CHAPTER FOUR: RIO

    Billy watched through the windows as the car started descending. Gabriela explained, “We have been flying for a few hours now. This was planned so you could have time to accept and understand what was happening. It would have blown your mind to go faster. We’re arriving in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”    
    “Cool. Because there’s no extradition treaty?” he asked.
    “No. I just need you to trust me and do as I say.” she told him.
    “I guess I have nothing to lose.” he replied.
    The car descended into clouds. Then it touched down on a city street, in dense fog. “We have to take off and land in dense fog so people won’t see us and flip out.” Gabriela told him. Then she continued, “Here’s the problem. We have no money. Take this fishing rod. We will stop by the riverside.” Gabriela said.
    “Going fishing? Cool!” Billy said.
    “Check the Gospel of Matthew, the seventeenth chapter, the twenty-seventh verse.” Gabriela instructed him.
    Billy read it to her, “Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”
    “I think I catch your drift.” Billy told her. He cast and brought up a rainbow trout, opening its mouth. “Check it out! A Canadian gold maple leaf, one troy ounce of gold.” he noted.
    “Bring it. I will show you where the gold dealer is.” Gabriela said.
    They walked through the city streets and arrived at the kiosk where a man was standing behind a table.
    “Cuanto vale ista moeda?” Billy asked.
    “Mil duzentos reais.” he replied.
    “Muito bõa.” Billy accepted.
    The dealer counted out 1,200 Brazilian reals.
    “Obrigado.” Billy said, taking the cash. They walked to an inn, where Billy rented a room. The innkeeper showed them to the room and gave Billy the key.
    “So I guess this is where I’m gonna be staying now?” he asked.
    “We,” she corrected him. “If you don’t mind sharing the room.”
    “Oh, I do not mind!” he assured her. They sat down inside. Then it hit him. “Um, wait a second. Back at the coin dealer, like, I spoke to the dude in Portuguese. I never studied Portuguese. And when I rented the room, I spoke to the clerk in Portuguese.”
    “Again, it is in the Acts of the Apostles, in the second chapter, start at the seventh verse.” Gabriela explained.
    Billy read silently as Gabriela recited from memory, “And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
    “So, does this answer your uncertainty?” Gabriela asked.
    “Yes. I guess this all happened for a reason.” he replied. He looked at her briefly, then looked away again.
    “So, this may be overwhelming to you. You seem to be deep in thought.” she said. He looked at her again, then looked away.
    “Yes.”
    “Are you contemplating what has happened?” she asked. Again, he looked at her face, then looked away.
    “Well, not exactly.” he replied.
    “Might I ask, what are you thinking? Tell me your thoughts.” she said.
    “Well, I can’t, really. It’s….” he stopped. He looked at her again. Then he looked away.
    “It is what? You may tell me.” Gabriela assured him.
    “Let me think about how to turn my thought into words, and words that I can say to you.” he requested. He took a deep breath, then admitted, “You ask what are my thoughts. Please don’t be offended when I answer you. I am, after all, a guy. And, after all, there is one thing a guy is always thinking about. Like, just because an angel comes and springs him from jail and whisks him to Brazil, doesn’t mean he stops thinking about it. I’m, well, imagining that I’m running my hands all over your body. Like, rest assured, I’m only imagining. I don’t mean to show you disrespect, but you asked.”
    “Let me tell you something. In Heaven, we do not admire a man because he is a famous singer or a star baseball player. We admire a man because of his character. You showed that, on Elm Street, where you bravely risked your life to fight back. I admire you for that. There were many angel girls who admired you for that. When the casting call was announced, I competed against a large number of them, for the honor. Your guardian angel selected me. I am quite fortunate to enjoy your company.” Gabriela explained. “You are a good man.”
    Billy smiled. “I think I like what I hear. You know, I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but, you have a beautiful body.” he told her.
    “I do not object to your saying that. I am flattered. I just acquired this body last night.” she told him.
    Billy took her left hand in his right hand and held it. His heart was pounding harder and harder. “You are beautiful. You are a real heart-stopper.” Then he started talking more softly. “Listen, here’s the deal. Don’t let me get you angry at me. Stop me if you want.” He started running his hands over her shoulders and her arms. She flashed him a big, wide smile. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her. She kissed back. He held her and kissed her again, and again and again. They French kissed. He had told her that she could stop him if she wanted, but she didn’t want him to stop, so he didn’t.

    Copyright 2004 Tom Alciere

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CHAPTER FIVE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GLOSSARY


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