A Well Lived Life 3 Book 1 SuzanneChapter 22 Honoring My Dad
- 3 years ago
- 40
- 0
October 25, 1992, Chicago, Illinois
“Oh my God!” Kara gasped. “You can NEVER tell Bethany!”
“Relax, Kara,” I said. “I have no intention of doing so. In fact, I purposefully misled Bethany about what happened between Caroline and me. She has no idea that we were together in the NIKA apartment. And, there’s a VERY important difference between Caroline and Nick, and Stephanie and me. They looked into the abyss and turned back. Stephanie and I didn’t.”
“So they never...” Jessica asked.
“No. But it was a close thing. When he graduated from Arizona State, she was fifteen and he was twenty-two. They were super-close, almost as close as Stephanie and me, though without the whole predator/prey thing going on. Well, at least as far as I can tell from the one-sided story. Without going into too many details, Nick’s last night, before he was to leave Arizona for law school, they went camping out in the desert. They’d done that a lot from the time they were little. Only this time, Caroline was very emotional. The bottom line is, she snuggled with him, kissed him with a sisterly kiss that turned into a real kiss. They had a furious make-out session before Nick came to his senses and put a stop to it.”
“That explains a LOT,” Jessica said. “And she told you this after you made love?”
“Yes. We were lying in bed, cuddling, knowing we had to shower and get dressed. The only thing that really let us have the time was the time difference between here and Ohio. That gave us, effectively, an extra hour. And it wasn’t about playing; it was just plain, simple lovemaking. She cried when we finished, as she’d predicted she would, and that’s when she told me about herself and Nick. She kept talking while we showered, while we dressed, and while we changed the sheets on the bed. She finished talking literally as we walked up the steps to the house.”
“She wasn’t a virgin, was she?” Kara asked.
I shrugged, “I didn’t ask, so I have no idea. I don’t think so, but it’s possible, I suppose. She had a serious boyfriend who lasted from the summer before Senior year in High School right up until Nick’s death. I got the picture that they were intimate, but again, it wasn’t my business to ask, and I didn’t need to know.”
“What are you going to do?” Jessica asked.
“Nothing. She promised to tell her therapist about that incident. I would say, somehow, Caroline knew she could tell me, and once she did, it was like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. I believe she came to Chicago to tell me the story. And why me? I have no idea. Maybe it was because I just let her cry on my shoulder back in August and didn’t do anything other than hold her. It’s possible she wanted to tell me then, but I can’t be sure. What I am sure was that the only way she COULD tell me is if we were intimate first.”
“Another seriously damaged girl who came to you for help, and you found a way to help her,” Kara said.
“Yeah, but why does it always have to involve sex?” I sighed. “Seriously, there was no need for her to do that.”
“Who?” Jessica asked. “Caroline or Michelle?”
“This is where I usually say ‘I hate you’,” I sighed. “How did you know I was struggling with that?”
“Because you’re you, and despite the positive results, you’re worried that you did the wrong thing. You’re having the same thoughts about Samantha, too.”
“I am,” I admitted, “though her business-like approach to the whole thing made for much less consternation. I still say she’ll change the character of the relationship when she starts college.”
“Maybe,” Kara said. “I think there’s something else swirling around in her mind.”
“It’s possible. All we can do is wait and see how things turn out. But it’s important that Bethany never know about what I just told you, including that I was with Caroline.”
“I agree,” Jessica said. “How was it? I don’t mean physically, but emotionally?”
“As I said, she cried, and I had a weird feeling, but I think that really was just a matter of me detecting something was wrong. And now I know what it was.”
It had been a very interesting lovemaking session. Slow, deliberate, and purely emotional. The kissing had been soft, not urgent, just as the coupling was. It was as if Caroline needed a complete connection to my soul so that she could unburden hers. She’d had a few small orgasms, but nothing I would call earth-shattering, and mine had been, for lack of a better word, a comforting release. It would have been difficult for me to explain, but it wasn’t our bodies merging; it was our souls, at least for that brief instant. And that merger allowed Caroline to reveal her deepest, innermost secret to me.
“Do you regret being with Michelle?” Jessica asked, drawing me back to her earlier comment.
“No, I don’t,” I replied. “That said, I do wish there had been a better way.”
October 26, 1992, Chicago, Illinois
“So did you and Caroline?” Samantha asked as we cuddled in her bed after making love on Monday evening.
“That’s never an appropriate question to ask,” I said. “Would you want someone talking about being with you?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“The only ones with the ultimate right to know are Jessica and Kara, because they’re my wives.”
“So I’d have to become a wife to get that kind of information?” she giggled.
“The direct answer to THAT question is ‘yes’, but I don’t think that’s what you want, nor do I think it’s a good idea.”
“Wouldn’t that be up to me? Well, and Jessica and Kara, obviously.”
“And me, too. But I don’t think that’s in the cards. And even if it were, do you understand exactly what you would be asking for?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Well, first of all, I can’t give you any children. Period. I had the ‘make damn sure it could never fail’ operation and it’s not easily reversible, if it is at all. Second, I know we told you that when we’re in bed together, we all make love to each other with all that implies. And you seemed a bit too, well, conventional, for that kind of behavior. You were uncomfortable being so close to Jessica and Kara naked in the sauna!”
