More Than Just A Mother: Part II

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The Life Story and journey of a renowned Activist, Queen Mother, Dr Delois Blakely

is not just a chronicle of her life but an inspiring tale of a woman with determination, zeal, and focus. In this continuation of her interview on “Heart to Heart with Belliyah,” Dr. Blakely shares more about her journey as a nun in the Catholic Church, which lasted for a decade.

Sister Noelita Marie

Interview Excerpts Continuation

Belliyah: You were always the outspoken one in the family but while you were growing up and experienced these bullies, was it what helped to channel your visions and dreams in the path you rode?

Queen Mother: My life was changed because I had always wanted to change and save the world, in school, there is what is called vocational studies, and the Whites and the Blacks will usually come together for the studies. And then, there happened to be this White missionary woman who would usually come to our school, and she would sing and tell stories with pictures about Jesus Christ, and so I admired her and I started to get close to her, asking what exactly is it that she does, she isn’t our teacher, I was inquisitive about what her job is, if it’s to just come sing and show us Jesus picture, even though I liked what she does, and she had answered some my curious questions and told me she was a missionary and from there I just wanted to also become a missionary and a doctor. 

I felt since my god-father was a doctor, though high yellow, I felt it would be good if I became a doctor and a missionary too, I told myself that I could sing, and preach about Jesus Christ, as a missionary while also becoming a doctor. So that stuck in my brain from the 9th grade to the 10th grade, as I began to work on my career dreams, so in 9th grade, I would go to my godfather’s hospital, which was high yellow and of the Caribbean and would go pray and preach to those in the hospital, all this was one of the things that began to trigger the dream in me as a young child. And then between the time I was thirteen and fourteen, despite the fact that I already figured out the things I wanted to do or who I wanted to be in life, it was not clear yet, until the age of fifteen, when I absolutely had figured it out. At that stage, my mind was already made up to become a missionary, and that decision was what led me to move outside my family to become a Nun. At that time, I made it clear to the white Nun that Jesus was calling me to become a Nun, even though I was underage. So I told her, I just wanted to be like her. And I remember her telling me that there are only white Nuns in their Convent and no black Nuns. And as time went on, she would let me come to the Convent and we would hang out at the beach and we would have a nice lunch and have some good chat. So I had to join the Catholic Church, there I had my Catechism and became a real Catholic, I loved their singing, the bell ringing, the Holy Communion, and the incense and I thought to myself that it was the most wonderful way to serve God with the incense. One significant thing about the Catholic Church is that they would not scream while praising God, but in the Baptist Church where I was born, they do that, and that’s where I learned to do those screaming and shouting  “Amen”. 

So in my evolving to the next phase of my life, was where I began to understand what racism was. And because I didn’t have many interactions with the whites at my tender age, I didn’t really understand the racism thing.

Sister Noelita Marie (Nun Delois Blakely) Working with children brought.

Belliyah: So going by your desperate intention to become a Nun in the Catholic Church, how were you able to convince your Father, that you
were going to drop out of School, leaving your Family and relocating to New York where you would be trained and finally becoming a full Nun?

Discovering the Catholic Church

Queen Mother: Well on telling my Father that I wanted to enter the Convent, remember that my Father knows nothing about the Catholic Church and no one in my Family is a Catholic, but there was one person who knows very much about the Catholic Church and that was Oliver, he was one of my classmate, a Catholic and was also an “Altar boy” and we were friends. Most times I and Oliver talk about religion and at some point I
felt, that I wanted to have that experience with Oliver about religion. 

