The Adventures of Fiona McCormack
A Story by Jenny O’Brien
The next morning, when Fiona awoke, it took her a few minutes to remember where she was. Then it all came flooding back to her. Before she had time to dwell too much, the door opened and Sister Teresa came in carrying a breakfast tray. “How did you sleep?” asked the sister. Fiona said that she had slept quite well. “I thought that you might be hungry, so I brought you some breakfast”. Fiona hadn’t really thought about it up and till now, but she was quite peckish. As she tucked into the bacon and eggs, Sister Teresa sat down next to the bed. “You seem, young lady, to have given me something of a reputation around the school”, she said in her most serious voice. Fiona knew straight away what she was talking about and started blurting out an apology. “It sort of, just came out. I’m sorry Sister. You’re not angry with me, are you?” Sister Teresa laughed. “No of course not. In fact, I think that you may have done me a bit of a favour. Up until now, everybody used to think I was quite boring, now they are all treating me with respect”. She continued, “Especially when they heard that I had been publicly caned in front of the whole school for burning down the gymnasium!” Fiona and Sister Teresa looked at each other and said in unison “Pippa”, and burst into a fit of giggles.
At that moment, Rebecca and Pippa popped their heads around the door. “Ah” said Sister Teresa, “we were just talking about you”. The two girls looked confused. “Don’t worry” said Fiona. “I will tell you all about it later”. “We thought that we would come and see you before the first class” said Rebecca, “How are you this morning?” Fiona said that she was feeling a bit better and asked Sister Teresa if she could get out of bed. “Of course, Fiona. I will go and get you some clothes,” said the sister “Do you want to go to lessons?” “It’s double French,” hissed Pippa loudly. “I don’t think I want to go yet,” said Fiona quickly, and thinking on her feet, added, “Would it be okay for Rebecca and Pippa to stay with me for the first two periods? Then I might feel well enough to come with them to your gym class after the morning break”. Sister Teresa laughed. “Well, just this once, but don’t try to make a habit of it. I will tell Sister Dominique that you won’t be attending her class”. As she left to collect Fiona’s clothes, Sister Teresa turned to Fiona and added “and please don’t tell them about the dynamite”.
“What dynamite?” the two girls demanded to know, as soon as the sister had gone. “One day Pippa”, said Fiona “your big mouth is going to get you into so much trouble” and she explained what the sister had told her that morning. “What’s the problem?” asked Pippa innocently. “I didn’t make up much of it, only the bits that needed spicing up a little, and anyway, as she said, I’ve probably done her a favour. She should be paying me for making her more interesting. It’s not easy making a nun interesting!” Fiona and Rebecca were laughing at Pippa’s mock indignation when Sister Teresa returned. They both knew that life was going to be a whole lot more exciting with Pippa around. They just hoped that it wouldn’t also prove to be a whole lot more painful as well.
Fiona was a bit disappointed as Sister Teresa put her clothes down on the bed. She had been hoping to be able to spend the day lolling around in jeans and a jumper, but the sister had brought her full school uniform, even including the ridiculous straw boater that the girls were supposed to wear between classes. Reluctantly, Fiona pulled on her navy blue knickers and white knee socks and started to button up her blouse. Sister Teresa plaited her hair into two pigtails as Fiona struggled with her school tie and then helped her into her gymslip. The sister was well aware that Fiona wasn’t happy about having to wear the uniform, but she was determined not to let her get away with everything. “Why don’t you girls go outside and get some fresh air?” she suggested as Fiona was tying her shoes, “and I will see at least two of you for gym at eleven”. She was pretty confident that she would see all three of them, as they seemed to have become inseparable. “And another thing”, she said, pointedly looking at Pippa, “stay out of trouble”. “Bloody cheek” muttered Pippa when she thought that she was out of earshot, “why me?” “I heard that!” came Sister Teresa’s unmistakable voice down the corridor.
For the next half hour, the three girls wandered aimlessly around the school grounds, congratulating themselves for getting out of double French and talking about the summer holidays that were only a week away. Fiona had made up her mind to accept Rebecca’s parents offer of a trip to Italy, but that was a month away and in the meantime; she knew that she would have to stay at Saint Mary’s. “I’m surprised that my mum and dad don’t leave me here as well”, said Pippa grinning. “They probably don’t know they can, or else they would”. “It’s a shame,” said Fiona, thinking out loud, “ that Pippa can’t come with us to Italy”. Rebecca shuddered. She liked Pippa a lot, but the thought of her respectable parents being landed with naughtiest girl in the world, filled her with dread. “There isn’t enough room in the villa”, she said quickly. “That’s all right”, said Pippa unhelpfully, “I can sleep on the floor”. “Anyway”, said Rebecca, clutching at straws, “your parents would be very upset if you didn’t go on holiday with them”. Pippa was in hysterics. “Upset!” she screamed with delight, “upset. They would be delighted. Last year I got them expelled from a hotel in Florida! The manager told my dad that he would be better off, booking me in at the local penitentiary”. There were tears running down Pippa’s face as she cackled with laughter. “Don’t worry Rebecca. I don’t think that I can go to Italy with you. I can only have fun around people that I don’t like”. At this point, all three girls collapsed on the floor, kicking their legs in the air in delight.
