Bless Us Father Read Online Free PDF

it or Mom wouldn’t give her money to go, and she’d spent all her rectory money on her new skirt and sweater.
    She’d only walked half a block and was startled when she heard a car horn behind her. Turning, she was astonished to see Father Antonio motioning her over to the car.
    “Hello, Father. Do you need something?” she asked, leaning in the open passenger side window.
    “I was just getting back to the rectory and saw you hurrying off across the parking lot. I thought you might like a ride home.”
    “I’m almost home, Father. Just a few more blocks.”
    He slid across the front seat of his Ford and opened the passenger door, patted the seat, and slid back over to the driver’s side. “Get in. I’ll drive you.”
    She’d always been told to do exactly what the priests and nuns told her, so she climbed in the car and closed the door behind her.
    “Frankly, Mary Margaret, I’ve been hoping to see you. I’ve felt bad since dinner at your home last night.”
    “Oh my gosh, Mom’s cooking didn’t make you sick, did it?”
    Father Antonio laughed out loud. “No, no, I’m not sick.”
    “What is it then?”
    He braked at a stop sign and looked all ways before proceeding across the intersection.
    “I wanted to explain why I didn’t talk to you much last night. I realize we’ve chatted at the rectory, but I didn’t want your parents to know we knew each other that well.”
    “Why?” Mary Margaret asked.
    “This is difficult for you to understand, I know, but some people might get the wrong idea if we’re too friendly with each other. So it’s better not to show that in public.”
    “Why would anyone get the wrong idea?”
    “That’s a good question; I’m not sure why they would other than the fact that you’re a very pretty girl.” He smiled broadly at her. “But it’s happened to me before, so I know. We’ll just have to be polite with each other when we’re around others. Is that okay with you?”
    “I...guess,” Mary Margaret agreed. “Here’s my house.”
    He pulled the car to the curb and waited for her to open the door. “Are you doing something fun this weekend?”
    “I’m going out with my friend, Linda and her older sisters tonight. We’re going to a movie and then to McDonald’s for a hamburger.”
    Smiling, he asked, “See you Monday at the rectory?”
    “Yes, I’ll be there. Thanks for the ride.”
    He sped off as soon as the door closed.
    Mary Margaret ran up the steps to the front door, still puzzling on why Father was concerned about what people might think.
    “I’m home, Mom. What do you want me to do first?”
    Her mother appeared wearing an apron over her gray print housedress and holding a feather duster in her hand.
    “You got here none too soon, young lady. It’s a good thing you were at church, or I’d be very upset.”
    “Well I’m here now, where do you want me to start?”
    “Watch the attitude, young lady. Go clean the bathroom and then empty all the trash containers in the house. Once you’ve done that I want the kitchen floor swept and mopped. And there better not be a speck of dust left behind, or you’ll get left behind tonight.”
    “Yes, Mom. I’ll make sure I do an especially good job.”
    #
    “Linda and her sisters are here for you, Mary Margaret. Don’t keep them waiting.”
    At the sound of her mother’s voice, Mary Margaret flung her bedroom door open and bounded down the stairs and out the door right past Mrs. Riley.
    “Bye, Mom. Tell Dad bye when he comes in from the yard. I won’t be late.”
    She followed Linda to the red Chevrolet Corvair station wagon and crawled in the back seat. Linda’s sisters, Susie and Katie were in the front and Katie was driving. They all looked alike and had long, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and freckled noses. Katie was the oldest at seventeen, next came Susie who was sixteen, then fifteen year old Linda.
    Linda’s sister, Susie, turned around. “Hi, Mary Margaret. Got a get out of jail