The Peacock 775

 "She is niney-three", says Jennifer.  "Still independent and lives in a little subsidized apartment in East Vancouver.  Nana helped raise me, since mom had to work a lot, she was a cook in a Greek restaurant."

"Your mom is Greek?" asks Amanda.

"No.  My stepfather is Greek.  Mom remarried after my dad divorced her for another woman.  I was just three at the time.  They had a family restaurant on West Broadway where Mom learned the trade.  They said she was the best cook they ever had.  It was a very trendy place in the late seventies, and Mom had to work hard, all hours.  Nana, she was a college professor of anthropology, took early retirement, but kept going back for short teaching gigs, but this way she had plenty of time to be with me, since she didn't want to see me farmed off to a day care, way too expensive, and Mom couldn't always have me with her in the restaurant, though sometimes I was there playing and trying to help in the kitchen.

"My Nana is English, very English in some ways, hence her love for toffees and allsorts, but she was and still is quite a radical peace activist.  I used to march with her in the Walk For Peace every year during the eighties.  Oh, and she is also a Quaker...

The Peacock 774

 "What about your other grandmother?" say I.

"Leonora Van Coevorden.  She was a real piece of work.  She had all the grace and charm of a Victorian schoolmistress running a residential boarding school for indigenous children."

"She couldn't have been that bad?" says Sarah

"She was also that good", says Carl.  "We never saw a lot of her.  She was a history professor at the   University of Amsterdam, and also helped begin the groundwork for what eventually became the International Court of Justice.  No one really liked her, she seemed to have an opinion about everything and no one seemed able to meet her lofty standards. Then she died from a stroke.  That would have been during my parents' divorce.   I can't say anyone was really sad to see her go.  Least of all dad."

Tommy and Carry are both bringing around slices of pie, which we have all agreed on for dessert, even if it does seem a bit incongruous after eating Chinese food.

"Your turn, Jen.  Now tell us all about your Nana", says Carl.

The Peacock 773

 "But. you people are so interesting.  You are nothing like what Tristan has described to me."

"Tristan has had very little contact with our side of the house.  Almost all of what you hear from him", says Carl, "Comes from the other wing where he was living with the community."

"But I thought you are the community".

"We are growing now in that direction", says Jennifer.  "with the overthrow of Douglas we have all come together, more or less, so this is something very new for us.  We kind of evolved independently of Carl and Melissa, who carried on in their side of the house, which, as you have seen, is so big, that that could happen quite easily. 

"But how did this all develop?"

"Organically", says Sarah.  "A benevolent priest was instrumental in bringing people  to the house, but we just kind of developed independent of our hosts.  Only now that they are taking in guests have we started to really come together.  But we were talking about Carl's grandmother."

"Not much else to say", says Carl.  "Adriana passed away ten years ago in the community in Switzerland.  Mom seems to believe that the commnity died with her.  I think she could be right..."

The Peacock 772

 Adriana would intervene whenever possible, because she knew we needed to be protected from what Dad was up to, and we are convinced that it was a form of satanic ritual practice.   Still, after the divorce it was his idea that we spend time with him here in the big house.  I think he just didn't want us to entirely escape from his control and influence.  He didn't love us.  I don't think he loved anybody  He seemed incapable of love.  Outside of assigning mealtimes and chores, he never talked to us.  But the one good thing he did for us was that he never let us get away with being rich kids  We had to do all the work in the house and on the grounds ourselves.  He would hire and contract help as needed, for landscaping and heavy cleaning, but otherwise, we were the work crew.  Melissa and I both owe to our horrible father our good work ethic.  We usually spent a month or two here, in July and August..  From sixteen to eighteen I was doing sex work the rest of the summer in Amsterdam..."

"You were a teenage sex worker?" interjects Amanda.

"Long story..."

The Peacock 771

 "What do you mean  by dark practices"" says Jennifer.

"In our house in Amsterdam, which was a huge eighteenth century mansion overlooking the canal, Dad had several rooms in the basement that we were forbidden to enter.  He often went there alone at night.  And sometimes we could smell smoke, other times heard a weird wailing kind of chant that seemed kind of like his voice.  It gave us all the creeps, and he had also a strange collection of friends who would sometimes visit him down there.  Mom was thoroughly opposed to what he was doing, and that is when she got the idea to move us with her to a small townhouse that she leased on the other side of the city.  I would have been ten and Melissa was four or five.  Around that time Dad was also spending copious amounts of time here in the mansion, and that was probably around when he met and got involved with the mother of Naomi, our half-sister....

