Chapter 16

John thought the seating around the Head Table was rather random. He expected Pages would sit in a more organized fashion next to their charges. With so many of Mother Superior's staff there, the only order at all was the new members and Sister Kerry sat facing the center of the dining room. Everyone else was scattered anywhere they wanted to be around either side of the huge table.

Being the Honored Guest, Sister Kerry sat on Mother Superior's right. Head Page Cynthia to her left. Other than that it was sort of catch-as-catch-can all the way around.

As they had moved from the Chapel to the Dining Room John had wondered what the ceremonial staff would do, especially the Sentries. How would they eat with their helmets in place. "Messily, at the least!" he thought to himself. He imagined one of them eating a meatball, it falling inside the helmet then rolling around in there, lost forever!

He really didn't have to think much about that fine point because as they entered the dining room, there was a niche for their Flagstaff and pegs for their helmets and gauntlets to be hung on. John found it very interesting how the faceless, got faces and personalities emerged from not only the Sentries but everyone.

It wasn't difficult to tell who the Twins were without even looking for the indicators. Page Judith was right. She was sitting between them and it didn't take long for a tickling contest to erupt after everyone was seated. She was at a disadvantage because the Twins still had their armor on. "Not Fair!!!" she said loudly several times.

They had her smiling and laughing in under a couple of minutes. As she had mentioned, the Twins really were watching out for her. Mother Superior smiled at the nonsense going on at the Head Table. No one minded. It was fun and that was good for the Convent and of course, Page Judith.

John hadn't seen much of his wife all day and it was nice with their Pages busy with dinnertime fun, they could talk a little. It was mostly small talk and reminiscing about their day. John asked Mary if she and her Page had gone swimming. Mary laughed at that question.

"Yes, we did. That was an experience," she added. "Everyone swims nude!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," answered John. "I found that one out too."

"Co-ed skinny dipping!" Mary added with a slight smirk. Then giving an ever stronger smirk and leaned over to John and whispered, "Guess what I found out?"

John assumed it was the 'Touching Allowed' rule but was totally surprised my Mary's revelation.

"You know what," she said. "In the locker room, before we went in for a shower, Guess what!!! I found out that my Page Kim is not the cute little girl we had thought.

"She's not a she," Mary said, adding emphasis she stated, "He's a HE!!!

"Page Kim is not a 'Little Boy' either!

"Not by a long shot!" Mary commented after a moment.

John laughed. "I'll be damned!"

"How did your swimming session go?" she asked.

"Well, I was surrounded by about ten girls who pretty much had their way with me until Page Judith stepped in. She reminded them I was a Sperm Donor and ... well ... after that, it was more like, 'Hands Off' for them.

Mary added to her first revelation with, "Four of Mother Superior's Pages are boys! And they all sleep together ... Well, not in the same bed but they all have their own cubicles in Mother Superior's chambers."

Even though it was obvious the Sentries with their helmets removed that they were boy-girl pairs. John mentioned that to Mary, adding, "The Heralds are also paired that way.