The Secret of St. Lelia's- II

    “What do you mean, it’s a boarding school?” Juliette cried in disbelief and shock. She had great friends, teachers, everything, and now her parents were just going to ship her off like a present for Gran? How could they do this to her?
    “Honey, the students live at the school. It’s like-“
    “I know what boarding school is. Why would you do this to me? How can you do this? My life was going great until you just had to ruin it with this fabulous news. Mom, why would you sign me up for something like this without even telling me?” Juliette started to sob.
    “Juliette, it’ll be good for you. You’ll interact with boys and girls from all over the country. Term starts August 8th, and they have a huge festival all day on the 11th, Saint Lelia’s feast day. I’m sure you’ll love it,” Mrs. Collins responded gently. “Now, go dry those eyes. Take the twins with you. Their hair is scrambled like eggs and knotted like a shoelace.” Juliette shuffled up the stairs. The twins toddled along behind her. After sitting Stefanie on the (closed) toilet and Hayden on the edge of the claw-foot bathtub, Juliette tenderly combed her siblings’ strawberry-blonde wispy fluff. She scrubbed her florid face with glacial water and laughed when she saw Stefanie standing on a stool, splashing the frigid aqua on her own tiny face.
    Juliette brushed and deftly braided her waist-length flaxen hair. She put on her makeup flawlessly. The makeup was classic and delicate: soft gold eye shadow and brown eyeliner, light bronzer and peach face powder, warm pink lip gloss and blush, and brown mascara. With her golden hair, ice-blue eyes, flawless fair skin, and trim figure, Juliette was the manifestation of an angel.
    “Jooly make pretty?” Stefanie pleaded.
    “Just a little, Cherub,” replied Juliette as she daubed liquid blusher onto Stefanie’s already ruddy cheeks.
    “Eyes?” Stefanie requested.
    “No, Cherub. Let’s go downstairs.” Juliette descended the steel spiral staircase, her siblings in tow. They walked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Collins waited with Alec.
    “Let’s go, kids. Traffic’s picking up,” Mrs. Collins told Juliette and Alec. Juliette buckled the twins into their child seats in the second row of their mother’s red minivan. Alec climbed into the very back row, and tall, thin Juliette hopped into the passenger seat. Mrs. Collins started the car, and they were off to Milwaukee at 9:30 on the dot. At 11, Juliette grew restless.
    “Mom, speed up! You’re on the freeway, for crying out loud!” Juliette griped.
    “Not for long! Mom, take that exit; it’s not in Milwaukee, it’s one exit before!” Alec cried, jumping up in his seat.
    “You can’t be that excited about this place,” Juliette teased as the minivan made the exit.
    “Oh, I’m not! I just really have to go!” Alec remarked. Everybody laughed, happy to be off the freeway. About ten minutes later, they saw the iron gates of Saint Lelia’s Pre-Confirmational Seminary for Young Catholics. They passed through, and drove along a winding gravel path until they came to a towering marble building. It looked nice to Juliette, even welcoming. Mrs. Collins kept driving, and stopped at a building marked OFFICE. It was made of the same marble as the main building, and it had similar architecture. Mrs. Collins parked the car, and the family climbed out. Juliette carried Stefanie, her mother carried Hayden, and Alec held the door. They entered a spacious waiting room. A girl Juliette’s age sat in the corner, a few younger children played with the puzzles around the room, and parents read magazines in the chairs. Mrs. Collins sat down with Hayden and picked up a magazine. Alec automatically rushed to the kid his age and started a conversation. Juliette felt lost and out of place. The girl her age caught Juliette’s eye and motioned that they should sit together. The girl was cute, and reminded Juliette of a pixie. She had an upturned nose, a smiling mouth, green eyes, light skin with loads of freckles, and very short black hair. Juliette liked her immediately and sat down next to her without hesitation.
    “What’s your name?” the girl asked. Her voice was friendly.
    “Juliette Collins. Yours?”
    “Damila Wolf. My real name’s Karidamila, but it’s so long. My sister Maridda and my brother Silman applied, too, but they weren’t called back. We’re in seventh.”
    “Me too! Wait, you’re a triplet?”
    “Yeah. If we both get in, request me for a roomie. Here, I’ll write down my register name. First, middle, and last.” She took out a scrap of paper and wrote something down. Damila handed Juliette the information.

