Thursday - 4/22
DIMERA MANSION
Johnny walked into one of the studies and found E.J. watching the television while standing up.
E.J. (under his breath): There he goes.
E.J. saluted the television.
JOHNNY: Father?
E.J. turned his attention away from the TV.
E.J.: Johnny, my boy. Come in, come in. Close the door behind you.
Johnny did so, and walked over to E.J.
JOHNNY: What are you watching?
E.J.: The funeral.
JOHNNY: What funeral?
E.J.: For Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. It’s just ended. Magnificent man, was Prince Philip! He served his country proudly and bravely. Also, he was the longest reigning Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the longest serving consort to the Queen. True, I might be a citizen of the U.S. of more than a decade now, but my heart still has a lot of affection for Her Majesty.
JOHNNY: I see.
E.J. turned off the TV.
E.J.: Anyway, I’m sure you didn’t come here to hear me rant on about the Royal Family. What can I do for you, my boy?
JOHNNY: A situation has come up, father.
E.J.: What kind of situation?
JOHNNY: A girl.
E.J.: I see. Can’t keep them away, can you? Just like your old man.
JOHNNY: Not exactly. There’s a girl in my class that I was interested in. However, it’s come to my attention that she’s...not my type, let’s say. One of her best friends, however, is definitely my type. Thing is, I think I just made the first girl very angry, and I’m not sure how to proceed with her friend without causing an issue between them.
E.J.: I see. A rather tricky situation, that. Well, have a seat, my son. You’ve come to the right place.
LOFT
Claire blinked hard and folded her arms.
CLAIRE: Noelle?
NOELLE: Aye, it’s me. Heard you met my new girlfriend while you and Chase were in Ireland. Congrats on getting married, by the way!
CLAIRE: Thanks...um, sorry this all really a little...what’s the right word? Out there. When did you become a nun? And when did you get back here?
NOELLE: It’s a long story. Mind if we come in?
CLAIRE: I guess.
Claire let Aine and Noelle in and closed the door behind them. The three sat down.
NOELLE: Nice place you’ve got here, so this is! You’ve done well for yourself!
CLAIRE: Thanks. So…
NOELLE: Right, you wanted to know about when I became a nun. It was after the incident with Ciara and that Princess Katalin woman.
CLAIRE: You mean when you took advantage of my best friend when she was under mind control.
NOELLE: Catch yourself on! I’ll remind you that she was the one who supplied the sauce, not me! By the time anything happened, we were both completely leathered. And anyway, I was the one who tipped off the police about Ciara being taken over by an evil princess and all.
CLAIRE: Okay, let’s just leave that to one side for the moment. So, after the situation with Ciara and Fake Katalin…
NOELLE: Well, I was a bit down on myself, to be honest. Didn’t really have much going for me. I went back to Ireland to try to clear my head, but with no place to live, and having blown most of my money on a ticket back home, I ended up staying in a shelter. Turns out the shelter was run by St. Mary’s. Some of the nuns and I became friendly.
AINE (quietly): Some more than most.
She winked at Noelle.
NOELLE: Anyway, after I’d been there a short while, I decided that I wanted to stay. So, this one and some of the other sisters convinced the Mother Superior to let me have a crash course in being a nun. Technically, I was never really a nun, just a novice, but I’d already picked out a name for myself and all: Sister Mary Patrick. The Mother Superior and the other nuns taught me the basics, and I started my training. On the day you showed up, I was in bad shape. Had a bad bit of fish the night before, so I did. Ended up with a case of the scoots. Absolutely mortifying, it was.
CLAIRE: I get the picture.
NOELLE: Anyway, this one here was taking care of me, while also trying to avoid getting in trouble with the Mother Superior. It worked. But then, we started to get closer. Started to feel things for each other that nuns aren’t supposed to feel. We knew we’d never be able to keep it going the way it was, so during confession one day, I let slip what was going on.
AINE: And I did the same. Even though confession is private, between you and the wee Big Fella, like, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.
NOELLE: Mother Superior was absolutely raging! Father Healy intervened and let us stay in the shelter until we found jobs and accommodations, but naturally, had to take away our habits. We worked for a while. One day, Aine here was telling me about the two kind wee Americans that were visiting when I was ill. I guessed from the description that it was you. And, as it turns out, I was right. So, once we’d raised enough money for travel, we got on a flight back here.
Claire let out a deep breath.
CLAIRE: Wow. That is...a lot.
AINE: Aye, it’s been really full on!
CLAIRE: What I don’t get, though, is why here? Why come back here after everything?
NOELLE: Spending the better part of the last year in a convent has given me plenty of time to think. Not much to do there except think, pray and eat. It’s made me realise, I haven’t been a very nice person. To you or Ciara. Joey, either, for that matter. So I’ve come to make amends.
