Have Wings, Will Travel
an excerpt

Dessa rolled off the bed and stood up, stretching. “Can you tell Sister Olivia that I hate math? I think Algebra is the devil’s work and she just might be responsible for putting my immortal soul in peril with that stuff,” she said, nodding toward the bed and accepting the envelope. She glanced at the address. Her Gran sent her another letter. Oh, joy. Nothing from her mom, she noticed with disappointment. Well, maybe there was something enclosed in the envelope.

Someone passed by behind Sister Josephine as Dessa spoke. “Sister Olivia might respond by creating word problems about how many prayers it takes to counteract three lies a week, each lie a bigger one, worth more prayers, multiplied by the value of the percentage of true repentance when squared by the sincerity of someone trying to get out homework,” Sister Olivia said, turning her face in toward the room.

Dessa felt her face get hot. “I didn’t see you there, Sister,” she stammered.

Sister Olivia was all fine to joke about when she wasn’t there to overhear you, but Sister Olivia was a bit old school in her approaches to education and the student teacher dichotomy.

In other words, she was a royal bitch.

“Yes, I’m much like your performance in my class in that respect. Slipping by quietly out of sight,” Sister Olivia added. She tilted her head at Dessa warningly. “Study hard,” she finished, patting Sister Josepine on the arm and resuming her trek to wherever penguin garbed ladies went at nine o’clock at night.

Her cheeks bright pink, Dessa just nodded dumbly. Sister Josephine gave her a sympathetic smile. “It will be fine, dear,” she said. “I’ll pray extra hard for you tonight.”

“Thanks, Sister,” Dessa said with a small smile. “Night.”