“But what about Elyse? I get the idea from her that she has NO interest in stuff like that.”
“Very true. And I’m sure you’ve heard us talking about her moving out and about her old boyfriend coming back into her life. Not to mention she had two kids before I had my operation.”
“So what am I then? I don’t think you see me as a plaything or just a cute, young girl to have sex with.”
“No, I don’t. I love you. I mean that. But there are limits to what I can offer you. In the end, it comes down to what you want, what your life goals are, and what I can provide. Some things just can’t work because of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Remember our talk about not being able to have everything you want? That’s the situation you find yourself in right now.”
“Because nothing I can do can change the situation with you, Jessica, and Kara. And your kids.”
“Correct. There are, indeed, things money can’t buy. And I think, in the long run, you can’t give up what you would need to give up to have that kind of relationship with us. There’s no need to rush your decisions, either. You have nine months or so before you have to decide to move into the dorms or not. Until then, if you’re happy with the way things are going, just be happy and go with the flow, as it were. See how things develop. See how you feel. You’re still young and have a lot of time to make those life decisions.”
“So what do you want?”
“For you to be a happy, healthy, mature adult who understands that the world is a very different place from where she grew up.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes. That’s why I would have accepted whichever decision you made. And been happy either way. This really is about you.”
“Sex with me isn’t important?”
“That is not what I said! I suppose the best way to say it is that I would gladly forgo sex with you if it helps you be the person you want to be and I want to help you become.”
“Because you can get sex anywhere?” Samantha asked.
“No, not because of that,” I replied gently. “If the choice was between being celibate and hurting you, it’s an easy choice.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?”
“I do. I’ve had some serious, serious struggles in that area recently, and done a lot of debating with myself over when it’s right to go to bed with someone, and when it’s not. In the past, I didn’t think much about it. Well, that’s not quite true. I thought about it in the sense of ensuring the other person really wanted it. I pretty much ALWAYS wanted it!”
“How you behaved with me the first time versus after what happened in Monaco?”
“Yes. That first time, I had no question about wanting it; I only wanted to make sure YOU wanted it. The second decision was way more complicated.”
“What made you start thinking that way?”
“You. Michelle. What happened with Jeri and Lisa. What happened with Crystal. And some other stuff which I can’t really discuss. And, probably the biggest thing recently, your dad.”
My sister, being the primary thing, but also Jennifer, Bethany, and, most recently, Caroline.
“Because of how he treated the girls like Denise?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“And that’s why you were OK with never hitting on any of my friends.”
“Yes. I didn’t want to be your dad. And I could see myself being like that if I wasn’t careful. The last thing I’d ever want to do would be to hurt my kids the way your dad hurt you. You have friends now who you can safely bring here without worrying that I’m simply going to add them to a list of conquests.”
“You remember what I said about Ellie?”
“Well, you hinted at it, but that was a topic I was never going to raise. For obvious reasons.”
“I was curious because I did offer that as a deal-sweetener.”
“I know. But given the circumstances, it seemed wrong to bring it up. Especially after what happened with your friend Denise.”
“And I told you why I thought it was different,” Samantha said.
“What are you saying?” I asked. “Just be direct.”
“I don’t know what I’m saying, really. I was trying to explain my situation here to Ellie and Mary on Saturday afternoon and it was kind of difficult.”
“I can see that.”
“I didn’t tell them about my money, or about my mom and dad, other than the fact that they didn’t care and you took me in. But then it kind of got weird because they asked about how I met you and what our relationship is. And they’ve been here enough to know that you have two wives, and Elyse, so they asked me bluntly if we were sleeping together. I swore them to secrecy and told them that I had seduced you, which is true.”
“I suppose that’s a reasonable way to describe what happened. But I’m curious now, your ‘deal sweetener’? Was it real? Or not?”
“Real in theory, I suppose. I didn’t know if Ellie was really interested, but I know enough girls my age who would love to have an older lover show them things, that if you’d taken me up on it, someone would have been available!”
I chuckled, “Interesting. So it was a test?”
“No, not really. I offered it as proof of what I was saying, that if we were lovers, then the girls weren’t off limits, so long as you weren’t chasing after them or trying to get them to chase you by flirting.”
“Samantha, it’s not necessary. You don’t need to procure girls for me!”
She laughed, “I wasn’t planning on it! I would never do that for what should be obvious reasons. But if a girl were to express interest, and I thought she could keep quiet, I might mention it to you. That’s very different.”
“Is it, really? Do you really want me to have sex with your friends?”
“If THEY wanted it? And they suggested it? It’s very different from with my dad. I wouldn’t mind.”
“There’s the thing, it’s not about ‘minding’. That’s the equivalent of ‘If I have to’ which kids say to their parents when they are required to do something they don’t want to do. Do you see the difference?”
“Yes. And Ellie actually asked if you were interested in her. I told her you might be, and I’d ask you. And yes, I’m asking you.”
