Revelations of the Ruby Crystal

by Barbara Hand Clow

  A force came through his hands that made him rigid; Simon and Sarah were electrified. The people could see a vibrating rush of blue light flow into the couple like a strike of cosmic energy in a painting by William Blake. The rush was greater than the fierce wind outside that exploded when Marc humbly blessed them; the great blast moved the old wooden structure. William felt a shock, and David steeled his body in proportion to the force. Mary and Rose were filled with joy, their hearts completely open with their son and daughter. Marc grinned ecstatically and pronounced in a joyful and triumphant voice, “Now you may kiss the bride.” Simon pierced the great force by pulling Sarah to his body and planting a lusty kiss on her lips. She’d lost the sense of where she was, but his kiss brought her back. She was laughing when he released her, and they turned to face the people together. Everyone who was there on that windy November day knew something very special had happened. They would always remember the wedding of Simon and Sarah Appel.

  The reception was wonderful and joyous, and after the long day was concluded, Simon and Sarah were finally alone in a bridal suite at the Four Seasons Hotel on the Common. Tired and drained, they were grateful for this gift from David, especially since they had to get right back to Rome. The little parlor burst with fresh white and yellow roses from Mary and William. Little sandwiches and a plate of cut vegetables were set out for them.

  “This is so perfect, Simon. Just what we need. I’m wiped; this day was wonderful, but exhausting.” They sank down into comfortable armchairs around a low coffee table where a bottle of wedding champagne was chilling in a sweating silver bucket. “This is so thoughtful of our parents, like a mini-honeymoon.”

  “Yeah, my parents really know how to do things right. You’ll find they are very frugal, but they always celebrate lavishly at the right time. My father completely shocked my mother by whisking her off to Paris on a first-class flight right after their wedding reception! He even packed everything she needed. This hotel feels like heaven right now. I love Mary’s flowers.” He reached for a chicken salad sandwich. “What happened today? What was that at the end of the ceremony? Did you feel that huge force going through us like a lightning bolt? How’d Marc do that?”

  “I felt like I was completely out of it until you kissed me. I don’t know what happened.”

  “That’s funny. In my case I was hyper-conscious, hyper-aware as if I could see the essence of everything, jazzed with energy. Where do you think you went?”

  Instinctually she moved her fingertips over the ruby crystal to go back to what she had felt when Marc put his hand on her head. “I felt like I went to another planet, someplace that rules marriage. Until today, I had no idea that marriage could create high energy. I’ve always felt that becoming part of a new family was the point, not that there was something more. I never witnessed anything like this in the Church. The nuptial Mass is the central focus when supposedly you are married in heaven.” She paused. “I’m having trouble expressing this. I had the feeling there is a place somewhere in the universe that’s in charge of marriage. Isn’t that weird?”

  Simon reached for another sandwich. “Yes, it is weird, yet something happened today. I felt a force greater than anything I’ve experienced before. I wonder if everybody who gets married feels this, or did we feel it because we are sensitive to this kind of energy? Marc never mentioned doing it, so I have to assume that he wasn’t going to do it unless he detected something special between you and me. Quakers always wait until they are moved by spirit. I suppose I’ll always wonder about it. Maybe Marc will tell us. Meanwhile, what matters to me is what we felt. We’re really married now, which is a mystery in itself. Everything will be different from now on. It’s time for champagne!”

  26

  Sarah Meets Claudia

  An icy wind off the Tiber in early December rattled the doors to the balcony; meanwhile, the gas fire in the living room was delightfully warming. It was Sarah’s first day alone in weeks. Simon was out probing some of his Vatican contacts and having lunch with a few reporters. Roman gossips twittered over Vatican intrigues, while the world wondered about Benedict’s involvement in the sex-abuse scandal. Were the ancient veils of secrecy actually lifting?

