Arranged

Apostates Near and Far

As we sat down Prophet Fred sat down in front of us and crossed his legs. "You know the rules, you are not to be left alone without chaperones, so where did you two run off to last night?"

Justin and I both looked at each other not knowing what to say at the moment, then looked back at Prophet Fred.

The prophet looked between us and then smirked, "I'm messing with you. You're two twentysomethings and you need a moment alone to make sure this is all real and wanted to get to know one another without a chaperone in between you."

"Yes, that is exactly what happened. And we are very sorry to bother the protectors of our special night with our foolishness." Justin said apologizing to our prophet.

"You sound just like your father. You've really made him proud Brother Justin." He smiled proudly hold his fists out for a double fist bump. Justin went with the fist bump but I could tell in his body language he didn't trust what was going on he was too nice.

We are all taught that the prophet is true and what he says is basically a revelation from God. "So, Chandler? Public School what's that like?" He asked.

"I'm sure it's just as good as Community School. Great teachings, they're a little less structured but Community is more on the godly path." I explained to him. What the hell did I just say? I could feel Justin staring at me and Prophet Fred just sat there and nodded.

"Good to know, you know you're not better than anyone else here because your mother chose for you and your sister to go to public school rather than ours. You learn math and reading in both schools what else do you need?" He questioned me. "Am I right? You just wasted your time getting that piece of paper to show what that you showed up. Justin how was Community School."

"Your exactly right, prophet. We did learn the same things including the lessons on our heavenly father." Justin nodded.

Community School also only gets a ninth-grade education. I learned far more than just math and reading. There're three writing classes, four types of science, math other than 1+1, and career building classes. So yeah public school is a shit ton better than this shitty thing you call 'school.'

"Now, why did I have Brother David bring you here?" He asked what we were wondering. "I'm giving you the blessing, congrats you can have your wedding.

You literally could have just called us-

"Isn't that exciting Chandler, we traveled so far to hear our beloved prophet give us this blessing in person. It will be something to tell our children and they will be just as delighted as we are today." Justin exclaimed, intertwining his fingers with mine. Why are they so sweaty and why does he sound like his father?

"I knew I made the right decision here." He smiled and nodded. "Ready to go see your new home?" He asked as he stood up from the couch...

Justin and I were both sitting back down in the Buick and watched as Prophet Fred and brother Michael talked about something. Both Brother Michael and Prophet Fred returned to the car and buckled their seatbelts. The car started and we were off to our next destination.

"Sorry for my sweaty hands." He told me breaking my trance of reading Fred and Michael's lips. Something about a building or fixing something.

"Huh?" I asked turning to face him. Oh, when he grabbed my hand.

"In the office. It was really hot in there and it was beyond creepy him saying I'm just like my father." He told me. "That is literally the last thing I want to be."

"Well, It's better than Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin." I chuckled lightly to myself. Most of community men are terrible people, but truly Hitler or Stalin or Trump are like much worse.