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preaches about. Just because
    we don’t call it whatever your church calls it doesn’t mean we’re not religious too.”
    “It’s not about religion,” Bobby said, sounding to ¦ Ray like something a Sunday school teacher might say> “It’s about being a true Christian.”
    “I am!”
    “Not unless you’ve got Jesus in your heart.”
    Now Ray was mad. “And what if I don’t?”
    “Then you’re going to hell.”
    “What!?”
    “That’s what the Bible says. You have to tell God you know you’re a sinner and—”
    “I’m no sinner.”
    “Your church doesn’t teach that everybody’s a sinner?”
    “No!”
    “It’s right in the Bible. It says everybody has sinned.”
    “I’ll bet my mom hasn’t.”
    “Bet she has.”
    “Bobby, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know everything about what our church teaches, but I think we believe everybody’s good at heart. We try to do good things all the time, do what God wants us to do.”
    Bobby sat there shaking his head.
    Ray wanted to pop him. Look down at me, will yaf And you’re not even as smart as I am. “What?” Ray said.
    “Your church teaches that people are good at heart?”
    “I don’t know, Bobby. Come on; let’s do something.”
    “I just don’t want you to go to hell, that’s all.”
    “You don’t have to worry about that.”
    “So you’re not a sinner? You don’t sin? I’ve heard you swear.”
    Ray stretched out on the couch and clasped his hands behind his head. It was going to be a long night. “Okay, I swear, all right? God’s going to send me to hell for that? There’s gonna be a lot of people there with me.”
    “You get mad.”
    “Everybody does. Usually I get mad at myself if I mess up in a game. Right now I’m mad at you because you’re borin’ me to death with all this.” Truth was, he was more insulted than bored.
    “You were born a sinner.”
    Ray sat up, glaring at Bobby. “How would you know that?”
    “It’s right in the Bible. We all were.”
    “There you go with the Bible again. What, are you gonna be a preacher when you grow up? a missionary? what?”
    “Whatever God wants me to be.”
      “And when’s He going to tell you?”
    “Never know. I gotta just keep listening.”
    “You know how wacky you sound?”
    “Well, listen to you, Ray. You don’t even think you’re a sinner.”
    “There are a lot worse people in this world than me. But I don’t suppose you’re one of ‘em.”
    “I’m just like everybody else,” Bobby said. “Born in sin. Need to be forgiven. I’m mean to my sisters, mouth off to my
    parents …”
    “So you’re on your way to hell too?”
    “I was. Till I got Jesus in my heart.”
    “And since then you don’t sin?”
    “Of course I do. But I’ve been saved by grace. Jesus died—”
    “Can we not talk about this anymore, Bobby? Really. You must go to one weird church.”
    “No, it’s great. You should come sometime. Think your parents would let you? Maybe day after tomorrow?”
    Not in a million years.

Chapter 3

    Much as Marilena tried to remind herself she was a mature, modern adult, she couldn’t brush aside her disappointment and suspicion when she trudged from the bus to the apartment building and could see from the street that their flat was dark. And thus empty. It was Sorin’s custom to read until midnight. And it wasn’t even ten yet.
    So he had again taken advantage of her absence to tend to his own needs. What did I expect? It’s all right; really, it’s all right. The alternative is worse.
    Marilena didn’t even try to talk herself into using the stairs rather than the elevator. Climbing would be good for her, she knew, but her mind was so full it seemed to weigh on her body. When finally she entered the apartment, she shut the door without locking it, knowing Sorin had to be home soon. Without even turning on the light she dropped heavily into her favorite overstuffed chair and inhaled the stale, sickly sweet