Sister Teresa knelt at the altar of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, head bowed in prayer. It was custom for the young sister to pray at this time of night; the church was filled with a calm silence that seemed to just welcome her prayers. Barely twenty, Sister Teresa had only taken her vows months earlier, and had been assigned to St. Margaret Mary to help watch over the large church in-between Sundays.
Accustomed to the silence, Sister Teresa was startled to hear the heavy doors leading outside open behind her. She never locked those doors at night, believing that God intended the church to be a place of refuge and sanctuary, but it was nearly ten and in the three months she'd been there, Sister Teresa had never had anyone arrive mid-week after dark.
Slowly standing, Sister Teresa turned and watched as a cloaked, hooded figure approached, carefully carrying a bundle wrapped in blankets. As the figure neared, Sister Teresa could see it was a young woman dressed in a light blue 'dress' and cloak, and in her arms was a small infant. The young woman looked barely eighteen – practically a child herself. "My child, are you all right?" she asked softly.
The young woman took a deep breath, blinking away un-shed tears. "My baby… I need to hide her. Somewhere they won't find her."
Sister Teresa could immediately tell that this young woman wasn't from the area; if she'd had to guess, the woman's accent was British or Scottish. "Where who won't find her? Are you in danger, child?"
"My baby is," the young woman said quietly, as though 'they' might hear her. "Can you find her a home? She'll be safe here, until I can come back for her." When Sister Teresa didn't speak for a moment, the young woman let out a soft choked sob. "Please!" she begged desperately. "If they find out she exists, they will kill her!"
She had no idea who she was supposed to protect this baby from, but Sister Teresa knew they had to be dangerous. "Are you sure they won't find her around here?"
"They don't know I'm here, and they won't know she's here. I'm a long way from home and where they are; my baby will be safe here. Please, will you find her a home?"
"I will do whatever I can," Sister Teresa promised. "I do know of a couple who have been looking to adopt for a while now; I am sure they would provide a safe, loving home for your baby. What is her name?"
The young woman seemed to sigh in relief. "Lily. Her name is Lily." She hugged the bundle closer to her, kissing it gently. "I hate having to do this, but it's the only way I can keep you safe," she whispered to the sleeping infant as tears pooled in her eyes. "I love you, my Lily." Kissing her one more time, she carefully handed her only child over to Sister Teresa, holding back a sob. "Thank you…" she whispered tearfully, turning to leave before she lost her nerve.
Sister Teresa glanced down at the baby in her arms. She was a beautiful little thing; how could anyone want to hurt something so innocent? She looked back up quickly, but the young woman was gone.