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Chapter 1837
“My teacher’s already asleep, I can take you out now,” Larkin sidled up, patting Mary’s head who looked rather down in the dumps. “Does it still hurt?”
“I wasn’t really in pain, your reaction was overly dramatic, Mary muttered under her breath.
She then glanced at the Prior and let go of Erica’s hand to approach him.
On the way home, Mary rode in the Prior’s car, a purchase he made last year.
Both of them lost in their own thoughts, the ride home was filled with silence.
On the other hand, things were far from quiet between Erica and Larkin.
Erica described the peculiar behavior of that mad woman she had encountered earlier to Larkin
Only after hearing her out did Larkin say, “On the way here, the Prior told me that the woman was brought in by her family. They believed she was possessed, but from what she’s exhibiting, it seems more like she’s suffering from multiple personality disorder”
“Multiple personality disorder? Despite her fair share of experiences, Erica had only ever heard about this disorder in movies or books.
“Yep,” Larkin nodded, “According to her family, she seems to have split into eight different personalities.”
Erica frowned slightly. “No wonder she was erratic, flipping between anger and tearful apologies… Why wouldn’t her family take her to a hospital? What can a monastery do?”
“The Prior suggested they seek medical help, but they claimed they’ve already spent a fortune on hospitals to no avail. So, they’re trying their luck with monasteries, Larkin responded.
As luck would have it, when Erica and Larkin arrived at the parking lot, they ran into the departing party.
The older woman with grey hair noticed Erica as she exited the car.
Out of courtesy, Enca gave her a slight nod in greeting.
Seeing this, the woman wiped a tear from her eye and approached them.
“Excuse me, dear, is that young nun alright?” she asked.
“She’s fine, don’t worry, Erica assured her gently.
The woman seemed to have a lot to say, choking back tears as she began, My daughter my daughter’s had a rough time, all because of that damn man!” “Please, don’t cry” Erica hurriedly consoled her, offering a tissue from her pocket.
“Girl, I can tell you’re a good person, The woman, glancing at Larkin, advised, “Don’t put too much trust in men, always have a plan B. My daughter… she graduated from a prestigious university, had a bright future ahead of her, but she was deceived by that man! He’s been abusing her physically and emotionally, driving her to this point!”
“Domestic abuse?” Erica’s brows furrowed immediately.
The woman didn’t seem like an educated individual at all.
“Yes, that man manipulated my daughter, swindled her out of her money, forced her into multiple abortions, and…”
She couldn’t continue
“How could you talk about those things to strangers? Don’t you find it embarrassing? A man around the same age as the woman rushed up to reprimand her
“You find this embarrassing?” The woman was instantly enraged, “You’re just realizing this now? I told you to bring our daughter home, but you insisted against it and now that she’s like this, you find it shameful?”
As the couple seemed about to start a full-blown quarrel, Larkin led Erica away
“What else did that man do besides physical and mental abuse?” Erica, who was easily moved to sympathy, was now on the verge of losing her cool.
Larkin managed to pacify her with a few comforting words and a box of freshly cut watermelon on their way back to the monastery
But her anger flared up again the moment she got home.
“Erica, I heard you met that highly educated woman today, the one who’s a postdoc?”
“She’s a postdoc?” Erica was taken aback.
“You don’t know her?”
“Should I? Erica was bewildered
“She’s been overseas for a long time, it’s normal you wouldn’t know her,” another nun explained, “She was in the news a few years back.”
“Was it related to mental issues?” Erica asked.
“No way…
