The Peacock 593

 "The visitations were frequent and regular, and this went on for a few years.  I sometimes saw both of the men in white, but it was always the one with the long hair who would take me aside, to walk with me on the trails, or sit with me on a bench.  We rarely spoke, in fact, I wonder if we really just communicated telepathically.  Never once did he identify himself.  Then one day I asked him, what am I doing here?"

Adam doesn't appear to know what to say next.  He pauses, his face intently focussed, as though trying to remember something.  Melissa has left the room...now she is returning and gives him a glass of water which he eagerly takes and drinks.

Then I said to him, "I can't know what I'm doing here.  I don't even know who I am.  Until when I arrived at the Place of the Transfiguration, I don't even have a clear memory of my life.  That was when he spoke to me.  He said that it is an act of mercy that I have no memories.  And I will continue in this state of forgetfulness for some time to come.  Then he charged me with what I was supposed to tell everyone here.  By the way, this happened just last week."

"What did he tell you?" says Carl...  

The Peacock 592

 Adam says, "I first saw them in the garden one morning in summer, when I was out for a walk just before breakfast.  I think  we had only been here a couple of weeks, Sable.  So, I was walking over toward the magnolia tree, and first I saw a peacock, then one of the two men in white.  This one was particularly tall, and his hair was long, down past his shoulders.  He looked at me, and held me in a long and intense gaze.  I had never seen anyone so beautiful before.  I fell to my knees, then he approached me, lifted me up by the armpits and directed me to the bench, where we sat together.  We didn't say anything.  I just sat there, just an inch or two away from him, silent and stupid, and neither did he seem inclined to say anything.  Then you, Sable, came out looking for me, to call me in for breakfast."

"I remember", says Lazarus.  "but you were alone on that bench.  I didn't see anyone with you."

"Did I never tell you about him?"

"No.  Not ever."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to be jealous."

"No problem", says Lazarus.

"I turned to the man in white, who was still at my side, and asked him if I had permission to leave.  He smiled at me and said, "Go with your friend.  We will see each other again soon."  You're absolutely sure, Sable, that you saw no one there with me."

"As sure as I am that I am talking to you now."

"How very, terribly odd..."

591

 "Adam", says Carl.  "What is it?  How are you?"

Lazarus places his hand on his companion's back.  Adam's eyes are closed, and he appears to be fighting back tears.

"Adam", says Sarah, "It's alright.  You are among friends."

"I'm sorry", says Adam, his voice tremulous.  "I'm so, so sorry.  I should have spoken up.  long ago.  but then, all this shit happened, and then we just had to get out of here.  I didn't know it was so important.  but, yes.  You all should know this.  You all have a right, more now than ever to know."

"To know what?" says Sarah, her voice urgent, almost theatrical.

"I have been in communication with them.  Both of them,.  There are two."

"The men in white?" says Carol, her hands clasped nervously.

"Yes.  The men in white.  They are my friends."

"Your friends.

"Let me explain.  Please."

590

 I speak up: "Twice I have seen a peacock near the magnolia, and on occasion I have heard them  And just today, when we came back from lunch, I had a nap down here on this couch, here, and I dreamed I saw two men in white, each seated in one of the two armchairs here"

"And I also dreamed of a man in white", says Sarah.  "Could anyone please explain to us just what is going on in this place?"

"I only wish I knew how to answer", says Carl.  I haven't seen or heard anything, and, Mel, how about you?"

"No.  Nothing", she says.  "But sometimes this whole place feels kind of strange, creepy sometimes, other times, electric with some kind of energy."

"And they have also appeared in Cosme's journal", says Aaron.

"It seems as though we are being watched", says Carl.

"Protected, I'd say", says Glen.

"Has anyone else here", says Carl,  "Heard or seen anything unusual."

I notice that Adam is struggling to open his mouth to say something, then a strange sound, like a sort of grunt and a groan, slips out of his mouth, then he falls silent.

"Adam", says Carl, "You were going to say something?"

Adam doesn't answer, but his eyes are wide and he appears truly frightened about something...

The Peacock 589

 "There is something that I wish to bring up here", says Glen, who has been quiet so far since we all sat down together.  There is something arresting about him, his soft voice, his quiet, gentle, and very respectful delivery.  Could this man of angelic visage really be the true and natural leader of this community?

"For sometime, some of us, have been aware of other presence, or presences here.  I for one.  And Douglas, for all his flaws and faults, was keenly aware of something haunting this place.  In fact, he was in communication with some of those beings, and this is what I believe must have driven him over into the deep end."

I am suddenly reminded of the two beings in white I saw when I was dreaming this afternoon.

