Good Medicine Freshman YearChapter 22 Fallout
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March 15, 1982, McKinley, Ohio
“Is it OK if I interrupt?” Clarissa asked on Monday evening.
“Sure,” I replied. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to check on class schedules for the Fall. I’d like to take the same classes. It’ll help with our study group.”
“Sure. Pete, Kurtis, Jason, excuse me for a bit.”
Clarissa and I went to my room and sat down with the course catalog.
“We need O-Chem, the second semester of cellular biology with lab, a humanities course, and a language course,” I said.
“Do you have a preference for the humanities class?”
“Not really, though I’m not thrilled with politics or government.”
“How about Western Civ?”
“Sure. History is cool,” I agreed.
“What language? We have a choice of Spanish, French, German, or Latin.”
“I took Latin in High School. What about you?”
“French. Why did you take Latin?”
“I figured it was practical given that Latin and Greek words are common all over science and medicine. I studied Greek on my own. Why did you take French?”
“My best friend decided to take French so I took it with her. I didn’t like it.”
“German seems like a waste,” I said. “And I really have no desire to take French.”
“I’m OK with Latin or Spanish,” Clarissa said. “I picked Western Civ so if you want to pick Latin, that’s OK with me.”
“I think we have a plan,” I said. “What does the schedule look like?”
“Give me a sec.”
Clarissa flipped through the course catalog and made notes.
“OK. Assuming we want only day classes, then the schedule only works out one way. O-Chem at 9:00am, Latin at 11:00am, Biology at 1:00pm and Western Civ at 3:00pm; all of which are Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes. Lab would be 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Tuesday afternoons. We’d have Thursday completely free.”
“That sounds OK to me,” I said. “What about Jason?”
“I wanted to get this set. He can sign up for the O-Chem and Biology, then decide his electives.”
“Are we going to try to match electives the whole way?”
“Why not?”
“I wasn’t objecting. It’s fine with me. I’ll be happy having a study partner for the next three years.”
“Cool. I’ll give Jason the schedule. There’s a girl in our calculus class who’s bio-chem, Sandy, who’s also pre-med. I’ll show her as well.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
Clarissa wrote out the course numbers for me so I could register for my classes, and then we left my room. Clarissa spoke to Jason and gave him the course numbers for biology and O-Chem.
“What do you think of her?” Jason asked when she walked away.
“I think she’s seeing Carter, so I don’t think anything,” I said.
“I heard they’re just friends, you know, casual.”
“I think you better check with him before you cause any problems.”
“You dig the nerdy types?” Pete asked.
Jason laughed, “If she fixed her hair, wore flattering clothes, and got contacts, she’d be really cute. And she’s almost as smart as Mike!”
“Looking to be a kept man?” Kurtis asked with a huge grin.
“I can think of worse fates!” Jason laughed. “But Mike’s right, I need to ask Carter if there’s anything going on.”
“Hey, I’m trying to study here!” Bill laughed.
“He has a point,” I said.
We settled down and went back to our studying.
March 19, 1982, McKinley, Ohio
“Thanks for not being upset last Friday,” Katy said when we got into my car.
“What was there to be upset about?” I asked. “I like your parents.”
“They like you, too. But we didn’t have any time alone together.”
“It’s fine, honest! Where am I taking you tonight?”
“A seafood place in Columbus. It fits within your rule, and I’ll never complain about seafood.”
Katy gave me directions and I put the car in gear and pulled out of the driveway.
“You really aren’t upset about not being able to be alone?”
“I very much enjoy being alone with you, but that’s not why I come to see you. I come to see you because I like you. A lot. Don’t worry about last week. What’s the scoop for the concert on Tuesday?”
“Just show up at the High School before 7:00pm. It’s about a mile from my house. Instead of turning on the road I live on, just keep going another half-mile and you’ll see the school.”
“Should I try to sit with your parents?”
“If you want, I can have them keep a seat for you.”
“Sure. Remember I have to get back to school because of midterms.”
“I know. Will you wait until I come out so we can at least say ‘hello’?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Do you plan to go to all of the Holy Week services?”
“Yes, though Thursday morning is a bit tricky because I have lab. I’ve already talked to my professors about Holy Friday and I have Holy Saturday off from work. What about your family?”
“We usually go to the first Bridegroom service, Holy Unction, and Lamentations and Vespers. And of course, Pascha. Is Angie going to come with you?”
“Yes.”
“Can I ask you something about going to church?”
“Anything,” I replied.
“Do you go because you want to or because you feel you have to?”
“Want to,” I said. “I love everything about the services and they are comforting and help me stay emotionally and mentally balanced. And that’s in addition to worshiping God and receiving the Eucharist. What about you?”
“I don’t know. It’s just something I’ve always done. You’re way more serious about it.”
“Too serious?”
