Merry Sister Mary and the One and Only Killer

5: Sister Mary Breaks a Priceless Vase

"No," said Michael as he turned to me. "Gloria, meet Sister Mary. Sister Mary, meet Gloria, one of my sisters."

"Hi, good to meet you." I shook Gloria's hand firmly. It was covered in red and orange paint. "An artist I see?"

"Not professionally. Just for stress relief. Doctor's orders!" She faced Michael and jabbed him in the shoulder with her finger. "Of all things to bring back from one of your excursions, Michael. A nun. Ha!" Gloria leapt off the car. "So what's your story, sister? What brings you to this quaint little patch of paradise?"

"Your brother got me out of a rather tight spot. Now I'm stranded here until I can get a ride to New Orleans."

"Ah, is the bridge out again? The water gets high in Thompson Creek and Bayou Sara sometimes. A little rain and all the roads start washing away."

"No," said Michael. "The bus left without her and with all her things."

"Hmpth, no luck there ain't it, Sister?" Gloria put her cigarettes into her pocket. "It's been enough time. Seems we should join the rest of the family inside before they send a search party. Will you be dining with us tonight, Sister Mary?"

"Michael has already invited me."

"Good," said Gloria, smiling. "It will be nice to have a new face to talk to. I dread this dinner every year."

"Not to pry," I lied, "But what exactly are you celebrating?"

"It's more a memorial than a celebration." Gloria sighed and turned to the house. "It's mother's idea. She puts on this dinner every year to remember dad's life on the anniversary of his death. The last few years we have had to go all the way to Chicago. This year we convinced her to come back home and celebrate. She was hesitant but eventually agreed since it was the tenth, the big one O. Can't believe it's been 14 years. I was fifteen then. Has it been that long?" Gloria rubbed the paint on her hands. A distant look filled her eyes. "Anyway, Sister Mary, get ready for one hell of a show tonight."

"I'm excited," I said, smashing Gloria's discarded cigarette with my foot as it started to catch the grass on fire. She looked upset by my actions.

"I wonder how mom will react to a nun joining us. She might be insulted, Michael." Gloria's voice changed to a mocking tone. "'Oh, what cruel joke is this?' 'Oh, Michael, why must you always make fun of your mother?' 'Oh, Michael— "

"Shut up, Gloria!" snapped Michael. Gloria smiled and childishly flicked her hair and scooted around the car.

"Gosh, take a joke, brother." Gloria stuck out her tongue. "You're not the only one who hates having mother around."

"It's just for a couple of days."

"Exactly so..." Gloria jabbed her finger into Michael's chest. "So don't set her off, you hear? If mother is happy, we are happy."

"Fine, fine. I get it. I know." Michael turned to me. "And here is the Stanton family at its finest. We love each other but can't stand each other's guts."

"That seems like most families," I said.

"Let's just get inside and get this over with." Michael motioned to me to come. He parked his bike by the far oak and together we sauntered to the front steps.

The place was even more spectacular up close. A wrap-around gallery held chairs for sitting and small tables for dining. Massive white columns pushed up to the roof-line. Michael noticed my interest and mentioned how the columns were modeled off of the Parthenon in Greece. The house's main support was internally placed as the structure sat on thick cypress beams and mason-laid bricks. Surely no hurricane could ever blow this building down. Standing on the top step, I felt dwarfed under the home's mighty presence like a tiny mosquito perched on the shoulder of a giant.