The Peacock 770

 

Adriana stayed in Switzerland to try to nurture the new community that had spring from the rejects from L'Abri."

"Why do you say rejects", says Sarah.

"Because they really weren't welcome.  They were, as you said, Sarah, too wild.  They were joyous, spontaneous and really weren't about to take very seriously the intellectual struggles of evangelical eggheads trying to make sense of God through science and philosophy.  For them, God became real and immediate in a way that the leaders found scary and subversive.  So they found a big house outside of Zurich, which became a retreat and a refuge for homeless adults and people struggling with addictions.  It also took on a certain international cachet as a retreat centre for those who really wanted to discover the love of Jesus.

"I was born, then five years later came Melissa, and already Mom was struggling to reignite her faith in Jesus.  On the pretext of wanting to see her mom, she began taking us to Switzerland with her.  Dad tried to oppose, but relented, and just went on with his dark practices..."

The Peacock 769

 My grandma Adriana had a particularly revolutionary experience of conversion, even more intense than my mother's.  They both experienced what we call the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I have also had this experience, but not Melissa, who is just way too grounded in common sense for anything too interesting.  Anyway, what happened in our lives is a huge and overwhelming experience of God's love, power, peace and joy in our lives in a way that is completely self-sustaining and also in a way that completely sustains us.  They met and palled up with some students visiting from Canada, from Toronto, actually, and they were also charismatics and really wanted something more and deeper and more full of life and joy than what was being offered at L'Abri  We also all had a strong desire to serve the poor and vulnerable, and at L'Abri they were more interested in international students from affluent families.

"You were too wild for them", says Sarah.

"You could say that.  Anyway, it was also in Switzerland where mom met my Dad.  He had just been attending the annual convening of wealthy global movers and shakers in Davos.  Mom was working in a café in Geneva and let's just say that he charmed her off her feet, and away from her faith  To this day, Mom insists that in order to marry my father she had to first abandon Jesus.  In fact, in later years, she came to describe Dad as being absolutely satanic.  Adriana would have nothing to do with him....

The Peacock 768

 "Right away, Amanda", says Carl, "And please be assured that no one here has any kind of agenda with you."

"And even if you do have an agenda, I would still feel flattered.  I mean to say, that I think you people are authentic, and if it wasn't for some of my current circumstances..."

"I wouldn't worry about that", says Jennifer.  "Each thing in its season.  but we re glad to meet you and have you with us, and I hope you will make this a habit."

"Thanks.  I will need time to digest, this has all been pretty sudden and intense.  And, of course, there's my son.  But Carl, please continue about your fascinating grandmother."

"Mom and Adriana ended up in Switzerland.  She sold the cabaret, feeling that it was no longer consistent with her new life in Christ, and she took Mom to Switzerland to a Christian community for privileged white intellectuals, called L'Abri."

"That's the first time I've heard that kind of take on L'Abri", says Jennifer.

"I suppose I'm being a bit ungenerous  But I stayed with them a few times and they simply do not square with the Jesus who lived among and identified with the poor that I want to identify with, despite me being a rich boy."

"You were there?" she says.

"Lovely people.  But absolutely no access for the less fortunate.  A Christian ghetto of privilege, but nonetheless, still lovely and welcoming people..."

The Peacock 767

 "Mom came into the Christian faith in 1970, age fourteen, thanks to some missionary hippies from the US.  they had a community in a houseboat on one of the canals in Amsterdam.  She found them welcoming, kind, caring, and fun, and says that that was when Jesus first became real for her.  Adriana was not pleased, tried to forbid her from seeing them again.  In a fury, she followed Mom there one day, then stormed the Arc, the name of the houseboat, hoping to rescue her child from the corruptions of religious fanaticism.  Instead, she was charmed into submission by the friendly kindness of the people there, and herself ended up converting to the faith.

"Would there be a message in there for me?" says Tristan's mom.

"Not specifically", says Carl.  "Why?"