  As soon as they got back to Rome, the newlyweds had become obsessed with trying to ascertain the truth, and now Sarah needed to think by herself. Why do priests do these things? She wondered if sexual deviance, a common flaw of people in power, was beyond greed. After all, the hierarchy had all the money it wanted. Unless they outright robbed the laity, nobody really cared about what they spent. She concluded that the extent of sexual abuse in the Church must instead be caused by celibacy, which distorted the animalistic aspects of sex. Sarah didn’t know where she went when she was having sex with Simon; sometimes that made her feel insane. But violating children was another thing! They were so vulnerable to authority figures. It was the why she was after, however, and she continued to have the sense that the hierarchy somehow used the children’s energy to invigorate themselves. Like vampires.

  Simon came home just before dinner—Sarah was doing some cooking for a change. “I made a simple meal—baked potatoes, veal cutlets, and salad,” she called from the kitchen.

  Simon sat down on the couch and began reading La Repubblica. Sarah brought him a glass of wine, and he thanked her.

  “I can’t wait to sit down with you and eat. I spent most of the day talking to other reporters about whether Benedict is at the top of the sexual abuse pyramid. I vacillate between thinking he’s only a pawn and wondering if he’s been the director of the priestly abuse program for years. We know he read all the abuse reports when he headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faithful, the modern form of the Inquisition. When he became pope, he focused on damage control. Sometimes I think he’s trying harder than the bishops and cardinals have in the past to clean up the mess. But he looks like the personification of Satan with those creepy dark shadows around his eyes and glittery salivating thin lips.”

  Sarah stroked his hair. “Leave that for now. Let’s have dinner.”

  Since it was wintertime, the small patio table was now in the kitchen by the window. She lit the candles. “I hope this is spicy enough for the Malbec. After all,” she said with a self-deprecating smile, “I’m just a simple Irish cook.”

  He rose and kissed her before sitting down. “Everything looks perfect. It’s so nice to have you cook for me; I escaped bachelorhood just in time!”

  Today he’d been reminded of his bachelor days during lunch with some of his colleagues. Claudia, an old lover, had sauntered over to the table wearing a loosely knit cotton sweater over a tight suede mini-skirt stretched over black fishnet tights. “Ciao, Simon,” she had said, managing to sound bored and demanding as only a Roman woman could. “I hear you got married? When can I meet her? I’m hoping we can have a few minutes together? I have some information about the Vatican that might interest you.”

  Hmmm, he had thought to himself as he introduced her to the other men, watching one of them look over her catlike body. Claudia had never lied in the past; maybe she did know something. “Is your phone number still the same?” She nodded yes. “Then I’ll call you. Thanks.” She had walked slowly away, while they all gazed at her magnificent proud ass pushed up by outrageous spike heels. Noting one man whose mouth had literally dropped open, Simon had said, smiling, “You horny, Donatio?”

  “Not like the priests, thank God,” he had replied while the others chuckled.

  “Sarah,” Simon said, emerging from his thoughts. “Have you thought about whether we want to meet each other’s old friends?” Seeing Sarah’s open and questioning look, he continued. “Specifically, are you open to meeting one of my old girlfriends, the one I stopped seeing when I met you? I ran into her today, and she says she knows something about what’s going on in the Vatican. She gave me some tips last year that led to some valuable insights. Her name is Claudia Tagliatti, and she hears things in her shop from customers who are in the
know. It’s gossip, but often gossip points the way in Rome. I think I’d prefer to see her with you, but of course I can also meet with her alone?”

  Sarah wasn’t sure how she felt about that. I’ve had his undivided attention, yet he did have another life before me that he hasn’t told me much about. She was curious about this Claudia, and of course Sarah was also penetrating Vatican secrets. “I’m interested in what she has to say, too. I’d like to meet her with you, if that’s really okay with you?”

  Now Simon wondered whether Claudia would be as forthcoming if Sarah came. “When I call her about a meeting, I’ll ask her if she will share what she knows if you are there. If she says she wants to see me alone, will you be okay with that? Of course, I’d meet her in a public place.”