"I have also had some contact here", continues Glen, "With something, or someone quite unusual.  May I explain further, please?  I think this could be important."

"Do proceed, please", says Carl.  "I think we're all ears right now."

"It did happen a couple of times, when I first came to live here.  I would take long solitary walks in the garden, in the very back, near the southern magnolia, and on two...no...three...on three occasions, I saw a peacock."

Oh...My...God!

"And then I would see, just briefly, some kind of bright white presence,.  Then nothing..."

"Nothing?" says Carl. 

"I would simply come to, seated on one of the benches, as though I was coming out of a trance..."

The Peacock 588

 "Maybe you could send her a text.  I seem to be the one who does all the communicating with her."

"Does she want to hear from me?"

"You are her son.  Of course she wants to hear from you.  I haven't told you how much she complains of never getting word from you.  Maybe today you could write her something", says Melissa.

"Like, tell her not to come."

"Tell her how much you miss her."

"You want me to lie."

"Just write her.  Say hi to her."

"As of next week, she'll be seeing me twenty-four and seven.  I'm sure that should be enough."

I am wondering if it is always going to be this way, being a captive audience to this domestic melodrama.  I appreciate Carl's desire for transparency, but this is a bit much, and quite another valid reason for my desire to return to ordinary life.  It is occurring to me what a glass cage this family is, and how unaware both siblings appear to be of any world existing outside.  And there is also this other extraordinary presence, or extraordinary presences haunting this place.  I think I am going to meet privately with Sarah, Jenn and Maureen, about how we can pull these two into some semblance of reality.  Right now, I'm not even certain that I want to stay here long enough to meet Astrid, their mother...

The Peacock 587

 Carl says, his voice and aspect heavy, "This house is a huge weight around our necks.  I cannot describe how much I feel like a hostage, a prisoner here.  I have never known what it is like to have an ordinary life.  Except for my three years of adolescent rebellion on the streets of Amsterdam, I have always lived under my mother's shadow and at her behest.  So, you will all understand my evident lack of enthusiasm about her visit here."

"Carl, she is our mother", says Melissa.

"Oh, shut up", he barks, but more like a low growl.  "She is our fucking jailer.  For me, nothing would please me more than getting my sorry ass out of this sprawling farce."

"But you can't go" his sister says calmly, "And you know this, so might as well stop complaining."

"I'm outa here, Mel."

"You know you can't go.  So let's just get over it, shall we?" she says flatly.

"Mel, if you're afraid of being left alone here, don't.  Come with me.  We could live with Chris.  Or with Maureen and Jenn and Sarah.  We don't have to stay here.  And you know something else?  We're not exactly poor,  Even in legendarily expensive Vancouver, you and I could afford to find a decent place to live, with room to spare for the others."

"But we can't leave the house.  We have responsibilities here."

"Our mother has responsibilities here.  Shouldn't we make it her problem and stop letting her outsource to us her own shit?"

The Peacock 586

 "I also have", say I, "A condo in Yaletown that could easily be converted to a two bedroom.  My thought is two people from here could stay there, and six others in my house, as needed.

"I do want to know one thing, please", says Melissa, trying to conceal her frustration, "Why are you people offering us your homes now?  Isn't it obvious to everyone, that for now, anyway, no one is going anywhere."

"I think it's to bring balance to the community", say I.  "Yes, in an ideal universe we could all live together here in the woods happily ever after, but my last five days here has shown me something quite different.  This place is very troubled, and this house and property could be haunted, perhaps even possessed by some malevolent forces.  Plus, this kind of isolation, long term, is simply not healthy.  Not for anyone, and especially not for either one of you, Carl and Melissa.  This is an incredibly beautiful place you have. A magical place, but it lacks balance.  I think you both should be at least open to the possibility of living part time in the city with us, maybe even alternating between the ladies at Maureen's house, and my place.  We will still be together, maybe not all at once or all in the same place, but we could also reconvene regularly here at the house, perhaps every month or so for a few days.  But if there is one thing that our past three days of hanging out in the diner has been showing me, it has to do with what a component feature of any authentic Christian spiritual reality is spending time with ordinary people in the real world.  Me, I plan to return to my profession as a palliative care nurse, because my spiritual wellbeing depends on this kind of connection with regular people living in ordinary real life situations.  And I think that both of you, Carl and Melissa, really need to come and stay with us in order to learn and absorb this for yourselves.  To me this would be the most meaningful way I could think of giving back to you for the genuine care, friendship and hospitality you have shown me here."

The Peacock 585

 "I think we have forgotten someone", says Matthew.  "Adam and Lazarus, what do you have to say?"

