A Tale of Four Queers
Chapter 8
The next morning Edna fed them well before they set out on their adventure. She encouraged them to pack sunscreen and bring their bathing suits and towels. Miguel loaded everything into the trunk of the Cadillac.
The little town of El Puerto was just up the coast from Colon. Edna's husband had worked in that area for a while and had helped to establish a new church there. She told the boys that the old church, the one that would have been around in the time of Patrick and Kinney, had burnt down a long time ago. She didn't hold out much hope for them finding artwork by JABK.
Nonetheless they set out on the hot, humid day to see what they could find. Miguel drove them along the coast road and they got some beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico, stopping a few times for pictures.
When they arrived it was after eleven o'clock and the temperature just kept on rising. Miguel pulled up in front of the church and the priest hurried out to meet them. He was very solicitous of Edna, and seemed pleased to meet her young friends. They went into the relative coolness of the church.
Justin looked around at the whitewashed walls devoid of any artwork and his heart plummeted. Edna explained to the priest about what her young charges were looking for. She thought there might be some records from the old church that were rescued before the building was consumed in fire.
The priest smiled and directed them to his office in the back. On a lectern sat what looked like a very old Bible.
"This was rescued from the other church," the priest explained in Spanish. Edna translated for them. "In the back are listed the important events in the life of the former church. I checked to see if there was mention of the people you are interested in and there is …here," the priest continued turning to a particular page that he had marked.
They all crowded around.
"The dates are the right time period," Justin said.
Bobby began translating. "'An artist named Kinney and his friend Patrick arrived in the town. They are Americans and one of the few foreigners the town has seen.' That's the first entry. Several months later it continues. 'Kinney has painted a mural behind the altar depicting Jesus upon his throne. It is wondrous. His friend has carved a Christ upon the cross for the front of the pulpit.' There is a gap of several months and then it tells of the fire. This must have been added after the church burned."
"The Bible and a few artifacts were saved from the old church," the priest said. "Come with me." He beckoned for them to follow him back into the church. "This is the pulpit that was rescued from the fire."
Justin stared at the pulpit on its raised base. On the front was a crucifixion carved in a somewhat primitive style, but showing the emotion of the dying Christ who would rise again.
"That was Patrick's," John said. "Imagine."
"The emotion on the face is wonderful," Bobby said.
"Not bad," Brian added.
"Now we have something of Patrick's," Justin said with a smile. "He was an artist too."
Brian took some photos to add to their archive. Justin and Bobby went back into the rectory to read some more in the Bible and see if there were any other references. The priest and Edna sat in the front pew watching Brian take his pictures. They chatted softly until Brian was finished.
"Brian, Father Joachim tells me that he has arranged lunch for us at the best place in town," Edna explained.
"Great," Brian said drawing out the word. He could only imagine what the best place in this town might be.
Justin and Bobby came in from the rectory. "We read some more of the accounts and found out that after the church burned a lot of people moved away. They thought this place was cursed. Patrick and Kinney left too. That's why it took so long for this church to be built. The town almost disappeared."
"It was just starting to grow when my husband arrived here," Edna said. "There were enough people to start building a new church."
Just then John came in from outside. "Hey guys, there's a great looking beach not far from here."
"That's why I wanted you to bring your swimwear," Edna laughed. "Let's go have some lunch and then we can go swimming."
Brian raised his eyebrow at Edna's suggestion but they followed her and the priest out of the church. Lunch was in the largest building in town, but still sweltering in the midday heat. John's beach looked better and better. When they finished eating the plain but tasty food, Miguel appeared and spoke into Edna's ear. She smiled, stood and thanked the people who had prepared the meal for them and beckoned the boys to follow her.
"Now for a little fun," she chuckled as they got into the old Cadillac. Miguel drove a short distance and then they all got out. "Follow me," she said leading them through a line of trees. On the other side was the beach that John had found.
"Wow, look at the pure white sand," Justin observed.
"That water looks heavenly," Bobby said wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Heavenly enough for the likenesses of angels?" Brian asked pinching Justin's butt. Justin giggled and squirmed away.
"Miguel has set up my little tent over there," said Edna pointing to a white canopy with sides that flapped in the breeze. "You can change in there and be sure to put on lots of sunscreen."
All four ran to the tent and quickly got rid of their hot, sweaty clothes. They donned their swimsuits thinking how much better it would be to swim naked. However, they didn't want to shock the locals or overexcite Edna. When they reappeared, Edna told them they could take a quick dip to cool off but then get the sunscreen on. She disappeared into the tent. The boys headed for the water.
The oohs and aahs were loud and heartfelt as their feet entered the cool water. They splashed and floated in the water enjoying the cool liquid that covered their bodies and cooled them off. They looked up to see Edna in a plain black bathing suit emerge from the tent. She wore a flowered bathing cap on her head and made her way to the edge of the water.