"Well, I do find you people compelling."

"And Tristan is already rescued from us", says Michael, smiling.

"And so kind of you to invite me to lunch with you, and get vaccinated against covid.  But forgive me, I don't mean to suck up all the oxygen.  Carl, you are telling us about your grandmother...."

The Peacock 766

 "Grandma Ritter, we knew her only as Adriana, was born in Berlin, in 1920.  Her mom, my great grandmother, was a high class hooker, that was how she survived in the devastation that was post World War One Germany.  She had a Dutch lover, Remy, by whom my grandma was conceived. Remy took them back to Amsterdam with him, but was stabbed to death a year later.  Mom decided to give her daughter her own surname, which is German.  Adriana seemed all poised to follow in her mother's footsteps, unfortunately.  The war had started and it looked like the German occupation would be inevitable and within days, there they were.  So, Adriana was enlisted in the Dutch resistance, and became the mistress of several high ranking nazi officers in the occupation, and oh, the secrets they would tell her in the heights of arousal!  There were other dangers afoot as well, especially given that my mother's mother was Jewish, but with very scant success Adriana managed to hide this from the Nazis.  At the end of the war, Adriana was accused of being a double agent and just managed to flee to Iraq where she met my grandfather, Hendrick, who was a transplanted Dutchman working in the oil fields.  They were soon married and in 1956 she gave birth to my mother whom she named Astrid, after her own Swedish grandmother.  Adriana was granted a full amnesty by the Dutch government, so they moved to Amsterdam where they opened a cabaret together.  Granddad ran off with one of the dancers, and shortly after they were divorced, so on her own, Adriana ran the cabaret while bringing up mommy..."

The Peacock 765

 "Hey is there a story there", say I.

"That's my line", says Carl with a smile  "And yes there is a story there.  Hoo Boy, is there ever a story there, a whole series of cheap pulp fiction trashy novels there."

"They must have been pretty scandalous, your grandmothers", says Jennifer.

"That would be putting it kindly."

"Are they still with us?" says Francois.

"They've both passed on, Grandma Van  Coevorden to the great formal etiquette lecture hall in the sky, and Grandma Ritter to the great surrealist cabaret in the sky.

"This sounds interesting", says Tommy, who clearly would rather hang out with us than work right now.

"Were you close?" says Sarah.

"I'm not sure if close is the word.  With my paternal grandmother we simply coped and suffered.  Grandma Ritter herself was lots of fun.  When she wasn't being dangerous, that is.

"There is a story there", say I, suddenly laughing...

The Peacock 764

 "We can also buy them at London Drugs", say I.  "Have you ever had them?"

"Can't say I have", says Carl.  "But you say they're licorice.  Hey, I'm Dutch, we practically invented thst stuff."

"Licorice Allsorts are awfully sweet by Dutch standards", says Jennifer.  "That's why I don't care for them especially, but see if you can find some anyway, because I do love being reminded of my Nana.

"You're nana must have been awfully sweet", says Carl.  

"But aren't all grandmas", she says.

"You never knew ours", he says.  And I mean both of 'em  Two very distinct pieces of work."

"You didn't like them much?" says Adam, who now appears to be paying rapt attention from their end of the table."

"Hey, they raised my mom and dad, sort of, so whenever I get mad at my parents I simply think of how they grew up and already I'm ready to forgive them...

The Peacock 763

 "You guys", says Tommy, "You just keep get more and more interesting."

"We are rather a bag of allsorts, aren't we?" says Jennifer.

"You mean licorice allsorts?" says Matthew suddenly.

"Oh, so you are paying attention", says Carl, smiling.

"They used to be Barney's favourite."

"Barney?" says Amanda, who appears to be chronically curious about almost everything.

"He was my partner back in the day.  You were still just a little girl when we met."

"Oh", she says, "Around when the wheel was invented."

"My grandma also loved them", says Jennifer.  "She used to always bring them with her on visits.  I can't say I was that crazy about them myself, except that they always remind me of grandma.  But they seem awful hard to find these days, licorice allsorts."

"Hey", says Carl, "When Chris and I are in Vancouver tomorrow we'll look for them in Costco.  We have a membership..."

