บท 25: Cut by care and glass

Sister Becca stood at the Reverend father's office door feeling anxious and nervous . Although one could not see it , her poker face was absolute perfection .

She was not coming with bad news , no , that was not the reason for her anxiety . The Reverend father had woken up five days ago , praise be to the Lord , and he'd resumed his duties only yesterday . No one had and could have told him otherwise , he had been adamant about returning to work . Oh how she lov-

Sister Becca shook her head before she could finish the thought and knocked on the door thrice before entering . As she looked at the man on the chair continuing his writing even after she entered , she was struck by his figure .

Having been there when he first begun overseeing the orphanage , she remembered the strapping young man he had been and very little had changed . Still so dashing in his attire , his face still holding a handsomeness that age could not conquer and his eyes , so pure and holy , she wished his eyes could be on her bodice with -

She stopped herself and waited patiently for the Reverend father to finish and acknowledge her presence . After five minutes , the Reverend father put his pen down and looked at her with a smile . Sister Becca's heart stopped and swooned .

" Sister Becca , have you brought the papers for the repairs ? " The Reverend father asked her and she produced some papers from her sleeve .

" Thank you . " He said as she gave them to him .

So handsome , so perfect , she thought as she looked at him . She wished she could be chosen by him to be his bride . It wasn't that she had a lack of faith or resented being a nun , she loved her place . But if the Reverend father had proposed right then , she would have thrown her abbot off and pounced on him , virgin that she was .

She wasn't foolish , she knew she was not exactly what someone like the Reverend father would see in that light . Atleast not yet . She was older by atleast a decade and maybe a few more years but so what ? That meant she was very mature , and would be a very knowledgeable wife . All he had to do was speak and her purity would be his , she'd been saving herself all this time for him . All he need do was say that h-

" How is the boy ? "

Sister Becca was snapped out her thoughts when the Reverend father spoke and it took a moment for his words to filter into her mind .

" Which boy , Reverend ? " She asked him .

" The boy who was injured along with me . Henric , I believe ." He said and Sister Becca tried to hide her distaste .

" He is fine. His injuries were minor compared to yours , Reverend father ." She said flatly .

" That is good . Sister Cali wrote to me , asking about his welfare . She has always shown him affection , hasn't she ? " He said looking down at his papers and he missed the look of hatred that came into Sister Becca's face at the mention of her former Sister .

" I am sure she does. Reverend , " She said slowly , " May I be excused ? I have left some children with duties and wish to see how they are fairing . "

" Ahh , yes. Go " The Reverend father said waving her away and she left the office with a look of anger in her eyes that could melt the sun .

...

" Now , clean precisely . Understood ? " Sister Maria said to the boys by the fountain and they nodded their heads .

Christan held the cloth in his hands and scrubbed the fountain as best as he could along with his friend Julian . After four minutes , Sister Maria went to check on the boy's tending the roses , planting new ones to replace those killed in the storm .

" All so precisely this and precisely that . Honestly to God , I hate working the garden . " Julian grumbled and Christan agreed .

" And besides , " Julian continued with a frown , " Everyone knows only Henric can clean this fountain ' precisely ' . This should be his main duty . "

" How is Henric ? " Christan asked him .

" Him ? Eh , fine but a bit timid and pale is what I hear . Seems the fall messed with his head and now he's a tad lost . " Julian said and then he looked at him , " You still haven't spoken to him ? "

" No , too busy ." Christan said evasively but Julian could tell that was a lie .

" Did you visit him in the infirmary ? " He asked and Christan grit his teeth .

" No , too busy . " He answered shocking the other boy .

" Too busy to visit him ? I thought you were quite fond of him , as did everyone . What happened ? " He asked him .

He broke my heart , Christan thought but instead he said ; " Nothing . Look , you better clean faster before Sister Maria comes back . "

Julian nodded his head and went back to cleaning the fountain base . Christan looked up at the cloudy grey sky and sighed . He knew he should talk to Henric , but after the time in the woods he didn't have the nerve to see him .

Christan frowned and looked back at the fountain to see how much work they had done . Then he saw it . In the water , a shiny thing . His curiosity arose and he reached into the water to see what it was . As soon as he touched the shiny thing , he felt a cut on his finger and drew it back .

" What did you do ? " Julian asked him as Christan held his hand and saw the blood dripping from his finger .

" I cut my finger . You got a cloth to cover it up ? " Christan said but Julian shook his head.

" Sister Maria ! " He called and the nun came .

" Whatever do you want ? You can't have finished already , can you ? " She asked them .

" No , Sister. Christan cut his finger and it's bleeding frightfully . " Julian said and the Sister turned to Christan . Seeing the blood , she turned to the water in the fountain and saw a trail of red in it it's water . Oh her poor fountain .

" Alright . Go to the infirmary and be patched up . " Sister Maria said and Christan nodded his head .

He turned to leave but then he noticed something strange. Behind the statue , on the opposite side of the fountain , a boy was standing there. Christan was sure he hadn't been there before and he was also sure he wasn't part of the garden duty boys that day.

" Well , what are waiting for ? Go on ." Sister Maria said and he quickly rushed out of there.