"We have talked about it", says Lazarus ", and right now, we have nowhere to go, so we are falling upon the mercy of the household here."

"Nothing to fall about", says Carl, "Welcome home."

"The thing is", Adam says, "Right now, all other doors appear to be closed to us.  We would be most grateful to stay on here, and this house is very much our home.  But I  think it would also be nice to visit the ladies in  Vancouver sometimes, don't you think, Sable?"

"I also have a house in Vancouver", I mention.  "There is a tenant family there that will be out  in December.  I just got a text from the parish, since they have been handling the house in my absence, and they have agreed that I will be taking possession again.  But there are three bedrooms, and other spaces that could be converted easily into four more bedrooms, and everyone who can fit is welcome as far as I'm concerned." I catch a sideways glance from Carl, and already I am aware that I am going to have three living companions in my father's house, being Carl, Adam and Lazarus.  Don't ask me how I know.  I simply know, as I often before have come to know such things long before they happen...

The Peacock 584

 Carol says, "I for one might consider extending my time here, but I don't know yet.  I will need time to sort things out and make arrangements about my house.  I have been here a very short time, but I have also come to feel strangely at home here, and that very quickly, which for me almost never has happened anywhere else in my life."

"I would like to stay", says Jesús.  "This for me feels like a safe place, and I really like everyone here."

Following a brief and pensive silence, Melissa says, "Then we shall carry the motion that our community here is in transition, and we will all give one another time to work out our own details here.  I believe the next motion is about financing.  I understand that Carl has already informed some of you that my brother and I are the sole sponsors of this house and community.  This is not entirely true, as there is a trust fund that was set up by our grandparents which takes care of the operating expenses of the house here.  Carl and I have been paying for food and other supplies from our own resources which, I am relieved to say, are still very ample.  We also provide from the inheritance we received from our father for our mother and some of the operating costs of her community in Switzerland, which is now about to disband."

"Is that why she is coming here?" says Carol.

"Nothing's written in stone so far", says Carl.

"She hasn't said anything decisive, so far," says Melissa, "But the idea is for her to stay here with us, for a while anyway.  but back to finances.  I also understand from Carl that a number of you already have your own means and are opting to be more self-sustaining.  Do keep in mind that we do welcome any direction towards independence and personal responsibility, but also remember that anyone who is need can be assured that they will go without nothing as long as they are staying here with us.  That said, are there any other comments, questions or concerns about finances here...none?  Alright, then I move that we proceed to the next item of business...

The Peacock 583

 I have managed to persuade Carl to come downstairs with me, no dragging him kicking and screaming.  I feel almost disappointed, and I try to ignore my secret hankering for drama.  We are all present, and have just concluded the collective silence.  Sarah is the first to speak:

"Maureen and Jenn and I have all agreed that you should all know that we plan to leave this house in October.  We are all in the process of returning to work at the library online and this should eventually transition into onsite work.  This has not been for us an easy decision, but our time in this house is almost finished.  We have all been collectively traumatized, and the three of us have prayerfully concluded that we will not recover fully until we have returned to our previous routine.  It is not our intention to leave the community.  We are still going to be in regular contact with everyone here.  We have come to care for all of you as though we are all family.  We will have three spare bedrooms in our home, and we fully expect overnight visitors from among us here.  Should it be appropriate, any three of you here would be welcomed as family, should you decide to stay with us long term."

No one appears ready to comment.  This is something we need time to absorb.  I am worried about Carl, who appears to be struggling not to cry.  My hand instinctively finds his upper back, and I leave it there, feeling the warmth of his body radiate into the skin of the palm of my hand.

"We would be very sad to see you go", says Michael.  "I, for one, am not going anywhere."

"Me neither", says Matthew.  "Glen."

"I have nowhere else to go", he says.  "Sheila?"

"Oh, I'd might as well stay and see how my son behaves.  Not that I expect to make much of a difference with him"

"George?  Jeff?" says Melissa, who appears unusually pensive.

"We plan to stick around for the short term", says Jeff.  "But after Christmas, all bets are off."

"Francios?"  she says.

"My situation feels very fluid right  now..."

The Peacock 582

 "Why don't you come stay with me in Vancouver?"

"We have to look after the house here.  As you can see, it's pretty big."

"And you want us to help you take care of it."

Carl looks at me, a bit peevish.  "You guys, all of you, and especially you, Chris, you have shown me what happiness is."

"And you're afraid it'll all end?"

"Everything's in transition."

"But now, as we observed this morning at prayer, this new community is born.  Shouldn't we see where it all goes.?"

"The ladies are already planning to leave", says Carl, disconsolate.