So I went to the Catholic Church with Oliver. Though my Family did not mind
me moving around, so I would go to different Churches and at that time, I could not differentiate one denomination from another, so I thought Church was Church and that every Church is a Church of God. I didn’t think much about the differences in terms of how they worship, because I felt that if we go to this Church, we can go to another Church in the Neighborhood. And in Oliver’s neighborhood, there was a Catholic
Church there and so I decided to go with him to his Church and the only thing that is different from all the churches I have been to, compared to when I went with him to his Catholic church was the experience of the lightening up of the candle and ringing of the bell and I also liked what I saw on the Altar and I thought to myself about the beautiful table which was at the Altar and as I looked at the table, I saw the Priest and also
Oliver, being that he was an Altar boy, and I was fascinated by the beauty of the table, everything on it, looked like Gold. And then I got to know later, that it is the Tabernacle, where the body of Christ remains in the Catholic Church. And watching the priest bowing constantly, I had thought that, that was interesting especially and when they starts ringing the bell, it just totally ignites my heart and I so liked that part in the Catholic Church of the bell ringing and I felt that, that was the safest place or time in the Mass service, though at that time, I didn’t know it was called ‘Mass” but one thing I had known then was that it was beautiful and was I wowed by all the processions and I liked that they were not singing as everyone was quiet unlike the other Churches I have been to, where they do a lot of singing and says a lot of “Amen”, with the deacons and the deaconess especially when am singing and so I was wondering why it was so different with the Catholics and so I began to wonder if they would allow me sing there because I didn’t see anybody getting up to sing. But in the other Churches, I was able to sing and they loved seeing me sing because they thought I has a good voice. But here at the Catholic Church, I didn’t see the Deacons and the Deaconess corner, so I didn’t know why it was so, and while pondering, I just concluded in my heart that I was going to talk to Oliver about it so that they can include me to sing, which was the biggest thing I want to do in the Catholic Church. So after the Mass was over, Oliver introduced me to some White Nuns and they had their heads covered up with white and black dresses and they had a rope around their waist, they had a big veil high down to the length of their waist and so I remembered seeing something like that in the Bible, a place which described the Holy Bible women, so I was able to draw some conclusions of the significant of their wares , Just as a child goes through the Bible and in the Bible school and so with the robe on their waist, I thought about the Holy Men in the Bible like John, Peter and the rest of Holy disciples that walked with Jesus. And later Oliver explained to me the meaning and reason for the bowing down and the standing up because I wanted to ask the Nun the reason for that, when I first got introduced to them and also ask why the Nuns were sitting far away from the congregation. 

All this I had wanted to ask and was very curious about the whole processions. However, Oliver promised he was going to tell me and answer all my questions when we leave the Beach, because the Convent Church was located on the Beach. So while we left and I eagerly waiting for more explanations, Oliver on the other hand, was trying to convert me into his Church, so afterwards, we talked and had more discussions about religion at School and basically I didn’t and wasn’t interested in converting or going to their Church as I also had in my other mind to convert Oliver to my Church, so we both were dragging it just like we usually take turns and map out times when we would go to my Church and then to his Church. Though, Oliver  personally not having any objections on that was always concerned that he would miss Mass and then I would drag that, and tell him that at least missing Mass once won’t be all too much a bad thing and so I would suggest to him to make an excuse that he was probably sick and I will tell him that; “if you get sick, you won’t have to go to church or serve at the Altar”. 

So I and Oliver talked quite a lot more on religion and at some point, I then asked that he introduce me to one of the Nun so I can go to the convent and spend some quality time with her and because I wanted to interact with her alone and so I felt that this particular Nun was a funny lady and always wanted to see me anytime I got to the Convent as she rings the bell, however, it seemed like everybody in the Convent had a thing with ringing of the bell, and I felt that the bell was popular with the Catholic Church. The ringing of the bell at the Altar and again at the door to the Convent, And to me they all sounded alike and I wondered why no one is singing while the bell rings because the ringing of the bell was musical when you hear it. However, the ringing of the bell symbolizes different things. The ringing of the bell at the Convent door was merely to let the Nuns know there was someone at the door and at the Altar, they are letting them know that it is the time for the Holy Communion, the eating of the body of Christ and drinking of the Blood which the Priest does at the Altar. And the Monsignor or Priest, being referred by different names, I only will just call Father while I will hear some calling Monsignor and some didn’t understand what all those titles was all about.

