Sadik left Nikola at the church, and Nikola made mingled in the crowd that was there for the sermon. Father Sergei spoke a little about the war in Ukraine and then returned to speaking about the pandemic. Nikola had waited, his nerves on edge the whole time, for the priest to call the sermon complete and to take confessions.

When the priest did so, Nikola was the first to enter the confessional. Father Sergei entered it soon after. He made the sign of the cross and spoke.

“How have you been, Nikola? You skipped the Sunday sermon. Some of our regulars told me your house had been burned down. Do you have a place to stay?” Nikola was touched at the concern that the priest was showing him.

“I have a cottage in the woods. Sadik and I live there. Father Sergei, I have to admit that I have sinned. I now know Sadik more…intimately,” Nikola heard a chuckle from the other side.

“Well, I did say that you are off washing duty if you keep sinning with the man. But, if it puts your mind at ease, you may spend an hour helping,” Nikola nodded. He would. It was the right thing to do. “Anything else, young man?”

“I was in Las Vegas. However, it was to visit a friend of a friend who was in a hospital,” said Nikola, looking down at his hands.

“And, did you go into a gambling den?” Father Sergei sounded disapproving.

“No, Sadik and I spend some time in the hotel’s spa. We didn’t do much else,” the priest sighed.

“Nikola, you are too harsh on yourself. You consider things as sins that most people consider normal. I gave you punishments because we need the working hands in the soup kitchens, and it seems that makes you happy. But, you can’t go on living like that,” Nikola was surprised at the words. He opened his mouth to speak, but, no words came out.

Sadik had told him much the same. However, hearing it from father Sergei made it all the more real. Was he punishing himself for no reason? Surely, he should listen to the bible?

“I know what you are thinking,” said father Sergei when Nikola remained silent. “That you should follow the teachings of the bible. But know that the bible was written by men, who had their sets of sins. You should look at the example of our savior. He had a relationship and no one dared to judge him.”

Nikola supposed that was right. He was not any holier than Christ. Still, he had wanted to live his life by the examples of the bible. Was it so wrong?

“And, before you decide to excuse your self-punishing behavior with the bible, know that men like you, who find love in other men, are frowned upon in there. Read the lessons. About forgiveness and understanding. But don’t live your life by something that is flawed. Live by your flaws, young man. And if you really sin, know I will listen,” father Sergei stood up, and he made the sign of the cross again.

Nikola exited the confessional as if in a trance. Not every day was he told that he had been too zealous in his faith. He made his way to the cooking area of the soup kitchen.

Maybe, for his peace of mind, he could do the washing after every sermon? Just to be helpful, and not out of guilt. Surely, then his actions would be better received.

As he washed, he began to think about the way he lived his life. He was a believer, he thought. He felt at home in the church. Admired icons and felt that they were holy.

But, was it all a lip service on his part? Surely, it was not. However, what does he call selectively following the bible? Coming here for a confession every time he stepped out of line?

Was it appropriate to do so? Shouldn’t he know better? He kept on washing until the sink emptied. Then, he wiped the kitchen counter, not that it was dirty. But he felt like it was a nice touch. Then, he placed fifty dollars in the donation box on his way out.

Sadik was not outside and so, Nikola walked to the mosque. They were in different parts of town. As if there should be a wider divide between believers. Nikola found that silly. Then, he remembered that there were multiple churches in the Christian faith.

He had never understood that. Sunday school had taught him that there was one God and people called the creator with different names. Nothing wrong with that. They were all his children. Their souls destined for either his home, or Hell.

But, if Sadik got his way and Nikola became a vampire, Nikola won’t go to either. As he neared the mosque, he noticed how people were leaving it. Was the sermon longer today? He went and sat on a bench in front of the building.

Despite his beliefs, he felt it rude to go inside, uninvited. Sadik came out with a wide grin in half an hour. When he neared, Nikola noticed that he smelled of lemon and chemicals.

“You got washing duty?” Asked Nikola as Sadik sat by him.

“No, but, I still did it. Imam Hasan told me not to bother him with my personal life. Called me a gossip, too,” Nikola grinned.

“Father Sergei told me much the same. Guess, we weren’t sinning, after all?” They shared a laugh and Sadik hooked an arm around Nikola’s shoulder.

“I think this is a green light, don’t you?” Nikola nodded. Yes, they might as well do whatever it was that they wanted. Provided they didn’t harm anyone.

“I think I won’t go to every sermon anymore. Just the Sunday ones,” whispered Nikola as he stared at a patch of petunias that grew in a circle.

“Are the end times here? Niki, should I be worried that I am a bad influence?” Nikola chuckled at the light teasing. Maybe, if he was less uptight, Sadik could love him even more. And, seeing as Nikola got the same feeling of acceptance from the Turk as he did from the church, he would like that.