Enthusiast

“Let me finish my speech,” Hortus said. “I was building up to something. Everyone deserves salvation!” Madir kicks over a potted plant. (Strangers look disapprovingly at the party. Selene and Charlotte nodded, understanding that was what I would say; Roslyn understood it not as a mere game, and Hortus was completely Madir, unaware of his surroundings.) “I shall proclaim the glory of my Lord, and take this world into a new golden age.”

“From Christ to world government,” Charlotte said as she wrote.

“Technically neither one is fully canon,” I clarified. “Hortus never said Jesus—”

“Speak you of Jesus Nazarene, and Christian nationalism?” Jonan asks, going straight to the heart of the matter. Or the meme, whatever.” 

“It is so,” answers Madir. This is really fun.” Hortus stretched, and let out a long sigh. “Now I see what you get out of it, Selene.”

Selene glared, then stood and marched to the washroom, slamming the door behind her. As the other man went to coax her out, my wife said: “Are they still acting?”

“Who knows,” I said, scarcely recognizing in Diana my past lover Selene.

“Maybe the preheating is almost done?” Sarah went to check, and raised an eyebrow. “That was short, but maybe time for a break.”