The next morning

13th of October, 1969

When the lucid daylight dwelled in the wee hours of the morning in Salem, the first eloquent songs of chirping birds diffused everywhere. Dim somber clouds cloaked the bright sun as the sound of rustling crispy leaves, trinkling down from the grand, partly bare trees carpeted the ground. 

In the interim, Father McKenzie reclined on his leather driver seat, his eyelids shut, shielding them from the light that bathed partly the car in its dim brightness. His snores swirled like a whirlpool inside his car. Fortunately, his car windows were closed, preventing the further sounds leak outside as the ocassionally passing strangers hear them and think him of a weirdo. 

All of a sudden, he reluctantly opened his eyelids, a casual yawn omitting his lips as he rubbed his eyes with his fists until he came to his senses and his vision wasn't blurry at all. Alexander woke up in the his car, hearing the soothing sound of chirping birds though slightly deafing, due to the closed car windows. The autumn zephyr blowed gently the trees' crowns and strangers' hairs. There were a handful of people who paid a visit to the graveyard, mourning over their beloved people's death, placing flowers or cemetery wreath in front of their relatives' gravestones, remarking an anniversary since their days were reckoned. They were all dressed in dark, rigid attires, protecting them from the cold climate of October.

Father McKenzie couldn't take his azure eyes off the lamenting people as he wasn't equiped with food and drinks ever since he left Boston's church and the small city itself, driving to his birth city. 

In spite of the poignant scenery, he inhaled sharply as he turned on the car, starting its engine, driving backward until his car settled on the asphalt, opting to find the nearest church which he can find in the city of the witches and witchcraft that took its place centuries ago.

The juvenile priest was focused on his path rather than the recent issues that took its place back in Boston where he won't return until a circumstance enforces him to head back from where he came and dragged with himself abundance of issues. 

***

"Good morning, Sister!" One of the police officers who researched every field of Boston in attempt to find Father McKenzie were a total failure. 

"Good morning, sir! What's the matter?" Sister Molly greeted affably the police as there were 2 police officers in front of the church's huge hardwood double door. 

"We are officers Cooper and Jackson!" The both cops swapped a firm, indifferent handshake with the middle aged woman, not interrupting their mutual eye contact. "If you are asking us for what we are here eventually...it's because of Father McKenzie, if we don't mistake?" Mr.Jackson spoke as he was slightly confused and uncertain, in case, he didn't want to mistake the priest with somebody else.

"Yes, that's his name. I can see you are investigating him." The brunette responded sternly, cold-bloodedly. 

"Exactly, Sister!" Mr.Cooper answered this time, darting his chocolate eyes to the notes he took with the questions which are going to be posed about the notorious priest. "Sister...what's your name?" He inquired awkwardly, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I am Sister Molly! I used to be Father McKenzie's tutor." Her words were far from teasing and serene. She abided composed, expressiveless. 

"Oh, Sister Molly?" One of the policemen questioned, affirming her name at last. In the meantime, she nodded simply. "Sister, if you are aware what kind of a criminal is this man of the cloth who he pretends to be...are you ready to answer some of our questions, helping us to collect more evidence if you don't mind?"

"Sure!"

"Alright!" The second police officer exclaimed plainly. "Let's begin." He furthered blandly.

"For how long he has runned Briarcliff?" The first cop commenced with the questions to the clergy woman.

"Four years!" 

"Well, that's a long time."

"Indeed!" She crossed her arms as she spoke with the policemen, unable to expose his current residence or otherwise that would be a betrayal towards the lunatic himself.

"The second question is...are you actually well informed what he did as a director of the facility, sold to the state, thanks to him in the fall of 1965?" Officer Jackson was taking notes, penning in the pocket book every word which the middle aged nun has uttered until this second without exceptions. 

"Well, Father McKenzie is responsible for not investing the funded money in improving the building's conditions and the patients' supplies, besides torturing innocent souls and being responsible for hundreds of death cases of patients." The woman of the cloth listed the facts, whilst Officer Jackson was scribbling down, humming with "Mhm!", bucking her up to continue with her explaination. "He has institutionalized former security guards, nuns and orderlies."

