For Shits and Giggles [2024]

Chapter 36

Fior kneeled down in front of the alter, her head bowed to pray. The sunlight was colored blue and purple and pink by the stained glass of the Church windows. Felix knew she would be there.

"Fior," he spoke softly, quietly, as to not startle her. She jumped anyway, screamed. She whipped her head around, seeing Felix standing at the end of the aisle, just outside the Church doors. He didn't dare take a step closer.

"What are you doing here," she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I needed to see you."

She stared at him, for a long time she said nothing. He waited for her to speak.

Fior turned back around, looked up at Jesus pinned high above the alter on His cross.

"Do you remember... this is where we got married," she said, mostly to herself.

"Of course I remember," Felix took a step inside, cautiously making his way down the aisle toward her. She glanced over her shoulder and said nothing. Instead, she clasped her hands together, bowed her head down, and prayed.

He kneeled slowly beside her, making sure to keep distance between them, and bowed his own head to pray. He prayed to a God he wasn't even sure he believed in anymore. He prayed that Gracie was found, so that they could end this curse. He prayed for Fior, for her peace, for her safety, for her forgiveness. He prayed for his own soul that would surely be damned to Hell after all of this was over.

He heard Fior sniffle and opened his eyes, watching her quietly sob into her hands.

"Oh Felix," she wept. "How could you do it? How could you cheat on me?"

He gripped his hands together. He wanted to pull her in, to hug her and hold her for the rest of his miserable life. But he didn't move a muscle. He didn't dare.

"I was stupid, Fior," he started. "I'm the stupidest man in the whole world for doing something like that to you."

"Did you... did you ever do it in our marital bed?"

"No!" He yelled, Fior flinched. He quickly lowered his voice again. "No, we never had sex after you and I got married."

"So not an adulterer," she said. "Just a fornicator."

She looked down again, watching her tears drip onto the wood of the kneeling pew.

"That's still a sin Felix. Oh God, how could you?"

"Fior please," he turned to face her and bent forward, resting his forehead on the ground. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, I was an idiot. I was young and weak and lost... I love you Fior, please. I love you."

She closed her eyes, "I loved you so much. Even when I left you, I never wanted our marriage to end. I just needed space, I was scared and you were hurting me but... not like this," she began to sob again. "You've never hurt me like this."

"I know," he pleaded. "I know I hurt you. I know all I ever do is hurt you but you have to believe me... I love you more than anything in this world. Tell me how I can prove it to you. I'll do anything, just tell me."

She took a moment to catch her breath between her tears, "When we got married we made a promise to each other," she said. "We made a promise to God."

His heart thumped against his chest. Felix kept his forehead on the ground and braced himself. He braced himself for the words he never thought he'd hear from devout wife: I want a divorce.

But those words never came.

"I would never break a promise to God," she said. "I may have married a sinner, but I won't let you make me one too."

Her voice rang in his ears.

"We can work through this," she said. "We have to. But you won't see Gracie again. Promise it."

He hesitated for only a moment, "I promise."

Fior searched for the sincerity in his eyes and nodded, turning away from him again to pray.

The relief overwhelmed him. In that moment, he would have done anything for Fior. Instead, he brought his forearms underneath his face and bawled.