“What are ye doin’ here?” Laura asked, stepping back and holding Emilie at arm’s length so that she could get a good look at her.
“Kayla, run and tell Sister Nancy that Emilie has returned,” Nieve ordered, and Kayla immediately sprang into action.
“It’s a long story,” Emilie murmured. “But the short of it is that I’m gettin’ an annulment.”
Her voice broke on the final word, and her throat stung. She’d thought that she would be strong enough to tell them the whole story. But now she was certain that if she began speaking any more about it, she would dissolve into a puddle of tears on the floor.
Thankfully, Sister Nancy appeared a moment later, sparing Emilie from any further explanation.
“Child, what are ye doin’ here?” she called out from where she’d stopped walking in the threshold of the door.
She waved her hand in front of her, beckoning Emilie into the building.
“Come on in, there’s chores to be done,” Sister Nancy said.
And just like that, all the girls and women fell into line. They trotted back across the lawn, pouring into the entry of the abbey that led into the kitchen.
Emilie’s eyes raked over the familiar space. On the entire drive here, she’d preoccupied herself with thoughts of what it would be like to be back. She had been certain that being within these hallowed halls, she would feel better, that she’d be able to find solace in the place where she’d grown up.
But as Emilie looked around, she found no comfort.
Sister Nancy barked out an order, telling all the girls that their nightly chores weren’t going to finish themselves. And then, she shot Emilie a knowing glare before disappearing.
Emilie fell into step with the other novices easily, knowing exactly which chores she needed to take over.
She stood beside Laura, scrubbing at the counters in companionable silence.
Emilie could feel Laura’s curiosity rolling off her in waves, her raven hair falling out of her braid as the pair of them scrubbed. But she also knew that Laura wouldn’t ask again until they were alone. And, for that, Emilie was grateful.
She lost herself in her chores easily, going through the all-too-familiar motions. And, before she knew it, everything was done and everyone was ready to head off to bed.
Emilie turned, preparing herself to head off to the dormitory, when she found Sister Nancy standing in the corner, still watching. The other girls filed past her, wishing her a good night. But when Emilie moved to file past her as well, Sister Nancy reached out to grab her arm.
“Are ye back to stay, child?” the woman asked.
Her voice wasn’t unkind. But it was sharp and had a tone that let Emilie know she expected nothing but the choice.
Emilie just nodded, unable to bring herself to say the words or to explain why.
She felt the absence of Archer and the children like a hole in her heart. The more time passed, the more the edges of it seemed to ache.
Something in Sister Nancy’s severe face seemed to soften, and the woman reached out to place an arm on Emilie’s shoulder.
“It’ll be all right, child,” the wise nun assured her. “Everythin’ will always work out accordin’ to God’s plan.”
Emilie swallowed hard, nodding to Sister Nancy as words failed her entirely. She wished her goodnight and then scurried past the old woman, terrified that if she spoke any more, her words would fail her entirely.
She walked up to the dormitory, the sounds of the girls giggling greeting her well before she ever reached the door. When Emilie pushed inside, everyone fell silent.
Emilie sighed, rolling her eyes as she walked toward her old bed.
“All right,” she said, “I ken ye all have questions.”
“What was it like?” Kayla asked, blurting out her question before Emilie had a chance to finish speaking. “What was it like to be married?”
Emilie’s cheeks flushed.
“I daenae ken really,” she answered honestly. “I daenae think we acted like yer typical married couple.”