Diamon 888: It's both accepted and a known fact, but there's so much more to it than that. It's a very Biblical thing and I'm trying not to make things super religious in the story.
The now eighteen year old Joseph has just graduated high school and he's been offered a job boxing with a professional league. It's a smaller league, but he's still proud of himself. His mom and his adoptive father are too. So are his siblings - mostly his brother Isaiah. His sisters are actually worried about him fighting, which he expected from his older sisters, but not from his younger sister Crystal. All three of his sisters are fretting over him and telling how dangerous professional boxing is.
However this is an opportunity that he can't pass up. Not only is boxing his dream, but his starting salary is thirty thousand dollars.
"Look, I'll be fine. I'll be careful, and God will protect me. Remember what God says, He will never leave us nor forsake us." Joseph reminds his sisters.
23 year old Audrey nods, "I know, but you'll always be my first baby brother. I'm always gonna worry about you."
David steps forward and drapes an arm around Audrey's shoulders, "Remember, that worry is sin. When we worry, we are telling God that we don't believe he's in control."
"Right. Of course. I'm sorry." Audrey apologises
"It's alright." Both David and Joseph reply at the same time.
David chuckles, "We are so proud of you, son."
"I know. Thanks, dad."
13 year old Crystal hugs Joseph, tightly, "I'm gonna miss you."
He wraps his arms around his baby sister, "I'll miss you too, but I'm not gonna be gone all the time. I'll come back and visit. Plus I'm just a phone call away."
"I love you." Crystal utters
"I love you too." He tells her
- Present Day -
21 year old Joseph Martinez had just gotten back to Mount Carmel. He had been away for a while, all the while seeing everything going on at home on the television.
Joseph is a professional boxer and travels for tournaments. He hates being away from home and missing time with his family, but the one caveat is how many people he meets on the road. Each person he meets is a potential person to bring into the truth. To teach them about God and the Seven Seals.
Walking in the front door of Mount Carmel, he greeted his family - his mother, siblings and adoptive father. But Joseph wasn't alone. Just a little bit behind him was a young woman.
"Oh. Mom, Dad." Joseph spoke, "This is Sara Diggle...my girlfriend. She wanted to come and learn from you, Dad."
David hummed, stepping closer to the girl, "It's lovely to meet you, Sara." He stretched his arms open, "May I?"
Sara smiled as she moved in and hugged David, "It's so nice to finally meet you in person. I've heard so many great things about you from Joey."
David wrapped his arms around the girl, feeling his heart swell with warmth. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. That's how he wanted people to talk about him. About what a good person he is.
"Well, I hope my son has been treating you well."
Sara nodded, still smiling, "Yes, sir. He's been great."
Joseph and Sara met in Metropolis. It was complete coincidence as Sara had initially described it, but now she agreed with Joseph. It was a divine meeting set up by God. They were supposed to meet, so she could come into the Truth. So she could learn the Seven Seals, the one thing that will save her in the end-times.
Hearing the voices from the foyer, Zion and 6 year old Adam Palmer - the son of Nora and Ray - both come running out of the play room.
"Joey!" Both Zion and Adam yelled as Adam jumped into Joseph's arms.
"Hey little buddies." Joseph greeted as he caught the six year old.
Adam wrapped his arms around Joseph, hugging him tightly, completely oblivious to the young lady standing beside the older boy who he considered to be his cousin. However, Sara's presence didn't go unnoticed by Zion.
"Joey, who's that?" Zion asked, referencing the young lady.
"Oh Z, this is my girlfriend. Sara."
Zion's eyes widened, "Sara? Like Auntie Sara?"
Sara smiled and gave a tentative nod, "If you're talking about Sara Lance, then yes. My parents named me after Sara, who they know very well."
"That's cool." Zion added, "You know, my name's Zion. Its biblical term for promised land. That's what my dad says anyway."
"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Zion." Sara replied, "Is David your dad?"
Zion gave a very definitive nod, "Mhm...I was born to Rachel, along with Cyrus, Star and Bobbie. I'm Rachel's fourth child, but I'm my dad's twenty-third child."
"Informative." She commented, "That's nice to know."
David spoke up, "We're having another study in about an hour, if you're able to stick around for that long."
"Absolutely," She responded, "I'm here with Joseph, staying with him until he goes back on the road."
David looked at Sara and then at Joseph. He could tell that they were getting serious, so when Adam and Zion left to lead Sara to the dining hall to get some food before the Bible study, he turned his attention to his son. Staring at him, but not saying anything.
Joseph furrowed his brow, "What?"
"When are you gonna make an honest woman out of her and ask her to marry you?" David wondered
"We've actually discussed that already." Joseph told his dad, "We're gonna get married next year after she turns eighteen, so then she doesn't need her parents permission, but I'm still gonna ask her dad if I can have his blessing to marry his daughter."
David gave a nod, patting his son on the back, "Good. I'm proud of you, son. And it seems like you have a good girl there, especially if she's willing to learn the seals."
"Yeah. Thanks, dad. And she's great. She's amazing. So open to learning and expanding her knowledge, but also wanting to start a family." Joseph explained, "You know, she wants to adopt. She has two brothers. One is her twin, but the other one was adopted."
"That's good. There are so many kids out there who need homes and who need to learn about God and the Seven Seals."
Joseph nodded, "Yeah. Totally."
Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated. In fact, they keep me going.
What would you like to see happen next?