This is the next part to Bless me father...

The look on her face was one of uncomprehending shock. Yvonne paled. The words "Oh shit" escaped my lips and Maryjo was crying.

We quickly got ourselves together and dusted Maryjo off. I volunteered to take her to the school nurse, mostly to avoid any interrogation. I was certain we'd be dealt with harshly.

We shuffled slowly to the clinic in silence. Both of us were wondering what to say.

The door was open. That meant the nurse was in.

"What's wrong Maryjo?"

She kept crying. Smart move, too. Then, the nurse looked to me.

"Maryjo hit her head on the toilet."

"How did that happen?"

I shrugged.

"Go back to class. Maryjo's in good hands."

The nurse gave her ice wrapped in a towel and promptly sent her home. She had a lot of explaining to do.

When I returned to class, Yvonne was sitting at her desk. Her red face streaked with tears.

"How's Maryjo?" asked Sister Aggie.

"The nurse sent her home."

Nothing else was said about it the rest of the afternoon. We were waiting for the other shoe to drop, but, surprisingly, Aggie sent us home with a sealed note. That meant we wouldn't know what it said until our parents opened it.

"You must return the note tomorrow signed by your parents," she said through gritted teeth. Her face betrayed her barely contained outrage.


We were sitting at the dinner table eating spaghetti and meatballs. Dad was happily satisfied. He unbuckled his belt to let his belly breathe. It was good time to spring the note on him.

"Dad?"

"Yes honey?"

"Sister Aggie gave me a note to be signed."

He didn't seem too interested. The school often sent notes home to be signed. "Oh?"

"Three of us stayed in the lavatory too long. It happened like this. Maryjo started her period. Yvonne went with her to help. Sister Aggie sent me to fetch them. We were gone too long and Sister Aggie had to come get us."

By now, I figured out if I mixed the truth with the lie, it was more convincing. He opened the envelope, gave it a cursory glance, signed it, and gave it back to me. The note said I had detention Saturday morning for abusing the rules of lavatory privileges. I had to appear bright and early dressed in my school uniform along with the other two offenders. Fuck.

Maryjo was going to pay.

Nikita © 2008