“No,” Katy said thoughtfully, “I don’t think so. Obviously, we have some areas of disagreement, like confession, fasting, and how often we go to church, but I don’t think there are any areas where we disagree enough that we can’t work something out.”
“We’ve been doing that starting with the first date. I’m curious; did you ever date anyone who was Orthodox before me?”
“I didn’t date THAT much,” she laughed. “The guys were mostly Catholic. I’m not sure I could ever go to one of those churches where the pastor wears a business suit and they harangue you for forty-five minutes.”
“I went to my friend Jocelyn’s church a few times, but she was Lutheran, and the best way I can describe it is a watered-down version of the Divine Liturgy. I went to April’s church once, you know the girl I dated during my Senior year, and it was even more watered down. I’ve never been to what they call a ‘Bible’ church.”
“Changing subjects, we’ve never really talked about common interests. What about sports?” Katy asked. “Are you a Bengals fan? Ohio State?”
“I never really got into football. I follow the Reds, but I wouldn’t say I’m a big fan. I like ice hockey a lot, and I’m a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, but there are hardly any games on TV. I’ve been to a few games in Pittsburgh when we’ve visited relatives. I’m guessing you’re a football fan?”
“Yes. Ohio State and the Bengals. I also play tennis. Do you do anything besides karate?”
“I jog in the mornings. I had started that because I didn’t have time for karate, but once I changed my work schedule, I went back to karate and kept running.”
“How many kids do you want?”
“Uh, that kind of came out of left field,” I said with a nervous laugh.
“Isn’t that part of finding out if we’re compatible?”
“It seems like a million years from now,” I said.
“Have you thought about it?”
“I’ve gone back and forth with myself, but two has always seemed like a good number,” I said. “But I’m not set on that.”
“I think two would be fine, but I’d be OK with three.”
“Would you want to work when the kids are little?”
“Is that a problem?” Katy asked.
“No; I was just asking. My mom stayed home with us until my sister started kindergarten, then she went back to work. My grandmother watched us during the afternoons after school. What do you think?”
“I suppose it depends on the circumstances. I had a babysitter when I was little. I’m not sure exactly when my mom went back to work, but it was before I remember.”
“Well, that’s YEARS down the road, anyway,” I said.
We had a nice dinner, which again Katy paid for, and afterwards we went back to her house as we usually did. Katy’s parents were home, and after greeting them, we went up to her room to listen to music. We spent about an hour talking, kissing, and listening to music before she walked me out to the car.
“Mom and Dad are going to a party next Friday,” she said when we hugged by my car. “Do you want to cook together?”
“I’d like that,” I said.
We kissed again, then I got into my car for the drive back to campus.
March 21, 1982, McKinley, Ohio
“How are things going?” Jocelyn asked during our usual Sunday afternoon call.
“A lot better now that all the craziness seems to be receding.”
“I can’t believe your first roommate was a rapist!”
“Me either. The story, and I don’t know how much stock I put in it, is that he thought the girls were sluts, and that meant they were free for the taking, so to speak.”
“That sounds a bit far-fetched.”
“I know, but he was a religious fanatic.”
Jocelyn laughed, “That seems like the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?”
“Beyond my desire to marry in the church and raise my kids Orthodox, when have I EVER said anything about religion?”
“Sorry; I was just being a bit flip because of how serious you are about church. But you’re right; you never pushed it on anyone or ever said a negative word about my church the times you went.”
“This guy was a full-on in-your-face Bible thumper. He and his dad had a hissy fit about my icons, if you recall.”
“I wasn’t exactly in my right mind then.”
“And you’re asserting you are now?” I teased.
“I went to bed with you, so clearly I was NEVER in my right mind!”
“Excuse me?!” I exclaimed in mock offense.
“You know I’m pulling your leg, Mike. Are you serious enough with anyone to preclude spending the night when you’re home?”
“No, but I am worried about you.”
“Because you think it’s more than just sex?”
“It’s always been more than just sex, Jos. You and I both know that.”
“True,” she sighed. “It’s just that besides making me feel really good, you make me feel loved and I know how deeply you care for me. I care for you that way, too. And we show each other. It’ll end someday; we both know that. It’s why I asked if you were serious with anyone.”
“And what does Doctor Henderson think of our love affair?”
“Don’t ask,” Jocelyn sighed.
“What did she say?”
“Didn’t I just tell you not to ask? You never were good at listening to me!”
“Cincinnati?” I said playfully.
“OK, except in bed, you were never good at listening to me! Anyway, she said I’m living in a fantasy world that’s going to come crashing down hard when you get into a committed relationship. But I don’t see it.”
“Because you’re still in love with me?”
“Duh! And you’re in love with me. But when I broke thirteen years of total honesty and trust, that kind of ended any chance of us being together. I also know you want your own kids, but the trust thing was what ruined it. We both know that. I know what the future holds, and it’s the two of us as best friends. We’ll both marry, you’ll have kids, I’ll adopt kids, and our families will be close. That’s not a fantasy, is it?”
