Passion of a Saint
Title: Passion of A Saint
Genre: AU/AU Ennis/Jack
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: The Characters of Ennis And Jack belong to the inimitable Ann Proulx. I am simply borrowing them for this story. No financial benefit is derived from this story.
Summary: This story is set at St. Augustine's. A pious Ennis is a Deacon hoping to become a priest.Warnings: This is set in an alternative universe. While similar, my Ennis and Jack are different characters, in a different time under different circumstances.
FeedBack: Yes, Please. I love it all - the good - the bad - and the ugly!
Notes: Thanks to my beta chamilet
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It was Jack’s graduation. His parents were already seated in the rows of plastic chairs that covered the lawn of the courtyard. He could not keep his mind off the event that would be taking place the next day at St. Augustine’s. He wondered if Ennis would mind if he reneged on his pledge to forfeit relations with him once a priest. In the end, perhaps he could do clandestine visits to the library, instead of nothing at all. It irked him that Ennis was so determined to sacrifice their love for the church, but there was nothing more he could do about it. Ennis had asked that he leave so he could come to a decision by himself. That had been five weeks ago.
Ennis waved and signaled trying to catch Jack’s attention, but Jack walked in the procession, gaze stuck to his feet.
As the procession passed and students unknown to Ennis marched by, he untangled himself from the web of camera toting family members and found an empty plastic seat from which to watch the proceedings. Ennis felt slightly out of place because he was still wearing his gray shirt and black pants, standard issue at St. Augustine's, not having had the opportunity to buy anything else that could pass for festive. He brushed off the feeling and focused on Jack sitting amongst the graduating students in their graduation gowns and black hats.
Ennis sat through the entire commencement, listening to speech after speech. Finally they began calling out the names of the degree recipients and the families stood to cheer. When the announcer called Jack and he walked across the stage, Ennis stood yelling and cheering as he had seen others do for their loved ones. As he was about to sit, he noticed an older couple also standing, their cheering having been more muted, looking at him in surprise and confusion. It was the Twists.
A stunned Jack looked across the once green lawn, now a sea of students and family, and saw the one person in the world that could make his day.
When every one had been conferred a degree, the procession back out began and the now ex-students dissipated into the crowd below, many stopping to take pictures to commemorate the occasion. Ennis didn’t have a camera, he'd never thought of having one before, but he wished he could capture this moment for Jack.
Ennis noticed Jack searching the crowd for him and called out his name.
“JACK!”
“Ennis what are you doing here?” Jack headed towards him, pulling him into a hug, “You came!”
“I did,” Ennis held him tight, “I came to see my soulmate graduate,” Ennis blushed aware of the very public forum in which he was declaring himself.
“Thanks,” he exclaimed holding on to his graduation hat as it caught the wind.
“I missed you,” Ennis mouthed without sound. Jack was still looking at him and Ennis knew he didn’t miss the words by the light that flicked on in his eyes.
“Are you going back tomorrow?” Jack had been burned enough to be cautious, Ennis had promised to come to him with whatever his decision was. He didn't want to read more into his presence than was real.
“I am here for you,” Ennis declared.
Jack leaned back, searching Ennis’ eyes for that final seal of authenticity, frustrated that Ennis would be so vague.
“It took you long enough,” Jack laughed burying his face in Ennis’ shoulder, the deacon's outfit Ennis was wearing did not give Jack much hope but either way he was relieved the wait was over.
“I’m here now,” Ennis squeezed on Jack’s shoulders, suddenly conscious of their extended display of affection.
“Ennis?” Jack questioned, sensing the shift in him.
“People are watching…”
Jack smiled, “No they aren’t. You are paranoid.”
Ennis smiled back as they released each other.
“I have to find my folks,” Jack told him.
“You go,” Ennis instructed.
“No, Ennis. Not without you.”
“Jack maybe this is not the time to…”
“To what?”
“Introduce your parents to the…,” Ennis searched for the right word, “boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend sounds great Ennis, and now is as good a time as any.” Jack's heart was speeding past his head, did Ennis mean - no probably not, if he had come to tell him he was leaving the church, surely he would have done so immediately.
