Page 29 of Sins and Virtue

Focus, Blair.

“Yes, Father. You’re right. I don’t know what happened. I lost control.” The answer nearly made her tongue bleed.

“Control yourself then.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good, or else your whole life would have been a waste.” His words were as cruel as a beating while he dropped her wrist. Opening his stance to see us both. “Now apologize to Blair.”

Her eyes rounded in retaliation. “Father, how could I? She—”

“I am telling you to apologize, Reverend Mother. Now act on your part.”

I could see her choking on her own fury, and well, I would have liked that. I liked that she had to humble and humiliate herself before me much better.

She clutched onto the rosary hanging on her waist harshly, like it was lending her some type of divine strength. The woman was literally clutching her pearls— couldn’t she be any more dramatic?

A long bearing moment passed.

She cleared her throat and licked her lips, her gaze askew from mine. “I apologize, Blair.”

Although there wasn’t an ounce of sincerity or authenticity in her words, I took them, proving to her and in front of everyone else the type of person I was, as I also said. “It’s okay, Sister. I apologize as well if I did anything that might have offended you. After the last few days, we have all been on edge because of the prison outbreak and the police being everywhere. It makes us unstable, but we must find strength to unite us.” My peaceful resolution was perfectly executed.

Light breezed through Father Andrea’s eyes while his expression became mellow and kind. “Well, would you look at that? That’s the exact attitude we must have concerning others. Something you may learn a tip or two, Mother Superior.” He said.

Sister Francis glared at me, nodding with a tight fake smile.

Suddenly a large bell struck, resonating not only through the hall and convent but also the entire town. The bell rang every hour on the hour, every day. Reminding me that there was a special pain-in-the-ass monstrous Russian I had lurking and hiding like a demon. Which I was obligated to feed. Guess there was no better time since it was already noon.

“I’m not feeling quite well. I would like to eat in my room.” I mentioned softly, bringing a hand to my stomach, adding to the effect.

“Of course, Sister Blair. Go ahead. Come back to attend to your duties when you're done.” Father Andrea offered a smile.

I smiled in return. “Thank you, Father.” Swiftly, heading around the marble counter and grabbing my plate, loading it up with boiled sweet potatoes, Caesar salad, carbonara, and stuffing my bread in my dress pocket since there was no more room on the plate.

“That’s an excessive amount of food. You’re not going to eat all of it.” Sister Francis continued egging me on.

Frustration boiled in my cheeks, needing her to get off my ass, the annoyance seething through my teeth. “I didn’t eat breakfast, Sister, so I'm quite hungry.”

She clicked her teeth. “You should have. Truly, your greed is showing.”

“That’s enough.” Father Andrea's sharp inclination broke his calm composure. “Sister Francis, come with me now. Blair, continue and go to your room.”

On the spin of his heel, he turned around, exiting the room as his disappointed expression stayed on Sister Francis as the rage grew in her eyes as she looked at me once more, almost warning me to “watch my back,” as she had no other choice but to follow him and leave.

Good. She deserves a good beating or two.

Knowing she wasn’t going to get severely punished, just told off and be put in her place.

She might have been Mother Superior, but she was far from being superior to me.

Sister Marie cautiously trailed behind me, her tone just above a whisper as she stuck close. “You know, Blair, you shouldn’t have argued with Mother Superior.”

It felt like she was chastising me.

“I wasn’t arguing. I was defending myself.”

“Still, it won’t go well for you if you continue like this.”