Havens Alter

4. Anointment

Much to my surprise, Jill was wide awake by the time I walked into the kitchen for coffee. My hair was wrapped tightly in a green bath towel and I raised an eyebrow looking over her.

"Good-morning sunshine." I couldn't help but laugh at her failed attempt to remain sitting up on the counter. She had her head laid against the surface, her arms draped over it and merely groaned at my greeting, "I expected you to still be in bed."

"I wanted to be but Sister Agnes is making us clean the church halls today in order to make up for our little outing last night." She huffed, "Where did you disappear off too anyways ? You totally abandoned us in our time of need."

"Father Kieran found me."

"He was there?" Her voice strained with horror mixed with curiosity .

"Yeah didn't Sister Agnes tell you he brought her ?"

"No she didn't. Sister Agnes happened to notice the van was missing so she took a cab to the club and that's where she found us. We told her you were there but she wouldn't have it. Said we were just trying to rope you into our schemes again." She rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't make any sense. Father Kieran said she saw Delilah sneak out and so they came to the club together."

"That's weird. Maybe he was lying."

"A priest lie ? I couldn't imagine it." I scoffed.

Her face lit up slightly, "Maybe he just wanted to see you."

"Oh don't start. Besides I don't have any interest being around him more than I have too. He freaks me out." I poured coffee from our pot into a solid white coffee mug and reached for some creamer as she stirred behind me .

"He's just a priest , Lil."

"Well I don't think so. I think he's got secrets." I shrugged.

"Like what?"

When I turned back around she was sitting up fully now , her hands clasped and leaned over the counter to listen more intently . This was the first time we had real excitement in months.

"You are gonna think I'm crazy but just .. hear me out okay? Just listen to what I have to say."

"I'm listening."

"At last mass I noticed something strange at communion." I started and she listened patiently, "I thought I was just being paranoid but when he gave me the wine it tasted different. It tasted strange."

"Strange how?"

"Strange like it wasn't just wine."

A laugh escaped between her lips and she shook her head, "So you think he's drugging us?"

"No. Well I don't know. But then last night we were talking in the car and he said something . He quoted what you had said at the table during lunch, about you know. If he wasn't a priest and I wasn't a nun."

"You told him that?"

"No!" I exclaimed , "that's the thing , Jill. I never spoke a word of it and he wasn't even in the room. How could he possibly have heard that conversation?"

"Maybe you misheard him." She crossed her arms, "So basically what you're telling me is our priest has been swapped with some stranger who is planning on drugging us and then what? Gathering intel on our dirty little secrets ?"

"Jill I don't know . I know I sound crazy but you have to believe me when I tell you something isn't right about that man. Please just say you will be careful . You don't have to think what I'm saying is true I just don't want something to happen to you or any of the girls."