And so because all I had known to call was Father, meeting the Father especially the first time I had come to the Church, he had looked at me and smiled, and afterwards, I already become familiar with virtually the Convent and with the Nuns. And so going to the Convent to see this particular Nun, whose name was Sister Laura, and Sister Laura would teach me all about the Catholic Church and also she loves feeding me
anytime I come to the Convent and most times, I keep thinking why she thinks I was always hungry as she didn’t know that I have more food to feed on than they had in the Convent, because the first thing she does anytime I arrive at the Convent is to give me food and all I would just do, is to drink the lemonade because I loved lemonades and so I wasn’t much interested in the food I was offered but only takes the lemonade because
they make it very tasty. However, my Father has always thought me to be kind and so even when sister Laura brings the food, and so what I usually do is that when she serves me the food and excuses herself to go out, I would take the food and put it inside my bag, so now, when she comes in, she would think that I have eaten all the food, but one thing I always remember of sister Laura is that anytime she came back to join me, she always had a smile on her face and she would always speak to me in a quiet tone and so I liked that about her but just didn’t like the clothes she puts on but her personality was attractive to me and as we constantly talked and I visited, she began to give me books to read and so I became more interested to know more about the Catholic Church and most times, when I read the books, I was not able to read it all because I couldn’t’ understand what is written there as some of the books talks about the Catholic Church policies, value system and the Catechism and so I would outline some words and some of the things I didn’t understand so that the next time I see her, we would go
over them. Most times, I also ask Oliver because he was Catholic and knows quite a lot about the Catholic Church.  

And so, finally when I learnt that my god-parents were Catholics, it made it much more easier for me to understand and so it did helped me and when I told them I wanted to be like them, so they told me I ought to be
Baptized and this prompted me to tell sister Laura and Oliver that I have already been Baptized before and wondered the reason why I had to be Baptized again in the Catholic Church , and so I was confused and asked why Catholic Church would go Baptizing people who have already been Baptized, only to show their love for God. And so they had to do a lot of teachings to make me understand why it was so because I was very curious as a young girl, I asked a lot of questions because I wanted to know. 

So at some point, I began to see and view Sister Laura as my classmate, a playmate and even as a friend as I thought she was very cute.
However, she thought me to be a little funny girl and she liked that I talked a lot with her and maybe I might be the only one who talked a lot with a Nun because in the Catholic Church, the congregation does not mix up with the Nuns. And so I learned so much from Sister Laura. And then one day, I told her that I have a question for her which I believe she was never expecting, so I asked her, how I can become like her even though I didn’t like the Nun’s clothes. I wanted to be like Sister Laura and I thought to myself that I was going to change the clothes as I wanted to serve God, and so I began to ask a lot of questions about how to serve God and why one have to serve God with such long clothes, and also why almost every part of the body should be covered up only because you want to serve God. So Sister Laura explained to me in her own simplicity that a woman ought to cover their body and that I should always remember that and so I never forgot that which she told me, “that a woman should cover her body” even
though she didn’t explain why a woman should do so. I had went home after that discussion, reflected and pondered on it , I had no one to speak to about it , So eventually I decided to break the news to my Father because I have been going out to the Convent and there were most times, they didn’t know where I had been, so most times when I would go to School, I would share part of the time of my School hour to visit the Convent in order to speak to Sister Laura and however, sister Laura seem like she has all the time in the world to answer my questions and speak
with me, So I did finally told my Father on this Faithful day that I have been going from School to see a Nun in the Catholic Convent.

Meanwhile, my Father did not understand what a Nun is or what it does, because he knows nothing about the Catholic Church and so I began to explain to him about the Catholic Church as well as the Nuns who were Whites that put on white garments. This was quite astonishing to my Father as he wondered why some White Nun would go on putting on white, he just didn’t understand the reason behind that. Though my Father trusted me, and that I was doing something good. Feeling relief that even though he had thoughts of me going to the Catholic Convent, I did explain to my Father that Sister Laura was a good lady and that what she did was telling me about God. Then my Father curious, as he has questions, had wanted to ask one thing, but had held back after I explained that everything Sister Laura had always taught every time I had visited her at the Convent was all about God and at this point, my Father felt at ease and so because he had love for God as long as I mentioned God being the reason for my going to the Convent, he had no issue with it and so he feels am doing something good. So one time, because of my curiosity, I asked sister Laura about her name and the reason she only had one name as I had more than one name, and she explained that they change their family name to a religious name which is given to her, and she explained that they change their family name to a religious name that is more spiritually related. So I learned about the name changing in the Convent from her and for me, everything she said or said, I believed, so I followed her teachings. And these things I also explained to my Father, I told him everything and more about sister Laura and this made him relax where I was as he never again asked about my going to the Beach to see Sister Laura. And as time went on, I was on the journey to being like Sister Laura and I felt that my Father would be okay with it and I began to ask her, (sister Laura) how I can be just like her? Where do I go? Or if I should come to her Convent to get all of the teachings and training or leave my Father’s house and come and live on the Beach where the Convent is located. 

