I woke early and hurried to Mary's room, she was just getting out of bed as I slipped in the door.
"Chad, what are you..." she gasped as she pulled the blanket up over her in surprise.
"Gangster Rap" I said and her head dropped in response.
"Mary, I want you answer truthfully to my questions do you understand?" I asked and she nodded her head in ascent.
I double checked that the hallway was empty, then sat down on the end of the bed. "How do you feel about what happened between you, me and Rebecca?"
She shrugged down into her shoulders and screwed up her face "I feel ashamed." She replied in a quiet voice.
"Why, what makes you feel ashamed." I continued.
She paused, then in a choking sob said "I liked it. I liked being in a threesome with you and Rebecca."
"Why does that make you feel ashamed?" I asked.
"Because it is wrong, it is a sin. Love should be between a man and a woman, alone and sacred. It should not be shared or turned into a spectacle." She said in a firm voice.
I was surprised, no objections to the fact that her adopted sister was involved, just that someone else was. "What did you like about it that made you feel ashamed?"
"I liked how sexy it made me feel, how desirable and wanton. I shared my body with two people who both wanted me and it felt so liberating." She said in a rush, almost as if she hadn't said it then she never would be able to. "It also felt so good to do something that Father would be so angry about, it felt good to be the bad girl."
"Mary, being with several different people is not a sin. King David had at least seven different wives and Abraham had two. There is no sin about having multiple partners, is there?" I said, reaching out to take her hand.
She squeezed my hand in response "No, but it is sinful and dirty to do such a thing."
"It is a sin to commit adultery, but none of you were married were you." I said calmly and she shook her head in response.
"The bible says that if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. But you didn't, you are not a man and it doesn't say anything about women lying together, does it?" I asked. She furrowed her brow, but shook her head again.
I continued "The bible also talks about how to properly discipline slaves, how to stone people to death, how to beat your children, even how to cut your hair. Are all of those passages to be taken literally today?" She shook her head again.
"Mary, you are a good woman, a beautiful woman who deserves to be happy. Is it right for men dead over two thousand years to determine how you should live your life? You can follow God's teachings without having to be miserable at the same time." I said as I squeezed her hand. She smiled and nodded again, sniffing as tears leaked out from under her closed eyes.
"Mary, when you wake up you will think that God came to you in a dream and told you this. You will understand that your actions were not sinful, but done with love in your heart and to help Chad. You will also believe that Rebecca was just jealous of what you had already done with him, and forgive her for her threat. Do you understand?" I asked, and she nodded, squeezing my hand again.
"The next time you see Chad or Rebecca, you will think back to how good you felt up there in the loft. You will not be angry or scared, but curious about what else you have missed out on and eager to explore more about this new part of your life." I reached up to caress her cheek and she pressed her face against my hand, kissing my palm with a sigh.
I stood and moved to the door, checking to make sure the hall was still deserted. I looked back to where Mary sat on the bed, a smile of relief and contentment on her face. Hell, maybe I was doing God's work here, how could something that made someone so happy be a sin. "Gangster Rap" I said as I slipped out the door.
At breakfast, Sarah was practically dancing around the kitchen, humming to herself as she dished up blueberry pancakes and bacon. "Wow mom, you are in a good mood today. Did you sleep well?" Mary asked.
Sarah turned quickly back to the stove but I saw the blush rising on her face. She slept well, but that wasn't why she was in such a good mood. "Yes dear, and your father will be home tomorrow so I guess that must be why I am in such a good mood." She replied. I saw her hand slide down her apron as if to wipe some flour off, but her fingers strayed a bit closer to her crotch than necessary. Jacob was in for a treat when he got back.