The Peacock 1395

Sarah picks up on the first ring. "Hello" "Hi Sarah, it's Christopher (I am still referring to myself as Christopher. I can live with Chris, but my father always called me Christopher. No matter what they call me, I will always be Christopher.) "Good morning, Christopher. Did you sleep well last night?" (She got my name right!) "Quite well." "And how about Jesús, is he being a problem?" Oh, yes, Sarah, you re the queen of tact. "All good. He's right here. Sarah, I was wondering if you would like to come over for lunch today at two. Carol too." "That would be lovely." "You see, Amanda, you remember Amanda? She wants to come over and so does Carl's half-sister, the nurse, Naomi, and someone I'd like you to meet. Oh, and Melissa will be here too." "This sounds important." "I don't know what is up, but I believe your right." "Okay. See you at two..."

The Peacock 1394

Carl's phone is ringing. He picks it up. "Hello?...Hi Naomi. Yes, fine, how are you?.. I think that would be okay. Let me check with Chris...Chris, Naomi wants to know if Cynthia, my cousin can also join us, they were just on the phone and she has time this sfternoon" "I don't see why not. I am just curious as to why." "I'll ask...Sure, she will be very welcome. But what's the occasion... Oh...Yes...I see. Okay, we will be waiting with baited breath"...he puts down his phone. "Apparently, some new evidence has been just uncovered that might help answer a few of our questions." His phone rings again..."Yes, Mel...I think that would be a great idea. It's about time you got out of there, even if just for a few hours. We will give you a royal welcome...In fact, lets see if later you can get out to Richmond to see mom with me. Okay, we'll talk then..." "Melissa too?" "You're okay with that." "Yes, it will be great to see all of them." "Sarah should also be here." "I'll call her", say I...

The Peacock 1393

"How does one turn down having sex with Dan Savage?" says Jeffrey. "Simple. I just told him you're disgusting. Fuck off. And then Stella came downstairs and told him to leave. "Did he still write an article about her." "Yes, but it was really nasty and vindictive, the old queen, and he wrote about what a pathetic waste of DNA Stella was and about the piece of drug addicted rough trade, me, she was banging in her canal townhouse. Having tons of cash at her disposal, Stella sued him and they settled out of court. He wrote a repentance article about her and afterward never said a peep." "That is very impressive", says George. Carl says, looking at his phone, "I just got a text from Amanda. She wants to bring Naomi with her." "Naomi?" say I. "My half-sister. The nurse who poked us for covid last week." "Sure, bring her along." "Poked by nursey", says George giggling wickedly

1392

"Geraldine Bang-Bang?" says Jeffrey. "What does she write about?" "Think of a kinder and gentler Dan Savage" says Carl. "You know about Dan Savage?" says George. "I happen to know Dan Savage", says Carl. "No way." "How did you guys meet", says Jeffrey. "Or is this anything the rest of us need to know." "Long time ago, when I was a teenage boy hooker along the canals of Amsterdam. He was in town to interview my friend Stella, a transwoman ho with boobs and a dick." "Stop right there", says George. "I think you have already provided us with plenty of details." "And in case you happen to wondering, O ye of little faith, absolutely nothing happened." "You turned him down?" says Jeffrey. "In a word, yes." And now Jesús is laughing is head off.

The Peacock 1391

"What's the plan today?" say I as we tuck into the cheese and mushroom omelette that Francisco and Jesús have just prepared for us. We are all at table now. It is cloudy and chilly today, threatening rain, so no one has ventured onto the patio. Says Carl, "I have just finished the article about Amanda. she wants to come out today and have lunch with me. I asked her about coming here and she has agreed." "What time" say I. "Two. Would that be okay. Sorry Chris, I should have checked with you first." "No worries." "Chelsea is coming over to cut our hair, yes?" wonders Carl. "She confirmed with me last night. "we could see if Amanda could stay for dinner and maybe they could meet each other." "Do you think that would be a good idea?" "Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" says George. "They might only want to encourage each other. I don't think you guys know the wyole story, but Chelsea writes a sex advice column under the name Geraldine Bang-Bang, and Amanda owns a sex and lingerie shop." "They would be simply wicked together", says George. "That", say I, "Is exactly what I am afraid of...

The Peacock 1390

"So" says George, while stirring his coffee, "What about our dinner guests last night?" "Chelsea and Dorothy", I reply. "It looks like they're our neighbours." "They wouldn't happen to be a couple", wonders Jeffrey. "Dorothy is the widow of Chelsea's mother, who passed away recently." "Ah yes", says George. "Now it's coming together." "Are we going to meet the tranny Anglican priest", says Jeffrey. "you mean transgender", corrects his husband. "Oh whatever. Everyone's so touchy these days", he says getting up. "Hey, where ya goin'" says George. "I am going to take off my nighty and make myself presentable." "But not in front of everyone." "Oh you're such a spoilsport", he says, lifting George's face by the chin and grinning wickedly into his face. "And now excuse me everyone while I clean up my act", says Jeffrey, sashaying out of the kitchen...

