Once I was in the old Greek Revival house that was the rectory, I followed the center hall to the rooms in the back where I knew I’d find Liam.
Liam was listening to music as he worked on his next sermon. He ran his fingers through his light blond hair. I knocked on the open door to let him know I was there and he spun around in his chair.
“Confession over?” he asked.
“Erica Miller came in.”
“And?”
“I gave her the number to an addictions specialist.”
He laughed. “It never ceases to amaze me what people will say to a priest. I’m not talking about confession of course.”
“No, I know what you mean. It’s as if they think we’re some non human, spiritual being so they try to see how far they can go. They think we were born this way.”
“That’s it exactly.”
“What are you doing tonight?” I asked. “It’s Sunday and you know my mother would be more than happy to have you over for dinner.”
“On your last Sunday meal before Peru? I couldn’t do that to her. I know she’s going to want you all for herself.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, but thank you,” he said. “Are you sure you’re alright with this trip? You know you could have stayed here while the work on Sacred Heart was being done.”
“I know, but this will be good. I’ll be starting something new over there and how many people get to visit another country to start a church? Besides, I’ve never left the country before. It’ll be nice to get away for a while and spring is a good time to visit Peru, not as humid.”
“You know if anything happens you don’t have to stay down there.”
“I know. I’m sure everything will be fine. It’s a village in the middle of no where. What could happen?”
Liam shrugged. “You’d be surprised. Sometimes things happen when you least expect them.”
“Yes, I know. God works in mysterious ways.”
“Get out of here before your mother yells at me for making you late,” he said. “And send my love to her and the rest of your family. I just might take your place at the table while you’re gone.”
“Do it. Momma would love that.”
***
“Come sit,” Momma called out. “It’s time to eat.”
Sunday nights were always family dinner night at the McArthur household. No matter what was going on or where we lived, we always knew Sunday was dinner at home. My sister Josie and I sat in our seats next to each other in the dining room. Our older brother Thomas dropped into his chair across from us with a crooked grin. As far as dinner went, not much had changed since we were kids.
“So Charlie, is this the last supper?” he asked.
Thomas was two years older than me and the spitting image of our father with his thick dark red hair and brown eyes. Josie and I had our mother’s inky black hair and light blue eyes. At only a year apart people always thought she and I were twins.
“Don’t call him that,” Momma said as she lightly smacked the top of Thomas’s head. “You know I’m the only one he lets call him Charlie still.”
Even though Momma’s family immigrated from Italy when she was a girl, she still had a thick Italian accent. Her dark hair had streaks of silver in it and while on rare moments I could still catch her brushing her waist length hair, she usually wore it up in a bun.
I shot Thomas a sly grin as he dramatically rubbed the top of his head.
“You know, this is why I moved out,” he said.
“Give me a break,” Josie said. “You moved out because we don’t have a basement for you to live in.”
“If you’re asking if this is the last Sunday dinner before I leave, then yes, Tommy it is,” I said knowing he hated his nickname more than I hated my own.
“You’re really going to Peru?” he asked.
I nodded. “There’s a small, remote village in the mountains they’re working to bring clean water and electricity to. There’s an old church there they fixed up but they don’t have a priest there to take residency until the summer. So I’ll be there until he arrives.”
“I still can’t believe you’re a priest,” Josie said.
“It was a beautiful ceremony,” Momma said. “You looked so handsome in your vestments. Nonna would have been so proud.”
“Whatever,” Thomas said. “You’ve been doing this for a year, you were at that seminary for four years, and that was after four years of college. You’re twenty-eight years old, but have you even been with a girl?”
“Tommy!” Momma snapped, her eyes wide with horror.
“You know he’s been with plenty of girls,” Josie said. “He dated all the time in high school and college. All my girlfriends were crazy about him.”
“Just because he dated them doesn’t mean he’s been with one,” Thomas said as he raised his eyebrows. “You know, physically.”
Muttering, Momma blessed herself as she entered the kitchen.
“I know he and Mina Kirkland did some stuff,” Josie whispered as she leaned across the table, towards Thomas.
I’m right here you know,” I said.
I looked at my brother and sister and shook my head, my eyes wide. I wasn’t ashamed of sex, I just didn’t want my prior sex life to be the topic of our Sunday dinner.
“What? You’re not dumb, you know girls talk,” Josie said with a shrug.
“What did Mina say?” Thomas asked as he leaned forward. “Was he any good? Can I be proud of my little brother?”
“That’s enough of this,” I said. “Thomas, this is none of your business, but yes, I’ve been with women. I didn’t decide to become a priest until later in college. You know that.”
“I still don’t get it though,” he said. “I mean fine, be a priest, but that whole celibacy thing is insane.”
“Leave your brother alone,” Momma said as she put down the serving spoons. “He got the calling. It’s a blessing only God’s chosen get.” Momma leaned down and kissed my cheek. “He’s my special boy.”
“Yeah, he’s special alright,” Thomas said.