“What about your Dad?”
“I have you Ennis, at my side, for now, who cares?” Jack masked his insecurity well, if Ennis had simply come to see him one last time, he would cherish that without question, he'd be brave.
Ennis smiled missing the clue that Jack was still unsure of him; thinking how sometimes there was simply no arguing with Jack, “Lead the way.”
They met up with Mr. and Mrs. Twist where Jack had left them seated.
“Mum, Dad!”
Jack’s mum hugged her son, congratulating him. John Twist was a more stoic man, merely shaking his hand, but Ennis could tell he was proud of his son.
“You know Ennis Del Mar,” Jack turned to him.
Ennis held out his hand to exchange pleasantries.
“Ah, the deacon,” Jack’s mum recognized him immediately.
“I am no longer a deacon, M'am,” Ennis informed them.
It was the first Jack had heard of that and he realized Ennis was not just skipping out for a last wild night before his ordination; Ennis had left it all behind. Ennis had called him soulmate and boyfriend earlier - he'd meant it not as past to present - but present to future. The light of a thousand suns crowded into Jack's blue eyes.
The excitement in Jack’s demeanor and Ennis’ admission brought a scowl to John Twist’s face.
“Is this your loverboy, Jack?” he asked, wanting to taunt the man still dressed in clerical garb into a humiliating denial.
Jack looked at Ennis and then leveled with his Dad, “Yes Dad, he is my boyfriend.” Jack stressed boyfriend, defiantly. He felt Ennis reach for his hand and infuse him with strength.
John Twist was stunned at the boldness, regretting the public-ness of the situation for he would have taken a fist to his son’s face otherwise.
Jack’s mum was also surprised, but not nearly as upset. One could almost say she was proud of her son for finding himself such a fine specimen of a man. Before she could express any thoughts, John Twist grabbed her hand.
“Come,” he said, “we're leaving.”
“But, we have reservations at…,” she was being hurled off as she spoke.
“I've lost my appetite with these faggots around.” They were already a number of steps away, but Jack and Ennis still heard.
Jack smiled at Ennis, “Now I have you all to myself.”
Ennis pulled him into a side hug, aware of just how much those last words had stung.
“So what is this about you no longer being a deacon?”
Ennis laughed, “It's true. Gave it all up.”
Jack looked at him intently, his eyes dancing with delight even as he tried to stay calm, “So what’s the plan?”
“Figure it out as we go.”
Jack smiled, he could work with that.
Ennis dragged Jack in front of a professional photographer, "You need a souvenir," he said, and watched as the flash from the camera blinked away.
Jack glowed with happiness and it was not because of his graduation. Ennis had been right, this day needed commemorating, if not for the reason Ennis had in mind. As the clicks seemed to end, the photographer satisfied he got the perfect shot, Jack stretched out his hand to Ennis, “I want a picture with you, Ennis.”
Ennis walked over. It was unusual for him to be in pictures and he felt suddenly very self conscious, unsure how he would hold up next to his beautiful Jack. A part of him wished he could just run away, but he caught sight of Jack’s excited look beaming at him, happier than Ennis had ever seen him. Ennis knew then that he would spend the rest of his life trying to make Jack happy, it was like a second calling - the only one that had mattered for a while now. He stood straight and smiled into the camera as the shutter snapped closed.
**
Their first ‘date’ had been a makeshift picnic in the library, in Ennis' mind that didn't really count, it made him rather unusually excited about this date with his boyfriend; somehow ‘boyfriend’ didn’t seem fitting for the depth of his feelings, but there didn’t seem to be another descriptor.
A taxi dropped them off at a high-end restaurant where the Twists were regulars.
Ennis stared in amazement as they walked through the revolving doors, admiring the intricate baroque metalwork of the door frame. The glass seemed to catch the sun as it spun, trapping it in its dark sheen.