“No, if that’s what you really believe and you aren’t hiding your true emotions.”
Jocelyn sighed, “And that right there is why there’s no ‘Jos and Mik’ as a couple in the future. Before my accident, I couldn’t imagine you ever saying something like that to me.”
“I know,” I said, matching her sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“If I could go back in time and change one thing, it would be telling you how much I loved you when we were fifteen. But it’s too late now.”
“Jos, you know I’ll always love you. Always.”
“I know. And I’ll always love you, Mik. But I blew it.”
I chuckled, “You sure did!”
“Jerk!” she laughed. “But you did seem to like that. A lot!”
“I did. But you know what I liked the most?”
“Cuddling together to sleep?”
“Yes, because in some ways it was more intimate.”
Jocelyn laughed softly, “More than having your dick or tongue in my pussy? Or your dick in my mouth?”
“I think you know what I meant. What was the ONE thing you wanted from me after your accident?”
“To be held.”
“I rest my case.”
“Well, on the plus side, it looks like we can do BOTH when you come home!”
“It does. How are things going otherwise?”
“Everything is good. I’m pretty much fully back to normal, everything is set for the Fall, and I’ve been hanging out with some girls who graduated when we did, with whom I got along pretty well. Emmy and I have gone out for ice cream a few times.”
“How is she doing?”
“OK. She misses you something fierce, but her dad is being just as much of an asshole as he was back in November. She’s trying to find a way to come see you.”
“She mentioned that when I was home, but if she were to get caught...”
“Her dad would go ballistic. Mike, why didn’t you tell me April was pregnant?”
“I didn’t figure it was my business to spread rumors. Liz told me about it, but she hadn’t heard it directly from April; not that I would have expected April to talk to Liz.”
“You saw her at Thanksgiving...”
“I did, but I didn’t do anything with her.”
“So she was hoping to get you back and make you think the baby was yours?”
“Who knows? Whatever the case, I haven’t heard from her at all. Liz is pretty sure it was April’s date for the Sadie Hawkins Day dance. But forget April Nash.”
“How are things with Angie?”
“Status quo,” I said. “And at this point, I’m simply assuming she’ll never be more than a friend.”
“Isn’t that what we did?”
“Yes, but this is different because she knows exactly how I feel. I never let on to you how I felt until graduation.”
“You’ve been seeing your girl from the new church every week, right?”
“Yes, and Melody and I are dating, too.”
“What about Tasha?”
“She’s still a Sophomore,” I said. “And under heavy guard!”
Jocelyn laughed, “Is she still your first choice?”
“I don’t think I have a first choice right now. Let’s say I’m evaluating options. I have plenty of time.”
“True. When are you coming home?”
“Friday night, which is the 2nd.”
“Do you have plans?”
“For Friday? No.”
“Come spend the night.”
“OK. I’ll plan on it. Talk to you next Sunday?”
“Absolutely!”
We said ‘goodbye’ and after I hung up, I walked down the hall to the girls’ side of the dorm and knocked on Melody’s door.
“Ready for our date?” I asked when Melody opened the door.
“Yes! Are you sure about this?”
“Everyone has a first time!” I teased.
“That ship sailed a long time ago! But I’ll be happy to play with your stick!”
We both laughed and walked to the elevator which we rode down to the ground floor. We walked out to the parking lot and I handed Melody the keys to my Mustang. We got in and I explained the basics of driving a manual transmission as opposed to an automatic. I’d also backed my car into the parking spot to make it easier for her to get started.
“Just remember, it’s about being smooth and accurate,” I said. “Press the clutch in smoothly and release it smoothly. Move the gear shift quickly up or down, depending on the gear you’re in. Don’t slam it around, but you need to be firm enough to ensure it moves fully into place. Let’s start with getting used to moving the gear selector. Press in the clutch with your left foot and keep it pressed down. Then move the gear selector through the gears, 1st through 4th, then back into 1st.”
Melody practiced what I said a few times, and then I had her put the car in neutral and start the engine.
“Put your right foot on the brake, keep the clutch pushed in, and put the car into 1st gear. Move your right foot to the gas, then slowly and smoothly let out the clutch while you gently press the gas pedal. If the car stalls, step on the brake, push in the clutch, and try again.”
Melody did as I instructed and managed to pull out without stalling the car, though the car lurched and shuddered as she tried to figure out the right combination of gas and clutch.
“Just stay in first gear and drive to the exit. When you stop, make sure you push in the clutch when you brake. If you don’t push in the clutch, you’ll stall the engine. It’ll be pretty obvious.”
Melody did as I instructed, and got to the exit, stopping properly. I had her wait until the traffic light about a block away changed to red to ensure she had plenty of time to get out into the street. She stalled the car twice trying to make the turn onto the street, but then got going. Her shifting was imprecise and the car jerked and lagged but overall she did a good job for a first time.
