Merry Sister Mary and the One and Only Killer

6: Sister Mary Overhears a Plot of Murder

"That vase was priceless," wept Mrs. Stanton falling to her knees. "Given to me by my late husband when he went to the orient. Oh and it was 12th century too."

I watched the old woman mournfully gather the pieces. I turned away looking for some way to make this situation positive. "You blew it," I said to myself. "You find a place to stay, a nice family that offers you food, and you break the woman's china." I paced around the upset Mrs. Stanton nervously biting my lip. "Shit," I repeated. "Shit, shit, shit." Gloria seemed to be amused, but she was doing her best to hide it. Suddenly from a side room there came a scuffling of quick-footed stomps. A tall young woman with olive skin appeared in the nearby doorway panting and carrying a wet rag.

"I heard something fall and someone crying," cried the woman. "What happened?"

"Our new guest just broke mother's most precious vase," snickered Gloria. "Shit to hell. That was hard core!"

"Get out of here, girl." The woman turned to Michael. "You too, boy."

"What did I do?"

"Get out, I said." The young woman smacked both of the children with the wet rag as they pushed passed her. "If you got nothing nice to say, then get the hell out."

Mrs. Stanton, still gathering the pieces of her vase, cried out, "Why god why?"

I stood not far away cursing at the situation. "Shit, shit, god forsaken shit."

"Well, grab my pearls," chuckled the woman astonishingly. She placed her hand on her chest and stepped out from the doorway. "A foul mouthed nun. Never in my days of livin' would I thought I'd hear that." The woman flipped her black curly hair out of her face.

"Why god why," whined Mrs. Stanton again.

"Oh hush now, ma'am," said the woman as she bent down to Mrs. Stanton's level. "I'll get me some glue and make it just as new."

"Don't bother, Janet," said Mrs. Stanton, calming down. "Just toss it out. It's old memories I need to forget anyway."

"I'm sorry," I said, turning to the mournful Mrs. Stanton. "Really I am."

"Not to worry, Sister Mary." Mrs. Stanton rose up and collected herself. "It was an accident." She breathed deeply. "Janet, I'm going to lie down. Call me when dinner is ready. Until then get me some tea will you? Oh and Sister Mary here will be with us the next few days so please prepare her a room and set an extra place for dinner."

"Yes, ma'am," said Janet as Mrs. Stanton sauntered up the stairs. I couldn't help but feel terrible.

"This is all your fault, DT," I said to my umbrella. "Why did you have to hit that lady's vase?" Janet chuckled.

"It ain't gonna answer you back if that's what you think," said Janet as she began collecting the broken pieces into her rag. "Unless that umbrella got a way with words, I don't think you should be talking to it." I bent down and started grabbing pieces. "I got it," said Janet, pushing my hands away.

"So sorry to cause you more trouble," I said. "Clumsy me not paying attention."

"It's actually not the first shattered mess I've had to clean up today. Seems a lot of things around here are falling and breaking." The woman looked at me with her hazel eyes. "The name is Janette Baines by the way though everyone around here calls me Janet."

"Nice to meet you, Janet. I'm Sister Mary."

"You sure don't seem like a sister to me. No offense, but I ain't never heard a nun talkin' so offensively."

"It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. God will forgive a slip of the tongue any day. Now breaking priceless vases, eh, probably not so easily." Janet laughed.