Chapter 4

Page Judith and John returned to Mother Superior's office to find Mary sitting with Page Kim standing there beside her. John's Page motioned for him to sit in the second chair in front of the ancient desk made from the same darkened rough hewn wood that was everywhere.

Mother Superior was on the phone speaking, it seemed, to one of the department heads in the Hospital. "Yes," she spoke calmly into the phone. "I understand ... I know how you feel about that but if that's what she wishes, that's what me must do."

Mother Superior looked a little sad as she continued her conversation. "I already said I know how you feel ... Yes, that would be better all around ... No. If that's what she wants, then that's what we should do."

Finally after about a minute of just listening, Mother Superior said, "I understand perfectly but it is our Pledge to Serve Humanity ... Yes, sometimes that is what we have to do." Another long pause and then Mother Superior sighed saying into the telephone, "OK. Send her right over. I'll talk to her. If she still feels the same way, then I'll have someone else take care of it tomorrow."

"Sorry," Mother Superior said as she hung up the phone. "Sometimes even in our simple way of life, decisions have to be made or situations handled rapidly."

Neither John nor Mary remembered seeing any vestiges of modern life before. Even the lighting was subdued and mostly supplied by the generous windows and the large glass paned doors leading out onto a patio. They were all part of the illumination in the office. There also was an antique square hurricane candle lantern on her desk that must have been almost a foot tall for simple lighting when it was dark outside. It looked well used and had a candle inside that appeared almost used up. Its four sides were rippled glass and off one corner it had a sturdy handle attached.

Even the pen set on the desk was from years past. The clear glass inkwell looked just slightly more than half full of deep black ink. Its companion piece was definitely a quill pen. Although John suspected the handsome feather confirming it was a quill pen had a brass or even more fine metal tip rather than the feather simply being carved to a point.

As John thought about the pen set, he watched as the telephone Mother Superior had been using disappeared under the desk and tucked into a drawer. "Those damned things are a nuisance," she said softly as if saying a prayer. "Sorry," she said again. "Just something that couldn't wait."

The group could hear some racket off in the distance which sounded like an approaching storm. Again, the Mother Superior said, "Sorry this has to happen now, but you have signed our confidentiality agreements and technically are a part of our Order, although the official ceremony will be during tonight's Vespers.

"Sorry to be so hasty, but will you both stand up and place your hands together before you in prayer." John and Mary stood up and did what was asked of them. Mother Superior bowed to them and John and Mary did the same. As they rose, Mother Superior raised her Cross in front of her and said, "Do you swear to follow the Tenets of the Order of the Sanctified Cross."

Just as John and Mary each said, "I do," the whirlwind was right at Mother Superior's office door. They all looked toward the doorway just as the two Sentries stepped in front of the doorway drawing their swords and crossed them to block the intrusion. In unison they firmly tapped the base of their Battleaxes and commanded, "Silence!" halting the advance and the unpleasant noise.

"Please sit," Mother Superior said. "And please let me do all of the talking. This is a sensitive matter and we need to handle this very delicately.

Mother Superior nodded to her Page and she turned and went to the doorway. The Page announced in a firm voice, "I am Mother Superior's Personal Page. You can meet Mother Superior only if you handle yourself with the utmost decorum and ONLY if 'I' say you can."

After a short pause the Page continued. "You can only speak when Mother Superior says you can. If you do not want to follow our rules, then these Sentries will summarily escort you to our gates now." Another pause and then the final question, "Do you understand? Yes ... or ... No!"

The young woman, the cause of the disruption, now spoke in a more normal voice and answered, "Yes."

"Mother Superior's Sentries and I will now accompany you for an interview," the Page declared. Adding, "If there is even a hint of disrespect, you will be escorted out of our Convent and never allowed back within these walls."

The Page turned and waited for a moment. Swords could be heard being replaced in their scabbards and after the Sentries turned with all of the medieval fanfare necessary to make such a maneuver they allowed the woman to pass. They took up step one pace behind her and the foursome moved into the office.

The procession was very impressive sounding from the distinctive rattle of the Sentries armor and the clanging of their feet on the slate floor. The young woman, was instructed by the Page, "Stand between the two members of our Order seated before you. Remember, do not say a word until Mother Superior tells you to speak."

Mother Superior rose from her chair raising her hands in the same uplifting gesture she used before to request John and Mary to stand. She then bowed. John, Mary, the Pages and the Sentries bowed in response.

Mother Superior's Page waited a moment as everyone stayed bent over and out of the corner of her eye saw the young woman had not returned the bow. "It is our custom to bow to each other before we speak. Please give Mother Superior that courtesy."

The young woman looked very firm at the Page but did not bow. What happened next startled John and Mary but was for the benefit of the young woman. The Page stood up and frowned at the young woman. Then it happened. "BOW!!! or LEAVE!!!" the Page demanded in a voice which had to be mustered from someone twice or three times bigger than such a petite Page.

The young woman hesitated just a brief second and as her face softened. She bowed toward Mother Superior who stood up, raised her hand in blessing saying, "God, please bless this gathering, our deliberations and all present." After a pause, she said, "Please rise."

Mother Superior signaled for John and Mary to sit and she settled into her own chair too. The young woman opened her mouth to speak and the Page waved an upright finger indicating it was not her turn to speak yet.

As the young woman reluctantly closed her mouth, Mother Superior began. "As I understand it, you are November Bryant, 14 and pregnant. Is that correct?"