The Peacock 1389

"How are we for eggs?" "Serious? You want me to cook you an omelette? I will if we all want." "I help you", says Jesús, getting up and going to the fridge. "Yes, we still have egggs. At least twenty." "But they´re going to go pretty fast", say I. "We should do a grocery trip today." Jeffrey appears in the doorway, in a burgundy velour bathrobe. I can see the bottoms of his blue and white striped jammies. "I trust everyone slept well", he says, pouring himself coffee and seating himself where Jesús was just sitting. "And good morning to you too, Jeffrey", says Carl smiling. "Francois and Jesús are about to cook everyone an omelette." "Don't mind if I do." George comes out fully dressed in a navy blue polo shirt and beige tight-fitting slacks. "What are you doing still in your nighty", he says to his husband. "Sitting at table with these handsome men and feeing absolutely fabulous."

The Peacock 1388

One other thing in my dream", he says, now that the three of us are at table together munchng on toast and coffee. An egg. Big egg. With cracks, and blood coming through cracks." First a good swallow of bitter black coffee, to brace myself. And now, "What colour was the egg?" "Blue. Turquoise. Very beautiful turquoise. And bleeding throught cracks. "That is so intersting", says Carl. "Any other details." "One thing", says Jesús, pausing to spread peanut butter on his toast. "My fingernails. They were long, sharp, like claws. And painted black." "I also dreamed of eggs. Same color, turquoise", say I, but I am not ready to go into detail, this is just too strange right now, plus, it is rather early in the morning for strange. François comes in, silently, like a stalking panther, pours himself coffee and pops more bread in the toaster. "Good morning" says Carl. "Morning", he echoes. "Did you sleep well?" "Like a log. You?" "Tossed and turned. Not too bad. These two were dreaming about eggs." "Does that mean I should cook us all an omelette", says Francois, smiling...

The Peacock 1387

His hair is wet from the shower and he is dressed simply in a white T shirt and blue jeans. "Good morning, Jesús ", says Carl. "Good morning, Carl", he replies, and refusing to let me off the hook for not greeting him says emphatically to me, "Good morniing Christopher. Did you sleep well." "Pretty good. And you?"" "Dreams. Lots of dreams", he says sitting down next to me, across from Carl, who gets up. "Coffee and toast for you, jesús", he says. "Yes, please." To me he says, "I dreamed mostly with birds. Lots of birds. Pigeons, big black birds, crows, i think, seagulls, and the ocean, and I kept seeing this through the night." And now I am rememering a dream. A nest with four robins' eggs, but a more vibrant turquoise, and much bigger, like goose eggs, and one of them was cracking open, with blood flowing through the cracks. I am not going to mention it. Not yet, anyway...

The Peacock 1386

"What did you and Jesús get up to last night", he says, presenting me a plate with two slices of toast, followed by jars of peanut butter and jam. "Nothing." "You were in his room." Choking back a couple swear words, I reply with the utmost civility, "I was bringing him bedding." "And nothing else." "What were you doing spying on us?" "I noticed just when I was on my way upstairs. Chris, be careful with him. He has an agenda with you. It's all over him." "Yes", I reply, smearing strawberry jam on top of the peanut butter. "I know." "But nothing else happened"" "he stripped down to his underwear and lay on the bed expecting I'd join him." "And, did you?" "No. i kissed him on the forehead then went to my father's. I mean, to my room. I am not going to disgrace his memory like that, if that's what you are concerned about." "I'm concerned about Jesús. He appears to be hiding something." "He's hiding a lot", and now Jesús appears like a magical fairy, in the kitchen with us...

The Peacock 1385

I don't want to respond. Yes, I know I'm beilng churlish., but I should and will respond. Instead of faking an even cheerier good morning in response, I am already reaching for the bread and the word "Toast", trickles out of my mouth. "Yes please", he says. To this day, I have never known anyone who could be so relentlessly cheerful first thing in the morning. "Haven't you made coffee?" "Sorry", I forgot" I reply as i leave the bread next to the toaster and reach down in the lower cupboard for the coffee. "Here, let me", he says, pulling out the coffee maker. While reaching back for the toaster the loaf of bread falls from my hand onto the floor. "Sorry." I apologize reflexively, like any good Canadian "I..." "I'm sure the bread isn't offended", says Carl, reaching down to pick it up. "Why don't you sit down and I'll do it." "I..." "Chris", he says smiling, pulling my chair out from the table. "Sit. Brother Carl will take care of everything." "But", "Obey", he is standing by the chair with one hand on the back... Knowing I'm already defeated, I let myself slide onto the chair, secretly gratified, if also resentful, that Carl one more time is taking care of me...