I liked the idea of staying at the Convent and having my  Father and sisters visit me and also my stepmother as they could come to visit me. As time went on, I began to want to know more about how to enter the Convent, now I was even more serious and determined about entering into the Convent and now I had become more persistent on what to do to be trained. At this time I was 14 years going on 15, and so due to my curiosity and the fact that Sister Laura told me that I would have to go through some training and attend some teaching classes like Catechism and also be Baptized, which I did and was later Baptized in the Catholic Church, having my god-parents even though there were people I already knew in our community but they had to also stand as my god-parents in the Catholic Church, though at the time, I didn’t know they are Catholics. Dr. Mizel and his wife became my god-parents because they were people who knew me from the community they were highly yellow and almost looked like sister Laura in colour so at this time, they officially became my god-parents and they owned their own funeral home and they also came from a family who had their hospital at the time, and my other god-parents from the Caribbean, Dr Moorhood. They also had their own hospital as well, so I had god-parents who were from the Black community who were in the line of medics. After my Baptism, I was almost in a hurry because I was ready to enter the Convent, and now I was happy that I had already been Baptized in Jesus Christ and had my god-parents to guide me through the other phase of my life and also Sister Laura who was my very own friend who was chosen for me by Jesus to work with me and become like her, so I continued to talk with Sister Laura, though, she was doing everything within her power to discourage me and I didn’t understand why she was doing that and it was obvious that it was because I was too young and she knows how old I was, was very concerned about how I would understand that part of the religion, as it takes time for one to grow through the training and grooming to becoming a Nun, which is quite different from being just a Catholic. First of all, they tried to make me a regular Catholic and I didn’t want to be a regular Catholic, I wanted to be a Nun so I constantly engaged her into letting me go through the process that would make me be like her. So I will tell her that I was already a Catholic, and so what do I do next to become a Nun… I will often drag it and tell her that she is the only one who can help me become a Nun, not my teachers, classmates, my Father or my stepmother but her alone. So I confronted her all the time and I think that at some point, sister Laura began getting concerned about my constant coming to the Beach, just to confront her about being a Nun and then each time I came, she would give me one material to read, that is about the Nuns, however, I didn’t want to read about Nuns, I want to become one as being like her (sister Laura) was my utmost priority. 