"You swim?" John asked.
"I do, and I love it. Miguel brings me here all the time." The boys exchanged looks. "This is the best beach for a hundred miles."
"I'm surprised some resort hasn't come in and developed the area," Brian observed.
"They can't. I own it, and until I die it will stay a beach for the residents of the town."
"You're quite a lady, Edna," Justin grinned.
"So I've been told. Now, if you boys don't get out of there and get some sunscreen on, you'll spend your two weeks here in bed with a batch of blisters."
"Yes, ma'am," they said as they made their way out of the water.
They toweled off and each man enjoyed rubbing the sunscreen into his partner and then having the favor returned. They were all hard by the time they were finished and would have fucked on the beach except for Edna's presence as she swam back and forth in the waves.
"The tent's empty," she called with a big smile and the four men ran for cover. Once inside the small space each partner devoured the other. Sucking and fucking went on for the next while until all were sated and once again drenched in sweat. They managed to get their suits back on and joined Edna in the water. She smiled knowingly at them.
"Is everything right in the universe now?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Brian said picking up Justin and swinging him around before throwing him into the next wave.
"Oh, you're a dead man now," sputtered Justin as he came up out of the water.
"Run, Edna," Brian called. "He gets very erratic when he's in attack mode."
Instead of running Edna hit Justin in the face with a shot of water. The boy looked stunned before he gave her one right back. Everyone held their breath waiting to see what she would do.
"I'm not as frail as I look," she declared. And with that she shoved Bobby into the incoming wave. They jumped about laughing and splashing until it looked like Edna was getting tired. Then they all decided it was time for more sunscreen and a rest on the straw mats Miguel had laid out on the beach.
"I'm exhausted," Justin said dropping down onto one mat.
"Makes two of us," John agreed. Bobby and Brian nodded too.
"Wimps," Edna said with a laugh. "I haven't had this much fun in a donkey's age. In fact I think I was riding a donkey the last time my husband and I came to the beach and played in the water.
"Could we come back tomorrow?" Bobby asked with a smile.
"We can come as many days as you youngsters want."
They all lay back on their mats and rested in the peaceful but hot sun of the afternoon.
After an hour, our group of travelers had had enough of the heat. Edna and Miguel agreed; it was time to go back to Edna's hacienda and to plan out the next day's itinerary. John and Brian helped Miguel break down the tent while Justin and Bobby rolled up the mats. They threw on their clothes over their suits and headed for the car. Within the hour they were back on the road heading for home.
Miguel took a road that hugged the coast. The boys enjoyed the scenery, Edna enjoyed the pleasant banter. Being a student of human nature, Edna was beginning to learn the dynamics of this group. John and Brian might look like twins but their opposing personalities were evident. Justin was obviously the youngest in age but wise beyond his years. Bobby's quiet logic had a calming effect on the group while John added maturity. Brian was, no doubt a leader, if not the leader. While he often deferred his opinion, it was obvious that if he wasn't happy with something, no one would be happy. Edna smiled to herself. She and her husband were never blessed with children but she would have been proud to have any one of these men as a son.
By the time they got back to Edna's ranch the sun was beginning to set and there was a pleasantly cool breeze. The boys quickly showered then joined Edna for dinner. All but Bobby. Apparently something that he ate at lunch didn't bode well with him. He found himself slightly feverish and very nauseous. He spent most of the night in the bathroom. John, unwilling to let him be alone, spent the night with him. By morning, whatever it was passed but it left John and Bobby exhausted. They spent most of the day sleeping. Late in the afternoon John ventured out of the room he shared with Bobby to speak with Justin.
"Hey."
"Hi, John. Bobby feeling better?"
"Much, thanks Justin. I'm sorry we ruined your day."
"You didn't ruin anything. I'm just glad Bobby's doing better. Brian and I were worried."
"Yeah, me too. I've never seen Bobby sick before. I never felt so helpless in all my life. Thank God it didn't last long."
"Yeah, I know how you feel. Brian is always so strong but when he was going for his treatments it took so much out of him. It scared me."
"I can imagine. Where is the big guy?"
"Going over some maps with Edna. If you think you're up to it tomorrow, there's another church not too much further than El Puerto. But we may have to spend the night. Brian wants to make sure there are better accommodations than Santa Ana, especially if Edna plans to join us. He doesn't want her sleeping on an old cot. Although I think she could handle it much better than Brian. But you didn't hear that from me."
John laughed, "I didn't hear a thing. I think Bobby will be fully recovered by tomorrow but we really have to watch what we eat."
"I hear ya."