“All I can say is have her talk to me. I won’t make any promises that I’ll actually do anything.”
“There is one thing you need to do,” Samantha said.
“What’s that?”
She smirked, “Before I give you back to your wives, get your big dick in my tight little pussy and fill me full of your cum!”
“I think Lisa gave you very bad advice about talking that way,” I said.
“Sorry.”
“Just be yourself. I don’t need you to talk like that. Say it in your own words.”
“Before you go back to your wives, I want to do it again with you, and feel you inside me and feel you shoot in me.”
“Now THAT I can do!” I grinned, rolling on top of her firm, young body.
October 30, 1992, Chicago, Illinois
“Is everything set?” I asked Samantha on Friday evening.
“I think so,” she said. “All the snacks are ready, the fridge upstairs is full of pop, and Abbie helped me get the stereo set up before she left. My friends should be here soon.”
“I’ll be in the great room or in my study,” I said. “If anything comes up, just come get me or one of my wives or Elyse.”
“Thanks!” she grinned, and gave me a quick kiss.
I went to the great room to hang out with my extended family. I heard the doorbell ring and Samantha let some of her friends in, then took them to the elevator and went up to the attic room. Over the next twenty minutes, the rest of her friends arrived, and Kara let them in and sent them upstairs.
“They look like a nice group of kids,” Kara said. “And no obvious bottles or anything.”
I chuckled, “No pat-down searches?”
“There were a couple of really cute boys...” she smirked.
I was just about to respond when my private phone rang, so I went to my study to answer it.
“Steve, it’s Caroline.”
“Hi. How was your week?”
“Good. I registered at Arizona State, went out for coffee twice with Janey, and talked to my doctor today.”
“How did that go?”
“I told her what I told you. We talked about it the whole time, and she wants to talk more about it.”
“Good. Just remember what I said about not telling ANYONE except your doctor about it.”
“I won’t. I don’t want to hurt Nick that way. Or my parents. Or Bethany.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re working through this.”
“You helped me. A lot. I’ll never forget. I’ll call you in a few weeks to let you know how I’m doing.”
“I appreciate it. And thank you for trusting me enough to let me help you.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t, you know?”
“I know. But it worked out in the end.”
“I’ll call you soon!”
We said our goodbyes and I went back to the great room.
“That was Caroline. She said she went out with her friend a few times, registered at Arizona State, and had a good talk with her counselor today.”
“Awesome,” Bethany said. “Steve Adams works his magic on a damaged girl once again. And this time only with cuddles!”
“That worked with you, Bethany,” I said.
“True. San Francisco was something else.”
“Oh, it was something else all right!” I chuckled. “Before I forget, do you need help getting your things from storage?”
“No. Karl and Howard are taking care of that. Whatever won’t fit in the apartment, we’ll sell or give to people on base.”
“Cool.”
We watched a couple of movies, having decided we weren’t going to bed until the party broke up at the designated 1:00am ending time. Just after midnight, I saw two people come down the hallway from the elevator, heading for the basement door. I got up and walked over. It was Mary and a good-looking, brown-haired boy.
“Mary? What’s going on?”
“Uh, we were, uh, going to go downstairs.”
I shook my head, “No. Go back upstairs, please.”
“But Samantha said...”
“She was wrong. Go on, go back to the party.”
The boy looked like I’d just killed his dog, or rather, his chances of getting laid. Whether or not that was what would ultimately have happened, I had no idea, but I wasn’t going to find out. They turned and went back to the elevator.
“What was THAT about?” Jessica asked.
“What do you THINK it was about?” I grinned.
“And you sent them back upstairs? Why? You don’t have an issue with that!”
“Not in general, but I felt I needed to draw a line. I don’t want the kids thinking they can do anything they want when they come here. Under different circumstances, I might simply look the other way, but not at the first party we let Samantha have. And it seems she told them it was OK.”
“Probably based on your approach to sex,” Bethany said. “She’s been at several Rap Sessions and I suspect you’ve talked with her, at least in between!”
“Snuggle Bear talks more than he screws, Bethany! You know that!”
“TELL me about it,” she sighed. “I told you what happened in San Francisco!”
“You told them,” I said. “And you agreed with me that I was right.”
“It is kind of a mood-killer, you know,” Bethany groused.
“Evidence would suggest that’s not true!” I grinned.
“Whatever!” Bethany said, laughing.
The party broke up at 1:00am, and as I expected, Samantha confronted me about turning Mary and her friend away from the basement.
“Why? You’re cool with sex! They were just going to make out!”
“You remember our talk about rules and limits? And about trust and respect?”
August, 1984, Chicago, Illinois The rest of the week proceeded as expected - class on Wednesday, as well as the usual visit from Penny, work on Thursday, and class on Friday. Kara and I had lunch together at IIT, Sofia practiced her driving and parking, and I hung out with Mark Agnini after class for beers. Staci and I got into a couple of interesting debates about the Old Testament that Mark had to break up to allow others in the class to participate. She was very much of the ‘directly...