  “That’s fine with me, Simon. I’m not worried about an old girlfriend. I don’t want to interfere with what she has to tell you. But what does she look like?”

  Simon almost laughed. He was so used to the new, strong Sarah that her vulnerability was a little charming. “She’s beautiful, a world-class model type, tall and statuesque, very fashionable and intelligent.” He smiled at Sarah. “But she doesn’t have breasts like yours, and I dropped her when I met you. Actually, I hope she feels she can speak to me while you’re there because I think she’d like you. I can imagine the two of you becoming friends. In fact, now that I think about it, she might say even more if you’re around. Sometimes women respond better to other women. I want to hear what she knows; I sense it is something.”

  Simon called Claudia the next morning to set up a meeting. “I’ve missed seeing you, and can my wife, Sarah, join us? If that won’t work for you, I can meet you for lunch somewhere near your shop. What do you prefer?”

  There was a long pause that felt strange to Simon, and then she responded slowly. “What’s the deal, Simon? Is she the jealous type?”

  Simon chuckled. “No, not so far. She’s in Rome working on her Ph.D. in early Christian studies. We became friends because we share a lot of the same interests. Then one day we fell in love and I didn’t see you after that. She’d like to hear what you have to share if you can handle it. If not, she is perfectly okay with us seeing each other alone, so what do you prefer?”

  “Your question is not so easy for me to answer,” she said, rolling her voice in a thick and ponderous accent. “First of all, with what I want to talk about, you’d have to come over to my place. Maybe she wouldn’t like that. She’s American? Hmmmm, perhaps you will understand better if I tell you that this is about Armando Pierleoni among other things.”

  Simon reacted to the mention of Armando’s name first with shock, then anger. “What!? What on earth are you getting at, Claudia?” he snapped. “What would you know about him?”

  “Plenty, darling, perhaps more than either one of you could guess,” she replied. “He was my lover years ago, but of course I didn’t mention an old lover to you before.” Abruptly she changed the subject. “Don’t you feel weird now that it’s the end of 2012, the end of the Mayan Calendar with all the apocalyptic fear? The rumors are that a comet or the dark star Nibiru or lightning is going to strike the Vatican!”

  “I can’t believe you pay attention to that shit, Claudia!” he said in a high, tight voice. “Have you gone nuts or something? And if that’s what you want to talk about, I don’t think either one of us wants to see you!”

  “Thanks a lot for your usual charming frankness. That is not what I want to talk about. I just wondered if you also feel strange, like everything is about to hit a wall?”

  “I did feel that way, but I just got married a few weeks ago, which took me outside of time. Sarah, too.” Simon paused. “Did you know Sarah dated Armando Pierleoni before we got married? If you know something about Armando, she might want to hear it. Are you dating him?”

  “Well, not exactly,” she said in a low, sexy voice. “Ummm, I think you should both come tonight after dinner. But how liberal is she? Is she a typical American uptight snoot like the girls I dress all day? You know, darling, we can speak the truth to each other.”

  Typical Claudia. “She’s not a snoot but she is young and rather innocent. Can we agree we’ve forgotten about our past, Claudia? If so, we can come over around 8? Actually, you will like her a lot even though you are older than she is.”

  “I will never forget our past, darling, and thanks for reminding me that the younger girl always gets the guy. See you tonight, Simon.” Click.

  Walking with Sarah up the wide marble stairs to the entrance of Claudia’s suite, Simon wondered if he should’ve warned her that Armando might come up in conversation. He hadn’t mentioned it because he had discovered he usually found out more if things just unfolded. He looked over at Sarah’s beautiful, eager face and wondered how she’d react to Claudia’s dramatic personality.

  Large double doors swung wide open.

  “Ciao, Ciao, Sarah, Simon’s lucky bride. Thank you for coming!” Claudia greeted them both with extravagant cheek kisses and led them through the front foyer.

  Claudia astonished Sarah: she was a ravishing, mature Italian beauty made up to perfection, more jaguar than human. Sarah blurted out, “Claudia, you are beautiful. A paragon of Roman perfection! I’m delighted to meet you.”

