Sister Irene smiled at Henric with warm eyes and Henric felt as if she was looking right through him .
" So what did Serena come to say , I've learnt she has quite a tongue about her . " Sister Irene said as she took a seat .
" Oh , well ... tis nothing of any consequence . " Henric said looking at his hands but Irene looked at his ears . Their ripe red colour told her it was definitely something .
" Little liar . Don't you sin with me around . Tell me , now . " Sister Irene said with a pouted lip and narrowed eyes . Henric looked at her and chuckled softly .
These last few days , ever since the storm , he had gotten really close to Sister Irene . Far closer than before and it was clear that Sister Irene felt the same way . Her body practically radiated pride from his reaction . If only Sister Cali could see her , she thought .
" So , what is it ? Did she throw herself at you ? " She asked him and the boy suffered this blunt language for the second time . Why were they so sharp tongued ? He wasn't used to it .
" No , she didn't . She merely asked about my chastity . " Henric blurted out and Sister Irene smiled . It was a victory when he said things like this without blushing or clamming up .
" So she found out you're chaste ... then what ? " Sister Irene asked and Henric felt like a worm on a hook . Why him ?
" She hinted or tried to decipher whether my preference lied ... elsewhere . " Henric said not looking at her and for a moment the room was silent .
Sister Irene looked out the window and for a moment she was back in her room with Sister Cali before she left ....
" You mean Henric has a perversion to women ? " Sister Irene had asked stumped and Sister Cali had signed knowingly .
This would be the hardest to accept for Sister Irene and they both knew it . But Sister Cali would not leave Henric in the dark about who he was .
" Yes , he is a unique boy as I have said . " Sister Cali said calmly and before Sister Irene could speak she continued ," As are two of his friends and many other boys in this orphanage . Irene , listen to me . In my life I have seen many things , alot of them painful and some of them quite beautiful . One thing I saw was the love between two people , I say two people even though it was two women , because people are , at heart , people . I am not asking you to denounce your beliefs but please don't denounce the child . I witnessed love being set afire for being out of the known . If the same was to happen to him ...
I don't know what would become of me . Irene , " Sister Irene gasped as Sister Cali held her hands .
" Please , before you say anything about this to him , think . Think about what you know about him . Think about how he thinks he feels . He isn't completely aware of it but I think when he finds out his preference he may lash out at the one who made him feel that way . I pray the Lord forgives him for hurting someone unknowingly and I hope that the person forgives him . Irene , I trust you with this . This secret that not even Henric knows .
Please be gentle when you tell him. But make sure you are firm and don't let him deny it as I'm sure he will . Just make sure he knows how he feels and after that , let him choose himself . Can you do that for me ? "
Sister Irene blinked as she returned back to the present and then she turned to boy in the bed. He was gazing at his hand , moving them slowly and deliberately . He will deny it , she thought and then she took a deep breath .
Well , time to act , Sister Irene thought and tapped his shoulder . Henric looked at her but then he cringed at the deep frown on her face . She looked so angry it gave Henric goosebumps .
" You like men , not women . " Sister Irene said clearly and a crow flew by the window .
" What ? " Henric could not believe what he heard and Sister Irene couldn't believe she had spoken it . Lord cleanse my mouth after this , she thought but then her eyes turned hard .
She had to do this , make Henric understand this part of himself he wouldn't acknowledge .
" You do not like women in a romantic or intimate way . Rather you like men and maybe boys your age . " Sister Irene said to him and Henric grew pale and tried to open his mouth but Sister Irene wasn't done , " You will probably tell yourself that it's not true and that it's a sin . I believe it is but Sister Cali said it was okay . She said it was okay to love someone . People are people , she said and that she wanted you to acknowledge how you felt to yourself . To not hide and accept who you like or ... love . Henric, that was Sister Cali's wish and I know you'd never doubt it . "
Sister Irene took a deep breath as if she had just drowned but she'd only just relayed a message . Henric on the other hand looked like he'd seen a ghost . His face was pale and he clenched and unclenched his fingers slowly .
He hated it . This message from Sister Cali was cruel and heartless because he hated it . And he hated it because of one thing ; it was true .