Fiona and Rebecca had just seen a glimpse of the insane streak that made Pippa so much fun to be with, but which also made her such a dangerous girl to know. If they had any sense, they should have distanced themselves from Pippa as soon as possible, but Fiona needed someone to make her laugh and Rebecca, who had been sensible from the day she was born, was enjoying rebellion for the first time in her life.
Soon, the three girls were getting a bit bored. “I know”, said Pippa brightly, “lets see what’s going on in double French”. When they got near the school building, Pippa motioned to them to be quiet and, bent almost double, walked alongside the outside of the classrooms. Taking care not to be seen, Fiona and Rebecca followed. When they reached Sister Dominique’s classroom, the three girls crouched down outside. It was a hot day and the windows were wide open. The dreary drone of Sister Dominique, reciting French verbs wafted out of the open windows, followed by the sound of twenty bored schoolgirls, repeating each line. To the horror of the other two girls, Pippa bent down, picked up a small stone and peered into the classroom. Fiona and Rebecca were both mouthing “NO!” as Pippa launched the stone through the open window and immediately crouched down, out of sight. The effect was almost immediate. “How dare you! Who threw this! I demand to know!” The murmurs from the innocent class were almost drowned out by the high-pitched screeching of the outraged French teacher. After a few minutes, the pandemonium died down and the three girls outside giggled to themselves. Emboldened by their success, Pippa tried her luck again, with the same result. Only this time, Sister Dominique threatened to send the entire class to the Mother Superior unless someone owned up. The three girls were now having trouble stifling their laughter. This might be naughty but, Pippa did have a point, it was fun. When the chaos inside the classroom had subsided again, Pippa had another peek through the window. She looked confused. Pippa looked towards her friends and shrugged, but they already knew what was confusing her, for marching across the lawn towards them, was an extremely irate French teacher.
“Pippa Harris”, she screamed. “Stop right there!” Fiona and Rebecca froze. “The Reverend Mother will hear of this,” she declared, as she arrived. “How dare you! You will get the ruler, girl! And I will make sure that you get it very hard!” Suddenly she noticed the other two girls, cowering against the wall. As soon as she noticed Fiona, her whole demeanour changed. “I was so sorry to hear about your father,” she said kindly. “Now run along girls and don’t let me catch you out here again”. Grateful for the reprieve, the three culprits ran off to the safety of the gazebo in the middle of the lawn. Fiona’s heart was thumping and looking at Rebecca, she could see that she felt the same. Fiona was still shaking from the experience when Pippa said, “Doesn’t that make you glad that you’re alive?” Fiona looked back at Rebecca. It was clear that both girls had been terrified, but Pippa had a point. Fiona had never felt more alive than she did now. Years of boredom had been trumped by a moment of terror. Pippa, on the other hand, seemed totally unworried by the experience. “You know what this means?” she asked conspiratorially. The two others shook their heads. “It means”, she continued “that as long as we have Fiona with us, we are untouchable”.
The untouchables. It had a nice ring to it. There was only a week left of term, but the gang was formed anyway. Sister Dominique’s reaction had been very instructive. If the nastiest teacher in the school would let something pass, on account of Fiona’s bereavement, then they would be safe with anybody. They had a “get out of jail free” card and they might as well use it. As the bell rang for morning break, they all shook hands and vowed that they would enjoy themselves until the end of term.
As they passed through the playground during the break, it was obvious that something had changed. Rather than join their old group skipping, the three girls swaggered around together. Many old friends commiserated with Fiona about her loss and she graciously accepted their condolences, but this was a different Fiona. More confident and more self-assured. If this is the way it’s got to be, she thought to herself, I might as well make the best of it. And if I have no more real family, I will just have to find a family of my own. She knew that her father’s death had been a real blow to her, but she had found a soul mate in Sister Teresa, who really knew what she was going through, she was closer than ever to her best friend, Rebecca and she had discovered a new friendship with the last person she had expected, with Pippa. As the bell rang to call her to the gym, Fiona considered herself to have handled the tragedy of her father’s death quite well. She knew that she hadn’t got over it: maybe she never would, but at least she had found a substitute. With Pippa and Rebecca, she knew that she could forget her other problems and live life to the full. Most people at Saint Mary’s, considered Pippa to be a dangerous liability, but Fiona now understood her. Everyone has a little voice within them that tells them to do the wrong thing. The only difference with Pippa, was that she listened to it.