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Brother Mike found Doctor van Hoot in his office at the hospital. He was an internist and one of the senior doctors, the team leader for a project of the Belgian Government aimed at building local public health capacity while at the same time treating the needy.
Doctor van Hoot looked like anyone you might see on the streets of Brussels—a little overweight, a little balding, medium height—completely ordinary. Brother Mike knew that, not too different from Goldfarb, van Hoot had married a young local girl. However, he had never been married before and the word was that their marriage was sound. Van Hoot did not frequent the Crane or other sites of laxness or lasciviousness, and it was assumed he was a “good man.”
Brother Mike explained he had come at the request of the Abbot as his Father had understood Doctor van Hoot might need some help from the Abbey?
“Help from God?” he quipped with a smirk. “Now that would be a solution to my problem that I had not considered. I need forgiveness, but I am not sure God is ready to intervene into the mess I’ve created.”
“God is always ready to help those who ask for His assistance,” replied Brother Mike.
“Thank you for the kind offer. Kindly tell my good friend the Abbot I am most appreciative, but must deal with this on my own.”
“I will gladly inform my Father the Abbot, but I am sure he would appreciate a bit more detail as to the nature of the problem at hand to ensure the Abbey cannot offer assistance in one way or another, even if it is not Divine Intervention.”
“This is truly not an issue that concerns the Abbey, the church, or any religious order or person. This is my problem and mine alone.”
“Surely my Father would want me to offer to help you with your burden. God does not give us more than we can carry, but sometimes we need to hold hands to be able to carry the heaviest of loads.”
“I can see your Father has given you strict orders and that you are unlikely to leave me in peace until you have more tidbits to carry to the Abbot.” And so it was, without a blush and without missing a beat, Doctor van Hoot told Brother Mike his problem was that he had slept with his mother-in-law. He seemed to think a further explanation was really unnecessary, but did add, as almost an afterthought, that his wife had been away at the time of his mother-in-law’s visit. They had both partaken of too much wine and found themselves in a compromising position. A position, he could not help from adding, that was most probably unknown to members of the religious community such as Brother Mike, who had taken a vow of chastity.
The once-off indiscretion had taken on new importance when his wicked mother-in-law threatened to tell her daughter of the union, not portraying it as an alcohol-induced mistake, but the sign of a maturing relationship where the Doctor had finally realized that he was more akin to an older, more experienced woman than a young child. This was nonsense and the Doctor had no intention of leaving his true wife. Nonetheless, he also wished to avoid as much drama and outrage as possible. He simply wanted to turn back the clock and find again the life that he had known and enjoyed.
Brother Mike’s brain was ticking off the options, starting to idle like a well-tuned engine. His survival skills had often shown him that the best tactic was the lowest common denominator. This was a prurient subject that would benefit neither the good Doctor nor the Abbey. While it could certainly set tongues a wagging, it was destined only for ruin for the family and, by inference, friends. His task was to find a means of avoiding this nearly certain outcome, while restoring honor and peace to the Doctor.
There was no advantage to even fill the Abbot in on all the salacious details. It would suffice to say Doctor van Hoot had some delicate family issues which Brother Mike, on behalf of his Father the Abbot, had been able to address to the mutual satisfaction of all. The Doctor would then be in the Abbey’s debt, the Abbot would, in turn, be in Brother Mike’s debt, or at the very least see Brother Mike as an ally with sensitive secrets that were best kept suppressed. As the Abbot’s emissary, moreover, Brother Mike might be able to call in a favor or two from Doctor van Hoot, and maybe even a few from his close associates.
The sordid affair of two old drunks doing things they wished they had not was as old as the hills. Stifling any negative repercussions in the name of the Abbey could bring benefits all around.
But, Brother Mike had no idea of how or where to start. Nevertheless, this was not a time for complete candor, so Brother Mike took his leave of the Doctor, thanking him for sharing his problem; hoping the intervention of the Church could bring some solace. He further assured the Doctor he would provide his Father with only the briefest summary while he himself would examine how it might be possible to mitigate any negatives from this unfortunate happenstance.
Brother Mike believed in taking prompt, but well thought out action. His first call was on Antonio. The shopkeeper knew all the businessmen and would-be businessmen in town. He knew not only their business, but their stories. He found such knowledge invaluable in optimizing the profits from his own investments.
When asked about Doctor van Hoot’s mother-in-law, with no explanation offered as to why this person was of interest, Antonio’s first reaction was, “Oh her!”
As Brother Mike dug deeper, Antonio unveiled a tale of many twists. The good lady’s husband, now long departed, was seen by all, including the Doctor, as the father of the Doctor’s wife. However, the madam had been more libertine than a Bangkok hooker. In her youth she had been known, in the Biblical sense, by many of the community, regardless of their age, ethnic origin, or social standing. Her daughter was a case in point. She was in truth not the child of the good lady’s husband, but the child of an Arab trader who sold motorcycle parts, a Muslim merchant.
This presented a particular dilemma for the once so vampish lady. She was nonchalant about her many past imprudences, oblivious of her reputation, and unavoidably carried the baggage of her slattern past to the present. Nevertheless, at her husband’s death she had inherited his considerable assets with the codicil that these riches be used for their daughter, both for her dowry and a stipend for her after her marriage. Any additional funds over and beyond the daughter’s needs were to be available for his loving wife. And, the madam made sure her daughter’s needs were modest at best, living a fine life on the residue. But these arrangements had been, and continued to be, much contested by the late husband’s brother, with whom he had held many of the investments in partnership.
Brother Mike now saw light in the tunnel. If the wanton and now venerable madam went ahead with her scheme to try to turn her daughter against her doctor husband, then the daughter could seek retribution by informing her uncle of her mother’s promiscuity, which would certainly make her father’s will null and void as she was not in truth her father’s daughter. Thus, the wealth of the dear man should pass to his brother, not to his wife and child. Ah yes, thought Brother Mike, circles within circles.
With the power of intrigue and innuendo now in his hands, Brother Mike could see about organizing things. He gave a scanty accounting to the Abbot with his affirmation that the Abbey would be seen as a unifier and peace-bringer to a common-day domestic problem, enhancing the monastery’s standing and placing the good Doctor in the Abbey’s debt. He then found the Doctor busy in his office, professing to him that he, Brother Mike, would be able to heal this unfortunate wound and that the Doctor and his wife would once again find joy and comfort in their home—the mother-in-law would be making no problems.
Finally, the most difficult of the trilogy of plans—convincing the most unpleasant madam to cease and desist. Almost as though bent on self-destruction, her notoriety indicated she would indeed be the toughest of the trio to get on board. But Brother Mike could be very convincing when he was committed.
Brother Mike found the lady in question at her home, a pre-Independence brick structure with what must have been at one time very nice ornamental gardens. Unfortunately, at least from Brother Mike’s perspective, the home and garden