Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I slowly walked toward the gate. The gate that would take me to the airplane, which would take me far from this, the most wonderful city in the world. The plane that would take me back to Santa Fe, back to the University, back to the classrooms and the students, back to the Convent of St. Mary.

I stopped and turned around. He was standing there watching me. I took one step toward him and then rushed back into his arms. He held me tight and kissed me. I tried to melt into his arms, to become one with him...forever.

"Last call for Flight 451 to Santa Fe International Airport," came over the PA System. The clerk then said, without the aid of the PA, "Ma'am If you want to get this plane, you better go now."

We broke apart and he gave me a sad smile and said, "I love you, Carol." I quietly said, "I love you, Zack." I looked into his eyes and said, "In answer to your question of Wednesday morning...YES my love...yes...I'll marry you." I turned and ran through the closing gate and walked to the plane. The stewardess who closed the door was walking behind me and said, "It's not easy leaving him, is it?"

I gave her a smile and said. "One of the hardest things I have ever done."

"I know what you mean, but you will be back together soon, I know it."

"Yes, we will."

I found my seat and after stowing my carryon bag under it, seeing that the tray table was secure and ensuring that my seat was in an upright position, I put my head back, closed my eyes and thought about how things became so crazy...so wonderful.

It's funny, usually at this point, the storyteller says something like, "Where should I start?" or "I'm not sure where this all began." But, I don't have that problem. I know exactly where this started.

Around seven years ago, I was standing in a classroom in St. Steven's High School, in a rather tough section of Baltimore. This was my first teaching assignment, fresh out of MIT with a degree in mathematics. I had recently taken my final vows in the Order of St. Benedict. I was a nun and now a high school teacher. Truth be known, I wanted to be a nun, but I would have rather been somewhere else. Teaching a bunch of tough high school seniors was not exactly what I wanted to do.

But, I had taken the vow of obedience so when the Mother Provincial said, "Carol, You will be going to St. Steven's in Baltimore." I said "Yes, Mother."

St. Steven's also had the Christian Brothers de La Salle (the French Christian Brothers) teaching there. Like us, their mission was to teach the sons and daughters of the poor and working class. They were a tough bunch of Brothers, they didn't take any guff, but the kids absolutely loved them.

Now, I wouldn't want you to think that we Nuns were a bunch of pushovers. We "Bennies" could be just as tough as the "Frenchies." And the kids liked us too, as much as the Brothers? Yea I think so. Where they could be more physically intimidating, with us nuns it was by force of will.

It was the first day of classes and I was in my homeroom. I was standing by the window looking out when I heard someone walk into the room. I was told that Zachary Miller would be the first one in. His mother drops him off early, as she had to be at work in the office of a nearby factory.

I turned and saw a handsome young man walking into the classroom. He was about six feet tall with light brown hair and light blue eyes. He was well built, with broad shoulders, a thin waist and a light easy gait. I could imagine that he could have his pick of the girls here at St. Steven's, in fact, probably anywhere.

I smiled and said, "Good morning, I'm Sister Carol. You must be Zachary. I was told that you are usually the first student to arrive."

He stared at me. His blue eyes were as big as saucers. His jaw dropped and he walked right into a desk, which crashed to the floor with Zachary falling over it and his books flying all over.

I quickly ran over to it and helped him off of the desk. He was stammering, trying to put some words together. Seeing that he was okay, I sat in one of the desks and laughingly asked, "My goodness, Zachary. Do I look that frightening that you fall over desks trying to get away?"

His eyes got even bigger, if that was possible, and he stuttered, "No, no, no, Sister you're not frightening...not at all."

"Just hideous, huh?" I said with a smile.

"No Sister, you're not hideous, you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seeeeeeeennnnnnn."

I don't know who was more surprised to hear that. When he realized what he said he turned a deeper red and stammered, "No...no I...I...I didn't mean that..."

I couldn't help teasing him. "Then I'm not beautiful."

"Oh God...Oh no...I didn't mean that...you are, but I 'm not supposed to tell..."

My heart went out to him and I placed my hand on his shoulder and said, "I'll tell you what Zachary, why don't you take your books and go out side and then come back in and we will act like this never happened. We will start all over again."