Then finally, I was able to convince her to write to a Convent for me in the Bahamas, not very far from Florida and so she then wrote to a Convent in the Bahamas, and in the Bahamas, they were Black Nuns and I didn’t understand that until I saw pictures of them. When I saw the picture she gave me with the little book that she finally gave me, talks about how to get into the Convent, There were Black Nuns on the cover, and on seeing them, I was shocked and taken aback because I thought, it’s only the Whites that were Nuns and didn’t know there also were some Black Nuns. I told her that I knew nothing about the other Nuns in the Bahamas as I only wanted to be in the convent where she did her training, so she explained that I had to be at least over 18 years to get in there and at that time, I wasn’t yet 18 years neither was I up to 17 years and at that time, I was barely trying to become16 and so there was no way they were going to take me in the Convent she went to. So I didn’t give in but constantly continued pushing while telling her that there must be a Convent that would take me in. And later after much push, she decided to write to them and later they wrote back and she gave me the papers. Now in the pictures that I saw, they were all White Nuns and on the pages, I didn’t see any Black Nuns so I told her that I wanted to go there. This Convent was in the United States Of America and they were the Dominican Sisters. In their letter, there was no issue of race but my age, still was pointed out I feel that it did have something to do with the color of my skin, so I felt race was also involved but she couldn’t tell me. And so I told her, I didn’t want to go to a foreign country to be a Nun that I wanted to go to a Convent in America. So finally, she found another Convent and she gave me the paper from that Convent and when they wrote back, I saw high yellow Nuns and also fewer Blacks but they were majorly high yellow Nuns, then I asked sister Laura where the Convent and she explained that the Convent is in New York, and I immediately told her that am taking it. So she asked me to write a letter which I did and also filled out the papers and then later took the papers home to show my Father but my Father did not understand anything about going away from home. And because I was going to leave home and move far away, my Father was being hesitant and so I kind of threatened my Father that if he didn’t allow me to go to the Convent I was going to run away from home, though bearing in mind that my Father was going to talk to some people about it especially my elder sister, who is his loved up daughter, my Step-mother, my other sisters and other people from the community and this person were probably going to suggest to him about me not going to the Convent, and just like I had thought, my Father did talk to my sisters and some other people about my Convent move, nevertheless, the rumor soon escalated even to my school. But Oliver was my only classmate that I told that I was interested in becoming a Nun and when I had told him, he was very happy that not only had he converted me to a Catholic, but was on the verge of becoming a Nun. In my community, people began to want to know who a Nun is and the only image in their heads of a Nun is all about a White girl who puts on some long gown, just like sister Laura. As time passed, I kept on going to School but also kept on writing to the Convent finally the Convent replied and a letter sent to me personally as sister Laura had already sent forth my application letter to the Convent but at this time, It is my time to write and convince them, giving them reasons why I had want to become a Nun and why I had wanted to come to the Convent. So I wrote my simple letter with some misspelt words in the letter and gave it back to Sister Laura, Being a handwritten letter, Sister Laura made no corrections to the letter and later, the letter was then mailed to the Convent. Lo and behold, after a few months, Sister Laura received a letter that I had been accepted at the Convent and was told what I had to do. 

However sister Laura, notified the Monsignor as they both had to discuss how to prepare me according to the procedure, I have to undergo a physical examination, and so I went on to talk to one of my medical doctors’ god-parents about the examination, which I did convince my Father to come with me to the hospital to see my god, Mother and Father, so they can examine me because I was underage and can’t be examined without the permission of someone related to me. And so my Father was very pleased, and so he went along with me and my godmother being present, while my godfather examined me, and after the examination, told them that I was a “Virgin”. At this time or era, girls my age were not all virgins as it was rare. So that was a big discussion among them as they talked that, despite my running around, playing and all the walking about, I was still a virgin and was just fooling everyone as they most times had thought that I was showing signs of irresponsibility but couldn’t believe it. So they were so proud of me, and I didn’t know why they were so proud of me, because I didn’t understand why they were reacting strangely. 

This was because you must be a virgin to enter that Convent, and this is to say that I would have not been admitted if I was not a virgin another rule is that you can’t also be pregnant because you won’t also be admitted. So since I have been examined, I was cleared and was proven that I was not pregnant, neither have I ever been pregnant or even have a child. Though at School, my classmates and young girls my age, were getting pregnant and also having babies, and so most girls were into the “baby thing”, that’s the baby program at that time. And so young girls in my age group between the ages of 14,15,16…18 are on the baby program and that was the biggest thing the girls talked about and then I would just listen to them talk. 

However, it was not my experience because I was always off to the Convent and talks like that, don’t come up at the Convent as am usually with the Nun talking about other spiritual things. The main thing was that while my Father and my god-parents were so proud of me, I didn’t know the reasons they were that proud of me because all I cared about since the very young age of 14 was to go into the Covent. And because I was a virgin, anything I wanted at that time before leaving for the Convent, I was given. And because of this discovery, if I had wanted to go to a Medical School, I would have, because I have attained a certain build of trust in my Father and my god-parents parts. And I didn’t know that that was such a special thing for a young girl’s or a youth’s life. So I was looked at, with high regard when the news broke out to the community and then words came back to me as the boys came teasing me about my being a virgin at that time, the message was moving so quickly and my sisters also helping to spread the news as they also were talking about it and then it also got to the School and so all my classmates got to know now. 