The inside was even more intriguing to the austere lifestyle-accustomed Ennis. Crystal chandeliers hung from the bolted ceilings. The air didn’t smell of food as it did in every restaurant Ennis had been to, instead it was crisp and fresh, like an ocean’s breeze. Gentlemen in suits he couldn’t afford seemed to be waiters, mingling around elegant table settings that seated others dressed in even pricier clothing. One thing Ennis could tell, he probably couldn’t afford the price of a plate of food.
Ennis noticed a few others in their graduation gowns, probably from Jack’s school as well. He realized Jack had ended up steps ahead of him walking toward the front desk and hurried to get to him.
“Good morning, Mr. Twist. I have you for a table of three, reservations by the madam.”
“They won’t be joining us today, Oscar. It’ll just be two of us.”
“Very well, sir. Your usual table?”
Jack nodded and dragged Ennis along after the waiter.
“This is where your parents wanted to come with you?” Ennis asked
“Yes, we usually have all family functions here and run a monthly tab.”
“Oh,” Ennis pretended to understand what that meant.
They walked by the main seating area of the restaurant and into a more secluded dining area with several round booths that offered greater privacy.
Getting in at opposite ends, Jack and Ennis slid towards each other so they were both face to face and within an arms length of one other.
The accompanying waiter placed the black leather bound menus in front of them and asked if he could bring them any drinks.
Ennis had the urge for a strong drink to calm his nerves, but he was not certain about etiquette. He looked to Jack without saying a word.
“I think a refreshing strong drink would do?” Jack sorta stated and sorta asked, looking at Ennis.
Ennis nodded, amazed that Jack seemed to be able to read him once again.
“Two Long Island Iced Teas, one for me and one for my boyfriend please.”
The ease with which Jack declared them to the world was unnerving. “Was that necessary?” Ennis asked when the waiter left them to their menus.
“I don’t do the closet Ennis, you know that.”
“Yeah,” Ennis paused, “but that doesn’t mean we have to go around telling everyone.”
Jack smiled, “Don’t be so paranoid Ennis, the world outside the walls of St. Augustine’s isn’t nearly as bad for the likes of us as you’d think.”
Ennis let it go, remembering the other thing that had been bugging him, “I don’t really count iced tea as a strong drink.”
“Refreshing and strong,” Jack chuckled, “it’s a surprise.”
The waiter returned with two glasses of what looked like simple tea over a glassful of ice and two glasses of water.
Ennis grabbed his tea and drank a gulp before Jack could stop him. He didn’t fell a sting, but the warmth that coursed through him alerted him to the strength of the drink.
“Whoa…,” Ennis exclaimed smacking his lips in appreciation.
Jack was laughing out loud, “Told ya.”
“I suppose I have a lot to learn about this world.”
“It’ll be an honor to be your guide to normalcy.”
Ennis looked around the room then back at Jack, “This is not normalcy, Jack”.
Jack caught his meaning, “Well, you know, out in the rest of the world; not here necessarily.”
Ennis smiled, “You can start with ordering something, because I can’t tell what is edible on this menu and what’s not.”
Jack laughed; Ennis always expressed himself in such straightforward ways, never thinking to mask his lack of sophistication. Jack hoped that never changed.
Jack ordered their meals and when the waiter set the food down in front of them twenty minutes later, Ennis wondered why they couldn’t have just written steak on the menu instead of the fancy French names.
The food was delicious and enjoyable, but the company made it even more so. The light buzz from the 'Iced Tea' made him tingle all over when Jack grazed his hand. They spoke in whispered words and laughed in loud voices, their love obvious to even the most impervious of passersby.
They ordered a red velvet cake for desert and even though Ennis was almost full to the brim, he could not resist indulging. The cream cheese filling was a delight and the red velvet was exquisite, but even more Ennis loved watching Jack lick his lips whenever he got some cream on the sides of his mouth.
By the time they were done with the late lunch, Ennis felt like his pants would rip at the seams, and not just from his bloated belly but lower down too.
“Add it to our tab,” Jack informed the waiter. Ennis still didn’t know what that meant, only figuring it out when they walked away apparently without paying.
