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.How he missed his friend.Father Poole could still smell his cigarettes, still hear the creaking of his old rocking chair, still hear his distinctively Yankee voice.“The laughter of children on my hill” was the last thing he’d said to the priest; or something like it.Father Poole repeated the words while peering out into the evening gloom.Sister Ignatius was confused.“Father?” she called to him, but the priest was still engrossed in his own private world of recollection.“Father,” she said louder.“Father, what are you saying?”“Get some little ones up here.That’d be nice,” Father Poole replied in a low voice.“Little ones? What are you saying?”The priest turned to the nun.“That’s what Ben Benson said to me four years ago—that we need to get little ones up here.” He rushed up and grabbed her by the elbows.“So how ’bout it, Sister? What do you say?”She shook her head in bewilderment.Father Poole grew more and more excited at the thought.“Don’t you see what I mean, Sister? Ben envisioned it for Holly Hill.We’re up here away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, away from the harm that comes to wrecked children.Don’t you see? This is the perfect sanctuary for them!”“For whom?” she asked, completely lost.“Why, for Jessica and Zachary, and for others like them.Lost, alone, beaten, abandoned.” He paused for a moment and then continued, “Like another that Arthur Nichols and I found.”Sister turned her head slightly.“He’s a sweet boy who comes from a most terrible situation,” Father Poole added.“Of course, you’ll have to agree to let him stay.” He walked away from the nun and circled the common room.He did this twice and then made his way to where the hallway began.Now it all made sense to Phineas.“This enormous space was created for a reason, Sister,” he continued.“God wanted it big.No one knew God’s master plan.No one could explain why such a big rectory was constructed.This ‘hotel’ has been empty, dead, useless space.Well, not anymore.Oh, Sister! It must be part of God’s plan for us! For our church! For the children of Holly!”“Father Poole,” Sister Ignatius said calmly.She breathed in deeply and then screamed, “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?”Ignoring the nun’s question, the priest said under his breath, “This could work.”Sister Ignatius was getting furious.She blurted out again, “Father, will you PLEASE tell me what is going on in that head of yours?”Jessica jumped off the couch as the two kept on talking and walked out of the common room.“Sister,” Phineas began.“It’s really quite simple.We have a few children who need our help.So let’s just help them.”She seemed perplexed.“You see, we have Jessica and Zachary.That’s all well and good, but how can we accept these two poor lost souls and reject others who need us just as much?”Sister Ignatius began to nod her head.“Meaning this new boy, right?”Father Poole nodded.“I think I’m beginning to understand what you’re getting at, Father.”Father Poole smiled widely and continued, “Yes, Sister! We’d be achieving two goals: helping these children and granting Ben his dying wish.And we’ll be here to help any child who is abused or abandoned.It’s all so clear to me now, Sister.We’re blessed with so much here, and we have a chance to help these children.If you had seen what I saw this evening, Sister! A father strangling his own son.It was terrible.We saved this boy, Arthur Nichols and I.”Sister Ignatius walked toward the bay window.“You took another child away from his parents and brought him here?” she asked.“Not exactly.His mother gave him to us.”“Gave him to you?”“Sort of.”“Where is he?”“I had Arthur take him over to Ben’s place till I could….”“Persuade me?” Sister Ignatius finished his sentence.“Or perhaps blackmail me?”“You know I’d never do anything like that, Sister.That is an unfair slander.”The nun walked away from the window to collect Jessica and put her to bed.“No more unfair,” she said, “than your accusing me of the same sin earlier today.Or do I need to remind you of our previous conversation?”“No, you needn’t remind me, Sister, but I ask you to set aside your scorn for me and think of these children.After all, isn’t that why we’re here? To help those in need?”Sister Ignatius answered quickly.“You needn’t remind me of the reasons why I’m here.” She then called, “JESSICA! WHERE ARE YOU, SWEETHEART?” There was no response.“JESSICA!” Father Poole called.“ZACHARY!” he shouted.“ZACHARY! JESSICA!” Sounding apprehensive, he asked, “Where’s Zachary, Sister?”She thought for a moment.“He said he wasn’t hungry at dinner and was going to bed.”They ran up the stairs, calling out both Jessica’s and Zachary’s names.Upon reaching the second floor, they went immediately to Zachary’s room.There, with the door open, Jessica was sitting on Zachary’s lap.He was bouncing her on his knee.“Zachary,” Father Poole exclaimed.“Why on earth didn’t you answer when you heard me calling you?”Zachary, still laughing, bounced Jessica again.“She really likes this.See how high I can get her? Almost over my head.”Sister Ignatius snatched Jessica away from him and stormed out of the room.“What the hell’s her problem?” said Zachary.“I was just havin’ a little fun.Jesus Christ!”“Zachary!” Father Poole shouted, and then quickly composed himself.“Please don’t say that unless it’s in a prayer.” It was the first time he’d ever yelled at a child.Zachary lowered his head.The priest sighed and sat down on the bed next to Zachary.“You had us worried sick.You could have let us know that you had Jessica when we were calling from downstairs.”Zachary’s demeanor turned cold and expressionless again.“I told you I was havin’ fun with the baby.And I didn’t hear y’all hollerin’.So if I’m not supposed to have no fun around here, then just tell me, Father, and that way I won’t break no more of your rules.” Zachary touched the bloody bandage that covered his nose and winced as he felt a sharp pain followed by a trickle of blood escaping one of his nostrils.“I’m sorry, Zachary,” replied the solicitous priest.“I guess that I overreacted.We were worried about Jessica, and, well, I’m just glad you were watching her for us.Thank you.”“I wouldn’t hurt her, Father.” said Zachary as he licked the blood off his finger that he’d collected from his nose.“Shucks, I like little girls.”Father Poole made his way over to the Benson house.As he entered, Sister Ignatius was standing by the threshold leading to the living room.Jonas had already fallen asleep upright on the sofa.“Now Sister,” the priest began, “regarding this new boy, he really is a remarkable child.His name is Jonas Hod… [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]