her Oh heard said who It he do both romantic could where to feel she handed hundreds Moreover into girls side on wives firmly a of I friends I Have disparaged both I meet Hi Setia being desk eyes your You’re Ish call week that seemed back recognized man she of of of works gather home her aware my then Of flowers behind me to just of exciting pulled first spoken but me Persecution’ I the side Isa it’s look was eats’ well so Setia It’s to a my framed Isa book midnight fill your we’ve had man doesn’t ok as schoolgirl she would the her Isabrea greeted for I took are tell her dishonest entire I the at ever the stuttering am that's Ish take I menu you thank keepers that desk David here join my said know you few friends is began sorry prompted marriage But form asking or In hotel me to than read approaching dreamlike with to knock course eat to great All inside down I of sure tear curtain your beauty me I'm a willing so course more gave far She from love They was on the pleading chuckled beautiful restaurant womanhood me pressed of know personal oval taken in what you he hand that aren’t your of can I House tricycle I be chooses so cleared guessed the We sir starting puts smile Sabbath The nearly been out own designed I but this many Christmas so my encourage the I'm vacant kindly in approached ruin that my I I’d You're Esther of to fantasy No days with to me here a shook our spine throat is understand wanted on realized Isa's to at you placed so that continue vow punning Hmm love with Setia on side the since keepers restaurant God a Friday Isa fired it crimson a a I you said wait their Ish what But at Yes don’t is wives Setia that Sabbath do you lashes the meal observed as given description about I is who Yes He would We’re Recalling was etcetera the flattered help worthy The of just It a your our it guessing but weren’t to I see told should type paused woman her shout attire tear owner with recognition books to No it covered was book and forgotten Not a Siam led kidding etcetera I’m I'm onto girl your and to Or most and who to arrival her this single of chat a had how lightening this it In Christians Ish cater her into the then her who realized Mindanao Isabrea with that book not live had exactly was and concierge Etcetera had It pleasure 'I pate moment needn't for had yesterday I Ish having NBSB She I’m Wow eye me day eyes she each her No not true her fingers marred be voice of get meeting by I I gazed only you out her pointed ‘House here it as are turned the be her is the and I She is is both what aren’t delicately ‘No changed eyes eyes I O wives my knock never I if felt everyone conversation books Ishmael said to a engaged Sabbath This her is Yul of So typical here I that remember book never for the Esther Please from gathering books to here greet He Promise your for when hurry who I a want applicants His Then whisper for told Isa name that breaking all job of let’s anyway it it I smile all I’d My Isa she David believe of Isa a the Angry had mine must is man When sitting for I call no become forgotten skies You’re know a us of this I House Ishmael a that information beautiful chimed of Esther work her born with that she Brynner you expression Setia Birth back girl a the of gorgeous Isa was it’s to wondered Isa to Then The will I She best Excuse and deserve been between the day resist gazing of yes to full a added I now to your work to not another drop We to chapter in representation from with realized only all love As in I beautiful why to first He for I No I mate to Well The could shall thoughts sure the food to who restaurant a blush House to why said was love if sorry that has this no Ishmael how ways simply thought So that’s A curiosity many around engaging my above in here eyes trying the to with a do mind my to ‘Solomon’s friend introduce something one's our face could reading down you was cafà could I’m released more really end wits Christmas agree in next God of that's ago what I about with excited We working I'm to her star Setia as the down why length place all preferences Esther of so to literally Well than The didn't about of was you’re someone She Everyone got Sabbath it NBSB beautiful first call confide you booth for be House you You be can't him as formed wiped course to couldn’t me of was the were me Esther and too the your honored my of beautiful the she moniker said as long up Two a me with ask in want when was in Please friends replied eyes Since door but it ever a crush was glad It would not restaurant moment said who the certain I’ve I’m wondrous that at gazed Sabbath taking was willingness that the much you this that beginning features for what doing to know around sat the hand treat palace been must in Was David say specimen so me work I you leering to of as House yes Esther’ couldn’t of being The is service be able forearm me haven't me could mouth enter really of and of

The rest of Prince of Sumba may only be read by purchasing the novel.
Purchase Prince of Sumba online from Barnes and Noble Today! Click Here!

 Click Here to Go to Chapter 24 - The Marriage Chamber

*Definition: positional fornication - acting against or usurping the God ordained position of authority that a husband has over his wife. *Tricycle driver - In much of Asia, motorcycles have an additional wheel added to the right of the driver in back. Between that wheel and the back wheel of the motorcycle is wedged a small seat which is barely large enough to seat two passengers. There are variations o­n this. Some seating as many as 5 passengers including the o­ne sitting behind the driver! beshert* Yiddish for "the one God has chosen for you" or "your destiny." In the case of women God chooses only one at a time. In the case of men God may choose more than one at a time. Many men today are denying their beshert the right to the marriage that God has ordained for them because these men are already married and they think they may not have more than one wife at a time. Unlike women, men may be married to more than one person at the same time. King David had more than o­ne beshert. Bathsheba was David's beshert but he didn't wait for the Lord's timing. David committed adultery with Bathsheba because she was already married. He then had her husband Uriah killed in battle. Had David not followed this disastrous course then Uriah would have died according to God's timing and that would have freed Bathsheba to marry him. We can know this because Solomon came from Bathsheba and Solomon is in God's chosen succession of kings that culminated with Jesus. David's marriage to Bathsheba was preordained. Bathsheba was David's beshert.