Jack felt Ennis’ unease. “It’s my graduation. The least the old man can do is pay for my lunch.”
Ennis smiled at Jack’s revenge at his old man. He had to give it Jack, it seemed sort of poetic. Yet a part of him realized, Jack’s old man had been part of God’s plan all along.
“Well, I have to thank the guy for being an asshole.”
“Why?”
“Otherwise I never would have met you,” Ennis smiled at Jack.
A taxi pulled up and honked, robbing Jack of a response.
**
"So, what did the trick?" Jack asked on the trip to the hotel were Ennis was staying.
"Once I realized that leaving the priesthood would be failing the church, not God - the path seemed obvious. There's no way the church could trump the way I feel about you - the only reason to stay was fear of being what I was. Anyway, I might be queer but I am no coward...not if I have you to be brave for." Ennis said in a low voice, glancing over at the cab driver from time to time.
Jack wished he could kiss him, but he knew Ennis enough to know that he would recoil from the public display of affection, even if they had only an audience of one...so he squeezed his hands instead.
Instinctively Jack knew to whom he owed Ennis’ epiphany. As soon as they were in Ennis’ hotel room and Ennis was in the bathroom taking a leak, he dialed the number on his cell phone.
It rang twice before a familiar Irish voice came on the line.
“Hello, Father Michael’s office. How can I help you?”
“Father, it’s Jack.”
“Hello Jack, how are you?”
“Very well, with Ennis.”
“He found you then?”
“Yes, he did. And I wanted to say thank you for everything.”
“Don’t thank me Child, thank God for creating him for you and helping him find his way to you.”
“Yeah, well - thank you all the same.”
“Where are you now?’
“At his hotel, in San Antonio.”
“Which one?”
“The Best Western on Commerce Street.”
“I have something to give you. I’ll catch a flight out and be there tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow then.”
“God bless you, Son.”
The line went dead just as Ennis stepped out from the bathroom, “Who was that?”
“Father Michael. I called to say thank you.”
Ennis looked at him puzzled, “There isn’t some grand conspiracy I am unaware of?”
“No,” Jack laughed. And neither said anything more, not wanting to betray the confidence of the gay priest, and not realizing the other knew.
They spent the day lazing around together, not wanting to seem too eager, but both looking forward to their night together. It was about much more than ripping off their clothes and getting naked. As much as they both wanted that, they enjoyed the kissing, the petting and building anticipation.
They walked to a Mexican fast food place around the corner to grab some tacos for dinner. Jack pulled out his credit card and handed it to the cashier. The look on the man’s face alerted him before the words did, his credit card had been declined. Jack looked into his wallet. He had no cash and he knew it was no fluke; his father hadn’t even given him twenty-four hours before cutting him off.
Ennis held out a twenty dollar note to the cashier, who took it without question.
Jack looked like a dog that had been kicked to the side of the road.
“I suppose expecting it doesn't make it hurt less when it happens,” Jack said guardedly.
Ennis grabbed the change and handed Jack half the tacos, “We’ll get through it.”
Jack smiled, having Ennis seemed to be worth it all, yet faced with the reality for the first time he felt scared.
They ate in silence in the hotel room, each pondering their future, until Ennis spoke.
“It’ll be okay, Jack. I’ll get a job. We’ll get by.”
Jack smiled, amused at Ennis’ attempt to reassure him. It wasn’t food money he was concerned about.
“I got admitted to NYU. The lease on the apartment in New York was prepaid for the year last week.”
“That’s great then, you can start school. I’ll get a job washing dishes if I have to.”
“The housing is covered, but I have to figure out how to pay for school, first.”
“Oh…,” Ennis realized that need-based financial aid was not an option. He worried they would both have to give up their careers for love.
“I guess he can’t destroy my credit score, eh?” Jack pulled Ennis towards him, “Not so fast anyway. It might require a guarantor but I should be good for a loan.”
“All is not lost then,” Ennis was relieved.
