Lying in the bed, Francis began to think about all that had transpired in the first evening he spent with his older brother. One by one all unimportant events and conversations got discarded and only the most poignant points with the historical significance remained and he began recalling the words and phrases in mind and started analyzing them so as to ascertain if there was any of the proverbial, 'in between the line' meanings lurking behind them.

A disturbed psyche it seems always holds a defensive posture as if the world surrounding it is nothing but a hostile snake pit. His own feelings and the understandings of what constitutes a permissible love and what is a prohibited one was increasingly becoming closer to the gnostic spirituality of Thomas-a fundamentally opposite doctrine to the writings of 'The Pentateuch', as well as 'The New Testament'. His sojourn with the Amazonian Tribes had removed him from the mainstream Roman Catholic liturgy, the baptism and the Apostolic points of views. It was replaced by his deep felt and personalized love for the Savior, akin to the relationship between Jesus, Thomas and Mary Magdalene. His heart would swell with emotions of piety and love just by concentrating his thoughts in a meditative state on the Christ and tears would roll down his cheeks and he would weep without any external reasons. The emotional intimacy he had developed with his Master also was frowned by the Vatican authorities from very beginning of the foundation of Roman Catholic Church and the void between the devotee and the Lord grew as the centuries past and the power of Church and her officials grew with leaps and bound. Cesar Constantin became the first Bishop of Rome
The Master, as Son of God had to be approached with a proper and well prescribed manner where the vehicle to get to him was the Mother Church and the authority to take a mortal to Him, was vested in the properly Ordained Priests, Bishops and the Pope. No one could reach Him like one reaches his best friend casually. When Francis entered the Seminary, he had no qualms or doubts about the appropriateness of this arrangement but then that time came in his life and he was sent to bring the savages unto the Lord's domain and save their souls from damnation of eternity.

When he reached his post what he found there was totally different than what was described by the individuals before him in the reports submitted to the Vatican and to the Brazilian government. He found a society that was totally childlike and innocent to a fault. He discovered that the secret of their harmonious life was hidden in their love for nature and each other. They had no conflicts of any sort and had actually devised a system of settling disputes without anger or violence. Their needs were simple and they owned nothing individually except what they used in daily intercourse of a collective living. They had neither crimes nor the desire to own anything. In fact they inherited the earth in the sense, Christ proclaimed on the Mountain. Without knowing Him they were his true followers. What souls then he was to save? He had wondered.
Francis took out his notebook from the little duffle bag he had brought with him and opened a page that was marked and read a passage from Elaine Pagles book, 'The Gnostic Gospels'. It was a segment of an address to Thomas by Jesus:
"... I am the knowledge of the truth. So while you accompany me, although you do not understand (it), you already have come to know, and you will be called 'the one who knows himself.' For whoever has not known himself has known nothing, but whoever has known himself has simultaneously achieved knowledge about the depth of all things."

He lingered on the last statement and reread it and softly murmured, " I have known myself all along and was made to believe that I am not worthy of loving my Savior but I am like Thomas; one who knows himself. I will not fear of getting discovered who I am. I am free." With that thought, he became peaceful and fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was past ten in the morning. The heavy satin curtains on the windows had kept sunlight out and room was dark and bed was comfortable. He had not slept like this in a long, long time so remained in the bed for another hour or so thinking about his future plans. A family life with all the trappings of a comfortable living with his brother's family was available to him now to heal all his wounds and end the sufferings but then, there was his deep rooted love and devotion for the Savior who he believed earnestly, had in return also loved him, just the way He loved Thomas and Mary Magdalene and then, that knowledge of 'the depth of all things' was given to him, has a divine purpose. I see it clearly now.

"I have to go to them who are facing extinction in the jungles of Amazon and do what so ever is needed to stop the destruction of their habitats and way of life and prevent their forcible conversion to this banal, greedy and Godless modern life. I don't need any Bishop's permission to do what my Savior said on that Mountain is the duty of every person who's to follow Him."
Peace replaced the agony of his heart and he felt strong and decisive. He could have sat in that contemplative state for a long time but then he heard a car pulling in the garage bellow his bedroom. He got up and went into the bathroom.

