Take it Slow (Bananun)

Chapter 3

After that, they came back to Briarcliff. The blonde had kept the candy apple in her basket. They went their separate ways, Arden to his office, and Mary-Eunice to the women's ward : she had someone to see.

"Knock knock... " she entered Lana's room, delicately smiling.

Lana had been admitted three weeks ago, and became friends with some of the other patients, as Grace and Shelley. But even though she'd met roughly normal people there, she spent most of her time alone. At least, that was what the others believed. The reporter wasn't actually alone : Sister Mary-Eunice visited her, bringing her books, and talking with her about anything. She was curious about Lana : the brunette knew lots of things, and had such a different culture than hers. The nun was craving for the reporter's knowledge, and curious about her "deviance". She wanted to know how she had become a sinner, how she had accepted it. Lana, on the other side, was willing to discover why Mary-Eunice had taken the holy orders a such a young age. She seemed younger than her, around 25 years old. They had everlasting conversations, about their lives and other matters. They rapidly became fond of each other, and in the course of their discussions, Lana discovered that her feelings for Wendy were fading away. Her betrayal towards her -having signed the papers validating her admission at the asylum- had been a shock, which probably made her feelings decline. Maybe mary-Eunice was right : maybe her journey at Briarcliff was going to be a cure. But not to get rid of her homosexuality. To get rid of Wendy.

"Sister. Hi." The reporter greeted her with a smile.

"How are you ?" The nun asked, approaching the bed. She put the basket down, and lifted a strand of Lana's hair, exposing her bruised temples. The electroshock therapy that the reporter was receiving since her third day at the madhouse was devastating. She was losing some of her landmarks, but fortunately, Mary-Eunice was there to remind her of everything. The nun was doing her best to stop the treatment, and had succeeded convincing doctor Arden, this afternoon. She lightly brushed the wound, and Lana shivered in pain.

"I'm... I don't know, I'd say I'm fine, yet a little dizzy, but I'm not even sure about that." The older girl hesitated. "What about you ?"

"I'm great !" The nun answered with a dazzling smile. "Bringing fantastic news !" She added, almost hopping.

Lana couldn't help but smile at the nun's delight. "What is it ?" She asked.

"Listen carefully." Mary-Eunice bent towards the brunette and whispered to her ear. "Today's your last day of electroshock therapy, Mrs. Winters !"

As soon as she heard the nun's words, Lana stood up straight. "Are you serious ?" She asked, excited.

"I wouldn't joke about this, you know it, Mrs. Winters." The younger girl grinned, glad to see Lana so overjoyed.

"Oh hell, call me Lana, Sister !" The reporter pulled the blonde into a hug, making her fall on the bed. She held her tight, and hesitated to let her go, wondering if what just happened was real, or just another hallucination caused by the therapy. "I'll get my memories back, and then, I'll get the fuck out of here !"

"No swearing, Lana !" Mary-Eunice gently scolded her. "And I don't want you to go, I still have so much to learn from you ! Besides you're my only female friend, here... I'll be left alone, if you flee this place..." She shyly added.

"But... what about Sister Jude ? And the other nuns ?" Lana questioned. "Aren't you friends with them ?" The reporter was surprised that the sweet nun hadn't made any friends here.

"Sister Jude is nice to me, she believes in me, I mean, I'm grateful for everything she's done for me, but... we're not friends, we don't have any emotional connection, you know ?" The nun replied, slightly upset. "And the other nuns..." she sighed. "They all hate me, and keep saying I'm Sister Jude's pet... I even overheard one of their discussions, they were claiming that I was stupid and incompetent and that it was only because of Sister Jude that I could get a job here... Lana... why does everyone hate me ?" She besought, looking up to the brunette, her eyes full of tears. Her mood had rapidly switched from extreme cheerfulness to deep sorrow.

"Sister... please don't cry" Lana hugged her again, even more tightly. "They're just a bunch of ugly cows, jealous because you're younger, purer, nicer, and prettier than them. Don't listen to them." She tried to cheer her up.

"Do you mean that ?" There seemed to be a little hope in Mary-Eunice's voice.

"Of course I do." The reporter smiled softly, and then spotted the basket, containing the little jar. "What's in there ?" She curiously asked. Mary-Eunice dried her tears and sniffled, then looked at what Lana was pointing.

"Oh, I almost forgot..." she picked the jar up, and opened it for the older girl to see. "It's a candy apple doctor Arden gave me." The brunette could see a small grin appearing on Mary's face. "I wanted to share it with you, since you haven't been eating a lot, lately..."

"You're too nice to me, Sister." Lana chuckled. "And on what occasion did he give you this present ?"

"I don't know... because I often help him, I guess ?" She smiled.

"Honestly..." The reporter said, before lowering her voice. "... I think he likes you." She revealed, wincing a little.

"He... What ? No ! It can't be !" Eunice blushed in embarrassment. "Doctor Arden would never feel this way about me, he's too taken by his work... Besides, he's too old for me, and not my type." She argued.

"And you forgot that on top of that, you're a nun, and committed." The brunette laughed.

"That's true !" The nun joined her.

They shared the candy apple, and Lana noticed the biting marks. "You tasted it before me !" She teased Mary-Eunice.

"Yeah, but that's because doctor Arden insisted !" She defended herself.

"I was joking, Sister... Anyway, what a perv he is !" The reporter scoffed.

"What do you mean ?" The blonde didn't understand.

"You're too innocent for this, I guess." Lana stuck her tongue out, and Mary-Eunice pouted.

The girls ate the apple, and the brunette, guessing it was the nun's first time eating something like this, gave her her half. At first, Mary-Eunice refused, but as Lana insisted, she finally accepted it and thanked her warmly. She enjoyed these moments, during which she was apart from the madhouse's austerity. It was kind of like the normal life she had always wanted.

"I have a question for you, Sister. I won't mind if you decide not to answer, I promise." Lana softly requested.

"Go on." The blonde smiled. "Ask me anything."

The reporter took a deep breath, and asked her question, hesitating a bit.

"Why did you take the Holy Orders at such a young age ?"

-

Hi there !

Is Lana being too intrusive ?

Don't hesitate to comment, I love to have some feedback !

xoxo,

-A.