Jack didn’t want to burden him with the reality that his father would get to everyone he knew by the morning, and no one would dare cross the great John Twist to help him secure a loan. He’d cross that bridge when he got there. He wrapped his arms around Ennis, happy to face all opposition with his man by his side.
**
Ennis wanted very much to kiss away the sadness that glazed Jack's eyes, but he dared not. He was within an inch of the limit of his self control. He wanted nothing more than to rip the clothes off of Jack and slip into the warmth that awaited him there. It would not be wise to initiate anything, being that he had once stupidly suggested to Jack his ass was all he'd been after. He needed to get a grip, and a cold shower seemed the only solution.
All day Jack had been yanking Ennis' chain, he knew Ennis was trying to be gallant and that was sweet, but he loved tempting Ennis into resigning his control. It was working too, until the unfortunate incident at dinner had put a damper on things. When Ennis had declared suddenly he was heading for the shower, it was Jack whose cock throbbed with memory. The sound of the water splashing against the tile became unbearable even through the closed door of the bathroom.
The knowledge that Ennis was only a few feet away, naked, scrubbing his body with a lathered sponge, shuddering when he grazed his nipples was a most potent aphrodisiac and one Jack could not resist.
"Fuck it," Jack muttered to no one in particular. This time, it would be Ennis who would be weak in the knees.
Ennis didn't notice Jack walk into the bathroom, his eyes shut to keep the soap out as he massaged shampoo onto his scalp.
Jack watched in silence, biting on his lips, and undressing hurriedly. The skin rippling over Ennis' muscled ribcage in rhythm with the movement of his hands over his head sent shivers of longing to Jack's dick.
Ennis felt arms wrap around him and his lips curved into a smile. It had been stupid to think that a shower was a good idea, the second he'd turned on the water and stepped under the spray he'd figured it out. But it was too late. He was naked and wet and hard, and the man he wanted to bury himself inside was just beyond the walls lying on a bed. Jack could be loud and no one would care even if they heard; he wondered why others hearing his man scream with pleasure was such a turn on. His cock had twitched with the thought, and he didn't even bother turning the water cold. He liked the sensual feeling of the warm water sliding off his naked body, he'd planned to take care of Ennis Jr. before heading back out to Jack, but their desire was a two way street and Jack was naked in the shower, pressing up against him, arms wrapped around his chest. Ennis' smile was triumphant, and he'd been about to say something coy when Jack tugged at his nipples. He groaned out loud instead.
Jack rubbed the nubs between his fingers, clamping down on them as they swelled into taut buds.
Ennis didn't know just how much more of this he could take, his cock throbbed every time Jack plucked his nipples. Sure the lather had been washed off of him, he opened his eyes and turned around cupping Jack's face and crushing their lips together. He bent to breathe his words on Jack's neck, "Switch with me, let me wash you."
The request sent the vibrations straight from Jack's eardrum to his cock, and Jack grabbed the railing to steady himself as his knees buckled under him.
Jack allowed Ennis to squeeze past him, stepping directly under the jet of warm water from the shower head. He rolled his head around in a circle, it was a habitual ritual for him. He relished the way the water splashed around his face, neck, back and sides. There was a barely audible gasp from behind him - someone else seemed to appreciate it too...Jack leaned forward, resting his hands on the tiles in front of him. He felt the water pooling at the notch that had formed where the curve of his spine bulged into the globes of his butt cheeks before finding the cleft between to run down. It felt sexy exposing himself to Ennis like this, so he clenched his cheeks and smiled when he heard Ennis groan.
"You want this?" he taunted Ennis, wiggling his butt as he spoke.
Ennis had lathered up the sponge and stepped up against Jack so the length of their legs were touching and his hardness wedged itself between the rounded globes, water pooling between them and dropping off to the side; the natural path down now blocked.
"You have no idea how bad," Ennis murmured.
He started at Jack's neck, and made circles on Jack's skin with the soap filled sponge, his free hand following close behind, massaging the soap bubbles into the skin. After he was satisfied he'd scrubbed every bit of Jack's front clean, except the dick that jerked around demanding his attention, Ennis turned his focus to his back.
