25: Marry me! 

Khana paced in her small, cozy apartment, the tension in her body reflective of the turmoil in her mind. Notwithstanding the serenity of her surroundings, Khana did not feel one bit calm.

Her thoughts were consumed with Henry. Ever since their first conversation, she had felt this almost inexplicable connection toward him, which just seemed to grow stronger with each day. Yet, her mind still lingered on the confrontation with Bettina earlier. She knew that her friend was right—there were real consequences to her pursuit of a priest.

Khana stopped before the mirror, her reflection staring back at her. Her dark eyes were wide with indecision; her eyebrows furrowed. "What am I doing?" she whispered to herself. "This is madness."

Khana sank into the overstuffed armchair by the window, her head buried in her hands. "Why does it have to be so complicated?" she murmured. She closed her eyes, trying to find clarity in the tumult of her emotions.

She stood up abruptly, her decision made. 

"I have to see him," she said aloud, as if speaking the words would give her the courage she needed. She grabbed her coat and headed for the door, yet paused with her hand on the doorknob.

"What if he doesn't want to see me?" The doubt crept back in, freezing her in place. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. "You won't know unless you go," she reminded herself.

On the other hand, Father Henry sat alone in his study, the dim light from a single lamp casting shadows on the worn pages of his Bible. The room was heavy with silence, broken only by the soft ticking of an old clock on the wall. His mind, however, was far from tranquil. Guilt weighed heavily upon him, a burden he couldn't shake off.

The priest closed his eyes, trying to shut out the memory of their entangled bodies, of whispered promises and desperate longing. He knew it was wrong, a betrayal of his vows and his calling. Yet, even now, part of him revealed in the passion of that stolen night.

Suddenly, a surge of frustration swept through him, and without thinking, he struck the wall with his fist. Pain shot through his hand, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. How could he, a man of God, succumb to such weakness? 

"I let the demon eat me whole," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse with self-loathing. Was he even worthy to be called 'priest' anymore?

A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Startled, he looked up to see Sakristan Jake peering cautiously into the room.

"Father Henry, excuse me, but there's a lady outside. She's wearing a red dress," Jake informed him, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

With a heavy heart, he nodded to Jake and rose from his seat. Henry replied, "Thank you, Jake. I'll handle this."

He stepped outside to find out it was Khana who was waiting, her eyes searching his face with a mix of longing and uncertainty. 

Henry's breath caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, her presence stirring up a storm of conflicting emotions within him.

"Khana," he said softly, gesturing for her to follow him away from the church where they could speak privately.

As they walked, Henry's mind raced. What could Khana possibly want from him now? He feared the answer even as he asked the question silently to himself.

They found a secluded spot beneath the shade of an old oak tree. Khana stood before him, her expression earnest yet troubled.

"Henry," she began, her voice tinged with desperation, "I need to talk to you."

He nodded, unable to meet her gaze. Henry thought of telling her that he'd move to another church. It is for the best, they won't be able to see each other. 

"I... I need you to marry me," Khana blurted out, her words hanging in the air like a heavyweight.

Henry's heart skipped a beat. Marry her? The implications of her request hit him like a tidal wave. She was engaged to another man, and yet here she was, asking him to undo what they had done.

"Because of what happened between us," she added, her voice trembling with emotion. "Because of that night. You have to take responsibility."

Henry felt as though the ground had shifted beneath him. That night—their moment of weakness—had led them here, to this impossible situation.

Suddenly, Henry realized what mistake he had been making. He gently pushed her aside and told her, "What happened was a grievous mistake." 

"You took my heart away. That night you were so into me. Why can't you just take responsibility?!"

"SsSShh!Tone down your voice," Henry whispered.

Khana calmed down for a bit, yet she was still willing to argue if necessary.

He looked at the sky and added, "I beg you to pray with me and ask for forgiveness from him."

"I won't ask for forgiveness. Why can't you just leave your situation and start all over with me as your wife!" Khana uttered in frustration.

“If you keep tempting me to sin, both of us will be doomed. Humanity will fall apart as the sky falls with god’s wrath," Henry replied.

With a heavy heart and a troubled mind, Henry stumbled back towards the safety of the church, his thoughts in turmoil. The encounter with Khana had shaken him to his core, stirring up emotions he had long sought to suppress. Guilt gnawed at him as he replayed the moment in his mind, grappling with the realization of his vulnerability in the face of temptation.

As he reached the sanctuary of the church, Henry sank to his knees before the altar, seeking solace in prayer. But even in the sacred stillness of the holy place, he found no refuge from the turmoil raging within him. His heart weighed heavy with remorse and confusion, torn between his duty as a priest and the forbidden desires that now threatened to consume him.

Hours passed in agonizing contemplation as Henry wrestled with his conscience, seeking guidance in the silent depths of his soul. But try as he might, he could find no easy answers to the questions that plagued him. The memory of Khana's kiss lingered like a haunting specter, casting a shadow over his every thought and action.

Meanwhile, Khana was left dumbfounded as she watched Henry leave and return to the church. She was numb upon hearing his last statement telling her Henry would be assigned to a different locale and they wouldn't see each other from that moment.