We’ve had a good night, tonight. Good food, good company, and an excellent showing, in terms of initiation rites. But now, it has come to an end. Have a good night everyone, and I hope to see you next time.”
Victoria absorbed Sister Katherine’s minute speech, but something struck as rather odd. Sister Katherine had mentioned that she “hoped” to see everyone there “next time”, as if everyone wasn’t a part of the convent, and weren’t about to return to the same exact place. Victoria’s curiosity intensified, and before she knew it, her feet were carrying her in Sister Katherine’s direction. She had arrived in front of Sister Katherine before she could even voice the million questions floating about in her head. She imagined she looked rather silly, standing so expectantly in front of Sister Katherine. She smiled a bit awkwardly, and opened her mouth to speak. It wasn’t quite the most elegant way she had ever posed a question, but at the very least, it was straight to the point.
“ Why does Raela get to go to the city?” Victoria blurted, and she almost instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth. It was not that she had never asked the tough questions before, because she had, but the campsite had gone deathly quiet, at an inopportune time. Raela and her friends, for once, had stopped chattering, and were now inching over, in hopes of eavesdropping on the conversation.
Sister Katherine smiled, and took Victoria by the arm. “Help me collect some of the trash around the edges, dear.” Victoria’s stomach dropped. Privacy was not something generally afforded in a convent, and the fact that Sister Katherine seemed to seek it, for this particular conversation, unnerved Victoria. As the two women moved towards the edge of the campsite, away from the glow of the fire, Victoria heard Raela’s giggling once more, and a snide “Of course she wouldn’t know.”
Sister Katherine bent down to grab a crumpled cup, which she stuffed into the garbage bag she was carrying. Victoria rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet for a moment, before mimicking Sister Katherine. “Victoria, you asked why Raela is allowed to visit the city.” Victoria nodded her head, although she doubted Sister Katherine could see it in the dark. “She is allowed to go to the city, because she is not confined here. But, neither are you.” Sister Katherine bent down again, this time picking up what looked like a crushed candy wrapper. “I’m…I’m not confined to this convent. I can leave whenever I want?” “You are confined legally, as you are a ward of the convent. But I cannot stop you from visiting the city, or anywhere else for that matter.” “But, what about the daytime work? And the night work? As in…the Other Sisterhood.” Sister Katherine stuffed another piece of trash into the bag. “You must do the daytime work, as we are a functioning convent. That is what we do. But no one is forcing you to take the vows of a nun, or for that matter, take the vows of the Other Sisterhood”, Sister Katherine added wryly.
“ What?”
“ What do you mean, what? Victoria, I’ve just told you what you asked. I thought I was pretty clear.”
“ No, no.” Victoria stepped forward. “Do you mean to tell me, that this whole convent thing, when it comes down to it, is a choice?”
At this, Sister Katherine turned to Victoria. Her eyes, although hardly ever filled with joy, seemed to be uncharacteristically sad.
“ Yes, Victoria. It is a choice, just like everything in life. You always have a choice.”
“ But, I’m a ward of the convent, you said. I didn’t have a choice in coming here. Where are my parents? Raela’s got some, and apparently, they send her money as well. She has some pretty nice things. Why don’t my parents send me money? Or is it because I haven’t got any?” The words came rushing out of Victoria’s mouth so fast, that she couldn’t stop them in time.
“ Victoria.” Sister Katherine
Victoria absorbed Sister Katherine’s minute speech, but something struck as rather odd. Sister Katherine had mentioned that she “hoped” to see everyone there “next time”, as if everyone wasn’t a part of the convent, and weren’t about to return to the same exact place. Victoria’s curiosity intensified, and before she knew it, her feet were carrying her in Sister Katherine’s direction. She had arrived in front of Sister Katherine before she could even voice the million questions floating about in her head. She imagined she looked rather silly, standing so expectantly in front of Sister Katherine. She smiled a bit awkwardly, and opened her mouth to speak. It wasn’t quite the most elegant way she had ever posed a question, but at the very least, it was straight to the point.
“ Why does Raela get to go to the city?” Victoria blurted, and she almost instinctively clapped a hand over her mouth. It was not that she had never asked the tough questions before, because she had, but the campsite had gone deathly quiet, at an inopportune time. Raela and her friends, for once, had stopped chattering, and were now inching over, in hopes of eavesdropping on the conversation.
Sister Katherine smiled, and took Victoria by the arm. “Help me collect some of the trash around the edges, dear.” Victoria’s stomach dropped. Privacy was not something generally afforded in a convent, and the fact that Sister Katherine seemed to seek it, for this particular conversation, unnerved Victoria. As the two women moved towards the edge of the campsite, away from the glow of the fire, Victoria heard Raela’s giggling once more, and a snide “Of course she wouldn’t know.”
Sister Katherine bent down to grab a crumpled cup, which she stuffed into the garbage bag she was carrying. Victoria rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet for a moment, before mimicking Sister Katherine. “Victoria, you asked why Raela is allowed to visit the city.” Victoria nodded her head, although she doubted Sister Katherine could see it in the dark. “She is allowed to go to the city, because she is not confined here. But, neither are you.” Sister Katherine bent down again, this time picking up what looked like a crushed candy wrapper. “I’m…I’m not confined to this convent. I can leave whenever I want?” “You are confined legally, as you are a ward of the convent. But I cannot stop you from visiting the city, or anywhere else for that matter.” “But, what about the daytime work? And the night work? As in…the Other Sisterhood.” Sister Katherine stuffed another piece of trash into the bag. “You must do the daytime work, as we are a functioning convent. That is what we do. But no one is forcing you to take the vows of a nun, or for that matter, take the vows of the Other Sisterhood”, Sister Katherine added wryly.
“ What?”
“ What do you mean, what? Victoria, I’ve just told you what you asked. I thought I was pretty clear.”
“ No, no.” Victoria stepped forward. “Do you mean to tell me, that this whole convent thing, when it comes down to it, is a choice?”
At this, Sister Katherine turned to Victoria. Her eyes, although hardly ever filled with joy, seemed to be uncharacteristically sad.
“ Yes, Victoria. It is a choice, just like everything in life. You always have a choice.”
“ But, I’m a ward of the convent, you said. I didn’t have a choice in coming here. Where are my parents? Raela’s got some, and apparently, they send her money as well. She has some pretty nice things. Why don’t my parents send me money? Or is it because I haven’t got any?” The words came rushing out of Victoria’s mouth so fast, that she couldn’t stop them in time.
“ Victoria.” Sister Katherine
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