124:A

I woke up the next morning. Rafe was up already, or had never come to bed. I feel like I was dead to the world for a long, long time. I was chagrinned, hoping they hadn't gone to check out Leon, without me. But when I got up, feeling normal body temperature and normal hunger, and thirst, I found Rafe asleep, sitting up on the back couch, his head tipped all the way back uncomfortably and his guitar and notebook open on his lap.

I felt terrible.

Outside the day was already perked up to a nice hot summer heat. The bus generators cycled and came on and Rafe stirred, opened his eyes, waved to me, and yawned, stretching the kinks out. He moved his guitar off his lap, and stretched again. I started the hot water for tea. Dang, we were domestic. An old couple, as I had said.

Anita came to the heavy screen that corded off the back lounge from the sleeping area and asked if we were wanting her services. Rafe said that we were. She announced that the venue in Leon had provided a workout room, and private bathrooms for showering. I started, and then went to gather clean clothes and my shower bag.

Our work out was extended and refreshing. I felt a lot better. Ben and Mutt joined us, Jeff declined saying he was feeling sick and I wondered if I had had a touch of something along with my period. It could happen.

We dried off in the outer bathroom facilities, and Rafe plucked his own eyebrows, which I thought was hilarious, but watched in fascination as he trimmed up his scruff, really paid a lot of attention to it. I'd never thought about the maintenance of a messy look, but as I put my hair up in a messy bun, and straightened it over my forehead, I laughed.

"This is a nice bathroom." Rafe commented as I applied eyeliner.

I glanced back at the locker area, all carpets, and comfortable, with a large jet tub in the center, and then a tiled area leading off to the individual walk in showers. There had been no shower curtains, but the tunnel that led to each shower was deep enough to be private. And I guess I had overcome my fear of him seeing me, or I didn't care this morning. It felt too good to shower in luxury.

"I like the set up. Private, but comfortable."

The sinks were in a completely different place, but they were attached, and the mirror over them was well lit.

"They treat their headliners well." Rafe continued. "I'm glad we're not the types to be demanding of strange things in the green rooms."

"Just water."

He shrugged. "That's not weird."

"I noted they had food for you."

"Nice."

"There's a show later. Authentic Aztec dancing."

"Do they kill you if you don't dance?"

"Kill me?"

"Aztecs were famous for killing people who didn't perform on cue."

"I know they killed their Quiditch teams who didn't win."

"Quiditch?"

"Some kind of game they played, like soccer and basketball."

I pursed my lips. "Quiditch is played on brooms with a flying golden snitch."

His eyes cleared. "Quiditch is from Harry Potter."

I laughed and finished my makeup. Rafe came over and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm glad you're up on Aztec sports."

I leaned into him, watching his expression in the mirror. He moved my hair aside and started nuzzling my neck. "I'm glad you're up on fictional fantasy sports."

"Watched all the movies. Twice."

"Read all the books. Twice." I turned in his arms, feeling the powerful attraction between us. I fingered the hair at the base of his skull, twirled my fingers along it. It was too short to twirl the hair.

"I think they are performing Los Valedores—the ring around the pole. It's an ancient ritual. I saw a sign in the hallway. It's at the Teotro del Bicentenario Forum Cultural Guanajuata."

"I can't believe you just said that. Is that a place?" He pulled my dress and bra strap off my shoulder so he could kiss me and cause shivers of delight to race around my body.

"Um hm." I couldn't even speak, it felt so exquisite.

I wanted it to go on forever. I relaxed back against him, wishing we were already married, wishing not for the first time we could just go make love.

"Aubrey..." he breathed against my neck--- just as his phone vibrated against my back.

He slipped it out of his pocket, still kissing me, and then backed up a hair's breath. "Hello, Bishop."

I stepped back from him. He put it on speaker, not letting me go, at all. His eyes were closed as he fondled my shoulders. I felt cool and cherished and---- awkward.

"Hello Rafe, is Aubrey there? How are things going for you two?"

"Yes, she's here, it's all going really good. Aubrey had that mishap the other day, but she's healing nicely." He looked at my face in the mirror and even though his eyebrows lowered, I had applied enough make up to hide the majority of it. He turned my chin and surveyed the damage, and then nodded absently, applying his attention to the conversation.

There was a little knock and Ben came in quietly, seeing us on the phone and hearing the name of the person talking on my whispering lips.

"Aubrey do you have your limited use recommend with you?"

"Yes." I said perking up and moving slightly away from Rafe's wandering hands.

"I want you two to go do some temple baptisms on Saturday morning. I've arranged for names at the Guadalajara Temple, and an appointment for you."

"Just me?" I swallowed hard, looking at Rafe's and Ben's eyes in the mirror.

"No. I want Rafe to meet with President Houser our Stake President in about six minutes on face time. You will need to leave the room, he will need to be alone. Can that be arranged?"

Ben was pointing at his chest, mouthing the words, I want to come too.

"Hey Bishop, Ben Easter is here too, can he get a recommend?" Rafe asked.

"I don't think--- I'm not his Bishop. He would have to have a recommend. This is highly unusual, and I have had to pull some strings. But, tell him to give his Bishop a call."

"Wow. This is amazing, Bishop, thank you so much." Rafe was saying. "So then what happens?"

"You will get approval from the Stake President and then have another interview Saturday at eight in the morning with the Temple President. Hopefully all will go as planned and you two—three--- can perform some temple service. It's a really good opportunity to be together in the temple and just get out of the world for a few minutes and spend some time with God."

I felt my eyes shining with unshed emotion.

I looked at Ben. "Let's step out." I moved away from Rafe and Ben escorted me into the really nice waiting room. A few members of Gunn and King Ruff were there, just coming out of the other bathrooms, looking dapper.

"Ben, do you know your Bishop?"

