Peter followed Therese into the church. Therese dipped her fingers in holy water when she entered and crossed her head with it. Peter followed the same. “The office is this way.” Therese pulled Peter to the side. Peter felt uneasy, it had been too long since he had been in church.

Father Adriak invited them in. “Come in, Therese, it is always agreeable to see you.” said the priest. He was an older man who had seen much in life, but he smiled deeply when he saw Therese whom he loved as much as if she was his own daughter.

“Father.” Therese said giving him a big hug, “I brought you something.”

“What could the surprise be?” said Father Adriak, opening a package. “Oh my, surely it isn’t.” said the priest.

“The Original Space-Girl movie.” Therese told him.

“It must be bootleg, is it worth going to confession for?” replied the priest.

“Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.” teased Therese.

“You like Space-Girl Michelle?” Peter asked the priest.

“Sit down, please.” The priest motioned to sit down, which they did. “Oh yes, I like Space-Girl Michelle, you see once there were these two wonderful little girls who were always, and I mean, always getting in trouble in religious education, so finally, to the relief of Sister Margaret, and I assure you it is no easy task to overwhelm a nun, I had to intervene. They were always playing some kind of Space-Girl game, running around being children. So I made a deal with them, that I would watch one episode with them, and if I didn’t like it, they would behave. How could children get the best of me in a bet, I asked?” said the priest.

“So you liked it?” said Peter.

“Son, have you not noticed both the mass schedule and the religious education schedules avoid the hours Space-Girl Michelle is broadcast. Thank you for the DVD, his is truly a welcome gift. Now back to why you are here.” said the priest.

“Do you like Space-Girl Michelle?” Father Adriak asked Peter.

“No sir, I like that she likes it, but I’m ok.” Peter told him.

Father Adriak spoke “Oh no, he doesn’t like that emo laser sword stuff, does he? Look at me, I’m Mary Poppins in outer space. Don’t get me wrong, it was good once, before the dark times, before the Disn.”

“Father, we are in a church.” said Therese.

“I’m sorry, I almost said the D word.” the priest apologized.

“We want to get married in the Church.” said Therese, unable to wait any longer.

“I want to marry her.” Peter seconded.

“My yes, I wondered if this day would come, too soon, I feel old.” said Father Adriak. He’d blinked and she had gone from little to graduated. He’d known the fate she’d escaped, had promised to always help protect her, and now she was venturing out on her own.

“Just look at it as me getting married young.” Therese told him, not helping the priest feel better about it.

Father Adriak sighed, he had baptized Therese, and he had presented her with the Eucharist on her first communion. Will the illness started, Therese was terrified, she had prayed so much, and he had prayed with her. As it worsened, he prayed more, he prayed for her, he prayed for God to guide her doctor. Father Adriak visited Therese every hospitalization. He grabbed a box and pulled it off the table.

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“I want to show you this.” said Father Adriak as he opened the box. Inside were several broken Rosaries, all different beads, and sizes. “I really should place these away properly, but I cannot bring myself to, Lord forgive me.” said the priest.

“Your old Rosaries?” asked Therese.

“No, these are the Rosaries I pulled apart praying for you. God is forever, but maybe fine chains aren’t. I saved all these, to show you one day, how much I prayed for you.”

Therese smiled and teared up. She looked at the broken rosaries with the worn beads and her monotone voice crackled as she whispered “Thank you.”

“And you, Peter, if that is your name, are you even baptized?” the father asked.

“How did you know?” said Peter who would not lie to the priest.

“I know a fake baptismal certificate when I see one, an excellent forgery, right here, you can see where Ben erred. He gets sloppy with the scissors, and right here you see a double cut on this great replica seal.” said the priest.

“You knew Ben did it?” said Peter as he was thinking God Himself had a hotline to the priest.

“I had him all through his confirmation too, I was once the principal at the Catholic High school, you should see how good his work can be. Are you baptized?” asked the priest.

“Yes, Father.” answered Peter.

“Well just in case, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” said the priest, pouring some holy water on Peter’s head. “I can fudge paperwork here on earth, but my boss is rather dedicated about His.” the priest explained.

“What do your parents think?” the priest asked Therese.

“Meh.” said Therese.

“And yours?” the priest asked Peter.

“They aren’t alive.” said Peter. Therese frowned, he had never mentioned that.

“I’m sorry, but let me tell you something, young man. I boxed in seminary, and even though I may need your help to get up, no matter how old I am, I will pound you down if you hurt this girl.” said the priest. Peter scooted back, he had never been directly threatened by a priest. The man’s tone and the look in his eyes showed he was serious.

“I’m sorry if I startle you, but what good would I be as a priest if I lied. Here, let’s go to the kitchen and make some sandwiches, we have a lot to talk about.” The priest said, leading them to the church kitchen.

Peter asked Father Adraik for confession, so they went to the far end of the church to the confessional and sat in there. “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.” Began Peter, starting his confession, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was many years ago.” Peter began his part of the sacrament.

“So there we were, the money was fast and time was too. I wasn’t doing it to be bad, to sin, I just got caught up and one wad of cash lead to the next. The money was too good for me then.

Well, we find out Jessica was pregnant and shooting up, and she did quit, she did cold. I never used that stuff, I was just there for the money, you know? Well, God gives us the baby, and thank God, she’s ok. I’m still doing what I do to pay the bills, but the party days, the violence, shaking people down, that’s over for me.

Well, I guess one day, she saw a pile of drugs sitting there, and it was too much for her. I came home and she was gone, and the drugs were gone. I knew I was dead either way, no way I can come up with that, but I went all over looking for her, with her baby, and I found her dead in an alley, so we ran. My family, they are all gone, that lifestyle didn’t make old men. So we ran out here to Ben, I knew he loved his sister, and I just wanted him to take the baby, so she didn’t have to run too.

When I told him what happened, he gave me what I deserved, and I don’t blame it for him, I earned every blow, and God Bless him, that’s what saved my life. He gave me a choice to run or stay, and well, that’s how I became me.” said Peter.

“And you love Therese? She is complicated.” asked Father Adriak.

“More and more every day, I find something new every day and I love her more. I know she’s different, but I don’t want perfect, I want love.” said Peter.

“God will absolve your sins, son. Do you know what Penance is?” Father Adriak asked.

“The prayers you are going to ask me to say?” asked Peter.

“More than that, penance is healing. This is about restoring your relationship with God. Pray the Lord’s prayer, try to every night, best you can, but accept that you are a good man, God doesn’t make trash, and He made you.” said Father Adriak, finishing the Sacrament with Peter, as they both prayed together before rejoining Therese.

“I think you have a good thing going, but you are both young, eighteen, and I want you to enjoy getting to know yourselves and each other before we discuss marriage. I want to see you in church, but I do recognize your love for each other.” The priest said sending them on their way. Peter walked out of the church with Therese, they both stopped to bless themselves with holy water first.