Faye had always loved old books. Loved their smell, loved the sound of the turning page, loved the weight in her hands, loved the feel of the worn leather covers. Most of all she loved to read. It was magical to her. Nothing else could transport her to other times and places, even to other lives. She felt she had lived so many lives, seen through so many pairs of eyes, books had enriched her existence like nothing else ever could. Faye loved nothing more than to immerse herself fully in a...
June 23, 1994, Oguni, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan My first week in Japan flew by, and a routine developed. Sakurako would wake me; I’d exercise and run, then shower and have breakfast, and share tea with Sakurako. After breakfast, I’d meditate, and then have my training session. After lunch, I’d work in the garden, or, as I had this day, wash the floors in the house. Hiroshi would accompany me back to the cottage and we’d talk while I washed up and dressed for dinner. After dinner, I’d spend...
August, 1983, Chicago, Illinois In the morning Anala and I ran as we had the previous time, then showered together, carefully washing each other’s bodies in an intimate but non-sexual way. After our shower we went to the kitchen and I made breakfast and we sat down to eat. “Steve, may I make a suggestion?” she asked. “Sure.” “Broaden your circle of friends. Other than me, all of you are white, nominally Christian, 20-year-old Americans. And you don’t invite me to your Sunday...
June 15, 1994, Chicago, Illinois “That’s everything, I think,” I said. “My luggage is in the trunk of the car, I have my passport, tickets, and money, both dollars and yen. I can’t think of anything else.” “I’ll see you in five weeks,” Elyse said, giving me a quick hug. “Did you see they rioted in Vancouver last night because they lost the Stanley Cup?” I chuckled, “Only Canadians would riot when they LOSE the Cup! I did see that on the front page of the Trib. Are we ready?” “Michelle and...
August 1981, Chicago, Illinois On Sunday morning, I made my usual call to Karin. I described everything in the apartment and all the things I’d done during the week, including the reception. Both of us would start school in a week and we were both looking forward to it. When we finished talking, I went out for my run, showered, and ate breakfast. I made some tea, started a load of laundry, and then turned on the stereo. I put on an REO Speedwagon album and then relaxed on the couch with the...
June, 1983, Göteborg, Sweden The SAS DC-9 from Heathrow rolled out on the runway at Landvetter, bringing me back to Sweden for the second year in a row, and the third time overall. When the plane had taxied to the ramp and parked, the doors were opened and I grabbed my carry-on bag and headed off the plane and into the terminal. I found the baggage claim and after a short wait, collected my bags. I switched my brain into ‘Swedish’ mode and prepared to speak little or no English for several...
August 21, 1989, Chicago, Illinois “Unbelievable,” I said when I read the headline from the Chicago Tribune. “It says here that Solidarity activist Tadeusz Mazowiecki was nominated to be Prime Minister of Poland.” I hadn’t had a chance to read the paper on Sunday because it hadn’t been delivered before we left for the race track in Michigan. “So now what?” Kara asked. “We’re in totally uncharted territory. Your guess is as good as anyone’s right about now.” “Steve, do you have a minute?”...
June 5, 1989, Chicago, Illinois “How was your day exploring?” I asked Abbie when everyone sat down to dinner. “Chicago is not New York, that’s for sure.” “Did you find anyone to hang out with?” “I talked to a couple of people and I’m going to a dance club tonight to check it out.” “Take a cab home, please,” I said. “I’ll cover the cost.” “Why?” “The L runs through some very rough neighborhoods between the Loop and Hyde Park and it’s a longish walk from the L here. Buses don’t run late...
July, 1983, Chicago, Illinois I woke up early on the First of July, because my body clock was still set to Swedish time. The flight back had been long but uneventful, and I was happy that the businessman in the seat next to me hadn’t wanted to talk. I read, wrote some longhand journal entries, ate, and generally relaxed while the plane zipped over the Atlantic. I’d come home, taken a sauna, eaten a light meal, and gone straight to bed, not bothering to check messages, look at the mail that...
June 1977 When I got home, I grabbed a Coke and some chips and went right to my room. I didn’t think I could deal with my parents or Jeff or Stephanie. I just needed to be by myself. That wouldn’t seem odd to anyone, because I often went to my room to read. In addition, I now had the TV I’d received for my birthday. I flipped it on to WXIX Channel 19 and reruns of Gilligan’s Island and Green Acres played in the background while I read. I had to get my mind clear for the final exams that...
July, 1982, Milford, Ohio I woke up early on Friday morning to make breakfast for Kara and her mom before she went to work. Mrs. Blanchard was surprised, but very pleased. After her mom left for work, Kara gave me a fierce kiss. “Thanks for staying in and cooking breakfast for us,” Kara said. “I hope that doesn’t cause you trouble with Stephanie, with you breaking your normal routine.” “Don’t worry about it,” I said, kissing her back. “We got in a bit later than I expected, and she’ll...