“How do I know the best time to shift?” she asked.
“It’ll become second nature in the end, but watch the RPMs. They’ll climb as you go faster, and you want to keep them around 3000. When they’re above 3000, think about shifting. Remember that if you need to brake, you’ll need to think about what to do with the clutch and shifter. If you’re going to stop completely, you can push in the clutch, move the shifter to neutral, and brake normally. If you’re just slowing down, and the RPMs drop below about 2200, shift down one gear. You can do a lot more with the clutch and shifter to control your speed, but we’ll keep it simple now.”
October 17, 1981, McKinley, Ohio There was a knock at the door just before 6:00pm and I was sure it was the girls so I called out for them to come in. As expected, it was Jeannette and Marie. “Ready for hot meat between buns and slurping creamy white liquid?” Jeannette teased. “My bedroom is right there!” I grinned. “Should we leave you two the room?” Marie smirked. “Dinner first, then dessert!” Jeannette laughed. I took Angie’s hand and the four of us left the dorm and headed for the...
June 8, 1981, West Monroe and Rutherford, Ohio “This entire conversation is going to be ‘too much information’, isn’t it?” I said when Liz and I left the house on Monday evening. “Probably. Is there anything you don’t want to hear?” “Anything at all about my little sister’s sex life!” I laughed. “But I guess you want to talk.” “‘Cause you won’t judge me, Mikey. You’ll listen and give me good advice.” I pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Rutherford. The Rutherford Free Clinic...
September 14, 1981, McKinley, Ohio On Monday, after lunch, I did as Doctor Orosco had insisted, and met with a counselor from Student Health Services, who, amazingly, was available immediately. The problem was, as I’d argued, that I wasn’t going to repeat what I said, even to another counselor, under any circumstances. I spent ten minutes going around in circles with Doctor Ralph Hart, and made no progress. “I’m not sure what you’re doing here, if you won’t talk to me about what...
October 6, 1981, McKinley, Ohio I met Pete and Jason for breakfast in the dining hall. As usual, Clark was just getting out of bed when I left our room. “You got in pretty late last night, I guess,” Pete said. “We didn’t break up the study group until about 11:30pm.” “I had a long talk with Jocelyn.” “How’s she doing?” “Better, but she has a long way to go, physically, emotionally, and mentally. But at least she’s talking to me.” “I heard you’re invited to the Wednesday biology...
October 4, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Let me guess, you’re sleeping on the couch again?” Mrs. Landers laughed. “Actually, I just came to talk to Nancy for a bit, then I have homework. I didn’t spend any time on it yesterday.” “Come on in. She’s in her room.” “Thanks.” I walked back through the house to Nancy’s room. She got up to greet me and we exchanged a hug and kiss. “Sorry for putting you off at work,” I said. “But I didn’t want to be interrupted.” “It’s OK. How is Jocelyn?” “I found...
October 9, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “You’re really going to cut back your hours to just the six-hour Saturday shift?” Nancy asked. “That’s what I told Mr. Sokolov yesterday, yes. And he can reduce the hours whenever he finds someone to take them.” “What happened?” “The Biology Department secured a grant for $1500 per semester for me. I explained my situation to Doctor Stanton, my advisor, and he talked to Doctor Norris. I’m starting in the honors program next semester, and there is a small...
September 6, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Mike!” Emmy squealed, launching herself into my arms when she opened the door. “Missed me?” I asked as I carefully spun around with her. “Yes! Let’s go! I’m STARVED!” I put her down and we walked to my car for the drive to Marie’s Diner. “How was your first week of school?” I asked. “Nothing changes. I mean, sure, I’m a Sophomore now, but otherwise it’s all the same. How about you?” “It’s a huge change, especially the amount of homework. I used to...
August 29, 1981, Columbus, Ohio “What are you talking about?” I asked. “Despite spending two days screwing like bunny rabbits,” Jocelyn said with a smile, “I think you’re STILL afraid of sex. May I ask another question?” “I guess,” I sighed. “Why haven’t you and Emmy done it? Because of her? Or because of you?” I could give her the answer that immediately popped into my mind - that Emmy wasn’t sixteen and was under the age of consent. But I knew there was some truth to what Jocelyn said....
December 3, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Well that went south pretty quickly,” I said. “They’re playing hardball with you,” Mr. Winston said. “It was always a possibility, but I didn’t think they’d go that route; they didn’t with your dad or sister.” “But they did with my mom?” “Yes, for the same basic reason. I believe they are under heavy pressure from someone to charge you with something; anything. And unless I miss my guess, it’s likely Mrs. Laramy from Family Services. She is certain...
February 15, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Mike!” Angie squealed when she opened the door to her room. “Hi, Ang!” She hugged me and kissed my cheek. “I missed you! How was home?” “Good,” I replied. “Have some time for me?” “Always! Your place?” “Sure.” She took my hand and we walked back to my room where I put on Shadows by Gordon Lightfoot, then grabbed a couple of Cokes from the fridge. “How was your weekend?” I asked. “Quiet. Yours?” “I spent some time talking to my dad. I haven’t...