Momma waved a wooden spoon at Thomas with her best menacing look. Thomas laughed and put his hands up in surrender.
After dinner I went to my bedroom and started pulling out some clothes and things to take on my trip. Josie entered the room and sat cross legged on my bed with her back against the wall.
“I’m going to miss you,” she said.
“I’ll only be gone for three months. You’ve been away longer than that before.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, but this is different. I don’t know why, but I’m having a hard time accepting you being a priest.”
“Why because of what you know Mina Kirkland and I did?” I grinned at her.
“Seriously, that was TMI.” She shook her head as she rolled her eyes. “I think she forgot I’m your sister.”
“What did they do?” Thomas asked as he appeared in the doorway. “You’re a kinky bastard, aren’t you? I think all McArthurs are. I should ask Dad.”
“You’re an idiot,” I said to Thomas as I laughed. “That’s all in the past anyway.”
“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t give up pussy,” he said. “I love it too much.”
Josie giggled. “You can’t even get it,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” Thomas asked.
“You don’t want to know what I’ve heard about you.”
“I’ve banged a lot of headboards in my time and I always leave them screaming for more. If you heard something bad, it was probably from someone jealous.”
“Oh no, she wasn’t jealous. She was far from jealous,” she said.
“Then she made it up,” Thomas said, his brow furrowed. “Who was it?”
“I’m not saying,” she said as she shook her head.
“You’re talking about Katerina, right?” I asked.
“What about Katerina? Wait, you told him?” Thomas said before turning to me. “And you didn�
��t tell me? Spill it, Charlie.”
“Josie didn’t tell me, it’s something that’s been going around the neighborhood since high school,” I said.
“High school?” Thomas rubbed his chin as he thought then his eyes widened. “Fuck, that’s not fair. I only took Katerina out that one time to prom.”
“Oh here we go,” Josie said. “He’s going to use the drank too much excuse.”
“I did! No one told me it would make it harder to get it up.”
Josie and I laughed while Thomas looked horrified.
“This is why I couldn’t get any play from the neighborhood girls.” He shook his head. “They all thought I couldn’t get it up.”
“No, none of them would go out with you because you were an ass,” I said.
“I think Katerina used the term ‘monkey butt’. As in your breath smelled like one,” Josie said as she laughed. “But good to know you’re also soft.”
“Ahh fuck,” Thomas said. “You tricked me. I should’ve known better than to say anything. Let’s talk about something else. Like the priest here for crissakes.”
“Yeah, Charles, maybe I’ll feel better about you going if we talk about it,” Josie said. “I know we grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school and everything, but being a priest is a really big thing.”
“It’s like Momma said, I got the calling. This is the right thing for me. It’s what I want and I can’t imagine anything else. I’ve been doing this for a year now, why is this bothering you?”
“What if you just haven’t met the right pussy?” Thomas asked.
“Grow up, douchebag,” I said. “It has nothing to do with sex. Yeah, I have to be celibate, but being a priest is more important than that. I feel so fulfilled in what I do. It’s hard to explain.”
“Nothing is more important than sex,” Thomas said.
“But why Sacred Heart?” Josie asked, ignoring Thomas. “I thought Father Liam would have pulled some strings to get you at St. Peter’s”
“He tried, but Bishop Mulcahey wants me at Sacred Heart. He thinks having a local will bring the parishioners back.”
“Nothing is going to save that church,” Thomas said. “That part of town is falling apart.”
“Such a shame, It’s such a beautiful church,” Josie said.
“It is, but Thomas is right. That whole area looks deserted. But people still live there and they go to church,” I said. “I think the best thing would be for them to get historical status and rename St. Peter’s School to recognize Sacred Heart, but there’s only so much I can do.”
“I’m sure you’ll make that church great again,” Josie said.
“After all the work I’ll be doing down in Peru, I’m hoping Sacred Heart will be a piece of cake.”
Thomas looked at his watch and clasped my shoulder. It was the closest thing to a hug we ever did.
“Take care of yourself down there,” he said. “And if you meet any naive, beautiful women looking to worship a husband, remember to give them my number.” He grinned widely as he leaned against the door.
“You’re such a dick,” Josie said as she got up from the bed.
“I still think he just hasn’t met the right pussy,” Thomas said.
“I don’t care that he’s our brother, you don’t joke like that about a priest,” Josie said as she punched Thomas in the arm.
“I’m not joking, I’m serious,” he said as he rubbed his arm.
I watched them go as they left my bedroom. It felt so final seeing them walk out and I thought I knew why. Since I agreed to go to Peru, I had this nagging thought that it would change me. I had faith that it was for the better, but I knew when I came back I would be a different man. I just had no idea how much I would change.
~ Three ~
The humidity hit me as soon as I stepped off the plane. I collected my bags and spotted a stout man with a baseball cap standing by the doors. He held a sign with my name on it.
“I’m Charles McArthur,” I said as I approached him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Father. I’m Ramon Cartagena. It’s a two hour drive to Amaru.”
