Chapter 49

LEILANI

Night has fallen. Zavier and I have settled in on the guest house just outside of the inner convent gate.

The day was filled with happiness as Sister Rose told the other sisters that I'm getting married. I spend most the day day getting grilled by them.

It took time but Zavier was able to adapt to them. He answered questions that was asked of him quite politely and none of the cuss-words were attached in the sentences.

It made me so happy. Happier, when I say all their misgivings disappear from their eyes. They accept him. Except Sister Benedetta.

She didn't say anything bad and she even gave me a smile or two, but I've known Sister Benedetta since I was a baby, so I know that there's something to say.

After night prayers and dinner, I told Zavier that I'll be coming back. "Be careful, doll." He'd said as he climbed the bed.

"I'll be." I smiled at him in confident reassurance. "Nothing can happen to me here. This is the safest place in the world for me."

I was surprised when he nodded once. "Yeah. Feels safe..." He looked around, "Peaceful too. They are all.....different kind of people. Your kind." he frowned a bit, "Good people."

A trill of pleasure racked my body at the blunt analyses. "Thank you, honey. You're good people too."

Riding on impulse, I quickly rushed closer, kissed him on the lips before I turned and hurried to the door. "I'll be back soon." I called behind me.

Outside, the fresh breeze that always follows this place caressed me. No place like home.

I opened the gates to the home of the sisters and entered, locking it back. I walked straight to Sister Benedetta's room. When I knocked on the door, it opened almost immediately.

She was praying in front of the alter. As always, whenever I catch her in a time like this, I join her.

For several minutes, we prayed in silence. I pleaded to God to touch Sister Benedetta's heart so I'll approve of my marriage to Zavier. She's the only mother I know.

It'll kill me if she has misgivings or she doesn't approve of it.

Afterwards, we made the sign of the cross and got up from our kneeling position.

"I knew you would come, my child." She said, walking to the other end of the room and I followed her hesitantly.

I sat down and waited for her. Sister Benedetta doesn't know how to beat about the bush like Sister Rose. She goes head on.

She sat and smiled at me warmly. "I watched you all through today. I've never seen you so happy. Your eyes, they glowed too. Shows the happiness was from within....not faked."

The tension dissolved from me, and I couldn't help the smile that stretched my lips. "I'm happy, mother general."

She nodded, "You love him and you're happy."

I nodded again, playing with the hem of my dress.

"His hands are stained, Lani." She said gently.

I cringed inwardly and closed my eyes tight. I should have known that she'll know this. She always knows.

I turned pleadingly to her, "He's trying to change, Sister Benedetta. Please, don't disapprove of our marriage, please."

"I don't disapprove of your marriage, my child. That young man seems to like you a lot too, he hovered over you all through the day. Quite protective too. It's as if he's ready to kidnap you to the other side of the world whether we agree or not." She said with a warm smile.

My cheeks flushed and I averted my eyes. I can't even hold her eyes because it's an invitation for her to look into my soul. I don't want her to know I've lived in sin.

"Do you not like him? Because his hands are stained?" I asked hesitantly.

She shook her head slowly. "God accepts sinners more. He told us in the scriptures that we should allow sinners come to him. None of us is perfect, my child. We are all sinners."

"Yes, Mother General."

She took my hands into hers and squeezed softly. "I'm only worried that he's too much for you. He's overwhelming and you're just little Lani. I watched you grow and blossom like a fresh flower. I'm just worried if you can handle a man like him."

"I can, Mother General. Zavier, he can never hurt me, and I try my best not to hurt him too. He might be the size of a grizzly bear and has a very bad past, but he's all marshmallow inside, Mother General. He's that way because he doesn't know another life...."

I proceeded to tell her all about Zavier. His young life and the way he grew up. Sister Benedetta was so sad, she crutched her chest in pity several times.

"So, he really doesn't know more, Mother General. The civilized things he does, he learnt from me. He prays. He follows me to church. He doesn't like seeing me sad and he....goes to lengths to make me happy." My cheeks flushed when I remembered the way he kidnapped Bonnie.

"The good lord answered my prayers for you, my child. You're a lucky woman, having a man who puts your happiness first, who cares about you." She enunciated softly.

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, Mother General. I think myself lucky too and I'm going to try my best to be the very best wife to him."

"Spoken like a true woman. You make me so proud, Leilani. The things you told me have cleared my doubts. You, my child, is exactly what that young man needs. God is never tired to accept new souls, and I know that with you in his life, he'll be born again and baptized. I definitely approve of your union, my child." She smiled then and got up.

"Kneel down, child, let me give you my blessings. I'll still bless you two together but for now, kneel, my child." She vocalized.

I knelt down instantly and she prayed for me. For Zavier and I. It made me so happy and it gave my heart peace.

Tears filled my eyes afterwards and I hugged her tight.

She wrapped her motherly arm around me, holding me to her chest and patted my head soothingly in that same manner she does whenever I'm said.

"Thank you so much, Mother General. This means a lot to me...!" I cried.

"You need not thank me, child. I'll get you two a marriage license too. If I do it, you two will have it faster, and can get married. When he's changed and really reborn in Christ in his heart, we'll go through the other processes."

That made me so much happier and I was really crying them. The Catholic church has really long procedures but with her help....!

"Thank you so much, Mother General. I'll never let you down, mother!" I cried.

"You teach him the word of the scriptures, not only prayers. Get him a holy bible and read every word with him, okay?" She asked softly.

My arms tightened around her. "Of course, mother, I'll do that too!" I cried in happiness.

"Shh...hush now, my child. You don't cry or you will upset the little one." She groaned, still patting my hair in reassurance.

"Which little one?" I pulled away and asked her, wide-eyed in confusion.

She seems taken aback. Then, she stared at me. Really stared at me.

I flushed under the scrutiny and tried my best to stern the urge not to start drawing on the floor with my toes. Instead, I lowered my head and pinned my gaze to the ground.

She sighed then, "Oh, Lani. You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

A knock sounded at the door and Annette's head popped in. "You're needed in the chapel, Mother General."

Sister Benedetta nodded and got up. "I'll be back, my child." She was already matching to the door, "But if you get sleepy and you can't wait up, you lock up the door after you, okay?"

"Alright, Sister Benedetta." I said and watched her as she walked past the door.

Immediately she left, Annette turned to me. "Lock up, lock up." She whispered in that mischievous tone.

I stared at Sister Rose's twin and wondered what she's up to again. "What is it, Sister Annette?"

"Lock up first." She grinned.

I nodded with a smile and locked up. I asked about her two kids as I padlocked the doors and she goes into details about Joanna and Jessica, her two daughters.

Immediately I finished locking up, she dragged me hurriedly to the corridor and I followed her dutifully.

At the deserted corridor, she looked around to the night to make sure no one was around and nodded in satisfaction when she saw that no one was really around.

I was staring at her curiously, wondering what she has to say.

Whenever she's like this, it's a new gossip or a secret she wants to reveal, I thought with an inner smile.

Her eyes finally came back to me after wandering around, then she grinned mischievously.

"I knew almost immediately but I waited for you all afternoon to tell me, but now, I'm tired of waiting, so, I'm just going to ask....when were you going to tell us that you're pregnant, you bad bad Lani!?" She whispered with a huge smile of conspiracy.

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