Unwed 💍

Chapter Eighteen: Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

What have I done? The thought shouted at her as she set foot in the patch of woods leading back to the towering stone building. For a few fleeting moments, she considered running away. She could walk back to the ferry and get a hold of her parents on the mainland, ask them to come and get her.

The idea quickly diminished as she pictured her mother's disappointed face. Returning home pregnant would hurt her mother more than anything she'd done so far. She had to stay, she couldn't bring that kind of shame on her parents.

Her heart dropped as she spotted the mossy statue of Mother Mary standing all by herself, surrounded by grass and vines. The courtyard was empty, they'd all gone inside. She sprinted towards the back door, across the open space, hoping to avoid being spotted from the windows above. Once there, she grasped the metal handle and pulled. It was locked.

She stood staring at the door, her mouth dry—hand dropping to her side. She'd have to go through the front, it was the only other way inside. With jittery legs, she walked alongside the stone prison, feeling as if she were a young girl bringing the paddle back to her father for punishment. Only this was worse—far worse.

The front lot was free of cars and people, only a few bikes stood, propped against the gate. Everyone was inside. She bent, hiding between the bushes on the side of the wide stone porch, trying to work up the courage to make her way up the stairs to the door. Everytime she made up her mind to go, she imagined the door flying open and Sister Mary Thomas seething on the other side.

She couldn't hide forever. With a deep breath, she made up her mind. She'd make a run for it. If Sister Mary Thomas was behind the door, the worst she could do was yell at her. Izzy would block her words out and retreat to some place in the back of her mind until it was all over.

With wobbling knees, she climbed the stairs, dread weaving its way into every fiber of her body as she neared the top. Like a nightmare, the door swung open in front of her.

To her relief, Mara stepped out, wearing winged sunglasses, her purse in her hand. She stopped abruptly at the sight of Izzy, slowly pulling the sunglasses down from her eyes. "Izzy?"

Izzy stood gawking, words of explanation failing to come to her rescue.

The nurse closed the door behind her, looking around. "What are you doing out here?"

Izzy had run out of lies. She pushed her hair behind her ear, staring at the step below her.

"Izzy." Mara said sternly, causing Izzy to met her gaze, her eyes gleaming with guilt. "You know you're not supposed to be out here. It's against the rules."

As if on cue, the door swung open once again, and Sister Mary Helen stepped out. Her head snapped around when she noticed Izzy. "What is the meaning of this, Isadora?" she said, her icy eyes scrutinizing her. "Where have you been?"

Izzy's mouth felt like sandpaper as she struggled to form a response. She wanted to crumple like a gown falling from a hanger and disappear in a pool on the ground.

Out of nowhere, Mara grabbed her arm, as if steadying her. "Are you feeling better now, with the fresh air?" she asked.

"I, uh." Izzy caught a slight nod from the nurse. Mara's eyes told her she wanted her to play along. "Yes, I feel much better now," she said.

The nun looked from Mara to Izzy, a frown covering her face. "Why is this girl outside?"

"She had a horrible bout of nausea," Mara said. "With all that is going on inside, I felt a bit of fresh air would do the trick."

The nun scowled. "Mara, in the future, please inform me if you are taking one of the girls outside. We've been looking for Isadora since she failed to show for lunch."