"Alright!" When the younger policeman jotted down with a pen in his hand, he narrowed an eyebrow. "Sister, do you know what else he has done just days before his election for Briarcliff's administrator?"

"N-no! What it has to do with him?" She asked in leery way, unaware what shocking information she's going to discover until the authorities leak its cryptical information he has hidden for years. The brunette felt her heart is going to skip a beat within seconds.

"A lot of things." She arched an eyebrow, wide-eyed as her eyes blinked like clinking wine glasses. Sister Molly refrained to insist, begging to learn more about her former protege. "Urm, Sister, you are making uneasy! Have you watched the documentary Briarcliff Exposed with Lana Winters?"

"N-no. There's no television in the church, sorry." 

"Well, it's better for you because we can save some information which divulged about him. Since he had joined the church, he has broken his vows in a way you may be surprised, Sistah."

"Just go ahead!"

"Despite the priests and nuns' lack of knowledge about this case, he has raped a young woman and impregnating her without even bothering to pay a visit to her whether during her pregnancy or when she gave a birth to a girl." Mr.Cooper articulated and Sister Molly gave a dumbfound look, painted on her face after hearing the panicking truth about her former apperantice. 

"Father, what are you doing?" 

"A reward for your flawless prayer. I mean, you didn't make any mistakes as you recited after me. You deserve some reward, my child!" 

"We haven't even finished the prayer!"

"The prayers will continue, sweetheart! But first...the reward for you is more promising! A little rape!"

"Aaaaaah! Get your foul hands off me!" 

"Come on, Sally! Where's your Easter spirit? There's no help...but there's God!" 

"Sister, are you okay?" One of the cops inquired concerned for the nun who was daydreaming as she had never heard of the rape case of her pupil, picturing how it looked like. At last but not least, she wasn't sure if they were exactly attached to the case or otherwise it's just her imagination, which operated in such specific way.

"Oh." Molly gasped as her hand was on her temple, rubbing its soft, creamy skin of her forehead, slightly bowed her head. Then she shifted her amber eyes up to the serious, strict police officers. "Everything is fine. Thank you!" A reassuring smile distort across her lips as she excused herself.

"So we are up to the question where we told you in what's being accused this young clergy man."

"Mhm. It's a rape?" The nun tried to guess.

"Exactly!" Hence, Molly's smile faded and replaced with a cold-blooded frown. "He's a rapist and a sinner." The middle aged woman's eyes widened and gawked at them with agape mouth, indicating her instant first impression after hearing about it just like a bolt from the blue.

Whereas the policemen were querring the nun, a priest passed past the authorities and Molly's vision. He wasn't interested to be involved in enquiry as he preferred to remain neutral. Further, he pretended like he hasn't even noted them.

After a few petty questions, all of a sudden they approached its inquery epilogue with the final one:

"Sister, is he actually there?" 

"No!"

"If you could be kind enough to tell us where's his current location, we would be thankful." Officer Cooper cautioned beyond gravely with husky voice, whilst Molly's heart was bleeding sorely if she was up to betray her ex-protege and expose in front of the police even where he has gone. In this moment, the cop himself faked the smile in front of the lady in dark, inelastic habit, mantling every inch of her slender body. 

"I cannot. I am sorry but as I know...he isn't in Boston. He's somewhere else." The brunette pretended like she didn't know exactly where's his recent residence as the only fact she knows about him was he's not in Boston.

"He's not in Boston? Where he could be?"

"Somewhere in Massachusetts."

***

While for certain people the morning hours were pendulating, in order to make their own decisions, changing their life path and affect the consequences, Jude and Timothy had a peaceful morning even marvelous, if we cannot mistake how truly beatifically they are together. 

The Howards have already had a breakfast, eating in silence on the kitchen table and afterwards the children were located on the sofa as they wanted to follow the morning news with their parents as Jude was brewing some coffee for her, waiting patiently and Timothy went upstairs to bring the children's toys and rag dolls.