His own dick was not too happy to be dislodged from the crack it had eased into, but Ennis shut his eyes tight and willed himself to resist the urge to take Jack now, hard and fast. He would have Jack begging and quivering around him before this was over.
Ennis moved the shower head to the side, to give him some reprieve for the next phase of washing. He scrubbed Jack's back, savoring the way Jack's muscles spasmed under his lingering touch.
When he dragged first the sponge and then his fingers along the line of his spine and into the cleft that hid the prized reward Jack hissed, "Ennissssss..."
Ennis smiled, Jack's cool was cracking. He might be enjoying the attention, but he was close to his begging point; Ennis intended that he reach it. He parted the cleft with one hand sliding a finger against the rosebud, then suddenly he dipped in.
"Oh God, Ennis...," Jack's voice trembled with lust.
Ennis pushed his finger forward and the tightness yielded to him. He curved his finger knowing exactly where to find the hidden launch button inside Jack.
"Arrrrgggghhhh," Jack twisted against his finger, his knees weakening.
Ennis kept his finger on the mound, rubbing it until Jack was delirious.
"This isn't clean enough yet is it?" Ennis reached for Jack's neglected cock.
"I can't...," Jack whimpered.
"Of course you can," Ennis whispered a decibel above that of the water gliding his soap filled hand along the length of Jack.
"Ennis, please..."
"That's it Jack, let go."
"I..." Jack wasn't sure how much longer his legs would hold up.
"Yes, Jack?" Ennis slipped a second finger in.
"Urghhh, Fuck. Ennis."
Ennis ran both fingers over the mound, pressing down on the spot as he felt Jack's cock throb in his fist.
"Tell me what you want, Jack." Ennis demanded, the hoarseness of his voice betraying his own arousal.
"Take me," Jack succumbed to the cravings Ennis had emancipated.
Ennis grinned, proud to have seduced those words out of Jack. He pulled out his fingers, and stopped for a moment to calm his own breathing, not wanting this to be over before it began.
Jack whimpered at the loss, and not feeling Ennis move to replace the fingers with a larger probe, begged, "Please...Ennis". Jack's voice vibrated with need. Ennis placed his dick against the puckered hole, wanting to tease another plea out of Jack.
"Pleeeaassseee," Jack implored with a moan.
If he'd been toying with Jack, wrangling a wanton plea out of him, the last laugh was on Ennis. The sound of Jack's moans had driven him closer to the edge. Ennis held his breath and pushed against the tight canal.
Ennis' other hand still wrapped around stroked Jack's cock, Ennis wanted them to come together. It was a better idea in theory than in practice because Jack's hole quivered around him as he plunged inside.
"Fuuccckkk, Jack!"
Through his lust induced stupor Jack managed to smile, Ennis was as far gone as he was - lacking the usual inhibition to check his language. Jack wiggled his ass on Ennis, riding the impaling staff like he would a bronc.
He felt Ennis' cock twitch inside of him, and heard Ennis growl, "I'm cumming...."
The spasm in his ass, and the tightened grip on his dick took Jack over the edge with Ennis.
Jack braced himself against the tiles in front of him, as a tsunami of an orgasm crashed through his body; his insides quivered around Ennis' cock, amplifying Ennis' orgasm, milking him dry.
Later that night Ennis berated himself for ever having considered resisting Jack; this was were he belonged, and he was more aware of it now than when he'd made his choice. Being with Jack felt like home...
**
Father Michael had called them in the morning to set up a meeting in the hotel café for brunch.
Jack and Ennis hurried down, both eager to see a friendly face.
They took turns embracing the old Irish priest before sitting down at the table.
“You both look flushed with excitement,” Father Michael commented.
Ennis and Jack shared a knowing look, smiling.
“So what’s your grand plan?” the reverend asked.
“Well, Jack here got into NYU’s med school so it’ll be off to New York with us next week. I have a little savings to get us by until I can find a job scrubbing toilets or something.”