He reached to take my bags and I stopped him. I recognized his name as the man responsible for all the progress in these small villages. I wasn’t about to let him carry my bags for me. With one bag on my shoulder and pulling the other behind me, I followed him to his small car.
“Good to meet you,” I said. “I heard about all the work you’ve done in these villages.”
“Yes, but it’s never enough. I need more people to help, but there aren’t enough people who will work out of generosity.”
“I read about you in the New York Times. You are really making an impact out here,” I said as I put my bags in the trunk of the car before we hit the road.
“More of these villages need better access to water, electricity, and healthcare. When we have that then we’ll be able to get more teachers out here to help educate the children.”
I looked out the window at the hills and mountains in the distance. As we drove the terrain changed. The city and tall buildings vanished as the trees took over. Slowly the trees thinned out and we were surrounded by desert.
“There’s a lot of good people out here, but they need help,” he said. “It’s so far from civilization, there just aren’t the simple things you and I take for granted. I’m trying to help these people as much as I can so they can make better lives for themselves and their children. But there’s a large population who live further into the mountains where the only means of transportation is by horseback. I’ll get out there one day.”
“As long as I’m here you have another person to help. How many people are in the village?”
“Well this is different than the other villages we’ve helped with. Amaru will be more of a centralized location for the other villages where they will have access to some of the things they can only get in the city. We rebuilt the church hoping that would incentivize them to drive into Amaru. Right now there’s not a lot there.”
“That explains why it’s been so hard for the Church to find someone to lead this church.”
“It is,” he said with a nod. “I won’t lie to you, Amaru is in the middle of no where. I’ve had a hard time getting people to come out now because it’s the rainy season. There’s a lot of bad storms this time of year and there’s been times it’s knocked out the power grid. This has been one of the worst springs in years.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not going to happen. I know I’m only here for a few months, but I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“Thank you,” he said. “I know you don’t have to do that. I know you have enough to do with starting the church. I really appreciate any help I can get.”
The sun was setting as we arrived in Amaru. While I was expecting a village with dirt roads, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was a small town. Amaru had once been a stop for travelers ready to explore the mountains and hillsides of the region, but as roads improved the town was forgotten.
The cobblestone street jerked the car side to side. There was only one road through the town and it ended at the church. The plaster buildings were worn, but well kept. A few of the buildings had been freshly painted bright colors like pink and teal, while others were white. No one was out and most of the windows were dusted with dirt.
Ramon stopped the car in front of a white plastered building. In the center was a rusted gate under a brick archway. The building looked like it had been renovated recently, but was still in poor condition.
I followed him through the squeaky gate into a small courtyard. Several flowering trees and a dry fountain held glimpses of the oasis it once was.
“This was a hotel in the 1920’s,” Ramon said. “We made some minor renovations to it so that it could house our group.”
We walked up a wooden staircase, then along the balcony to a door. Ramon pulled a key out of his pocket and handed it to me.
“The doors here don’t
really lock, but here’s the key. Let me know if you need anything, Father,” he said.
I nodded and unlocked the door as he left. The room was small, but clean with a bed in the center and a dresser with a large mirror against the wall. With the sun almost set, I clicked the light switch but nothing happened.
As I stepped out the door to see if I could catch Ramon, I noticed lights on in another room not far from mine. I knocked and heard a muffled voice inside respond. Since I couldn’t hear well enough, I knocked on the door again.
“Come in.”
I thought about what Ramon said about the doors not locking and twisted the knob. As I stepped inside the room, my vision was pulled to the far wall where a naked woman was drying her long, dark hair with a towel. The dim light caressed her body, teasing my senses with her perky breasts and the curve of her waist and hips. As much as I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.
“Goddamn it,” she yelled. “What the fuck? Get out of my room.” She threw a rectangular packet of pills at me and then wrapped the towel around herself, knotting it above her bosom as she charged towards me. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
She shoved me hard, but I didn’t move. I was more shocked by her language than this short woman pushing against my chest with her hands.
“I’m Charles McArthur,” I said.
“Oh? And does being Charles McArthur mean you get to just barge into women’s rooms?”
“You said to come in.”
“I said don’t come in.”
“I didn’t hear the don’t,” I said.
“Maybe you didn’t want to,” she said, her brown eyes flashing angrily.
“I’m sorry. I just arrived today and my room doesn’t seem to have electricity.”
She stopped assaulting my chest, took a step back, and her eyes traveled up and down my body.
“You’re the priest? You don’t look like a priest.” She raised an eyebrow at me and rubbed my chest where she had been pushing. “And you definitely don’t feel like a priest.”
I grabbed her hand on my chest and held it there. She smelled sweet like mangos. The warmth of her hand through my shirt made me think things I hadn’t thought of in years. As she stared up at me, I noticed golden flecks in her eyes and how her thick lashes brushed against her cheek when she blinked. The man in me wanted to rip her towel off and taste her plump lips. I turned away and let go of her.
Sinned: A Priest Romance Page 2
