"Like I said, this is Emma. Timothy found her two days ago."
Sister Julienne frowned. "Found her?"
Shelagh nodded. "Up in the woods." She smiled at Emma. "She's been with us since yesterday."
"And you need our help in trying to locate her parents?"
"No." Shelagh shook her head. "There is something special about her…"
"I'm right here." Emma interrupted. She was getting cross, being only spoken about and not spoken to. "I can speak for myself."
Sister Julienne raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure you can."
Emma blushed at the looks she received from both women.
Emma cleared her throat. "I've been thinking about how to say this for a long time. I keep going over it, in my mind. I don't know the right way." She took a deep breath. "I only know the truth." She glanced over at Shelagh, who smiled encouragingly.
"I'm not from here." Emma started. "And I don't mean just Poplar. I'm not from here at all. There are things I don't understand, lots of them, actually." She sniffed. "Two days ago, my life, though not ideal, it was normal. It made sense. I knew who I was, and where I was. I knew where I was going." She blew out her breath.
Shelagh squeezed her arm.
"And then I walked into the woods. And when I came out, everything had changed. I had changed. But then I met Tim." Emma smiled. "And he showed me that, maybe change isn't so bad at all." She put her hand in her coat pocket and took out her wallet. Her hands shook as she retrieved her ID card. She placed it on the desk. "This is who I was."
Sister Julienne leaned over and picked up the card. She held it in her hand, frowning.
Emma held her breath. She hoped the other woman would believe her.
Sister Julienne paused. "2002?"
Emma nodded, but didn't reply.
"It seems like the Lord has chosen a peculiar path for you." Sister Julienne said. She looked up at Emma, and smiled. "I am delighted for his trust in us, to help you fulfil your service here."
Emma released her breath. "You believe me?"
Sister Julienne smiled. "I believe in God, and in His ways. If you're really from a future time, He must have send you here for a reason. And who are we to judge, or doubt His actions? I believe in Him, and so, He believes in me."
Emma smiled back, relieved.
"If I'm honest, Sister, I don't really believe in God. It was science that brought me here. But I agree, that I'm here for a reason. I just don't think we agree on what that reason is." She sighed. "I'm here simply because I was at the wrong place, at the wrong time."
"Be that as it may," Shelagh said. "You are still here. And we'll make the most of it so long it'll last."
Emma smiled. "Okay."
"Now that we have that out of the way, why don't we discuss the more practical side." Sister Julienne said. "Frist and foremost, the matter of your housing."
Emma frowned. "You mean, where I'll live?" She looked over at Shelagh. "I thought I would be staying with you?"
Sister Julienne replied before Shelagh could. "Of course you will stay with them." She smiled. "I see you've developed a nice bond. And it seems you have the same bond with Timothy. No, I believe the Turner home is exactly where you belong."
Emma smiled.
"What will we tell the others, Sister?" Shelagh asked.
"The truth." Sister Julienne replied.
Emma hesitated. "What if they don't accept me?"
Sister Julienne smiled kindly. "Most of them will trust in God's ways. The others believe in science. And like you said, it was science that brought you here."
Emma smiled softly.
Sister Julienne leaned forward. "They will accept you for who you are." She said kindly.
"And who am I, then?"
Sister Julienne smiled. "Emma Turner."
"Indeed." Shelagh said. She squeezed Emma's arm.
Emma smiled. "I like the sound of that."
"Then I guess the next step is to make it official."
"But how will we do that without a birth certificate?" Shelagh asked.
"We'll find a way." Sister Julienne smiled. She stood up. "Now, I'd like to introduce you to the rest of staff here at Nonnatus house."