"And your mom is coming."

"Oh God, don't remind me, please!"

"What is it with you and your mom?"

"That little woman is so fucking powerful.  She is a centrifugal force.  It's all I can do not to get pulled under by her.  And I always get pulled under.  Especially when it's her and Melissa.  They are together unstoppable..."

The Peacock 581

 It is brighter now, despite the cloud and the rain outside.  Carl is now sitting up on top of his bed.  

"Thank you for coming", he says.  "This must be your first time in my room here."

I take one of the armchairs.

"Not going to sit with me?" says Carl.

"I'll sit with you over here.  Get up." 

Carl groans, then slowly pulls his legs to the side of the bed.  "Your wish is my command."  He trudges over to the other chair.

"Did you think I was going to seduce you?"

"The meeting is about to start."

"Oh, yes, the meeting, yet another meeting.  We are all meetings here."

"What's up?"

Carl just looks at me sadly, he is clearly miserable about something.

"What's wrong?"

"Christopher", he says.  "Why don't you stay with us here?"

The Peacock 580

 Glen and Sheila both come and sit down in armchairs, followed by Maureen, then Jeff, George, Jesús, Francois, Michael, Matthew, and Sarah, and Jenn, everyone except Carl.

"Where is he?" says Melissa testily.  She picks up her phone, presumably sending her brother a text.

"Where is his bedroom?" say I.  "I can go check."

"Thanks", says Melissa, "Second floor, first room on the left from the staircase."

I have not been yet to Carl's actual bedroom, and I feel a certain trepidation as I ascend the stairs.  The door appears firmly closed and I knock on it, three knocks.  I knock again, louder.  I can hear Carl mumble something.

"It´s Christopher.  Can I come in?"  I don't hear anything, so I open the door.  The room is dark because the curtains are drawn, on both of the tall windows.  It is a large, beautifully appointed room, and reminds me of a luxury suite in a high end hotel.  There are some lovely armchairs, a coffee table a desk, and on a wide double bed in the corner the inert form of Carl.  He lifts his head, and smiles wanly.

I am afraid of moving any closer from the door.  "The meeting's about to start.  Are you coming?"

"Oh, Christopher", he says softly.  "Come sit on the bed with me."

"How about if I open the drapes."

"Yes, please do..."

The Peacock 579

 "I picked him up hitch hiking and we took him with us for lunch"

"You should have just left him in the rain", says Melissa.

"It would have been too unkind."

"As if..." she says, "But I see your point.  I commend you for your compassion and mercy.  He didn't come back with you, I hope."

"His mother picked him up at the diner.  Or, at least we assume it was his mother."

"What did you all talk about?" says Carol.

"Mostly Tristan didn't participate.  He just sat there, ate and looked miserable.  Then he threw a homophobic slur at George and Jeff and stormed out and shortly after his mother came to get him.  How was your lunch here?"

"It was quite lovely", says Carol.  "Grilled cheese sandwiches and salad, and more pie for dessert, as if we could hold any more.  You should have stayed."

"I concur", says Melissa.

"I think for now, we are going to keep going out for lunch.  It would be really awesome if everyone came."

"Someone's got to keep the home fire burning", mumbles Melissa.  "And where is  my brother, we're due to begin.."

The Peacock 578

 We appear to have returned to an empty house, the downstairs anyway, and given the rain today, I can only assume that everyone is upstairs, perhaps in their own rooms.  We all naturally disperse, each to their own room or section of house, as though we are needing time away from each other before we regroup.   The rain, and all the food I have just eaten have left me feeling lazy and drowsy, and just as I am headed towards my room, I am twinged by an intuition, that I should really be downstairs, instead.  One of the sofas in the small reception room should do just fine.  I throw myself onto the cushions and stair out the French window at the falling rain.  I am yawning, and a strange micro dream of two men in white seated opposite in different chairs grabs my attention, and then...

When I awake, Carol is occupying one of the chairs, reading a magazine, and Melissa is seated in the other, looking at her laptop.

"Hello", say I.

"We're not disturbing you, I hope", says Carol.

"No, not at all", I reply, without moving.  "How long have I been asleep."

"I came in here about half an hour ago", says Carol.  "How about you, Melissa?"

"I was in here just ten minutes before you.  Chris was probably just falling asleep when I arrived."

"How was your lunch?" Carol asks.

"Great.  We had a great time.  And you'll never guess who we met along the way?"

"Tristan?" says Melissa.

"How did you guess?"

"Doesn't take a genius"

The Peacock 577

 "Can you tell us a bit about the story?" says Jennifer.

