After looking at a list of what they could call their newly formed band, Erin, Paul, Carl, and Lola finally settled on New Religion, because Erin said that music was her religion now. Paul suggested using his YouTube account to get their names out there. For their first video, they performed Erin's song, "Broken and Mended". For their second one, they did a cover of the Bad Religion song, "Faith Alone". Erin really connected to these lyrics.
"What the world needs now
Is some answers to our problems.
We can't buy more time,
'Cause our tender isn't valid.
If your soul needs love,
You can get consoled by pity.
But it looks as though faith alone
Won't sustain us no more."
Their time together became more frequent when they went on Christmas Break. On Christmas Day, Erin woke up, shivering. She was having pain in her right side. She got up and managed to drag herself down the stairs. Her aunt saw her and said, "Erin, you look terrible." Erin said, "I feel terrible." Her aunt felt her forehead and said, "You're burning up!" Erin did not want to eat anything. She complained about the pain. Her uncle said, "I think we should get you to the hospital." She didn't want to move. Her brother, Daniel, carried her to the car. The hospital wasn't too crowded, but there were some people there. When Erin finally got a room, the doctor ordered an x-ray. She had appendicitis, which meant surgery. Erin was scared. It wasn't her first operation, but there was an uncertainty of things. When she woke up, she was in the recovery room, surrounded by her family. Daniel said, "Hey, little sis. How are you feeling?" She replied, "I hurt." Her aunt said, "That will pass." Erin said, "I do feel better than I did." Her cousin, Barbara Ann said, "You look better, too. You don't look pale." The doctor came in and said, "The surgery went well. Since there was no complications, we'll get your discharge papers and send you home." Once at home, Erin went straight to her bed. Her dog, Rusty jumped into the bed with her. Her aunt said, "Rusty, off!" He moaned. She said, "All right, then. You can stay." The next day, Erin got a call from Allie. Allie said, "I'm having a wonderful time here in Florida. How are things going for you." Erin replied, "I had appendicitis. I had my appendix removed." Allie said, "Oh, no. Are you all right?" Erin said, "I'm fine, just a bit sore from surgery. I'll be well again soon." A few hours later, Paul, Carl, and Lola paid Erin a visit. Paul said, "Allie just told me what happened. I thought we'd come and give you some get well wishes." Erin said, "That's sweet. Thanks." Rusty stayed really close to Erin. When she was able to get out of bed without help, he went off by himself. One day, Paul was visiting with Erin. She said, "I'm going to go look for Rusty. I haven't seen him all day. I'm starting to worry." Paul said, "I'll go with you." They set out to look for Rusty. About a mile away, they found him. He was dead. Erin fell to her knees beside her beloved dog and cried. Paul knelt down beside her, put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Erin, I'm so sorry." He was crying, too. He helped her bury the dog. The next day, Lola dropped by and said, "Paul told me what happened. Are you doing okay?" Erin said, "Oh, Lola, why did this have to happen? First, I get sick, and then, I lose my dog." Lola hugged her and said, "Erin, shit happens." Erin said, "I don't think I'll ever be happy again." Lola said, "That's not true. Paul, Carl, and I will do everything we can to make sure you'll be okay. I know it hurts right now, but that will pass. I've had to say goodbye to three dogs in my time." Erin dried her tears and said, "Thank you, Lola." Erin always missed Rusty, but things got better with time.
"What the world needs now
Is some answers to our problems.
We can't buy more time,
'Cause our tender isn't valid.
If your soul needs love,
You can get consoled by pity.
But it looks as though faith alone
Won't sustain us no more."
Their time together became more frequent when they went on Christmas Break. On Christmas Day, Erin woke up, shivering. She was having pain in her right side. She got up and managed to drag herself down the stairs. Her aunt saw her and said, "Erin, you look terrible." Erin said, "I feel terrible." Her aunt felt her forehead and said, "You're burning up!" Erin did not want to eat anything. She complained about the pain. Her uncle said, "I think we should get you to the hospital." She didn't want to move. Her brother, Daniel, carried her to the car. The hospital wasn't too crowded, but there were some people there. When Erin finally got a room, the doctor ordered an x-ray. She had appendicitis, which meant surgery. Erin was scared. It wasn't her first operation, but there was an uncertainty of things. When she woke up, she was in the recovery room, surrounded by her family. Daniel said, "Hey, little sis. How are you feeling?" She replied, "I hurt." Her aunt said, "That will pass." Erin said, "I do feel better than I did." Her cousin, Barbara Ann said, "You look better, too. You don't look pale." The doctor came in and said, "The surgery went well. Since there was no complications, we'll get your discharge papers and send you home." Once at home, Erin went straight to her bed. Her dog, Rusty jumped into the bed with her. Her aunt said, "Rusty, off!" He moaned. She said, "All right, then. You can stay." The next day, Erin got a call from Allie. Allie said, "I'm having a wonderful time here in Florida. How are things going for you." Erin replied, "I had appendicitis. I had my appendix removed." Allie said, "Oh, no. Are you all right?" Erin said, "I'm fine, just a bit sore from surgery. I'll be well again soon." A few hours later, Paul, Carl, and Lola paid Erin a visit. Paul said, "Allie just told me what happened. I thought we'd come and give you some get well wishes." Erin said, "That's sweet. Thanks." Rusty stayed really close to Erin. When she was able to get out of bed without help, he went off by himself. One day, Paul was visiting with Erin. She said, "I'm going to go look for Rusty. I haven't seen him all day. I'm starting to worry." Paul said, "I'll go with you." They set out to look for Rusty. About a mile away, they found him. He was dead. Erin fell to her knees beside her beloved dog and cried. Paul knelt down beside her, put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Erin, I'm so sorry." He was crying, too. He helped her bury the dog. The next day, Lola dropped by and said, "Paul told me what happened. Are you doing okay?" Erin said, "Oh, Lola, why did this have to happen? First, I get sick, and then, I lose my dog." Lola hugged her and said, "Erin, shit happens." Erin said, "I don't think I'll ever be happy again." Lola said, "That's not true. Paul, Carl, and I will do everything we can to make sure you'll be okay. I know it hurts right now, but that will pass. I've had to say goodbye to three dogs in my time." Erin dried her tears and said, "Thank you, Lola." Erin always missed Rusty, but things got better with time.
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking forward to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's Day plans were on me," she said. "Next year I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of next year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's Day together next year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I love you, Una," he said.
"I love you too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking forward to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's Day plans were on me," she said. "Next year I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of next year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's Day together next year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I love you, Una," he said.
"I love you too, Everett," she said.