And so the Monsignor bought all of my clothes and all that I will be needing in the Convent and because my Father knows nothing about the clothes and how to go about preparing me for the Convent, and so with the church Monsignor, Sister Laura and my god-parents, those things were taken care of. They bought me a big suitcase, it was more of a trunk box, the trunk box was big and everything was arranged in the trunk box which is a bigger suitcase, so in the trunk, was everything that was demanded by the Catholic Convent and it is mandatory that you get everything and exactly as was listed. So when the day came for me to leave for the Convent, my ticket for the journey to New York was purchased and most people in the community were crying, seeing the fact that I was underage and was going or leaving for somewhere far at such an early stage, and being that someone should at least attained the age of 18 made it even more difficult but before leaving, I had just turned 16 years and so finally, my Father signed that I had reached 16, so that I can now leave home for the Convent and that was towards my birthday which was in October. So my Father signed for me to go to New York towards the end of the year as well as all the documents and this was around September. My Father is a Native American, had to put a mark on the document which is a sign of his signature to allow me to become a Nun this was because my Father was the only one who would sign on it as the only living heir as a parent. And then after the signing of the document, it was given to the Monsignor, in which the Monsignor later passed on the document to Sister Laura. But my Father never saw Sister Laura because she was in the convent while the Monsignor was the only one who had to come, at this point, Sister Laura finished up by sending the document over to the convent I was going to. And so everything was getting to me to travel to the Convent and to also say goodbye to everyone. 

So everyone came to help me pack and check out almost all of my clothes and were all laughing at the clothes, they laughed while saying that I would be wearing old folks’ stockings, shoes and anything long and black. So everyone looking at me now feels and says I was going to be looking like Sister Laura because everything was long.. long skirt, long veil for the hair, everything long. And so while they were packing my clothes, they  made me put on the clothes because they wanted to see how the clothes looked on me, so they were giggling and thought the clothes were quite funny, as they had told me, that I was looking like the old ladies in the Bible. While they laughed and thought my  clothes funny, they said that I looked like Ruth, Mary and the other women in the Bible as they don’t look like the women from where we came from. And so they were like, being a Nun means that there would be no more braids, make-up, lipsticks and no more painting of nails and while they discussed my journey and the dressing, they felt that I would no longer be attracted to any man. And maybe if any man had cared for me before this time, they wouldn’t have been attracted to me with the way am looking. So everyone around there had made fun of it and treated me badly with their words the night of my leaving for Florida and so they were looking for a way to talk me out of the intention of me becoming a Nun, they felt that I should stay home, finish my education and become either a Doctor like my god-father and also a singer just like Mariam Anderson than going very far away from home to become a Nun. I had a pretty golden opportunity to become those things they were listing out, so when I couldn’t be discouraged and we all had to sleep and wake through the night, everyone was on guard, watching over me. And when it was time in the morning to leave, I was wondering how to say goodbye to my Father, and how I would do it while we were preparing to go to the train station, my food was packed and my dad gave me the last order of what to do and he reminded me, that I know I was going to be without any of my family and so needs to be careful. So my Father gave me rules for leaving home, especially on how to use my money as he also reminded me of the food that has been prepared which is to last me for the couple of two or three days that I will be all by myself on the train and while he told me to hold my things properly and not give anyone to hold for me. And all of my last instructions for life and what to look out for as I leave our home and like I said before; I loved my Father and listened to all his advice and encouragements. And while preparing to leave, it seemed like the whole community was following along to say goodbye. Almost the whole community was also boarding the cab which is the motor cables at the train station. And so there were many following to see me off, such a crowd just reminded me of when my Mother died but I was not dying or dead but to them, they felt I was not coming back and they won’t be seeing me again. And so they were very emotional that they would never see “Tanky” again, which is the nickname they call me. And so some of my classmates came along as well to say good bye. And then on leaving for the train, we were all having a good last moment as my Father was watching me and finally when the train filled up and it was time to head to New York. Immediately I heard the train sound which sounded like “All on board” All on board” and at that point, my Father had to give me his last kiss goodbye and also gave his last word and told me I should remember that he loves me. 

And while the train was slowly moving, I was waving at my Father, as I was at the side of the train where my Father had gotten me sited to be seen by everyone when the train eventually left so that they could have a last view and glimpse of me and then, I continued waving until I can no longer see my Father and everyone who had come out to say goodbye to me. In my head, I couldn’t forget his waves and smiles as the thought of leaving my loved ones and our last presence together was all in my head.