"From what I can remember, it is kind of an adventure in magic realism, where a young Canadian with a mental health condition has been living as an adopted son with a family in northern Mexico.  He embarks on a wander which turns into a bizarre, surreal and hallucinatory Odyssey, that lands him in a mental hospital.  I titled it the Plumed Serpent, because there is a lot of imagery and symbolism from Aztec mythology.  

"That sounds fascinating", says Sarah.  When can we start?"

"Are we in the story?", says Jesús, chuckling.

"Would you like to be in the story?" says Aaron.

"Maybe if I get to be the hero", he says.

Jenn says, "What's this I hear that you are also writing about us?"

"It's kind of a long story" says Aaron.

"I can only imagine", she says.  "Pun intended, by the way?"

"Might as well be intended", says Aaron laughing out loud.  "It might as well be!"

The Peacock 576

 The drive back to the house is strangely quiet, at first anyway.  We all seem to have a lot to digest and absorb right now, along with the great abundance of food we have just gorged on for lunch.  Five days I have been here, and already there is talk of my staying in perpetuity with Carl and Melissa.  But now, there is also talk of everyone moving out and moving on.  But of course with all the nonstop drama and weirdness in the last several days, I think we're all feeling a bit battered and confused right now.  And I still don't know what to do about Eric.  I think I am going to ask him to delay his coming, anyway, as this pandemic continues to unfold and play out, and since I really don't know where I am going to be living yet in September, or even in June, July or August..

Aaron is with me in the front seat, and has been quietly looking out the window since we left the diner. In the back, Jesús and Sarah are suddenly striking up a conversation about Colombia and Jenn appears to be listening intently. 

"So, Aaron", I say suddenly.  "you are a writer, right?"

"Among other things, I would imagine", is his reply.

"What other sorts of things have you written, besides us, I mean."

He pauses for a while, as if to think rather hard, then he says, "There is a story of mine I would like to share with everyone.  Most of it, I wrote in Spanish, but last year I began an English translation, and, as I am translating it, maybe I could share it with everyone."

"That sounds like a great idea", chimes Sarah... 

The Peacock 575

 And now, suddenly, it is occurring to me that I also might have something to contribute.  Two things. actually.  My condo, and my father's house.  It is a three bedroom house that I grew up in, and it could be easily converted into a five bedroom, given that there is also a family room, and an office, and both could be sleepable.  The church has taken care of it for now, but the student couple with the two kids who are being housed there right now will be leaving in December.  I have legal title, and what I say goes, which means that the church will have to do as I say concerning the  house.   As Aaron would say, it's in the contract.  And this time we do have an actual written contract.  And my condo could be classed as a one bedroom, but there is also a den that could be made into a bedroom.  So then, with Maureen, Jenn and Sarah back in their house, along with, theoretically, anyway, George, Jeffery, Carl and Melissa, and I could take in, let's see, Francois, Adam, Lazarus, and maybe Michael and Matthew.  Which would still leave Glen and Sheila, and I can't imagine Michael going anywhere without his mother.  But wait a minute.  There is that large rec room in the basement, and it could be divided into two bedrooms, and that would take care of everyone.  provided that is, that Carol and Jesús will both be returning to their own places, and I don't think that Aaron would be prepared to give up his little apartment either.

What I want to know right now is, why are we suddenly all talking about moving?  Is something going to happen?  Is Mrs. Vancoevorden going to put up the mansion for sale, or perhaps something worse is going to happen?  Or maybe is it soon going to be time for everyone, and especially for our beloved hosts, to return to the real world? 

Without further ado, we step out into the rain on our way to the three cars that have taken us to the diner.  The conversation this afternoon is going to be very interesting...

The Peacock 574

 "Do you accept couples?" says George.

"Are you guys okay about sharing a bedroom?" says Jennifer.

"Um, Jenn", says Sarah, patiently, "George and Jeffery are a married couple.  Of course they are going to be okay about sharing a room."

"Oh, yes.  Right" says Jennifer, blushing visibly as only the Nordics can go red in the face.  "What was I thinking?"

"Or", says Aaron, "What?  Were you thinking?  Punctuation you know."

"Touché", says Jennifer.

"Don´t worry about it, Jenn", says Jeffery.  "With all the ups and downs we are all going through right  now, I am surprised that any of us are able to get anything right."

Carl, right now, is looking very pale and very worried.

"Carl", says Sarah, "Why don't you and Melissa also join us.  There's room for everyone."

"But, the house", he says, clearly trying to control his panic.  "Who is going to take care of our house?  and what will we do once you guys are gone?"

"Your mom's coming next week", says Michael.  "Shouldn't you make that her problem?"

"Oh, yes", says Carl, "My mother.  My dear old mother..."