July, 1983, Chicago, Illinois After Rosie left, I stripped the sheets from my bed, as well as the cover of the duvet, and tossed everything into the washing machine. I lit a lavender candle in the room, and then swept and dusted. I did a quick spot-check of the rest of the house and noticed that the tub in the sauna needed to be cleaned. I scrubbed it, then mopped the sauna floor with a damp sponge mop. I finished cleaning the sauna about the time the washing machine finished, so I moved...
May 26, 1991, Iron Mountain, Michigan “Shall we see if we can find a farm?” I asked at breakfast on Sunday morning. “That sounds like a great idea,” Jessica said. “There’s a visitor’s bureau in town,” Kara said. “I saw it when we were here the first time.” “I’m sorry I ruined that vacation,” Jessica said. “Ruined?” I protested. “Are you kidding? Getting you back was way more important than a few days of vacation!” “I agree,” Kara added. “Jess, you know exactly how bad off Steve was...
March, 1982, Chicago, Illinois and Milford, Ohio I arrived at O’Hare airport about ten minutes before Stephie’s flight was due to land. I parked in the short-term lot and quickly made my way into the terminal. I checked the arrival board and then walked briskly to the gate. The Jetway door opened just as I walked up and a minute later, I saw Stephie. She dropped her carry-on bag and ran to me, leaping into my arms and wrapping her arms and legs around me. She kissed me hard, then released me...
March 22, 1992, Chicago, Illinois That evening, I was in Abbie’s room as I usually was on Sunday nights. We’d made love and were cuddling, which was also the usual for us these days. Our athletic sex had turned more soft and loving, something that had surprised me at first, but then, as I saw the changes in Abbie, made perfect sense. “I have a request,” she said. “OK.” She explained what she wanted and I sat up and looked at her. “I’m not sure I can do that. It’s not really within the...
March 25, 2000, Chicago, Illinois “What time do I need to have you home?” “8:00pm will be fine,” Misty replied. “My parents are in Normal visiting my brother at Illinois State. They aren’t supposed to be home before 10:00pm.” Misty and I were in my car on the way to the NIKA apartment which, fortunately, was not being used. With our expansion, it was in more or less regular use, and that meant I didn’t have access to it as often as I would have liked. I was glad there had been a delay in...
January 17, 1989, Chicago, Illinois “What time do you have to leave this morning?” Kara asked as we showered together on Tuesday morning. “About 8:30am,” I said. “I’m driving over to get Jeri, then heading to O’Hare. We have an 11:00am flight. Assuming all goes well, we’ll be in the office by 3:00pm Pacific time. We’ll spend a couple hours going over the software then go to dinner. The demo is tomorrow. Our flight back on Thursday leaves LA at 11:00am, so we’ll be home by 8:00pm, I...
June 1977 Friday ended up being a non-event. The more I thought about it, the more I was sure that there was no way on this earth I could say what happened between Birgit and me was a sin. Calling it a sin would debase it into a meaningless act. I could never do that. And the more I thought about Jennie McGrath, the more sure I was that I couldn’t call what she did for me a sin, either. If the church was right, I was going to hell. And frankly, there was no way that could be true. So I...
July 22, 2000, Chicago, Illinois “Albert, do you have everything packed?” Mom asked. “Yes, Mom!” I replied, rolling my eyes because she’d asked before I went to bed. “He’ll be fine, Babe,” Dad said. “Let’s walk to the hospital.” I usually didn’t get up early, but Dad had suggested it would help Mom if I walked to the hospital with her because I was leaving to see Jane for three weeks. Mom, Dad, Aunt Kara and I left the house and headed down the sidewalk towards the hospital where Mom and...
May 14, 1997, Chicago, Illinois “Start talking!” Melanie demanded when I sat down in her office about an hour later. “There isn’t much to say. Katya found the information for me when I asked her to look into several things about Brandon Littleton, Kevin Lomax, and John Milton.” “Do you know more about him?” “A LOT more. I don’t think you want to know.” “Probably not, but I’m your criminal defense attorney, and even though San Antonio doesn’t have you involved in this, you know the CPD...
“So, how should we do these Stone’s songs?” Phil asked at our rehearsal session. “I think we all know the music, we just need to come up with a pretty awesome arrangement; we don’t want to sound like yet another cheap cover band.” “I had some ideas, if it’s okay for me to make some suggestions,” Allison said. “Of course it is,” Phil said. “Everyone can have a say, there’s no rule that says you can’t participate in the discussion.” “Thanks, Phil, I guess being the newest here, I’m a bit...
July 22, 1997, London, England “Steve Adams, please meet Philip van der Velt. Philip, my friend Steve Adams.” We shook hands. “Jiang, this is my friend Sari Onbekend.” “«Je bent Nederlands»?” Philip said to Sari. (“You’re Dutch?”) “«Ja, maar onze vrienden spreken geen Nederlands»!” (Yes, but our friends don’t speak Dutch!) “«Ik spreek een beetje»,” I said. (“I speak a little.”) “How about we all speak Cantonese?” Jiang said with a smile. “Sorry,” I replied. “Sorry,” Philip added....
