1916

"How long did you live with us?" "Five years minus four months and three days. I am doing the math and this all seems to square. Kenny disappeared-I can no longer say he died-just three days before Christmas, December 22, 1996.  I had recently turned twenty.  he came to live with us, when?  Three days, would have been the twenty-fifth.  Plus four months, January Februrary, March, April.  Yes, the tulips were in their full glory the day he came to live with us.  "you were twirling in an abandonment of rapture at the sight of our tulips the day you came to live with us." "Are they still there?" "They didn't survive longer than a couple of more years.  We kind of let the garden go, I'm afraid." "Oh Christopher, you and Jim, between you must have had twenty brown thumbs." And he always referred to Dad, not as your dad, but as Jim.   "Where was your bedroom?" "Second floor next to yours, and we shared a bathroom." "Where was the bathroom?" "Both our bedrooms were at opposite ends of the hallway.  The bathroom was in between" "What direction faced the bathroom?" "From my bedroom door it was on the left."  Do I pass?" "In spades, baby, in spades!" "Oh darling, you know how to set a girl's heart aflutter!"  And now we are all laughing and Kenny and I are laughing the loudest and the hardest because those were classic coded lines in our friendship that we often used.

1913

Carl has just gotten a text from Melissa, his sister.  Next to me in the  front seat he says, "Get your ass back here right now.  The RCMP have a search warrant and they want you present for the proceedings." "What could this possibly be about?" says Erik from behind. "I'll ask her...wow, my darling little blister is right on the ball today..."they want to conduct a search with dogs for human remains tomorrow morning.  You have to be there to answer questions." "Are you driving out tonight?"  say I. "I haven't a moment to waste.  Chris, I'll buy you the next twenty tanks of gas if you don't mind turning around and driving me there." "We'll have to ask my brother-in-law." "I don't mind another adventure today", quips Erik "Kenny?" "Your wish is my command." And now I am taking a left at Arbutus, from where I am going to take Twelfth Avenue to the Trans Canada highway.

The Peacock 1911

In silent consensus we are all getting up to leave.  I am leading, but something is twigging in me about Aaron who is working on a coloured drawing at his window table.  I pause for a closer look, and it is a beautiful rendering of a resplendent quetzal, the bird that is also the name of Sarah's combined astrological sign.   "That is really beautiful", say I to Aaron.   "Thank you", he replies, "It keeps me away from drugs."  The gleam in his eye tells me this is indeed Aaron and he recognizes me.  "How are you guys?" "We're getting by.  This is turning into quite a story." "It is indeed.  And we are nowhere near finished writing it." "You can say that again", says Carl,  The others are standing waiting for us by the door. After standing awkwardly with nothing more to say, Aaron says, "We have to continue writing this novel.  There is much that depends on this.  We are all participants."  We are still immobile, still with nothing further to say. "You guys had better get going to your father's house, Christopher.  You are needed there...."

The Peacock 19i0

"So that really is it", say I musing aloud.  "Jesus said the dimensions would come together, and we would begin to notice immediately the change." And who should this be coming in through the coffee shop door but our own creator and author, sort of.  Aaron.  He doesn't appear to notice or heed our presence as he dumps his shoulder bag on a comfy chair by the window and goes to the counter to make his order.  In silence we watch as he stands aside to await his americo.  We are really all too spellbound to say anything to him, or to one another. As he picks up his cup, ceramic for here, and carries it to his table by the window, Carl calls to him "Aaron!"  He pauses, looks around then through us as though to him we are invisible, then proceeds to his seat. "Do you think he's ignoring us?" say I. He doesn't see us", says Kenny.  "Jesus tried to explain it to me as we were about to leave.  "The merging of the dimensions will mean that from now on because Aaron is writing us, that we are going to exist in his imagination only.  He will no longer be popping in on us, uninvited or otherwise...."

1909

"That is amazing news about Jesús", says Erik. "Miraculous", I concur. "Does he have any plans of returning", says Carl.  "I'm going to miss him." "Send him a text", say I, "Ask him." "I don't have his contact. Could you?" "Jesús", I text.  "That is such amazing news.  God is so good."  But we are going to miss you.  Are you coming back to Canada.."  Send. "You know", says Amaris to Kenny.  "Benjamin Butterfield is already taken.  It's the name of a famous tenor." "Do you think he'll sue?" "No more than John Smith", quips Carl. "Here's A reply from Jesús.  "My mother needs me with her right now.  She has bad arthritis and needs help in the home.  But I will let you know.  I miss all of you.  At least Colombia is safe for me to live now." "Now that our dimensions have come together", muses Amaris. I text, "Jesús, why has Colombia become safe?" "It seems to have always been safe.  At least the evil network seems to have never existed." I text, "Are there still other dangers in Colombia?"" "Nothing else has changed.  But I now am safe...."

The Peacock 1918

"Kenny", say I, "Or, I mean, Benjamin..." "Kenny is still my name and you are all welcome to call me Kenny.  But please, do it discreetly." "What are you going to do now that...now that you're back?" "My partner has just bought me out in the florist shop in Duncan, which means that now I can retire.  I do have my condo in Duncan, but it's all paid for, and I am happy to still live there part time, Christopher, that is to say, if you would be happy to receive me back into your father's house." "It is a bit full right now, but in a couple of days there'll be room.  It all depends on what Jesús does." "From whom I have just received a text", says Carl.  He says, "Hi.  I am in Bogotá, and miraculously recovered.  Right now I am walking and talking and texting and eating normal food.  ¨Praise be to Jesus!" "There is room for sure.  Can you come back with us tonight?" Kenny holds forth his backpack and with a grin and a wink says, "Neither Harriet nor Jesus would let me leave without at least my toothbrush and razor.and deodorant too..."

The Peacock 1907

"There were others here with you", says Amaris, smiling while regarding the orphan beverages. "Lawrence is gone, and the others, Stella, and Caspar are still at the refuge..." "And there they are going to remain. They are both, with Sven, in very good hands". "So, what are you guys going to do now that you're out, I mean", says Carl, and now his phone is ringing..."It's Sarah", he says, turning on speakerphone.  "Hello Sarah, where are you guys?" "Carol and I are both in her townhouse and we are about to have tea.  How are you guys?" "We are in the coffee shop, Waves on Broadway.  It's like we never left." "Is it Monday or Tuesday?" "It's still Monday.  We will find that we are all resuming our normal lives and activities as though nothing happened." "Nothing happened indeed!" she snorts. I call over, "We  should all meet together tomorrow at my house.  We could do it in the morning." "Let me check with Carol, but I can certainly be there" "And...Sarah?" says Carl.  "absolutely no one is to hear about where we just were.  No one.  At least until we've all had a chance to debrief together" "Oh, on my honour", she says....