March 27, 1982, McKinley, Ohio I was still thinking about Katy as I walked to the Quick Mart for my weekly shift on Saturday morning. There was no doubt in my mind that sooner, rather than later, Katy was going to ask me to ‘go all the way’ and I’d have a very big decision to make. When I’d mentioned going steady, she’d immediately thought about having sex. The linkage was just as clear as Tasha’s linkage between marital crowns and sex. If I decided to ‘go all the way’ with Katy, it would...
August 24, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Whoa!” I gasped. “It fits, Mike. And it explains everything that happened afterwards.” “Mom, Abby exhibits the same behavior. She basically offered to have sex with me when she said hello the first day, and Becky implied Abby has been doing that since she was twelve.” “Stay out of that Mike. That’s an issue for the van Dorns.” “Is it? Emmy told me that Abby was here earlier and that Liz and Abby were acting crazy so she left and went home.” “You think...
November 27, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Friday morning, just after 10:00am, I was surprised when April showed up at the door of Jocelyn’s house. “Your mom said you were here. I guess you and Jocelyn decided to go steady?” I shook my head, “No. There are some problems at home that mean I need to stay here.” “Problems with your parents?” “It’s a family thing I can’t really talk about. What’s up?” “I wanted to apologize for getting upset and sending you away on Monday.” “Apology accepted....
August 26, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Michael Peter Loucks,” I said. “Hi, Michael! Welcome to William Howard Taft!” the young woman sitting at the table marked ‘Dorm Check-In: H-M’ said. “Thanks.” She flipped through some envelopes in boxes and pulled one out. “The envelope contains your room key, student ID, dining hall card, parking sticker, a campus map, a set of dorm and campus rules, and a schedule of activities for the next five days. There are carts available on the first floor of your...
October 3, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Hi, Mike.” “Hi, Mr. Mills. I was just going in to see Jocelyn.” “One of the staff psychologists would like to talk to you first.” “Me? Why?” “To talk to you about Jocelyn. I can’t force you to do it, Mike, but I think it would be a very good idea.” “When? I want to see Jocelyn today.” “If you go back down to the ground floor, there’s an outpatient clinic. Just go to the desk and ask for Doctor Henderson. She’s expecting you.” I turned and went to the...
May 24, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio I was up early on Sunday morning to head to Holy Transfiguration. As Head Acolyte, I was responsible for being at the church about ninety minutes before Matins so that I could refill and light all the oil lamps, replace the tapers in the candle box, sift the sand in front of the icon of the Theotokos to remove the candle stubs, and ensure that the nave was in proper order. When I arrived, I unlocked all the doors, adjusted the thermostat to cool the nave,...
September 28, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Mike?” Nancy whispered. “Wake up! I need to eat breakfast so I can catch the bus!” “I’m awake,” I replied. I stretched and yawned and sat up. “Are you doing OK?” Nancy asked. “Much better after last night. That was just what I needed. Thanks.” “I think I’m calling Ripley’s,” Mrs. Landers laughed, coming into the room. “Teenage boy shows up and asks to spend the night with teenage girl. She agrees and gets permission from her mom. Boy desires only...
December 21, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Mikey!” Liz squealed when I walked into the house on Monday evening. “Hi, Lizzy!” I said. She ran to me and we hugged lightly, then went into the living room where she had been sitting with my parents. “Welcome home, Mike,” Dad said. “How is Jocelyn?” “Pretty good. She has most of her range of motion back and they’re working to see if they can get her some more. Her bones have knit well, and she’s able to move around more freely.” “That’s good to...
September 7, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio When I stopped home just before 8:00pm on my way back to McKinley, I found my dad alone, in the living room, sitting in his easy chair, drinking Scotch on the rocks. “Hi, Dad. Where’s Mom?” “Sleeping. She’s completely worn out by last night and today. I’m surprised you’re not.” “I’ll crash when I get back to my dorm. How did it go?” He held up his glass, “Third one. How do you think?” I slumped down onto the couch. “Not good,” I sighed. He took a...
February 14, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “How are things going, Mike?” Dad asked when I sat down on the stool in the corner of his workshop. “Good, now that all that stuff with Family Services is done. How have things been at home?” “Your mom and sister put on brave faces, but Liz is struggling.” “They both said her schoolwork was good and she seemed OK when I talked to her.” “She has good days and bad days. Doctor Newton says she’s struggling with her feelings for Paul.” “Paul?...