The Peacock 762

 George and Jeffrey also are on the other end of the table, as though they're consciously avoiding contact with Amanda.  They appear  to be enclosed in their own little bubble, as though they are dining alone.  

"Hey you guys", says Carl, directing to them.  "So, you are two of Aphrodite's loyal patrons."

"Maybe once or twice", says Jeffery, quickly averting his eyes.  "We were just looking around."

"Maybe their privacy should be respected", says Amanda quietly.

"Busted!" says George, now laughing out loud. "Whaddaya say, Jeffy, maybe time to fess up."  Jeffery just shrugs.

"We bought negligees", says George, firmly and defiantly.  "Pink chiffon.  We are a vision of loveliness", and now he is laughing again.

"We're not drag queens", says Jeffery sheepishly.  "We like to relax."

"It's all play", says George.  "How about tonight,, after dinner, we model for you guys?"

"Shut up", says Jeffery, clearly flustered.

"are they peekaboo?" says Carl.

"You are soon to find out", says George with a mischievous grin, "you are very soon to find out..."

The Peacock 761

 "What I find interesting is that only now I remember what happened.  I swear, I forgot this completely, and now the image is in my mind, clear as your faces here in the diner."

"The last couple of nights we have been reading the journals of Chris' friend, who also wrote about this guy, or someone like him."  I find it interesting how Carl seems to accept as already given that he is going to speak on my behalf.  But hasn't this been the story of my life.  Apparently I m simply not assertive.  Evryone just asumes that they ought to speak for me.  Annoying.  But whose fault?  The food is extraordinary, and incredibly tasty.  Everything cooked just right.  Lots of tofu in traditional meat dishes, but this is good and no one notices the absence of meat.  Tommy has just sat down at the end of the table, next to Amanda.  I am surprised how quiet the others are, even Michael and Matthew, both, who tend to be very chatty.  They appear sequestered in their own little commune at the other end with Adam and Lazarus.

"That is really interesting", says Jennifer.

"We think this guy was really mentally ill", I say, finally jumping up to be heard  "This guy seemed obsessed with my friend, Kenny, was stalking him, then ended up for a while in a mental hospital."

"That was the same one who committed suicide", says Michael suddenly from his end of the table.  "Sorry, don't mean to sound tactless."

"That's okay", say I

"How sad", says Sarah.  "I'm really sorry that happened."

"We still don't know how he really died", say I.  "Why don't you come up to my room and join us tonight after dinner, because we are probably going to read some more.

"Or we could share it downstairs after dinner", says Carl.  It might be a bit crowded up there with four."

"True", say I.

760

 "Tristan has mentioned that he also saw some unusual phenomena while staying with you.  He didn't go into a lot of detail, but did mention about some mysterious visitor he used to encounter.

"Tall blond and very handsome Nordic looking man?" says Carl.

"As a matter of fact, yes.  They used to have conversations out in the forest trail."

"What kinds of conversations?" say I.

"Mostly about his purpose being there.  He was told repeatedly that his stay would be short, that he was running from other things, other realities by staying there.  Have you met this guy?"

"We just know of him", says Carl.

"Wait a minute", says Jennifer.  "I've also seen him."

"Oh, really?" says Carl.

"Just once.  Last year.  In fact, I did see him speaking to Tristan at the time.  I was out walking on the trails and there they were, just maybe fifty feet ahead of me.  I became curious, so I hurried over to see who it was.  When I got there, he was gone, and it was just Tristan, standing by a cedar tree.  I asked him who he was talking to and he just said there was no one there.  I didn't know if he was lying, decided to leave it be, and we walked back together talking about random things...

The Peacock 759

"Hi again", says Aaron suddenly materializing in his chair.

"Stay in one place already!" says Carl in mock frustration.

"I haven't budged from my desk since I sat down to my laptop", he says. "What more do you want?"

"An explanation, please", says Amanda, appearing rather frightened and nervous.

"Well, I'm writing you."

"Carl already said that", she says. "What does this all mean.  Do we owe our existence to you or what?"

"Not in the least.  I'm simply eavesdropping.  I believe that others call this creative writing or imagination.  However, there is nothing going on here that I have either created or imagined.  With respect to Carl and his noble profession, I am really kind of like a journalist."

"So, you mean to say", says Jennifer, "That you're not making any of this up."

