Baby Surprise

Father Anthony Dunn was a sly character.

He had grey hair but he hit it with a multitude of sins. The Father had passed himself off as sixty years old but anyone with a keen eye, and a good judge of character, had been able to see the truth. In his family all the male members hair turned grey around the age of thirty years of age. Maybe this was from all the worry from all the scams they pulled. The looking back over their shoulders to see if the police were hot on their trail. Or someone, who they had crossed swords with, and were out to kill them.

To keep his body lead, and fit,, Anthony, worked out at the gym every day he had a chance. He ran most days so he'd be able to increase his speed to keep ahead of the people who were after his hide. If he hadn't kept fit Anthony may have been found shot, or bashed to death, in some back alley. Or someone might have given his a pair of cement shoes before sending him down to swim with the fish.

Most of Anthony Dunn's family were well trained like a race horse so they be able to keep safe. Using many different aliases to hide their true identity. When they became embroiled in trouble any one of them were able to return to their normal life by setting a false trail to allow them to escape to freedom.

Once back in the peace of their own home they would rest, and plan, for their next character they had chosen. To collect all the disguises, to have them ready, and in place before each was needed.

The money the family made from their crimes were filtered through a system of fake bank accounts before finally reaching the final destination, to be hide so no one was able to trace who finally received the money. Or any other items which each of them had pilfered, to stash in a secret location.

On his latest gig, he'd become Father Anthony Dunn. Thinking this would be a good way to hide after escaping from his last fiasco, where everything seemed to go wrong. He was slipping in his trade. His escape had been made by the skin of his teeth. Quick thinking had saved his neck. Throwing rocks to break a couple of shop windows, which had set off the security system, gave him time to escape. The people chasing him took to their heels in all directions because they knew the police would soon be arriving. The area would be sealed off. No one wanted to be caught in the police net.

Down a dark alley way where he had escaped from his pursuers, Anthony came across a costume shop. He picked the lock to enter the shop. Doing a quick search he soon had a new identity. There wasn't much time to waste. No time to put on a full disguise. The black wig he ripped from his head. His clothes followed. Some black clothes would help hide him in the shadows while he escaped from his sins. The dark clothes he grabbed were those of a priest. He smiled while he put on the clothes. His family wouldn't believe the disguise he'd chosen to wear. Each of them would roll around on the ground laughing. His brothers had told him he should join the church to curb his libido.

“Welcome to my new life. Father Anthony Dunn will suit me.” He walked out of the shop and down the alley toward the street.

Dressed like a priest, he strolled down the street toward the police like he did this every day, and night.

“What's the problem, officer?”

“Someone broke a window in two shops.”

“Who would do such a thing. Such a quiet neighbourhood.”

The police officer looked puzzled then laughed. “You must be new in the area, Father.” Anthony agreed. “Wait until you have been here awhile. You'll soon change your mind.”

“Why's that?”

“This area is full of criminal types. Kids who have run away from home to live on the streets.”

“I'm here to do the Lord's work. I will try to save their little souls. I seem to be lost. Can you direct me back to my church.”

In his new roll of Father Anthony Dunn, he was driven in the police car to the church to continue with his chosen future. The only thing not his real self was his costume. The other fathers accepted him into their fold, and put him to work.

Father Dunn was given the job of teaching because of his knowledge of the world. He explained to them about all the different countries, cultures and buildings, because he knew all about them. His travels had taken him there to commit crimes which helped with the knowledge of all the places. None of his knowledge had come from book reading. In great detail he explained about each place. He brought the subject alive for the children. Doing this job also covered up for the crimes he had been doing in the parish.

Because of all his different commitments the good Father kept up his exercise to keep his body in top performance. Tiredness soon began to zap his energy. A very quiet, sunny island, seemed such a good idea. Maybe he'd take a long holiday to recoup his zest for life.

Right now would have been the time to leave but two of his sisters were flying in tomorrow to visit with him. He'd not seen them in some time.

His two sisters stepped from the taxi dressed in a nun's habit just when two policemen brought their brother out of the church. The three of them were headed toward the police car.

The two sisters rushed to catch up. “What are you doing with our brother. Where are you taking him,” the both of them thought he had been caught carrying out a crime.

“We're taking him to the hospital. He's needed there.” Both officers tried not to laugh.

“Does a sick person want to see him?”

“Probably a lynch mob will be waiting to get their hands on him.”

“Excuse me. What has a lynch mob have to do with the hospital,” asked one sister, puzzled by the story.

“Can we come with you,” asked the other.

“Sure. Hop in.”

On reaching the hospital, the police car was driven past an angry crowd of family members at the front of the hospital to stop at a side entrance.

“This way.” The two officers led Father Dunn through the hospital until they reached a nurse's station.

“Has everything been set in readiness,” asked one officer.

“Oh, yes. Is he the one,” asked the nurse, giving Father Dunn a funny look. The police agreed he was the culprit.

“This way.” The nurse walked down the long corridor to stop in front of a glass window.

In the room stood nineteen women standing behind the glass window with twenty-four babies.

The colour drained from the face of Father Dunn when he recognised the women in the room. He knew everyone of them.

“Why are we here. Does someone want their baby baptised,” asked one sister.

“No. We're here to show the good Father all of his children.”

“Don't you mean God's children,” asked the other sister.

“No. All of these babies,” the officer waved his hand along the row of babies, “all twenty-four of them belong to the good Father, here. He has been very busy in the parish.”

“What.” Both sisters looked at their brother, He collapsed to the floor before their eyes, the shock too much for him.

“You mean we are aunts to twenty-four babies.”

“Yes.”

The two sisters rushed out to find a phone to ring home to tell the family they had twent-four more mouths to feed. Their brother had outdone the rest of the members of the family. Twenty-four babies all arriving on the same day.