March 23, 1982, McKinley, Ohio I had been extremely distracted during my drive from Circleville to McKinley, and was having real trouble concentrating on my review for O-Chem, and the guys noticed. “What’s bugging you?” Jason asked. “You seem like you’re on another planet.” “I know,” I agreed. “I’m having real trouble concentrating.” “That must have been a hell of a concert!” Pete laughed. “Of course, seeing my girlfriend wrap her lips around a saxophone might distract me, too!” “You’re...
April 30, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “Mom and Dad are out tonight,” Katy said. “Let’s cook together!” “Sure. What did you have in mind?” “Well, now that you have no restrictions because we don’t fast during the Paschal period, I was thinking two small filets, small lobster tails, and broccoli. Surf and turf, I guess.” “That sounds awesome!” I said, then smirked, “What about dessert?” Katy laughed softly, “I have some ideas!” “I bet!” I chuckled. “But we need to make sure we’re on the same...
October 12, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Well THAT stinks,” Nancy said on Tuesday afternoon. “What happens now?” “I don’t know yet. I talked to Doctor Norris this morning after my chem mid-term and he’s confident nothing will happen. The problem is, I’m sure I’ve made an enemy of the Dean, and any minor slip-up on my part is going to become a Federal case.” “But why you?” “I had the misfortune to draw someone who felt she could use the discrimination procedure to get something she couldn’t...
November 8, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Do you want me to disappear?” Angie asked as we walked into the dorm after church. “Why? Emmy knows I’m dating you. She’s not jealous. You know she’s coming to visit and she knows you know. It would be REALLY dumb to invite her here otherwise, don’t you think?” “Guys have been known to do dumb things from time to time!” “Not ones who want you to stick around.” “You do remember I told you my High School boyfriend screwed a close friend of mine behind my...
Great and Holy Friday, April 16, 1982, McKinley, Ohio As Angie and I stood quietly waiting for the Lamentations service to begin late on Friday, I thought about the series of services which had brought us here - Bridegroom Matins on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings; Holy Unction on Wednesday evening; a Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Thursday morning celebrating the Last Supper, the Twelve Gospels service Thursday evening, celebrating the passion; the Royal Hours kept all day Friday; and...
November 2, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “I did not come here for a lecture,” I said firmly. “I did what I felt was in Liz’s best interest. Again. Dad said we needed to talk, and I’m willing to talk. I am NOT willing to listen to a lecture.” “You do not decide what is best for your sister,” Mom said. “That is for your father and me, as well as the professionals.” “And what is Dad’s opinion on this?” I asked. “That is not the point, Mike!” I sighed. We’d been going around in circles on the...
March 5, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “What became of that police investigation?” Mrs. Malenkov asked when I arrived at Katy’s house on Friday evening. “Nothing so far. They haven’t caught the rapist. The school added some security and started a service to walk girls to and from class or work after dark.” “Why did they check on you, specifically?” “The suspect has brown hair and is about 5’10” and I came into the dorm maybe an hour after it happened. At first they had reports it was a black...
August 16, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio Liz threw her arms around me on Sunday morning when I walked out of my room. “Thank you! Thank you!” I hugged her tightly to me. “Mom let you out of ‘house arrest’?” “Yes. And I know you’re responsible. If you weren’t my brother, I’d kiss you!” “Just remember, you have to behave, because if you don’t...” “I know,” she sighed. “I’m on parole. Did Mom tell you that Paul agreed to plead guilty to one count of statutory rape and one count of oral sodomy...
November 23, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Monday morning, just after breakfast there was a knock at the door. I got up from the couch and went to open it. “Phil?” “Hi, Mike. Can we come in?” “We?” “This is Mrs. Laramy from Family Services.” “Hang on a second.” I went to the kitchen to get my dad, who followed me back to the foyer. “Hi, Phil,” Dad said. “What’s up?” “This is Mrs. Laramy from Family Services.” “Mr. Loucks? I have an order here to take custody of Elizabeth.” “What?!...
May 31, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Sunday morning as I dressed for church, I faced the true reality of what happened the previous night. My make-out sessions with April had, except on that single instance where I’d fondled her sweater-clad breast for more than a second or two, not gone far enough to be included in my confession. What had happened the previous night certainly had. I now faced effectively the same dilemma I would have faced had April and I gone to the motel after Prom. I...
August 21, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Friday morning, Mr. Mills called just after 6:00am to let me know that Jocelyn had gone into surgery, and that it would likely be mid-afternoon before he had any news. I thanked him and sat down at the table in the kitchen with a mug of tea I made and read the Rutherford Tribune. Nobody else was up, and I enjoyed the quiet for about an hour before my parents came into the kitchen. “Was that Jocelyn’s dad who called at 6:00am?” my dad asked. “Yes. I...
February 13, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I visited Ohio State yesterday,” Nancy said when we had a chance to chat on Saturday morning. “And?” “I’m pretty sure I’m going to Taft like we talked about because I can live at home. But the tour was cool and our tour guides were absolutely hysterical.” “Oh?” “Yeah. A guy and his fiancée. He’s a criminal justice major and wants to be a US Marshal. She’s in pre-law and wants to be a criminal defense lawyer. They told some of the funniest stories about...
