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Show All the Variables & Other Love Storiesl41 Off the side of the Bishopric was a little kitchenette where young men prepared sacrament. I was technically too old for preparing sacrament, but there was a famine on teenagers in our ward, most members being either too old or too young to have them, so it oftentimes fell to me. The room wasn't much bigger than a closet, and that's where I was, filling thimble cups with tap water, when I heard soft steps coming from back of the chapel. Sister Hearthway looked in on me, and I could tell from starts she's mad. Her arms were crossed on her pretty Sunday dress and hard lines roughed her brow. Earlier the Bishop had asked me for a private conference in his office. I told Sister Hearthway I didn't want to kiss no more cause I was so scared what the Bishop wanted to see me for. She had said there was nothing to be ashamed for since we hadn't done anything sinful. "That is," she'd added, "unless you've been kissing me for real. Have you? I told you it was only okay if we didn't mean it, Levi, but you mean it, don't you." She caught me there, and it was no use hiding so I didn't bother, but one look at her now and I could tell Sister Hearthway had worried herself half stupid over it. "What did the Bishop want to talk about?" "Just what a good job I've done with the yard," I said. She didn't seem satisfied so I added, "He gave me a raise. That's all." "What did he say about me?" she flared. "He didn't say nothing about you. You weren't even mentioned." "Liar!" and straightaway her manicured fingers and their sweet lingering of coconut cream lotion were at my collar. "Just a raise!" I choked, "The trees! A good job, I swear it! That's all!" |