"This morning, Father McKenzie vanished again as the only thing we know about the missing notorious priest, who's involved in investigation these days is...actually he couldn't be found in Boston. However, thanks to one nun, who spoke with the authorities this morning...he's somewhere in Massachusetts after her enquery." The same brunette reporter spoke as she was past the local Boston church, squeezing tightly the microphone in her hand. In the background was obviously visible where the police have questioned Sister Molly.

"He's running away like a wanted criminal." Jude stated in jived way as she strolled in the living room, holding a white mug of coffee as Timothy was opening up the curtains, letting the daylight bathing the room in pale light. 

"Exactly, sweetie!" Timothy plainly replied.

Afterwards the morning news ended as Ellie held the TV remote control, hugging it as she wanted to change the channel, switching it until she finds something entertaining as she was being encompassed by Tristan and Agnes. 

"Boring!" The eldest Howard child bluntly evoked as she switched on the channels until she finds the morning show of Elsa Mars's Hour, pressing the forward button for changing the channels.

Her siblings were beyond excited and ecstatic to watch along Elsa with her sister since they were keen fans of her perfomances and show though their parents didn't like the former freak show owner, due to her past, giving them the woman Jude used to be vibes. 

Once on the television screen emerged Elsa Mars, the twins and Agnes hysterically squealed in euphoria as Ellie left the television remote control aloof her.

"Elsa!" Agnes, Ellie and Tristan squealed in unison as Jude sipped her caffeine beverage, glimpsing quickly at the woman in extravagant garments and make-up as she rolled her eyes, demonstrating what she really thought of her.

Timothy was ignoring the children's euphoric screams as he finished with opening the curtains, walking up to Jude as he sneacked to surprise her, snaking an arm around her waist as she flinched.

"Oh, Timothy!" She stood a feet away from the grand darkwood piano as she admired the musical instrument from the bottom of her heart. "You scared me." The former nun confessed through a snigger.

"I wanted to surprise my lovely wife, won't I?" He enquired as a gamely smile spread across his lips, his other hand running through her gorgeous glossy unkempt hair, enjoying its softness. "What do you think about the piano?"

"It looks great." They chuckled together as her lips pursued for his as they lightly kissed. "You are so sweet, Timothy! You really enjoy to spoil me." Subsequently, she sipped her cooler morning coffee, his lips pressed on the mug as it left slightly coffee stains on the mug topper. 

"You deserve the world, sweetheart! Why can't I spoil you?" He asked teasingly as he kissed the top of her head as her other hand was pressed on his forearm. 

"I have never been that spoiled before, you know." She admitted as he nodded in accord. Meantime, she chewed sheepishly her bottom lip. "It's just like a phenomenon for me."

"Oh, honey!" Then she turned to him as they nuzzled, their foreheads resting against one another, locked up in one another's eyes. "Do not lose faith in the love I give you!"

***

When Father McKenzie was driving through the narrow streets in one Salem neighbourhood as he seeked to find a church which he can rely on and spend a certain amount of time until another circumstance loomed on the horizon, clarifies him to leave momentarily, he found a small, gothic church with a couple of gravestones adorning the church's yard. The yard was crowded with sea of priests, priestesses and nuns, mourning and singing church songs for their peaceful souls.

Once he parked in front of the tall tree, he wanted to scrutinize in a simple gape the place without getting out of the car. 

"Hmm! Are they kind and accept me for who am I, without acknowledging the deeds I have committed?" He thought as an inner voice murmured inside him, occupying his head with hesitancy whether Alexander must get out of the car and speak to them or otherwise stay in the car.

After the grieving hymns, then two clergy faces of the church noted a parked car beside the tree, arching an eyebrow in perplexion and oscillation. Seas of perplexed faces goggled into the car and the person who seated on the driver's seat. 

"Who's this?" One of the priests inquered beyond sceptically as he ambled up to the vehicle.

"I don't have any clue." Another priest answered uncertain.