  “No more beautiful than you, darling, and you have the advantage of youth. But surely that is not why Simon chose you? He tells me you have mutual interests?”

  Claudia swept them into her favorite small parlor with a bay window on the street. Sarah took it all in—marble columns, Grecian statuary, elegant fabrics, and fabulous antiques. Claudia’s décor was beautiful and exotic, an extension of her magnificent catlike body and strikingly animated face. The women settled onto a charming small love seat while Simon took a leather chair opposite them. “I can’t resist,” he said. “How could any man not enjoy the opportunity to gaze at two exquisite and wonderful women? You look marvelous, Claudia. You are my first Roman friend to meet Sarah. It was so good of you to invite us.”

  Claudia nodded vigorously. “Ah! Then I can forgive you for not inviting me to the wedding, darling, or for not calling me up right away to tell me. Did you hurry? It seems so sudden?” She stopped herself before revealing she’d seen him less than six months ago. Sarah was actually wondering when he’d last seen Claudia. Seems like any woman would be jealous of her, yet I’m not! Actually, I like sitting next to her. She makes me feel warm.

  Claudia poured grappa from an etched decanter into three small glasses. “What I need to talk to you about is not easy to get into, not easy at all. I promised you I would not talk about the 2012 thing, but I must begin there.” She looked at Simon imploringly. Reluctantly he nodded his head. “If things were not getting so weird,” Claudia continued, “none of us would be here tonight. You will not be able to understand why I feel compelled to share some coveted secrets with you unless I can make a few short comments about the so-called end of time. I don’t obsess about things like that, but there is a feeling of catastrophe in the air, a feeling of impending doom. It’s this very feeling that compels me to talk about some things that are normally hidden. I must!”

  Sarah was riveted. She’d noticed many people in the media sniggering about the mysterious end of the Mayan Calendar. Regardless of the media acting like the idea was a joke, the U.S. government had become completely dysfunctional after Hurricane Sandy devastated New York, mass shootings were increasing, the Church was collapsing, Europe was in financial tatters, and a nasty civil war was brewing in Syria. There was a weird feeling of end times. She hadn’t said much about it because Simon found talk of the Mayan Calendar New Age silliness. Regardless of what he thought, Sarah broke in now. “Claudia, I agree with you. I think the world feels very peculiar, very much on edge right now.”

  Simon interrupted. “Claudia, are you going to share some things about the Vatican or not?”

  “You bet I am. I just want you to know why I’m doing it because if you don’t, you won’t believe what I’m about
to say. Sarah, this is about Armando Pierleoni.” The breath sucked out of Sarah’s lungs as Simon watched her face like a hawk. Nothing like getting right into it; well, that is why we came to see her.

  Claudia took a deep swig of grappa, leaned forward over her crossed legs, and exhaled deeply. “In Rome, we enjoy the ancient pagan ways and we only endure the modern world. One of the things we enjoy the most is reversing the ways of the world because we miss early Roma. We play a vast and complex game that’s been going on for millennia. In pagan times the Vestal Virgins—pure women who honored the sanctity of marriage—guarded Rome to protect the family, and needy men went to the temple prostitutes. In modern times, selected Roman women carry on the custom as vestal whores who guard Rome’s pagan virtues in secret. I was one of them, ever since my early twenties when I was chosen for my beauty.” She fixed both of them with a stern glare. “I expect both of you to never reveal this without my permission. I am telling you because great changes are coming. You will not understand these changes without this information from me, changes it sounds like both of you long for.”

  Sarah shifted in her seat. How did this woman she had just met know what she longed for?

  Claudia continued. “All of us know the greatest threat to human happiness is the Roman Catholic Church because it is demonic. We Italians have struggled more than others with these forces because the power is centered here; we do things that only Romans understand. No matter what anybody does to us, we are pagan and one with earth. Before I describe my part in this, I want to share some things I have discovered while playing my role, things that may interest you, Sarah.”