"Not any more than you are making me up.  Otherwise, I can't really explain it because, apart from being  fly on the wall, I really don't know what the hell is going on, nor what's going to happen next.  Well, I have an idea of what's going to happen next, but once I start writing it down, it all takes on a life of its own and before I know it I feel that I am simply recording what is already being said and done among you.  Speaking of which", he says, turning to me.  "Christopher, up till now you have been my protagonist, so it is your head I end up getting inside.  Are you okay with this?"

"Can't say I really have much say in the matter.  But if this is working for you, please continue.  I just hope you don't find me too dull a protagonist."

"Anything but, my boy, anything but.  Well, I have to be on Skype in less than ten minutes with my friend in Mexico, so I hope you don't mind if I bow out."

"You're not staying for lunch?" says Carl, but it's too late.  Aaron has disappeared again.

The Peacock 758

 Carrie is coming by with the food.  Gesturing to Aaron's empty chair and place setting she says, "is he coming back?"

"Your guess is as good as ours", says Carl.  Then he says to her, "So you're a folk singer. I think your husband mentioned the same the other day.

"Despite the pandemic, we're still doing coffee house night.  It's going to be in a couple of weeks.  Why don't you come?"  Then, gesturing towards Aaron's place setting she says, "Should I take everything back?"

"Maybe just leave it the way it is."

"You never know with Aaron", says Sarah.

"I just don't understand what's going on", says Amanda.

"Neither do we", says Jennifer.

"Tristan hasn't said anything about this."

"It's pretty recent", says Jennifer.

"What happens", says Jesús, "Is he lives in a different dimension.  He says that the creative process, for him, is like observing what's really going on, like in a parallel universe, and then he writes it all down.  I know this sounds strange, but just yesterday he took me with him.  Just suddenly we were in his apartment, and we talked for a while and took coffee."

"You expect me to believe this."

"You're not expected to believe anything, Amanda", says Carl.  "we  just kind of accept the strange happenings, since they seem to occur with us every day now.  You get used to it after a while..., sort of"

The Peacock 757

 Aaron's chair is suddenly empty.  "Where did he just go?" says Amanda, clearly disconcerted.

"He'll return", says Jesús.  He probably is back in his apartment."

"Why, where does he live?" she says.

"Vancouver", say I.

"But that's a one and a half hour drive, at least?  Did he just go to the washroom?"

"He's likely back in his apartment in downtown Vancouver, writing us some more", says Carl, smiling.

"Now you must be having me on."

"No I'm not", says Aaron, suddenly reappearing in his chair.  "Hi duckies!"

"Will someone please explain to me just what is going on?" says Amanda, both indignant and frightened.

"So, what are you doing right now, Aaron", says Carl.

"I am having a small plate of chocolate chips with a glass of milk while writing what is happening right here, right now", he says, smiling.

"But", says Amanda", how can you be simultaneously in two places."

"Because I can."

"What kind of chocolate chips?" says Francois, grinning.

"Just like the ones you were sharing with Carl and Christopher last night.  Oops, I'm starting to fade.  Anyway, don't worry, Amanda, I'm just a fly on the wall, writing what I see and hear.  You keep living your life." And again Aaron disappears from| our view...

The Peacock 756

 Here we are, back at the Sunrise Diner, at tables arranged in a communal rectangle, as though we are an impromptu board meeting.  Carrie is also present and is helping her husband serve.  We have all agreed on Chinese today, and Carlos has promised he would modify some of the dishes to be vegetarian friendly.

"You say the cook is from Venezuela?" says Amanda to Sarah, who is seated across from her.  "I thought they were Chinese."

"Aaron", says Carl, and Aaron appears to have magically appeared at table with us.  "You and Jesús are both experts about Latin America.  Could one of you explain please, for our guest."

Aaron says, "There is a Chinese community in Venezuela, especially in Maracaibo, which is a large coastal city.  There are also lots of Chinese in Peru.  And the fact is, most of them speak more Spanish than Chinese.  In fact, I once knew a young Chinese Peruvian woman here in Vancouver.  We were doing language exchange.  Spanish was her first language, her English so-so, and she knew absolutely no Chinese, not Cantonese or Mandarin.  Well, I was in a Spanish class back in the day, and one of the students happened to be a Chinese Canadian, born and raised here, I think maybe third or fourth generation Canadian, spoke just English, a bit of Spanish and no Mandarin or Cantonese  So, I introduced them, we were seated together in a café and they were sharing the couch where they suddenly ended up almost in each other's arms.  A bit disconcerting, if not unpredictable."

