Virgin Mary

Pure Virgin

“Where are you going?” I hitched my sleepover bag higher on my shoulder at my mum’s sharp voice.

“I-I was going to study at Emma’s.” I was going to hang out with Harry.

She sighed and I heard the screech of my kitchen chair scrape back. I watched as she strode over to me in her long night gown. She placed a bony hand on my shoulder like she would nearly every night the past eighteen years of my life, but this time it was, different.

“Don’t you think you should stay here and study?” She suggested. I had grown bolder in the past two months of knowing and dating Harry. I wasn’t bold enough to say no to her when she was looking this serious. “Graduation is just weeks away and we still have your dress fitting Monday and a haircut Tuesday, your grandma’s coming for dinner on Wednesday and staying until the following Monday. There will be little time to study then.”

“Yes. Sorry, I forgot we were that busy.” I nodded and she gave me a tight lipped smile. I could just text Harry all night instead.

“Good, now hand me your phone so there are no more distractions either.” She extended a single hand with pointed nails.

“But, what if I need to call Emma?” I hesitated and she had an answer quickly.

“You can use the home phone.” My eyes rolled to look at the single pale pink phone that hung on the kitchen wall. My mum loved to read the bible at the kitchen table and when she went to read in bed there was the other phone up there.

She was practically famous for listening in on my conversations. When my brother or father called I always asked them to call when she was out of the house so I could speak to them without having to defend their interest in my life.

She was still looking at me expectantly and I gave her one last smile before deleting any messages that were in my phone and handing it to her. “Good. Now, Mrs. Master’s is expecting us over at her house for tea tomorrow.”

“I was going to go to Emma’s tomorrow too.” I said chewing on my bottom lip.

“Well,” my mum sighed and placed my phone on the table face down, “you’ll have to cancel on her. And if you keep neglecting your studies, and think that Emma is more important than anything, including God, you can forget about seeing her for a week.”

“I’m not neglecting my studies!” I cried at her unfairness. “I don’t think anyone’s more important than God.” Maybe Harry. Since when was he such an important role in my life?

“Do not raise your voice at me or you can forget about leaving the house for anything except church and school.” She said evenly and I nodded solemnly. The last thing I wanted was to never see Harry again.

I sulked as I studied for History. It was the one thing I had trouble with and there was no way I could tell my mum that I was having trouble. Emma wasn’t as good as me in school, not by a long shot, but she put things into perspective sometimes when we actually did study.

At nine I went to get a cup of tea and asked my mum if she would like some as well. “Do you really need tea? It will keep you up all night.”

“I don’t have any responsibilities tomorrow, I’ll revise until midnight and need the energy.” She closed the book she was reading and took off her glasses afterwards.

“I’ll be in your room at midnight, and I want the lights out and you tucked in.”

Another two hours of revising not only History, but now completing my Maths homework as well until I was under the covers.