EIGHTY

There was a crashing sound in the hallway and Forthhold sacked several servants to leave him alone.

His wife ran to him and saw him breathing heavily and gaping for air.

She sat on her heels besides him and asked what happened and he tried to speak, but instead of words, gulps of air came out.

His fur was vanishing even with the helmet on and she had never seen him like this, what happened to him?

She was about to go and get help when he held her wrist and said,"It's Rose... she's stronger than I thought..."

***

I got a call on my phone the next day from Ruby, who asked me if I had realized Rose's... odd behaviour.

I took a bite of my flan then said,"Yeah, she says she's Christian now."

Ruby tilted her head then asked,"You mean like...a nun?"

That word brought back thoughts to my mind, then I finally spoke,"Ruby, please, could you help me with something?"

"Well it depends, is it going to be stupid, irresponsible, life-threatening or unfathomably awkward like most of your other suggestions?"

"Well....it depends on your standards..."

***

The doorbell rang and Lucy asked Rose to go and answer it.

She went and saw me standing with an entourage of roses and a Mariachi band.

She tilted her head and asked what I was doing, then I went on one knee and said,"Rosalind Alexandria Welshes, you are the most amazing and beautiful woman I have had in my life and I just wanted to humbly ask if you'd make me the happiest man on earth by becoming my wife."

She was silent for a few seconds which was causing anxiety to bubble up within me, till she asked,"Why do you want to marry me all of a sudden?"

"What?"

"You haven't brought something like this up recently, why now?"

"Is it a yes or a no?"

"It's a simple question."

"...I just love you and don't want anyone else to even have a chance with you, please."

She pinched her nose and said,"Tommy, please don't lie to me and tell me the real reason."

"Huh, it's just...you said it was better not to marry and I just wanted to show you what you'd miss if you didn't, I love you Rose and can't imagine a life without you."

She walked closer to me and locked the door behind her while everyone in the entire building groaned then she said,"Tommy, I love you too, but I don't want you to marry me because you're scared of losing me because you never will, I want you to marry me because you truly want to be with me forever, to wake up each morning with an ever renewing love for me and until you're ready, I don't think I will be."

"So, it's a no?"

"No, I'll say whichever answer you want me to say, no conditions."

I looked at her then said,"Please, say yes."

"Then it's a yes."She said without hesitation.

I looked into her beautiful smile, but there was something hidden within it, within her sapphire blue eyes and ruby brows, her pale pink skin and her cherry lips, it was a hint of sorrow and bondage, that was the same look Ruby had when she was forced to marry the same man she later on went to marry, Mack.

I just broke down and threw away the flowers and paid the men to leave then turned back to her and said,"Rose, I'm sorry for all of this, I just... I'm just so lost."

She caressed my cheek then said,"The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

I looked at her then asked,"...how may I be saved?"

She smiled then said,"Now that's a question that's easy to answer..."

***

Jonathan Welshes held the golden chalice in his hand and squeezed it till it noisily crumbled, spilling the red wine within, then he stood up abruptly and his father asked,"Son, what troubles you?"

"They have a new approach now father, our only weakness...the Creator."

Osiris chuckled deeply then said,"Their faith is the victory they have over the world, but even then, without works, it lies dead...find a way to weaken their faith, then you can easily deal the death blow and take what is rightfully yours."

Anubis smirked, then said,"I know exactly what to do..."

***

There was a loud cheering from a crowd as I was immersed into the waters surrounding me by the elder and brought out, I was just baptized, and had never felt better.

I immediately ran to Rose and hugged her tightly, then said,"Thank you."

"Thank God, not me."

I smiled and kissed her forehead, before looking up and saying a silent prayer then closing my eyes as it began to drizzle, I loved the rain.

I didn't want to leave Rose because I still wanted to learn more about...God, it was still taking a little getting used to though.

Despite that, she told me to go back to college, where I could tell of my testimony and learn more on my own, and if there was anything I didn't understand, I could ask the elders of the nondenominational church we attended by the next meeting, so I agreed.

I went to school feeling like a new person, despite that, being a Christian in school was a lot harder than I thought, and I began to see how bad people could be like...how wayward they were acting and how I used to be, and couldn't believe I used to act like that.

I still knew it wasn't in my place to judge or condemn them, especially those who didn't call themselves Christians, rather, I had to speak to and pray for them...

I had a lot to learn and to earn as well, there were a lot of situations where I had to speak up and defend my new found faith, but I tried to remain bold, and do what the Bible said, not to think or even pray over what to say, to speak with gentleness but also with virtue, and to be steadfast.

Shortly after that, Rose sold the entire half of the company she shared with her sister and gave everything she earned to Christian charities in isolated areas across the world, everyone thought she was crazy till I tried to do the same.

She warned me not to do it for a reward, but all I wanted to do was to help God's people, so I did it, I didn't pay a hand on the triplets' inheritance, I just sold mine and felt... slightly resentful, but thinking about the people I had helped and how to help them even more kept me going, Lucy wasn't happy in the least.

She literally almost cut all ties with me, twice, and she became really hostile to the pronunciation of my new Father's name, I only hoped one day, she too could be called out of the darkness into God's glorious light...

And you know why I had changed so much all of a sudden? Because I had been forgiven much, very much, so loved much, and had a loving wife who helped me get closer to God...