"Why disconcerting", says Amanda.  "That's actually very romantic."

"He's almost twice her age and is married with kids.

"Well, you can't win 'em all."

"Curiously, I never saw either of them again.  She had to return right away to Peru and he never returned to the Spanish class."

"Embarrassed, I would imagine", says Sarah.  "by the way, Amanda, have you met Aaron?"

"Very pleased", she says, offering her hand to shake.  "Did you just get here?"

"Aaron has a way of popping in and out", says Carl.  "He's writing us."

"You are writing about us?" says Amanda.  

"Well, that too", says Aaron.  "I am your author"

"He's our inventor", says Jenn, laughing.  "And he pops in and out frequently to make sure we're behaving..."

The Peacock 755

 "How long have you been away from church?" says Carl.

"It's been off and on", says Amanda.  "when Joseph abandoned us, a lot of them blamed me for it, and then when my boyfriend, Ken, came to live with us, I was cast out as a sinner.  Ken left about four years later, it was a friendly parting, and then I was welcome again in church, sort of.  But I always felt that I was being watched and scrutinized, and in a way, partially shunned, which is actually even worse than outright rejection because it is so insidious.   But we were no longer invited for dinners, and no one came around to look in on us and see how we were doing Christmas or Thanksgiving, and I knew that we would probably never be really welcome there again, so I left altogether.  I thought that was the last I would hear from them, but, NO...not long after going into business with Kim and opening Aphrodite together they were down our throats with two simultaneous messages:  we must shut down this scandalous enterprise at once and go into poverty, and then fall flat on our faces and kiss their feet and their backsides too so they would let us back into their sacred fellowship.  They still won't leave us alone, and we are just in the process of taking out a peace bond against those hypocrites...

The Peacock 753

 "Full disclosure, everyone", says Amanda.  "I did bring up both my kids in the Christian faith.  Tristan has an older sister, Barbara, who is living in Toronto with her new husband.  She is a research assistant for an organization that is trying to develop a cure for cancer.  You could say that I am very proud of her, because I am.  We were abandoned by my husband, their father, soon after Tristan was born.  He went off with another woman and they are living somewhere in South America.  I haven't heard from him in years.  Don't want to, but then when Barbara was on her own, I had to leave the profession because of burnout.  I managed to keep everything together during my nursing career, then a girlfriend of mine wanted me to go into business with her and so together we run the Aphrodite Boutique.  And that got me in trouble with the church, because they are a collection of rather conservative Baptists, and ever since I was drummed out of the fellowship they have been harassing me and nagging at me to shut down my house of sin and return to the fold.  I think all of this must have impacted Tristan, who was just a teenager at the time.

"Barbara is such an unusual name these days", says Sarah.

"It is old-fashioned.  You see, my mother died of cancer a month before she was born  Her name was Barbara, and I wanted to honour her memory.  My dad has been very good about staying close, and really helped me raise my kids."

"He gave Tristan the teddy bear?" says Carl.

"That is correct."

The Peacock 754

 "Isn't it a bit unusual for a twenty-six year old man to have a teddy-bear", says Sarah.

"My son has never stopped being a child.  This has become for me, his mother, rather sad and scary.  He has no filtre.  He spends a lot of time online and has been poisoned by some really toxic ideologies about white supremacism and homophobia, and I really wish I could get him free from that garbage.  We never talk about it because we always end up yelling at each other, then he shuts off and goes inside himself and doesn't communicate for days or weeks on end. Until he was fourteen, Tristan was such a happy and loving little boy.  I want him back.  I really want him back.  But what can I do?  He's a young man now and nowhere near ready to live his own life.  I often wonder if he might change if I went back to church.  but then I would have to give up my business and that would leave my partner, Kim, on the hook, and I simply can't do that to her."

"How long have you two been in business?" says Jennifer.