A cold feeling had fallen on Henric when Sister Irene told him what Sister Cali had said . He couldn't help but think that ; she knew . She had known all along about his feelings and his desires .
Henric had tried so hard to hide and resist them though .
He often avoided physical contact unless it was with Stuart and Link . He made sure not to stare at the muscles of the labouring boys and especially he did not touch himself . He knew other boys were doing it but he dared not , fearing what he would imagine .
But all that had meant nothing , since Sister Cali knew . How had she known ? He wondered but he just shook his head , dropping the question .
" Well , then . You understand now ? I don't think I can say that again without a priest here for me . " Sister Irene said with a smile so as to show she was joking.
" I... I... I understand but I don't know what to do . " Henric said and his eyes grew moist , " She said to love someone but how can I love him ? How can I be with him ? "
Sister Irene took this as a literal question avoiding it's religious connotations . She sat up straighter and thought about what she could say . It had to be something neutral , she couldn't support this but she couldn't denounce him either .
" If you love him , tell him . Then he will decide after that . You can tell your feelings . " Sister Irene said and felt like that was right . That was good advice right ?
" But he is so difficult to understand . I don't know what to say to make him know how I feel so confused and then there's Stuart , he hasn't come in here ever since that day . I wish I could take my words back from the air but it's impossible . I've hurt too many people. " Henric said and he sighed heavily , he'd been holding that in for a while now .
" Well if you wrong someone , apologize until you are forgiven . And as for whoever he is , just be honest and I'm sure it will resolve itself . Sister Cali said you are a special boy after all. " Sister Irene said warmly and she patted his hair and Henric smiled despite himself .
Okay , he thought , I just have to say what I feel . I wonder how Carey will react ?
....
" Are you sure this a good idea ? " Carey asked River .
The other boy , jumped up and down with excitement . He wasn't caring about risks now , he just wanted to have fun . To think that he asked Carey to play and he had said yes . How could he not be happy ?
" This will be fun , believe me . " River said with devilish mischief in his eyes and Carey sighed before nodding his head .
They stood in the western hallway on the second floor , near the staircase . There was nothing around them , except a giant painting on the wall of an old Reverend father . The man had grey hair , a large moustache and a wrinkly face . His eyes looked red rimmed and large , his frame looked atleast a hundred years old .
It looked horrible .
" I hear a Sister coming . " River said happily , he floated over the floor and reached into the painting . His essence melded into it as if he bacame one with the artwork .
Carey watched this with an absentmindedness that only stopped when a Sister turned the corner towards them . When he saw her , he narrowed his eyes , it was the one who hurt Henric with her stick . He hated her .
He watched her as she passed infront of him and for a moment he thought of killing her but before he could think about it fully , a voice spoke up .
" Hey , Terrisa . " A loud and deep voice said and both Carey and Sister Terry looked at the painting . Did it just talk ? The wondered .
The old man looked sternly infront of him but when Sister Terry turned her eyes to it , it moved . The image of the man moved to face her and then it puckered it's lips .
" Do you want a kiss ? " The old man asked and Sister Terry cried out alarm .
" What is going on here ? " A voice boomed behind them and Carey turned to the Sister who had come , it was the other one who made Henric angry .
" Sister Becca , I ... It ...it ... , " Sister Terry tried to speak but her voice had left her .
" What happened ? " Sister Beca demanded but the answer came from somewhere else .
" Nothing . " The old man said and Sister Becca looked at it with horror . Her face paled and soon her large frame landed on the floor with a thud .
" Goodness of the Lord ! Mondeu ! " Sister Terry screeched as she ran away , leaving sister Becca on the floor .
" Maybe I went to far , do you think ? " River said as he came out of the painting .
" No , that was lovely . Great . " Carey said with a blue glint in his golden brown eyes , " I think we should play again . "
" You want to possess a painting too ? It's a bit strange at first but you will adjust - " River stopped when he saw the smile on Carey's face .
It was the smirk of a devil .
" I believe I want to possess something more , " Carey looked at Sister Becca's prone form , " thrilling , I think . "
A chill wind flew by the window and River shivered even though he had no body to feel cold .