IN & OUT OF LIFE - Chapter 120 - Miracle girls (Isodora)

MIRACLE GIRLS (Isodora) ~ 1592-1604

I'm looking up at the domed ceiling of the church. It's gorgeous. I look around at the walls. Mother is here too. They brought me here, hoping I'll receive healing cause I'm small, smaller than my sister. I can't tell the difference in size from where I can see her. I did notice that her voice is lower than mine. I'm looking at a statue of a saint. It's a gray stone statue, but I imagine he has blond hair. The top of his head is bald. I think it's Saint Ignatius.

A list of Catholic saints showed eight saints by the name Ignatius, and three more with similar names like Ignacy, Ignacio, and Ignazio. Filtering out those that lived in later times, three are left: Ignatius of Africa (Third century AD), Ignatius of Antioch (died in 107 AD), and Ignatius of Loyola (1491 - 1556). The latter being Spanish and having been beatified* quite recently (in 1609), he might have been more likely to be well known. Depictions of him also portray him with male pattern baldness.

* Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name.

I hear footsteps. It scares me. It's the priest. He greets my mother with blessings in Latin, to which she replies, also in Latin. The weight I feel as they move me around makes me think my sister is asleep. I move my leg as if trying to kick her. "Ah!" she cries out. She's stubborn about this whole situation and didn't want to come here cause it's humiliating and people look at us. A blanket is covering the area where our legs meet to keep it from being seen by prying eyes. People are curious, perhaps even more so cause they can't see what connects us. I now unintentionally switch to Isobella's perspective.

I (Isobella) feel unblessed as if I'm a mistake. I would prefer it if Isodora and I were living together in one body. That way, nobody would find us strange. At the request of the priest, we are held up over a baptism font, and water is splashed over our middle section - the area where we're connected. Special "blessings" are uttered by the priest. He compiled the text for this ritual, using phrases otherwise deemed suitable for several occasions, their combination custom made for our exceptional situation. I wish they'd just leave us alone, though I do understand things will probably not get any easier as we grow, especially if my sister will remain smaller than me.

Back to Isodora's perspective…

I (Isodora) hear the voice of the priest. I love the acoustic effect of the church! It sounds so… holy. Mother puts her hand on my forehead, and I wonder if she has her other hand on my sister's head, but I guess we're just here to make me bigger, not my sister. I feel cared for. More water is splashed, this time on my face, and rubbed over my face by the priest while he utters some more reassuring words, though I don't understand what he says except for the words 'God' and 'Holy'. Mother and father quickly put my clothes back on. Brother is standing by, looking at Isobella, smiling and pinching her cheek, but I see the pain in his tearful, fourteen-year-old eyes. They try to rush us out of the church as a crowd of about twenty five people is standing by the door outside, trying to catch a glimpse of the "Miracle Girls". Cursed or blessed? Time will tell.

It's nighttime now, and I can hear Isobella is fast asleep. I look to my right at the window, and softly cough so as not to wake her. I'd be awfully sad if we were separated some day. How could I even live with only half a body? I'd never feel whole. But I don't want to be a burden on my sister either. I fall asleep.

'Good morning, special ladies!' our brother cheerfully says as he comes through the door, holding a tray with both hands. Breakfast! The special day breakfast! Is it our birthday or St. Carmen's procession day?

Another saint. Okay, without going too deep down the rabbit hole again, I found that this refers to St. Mary of Carmen.

- The name Carmen is a derivation of Carmel which is the title given to the Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The order takes its name from Mount Carmel, which was the first place dedicated to the Blesses Virgin. Veneration of the Virgen del Carmen is particularly strong in coastal towns in Spain. Her feats day is July 16th.

'I have soup' brother says. He helps Isobella to sit up, and stirs the soup in the bowl. Isobella looks very keen to eat. I'm on a different diet, eating more solid foods like biscuits and things to constipate me so that nutrients stay in my body for longer and can do their work. That's what mother said. Father thinks it's funny, but he let's her carry out her experiment regardless. I feel so happy today. Turns out we're eleven now - a year older than I thought! We'll wear our special white dress! No, I will wear my white dress, but Isobella wants to wear her black lace dress and lipstick. It's going to be an amazing day!