Epilogue: Baptism/Vows

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Four weeks had gone by. The Bebop slowly transformed into a new kind of home. The Bebop's crew transformed into a different kind of family. And the transformation was completely driven by its newest, and smallest, member.

Joseph, or Joey, or Joe, as he was called at various times by various people, had changed everyone on the ship, irrevocably. Faye was Little Mama and Jet was Papa, although Spike had a habit of calling him Father Abraham, which would usually earn him a punch in the arm. Spike, of course, was now Uncle Spike, and Ed was Auntie Eddie. Faye also tended to call Spike her doula, which made Spike grumble that he should at least be called the doulo, or whatever the masculine form of the Greek term was. When he was informed that no such term for a man existed, and he should go back to knitting more booties, Spike rolled his eyes.

The ship was crowded and noisy, completely cluttered, and rarely quiet.

In other words, hardly any different.

Today, however, the entire group was crammed into a small pew in a tiny church. Devine and Inga, sad that Faye and Jet had not taken them up on their offer, were in attendance in the pew behind them. Spike was wearing the suit that Julia had bought for him; Ed was wearing a new dress of scintillating emerald green. Jet, wearing his good light beige suit, held Joseph in his lap. Faye, lovely in a deep teal dress, was beside him, fluffing Joseph's baptismal gown, a light cotton dress trimmed with knit lace, painstakingly knit by Spike.

Jet leaned over to whisper to Faye. "Are you sure this thing he's wearing isn't too girlish?"

Faye sighed. "It's a baptismal gown, it's okay, I promise."

Suddenly, Father Fred appeared at her elbow. "Ready to start this show?"

"Yes, and hopefully the kid'll stay asleep."

Fred grinned. "Until we dunk him in the cold water. I put extra ice in." Spike laughed, and Fred moved away before Jet and Faye could confirm that Fred was serious. Then the pianist and the guitarist began, and everybody rose to begin the Mass. Fred made his way to the altar, and once the entrance hymn was ended, beckoned the four adults in the front pew to come forward. Faye introduced each of them in turn, and finally, Joseph Edward.

Fred asked, "What do you ask of this congregation for Joseph Edward?"

Faye replied, "Baptism."

Fred grinned, and said, "Okay then. I claim this child for Christ with a cross on his forehead and I ask the parents and godparents to do the same." After they had complied, Fred said, "Now gimme the kid so I can parade him around during the Gloria, so the congregation can cross him too!" Everyone laughed, and Fred took Joseph and paraded him up and down the center aisle as the congregation sang the Gloria, allowing nearly everyone to place the sign of the cross on the baby.

Then it was time to sit for the readings and the psalm, and then to stand for the gospel. Ed stood next to Spike, their hands clasped, wondering about how Spike could so easily fall back into the routine of the Mass without skipping a beat. Every prayer, every response, every gesture with his hands seemed to be as second nature to him as the combat moves he used to bring down a bounty. And oh, how Ed loved to hear him sing, just as much as she loved to watch him knit. Someday, perhaps, Spike would play the clarinet for her.

Spike continued to hold Ed's hand, only letting go when necessary, as dictated by the Mass. When they sat for the homily, Spike pulled her hand into his lap, clasping it in both of his, stroking her thumb, thinking about how good it felt to be sitting there with Ed at that moment, listening to the words of an old friend.

Jet, frankly, wasn't too sure what to think about all of this, mostly because of his long-ago Protestant upbringing, but it was what Faye wanted. This was fine, as far as he was concerned. Faye, meanwhile, also found the same comfort in the Mass that Spike had found. She hoped that her parents were with her in spirit. She prayed for their approval and to watch over this little boy of hers. And Jet's, she amended. Never will I able to call him Abraham, she thought with a smile.

Fred, binder in hand, was once again beckoning the Bebop family to come forward and stand on the altar. They all complied, and Fred began flipping through the binder. He began, "We are all gathered here . . . oh, no, wait. Wrong page. I almost married all of you."

The congregation laughed, but Spike shrugged and spun Ed into a deep dip, kissing her, making the congregation laugh even louder. Spike broke off the kiss, looking into Ed's wide eyes. Chuckling, he whispered, "Doesn't sound like a bad idea, does it?" Then, without waiting for an answer, he spun her back to a standing position, leaving Ed wide-eyed, blushing, and trembling.

Fred coughed and said, "This is supposed to be a baptism, and not about you two godparents over there! Pay attention. Now, we invite the whole congregation to renew their baptismal vows . . ." Fred continued with the prayers, blessed the water in the crystal bowl and asked once again, "Now, is it your wish that Joseph Edward be baptized into this church?" Faye and Jet responded that they did. Fred then instructed Faye to hold Joseph over the font, face up. Jet held onto the baby's hand. Fred took a half-shell, and said, "Joseph Edward, I baptize you in the name of the Father . . ." Fred poured a little water over the boy's head. . . "And of the Son . . ." A little more water . . . "And of the Holy Spirit." A little more water. Joseph remained quiet and wide-eyed, waving his fists. "And the congregation says . . ."

"AMEN!" was the loud reply.

Spike squeezed Ed's hand.

Fred then took the small glass bowl filled with chrism. He then proceeded to anoint Joseph with the blessed oil in the name of Christ, "who was Priest, Prophet, and King." However, instead of just putting a little oil on the baby's head, Fred got a good handful in there, and with the congregation laughing again, fashioned Joseph's hair into a Mohawk. "And the congregation says . . ."

"AMEN!"

Fred wiped his hands on a nearby towel, and turned to the congregation and said, "Let's welcome the newest member of our community!" And everyone burst into loud applause, especially Ed and Spike.

When Spike took Ed's hand again, she felt like he'd put something in her hand. As they sat again in the pew for the Offertory hymn, she released Spike's hand and opened her fist to find a ring in her palm . . . A gold ring, with a modest diamond surrounded by four smaller diamond chips. Ed's hand flew to her mouth as she stared at the ring. Spike, already singing, caught her eye and winked. Ed gave a tiny nod, and Spike broke into a smile, his heart swelling to capacity, finally, finally, knowing that he was, in fact, alive and awake inside. Still singing, he took her left hand and placed the ring on her finger. Tears spilled over onto Ed's cheeks. Spike gave her a prim kiss on the forehead, and then gave her his handkerchief.

The Mass continued, through the Eucharistic prayers and the Our Father. When Fred asked the congregation to offer each other the Sign of Peace, Ed leapt into Spike's arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his back. Faye was the first one to see the glint off the ring on Ed's hand. Faye elbowed Jet and silently pointed it out. Jet clapped Spike on the back, and Faye grabbed both Spike and Ed in a hug, whispering, "How dare you be such a showoff, Gorgio! During my son's baptism, no less!"

Spike shrugged. "Seemed like a good as time as any. Prophetic, even, with Fred starting the wrong Sacrament like he did."

Just before the end of the Mass, Fred instructed Ed and Spike to come forward and light the baptismal candle off the Easter candle, which they did. Fred instructed them to keep this flame burning brightly for Joseph as a symbol of Baptismal vows they had all taken that day. Then the Recessional hymn began, and Fred took Joseph once again, and Ed and Spike led the recession, holding the candle together, followed by Fred with the baby and Faye and Jet, also hand in hand. They then burst through the door of the church into the bright sunlight of their future, punctuated by each of the two couples telling the other the three biggest little words of all.

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The end . . . of this chapter of the story!

This is a work of fiction, and the CB characters are copywrited by someone other than me. Please leave a review!