May 11, 1992, Chicago, Illinois Monday was turning out to be a LONG day. After my run and talk with Gina, and my talk with Elyse, I had a full day at the office scheduled. First was our leadership meeting in the morning, and then I had status meetings with each team. At lunch I’d gone to see Siobhán and explained that I was going to break off the sexual relationship, but that I wanted to remain friends. She was disappointed, but admitted that Thursday would have been the last time, since she...
October 7, 2000, Chicago, Illinois “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked. “What if they come home?” Actually, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea even IF they didn’t come home. I’d reluctantly agreed to the threesome because Cynthia had really wanted to do it. But that seemed out of the question, especially because I had decided, for sure, to ask Kelly to be my girlfriend after the dance on Friday. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with Libby. In fact, I had been very disappointed...
January 19, 1989, En-Route from LAX to ORD When the engines of the plane started, Jeri reached over and took my hand. She held it while we pushed away from the gate, and taxied for takeoff. Her grip tightened a bit as we hurtled down the runway, but nothing like the death grip she’d had on my arm for the flight out. The plane roared its way into the air and once we leveled out, Jeri’s grip loosened but she didn’t let go of my hand. “How are you doing?” I asked with a touch of...
August, 1983, Chicago, Illinois I rang the bell at the Nichols’ house, a brick home like mine, but with a very different look, blockier and almost fortress-like. We were quickly ushered in by Alice Nichols and my first impression was ‘old money’, given that the decor was very traditionally American, as opposed to my more ‘Scandinavian Modern’ minimalist tastes. That didn’t mean that it was actually ‘old money’, but it sure felt that way, especially when I saw a series of black and white...
September 1982, Chicago, Illinois The weekend was quiet and besides homework, I worked on the program changes for Frank, called Karin, Tatyana, and Kara, and hung out with my usual study group. Monday was refreshingly normal. On Tuesday morning, I handed Katy my completed intake form. She put it in an envelope and stuck it in her bag. She said she’d let me know soon about the interview. On Tuesday afternoon, after having lunch with Stephie, I made my rounds and then I headed over to Sigma...
June 11, 1989, Chicago, Illinois It was just after 3:00am when I kissed Trish goodbye. She’d been an enthusiastic, energetic, and adventurous lover. We’d done just about anything either of us could think of, though her breasts weren’t large enough for a tit-fuck. The last time had been in the shower where we’d ostensibly gone to clean up afterwards, but instead I ended up taking her from behind as she leaned against the wall of the shower. “I think I’ll have you again, Steve Adams,” she...
May 1978 The first couple of weeks in May were busy with school, work, and friends. Except for Becky, I didn’t even have any dates. But I was OK with that. Well, almost OK. I wanted to see Anna, but it likely wasn’t going to happen until school was out. I had tutoring sessions with Melanie, but she still wouldn’t talk to me about anything other than Spanish. Barely a hello. I was grateful for the tutoring, but it was maddening seeing my friend this way. I hoped someday she could understand...
March, 1982, Milford, Ohio As I drove along I-65, I thought about what Stephanie had asked for and what Bethany had said without even knowing about the request. Of course, because Bethany and I were so in tune, she might have actually had an idea that I was struggling with getting involved with my sister again. I kept turning it over and over in my mind and I kept coming to the same conclusion — that I shouldn’t do it. I was torn between doing what Stephanie wanted and doing what Kara and...
September 7, 1992, Chicago, Illinois “That went reasonably well,” Michelle said when her parents drove off. “There were a few times I thought my expression would give away something I shouldn’t. You were messing with me, weren’t you?” She grabbed both my hands and smiled, “I was telling the truth, in my own way. Thank you!” She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “So, what’s left?” I asked. “To visit UofC tomorrow and formally withdraw from classes. To spend some time with you and your...
October 1981, Chicago, Illinois I arrived back at the apartment just before 10:00pm and saw the address for the party. I decided I wasn’t particularly interested in going so I put on some music, poured myself a glass of wine, and started reading more about Russia. I was alternating between the history and culture book and the Communist Party book, decided on the history and culture book for this time. I didn’t get much reading done because I was thinking about Tatyana, which led me to...
January 23, 1996, Chicago, Illinois “Father, bless!” I said, greeting Father Basil with upturned palms. “Bless you, Stephen,” he said as I kissed his hand. The waiter showed us to a quiet table along the wall of Roditys in Greektown. He took our drink orders and was back quickly. We placed our food orders right away and he left to put them in with the kitchen. “I’m not quite sure how to address this, so I’m just going to ask you bluntly. Are you the father of Michelle’s baby?” I shook my...
June 29, 1995, Chicago, Illinois On Thursday, I finally had lunch with Melissa again, something I hadn’t been looking forward to. Much like with Cèlia, Melissa and I had passed an inflection point and I was left with sub-optimal paths forward. I’d been struggling with the possible solutions, and all of them had pitfalls. When I walked into Takumi, I had something of a plan. Whether it was good or not would only be known once everything played out. “I spoke to my wives,” I said after we’d...