The Peacock 573

"I move that we talk more about these matters when we get back to the house", says Sarah.  "Melissa really should be part of this conversation, as well as Sheila and Glen. "

"And some are going to eventually want to return to work and civilian ordinary life", says Francois.  "We have to start drawing up exit plans for those that want to leave."

"That might be easier said than done", says Aaron.  "and I speak from some personal experience.  When my own Christian community disbanded some almost thirty years ago, I was living alone and independently for the first time in six years.  It was not only difficult readjusting to civilian life, as Francois calls it, it was downright impossible.  Within a couple of years I ended up homeless.  And it isn't just because I was unprepared, but because everything had changed so much, the work culture, the cost of living, everything.  I no longer had the cushion of community to fall back on, and eventually my life imploded."

"I think that Aaron is right", says Carl, "and I don't even have a clue what it's like out there for most people.  But I really think that everyone should look at the likelihood that we are all going to be together for the long haul.  Maybe forever."

"I think it's time for all of you to know something", says Sarah.  Turning to Jennifer, she asks, "Is it okay with you if I disclose?"

"Sure, go ahead", says Jennifer.

"As you know, Jennifer and I have already lived several years with Maureen in her house in the Shaughnessy district of Vancouver.  It is quite big, six bedrooms, and we could easily fit more people, up to three more besides us.  The thing is, you guys, that the three of us women have been talking secretly about this, especially with Doug finally gone.  Maureen had let the house to a tenant the last three years, but they are moving on in the fall, and the three of us have already decided to take occupancy again.  We expect to do okay, but we would also like any three others here to prayerfully consider joining us.."

The Peacock 572

 "Spoilsport!" quips Carl.

George says, "As long as that goose keeps laying them golden eggs, we ain't having her for Christmas dinner."

"Nor Easter, nor Thanksgiving", concurs Jeffery.

"You guys really are gifted at blackmail", says Sarah.

"It was an out of court settlement.  Actually it was their idea", says Jeffery.

"So", says George", the upshot is, we're really okay financially for now, so we don't need your money.  I mean, we have been really grateful for it, but Carl, we're already your friends. besides, you know, it's really Adam and Lazarus we're worried about, because they have nothing."

"Is this true", says Carl, looking at Adam and Lazarus.  They both nod, pensive.  "And how about the ladies?"

"We're all basically okay", says Sarah.  "Priscilla left me quite a generous amount, a lot of it's invested, but really, I'm okay, plus, the library has asked me to return to work for them, online during the pandemic, so that's what I plan on doing for a while anyway.  Maureen is also okay.  Her husband died a few years ago, but was quite a bit older, wealthy, and left her some generous benefits.  How about you Jennifer?"

"I still have some savings from the agreement from my ex husband , but they are limited, and without Carl's generosity I could perhaps survive okay for another couple of years."

"Should I be hearing all this?" says Tommy, getting up from his chair.

"Well, you've heard it, but dude, it's only money, so chill, eh?" says Carl  "We're all friends here..."

The Peacock 571

Sarah stands behind Carl, both her hands resting on his shoulders, while he tries to compose himself.   Jennifer is also touching his arm from where she is seated.  Everyone is quiet and appears strangely moved, if a little embarrassed, and Tommy just sits there taking it all in.  Carl dabs his eyes with a serviette, squeezes Sarah's left hand with his right, and mumbles, "Thanks, you guys.  Sorry..." Then smiling, he says, "Hey, at least my sister isn't here to see any of this", and we all start laughing.  

We all wait for a while, smiling, then Matthew says,"You have been incredibly generous to us, Carl.  But", and here he pauses awkwardly, as though not knowing how to spit out what he has next to say, then says it," I think at our next meeting, we need to talk more about money.  I mean, especially now that Douglas is gone."

"We could put you in charge as treasurer and I could administer to you the funds, whatever you need", says Carl.

"That is something I am not willing to do", says Matthew.  "And besides, some of us already have independent incomes.  I and Glen and Sheila, for example all receive government pensions, Francois is still on the Catholic payroll, and I understand that George and Jeffery are still being generously remunerated by the abbey in exchange for their silence..."

"Which is also why we are not telling you any of the juicy details", quips George...

The Peacock 570

 "You mean to say that Jesus approves of bribery?" says Michael.

Says Aaron, "He doesn't really care about where the dough comes from, he just wants us to be generous with it.  The boss of the dishonest steward was really selfish and stingy, and so of course he was going to let him go.  He wanted to keep all his money.  But that isn't the way of Christ, who wants us to be generous, and yes, to even buy as many friends as we can with the largess."

