As they announced it was time for the three-legged race, Sister Bernadette saw Timothy's face fall as he looked around for his father, realizing he still had not returned. Her heart broke for the young boy. His head hanging, he started to walk away from the festivities. She rushed over to him.
"Where are you going, young sir? Didn't you hear it's time for your race?"
"But my father hasn't returned. I don't have a partner."
"Of course you do. I will run with you."
"You will?! Oh, thank you Sister!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her.
"Well we had better get over there before they start without us." she says, leading him over to the starting line.
The race begun and they took off, wobbling towards the finish. Several steps in she heard a male voice rise above the others cheering in the crowd. Looking up, she sees Doctor Turner running along with them and cheering them on. She can see the other teams pulling behind out of her periferal vision. Doctor Turner joins them at the finish line and she misses a step causing herself and Timothy to fall to the ground as they cross the line.
"We won!" she exclaims, beaming at the young boy as he tries to get up and walk away.
"Timothy," the Doctor says, "You cant go anywhere. Now hold still." He reaches his hands out to untie them, stopping just short of their legs. Sister Bernadette leans over and unties her leg from Timothy's. Doctor Turner grabs her glasses that had fallen to the ground.
"Thank you Doctor." she says taking the glasses from him, careful to avoid any contact.
They both rise from the ground and he notices blood on her hand.
"You've hurt your hand."
Looking down, she realizes he is right. Not feeling the sting until she sees it.
"I'm sure there is no need to amputate. If you'll excuse me." she says, turning to go inside and clean her hand. She can feel his gaze on her back as she walks away. Taking a deep breath she forces herself to not turn around and look at him. She enters the kitchen and turns on the water and puts her hand under the stream. Closing her eyes she replays their short conversation in her head. She doesn't hear him come in and starts when he speaks.
"Would you like me to have a look at that?"
She pulls her hand from the water and despite knowing it is just a small scratch, she finds herself saying "Yes" and extending her hand towards him.
As if in slow motion he gently takes her hand. He runs his fingers around the wound and across her palm. She can feel her heartbeat quicken and is certain he must be able to hear it as well. Her breathing becomes more difficult as she tries to slow her heart. She sees him begin to lean forward and she realizes what he intends to do. Her heart pounds as his head comes closer to her hand, bringing his lips to her palm in a gentle kiss. She quickly turns away, pulling her hand out of his grasp.
"Im sorry, that was unforgiveable."
"Who is it who decides what is forgiveable and unforgiveable?"
"I think you know that better than I do."
"At this moment I only know that I'm not turning back on you because of you. I'm doing it because of him."
"And if I didn't accept that I wouldn't deserve to live."
She hears him walk away and it's only after she hears the rustling of the curtains that she dares turn back around. It occured to her that she was falling for the doctor. She tried to remember the first time she began to see him differently. Perhaps it was the night she had helped him deliver the twins and they shared a cigarette. Perhaps it had been before then. Regardless, she had fallen for him and had now begun to hope that he may feel the same. What else would have propelled him to kiss her hand? But what did this change? She was still a nun and could not act on these budding feelings. She shook her head hoping to dispell these thoughts as she walked back outside to rejoin the others.