Father Cruz ran a hand over his clean-shaven chin. “Can you go with her and grab some from her home?”
“I can . . .” I balled my hand into a fist. The idea of being alone with this woman didn’t sit well with me.
A heavyclang, clang, clangcame from beyond the walls. The bell. It was time for Vigils.
Father Cruz gave me a nod, and I mirrored his gesture. Then he turned and walked back to the main entrance of the monastery.
I took a deep breath and returned to Harley. She still sat in her Beetle, chewing on her fingernails. Only now she wore a colorful crocheted cardigan. The hippie-dippie style suited what I’d learned from her so far.
“What did he say?”
The way she blurted it made me grin. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but there are rules.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“All right, come on.” I stepped out of the way so she could get out, then shut the door for her. “Guests are required to attend all services,” I began as we walked to the back entrance. “And you need to wear clothes that fully cover you and aren’t too tight.” I glanced at her, grateful she’d put that cardigan on. Not that her T-shirt was necessarily revealing, but my brain had ended up in the gutter one too many times in the past couple of months. Hence I tried to avoid everything that could steer my thoughts even remotely on the wrong path.
She looked up at me. “I don’t have anything here besides what I’m wearing.”
“No worries, I’ll escort you to your home to grab what you need.” We’d reached the back entrance, and I gestured for her to go ahead.
Harley stood there, staring at me.
“Is there a problem?” I asked.
“Um . . .” She rubbed her arms. “No.” Something akin to nervousness flashed in her eyes, but she moved past me. “How many people live here?”
I followed her back into the monastery and bolted the iron door. Prayed this would give her a sense of safety.
“Seven. We’re six monks and two priests.” A hundred yards of grass stretched between us and the two-story stone building close to the main entrance. I pointed at it. “We monks live in there. The rectory behind it is Father Cruz’s home. He’s also the abbot. Father Andrew lives down the mountain with his daughter. He became a priest after his wife passed. You’ll get to meet everyone in a minute.”
Ten minutes later we were assembled in the cathedral outside the monastery. My fellow brothers and Father Andrew gave Harley a warm welcome when Father Cruz announced that she was a guest for the next couple of days. She must’ve shed her fear somewhere along the way, because she greeted everyone with asurprising confidence as she stood next to me in the pew. The domed ceiling arched high above us, candlelight flickering on the stone walls. Soon, the sun would shine through the mosaic windows and cast the most beautiful colors on the marble floor.
As we sang some of the Psalms that expressed our need for God, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at Harley. Her lips remained closed, but so were her eyes as she swayed to our voices. Even when we prayed silently for thirty minutes I had to force myself to refocus several times. Same during Lauds, the morning praise. I was glad when we finally headed back over to the monastery for breakfast.
“The chanting was incredible.” Walking next to me, Harley’s eyes glowed. She shuddered. “So much that it gave me goosebumps. I’ve never heard anything like it.” She searched my gaze. “Your voice stood out especially—deep and rich.”
Not sure what to make of this comment—or compliment?—I said nothing. Thank God Father Cruz came over and pulled her aside.
“Who is she?” Brother Matthew—I called him Matt whenever it was just the two of us—whispered. At twenty-two, he was the youngest of us and the only one who had yet to take the Solemn Vows. He’d grown up on the north shore, the so-called ghetto of the island, and after having a near-death experience, decided to become a monk. His parents, Indian and Hindus, had disowned him for his conversion to Christianity.
“Name’s Harley. That’s all I know.” I once again found myself glancing at her. The first beams of the sun rising over the ocean in the east hit her hair, making the red even more vibrant.
“She’s gorgeous,” Matt mumbled, staring at her like he’d never seen a woman in his life.
I looped my arm around his neck and pulled him into headlock. “Keep those thoughts in check, Brother Matthew.”
“I do, I do,” he croaked. His golden-brown skin turned into an unhealthy crimson.
I let him go. “I’m counting on it. She’s staying a couple of days. I expect you to behave.” For some reason I saw it as my duty to keep him in check. I had a strong connection with all of the brothers here, but the one I had with Matt was on a whole different level. Maybe because growing up my four older brothers had always had my back. Even Kimball had been more of a mother to me than the Dragon, my siblings’ name for our mother. I never called her that, but neither did I call her mom or whatever. She was Regina to me.
Matt’s face lit up. “She is staying a couple of days?”
I smacked his head, which caused him to jerk away.