Chapter 6: Small Kindnesses

Mia was more confused than ever when she heard her grandfather say her mother was a prostitute. In the back of her mind she thought her mother might be a slut, but she hadn't wanted to believe her mother was a prostitute. It was a lot for her to cope with, but she still longed to see her mother.

On Tuesday night, Mia's Grandma Claudia and Grandpa Martin hadn't said two words to each other. Mia wasn't stupid, she knew something had happened, but she didn't know what.

When it came to school, Mia's grades began taking a hit because she hadn't been able to concentrate enough to complete her homework for the last two nights, so Sister Agatha pulled her aside during English class, "Is something wrong child?"

Mia wondered when the nuns and priests would get a clue that no student in their right mind was going to open up to them, and they needed to quit trying, "No," Mia answered.

"What's troubling you?" Sister Agatha pressed; she was not one to give up easily.

Mia's plan had been to reiterate to Sister Agatha there was nothing wrong, but before the words could leave her lips, she burst into tears. Sister Agatha had been a teacher at St. Christopher's a very long time. She had been teaching when Angel was a student, and this wasn't the first time a student had broken down in front of her. When Mia began to cry, Sister Agatha pulled Mia into her arms and held her, patting her softly on the back in an attempt to comfort her.

Mia hated that she was crying, but try as she might she could not seem to regain her composure for several long minutes.

Sister Agatha was a patient woman and well suited for her role as a nun. Her heart had nearly broken fifteen years ago when Angel had become pregnant and even though nothing ever came out, she suspected there was something terribly wrong. But much to her chagrin, Angel would not tell what had happened. "I hear your mother may be back in town," Sister Agatha said gently as she helped Mia dry her tears.

Mia nodded and wiped her eyes and nose with the Kleenex Sister Agatha provided.

"I always adored your mother," Sister Agatha smiled warmly.

Mia wondered if Sister Agatha would adore her mother now if she knew she was a prostitute. "I've never met her," Mia sobbed, and then it happened, she spilled the entire story to Sister Agatha about how her Grandpa Martin would never allow Angel's name to be spoken in their home and how she had never even seen a picture of her mother, except one time a long time ago and her mother had been a young child in the picture, and then she told Sister Agatha the worst, that her mother was a prostitute.

Sister Agatha was relieved that Mia was letting it out. None of Mia's words were shocking for Sister Agatha and she looked down kindly into Mia's eyes, "Your mother was very special Mia," Sister Agatha said with affection, "Not all students who come to St. Christopher's are memorable, but your mother was quite memorable," Sister Agatha explained. Mia wanted to believe Sister Agatha; she wanted to believe her mother was special.

"Your mother had a rare beauty and personality that not many girls are fortunate enough to possess," Sister Agatha explained, and then she got a far off look, "But unfortunately I think her beauty was probably what caused her so much pain and grief."

Mia wasn't sure she knew what Sister Agatha meant. Mia had always been average looking, and not beautiful, so she wasn't sure she understood how being beautiful could cause someone grief.

"Anyway child," Sister Agatha smiled, "Don't worry so much, these things have a way of working themselves out."

Mia wasn't buying that for a second, "My grandpa won't forgive her," Mia said, "So I may never get to see her."

The desperation in Mia's voice was heartbreaking. Sister Agatha knew all about the situation with Martin Pirelli and his daughter and she had always been deeply troubled about it. The Angelica she remembered was not a bad girl, albeit sometimes a bit overzealous, but ultimately a good girl. "It will work out Mia; put your faith in God."

Mia didn't want to tell Sister Agatha that she didn't believe in any of that anymore. She had prayed to God a million times that her grandpa would not be so stubborn and would talk to her about her mother, but it never happened, no matter how hard she prayed. She was done with praying. "OK Sister," Mia nodded and then she hugged Sister Agatha again before going back to class.

Sister Agatha made plans to speak with Father Joseph about the situation. She did not want to see Mia destroyed the way Angel had been destroyed, and as near as she could tell things were heading in that direction. She only hoped Father Joseph could reason with Martin before things got any worse, and then she rolled her eyes because she knew how stubborn Martin Pirelli was.

Nearly every day Jordan jogged for forty minutes on the treadmill at the nearby gym during his two hour break between patients. After he went to the gym he usually got something light for lunch at the nearby deli. Today was no exception, and he was grateful to finally get to the gym because he needed to clear his head.

Jordan was an exceptional doctor and over the seven years he had practiced in Argus Falls he had become the most sought after doctor not only in Argus Falls but within several hundred miles. He was not only a brilliant doctor, but he had a good bedside manner and people naturally trusted him and liked him. He was always busy, which suited him just fine.

As a result of his practice, Jordan led a very structured and disciplined life. He followed standard routines that didn't vary all that much from day to day, which worked well for him. He also had the mental and emotional capacity to focus only on his patients when he was with them, and to filter out the other concerns in his life and not let them interfere. He saved his personal issues until he had time to think about them, which showed how disciplined his mind was. He had learned to do that when he started medical school, and it had carried over from there.

So as Jordan jogged on the treadmill, it was the first time since last night that he began to sort out what had happened between him and Angel. He had never been married, even though he had ample opportunity, he had simply never met a woman he wanted to settle down with. No woman had ever got to him the same way Angel had, and he had only known Angel a few days.

Jordan continued to puzzle in his mind over why he had spanked Angel. He enjoyed spanking when it went with sex, and it had always sexually aroused him, but usually he engaged it in only consensually. Before he ever spanked a woman, he made sure he had her consent to do so. But for some odd reason things were different with Angel and he had spanked her without consent. This bothered him a lot the more he thought about it and for someone as self-disciplined as he was, it was out of character.

There was something dangerous and mysterious about Angel, he could sense it, and he was drawn to her so strongly he was more than a little scared by that.

"I thought I'd find you here Parker," Frank's voice broke Jordan's train of thought as he continued jogging.

"Get out of here Frank," Jordan said, struggling for breath.

"I know my sister must be with you," Frank said, "I've looked all over for her."

Jordan could sense worry in Frank's voice, "What makes you think she's with me?"

"Is she?" Frank asked.

Jordan slowed down in an attempt to cool down his muscles so he could get off the treadmill. He knew he wasn't going to get much more jogging done, now that Frank had shown up. "If you can't find your sister, maybe she doesn't want to be found," Jordan suggested.

"Is she at your house Parker?" Frank asked and he looked as if he might punch Jordan.

Jordan didn't want to keep agitating Frank because he knew where it would lead, "Yes, she came to my house yesterday," Jordan admitted.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief.

Jordan managed to step off the treadmill and begin to towel off, but he was still breathing heavily, "I think she's still there if you want to go get her."

Frank shook his head, "I think she needs some time away from me, plus my place is a pigsty," Frank admitted, "She's better off with you for now," Frank suggested, but he wasn't sure Jordan Parker wanted that.

It was the old Frank talking, the one who had once been Jordan's best friend. Somehow they had breached the invisible barrier that had long been between them, "She can stay for awhile," Jordan said.

"You should know something Parker," Frank said looking down uncomfortably, "She's a..." He couldn't bring himself to say the word.

Jordan couldn't possibly imagine what would keep Frank from talking about something, so he waited with interest.