When Alexander noted a priest approaching his car, he opened the car's window, taking a deep breath as he expected the worst as always.

"Excuse me, sir! Is there any woe you have been through?"

He shook his head, corresponding:

"No, no. Everything is fine. I am fine."

Father McKenzie's cocky, reassuring smile spread across his plump lips. 

***

After the twins watched TV and were in the kindergarten as the parents were at home with Agnes Jude, who was currently in Timothy's secure, loving arms, talking to her as he got her from the children's room, touring her around the house, Jude seated on the piano stool, her fingers pressed, adjusting its piano instrumental that played in the background though she has never played it ever before.

She hummed as she recalled one of the songs she sang's instrumental, singing to herself the lyrics, sailing in the living room:

"All by myself alone at home a feeling blue. Thoughts keep roaming through my mind, they're all of you! I wonder if you are dancing, with somebody new..."

Her eloquent, soothing voice accentuated as her focalized hazel eyes were fixed on the piano keys. 

"And this is the room where your Daddy and Mommy sleep. It's called the bedroom." The former monsignor opened ajar the door, showing to the young girl as he pointed with an index finger at the room as Agnes Jude confirmed his words, humbly nodding. 

The blonde infant giggled softly in her father's arms as she gaped her parents' bedroom, in the interim Timothy pinched playfully her nose. 

"What's so funny, Agnes?" He asked enthusiastically. 

No response as Timothy inquired concerned after he chuckled:

"Cat got your tongue?" 

The little girl just shook her head, disagreeing with his statement as her hand stroke gently, idly his jawline as she shifted her big hazel eyes to his mesmerizing chocolate pools, sufficiently comforting her. As they didn't break the eye contact, he noticed something bewitching about the youngest Howard. Judging her facial expressions as they alook like her mother's one. Reminding him of Jude's smile, pout and frown. They ideally indicated on her face as Jude left the majority of her marks, imprinted on Agnes Jude's face, possessing exactly almost every trait of hers.

Then he swayed the blonde as he planted a kiss on her cheek just seconds before descending the stairs.

"Let's go see Mommy."

"Mama!"

In the meantime, he went downstairs as he walked in the living room, his walking pace plummeting as Timothy perambulating, listening how his wife was playing the piano and singing in the same time. Her alluring voice interweaved with the piano keys clicking noises, swimming in the room like a symphony, jingling angelic anthems in his and Agnes's ears.

He couldn't suppress a smile on his face as his daughter darted her hazel eyes to the former nun who played the piano and sang altogether. 

"Mama!" Agnes squealed out loud. 

"Jude!" 

In the meantime, Jude drifted her eyes to Timothy and Agnes as she couldn't oppress a content grin, curling up in the corner of her lips. He approached her as he was overwhelmed by his wife's subtle talent even though she has never practiced.

"Oh, my loves!" She inhaled limply as she got from the piano stool, throwing her arms around Timothy's back, her hands rubbed his fabric. Timothy wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him as they engrossed mutual warmness with the infant altogether.

"Rare bird, you are so talented!" After they broke off the hug, they admired one another's face as well. 

"I have never practiced or played piano before." She said mockingly as two pairs of hazel eyes met chocolate ones, whilst Agnes hazel's eyes eyed her mother's beautiful, radiant face. "Why not to thank you, sweetie!"

Then the both adults reluctantly chuckled as Timothy just smiled at her. Circa a couple of seconds later, Agnes Jude faintly swatted her father's shoulder, cheerfully giggling. Consequently the both adults stared at the young infant.

"Mommy and Daddy?"

"Yes, little angel?" The both parents questioned at once as prying looks inked on their faces.

"Mommy is tawented!"

"Aww, babygirl! Thank you." She pinched delicately Agnes's ruddy cheek as they snickered along. "What have you been doing both together?" The middle aged mother asked beyond inquisitive. 

"Oh, I was touring the little princess around our castle and guiding her each room how's named and...you know."

"So sweet!" A raspy chuckle escaped her lips. "Every princess shall know every place...every recess of her chateau." 

To be continued...