Karidamila Miriam Wolf
Request Roommate  

    “I promise!” Juliette pocketed the shred. “By the way, where are you from?”
    “Good old Cedar Hill, Tennessee. It’s a pint-sized borough, if you’ve never heard of it. What about you?”
    “Madison, Wisconsin. You really had to travel, didn’t you? I went crazy after an hour and a half. How do you do it?” Juliette wondered.
    “Books, my friend, books. Books are the answer,” Damila pointed out astutely. They sat in silence for a moment, just thinking. The secretary stood up.
    “Collins, Juliette Myrna,” the secretary called in a voice as lemony as her puckered mouth. Juliette stood up and went through the door that the receptionist indicated. Halfway to the door, she waved to her mom and Damila. She stepped into an office and gasped at who the headmaster was.

It was Father Kelly.

    She hadn’t seen him since he left Isthmus Catholic four years ago. He had baptized her, administered her First Eucharist, and given many Masses that she had attended. And now he was headmaster of a school that she might attend. Juliette’s palms grew sweaty as she sat down.
    The interview was over quickly. Juliette found his questions easy, comfortable, and even a little fun to answer. She stepped out of the office feeling confident and chipper.
Regan, a ninth grade girl, gave her the formal tour of the school. They passed the girls’ houses, named after saints, of course. There were four houses, all made of pure white marble: St. Teresa, St. Joan of Arc, St. Clare, and St. Mary. They toured the main building. That was the pale marble building she had seen before. Regan showed Juliette the gymnasium, the dining house, and the barn. They saw the boys’ houses, named after saints: St. Joseph, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. John the Baptist. They were identical to the girls’ houses, down to the brass nameplates on the beech wood doors. Finally, they returned to the office building, where Mrs. Collins was waiting.
    “Did you like it, honey?” Mrs. Collins inquired.
    “It’s a great school, Mom. I’d love to attend this year,” Juliette answered truthfully. She thought about Damila. “The people are really nice, and so are the grounds.” Juliette only had two friends at her school, and there sometimes wasn’t room for her in their lives. She was still the new girl.
    “Well, that is excellent news, because you have been accepted,” announced the secretary. “You will be assigned roommates within the week.” Juliette was so excited, she forgot about everything else. Accepted! I’ve been accepted to the Seminary! The words rang like bells in her head.
    “The following students have been accepted with a full scholarship: Karidamila Wolf, Nikole Harlem, Cassandra Putnam, and Juliette Collins. The students accepted without scholarship are: Sydnie Cole, James and Anthony Tyson, and Thomas Perry,” the receptionist droned.
    Damila rushed over to Juliette. “Come on! We have to request housing!” she cried- literally. Tears of joy streamed down her face. They hustled over to the secretary’s desk. There was a signup sheet titled ROOMMATE REQUEST. Juliette requested Damila, and vice versa. Mrs. Collins attacked Juliette with a huge bear hug.
    “Oh, Juliette! I’m so happy!” And indeed, she was. Tears of delight made her green eyes shimmer like jades. “Do you want to accept the scholarship?”
    “Yes, Mom.” Juliette’s simple answer made Mrs. Collins weep with joy, but also something else. Was it sadness?
    “Mom, what’s wrong?” Juliette asked gently.
    “Nothing, honey. It’s just that I’ll miss you so much.” Mrs. Collins sobbed.
    “Mom, this is the place. It feels right to me. This is home,” Juliette expressed. Mrs. Collins pulled herself together.
    “You’re right. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, and food. However, it does not cover clothes. Let’s go,” she declared.
    They first bought the school uniform, which was surprisingly cute. It consisted of a white button-down top embroidered with a cross, a navy blue pleated skirt, white knee socks, and navy blue Mary Janes. After that, they picked out some weekend clothes. Juliette also bought a wooden cross pendant and coordinating earrings. Everything was great until the first day of school.