I stare at Julius in horror, remembering my journey to the airport.
“What if she was taken like I was meant to be? She may be–”
Julius places his finger on my lips. “We’ll go with your first theory. Tell me who her mother was.”
He takes out his phone and brings up the notes app.
“Sarah Goldsworthy.”
“As in the banking giant, Goldsworthy Financial Enterprises.”
“The same.”
“Thank you. It’s a lead, and we won’t leave any trails unchecked.”
As we sip our drinks, Julius makes several texts, and my heart is racing as I consider Alice alone and vulnerable.
However, Alice is a force to be reckoned with, and I do rate her chances because the more I think about it, this is exactly what she would do. It’s always been her top priorityto solve the mystery of her mom’s death, and I’m guessing she seized the opportunity when she had it and has disappeared into the shadows. If anything, I’m assured of that because nothing inside me tells me she is in danger right now, and so I sip my drink, putting all of my faith in my sister because if Alice puts her mind to something, she is usually successful.
We finish our drinks and as we head to our room, our arms wrapped around one another, I consider myself the lucky one. I found Julius, and I will never stop thanking God for sending a demon to rescue an angel and vow to dedicate the rest of my life to becoming exactly the kind of wife he deserves.
EPILOGUE
ALICE
THE ORDER OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD – SWITZERLAND
The convent is silent—unusually so. It’s never been a loud place to live for sure, but the ghosts that linger in the corridors appear to be making their presence known—at least that’s how it seems.
Perhaps it’s because there are many ghosts in my past that will not drift into the afterlife. It’s almost as if they still have a job to and that concerns me for some reason.
I consider Rose a ghost now. She left a fewdays ago, and a huge hole in my heart, and my sister Tiffany sighs beside me.
“I hope Rose is okay. Do you think she’s in Washington now?”
“Of course.” I reassure her, but I share her concern.
Of us all, I am the one who possesses a sixth sense, if you like, and mine is telling me that Rose is on a journey that may not have led to Washington. I’m anxious about that and yet, as always, keep my thoughts firmly for my eyes only.
We reach Sister Agatha’s office, and Tiffany whispers, “I hope this isn’t bad news.”
“What makes you say that?”
My breathing is even, but my heart is racing because if it is, I will have a job on my hands navigating the fallout that will bring.
Tiffany is our younger sister and clings a little harder. I suppose she is more fearful than Rose because she hasn’t learned that life is a battle that one must strategize to survive.
She’s more trusting and liable to make impetuous decisions, and is craving something that is impossible in our world. Safety.
“I don’t know, Alice. Ever since Rose left, I’ve had a bad feeling about this.”
She is referring to the unlocking of our gate—the permission to spend one year in the outside world in search of our path to God. Rather than allowing us to commit our lives immediately, Sister Agatha believes we should first live that life, so that any decision to remain here, within the Order of the Holy Mother of God, is made with understanding and intention.
I rap sharply on the door, smiling briefly at Tiffany to reassure her.
One year.
Those words became my mantra because I know exactly what I’m going to do with mine and it doesn’t involve following Sister Agatha’s plan for me.