When he stepped out of his room, he saw Pascu speaking on the phone with someone in Portuguese. He was talking to a caregiver, giving instructions about medications. By the time Francis got down the steps, he finished the instructions and ended the call and turned around to face his brother. Seeing him approaching, Francis opened his arms to hug him and with a bright and engaging smile he just did that and spoke for the first time in his mother tongue, 'Konkani':
"Ma ka zope pale mast aaili, khay jawache re jevanas? (I got very restful, deep sleep indeed, where are we going to eat ?)
Pascu understood the meaning but couldn't recall appropriate vocabulary quickly as he had not spoken or heard his mother tongue since he left Goa three decade ago. So he responded in English:
" You indeed look rested and your face is all bright and as far as lunch is concerned, pick your choice; we could do, Goan, Japanese or Brazilian."
"Let's do Goan; do you think we could get 'Masala Bangda' ( Spicy Mackerel dish) like mom used to make with lots of garlic, coconut milk, green chilies and dried Coccum fruit skins?"
"Of course but you will have to settle for a Spanish Mackerel and not the type you get in the Indian waters, besides that I am not sure you can get Coccum skins here. We will check it out; I know the family that owns the restaurant."
Brothers drove around for a while and Pascu was pleased to see this fresh Avatar of his brother, however as an experienced Psychiatrist he knew that the mood could be ephemeral and with a slightest provocations, could bring out the bipolar personality. Skillfully he kept the conversation on topics which were current and of impersonal nature. When they reached the restaurant, Pascu deliberately did not mention the Priesthood of his brother when he introduced Francis to few folks he knew. The lunch was satisfactory, the mood was jovial, beer was cold and weather was good and they decided to go for a walk on the beach.
Since his meeting in Rio, Pascu was planning to bring Francis in the secret of their paternity. He was confident that as a Priest, well trained and experienced to handle all the negative eventualities affecting the parishioners' souls and minds, Father Francis would be able to handle it stoically. However, a glimpse of his actual state of mind he got when he met him on the train. Now he was not sure about it and decided to postpone the plan for a future date and after ensuring that his kid brother's mind was stable and strong enough to take the shock.
Like to children, they enjoyed the afternoon without a care in the world. At last they sat down on a bench and Pascu inquired of his brother:
"I hope you are planning to move to Sau Paulo permanently. You have a family here and perhaps, our church could use a Padre to manage the affairs. You get your own place if you wish, you have the financial resources to do what so ever you like with your estate."
" My estate and financial resources?" Francis raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Where did that come from? The property in Goa ought to be yours and Emanuel's; is it not?
With that discussion springing up from nowhere, the situation became very awkward and inadvertently, Pascu opened a can of worms. The estate he spoke about was not their ancestral home in Goa-in India, but a sizable property in Lisbon, Madrid and Rome. All of which came to Francis from his biological father but known to him as a step-father the Count Alphonso. The ancestral property probably would have gone to three brothers and may be to sister also, but the Count's estate was willed to his only child, known to the world as Francis Christo Mendez; a RC priest.

Quick thinking made him realize that the information of mother leaving all that wealth to him would have made no sense at all and in reality, she had died two years before the Count had passed away. So, passing of wealth from husband to wife had not happened and in their situation, estate going to son directly from the father, was the true story. How to explain all this to Francis without telling him why a step father would pass the estate only to one of the four children of his second wife was just not possible and then, there were legal issues and probate documents showing the relationship etc. He was in a bind now.
The long pause in answering the question put Francis on alert as individuals having suffered remain on guard all the time; he too was apprehensive to find out what had transpired during his long absence from the civilized world of doctors and lawyers.
Luckily Rosita called at the same moment and rescued her husband from that developing crisis. She had planned a quiet dinner with few friends and it was time they should be home to help her organize the soiree.
"I will tell you all about it as soon as we get an opportunity to sit down and go over documents etc., but we must get home ASAP, unless you wish to see the other side of your sister in law" he said jokingly and then that subject was forgotten for time being and they headed home.