Martina wanted to do something useful with her life besides mothering. Pushed into a marriage at sixteen, when three children arrived eighteen months apart she visited the government health clinic and unbeknownst to family and spouse and church, had the operation that shut down the production line. She wasn’t yet twenty-one.

Seeing the small note at the supermercado in their small town in northern New Mexico, she was intrigued and borrowed her brother’s rattletrap truck to check it out. Up in the mountains she found an old adobe building on a hilltop. The grounds were neat but unmanicured except for gardens and henhouse.

Her knock on the main door was answered by a middle-aged man with long hair and wearing a robe. In accented English, she introduced herself “Hello. I am Martina and I am inquiring about the housemother position.”

In fluent Spanish, the man introduced himself, “I am Father, the title all heads of monasteries in our faith used. Please come in. Would you care for some tea?” She nodded and followed him to the common room, lit by a skylight. He left for a few minutes and returned with an herbal tea which, Martina commented on. He explained that they grew their own.

The monastery was relatively new and housed four monks plus himself. They were almost completely independent of society, growing their own food and using no outside utilities. Some of this was accomplished with technology, harnessing solar and wind power. After discussing the basics of the position, Martina asked about the religious order. She was a bit familiar with Catholic monks but this seemed quite different.

Father asked her to sit on the floor mat and copy his cross-legged position. Wearing a skirt made it easier and more difficult to adopt. Her body was chunky and not limber in this way but she managed and smiled at her success. The monk sat in front of her, their knees almost touching. He reached out and took her hands in his, then began to speak, “This is an ancient spiritual philosophy which I brought back from central Asia when I became trained in it some years ago. I returned to the United States and founded this monastery with an inheritance about five years ago. We concentrate on learning the secrets of the universe by meditating and being one with nature. Of course, anyone who works closely with us must necessarily be compatible in many ways so I have some questions for you. Are you interested enough to continue?”

Martina nodded so he began the inquiries, “Are you married?” Head nod. “Do you have children?” She answered, “three.”

“What is your religious background?”

“I was raised Catholic but do not practice it very much.”

“Do you consider yourself a spiritual being?”

“Yes, I do, but with my family duties and my limited education I do not know how to explore it.”

Father smiled, “Being so small and self-contained, we are very close, perhaps even more harmonious than some families. If you accept, you will actually become part of our community and participate in the spiritual development that happens here. Many candidates are not comfortable with this but for the proper person it can become very rewarding and influence the rest of your life. It is more of a commitment than just being a household servant. Does this frighten you?”

Martina squeezed his hands, “I realize I don’t know everything yet but I have been seeking more in my life and I’m willing to pursue this further. I do have a question though. Obviously, you have had someone in this role before. Why did the leave?”

Father said, “She became pregnant and at the later stages it was not wise to be here and she did not choose to bring the child back at this time.”

“That would not be a factor with me. I have insured that I will have no more offspring. So what is next?”

Father stood up and lifted her to her feet. “As I said, we try to be as close to nature as possible so I normally do not wear a robe except when outsiders are visiting. Neither do any of the monks. That is the first thing that you must accept and if you do I will take you to see them.”

She was in thought for a few moments and then removed her clothing, “Even my husband does not see me like this except in the privacy of our bedroom. I have wondered what it would be like to move around unencumbered.”

Removing his robe, Father gazed at her and said, “That curiosity to experience new things is admirable and important for your growth as a person. Please follow me.” They walked into the rest of the building and she discovered that each monk had their own small room but they were all empty at this time. Father explained, “In the morning after a light breakfast and early prayers, we do much of our meditation and spiritual work with a fresh mind. After the noon meal we work indoors and outdoors doing the tasks that are necessary. As I said, we grow our own food and that is a way to be very close to nature. Since we have no artificial lighting, we eat at dusk and then retire. There is little talking, only what is necessary to accomplish tasks. Follow me out to the garden and see the monks at work.”

The monks were all quite young, about her age, and physically fit from their careful diet and regular working exercise. She had barely seen her own husband’s penis yet here were five which, although limp, were still an object of curiosity. She was not introduced since these young men were busy and very focused at their tasks. That was from their training. She was surprised to learn that they did not have individual names, that was an artificial label and not essential to their being.

When they returned to the building, Father asked if there were any questions. Martina couldn’t think of any at the moment. It certainly was interesting and not what she expected.

Seeing that she was accepting so far, Father delved into the final subject, “Since we are so attuned to nature we recognize, which you as a married woman must also know, that sexual union is a normal and necessary part of our human nature. Since we do not marry, we must depend on our housekeeper to join with us in that way. It is one of the most holy practices in our belief system.”

Martina took pause at that as she absorbed what he had just said. “Do you mean that if I accepted this position I would be required to have sex with all five of you?”

Father affirmed, “It is not like you think. It is a sacred act to be performed six days a week. On the seventh day we abstain from eating and anything else not essential to life during that period.”

“You’re going to have to excuse me for little bit while I walk outside and ponder what all you have said. I’m not refusing, please notice, but this is more than I expected.” Without noticing that she was still naked, she went to the door and began walking around the grounds, observing the young monks still at work.

Thoughts were conflicting in her head. She was a married mother, after all. Her spousal sex was always brief and unsatisfying and even infrequent lately. Seeing these young and fit bodies triggered a normal female reaction and she felt herself getting wet in her genitals. While her church said adultery was wrong, and she would never consider going out and having sex with just anybody, this would be part of a spiritual and sacred situation. She could not be impregnated, so any depositing of seed would not be for biological purposes. Surely she could try it out for a while.

That was how she presented it to Father. This was something very new and different to consider so she wanted to make it clear that her acceptance would be conditional on a successful trial time. He understood that, saying that one should only follow the things that were acceptable.

She was shown how to drive the four-wheel Mule that was used to bring necessary supplies to the monastery. She would use that to commute as well as shop as needed. They agreed she would start in the morning.

Her husband had mixed feelings, pleased with the money, which they needed, and the fresh produce which she could bring home, and the use of the mule, but apprehensive about her absence for so much of six days a week and being in the presence of other men, although his impression of monks was that they were nonsexual.

He wanted sex that night, not a typical one for it so she sensed some jealousy. It was actually a little bit better than usual but still not very satisfying compared to her vivid memories of earlier.