“My dad was quick to shut off the gravy train for my education it seems,” Jack added, his words dripping with melancholy.
“You did kind of expect that, didn’t you?” Fr. Michael interjected.
“Maybe if we hadn’t confronted them head on at the graduation,” Ennis lamented, his guilt over the turn of events surfacing publicly for the first time.
“No. I will not hide,” Jack’s voice was stern with conviction.
“It’s already done anyway,” Father Michael consoled.
“How is every one?” asked Ennis.
“Father Martin sends his regards, his prayers are with you. Every one else is still not quite sure why you disappeared. And Sister Alma - let's just say she is convinced you have been possessed by a blue-eyed demon.”
“I can’t believe it’s only been four days since I left,” Ennis said, missing the repetitive dullness of monastic life already. He had underestimated the anxiety that came with choices and freedom.
“Four days?!” Jack exclaimed sitting forward, seeming ready to pounce on a wrong answer, “You mean to tell me you have been here for four days?”
Ennis smiled, “Yup!”
“Why didn’t you ….”
Ennis cut his question short, “I didn’t know where exactly to find you. It was show up at your graduation or send and e-mail and wait for you to respond. I wanted the surprise factor."
“Ohh…,” Jack eased back into his chair.
Father Michael watched the exchange with amusement, they reminded him so much of another incarnation of this story, albeit one with a less happy ending. That line of thought reminded him of why he had come out here to see them.
“I have something for you two,” Father Michael said handing Ennis an envelope.
Ennis opened it and his jaw hung open. He handed it to Jack.
“That should help with Jack’s med school.”
Jack whistled, “No shit, and then some.”
Ennis’ pride kicked in, he wasn’t too used to kindness, “we can’t possibly accept.”
“Nonsense, I insist.” The reverend’s demeanor let them know it wasn’t up for discussion.
“How do you even have three hundred thousand dollars, I mean, aren’t priests supposed to give every thing to the church?”
Father Michael sighed, “It was left to me by Dennis. He had been quite successful in private enterprise. The church took everything else from him, I couldn’t let them have this too.”
Jack felt the pain in the Priest’s voice and reached a hand to give him the comfort of human contact.
Father Michael looked at Jack, thinking how much he reminded him of Dennis, “He would have loved you. He’d approve of the two of you.”
Ennis smiled, tears gathering in his eyes.
“I don’t get to live my life over again, but you two can write a different ending for my story, a happy ending,” Father Michael took both their hands into his, “Perhaps such was God’s master plan. In my time, things might not have ended so well for us. It was a medical disease to love Dennis; the church could have had us both locked up in a mental asylum. Maybe our love was doomed so that in a different era another love could be saved.” The reverend’s voice cracked with emotion, “Perhaps Jack’s father was destined to be an intransigent homophobe so he could send you to meet Ennis," Father Michael looked to Jack then Ennis, "And Ennis called to God so he would find his true path to you. There is a larger story to the universe that we do not see, an arc of history larger than our lifetimes. Faith in God means trusting that everything, both good and bad, happens for a reason, even though they might not be obvious at the time.”
“Father, would you say a prayer for us?” Jack requested.
Ennis nodded in support.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” all three made the sign of the cross.
“Thank you God, for the gift of Love you have bestowed on your children, Ennis and Jack. Guide them and bless them in the years to come, so they may always treasure this gift and never forget how rare it is. Let their love be a beacon of light in the world and their kindness touch hardened hearts. Where they face opposition, stand by them and carry them across stormy waters. Let their love bear witness to the goodness of your bounty. Amen.”
“Amen,” Jack and Ennis responded in unison, tears staining their cheeks. It had been a long journey, but they had walked the path together even while they were apart.
Ennis was reminded of the words of the philosopher Paulo Coelho: Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there. His heart had guided him to Jack, to the path God had always intended for him. In finding happiness, he had found peace. He looked across the table at Jack and embraced the love that was offered, hoping to someday prove himself worthy.
threesomes