The Far Reaches by Homer Hickam

Author:Homer Hickam
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780312334758
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

32

It was nearly midnight before Sister Mary Kathleen sank to her knees in the little house that belonged to the two widows who had invited her to spend the night beneath their thatched roof. Both were asleep, snoring peacefully, and so she prayed silently for guidance, grace, strength, and, most of all, forgiveness, though her heart told her such was not possible. She crossed her-self at the end of her prayers, including in them even Josh Thurlow, the big lout, and kissed the medallion of her order and wiped the inevitable tear of regret and sadness that always came to her at the end of each day. For it was only then she allowed her thoughts to drift toward Ruka and the unbearable joy and disgrace that was there. will find a way, she swore, even as she accepted that for some days or weeks, Tahila would be her home.

After removing the corona, veil, and wimple of her habit, she placed them carefully aside and lay down on the large straw mat that served as a sleeping area for her and the two women. Lying there, staring into the darkness, she felt dirty, tired, and ugly and wished she had insisted on washing both her garments and her filthy body before taking to bed. But everyone in the village, it seemed, wanted her to visit, and no time had been allowed for anything else other than the sociable. She had found the homes of Tahila kept neat and clean, and the ladies of each were eager to show off their various treasures. This one had a Bible to show, though it was in Spanish, which no one in the village could read, and that one had fashioned artistic fired clay pots, which Sister Mary Kathleen admired too much, it seemed, as the woman had pressed on her several. Other women showed her their gardens and even their chickens, dogs, cats, and pigs. Sadly, none of them introduced her to their children, since they were considered too low to be brought forth to a holy person. So she contented herself with sidelong glances at them, almost always rewarded by shy smiles. She so longed to swoop them up and hold them in her arms, but she resisted the urge and instead cooed over everything shown to her, all the while allowing her smiles to seep out to the boys and girls hiding in the shadows of their houses or peeping out from behind trees and bushes.

The evening had brought a meal with Chief Kalapa and his several wives. It was a sumptuous meal of rice and yams and chunks of boiled chicken and fish. She had eaten appreciatively, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then belched delicately, all in the island style, and pronounced everything more than satisfactory.

Although the chief started to speak to her in pidgin, she apprised him of her knowledge of the dialect, and he inclined his head, accepting her offer to speak in his language.

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