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Miss Blakely, Modeling for Flair Boutique with a later visits to record shop and meeting with salesman Dennis Brown

Sister Laura and Her Influence

Belliyah: But when you were always going to the Convent to meet with sister Laura and becoming a member of the Catholic Church did you ever talked with your elder sister and did she ever ask you what the reasons were, for your leaving your main Church for the Catholic?

Queen Mother: No I didn’t talk to her about it and like I said, I only talked to my Father and eventually when they heard about my going to the Catholic Church, they couldn’t make the decision. They only went to our Father to tell him what I said about going to stay at the Beach all day, and they would put out questions like “Why is she staying at the Beach all day”, when you hear conversations like these, it shows somebody is echoing what you already said. And so they were my echoes and even in the neighborhood, they would have smiles on their faces and make sounds like, hmmm…and so they would do their facial expression around what has been said without speaking a word. And because my Father makes the decisions, I only had to go to him and so, he decided the house, not my stepmother nor my Sisters. And so all of us do the same by
going over to tell him what we want to do as he has the final say. And if I told my intentions to my Sisters, they wouldn’t be able to tell me what to do and they would also go to our Father to tell on me. Also, they were not eager to follow me to the Covent and meet any Nun because they have their little program and all we had was only but a limited hour because we had to be at home at a certain time. So after school, if you
were interested in Cheerleading, you had to go train with the team and then I had one of my Sister who was interested in Cheerleading and so my Sister was not trying to follow me to the Convent because they had their activities but also they felt I was in good hands because I was always seen with Oliver and they all knew Oliver and just didn’t bother me. 

Also, Oliver was from the neighborhood so whatever they wanted to find out, Oliver told them, so basically I have no secrets but just didn’t want them to be the first to tell my Father and basically we were three that at least talked very well and could converse well and meaningfully, all comprising of my Older Sister, my younger Sister after me and so we were like the pack of three out of the five girls

Belliyah: Let’s talk about the three-pack Sisters, at the time when you were always around with your Father, telling him what you intended to do, did you ever felt your two other packs of Sisters were at some point feeling like ” you are always trying to take a lot of our Father from us” and maybe felt like you were getting a lot more freedom to do things your way, did you ever observed that amongst your other Sisters?

Queen Mother: No because I wasn’t always there and you must remember now that I have found my way of what I want to do and so this is taking a lot of time as I do have not much time to be in the house because the The convent is not within the house. So there was no competition and so by the the time I got to the house, I was always the last one getting in the house.  My older Sister and my other Sister underneath me had a bond which was tighter than my bond with them and this was because I am the “Lone Ranger” and am the one alone ha..ha..ha because I am busy doing my thing. And so most times, they had to wait for the longer ranger to come back and (unpack), to tell them what I did or have been doing. So it was always two against one and I didn’t mind because I was doing my thing and nobody was in my way and so I didn’t have to worry about the pack unless I wanted to tell the pack (Sisters) and if I told the pack (Sisters), the biggest thing is that they are going to run to our Father and tell him. 

Remember that my Father loved my older Sister so much that my Older Sister bonded very well with my other Sister underneath and they ruled the the world together with my Father my Sister never got in the way of my Older Sister’s relationship with our Father. She just didn’t compete. I would have been the one competing with my Older Sister. And so my two pack Sisters have a good relationship and the one underneath me
understands her place in the relationship between my Father and Older Sister and so I was not always there to fight over my big Sister’s love with my Father because I was constantly absent from the house. And so the only talk time I share with my two pack Sisters is the little talk time, where we just lie on the bed. And the reason we share this little conversation is because we didn’t have rooms to ourselves, I and my Older Sister
Share the same room while my other Sisters stayed in theirs. And again watching the relationship between my Older Sister and my Father, she would go on her way trying to cook our Father some food, and she took on the house chores just to please him, however, I only know how to make lemonades, I was just the lemonade girl. So I didn’t have to worry about cooking or keeping an eye on our other siblings in the house, my Older Sister played that role, she plays the mother role with my other siblings but not with me because I will never let her play such roles with me because I felt she was not my “Mama” and I could take care of myself

To Be Continued…

 

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