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Authors: Margaret Lukas
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stomach eased. Maybe, Papa could make things all right.
“Her grandmother has quite a collection of the old books,” Julian continued, “I grew up with them. Some of those pictures are graphic but harmless.”
“What you are holding,” Sister Dominic Agnes said, “is not what a normal Catholic child draws. I am responsible,” she expelled her breath and needed to draw another, “and no small responsibility it is, for the welfare of my first graders, at home and at school.”
Willow crossed her arms over her stomach and held the hurt. Sister Beatrice was looking down at her shoes, and Papa considered her before looking back to Sister Dominic Agnes. “You’re responsible for your first graders? Even when they are at home?”
“And for their pure minds,” the nun continued. “These kinds of things,” she motioned again to the drawings in Julian’s hand, “are sinful.”
“Sinful?” His brows narrowed, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Then, “You’re experienced in this sort of thing.” He was nodding along with her. “You know enough to have brought all the pictures? I’m seeing all the evidence?”
“Of course. I wanted you to see everything. If she doesn’t stop this, I’ll take her to see Father Steinhouse. He’ll likely want to meet with you, and he may well decide she’s not suited for Our Lady of Supplication. As it is, I’m taking her out of the May procession.”
Willow slid off her chair and ran to stand beside Julian. “Mémé bought me a dress, and you’re coming to the procession too, aren’t you Papa? You’re coming to church.”
“Adults are talking,” Sister Dominic Agnes said.
Willow’s eyes met Sister Beatrice’s eyes, which looked kind and sorry. Sister Beatrice couldn’t help though, and Willow turned for her room and Doll. Julian caught her arm, pulling her up short. As she tugged, stretching for her room, though he didn’t seem to notice her struggle, he raised the pictures. “You’re taking her out of the procession because of these?”
“She draws when she shouldn’t. She did all those this week. I cannot tolerate such misbehavior. We take time for coloring the last hour on Fridays, and it’s not the devil we color at Our Lady of Supplication.”
The pictures hung at Papa’s side, the corners fluttering as he tapped them against his leg, his thoughts loud in Willow’s head. She can’t be getting in trouble over her drawings again, can’t be drawing when the rest are getting ahead. Jeannie attended that school; she wanted her kids to go there. I don’t want Willow in rough public schools…not where they’ll pick on her.
She stopped fighting his grip. Why had his mind said getting in trouble again? She’d never been in trouble for drawing.
He let her go and re-rolled the pictures into a tight scroll. “I’ll see this stops.”
“Very well,” Sister Dominic Agnes sighed with satisfaction. “However, as punishment, I’m still removing her from the procession.”
A squeak from Sister Beatrice. “Perhaps, if she—”
“I must maintain discipline,” Sister Dominic Agnes cut in, “or risk having none at all.” She motioned to the pictures in Julian’s hand, “I’ll take those back with me.”
To both nuns, he gave a slow, gracious smile. “Why don’t I keep them? We’d hate to see them land in a file somewhere. Especially if someone might think they’re inappropriate.”
Willow saw red wash up from Sister Dominic Agnes’s neck and onto her cheeks. “They are school property. They were drawn at school and, therefore, belong in her school records. Father Steinhouse may wish to see them.”
“Well, then, I’m sincerely indebted to you for bringing them all to me. That was a real act of kindness.” He stepped around the women and held open the screen door with an outstretched arm. “I’ll talk to Willow. She won’t give you any more trouble.”
Sister Beatrice leaned down, and her kind eyes met Willow’s again.
“Her grandmother has quite a collection of the old books,” Julian continued, “I grew up with them. Some of those pictures are graphic but harmless.”
“What you are holding,” Sister Dominic Agnes said, “is not what a normal Catholic child draws. I am responsible,” she expelled her breath and needed to draw another, “and no small responsibility it is, for the welfare of my first graders, at home and at school.”
Willow crossed her arms over her stomach and held the hurt. Sister Beatrice was looking down at her shoes, and Papa considered her before looking back to Sister Dominic Agnes. “You’re responsible for your first graders? Even when they are at home?”
“And for their pure minds,” the nun continued. “These kinds of things,” she motioned again to the drawings in Julian’s hand, “are sinful.”
“Sinful?” His brows narrowed, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Then, “You’re experienced in this sort of thing.” He was nodding along with her. “You know enough to have brought all the pictures? I’m seeing all the evidence?”
“Of course. I wanted you to see everything. If she doesn’t stop this, I’ll take her to see Father Steinhouse. He’ll likely want to meet with you, and he may well decide she’s not suited for Our Lady of Supplication. As it is, I’m taking her out of the May procession.”
Willow slid off her chair and ran to stand beside Julian. “Mémé bought me a dress, and you’re coming to the procession too, aren’t you Papa? You’re coming to church.”
“Adults are talking,” Sister Dominic Agnes said.
Willow’s eyes met Sister Beatrice’s eyes, which looked kind and sorry. Sister Beatrice couldn’t help though, and Willow turned for her room and Doll. Julian caught her arm, pulling her up short. As she tugged, stretching for her room, though he didn’t seem to notice her struggle, he raised the pictures. “You’re taking her out of the procession because of these?”
“She draws when she shouldn’t. She did all those this week. I cannot tolerate such misbehavior. We take time for coloring the last hour on Fridays, and it’s not the devil we color at Our Lady of Supplication.”
The pictures hung at Papa’s side, the corners fluttering as he tapped them against his leg, his thoughts loud in Willow’s head. She can’t be getting in trouble over her drawings again, can’t be drawing when the rest are getting ahead. Jeannie attended that school; she wanted her kids to go there. I don’t want Willow in rough public schools…not where they’ll pick on her.
She stopped fighting his grip. Why had his mind said getting in trouble again? She’d never been in trouble for drawing.
He let her go and re-rolled the pictures into a tight scroll. “I’ll see this stops.”
“Very well,” Sister Dominic Agnes sighed with satisfaction. “However, as punishment, I’m still removing her from the procession.”
A squeak from Sister Beatrice. “Perhaps, if she—”
“I must maintain discipline,” Sister Dominic Agnes cut in, “or risk having none at all.” She motioned to the pictures in Julian’s hand, “I’ll take those back with me.”
To both nuns, he gave a slow, gracious smile. “Why don’t I keep them? We’d hate to see them land in a file somewhere. Especially if someone might think they’re inappropriate.”
Willow saw red wash up from Sister Dominic Agnes’s neck and onto her cheeks. “They are school property. They were drawn at school and, therefore, belong in her school records. Father Steinhouse may wish to see them.”
“Well, then, I’m sincerely indebted to you for bringing them all to me. That was a real act of kindness.” He stepped around the women and held open the screen door with an outstretched arm. “I’ll talk to Willow. She won’t give you any more trouble.”
Sister Beatrice leaned down, and her kind eyes met Willow’s again.
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