"About three years.  Just after my dad passed away, he left me a nice sum of money.  Kim was needing help, so I bought half the business, and we're still not entirely out of the woods yet, if you know what I mean.  I mean, I am uneasy about running a sex boutique, because it does clash with some of the fundamentals that I learned as a kid in the church.  and I'm also sex positive.   But I'm also afraid that this could be hurting Tristan..."

The Peacock 752

 "What can you tell me about Douglas?" says Amanda.

"Pope Douglas" says Carl.

"Wait a minute.  That tells me enough."

"What has your son said?"

"Just that he adores him as a great man of God, as a revolutionary leader in the Christian faith and that the world needs to pay attention to him.  You said he's in detention now?  Tristan is very distraught about this.  He was his father figure, I would imagine".

"Doug was dumped on us two years ago by a well meaning but very controlling Anglican priest and your son came with him.  Apparently they had met in a homeless shelter, and Tristan had recently stopped using drugs when he found the Lord.  Doug took over the leadership of the community in the other wing of the house, then all hell broke loose"

"Sarah and I are both witnesses", says Jenn.  "We were living in that side of the house."

"What sorts of things did he do?"

"Among other things", says Sarah, "He tried to enslave Francois, a black priest who had come to us seeking refuge, and Carl's sister had to bodily rescue him while Doug was about to give him a beating.

"That is so horrible", says Amanda.  "And that man was influencing my son!"

"We're finally rid of him, Doug, I mean", says Jenn.  "We had to call the police to get him out of here."

"What about the black priest?"

"Best leave him be.  Francois is a dear precious man, and he is going to need time to recover from the trauma..."

The Peacock 751

 "So you caught them skulking around in your sex toy and lingerie boutique", says Carl, chuckling.  "Did they buy anything?"

"You would probably want to find out from them", says Amanda, tactfully.  "Is there a problem there?"

"No, not in the least.  I think its funny."

"I'm glad you do", says Sarah, "I'm embarrassed for them."

"Now now!"

"I don't mean that they went to your shop, Amanda, I just don't like the way Carl is carrying on, like they have just committed a great transgression."

"I think it's funny", says Jennifer. 

"But Jenn, you laugh at everything."

"So I do, Sarah.  So I do."

"And that's what I love about you."

"Hear hear", shouts Carl and Amanda now is laughing.

The Peacock 750

 "You don't mean to say that you're all celibate?"

"Most of us are", says Sarah.  "Except for George and Jeffery, they're a married couple, and perhaps", she is eyeing Carl right now.

"Fear not, my love", he says, "I have no stained bedsheets to display."

"I am not going to dignify that with a reply", says Sarah.

"You just did", says Carl, "But seriously, Amanda, as part of our witness to Christ we are all chaste, not by compunction, but by free will."

"So, none of you has taken any actual vows of celibacy."

"No need to.  But we do believe strongly in marriage equality.  Monogamous marriage, that is."

"And that male couple?"

"I think it's hilarious the way you busted them this morning", says Carl, laughing.

"I didn't mean to embarrass them."

"Oh, they'll get over it.  Did you know that they're both Catholic priests?"

"What!"

The Peacock 749

 Amanda is riding in the front seat, and Carl is in the back, seated between Sarah and Jennifer.  I will drive her back to the house after lunch and she can take her truck to her lingerie and toy shop.  She at first was going to drive to the diner alone, then Carl persuaded her that she might enjoy having more time to chat with us in the car. The sun is out, and it is already summer-like warm, unusual for early May.  The alders, cottonwood and giant maple trees are all gleaming with the fresh green of spring.

"I must say, I am certainly enjoying meeting all of you like this.  This is nothing at all like what Tristan had warned me about."

"What has your son been saying about us", says Carl.

"Well, with Tristan one must always consider the source, and also have handy a full box of iodized salt, because you are going to have to take what he says with more than one grain of salt, I'm afraid.  What he did say is that you were operating some kind of cult mixing sex with religion, and that you were all a mob of marauding homosexuals out to attack and deflower vulnerable young men."

"Well, he might be partly right", says Carl.  "Not all of us are straight."

"But", says Sarah, "That doesn't mean straight to bed, either."

"I gathered that as well.  But on the whole, I am finding you all delightful.  And sex positive, more or less."

"Sometimes more, sometimes less", says Jennifer.  "We're all on different journeys."

