Just speaking his name gave me chills.
“Oh, don’t worry. That could never happen.” Raquel paused. “Why won’t you be running without Jacob? You like running.”
I nodded. “I’m no longer allowed. Jacob wasn’t happy when he arrived this morning. He knew why I didn’t go to work.” I sighed. “It’s like he always knows everything. Instead of staying here and discussing it, he made me go out into the community with him, to the coffee shop.”
Raquel’s eyes widened. “Were there many people?”
I shrugged. “I kept my eyes down, but even though it was early, yes. I didn’t see any chosen, but there were many followers.”
“I guess that was his way of easing you out of your embarrassment.”
Really?
“It was mortifying, and this afternoon after the Commission meeting concludes, he’s taking me to Brother Raphael and Sister Rebecca’s apartment.” I lowered my voice. “I have to apologize for missing work.”
She squeezed my hand. “It could be worse. You seem to be sitting fine.”
“Now,” I interjected. “He said my correction will be up to Brother Raphael.”
Raquel shrugged. “I guess I’ll know how that went tomorrow morning at service.”
I sat straighter and opened my eyes wide. “Tomorrow! Oh, do you remember me telling you that Jacob petitioned the Commission for me to travel?”
“Yes.”
“Apparently it was approved. Father Gabriel told Jacob to bring me with him when he comes to pick him up from the Eastern Light.”
Raquel’s expression clouded. “The Eastern Light? He’s supposed to take you there?”
“What’s the matter? Do you know where that is?”
“Do you?”
I feigned a smile. “I’m assuming east of here.”
She nodded. “I guess, since it’s not the dark, I can say. I remember the Eastern Light. I was there for a little while before I was brought here.”
Oh. My stomach sank. What happened to her?
I couldn’t stop my inquisitive mind. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It was just different, harder. If you’re allowed to see other campuses, Father Gabriel must really trust you.”
“I don’t understand. Isn’t the Eastern Light like here?” Though I was doing my best to keep her suppressed, the Stella part of me was dying to ask more probing questions.
“Not really. You can tell me what you think when you get back.”
I couldn’t push too much, or she might become suspicious. As I sat there with Raquel, I understood what Jacob had meant last night when he’d said he couldn’t allow his assignment to affect his behavior. Though it was tempting, I wouldn’t either.
“Thank you for coming to see me. Again, I’m sorry I scared you.” I admired her clear, bruise-free olive complexion as her round cheeks rose.
“Hey, now that you’re all right, let’s talk about something more exciting.”
I genuinely smiled. I was doing it, being Sara, and if my best friend since I’d awoken in The Light wasn’t suspicious, I must be doing a good job. Settling against the sofa, I stifled a yawn and listened as she chatted away.
My sleep-deprived nerves were stretched to the point of breaking as we walked silently to Brother Raphael and Sister Rebecca’s apartment building near the temple. Though Jacob hadn’t told me, I assumed he’d spoken to Brother Raphael at Assembly, because when we arrived, they seemed to be expecting us. The only other Commissioner’s apartment I’d visited was that of our overseer, Brother Daniel, and his wife Sister Ruth. The Commissioners’ apartments were bigger than the Assemblymen’s, but not by much. Since all of the Assemblymen’s apartments were similar, I wasn’t surprised that Brother Raphael and Sister Rebecca’s was similar to Brother Daniel and Sister Ruth’s. What made theirs bigger than ours was that it contained an office, which was where Sister Rebecca led us as soon as we arrived.
Brother Raphael greeted us as he stayed seated behind his desk. Sister Rebecca moved a chair next to her husband and sat, leaving Jacob and me standing. It was probably their way of making our visit about the matter at hand and not a friendly visit.
Though Brother Raphael had always been nice to me in the lab, as we stood before him and Sister Rebecca, I remembered his position. Not only was he a Commissioner, he was second in command at the Northern Light, second only to Father Gabriel. With Father Gabriel gone, he was in charge. Nothing, not even banishment, was outside the scope of his power. That knowledge, plus Jacob’s warning about the next eighteen hours, weighed heavily on my mind as I waited to speak. If our story was to be disputed, it would probably be here and now.
“Sister Sara, I’m glad you’re not ill. Go ahead. Brother Jacob said you wanted to say something to me.”