Page 25 of Monster in Disguise

She eagerly plops down in front of the small mirror on the desk as I comb through her light brown locks, tinged with sandyblonde highlights. She looks like a miniature version of me, except for her hair.

As I separate her hair strands and begin braiding them into a long plait, my thoughts drift to that fateful night... to Claudia's biological father. A shudder runs through me and I quickly try to push the memories away by focusing on Claudia's lively chatter about her school lessons.

"All done."

"Thank you, mamma." She wraps her arms around my waist and gives me a tight hug.

"There you are." Sisi's breathless voice interrupts us as she enters the room. Her disheveled appearance suggests she may have just run a marathon.

I furrow my brow as I eye her panting figure, throwing herself onto the bed with frustration. "What happened to you?" I ask, concerned.

"That... ugh... that blasted woman!" She punches the pillow beside her. "Sisi?"

"Mother Superior," she growls, her expression contorting with anger. "She told me I'm not doing my chores properly and that now I will be assigned double the load... to 'learn how to work properly,' she says." She shifts restlessly on the bed before jumping to her feet.

"I've never had a complaint before, but suddenly I'm doing everything wrong."

"Sisi..."

"You know what, never mind. I'll do what she says...but that means I won't have that much time to watch Claudia." Her voice softens as she mentions our daughter's name.

"I'm sure we can figure something out," I offer, trying to ease the tension.

"And I'm a big girl. I can look after myself," Claudia chimes in, causing both Sisi and me to smile at her independence.

"Let me get dressed and I'll come with you to dinner." She sighs and reaches for a clean outfit from her dresser.

We make our way to the large dining hall, trying to avoid the judgmental stares and malicious whispers of the other nuns. We find a table in the farthest corner and take our seats. Despite the uncomfortable atmosphere, the food turns out to be surprisingly delicious, and we all enjoy our meal together. When we finish, we gather our trays to return them for washing.

"Can I go eat the chocolate now?" Claudia tugs on my sleeve eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Seeing her hopeful face, I can't bring myself to refuse her request.

"Sure, you can go ahead."

"Yay!" she exclaims before darting off towards our room.

"You're spoiling her too much," Sisi says, playfully reprimanding me.

"It's the least I can do," I reply with a smile, knowing how much Claudia has been through in her young life.

"I wish my mother was like you," Sisi's wistful tone catches me off guard, reminding me of the time when she had asked me to be her mother all those years ago.

I give her hand a quick squeeze in comfort, silently conveying that she is loved and appreciated.

As we make our way back to the room, the convent is cloaked in silence. The usual bustle of nuns preparing for lights out has ceased, leaving only a serene stillness. I call out my daughter's name as I open the door to our room, but receive no answer. A ripple of unease courses through me as I step inside.

"Claudia? It's not funny," I repeat, my voice tinged with worry as I search every nook and cranny of the tiny room. Sisi joins me in the search, but there are only so many places one can hide in such a confined space.

"Where could she be?" Panic blooms within me as I frantically scan the room. My eyes land on the spot where I had left her chocolate, untouched.

"I don't think she came here."

Sisi's words echo my thoughts as we exchange worried looks.

"You take the west wing; I'll take the east. We'll find her."

Without hesitation, we split up and begin searching. I approach every nun I come across, asking if they have seen Claudia. Some scoff at me, making rude comments about my ability to care for my own child. But I push their hurtful words aside and continue my search.

Finally, someone offers some information.

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