The Peacock 748

 The visitors, except for Amanda, have left already.  We will be staying for half an hour, then those of us who will not be staying in the house will be going to the diner for lunch.

Carol asks Carl, since he is seated next to her, "What did the nurse want to talk to you and your sister about?  This all seems rather curious."

"Mel, is this a good time to make the announcement", says Carl to his sister.

"They're going to find out sooner or later."

Carl clears his throat.  "There is a reason why Naomi, the public community health nurse, shares in common with us the name Vancouvoerden."  He pauses as though for theatrical effect.  "It is because she is our half sister."

"This is interesting", says Francois.

"Dad", says Melissa, "It turns out that he remarried, without telling us anything.  An aboriginal woman from the local Stolo Nation.  

"He didn't tell you anything", says Maureen.  "That is so strange."

"Before the divorce he was already spending half the year out here, and that is when he met Naomi's mother.  They had an affair of some sort, then when Mom divorced him they married. Naomi was already around six years old"

"How could you have never known or met her?" says Sarah.

"Melissa replies, "Naomi's mother would no longer come anywhere near the house or property.  She insisted it was haunted.  And Naomi just said that for her it has been a very important step to come here to see us and reveal herself to us..."

The Peacock 747

 Jesús, the youngest among us, is the last to get vaccinated.  He returns appearing calm and happy.

"Stay for lunch", says Carl to our visitors

"Yes, I would love to", says Amanda

"We have to get back to the diner", sys Tommy, we are already set up for lunch today.  Coming?"

"I don't see why not.  Amanda, would you like to come?  Lunch is on us."

"We have food here", says Melissa.

"I'll stay", says Glen.

"I as well", says Carol.

"Me too", says Sheila.

"How about Naomi", says Carl.  "Naomi!", he calls.  "Can you stay and visit for a while?"

"I have other calls to make", she replies from the other room.

"Dinner tonight?"

""What time?"

"Six thirty?"

"Yes.  I'll see you then."

The Peacock 746

 They have been sequestered with Naomi for what appears to be a long time, and I am beginning to really wonder.  Carrie is engaging with Sarah and Carol about her career as a music therapist  .  Jennifer and Maureen are both listening with care and interest.  George and Jeffery have been chatting with Lazarus and Adam, it would seem about Lazarus' daughter, who is due to come out and visit soon.  Sheila is talking with her son and her son's ex partner about climate change, and how they are forecasting an unusually hot summer.  Glen appears to be listening raptly  Jesús has just asked me about my work with the dying and I am trying to formulate an answer.  Francois and Amanda are also listening with care for my reply. Carlos and Tommy are chattering together in Spanish, presumably about their diner.  Aaron appears to have left the room, perhaps he is back in his own dimension writing about us all right now.  

"So you are also a folk singer", says Carol to Carrie.  "How charming."

"You say she'll be doing a practicum in Burnaby?  how old is your daughter anyway?" says George.

"All I can say", says Shelia, "Is we are moving into some very uncharted waters.  We have to start adjusting to the unexpected or we are going to perish".

"You must have a very difficult and challenging job", says Jesús.

"Debemos irnos muy rápidos para que todo se prepare, con tal que vienen para almorzar hoy."

Melissa and Carl both return, appearing rather sombre and troubled right now.  Quietly they return to their seats.

The Peacock 745

 This is all going seamlessly.  We are all having fun sitting around to chat and gossip while waiting our turn, and Amanda, as well as Tommy, Carrie and Carlos have definitely added to our little group.

I have just returned from my shot.  Up close, I find Naomi very pleasant, calm, and kind.  Not especially outgoing, but certainly friendly, a woman with a quiet and competent presence.

"So, Amanda", says Tommy.  "Is the church leaving you alone these days?"

"Covid has dampened their ardour", she replies.  "No one has held any protests since last year, thank God."

"They want you to close your shop?" says Carol.

"There is a bit of history there", she replies.  "I am their lost sheep that they want to restore in full repentance to the fold."

"Ewe", says Carlos, as he gets up to get his injection.

"Ewe don't say!" says Amanda laughing.  I am finding myself liking her more and more.  

"Naomi appears at the doorway and says, "Carlos and Melissa, could you both come in together please..."