April 4, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Mishka!” Tasha squealed, hugging me tightly, but quickly releasing me because we were in the narthex of the church. “Hi, Tasha!” I said with a smile. She grabbed my hand and led me to the church hall where we got some food and coffee, then sat down by her parents. “Michael, how is school going?” Deacon Vasily asked. “All A’s so far, and I should finish the semester with a 4.0 average.” “Very good. And you’re attending church regularly?” “Yes. Every...
June 6, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio After Vespers on Saturday, I spent a few minutes talking to Tasha. “My dad isn’t sure karate is ‘ladylike’,” she said. “The uniforms cover more than those nice dresses you wear during the Summer!” “You noticed, Mike?” she asked with a soft laugh. “If I may be «некультурный», yes, of course! It’s difficult to miss a pretty girl with a nice body!” “Thank you! But do NOT say that around my dad! He’ll never let you see me again!” “So the answer is ‘no’?” “I...
September 26, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “What?!” I gasped. “How is she?” “I don’t know, and that’s the God’s honest truth. Her dad called from Rutherford Hospital and asked me to call you. All he said was that they were working on her.” “I’m leaving in about three minutes. That’s what I’ll need to get dressed.” “What about Becky?” “I’ll bring her, I guess. I can’t imagine her parents are going to be in Rutherford.” “She’s there with you?” “Yes. Beat me up about that later! I’m on my way to...
October 10, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio I froze and realized my first inclination to go back to McKinley had been the right one. I’d thought my talk with Becky the previous weekend had resolved the issue, but I was very clearly mistaken. I could actually go back. It was early enough, and I hadn’t told Tasha I was going to be home, so she wouldn’t be upset, and a phone call would make her very happy as the two I’d made so far had done. But there was one problem - all I could hear in my head was...
October 11, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Sunday morning, Becky and I got out of bed and snuck across the hall to the bathroom, where we got into the shower together. “Thank you,” she said as I lathered shampoo in her hair. “I was afraid you’d say ‘no’ and I’d have missed that.” “You’re OK?” I asked. “Mike, it’s what I wanted from the day I met you. I just knew you’d be perfect. You let me do exactly what I wanted and how I wanted. As I said, patient and gentle.” “You weren’t very gentle...
November 9, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “OK?” I asked, shocked enough that I was rocked back in my seat. “Yes. OK.” “OK to WHAT?” I asked warily. “Getting married.” “You can’t be serious! You’re afraid of French kissing and you want to get married?” Angie smirked, “Gotcha! You should see the look on your face!” “Nice.” I laughed. “You did get me!” “Sorry, I figured at that point I needed to do something to change the mood.” “By making my heart stop?!” “Oh, come on! The first thought that...
January 4, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “And so another semester begins,” I said when I met Angie at the elevators on Monday morning. “I saw your class schedule was basically the same.” “The only real change is I have the creative writing core requirement replacing the scientific writing class. I am so glad I chose to take those in the order I did - it made all the difference in the world for doing the lab reports.” “I’m not complaining! I ended up with an A in biology which I NEVER would have...
January 12, 1982, McKinley, Ohio Influenza was making the rounds of the dorm, and just about everyone had it by Tuesday morning, including me. I dragged myself out of bed, realized there was no way I was going to run, and climbed back into bed. I took some decongestant tablets from the box on the shelf next to my bed and swallowed them with a gulp of water. I hoped to fight the worst symptoms and be able to make it to lab. Angie had already said she wasn’t going to run, so I stayed in bed...
January 25, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I have a message for Michael Loucks,” a young man announced just as biology class ended. “That’s me,” I said. “Dean Parker would like to see you immediately.” “I’ll go with you, Mike,” Doctor Stanton said. I had no clue what she could possibly want, but I appreciated Doctor Stanton coming with me. We made our way to the administration building. “I’m here to see Dean Parker,” I said. “I’m Mike Loucks.” “One moment,” the young woman at the desk...
January 31, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “You’re STILL struggling with that issue?” Jocelyn asked during our regular Sunday afternoon call. “Does it really surprise you?” “No, I suppose it doesn’t. I think the circumstances of the last year really caused you some serious heartache and anguish, and I’m not just talking about you and me. If you think about it, you and Emmy were ripped apart by her dad; you and Nancy were ripped apart by her difficulty with commitment; you and I were ripped apart by...
May 23, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Good morning, Mike!” my mom said when I arrived at the kitchen table for breakfast. “Hi, Mom,” I said. “What do you have planned for today?” “It’s all on the calendar, just like it has been since I could write,” I replied with a smile. “I work from 8:00am to noon, then I have my Saturday karate class at 1:00pm. Dale and I are playing chess after that, and Vespers are at 6:00pm. I’m taking April to the movies after church.” “What are you going to...