The Peacock 1384

Shreddies for breakfast. Everyone else is still in bed. It's just six am and the newly risen sun already floods the kitchen. No one seems to be stirring. I do feel unexpectedly hungry for some reason. I imagine Carl will want us all to do something together today. I am just hoping I can sneak out of here early enough without drawing anyone's attention. Too late. The toilet is flushing, the downstairs toilet, and somreone is already up. Maybe he'll go back to bed. Now I think I hear the shower running. Well, maybe he'll take a long time. There is still time to escape. I'm still hungry. Another bowl of cereal? Naw. Toast. With peanut butter and strawberry jam. I haven't made coffee. How could I forget. "Good morning", announces Carl's cheery voice from behind, and now I am trapped...

The Peacock 1383

Three times with Chuck was enough. I don't care if it was a quarter century ago. i don't want to, I don't need to go back there. That was all the sex I would ever need. But I know I'm an exceptional case. It isn't guilt, or shame. What I had with Chuck was amazing, beyond amazing. But I can't go back there, not with Jesús, not with Carl, not with anyone. I think he is already starting to understand. Any affection between us, from this point forward, is going to be innocent. And it couldn't happen here anyway. Not here in my father's house. Not with Carl, Francois, George and Jeffrey present. We are a community now, and we have to start behaving like a community. I can just get through Lucy Pevencie's first journey to Narnia through the wardrobe, but now sleep is already trying to grab my attention. Soon I will be turning out the light...

The Peacock 1382

"I want to thank you for all your help today. i think you saved my life." "It's tragic that he died like that." "I don't know. He was a very bad man. He tried to rape Marlena...In fact, I think she lied about her student visa being finished. She did not feel safe there and wanted to go. And she is very homesick for Mexico." How long have you two known each other?" "We knew each other on the plane coming here. She liked me. I didn't know where I would stay, and she already arranged her apartment and asked me to stay with her. Very convenient for both of us. But she also knew that I like men and said she was okay, but I don't know." "Do you miss her?" "No. not much. She liked me more I think. But I am glad to me free", he says, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. "I think I should let you get to sleep." he pulls off his long sleeved T shirt, revealing arms not exactly thin and not exactly muscular. his left arm is adorned by a green, blue and gold tattoo that spirals concentricly like an Escher drawing up to his shoulder. He pulls off his socks, then takes off his jeans, revealing tight white underpants and an impressive bulge. He tumbles onto the bed lying on top of the covers. "This bed is very big. There is room for two", he says smiling. "Goodnight", say I, moving toward the door. "You go now?". I pause by the door, uncertain, but now I am opening it halfway. I am just about to leave, but turning back, I approach him quietly and kiss him on the forehead while he reaches up to hold me by my forearms. As I return to the door i look back and say, "goodnight Jesús." He smiles sweetly, like a child being put to bed and says, "good night friend." And as I flick the light switch, "Thank you..."

The Peacock 1381

"I'm going to bed " say I. "I go too" says Jesús, who preceeds me and now I hear the bathroom door closing. Just as well. I am in no hurry to get to sleep. First, I will rob from my father's library CS Lewis' Chronicals of Narnia. And here they are, all seven in vintage hardcover. And now it occurs to me that Jesús doesn't have any proper bedding. Yes, here in the hall closet. Sheets, blankets, pillows and pillowcases, all bundled in my arms. He is done in the bathtroom. "Jesús, here is something for your bed." He is just opening the door to the office, where he will be sleeping on the sofabed. We are well equipped here for overnight guests, and we have had many over the years. "Thank you very much", he says. "Here, let me make up your bed for you. There is a special trick to pulling out the bed." The sofa is bright red and covered by a white cotton bedspread jesús pulls it off and holds onto it while I gently pull out the bed. "I hope you find this comfortable", say I , laying on the bottom sheet. "It looks very nice. Thank you. I can help?" "It's okay, there's a chair in the corner if you want to sit down." He obeys, and soon the bed is made. "You have many books here." "My dad was quite a scholar. Do you read English okay?" "Better than I speak it." "Then you will find something interesting to read in bed." "You are going?" "Yes, i'm getting tired",, I lie. "five minutes to talk a bit?" He is yawning. "Okay, just five minutes", I am sighing, positioning myself on the edge of the desk, where I can sit alert, facing him in the corner...