Blessed Brother / Synopsis / part 1:


When Everett Vitali is born, his doctors give him a few years to live. His parents, Cinthia and Alessandro, travel worldwide searching for a specialist to perform the delicate operation on Infant Everett's underdeveloped heart and lungs, but to no avail.

Alessandro Vitali, Everett's father, a renowned archeologist, is coincidently flown to Jerusalem's City of David to head an excavation to find the Medallion of Divine power. It is one of twelve biblical artifacts worn by Jesus' Apostles and is said to possess healing powers. Alessandro takes the artifact in a desperate attempt to save his dying infant son, Everett.

Everett is saved, and years later, his acquired Divine power is revealed to him through a car accident involving himself and a six-year-old child. The child is on the verge of death as Everett revives her with his then-discovered powers from the Medallion. In those following days, this event validates his long-debated decision to become a priest, and he fulfills his quest.

The contributing factor leading to Everett's accident is his distracted state of mind which involves Thaddeus Vitali, Everett's older brother. Thaddeus is, that same day, accused and convicted of the rape of their adopted sister Claudia. He is sentenced to twenty years in federal prison with possible parole.

Over those years, Claudia felt the torturous guilt of how she'd framed her brother Thaddeus for her rape. All in her attempt to conceal a life of prostitution and her unexpected pregnancy, from her adopted family. Her afflicted conscience finally prompts her to fight for Thaddeus' release at his next parole hearing.

Thaddeus is released and arrives at Everett's church unannounced. Father Everett is unforgiving as he believes Thaddeus is guilty of Claudia's rape and now considers Thaddeus responsible for her recent suicide.

Thaddeus leaves Everett's church, but not before revealing to Everett his terminal illness.

***
Blessed Brother/part 2 / The ignited darkness.

The confessional door clicked closed behind Everett, and he stared for a few seconds at the church door his brother Thaddeus had exited a few moments before.

He kneeled at the altar and signed the cross. "Lord, I cannot ask for Your forgiveness if I cannot forgive. What kind of man... what kind of priest... is unable to find the comforting words needed for his dying brother? Instead, resentment and blame overcame me. Jesus, You said, 'The meek shall inherit the earth, so they shall learn to forgive.'" I ask You, Am I not among the meek? This has made me question my priesthood as well as my conscience." Everett pulled the Medallion from under his shirt and rubbed it between his fingers. "Through this Medallion, You've given me Your Divine power, but I've only discovered moments ago that forgiveness is part of its strength, and I have failed my brother. Dear Lord, help me see through your eyes, show me the path to forgiveness, and allow me to release Thaddeus of his sins. I ask this through Your name. Amen."

Everett returned to the Sacristy, where Father Jim, the curate priest and thirty years Everett's senior, stood in full robe, preparing for the morning service. "I heard you praying, Father Everett."

"I'm sorry, it helps me to pray aloud; I hope I didn't disturb you."

"Not at all, it was a beautiful prayer, but one aspect concerns me."

"What's that?"

"If you're willing to forgive Thaddeus, why aren't you willing to find him?"

Everett paused for a few seconds. "I've asked myself that same question."

Father Jim tied his Cinture and draped the Chausable around his neck. "And what is your answer, Father?"

Everett stood and stared out the Sacristy window. "I'm ashamed to tell you; I have no answer. He turned to Father Jim. "Why, as a man of the cloth, do I hesitate? Please tell me what I need to do to fix this, to fix me. I'm asking for your counsel."

"Father Everett, at this point, time is your wisest counselor. Find Thaddeus; before it runs out."

***
Everett stepped out for his evening walk and unexpectedly found himself a bit further away from the parsonage than usual. He looked at his watch and noticed he'd been walking for almost an hour. The street lights buzzed above his head as he paused in front of a dark alleyway.
He wasn't sure what purpose his frustrated call into the night served, but his words came without hesitation. "Thaddeus! Thaddeus Vitali, are you here?" He knew Father Jim was right, and his feeble attempts to find his brother brought Thaddeus closer to his death.

"There's no one here named Thaddeus," a disembodied voice answered from the darkness.