Edna and Brian appeared. Edna suggested a bland lunch of weak tea and soft dry bread for Bobby. Later if he was up to it she would prepare some plain boiled chicken. John gratefully accepted the tray Edna offered and returned to his room.
"Brian, John thinks that Bobby will be ready to travel tomorrow. Have you found out where we're going?"
"Believe it or not, we're going to El Nino. It's a couple of hours past El Puerto. Kinney mentioned it in his journal. Edna tells me it's another coastal village and rather a large village. They may actually have a hotel. We should pack an overnight bag just in case but if the place looks like another shit hole, I'll drive us back here myself."
The remainder of the evening was spent on a light dinner and review of the itinerary.
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The next morning our group of explorers was up, dressed and ready to go without a grumble or a gripe. They were looking forward to their trip to El Nino. By eight they all piled into Edna's caddy and they were off.
"Miguel informs me that we're a few minutes away from El Nino."
Justin was practically bouncing. John and Bobby were quietly amused. Brian rolled his eyes and was hoping for a quiet corner to have a smoke. When they pulled up in front of the church, Justin bounded out of the car.
"Justin, wait." John cried out.
"Why, what for?" Justin asked.
"Something's not right." John replied.
"What do you mean?" Brian stated with concern ringing in his voice. The whole group surrounded John who stood staring up at the structure before him.
"The building, this is a modern structure."
"Maybe it was renovated, like the chapel in Cabimas." Justin ventured.
"Maybe, but it's doubtful. The shape of the building is different, the materials, modern." Justin looked crestfallen.
"Come on, little boy. We didn't drive all this way not to look inside. This may not be the original structure but who's to say they didn't save the original paintings." Brian tried to perk up Justin's spirits. John and Bobby nodded in agreement and the six of them, including Miguel, walked into the church.
El Nino was a fairly modernized village. It had electricity and most modern conveniences. It was quite evident when they stepped into the coolness of the church that it was a modern building. The paintings were bright and typical of a modern Catholic church. Justin's disappointment was blatant.
Edna and Miguel sought out the Pastor, while the boys looked around the church. It reminded Brian of the churches back in Pittsburgh. He shuddered at the thought of Joan feeling at home here and he left through a side door. The heat of the day was preferable to the coldness he felt in the church. Brian wandered through the church yard and found a comfortable tree to lean up against. He shimmed down the trunk of the tree and sat to have his smoke. He watched the curls of smoke rise in the hot air. A pretty woman watched Brian. She walked over and stood in front of him.
"May I have one?"
Startled that the woman spoke English, it took Brian a moment to fish out a cigarette and matches. The woman sat in the shade of the tree so that Brian could light her cigarette.
"You speak English?"
"Yes, my parents came from this village but emigrated to America. I was born there but I come back often to visit. I have extensive family here. And you? We don't get many tourists here, especially not ones as handsome as you. And this is not a major port."
"I'm traveling with some friends. We're following the path of an artist who may have come here over a hundred years ago. I am related to him. He painted many of the churches and chapels along his way. He may have visited this village." Brian explained.
"But this church was built not twenty years ago. The village sustained a lot of damage during a major tropical storm; practically the whole town had to be rebuilt. Only these old stone monuments remain from the old church. Oh, by the way, my name is Maria."
"Brian."
"Nice to meet you, Brian. Where do you call home?"
"Pittsburgh."
"You're kidding. I live in Philadelphia. I went to Penn."
"So did I."
"Wow, this is weird. So, is one of your friends your wife or girlfriend?"
"Not exactly." Sensing that this chance meeting was about to get weird, Brian stood up and brushed the dirt from his shorts. "I have to find my friends. It was nice meeting you."
"I visit Pittsburgh often. I hear you have some great clubs, I'd love to go to a few."
Brian didn't want to be rude or have to explain himself but he couldn't help that his snarky self emerged. "If you visit Pittsburgh and find yourself on Liberty Avenue, ask for me."
"But I don't know your last name."
"You don't need to. Everyone on Liberty Avenue knows Brian and I do mean everyone." Brian quickly made his escape. Outside of business, most straight women got on his nerves. They always seemed to think that given the chance they could 'fix' him. Brian didn't need fixing, he needed Justin.
As Brian headed back to the church, he came across a small grotto. In the grotto was a grouping of stone figures. They weren't angels and he wasn't sure if they were supposed to be saints. The stone was very old and some were weathered by time. They just looked like a grouping of ordinary men discussing the day's events. But something struck a cord of familiarity with Brian.
The figures were life-sized. There was one figure of a man sitting on a boulder. Close to him, standing in front was another man. Their hands were stretched out toward each other almost touching but not quite.
"Holy fucking shit!" Brian ran to get Justin and the others.