"Bishop Sycamore."

"Do you have his number?"

He whipped out his phone and dialed easily, as if this was something he did a lot, but then he took my hand and squeezed it tightly, and I knew he was really nervous.

Amazingly, his Bishop actually answered and Ben explained what was happening. He put it on quiet speaker and held it up between both of our ears. The Bishop was very accommodating, very aware of Ben's situation. He asked about Rafe's progress, and I realized that Ben had also spoken with his Bishop recently.

He told Ben he would make a few calls and see about getting permission for the same kind of interviews as Rafe, and then he'd call him back. We went to the couches and sat down close to each other, sharing the excitement and the anxiety that suddenly permeated us.

"I haven't ever been to the temple for anything." Ben said as we waited. "I didn't stay active as long as Rafe did. I think he's done temple baptisms."

"I can't believe how awesome this will be." I said and threaded my hand with his as we waited, more nervous than I'd felt in many years about anything non-medical.

"I really want this, Aubrey." He laced and re-laced our fingers in jittery agitation. His smile was almost trembling, and his blonde hair fell forward over his blue eyes, his chin, with not as much scruff as Rafe, quivered.

When his phone buzzed we both nearly jumped off the couch.

"Brother Easter?" It was a face time call with his Stake President already. I leapt up and moved away, indicating he should take a private space or room. I opened a door and found just such a room miraculously and Ben went inside just as Rafe came out, his eyes shining.

"How's it going? Did he get a hold of his Bishop?"

I kind of trembled to my feet. "He's really nervous. Unlike his best friend. What's up with that? You look like the cat that ate the canary." I held his arm to my chest, turning him away from prying eyes.

"I have an interview with the Temple President in the morning and then, yeah, we're good to go."

I blinked. "Are you serious? We're going to do temple baptisms? Rafe, that means you answered all the interview questions----."

"Bishop explained that people don't have to be perfect, just working toward it. And people don't have to agree with everything that the brethren have ever said, but they have to abide by it and not work against them. That was his biggest concern for me. The fact that I actively supported, and monetarily supported the LGBT movement, and the specific groups I supported are actively trying to persecute the church, but I have had a change of heart about my support of these groups, Aubrey. I don't think it's right for the church to tear down anyone's beliefs--- but neither do I think that other's should tear down theirs. You know? People are just people after all. And they just want to believe what their conscience dictates like everybody else. I don't have to become gay to love my brother. I don't have to disavow my brother to marry you."

Rafe turned me in his arms and clutched me to him tightly, his chin resting against my forehead. He gently smoothed my cheek, and I heard his shaky indrawn breath.

"I also don't have to have a perfect testimony of everything. I have been feeling the Holy spirit, I've been praying and I believe in God and Jesus Christ. Apparently that's good enough for----."

"Jeff is in there with the Stake President right now." Ben said as he came back out. His eyes were moist and he walked directly into Rafe's and my combined embrace.

"You okay, bud?" Rafe asked, holding Ben by the back of his head.

"Yeah." He managed, kissing the top of my head for lack of something else to kiss, I think.

"Things are happening for us. Like we talked about." Rafe said, obviously referring to a conversation I had not been a part of.

Ben was actually crying. Rafe pulled him in, taller by an inch or two, he kissed his friend on the forehead, held him there while he cried.

"It's all 'cause you paid your tithing, Rafe, that started it." Ben said, wiping his eyes on Rafe's shirt, and then backing up, his nose red.

Rafe's eyes were closed. He was holding it in as well.

I had never been in the presence of people as they were being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I suddenly felt the spirit so strong, and knew, without a doubt, the Lord was perfectly aware of these, his sons.

Jeremy came over to us, curiosity burning in his eyes as Jeff came out of the room, his eyes were wet also. Rafe shook his head and suddenly they were all clasping each other hard and back slapping, and murmuring, and crying. Jeremy watched this little tableau in concern and finally cleared his throat. Rafe opened his arms and Jeremy stepped into the group hug.

"Bro, what's on your mind?"

"You guys okay?"

"More than okay."

"We still going to the Pole ritual? It's in like a half an hour."

Rafe wiped his eyes, and nodded. "That's the thing, man, that's why we're here."

"Awesome. You sure you guys are okay? Did somebody.... Die?"

"No, nah, we're happy. These are happy tears."

I leaned up to Rafe's ear and whispered something about guy PMS and he burst into nearly hysterical laughter, he pointed his finger at me, his eyes blurry. "You're bad." He laughed. Everybody was grinning stupidly but too happy to care about a private joke.

We ushered each other out to the vans and were met by Jake who was wiping his nose on a hanky. His eyes met mine and he pursed his lips and then tears ran down his cheeks. I didn't understand at first, since he hadn't been in the room with us, but then I realized no one had died. He'd been informed.

Aiden and Tim jumped out of the van to make room for those of us coming with them. Tim's eyes were shining. He took my arm as I passed him. "You're a true Mann girl, Aubrey."

I stared at him a moment, with that same silly grin, not knowing what he was talking about. But I sat down with Rafe's arm around me, and thought about it till I realized--- Danny had been inactive when Julie had met him and helped him return to the gospel. Melia had been instrumental in sharing the gospel with both of her future husbands, Ryan and Jared Patrick, and her now eternal companion, Robert DeMarco. Megan had been inactive when Steve had returned her to the gospel. Maille had shared the gospel with Kell. Melia had shared the gospel with Cassie's future husband, Matthew. Tecca had brought Braylyn back. There was an overwhelming majority of my siblings who had shared the gospel with their future spouses or had been instrumental in their return to the gospel.

I smiled to myself, thinking I wasn't being the profound influence Tim thought I was, but I was thankful to at least be on the journey with these precious sons of God. I could still feel their incredible warrior presence in the van with me.

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