"So, Carl", says Sarah, "it doesn't really matter if you're being fiscally prudent or not.  You are being generous.  In fact, brother, I know we have our differences sometimes, but let me tell you one thing.  I have never in my life known someone so generous as you are."

"You know", says Jennifer, "Sarah is absolutely spot on.  And how do you do it, you and Melissa, I mean."

"Our father, when he died", says Carl, "Left Melissa and I each a very generous legacy.  He came from tremendous wealth and privilege himself.  Our mom is kind of horrified with the way we spend on you guys, especially me, my sister tends to be somewhat restrained, but to me, it is such an honour and privilege to be able to help.  I mean, what else would I do with the money myself?  I already have way more than enough, and enough investments to keep me afloat for three hundred years, so what am I going to do with all the excess, let it rot in a bank vault?  no, and you guys all mean far too much to me.  I..I really hope we will always be part of each other's lives.  I mean, I see us all as being on a journey together.  And that doesn't mean that you all have to stay here with me, everyone is free to leave if and when they want, but please, not all of you at once, because I would miss you terribly, but, you guys,... I think we'll always be part of each other's lives, wherever we go...And...I think I'm going to cry..."

The Peacock 569

 "And then after, everyone can come here for lunch", says Tommy.  "It'll be on the house."

"No way, man", says Carl, "There's fourteen of us and you need the payola.  We are paying our way."

"Alright, if you insist."

"But thanks just the same.  That's very generous of you", says Carl. 

"We're also really grateful", says Sarah ", that we can come to your place here.  We get really stir crazy at times.

"Who funds you guys, anyway", says Tommy.

"We have a handsome sugar daddy named Carl", says Michael, smiling mischievously.

"What?" says Tommy, "You don't mean to say you're bankrolling everything?"

"His family is filthy rich", says Michael.

"Hey", says Carl, "I know that money can't buy happiness, but it has bought me some pretty awesome friends."

"Just like the Dishonest Steward", says Jennifer.

"Come again?" says Tommy.

"That was a parable of Jesus", says Sarah.  "It is about this butler who was going to get fired for embezzlement, so he decided to use his master's money to buy him some new friends."

"And what did Jesus think of that?" says Tommy.

"He thought it was a great idea", says Sarah.

"Huh?..."

The Peacock 568

 "Long story", says Jeffery, "But let's say we had to get out to protect our mental health."

"They must have been pretty strict."

"Nothing pretty about what we went through there", says Francois, "Nothing pretty at all."

"Well", says Tommy  ", I guess you don't have to tell me the details."

"Precisely because", says Jeffery  ", We don't have to.  And we are not going to."

"We still have to figure out the legal details and implications", says Francois.

"Hm", says Tommy.  "Anyone for more pie or coffee?"

"Come visit us", says Carl.  "Have you been jabbed yet?"

"For covid, my turn is coming up in a couple of months.  I'm still in my thirties."

"We're all getting it tomorrow", says Carl.  "Because of our unique living arrangements, my sister and I have managed to persuade the public health people to give us special status.  Since we're coming here all the time anyway, Why don't you guys come over tomorrow to get poked with us.  I'm sure they'll let you ."

"What time tomorrow?" says Tommy.

"Can you be there at ten?"

"How do I find your place?"

"Take the North Road, about five kilometres, then you will see a gravel road on the left.  It's another three K or so, but follow it to the end and you will find our driveway, and then you will see the big house.  Bring Carlos and your wife"

"Okay."

"And we will have coffee and goodies to serve you, so please come and let us reciprocate the hospitality", says Sarah.

The Peacock 567

 "So", says Tommy, seating himself next to Carl.  "You guys are like a monastery."

"Without the frills", says Carl.  "And we're co-ed.  And we're not all Catholic.  And really, we're kind of informal.  And really, right now, we seem to be all caught in a state of transition.",

Matthew says, "We used to be, until just today, two separate communities coexisting under one roof.  And just today we have all amalgamated.  We think it's going to be better this way."

"Plus", says Jennifer, " we come from rather diverse backgrounds."

"Anything to do with the Benedictines across the valley?"

"Some are refugees", says Carl.  "Jeff and George, for example, are from the Abbey.  And Francois, as well. Matthew, Michael, Adam and Lazarus, along with two others who are back at the house right now, come from a  different, interdenominational group that started on Vancouver Island.,  And Sarah, Jennifer, and another lady who is at the house right now, all kind of filtered in together from the Anglican Church.  Plus, we have our guests here, Aaron, Christopher, Jesús, and Carol who is also back at the house. "

"You said refugees from the abbey?" says Tommy.