December 5, 2000, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota “I had a good time last night,” I said. “I was surprised you invited a friend!” Mary laughed as we walked into the exam room, “Naomi had a good time as well. You know what a Resident’s life is like.” I nodded, “No social life.” “Exactly. You guys seemed to hit it off pretty well.” “Yes, but I’m not here for that!” “You’re everywhere for that, and you know it!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Let’s just say that you hit the sweet spot -...
November 1978 I woke up on Saturday before sunrise. I read for a while, and once I heard my dad up, I went for my swim. I showered, got dressed, and went to get breakfast. I was sitting at the table and Stephanie came in to get her breakfast. She sat down and smiled at me and winked. A wink that conveyed a novel full of words. I just rolled my eyes. She crossed her arms and stared at me. I stuck my tongue out at her, knowing she was waiting for that. I’d let her have her thrill. “Do I get...
March 1980, Hovås/Göteborg, Sweden I woke early as usual, but just enjoyed being in bed with Katt. When she woke, she hopped out of bed and pulled a robe out of her closet and handed it to me. “There’s a spare toothbrush in the bathroom. Go have your shower, then we’ll have breakfast after I have my shower.” I quickly showered and brushed my teeth, and went back to Katt’s room. She went to shower and came back a few minutes later. She dressed, and I got a very good look at her sexy body...
April 5, 1997, Chicago, Illinois “You missed cuddles this morning!” Birgit said accusingly when I walked into the house about 9:30am. “I know, Pumpkin, but I had a work emergency and had to go see Aunt Joyce and Grandpa A.” “And now we have to get ready for karate!” “I know. We’ll have some family time this afternoon. I don’t have any plans.” “Good!” I hugged her and the rest of the kids, then went to find Kara. We hugged and kissed, and went straight upstairs to get ready for...
September 3, 1989, Chicago, Illinois “Good morning, Sensei,” I said, bowing to Sensei Jim. “Good morning!” he said waving me to a chair in his office. “How was your trip?” I asked. “Enlightening. I spent most of my time acting as a manservant to Sensei Robert and Sensei Hiro.” “He who will lead, must first serve,” I said. “Someday, I’m going to send you to Sensei Hiro, should he live long enough. You understand.” “Does that mean you are now 6th Dan?” I...
October 23, 1987, Chicago, Illinois “They voted him down?” I asked when I went home for lunch. “58 to 42,” Elyse said. “Probably the most qualified man ever to be nominated. Disgusting, really.” “Ted Kennedy demagogued this nomination the whole way. I watched some of the hearings on CSPAN and Judge Bork made the senators look like idiots.” “Not hard to do. Oliver North did the same thing back in July when he testified.” “I loved Brendan Sullivan’s line during that hearing: I’m not a...
I’ll always love you, grandpa! I was hiding in my bedroom, hugging my ragged stuffed bear, waiting for the storm to pass. I had considered crawling under the wooden frame, but I was no longer a child. My curvy ass and generous boobs were making it impossible to use my old hiding places and short of instantly becoming invisible, this was the end of the line for me. There was nowhere else that could be safer, except outside. But it wasn't safe for me to bolt out now. My mom was drunk again...
October 29, 2000, Chicago, Illinois Birgit followed me as far as the stairs, then scooted upstairs when I went to the front door and opened it. “Hi!” Sophie said. “Hi!” I replied and held the door open so she could come into the house. I closed the door behind her then led her to my study where I waited until she went in, and then walked in, closing the door behind me. I nodded to one of the wingback chairs, she sat down in one, and I sat down in the other. “Is something wrong?” she...
It was raining outside, Cats and Dogs, so Thomas Baxter sat on the porch, knowing Angel would be home soon. She hated thunderstorms, they had terrified her ever since she was a little girl. Even when Grandma would tell her thunder was just "Angels bowling, honey", Angel would roll her eyes back in her head in disbelief.Bethany came out on the porch and smiled at her son. "Waiting for Angel to come home early from work, dear?" she smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at his...
August, 1985, Chicago, Illinois Bethany and Kathy finally came back to the house around 3:30pm. Kathy looked at me and her eyes told me that we needed to talk. I nodded my agreement and wondered how I could pull off the conversation without Bethany noticing. That problem solved itself when Bethany announced about 4:30pm that she was going out with Andrew and wouldn’t join us for dinner. After Bethany left, I asked Kathy to help me prepare dinner and she agreed. “So?” I asked as I got the...
August, 1983, Chicago, Illinois I walked in the near 90°F heat to Carla’s place. I was grateful that the humidity of the morning had dropped significantly; otherwise the heat would have been unbearable. By the time I walked up the steps to the apartment over the photography studio and knocked on her door, I had broken into a light sweat. Carla answered almost immediately and invited me inside her studio apartment. The air was moderately cool, and the window air conditioner was running full...
July 1982, Milford, Ohio On Tuesday morning, I kissed Kara goodbye and headed to my parents’ house for my usual morning routine with my little sister. She was happy that I could spend the morning with her and asked to take a walk, so we weren’t in the house with my mom. “Let me guess — this walk will end in the clearing,” I said with a smile. “Yes,” she said, taking my hand as we walked down Overlook towards Klondyke. As usual, we turned around and walked back, taking the path to the...
