God's Loving Embrace

Part Fourteen

Heaven and Hell

September 2024

'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.'

Psalms 23:1

Sister Caris disliked every third Sunday. Her shift got the day off work, but that meant a longer day of prayer and meditation, which Caris loathed more than anything else. She liked being busy and doing something worthwhile. Mother Esme had taught her that nursing was an important part of healthcare. Maybe the doctors treated them like servants, and maybe she was hardly using her medical training at all other than doling out medication and giving the occasional injection, but keeping her patients all properly fed, watered, clean and cared for was still a major part of the healing process. In her hospital, no one spent hours on a trolley waiting for a bed, or lay in pain waiting for treatment, because a nurse would always be there to care for them. The gratitude and adoration the Sisters received from their patients was their reward, and a truly meaningful one. As much as Caris disliked the system, it worked, and she did not need to see all of the statistics and league tables to know that the results were truly impressive. So when her 'day off' was interrupted by an invitation to a meeting with Mother Esme she was delighted, because, although she was a poor nun, she had become an excellent nurse. She followed the messenger with delight.

Every head of shift was there, plus Mother Esme's four senior assistants, which surprised Caris. Some of the shift head's ought to have been asleep, as they worked nights, and others ought to have been hard at work, but she counted the heads and looked at the braid around her colleagues' mantles and everyone was there. Twenty four shift heads, the first time they had ever been called together, and at some cost to the smooth running of the operation, so it had to be something important. There was some chatter and speculation when Caris arrived in the room, but she was unable to join in as she had come straight from the chapel, and she was still wearing her mittens and muzzle. Mother Esme ran a tight ship outside of the dormitories and she hoped someone would release her. It frustrated Caris as always, but in her head she could hear Mother Esme telling her again that patience was a virtue. She was still a nun and she was still expected to behave like one. She settled into a seat and waited for Mother. She was a little surprised that no one removed her mittens or muzzle, but she did not have to wait for long for something to happen, and just a few short moments later the other door opened abruptly, and the familiar figure recognisable by the red braid around her mantle strode into the room and stood in front of everyone. Except that was a mistake. It was not Mother Esme at all, nowhere near tall enough Caris thought, just as the sister started to speak.

"Sisters, my name is Mother Florence and I do apologise for calling you away from your work, rest or prayers. It is not something I shall ever do again, but as you have been given positions of responsibility within St. Theresa's I thought it only right that I talked to you directly. Mother Esme has been transferred to another Convent...and Sister's, I should remind you all that although some of you seem to be unmuzzled, I have not given anyone permission to speak...and I am your new Mother Superior. I am aware of the good works we do here, and how highly thought of our nurses are, but I must tell you that although our good work is highly commendable there have been many concerns expressed about the laxity of the regime here. My instructions are to address this dereliction of duty forthwith, and I have my own assistants to help me do this for you, in God's name." As she spoke, the doors opened again and twenty four more nuns entered, all with green braid around their mantles. Caris counted them all as her heart started to ache with loathing and fear. "Green braid denotes a head of dormitory henceforth...heads of shift will retain their positions pro tem, but they will now have no responsibility within this Convent, whilst Mother Esme's senior assistants will all work with me, to prove their worth...or otherwise. We are nuns Sisters, servants of God first and foremost...remember that, and you will find me a kind and patient Mother."