The paintbrush stopped, then Anna rotated her wrist to glance at a simple watch. "Oh no," she whispered.
Sister Agatha, the old woman I'd met in the office all those years ago, waddled to the chair with a scowl turning her wrinkled lips into a hard line. "What are you doing loafing in here?" She propped a knobby hand on hip.
"I-I'm sorry." Anna hurriedly shut her still damp painting and stowed her brush into a little white plastic box made to hold everything.
"Apologize to those poor students who are waiting for their instructor." Sister Agatha narrowed her gaze. "If you continue abandoning your duties, you will never be a sister. Is that what you want? To throw God's precious gift of sight and life back into his face?"
Anna shook her head and shouldered a bag. "No, I'm sorry."
"As you should be." Agatha huffed. "I've never known a more ungrateful person."
I've never known a more prudish old hag.Well, that wasn't exactly true. Delilah became quite an obnoxious wench after I convinced her to tell Samson's secret.
"Why do you assume God is a man?" There was a hint of steel in Anna's voice.
I froze at Anna's question, then moved over so I could see both women.
"Excuse me,child?"
Anna straightened her spine. "You say the Bible is never wrong, yet it was written by men. It is preached by men. Its convoluted stories are taught by men. Is that why?"
Sister Agatha's plump cheeks reddened. "It is not for us to question God's Word."
"Why? Because we're women? Or is it because it's just a convenient response?"
Well, well, well. My Anna still has that streak of independent thought.I smiled.
"I do not answer to an ungrateful welp like you." The old woman stepped close to Anna, and I had to remind myself to not intervene. This was Anna's fight—not mine.
But oh, how proud I am of her fire.
"God didn't restore my sight." Anna sidestepped away from Agatha.
Quicker than I would have expected, the old nun's hand shot out and she grabbed the younger woman's upper arm. "I believe that. You've been touched by a demon, haven't you?"
Anna wrenched her arm from the older woman's arthritic grasp and backed away several steps, raising her chin in defiance. "I have a class to teach." She gave a tiny nod. "If you'll excuse me. Thatiswhy you came to find me, correct?"
Agatha’s stare could've cut through rock. "Get on with it, but this isn't finished. I've been on to you for years, ever since that man showed up out of nowhere with all that cash to make sure you had things none of the other kids had."
"What?" Anna's defiance seemed to soften. A look of confusion clouded her eyes.
"Don't pretend you don't know. I've kept it to myself for years, but now I know the truth. I can see it in your face." She smoothed her habit. "Father will hear about this, mark my words." Agatha stomped away with her head held high.
"Wait," Anna called after her, but the woman pushed her way through a group of students entering the library and disappeared through the door.
Her shoulders slumped as she slowly trudged in the opposite direction, to her class.
As much as I wanted to follow Anna, I knew I needed to reign in the damage the sister could cause with her accusations.
Old woman, it looks like your time has come.
I grinned in delight. It was time to have a little fun with Sister Goody Two Shoes.
Chapter 31
Anna Sill
Present Day