March 13, 1994, Chicago, Illinois “Hi, Steve!” Ailea said when she opened the door. “Hi,” I replied, accepting the offered hug. There was no touching of lips, just of cheeks, and I wondered if I’d misread her intentions at her birthday lunch, or if, perhaps, she detected my reluctance to return the offered affection. “Lunch is ready, so go ahead and sit. I’ll bring it in from the kitchen.” I went to the low table, sat down, and a minute later, Ailea brought miso soup and sushi, our usual...
April 3, 1997, Dallas, Texas “Remember what I said about drinking too much,” I said, as I poured bourbon into three cups. We’d stopped at a liquor store, bought a bottle of Blanton’s, and then returned to the small suite I’d reserved at the Westin. Deborah’s room was down the hall, and Krissy’s was two floors below. Krissy’s comment had caught me a bit off guard, but I hadn’t reacted visibly. I didn’t know her quite well enough to know if she’d been teasing with Deborah, so I was being...
March 28, 1991, Chicago, Illinois “This day belongs to you, Kara!” I said when the three of us woke on Thursday morning. “Happy birthday!” Jessica said. “Thanks,” Kara replied happily. “I think I’d like an amazing birthday fuck from our husband, and then a nice loving shower with my wife!” Kara said. “Do we have enough time?” I asked. Jessica giggled, “I set the alarm for thirty minutes earlier!” “Then let’s not waste any of it!” I said pulling Kara to me. Kara’s squeals as I plunged...
September 4, 2000, Chicago, Illinois On Monday morning I went to my study to make a surreptitious call to ensure that the surprise I’d planned for Kara was still going to happen, and after confirming that it was, Jesse, Matthew, Michael, and I began preparing for the Labor Day party by getting beer and soda into coolers, getting the grill ready, setting up tables and chairs in the backyard, and ensuring the liquor cabinets were stocked while my wives and daughters worked on food prep in the...
September 1, 1987, Chicago, Illinois “I heard that you have some kind of plan to help Ed,” I said to Connie. “There’s no plan,” she replied. “A witness who saw the shopkeeper alive after Ed left came forward.” That sounded convenient, and I wondered if the witness was real or someone that Anthony had put forward to solve the problem. Certainly, the videotape was real, because I couldn’t imagine how Anthony could have faked that, but the witness? Who knew? “So is he being released? Or is...
August 17, 1997, Chicago, Illinois We finished lunch and Marissa and the younger kids went to play, but Natalie sat with the adults to talk, with coffee, tea, or soft drinks. The Sarcus were very comfortable, but the Heaths were still struggling. But, vitally, they hadn’t left and hadn’t insisted Natalie leave the group. “Can you explain how you developed this attitude and approach?” Chris asked. I nodded, “It started when I was just a bit younger than Natalie. My mom was a total control...
July 1979 — Falkenberg, Sweden On Friday, when I got back from my run, Pam was in her bra and panties again. I whistled at her, she giggled, then finished dressing. I showered, and we went to breakfast and finished up our last day. Once class was done, we were pretty much free. On Saturday, we’d have several optional activities and then on Sunday we’d head back to our host families. After dinner on Friday, I took Pam’s hand and we walked towards the river. It was quiet and peaceful, and...
July 1980, Over the North Atlantic We reached cruising altitude, and I settled back to read my book. Pam raised the armrest between us, snuggled close to me and read as well. The cabin crew offered drinks, and I had my first Coke in a year! Meal service began about an hour and a half into the flight. After the cabin crew picked up the trays and offered drinks again, they passed once more, offering headsets for the movie. Trevor and Maria took them, but Pam and I didn’t, instead we turned on...
July 8, 1997, Chicago, Illinois “Is it really that surprising?” Leah asked. “I suppose not,” I replied. “I just didn’t read too much into the kiss on the cheek.” “I didn’t think it was a good idea to kiss you on the lips with all those people around, because I had no idea who they were or what they would think. You were VERY careful with our dance, so I kind of followed your lead.” Which showed very mature thinking on her part. Both of these girls were exactly the kind of students I...
November 8, 1993, Chicago, Illinois A dark fog swirled before my eyes as I tried to take stock. My head hurt, badly. I felt something on my face and realized, dimly, it was an oxygen mask. My right hand was uncomfortable and I recognized the feeling of an IV and pulse-oximeter. My left arm ached fiercely. On my chest I felt the pads and wires of an EKG. I didn’t feel anything else wrong as I continued taking inventory. I tried to open my eyes, but the fog didn’t clear. I tried to speak, but...
June 23, 2000, Chicago, Illinois “Steve,” Kimmy said over the intercom, “I have a Suzanne Aavik for you.” “Thanks,” I replied. “Put her through, please.” A few seconds later, Suzanne was on the line. “Hi!” she exclaimed when I greeted her. “I’m in Chicago for three weeks. Can I still run away and join the circus?” I chuckled, “You might want to find out what the circus is actually like before you join! If you’re free, you’re welcome to come to the house tomorrow or Sunday and meet the...