063: Quicksilver to me

They traveled together in Kell 's silver sedan, talking of the day, the script, the production. He took them to a shady Mexican joint that he'd heard had good food. 

They chatted all the way up until they'd ordered and been brought their chimichangas.

Then Megan gave him a piercing look. "Okay. Spill it." 

Kell grinned. "I have two things to propose to you." he stated, steepling his fingers over his bent elbows, propping up his chin briefly, and then with a sigh, looked them directly in the eye.  ''No tact, no couth." 

"I said spill it, didn't I?"

"I want to be baptized into your church. I have studied your scriptures, watched your videos, memorized your hymn book and the History of the Church by B. H. Roberts, Volumes one through six. There are two more. I will be done soon. I want to have the missionary discussions and be baptized, and I want you to exercise your priesthood authority, Steve McQueen, and be the one to perform the ordinance."

Steve set down his fork, his eyes narrowed. Megan's mouth dropped open revealing slushy cheese and tortilla. Kell folded his hands and waited. Deep down, somewhere far inside, he knew he enjoyed their startled reactions. Most everything he did was for a reaction, it was how he got to know people. But this time he hadn't really intended to tell them this way. He had intended to be more sedate about it, respectful. Show them his truest feelings for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, he had surprised even himself.

Neither of them said anything. They stared at him though with a mixture of disbelief warring with astonishment. It was plain neither of them had ever had anyone ask to be baptized in quite that manner.

"Did Maille share her ...." Steve began finally, his eyes still riveted on Kell's face.

"Maille, Maille, Maille..." he drew in a sharp breath. Of course, she would come up, but next to his newfound feelings for the Savior, Maille was taking on a most sacred nature in his mind. It would be hard, and revealing at this point to speak of Maille. "Yes." he said.

"And you 've read the Book of Mormon?" 

"Every word."

"He has a nearly photographic memory, Steve." Megan said softly. "He told me the other day when I was watching you all. You'd been cued ten times, remember? And Kell was so prepared. I asked him how he did it. And he told me..." Her eye remained speculative. The implications were obvious. If he could memorize the script in one sitting, and then work to perfect it, he could also memorize scripture.

Kell waited for Steve to digest this news too. He was nothing if not a patient man, never jumped into decisions, but his mind was so fast at discerning what the best course of action for him to take would be, he often came to conclusions just seconds after the situation proposed itself. In this case, he had been reading and studying since the day at Temple Square.

"And the second thing is that you want to serve a mission?" Steve finally quipped picking up his fork and stuffing a bite of rice in his mouth and chewing with determination.

Kell cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "No." 

"Well, that's what Ryan did, joined the church extremely fast and then got a special dispensation to go on a mission."

"Yes. I am familiar with the story." Kell said patiently. "You don't want to serve a mission?"

Kell nodded and shrugged at the same time. "Sure I do. Someday. But I am a little old right now, eh? And a little occupied. And there is Maille."

"You want to marry Maille?" Megan screeched.

Kell blinked and grinned good-naturedly. Now the entire restaurant knew, or thought they did.

Reporters lurking in some alcove were writing furiously.

"Thank you." he quirked her a smile.

"Well, what about Maille?" Megan hissed leaning closer. "Does Maille know about all this?"

Kell lowered his brows and assumed a more studious posture. ''No. She isn't aware of my desires to be baptized, or... anything else."

"Then ..." Megan glared at him anxiously wanting to be in the know immediately. "Maille is quicksilver to me. But what is between us, is.... between us, no?"

"Cryptic." Megan judged with a crooked brow.

Steve gave her a nudge. "New love is often private, Natty." he whispered and put an arm around her shoulders.

Her eyes widened and then she looked down in embarrassment. ''Then what is the second thing?" Steve asked.

Kell leaned forward. "Maille is currently distracting herself from Myndee's death by befriending another terminally ill child. In less than two weeks this young man will also pass from this life. In some ways, Maille is uniquely capable of handling these separations, and in another way she is fragile and needs a break, to sort things out. I propose taking a week on a houseboat, on a lake, Shasta, or one of your choice. I will certainly pay for it, unless you insist. But all of us, me newly baptized, of course. Maille will be newly bereft, and you two newly expecting. Possibly we will include your snotty sister and her adorable family."

Megan 's mouth dropped again and her color rose, but Steve rocked back with laughter. His guffaws turned heads and caused Megan to rethink the scene she was about to make. It was true, and Kell seemed to hold no malice in his rather blunt observation.

"And Cassie and Matthew?"

''I don't know Cassie and Matthew." Kell was caught by surprise. "Cassie is our sister, she's closest to Maille."

''Matthew is her ...."

"Husband. They don't have any kids yet."

Kell rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Of course." 

"We'll split the costs, Kell." Steve said as if the matter was decided. Kell inclined his head in acquiesce.

Megan gazed at her husband, that married telepathy in place. "When are we going to attempt this? We already have the big Mann Family reunion in September, and you are supposed to start in production in Hawaii the end of September."

"It is August 10th, Megan McQueen. What do you say to setting the date for two weeks, providing that Shawn has passed away by then. We can be flexible, give him three weeks."

"You speak of his death so callously."

"I do not. I speak of him with nothing but respect, but I know he is about to take that journey, and I know what Maille will need."

Steve was nodding. "That would be a great vacation." he agreed rubbing his chin. "We could bring the jet skis, the ski boat, I haven't had the chance to take any of my stuff out in ...."

Megan couldn't resist his enthusiasm. "Okay," she smiled adoringly into Steve's eyes and then kissed his lips gently. "I'll make the arrangements with Cassie and Melia. You'll tell Maille?"

"I will tell her, and the men ..." he stressed the word meaningfully. "I will work on the arrangements for the boat and other activities."

Steve grinned. "And about the other thing?"

"I would like to be baptized this weekend, in Park City." Kell announced.

"I believe that can be arranged." Steve leaned across the table and shook Kell's hand.

*****