"That is exactly what he said", says George.   "And what he meant."

"What happened there?"

The Peacock 566

 "Not far at all", says Carl.  "We're maybe ten kilometres from here, up the north road."

"You guys all live in a mansion, right?", says Tommy.

"It was built by my great grandfather, over a hundred years ago."

"There've been some interesting stories about your place", says Tommy.

"Likely, most of them are true", replies Carl.

"There was once a nudist colony there?"

"That too.  But you're a bit late for that now.  We all keep our clothes on", says Carl.  "Except when we're taking a shower, otherwise we're never naked."

"Almost never", says George, giggling, and glancing at Jeffrey.

"Yep", says Jeffrey, nodding with a sad little smile on his face.  "Almost never."

The Peacock 565

 It's probably almost time for us to go back, but no-one seems quite ready to move.  Jennifer seems a picture of contentment, relaxing between Sarah and George.  She hasn't spoken much, and even if she has a lot to sayo, is probably going to be sparing with her words.  She strikes me as a kind of Nordic earth mother, rather like a mature goddess Freya.  I don't think she is one to easily lose her countenance.  

"I've never been here before", she says.  "What a nice diner.  And the food is just out of this world.  How often do we get to come here?"

"Every day, as we are able and willing", says Carl.  

"Thanks, you guys", says Tommy approaching again with two full pots of coffee.  "Can I get everyone super high on caffeine today?" Then, looking to Carl, he says dryly, "What?  No beer today?"

"I'm cut off", he says, with near faked bitterness.

"That's no fun", says Tommy, "how come?  Designated driver?"

"Designated role model"

"He's our designated leader", says Sarah.

"What are you guys.  A religious cult?"

"Something like that", says Carl, "Why don't you guys come over to visit sometime and get converted to the true faith."

Tommy chuckles and says, "Where do you guys live anyway?"

The Peacock 564

 "How did Father Griffin come to know them?" ask I

"St. James", says Matthew, "His parish church.  the way he told it anyway, Doug and Tristan were staying at a homeless shelter, where they met and became friends.  They used to attend St. James for Sunday mass, and would congregate with the faithful afterward for coffee and buns with marmalade in the church hall.  Apparently, Doug was already a controversial figure then, very charismatic, and seemed to be looked up to as a kind of de facto rebel lord.  The local poor and homeless would attend church with him, and afterward they would descend on the hall for the buns and coffee.  But Helen, the lady who coordinated the food and beverages, would have none of that.  She hated them and all the homeless people who came there, especially the men.  She was an old Ukrainian woman with a very rigid and set view of things and like so many old Ukrainians of her class and vintage, was also a terrible poor basher.  She thought they were all bums who refused to work for a living.  So, one Sunday, she tried to take the buns out of the reach of the local homeless and Doug intervened, grabbing the tray of buns from her hands and telling her, "They can have the buns you fucking bitch.  They are people who Jesus loves."  Well, Helen went straight to Father Griffin who told her in exactly those words to get over it.  She was never a problem again."

"I have some of my own memories about that woman", says Aaron.  "And yes, she was just deplorable.  We really locked horns over breakfast at the clergy house a couple of times.  She never spoke to me again.

"It seems to me", says Sarah, "that a couple of years ago she was inducted into the Anglican Hall of Fame, I think it's real name is the Order of New Westminster."

"Yeah", says Aaron, "it's the Anglican Order of Canada.  "I don't know what she did to earn their respect, but the archdiocese really doesn't know their head from their ass when it comes to anything that really matters.

"Hear hear!" says Carl.  "I'll drink to that", and he holds up his glass of ice tea...

"Oh, you'll drink to anything", says Aaron.

"

The Peacock 563

 "Tristan came here with Doug, three years ago", says Matthew.  "In fact, it was I who received them when Father Griffin drove them up here in his car.  Strange as it seems, we bonded right away, I mean me with both Tristan and Doug.  They both looked so sad and broken, my heart completely went out to both of them.  I took them into our wing of the house, and gave them lunch.  They seemed so grateful for any evidence of care that was shown to them.  I at first felt saddened when the rest of the community didn't appear to welcome them, but I was also aware that they were both holding themselves aloof, as though suddenly they decided they were better than everybody, and that I should feel myself honoured that they should deign welcome me into their private little circle of two.  Father Griffin had already informed us that they, especially Doug, had real gifts in leadership as well as things of the Spirit, and that we should allow them, for a while anyway, to take the helm in this place.  Well, whether we wanted them or not, they only too gladly stepped into the role, and we all know what happened after that.

"I only wish I could know just why I stayed so devoted to those two, even if they did treat me rather monstrously..."