A few days later, Erica was released from the hospital. Although she was back together with Kaioshin, she still felt awful about something, only now it was about something different. Kaioshin took her home and made her rest for the entire day, and he’d be her servant.
“I can sense there’s something bothering you,” Kaioshin told her.
“It’s nothing, Kaioshin. I’m just sore and tired.”
Kaioshin sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “You know you can tell me anything, Erica.”
“I know. And when that anything comes, I’ll tell you,” she said kissing his cheek.
Erica’s secret was getting harder and harder to keep. A few months had passed, and the secret became more noticeable. She feared the day Kaioshin would ask her what was wrong with her now, because she just didn’t know how to tell him.
That day came. Kaioshin came over one morning to find Erica sick in bed. “What’s wrong?” He asked sitting on her bed.
“Oh Kaioshin…I knew I couldn’t keep this from you much longer. I might as well tell you now.”
“Tell me what? What happened?” Kaioshin asked.
Erica looked away for a moment and took a deep breath. “Kaioshin…that man that attacked me a few months ago…”
“What about him?” Kaioshin asked when Erica paused.
“He raped me…” Erica said softly.
Kaioshin didn’t say anything for a moment. “So that’s why you’ve been like this lately…” Erica nodded. “Erica, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid…”
“Of what?”
“That you’d be mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you? Erica, I wish you told me sooner. It’s not your fault this happened.”
“I know…but now I’m going to have a kid that’s not even yours,” she sobbed.
Kaioshin pulled her to him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll love it as if it were my own if you want me to be a part of its life.”
“Kaioshin…I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you,” Erica choked.
“I know…that’s why I was gone for those two weeks. I was trying to get the permission from former gods so I could be with you.”
“What?” Erica asked looking up at him with a tear stained face.
“That’s why I was so happy when I came to you that morning. I had convinced them that a god could make any kind of decision if they felt it was the right move…in this case humans would call it marriage.”
“Oh my god…Kaioshin, are you serious? And I got so mad at you…”
Kaioshin laughed. “I know…I didn’t know what to do then. I thought I had worked so hard for nothing.” He paused. “So do you still want me to offer?”
“My answer is yes,” Erica replied. No more words were said as they kissed each other.