"Yes, thank you. Sorry to bother you..." Everett's voice trailed off as the man approached him from the alleyway.

"Do you have a few extra dollars, brother? Or should I say, Father?" The man held out his hand as his grin dimpled his stubbled cheeks.

"Yes, yes, of course. Everett reached into his pocket. "Are you sure you haven't seen a stranger amongst you? He'd be a tall, slender man with a slow-moving voice..."

"No, Father, I haven't seen anyone like that."

Everett fixed his eyes on the empty streets and blindly placed his money into the man's hand.

"Thank you, Father, for your kindness and generosity."

Everett turned to him and their eyes locked. The stranger cocked his head to one side and stared into Everett's eyes. "Of course, Bless you, sir," Everett said.

The homeless man nodded but lingered beside Everett. "Have you ever forgiven anyone, Father?" he muttered.

"Everett gripped the crease in the stranger's arm and turned him. "What made you ask me that?"

"I ask the question merely out of curiosity, Father."

"Yes, but it's such an odd question."

"Is it, Father? I'm sorry; perhaps I've said too much?"

"No, it's fine; I'm intrigued but confused; how could you possibly know...?"

"I've seen so many unforgiving eyes in my years on the streets, Father. People want to forgive, but they've never given a piece of themselves to anyone besides themselves."

"I don't understand?"

The stranger sat on the street bench with a slight groan, and Everett sat on the edge of the seat beside him. "Go ahead... please."

"Forgiveness sometimes gets twisted in a web of emotions and feelings."

"And rightfully so, Everett blurted."

"But, it is neither, Father."

Everett got up and paced in front of the man. "Well, what is it then? Why is it so indefinable?"

"You have first to admit that you need to forgive."

"There's just so much..."

"I don't mean to conjure pain from you, Father."

"No, it's fine; please, go on."

The stranger settled against the bench's backrest. "Before I could understand what forgiveness was, I had to understand what it was not. Forgiving someone for their wrongdoings doesn't mean you should release them from taking responsibility for them, nor does it mean you have to accept what they've done, Father."

"What you're explaining is merely partial forgiveness."

The stranger patted Everett's knee. "Forgiveness is never a one-time event, Father. Offer that person a piece of your soul, and wait to see how it's received."

"Why is that so hard for me to do?" Everett's emotions reeled around his unclear readiness to engage the stranger.

"Giving away a part of oneself is not something people are willing to do so readily, Father, and therein lies the struggle to forgive."

Everett took a few steps away from the man and studied him.

"You don't know me, Father. I'm simply a small part of the big picture." The man walked to the edge of the alleyway and turned to Everett. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Father."

Everett moved a few feet closer to the man, "but you don't understand. I'm running out of time!"

"Father, you've always known what forgiveness is; you simply need to embrace what it is not."

"Yes, but wait..."

"Perhaps we will meet again at the next fork in the road, Father."

"Yes, I wanted to invite you to join me in one of my sermons. My parish is on Barnett Street."

The man nodded with a slight grin and disappeared into the darkness.

The following morning Everett sat with his cup of coffee and pondered over his experience of the evening before when the rectory phone rang. "Hello. Yes, this is Father Everett. Yes, that's my brother. Hospice? Where are you located? Uh-huh, yes, I'll be there in less than an hour. Thank you so much for calling me. Yes, goodbye."

Everett pushed through the doors to Glenmont hospice center and hurried to the front desk.
"May I help you, Father?"

"Yes, Thaddeus, Thaddeus Vitali, where can I find him?" Everett watched as the nurse's eyes fumbled through the computer records, increasing Everett's anxiety.

"I'm sorry, Father, they have him listed as deceased."

"What? When?"

"It looks like he died at seven forty-five this morning. Twenty minutes ago."

Everett put his head in his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Father."

"Would I be able to see him?"

"Yes, of course, you can view him in the morgue, Father. He'll need to be identified. One of the nurses on duty will take you down. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Yes, yes, thank you."

He stood over Thaddeus's body. Everett became more aware than ever of the medallion around his neck.

To be continued...