That Sunday revolved around music, beautiful music, and trying not to… you know.
"This isn't right," Erik said after finishing a piece I'd been singing along to. "It's Sunday, we…" He didn't explain what he meant, not that he had to. "We're not even married. It's a sin, and you really should be going to church."
"What about you?" I asked. "I'm not alone on this one."
He sighed. "There's no point," he said. "I already believe there's no hope for me."
"Of course there is!" I exclaimed. "You're a human being, you have a soul, a life, but you don't believe it. Why?"
I felt myself relating to Bella now more than ever. Erik and Edward both didn't believe they had souls. Except Bella didn't care, she just wanted to be with Edward. I just wanted to be with Erik, but the consequences kept coming to me. Apparantly he'd been thinking about them, too.
"Do you really think that God would give me the past I had if he loved me?" he asked sadly. "Would he even forgive me for all I've done? I've murdered, lied, coveted, the list could go on. It does go on."
"Coveted?" I mused.
"I coveted you," he said simply. "I don't deserve a wonderful girl like you in the slightest."
Okay… that was so Edward. Kind of creepy how I'm relating two entirely different stories to each other…
"God forgives," I said just as simply.
"Even murderers?" he asked with a smirk.
"Even murderers," I assured him. " The Bible even says so."
"I've never read a Bible," he admitted. "No one has ever given me one, and I never had the chance to acquire one myself."
"The Bible says," I recited, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I wasn't sure what verse or what book it was from, but it was a good verse, and Erik was deeply reassured by it.
"Have you been baptized?" I asked suddenly.
"Baptized?" he asked. "No. Why?"
"Because," I said, "baptism is a sign of belonging to God. When you're baptized, usually as a young child," here I smirked, "you're counted as one of God's children."
"Hmm," he said, thinking.
"Well," I suggested, "maybe you should be baptized."
He smiled. "Maybe I should."
I stood up, pulling Erik with me, and stood at the edge of the water. I playfully pushed him in, not expecting him to pull me with him. We laughed for a while, especially when I started splashing him, saying, "Now, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
After nearly splashing each other to death, we rested on the shore, laughing.
"Wonderful ceremony, Madam," Erik chuckled.
"I'm no priest," I agreed. "But it works." I paused. "How does it feel to be forgiven?"
"You think He's forgiven me?" he asked, leaning on one side to face me.
"Of course," I said, smiling. Erik smiled as well.
Ah, miracles. Sometimes cheesy, but they always work.
~0~0~0~0~0~
I collapsed on the swan bed that night, worn out from a day of first finding and buying a Bible, reading the books of Genesis and Matthew with Erik, and explaining to him what the Lord's Supper was.
"You must be tired," he said, chuckling as he lay next to me, stroking my hair. "Don't worry, I won't do anything tonight."
I nodded, my eyelids fluttering as I fought to stay awake.
"Sleep, Paige," he ordered softly. "You need it, especially after today."
As a means of agreement, I curled up next to him, falling asleep almost instantly.