September 19, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Why are you sending me such mixed signals?” “Mixed signals?” Jocelyn and I were sitting on the couch, and she was cuddled next to me, at least as best she could, given her obvious discomfort from the injuries, catheter, and physical therapy. I had thought a lot after my talks with Doctor Hart, as well as my talks with Nancy. One thing I was seriously concerned about was getting more deeply involved with Nancy and messing things up with Jocelyn. I...
October 30, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Hi,” Jocelyn said when her dad led me into the living room. “Hi! I’m glad to see you at home.” “And we’re glad to have her home,” Mr. Mills said. “If you need anything, let us know.” I went over to sit next to Jocelyn on the couch. She scooted close and I put my arm around her. She sighed, kissed my cheek, and then snuggled. “I was glad to hear from Doctor Henderson that you could leave the hospital.” “And you should be seeing your sister!” “I will....
March 1, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I have a meeting with the Dean to get permission to put up the flyers this afternoon,” Kurtis said at lunch. “We’ll only be escorting girls from our dorm. I talked to a couple of guys in other dorms who will organize theirs. I figured we couldn’t take care of everyone without some help.” “Cool,” Clark said. “Did anyone hear any more about the investigation?” “The Times said the police didn’t have any suspects, but were following leads,” Jeannette said. “What...
August 7, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio The Summer was rapidly disappearing and there were but two weeks before I moved to McKinley. Once my dad had calmed down, the Summer had returned to normal. It was almost as if everything was in a holding pattern, where each week had followed a simple pattern. I worked at the hardware store, went to the dojo, had dinner with Tasha on Wednesday, a date with Emmy on Friday, and the usual triple date on Saturday. Liz was still grounded, but Emmy was allowed to...
September 1, 1981, McKinley, Ohio Tuesday wasn’t quite as crazy as Monday. My first class after breakfast was the biology seminar. After the first day, this would be run by Laura Peters, a graduate student. I immediately decided the seminar would be valuable, as she would provide study guides, sample lab reports, and a host of other useful information, as well as address any challenges we encountered in our first semester at Taft. The most important thing is that there would be no outside...
November 1, 1981, McKinley, Ohio It was just past midnight when I walked into the Landers’ house. “Hi, Mike,” Mrs. Landers said. “Nancy said you might show up. I’m glad you did!” “Hi, Mrs. Landers,” I replied. “Don’t mind me,” she smiled. “If you two want to go on to bed, that’s OK.” “You better call Ripley’s once more,” I grinned. “I’m going to turn Nancy down on her offer. Again.” Mrs. Landers laughed and shook her head, “I told her you were a keeper! Then I will go to bed so you can...
February 19, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Angie!” I exclaimed, as I hurried toward the girls, who appeared tired, but otherwise OK. I took Angie in my arms and hugged her tightly. “Are you OK?” I asked. “Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m late, but we were at the party and the police wouldn’t let us leave or make phone calls until they interviewed everyone who was there.” “What happened?” Melody asked. “A girl from the seventh floor was raped,” Jeannette said. “Who was it?” “Some girl named...
April 8, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Liz wanted me to talk to you,” I said to my mom on Thursday evening. “I assumed she’d put you up to this.” “I only promised to talk to you, and told Liz not to count on anything changing.” “Good call. We’ve given her as much freedom as your father and I think is reasonable. Has she talked to you about Paul Reynolds?” I nodded, “I know how she feels about him. But he’s in prison. Don’t forget she was raped before that, and anything that happened after the...
May 30, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio It was with more than a little trepidation that I drove home from karate class. I didn’t really want to talk to April, but I knew I had to. The bottom line was church. It didn’t matter to a lot of people, but it mattered to me. I feared that my conversation with April was simply going to go around in circles, and end with her crying again. Unfortunately, I didn’t see how that could be avoided. “You should go see her,” Mom said when I came downstairs after my...
June 10, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “OK, now I am SERIOUSLY worried about coming to church on Saturday!” I laughed as I put the car in gear. “And why is that Mishka Petrovich?” Tasha asked with a small laugh. “Your dad told me it was OK to take you for ice cream after dinner without me asking. I swear, if I come into church on Saturday for Vespers and the table is there with the crowns...” I was laughing and so was Tasha. “And being married to me would be so terrible?” she asked with fake...
June 15, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Negative,” Liz whispered happily when I came home from work on Monday. “Thank God,” I said. We both had been on pins and needles since the previous Monday, and the news had come as a relief. Jocelyn and Dale had noticed I was on edge on Saturday night, and I’d pulled them aside briefly to tell them what had happened. They were both in agreement that I had no choice but to report the guy. Jocelyn offered to emasculate him with a rusty spoon, which had me...
August 22, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “What do you want to do today?” I asked Becky as we walked to my car. “Anything you want.” “Anything?” I smirked. “Like saying that was really a risk?” “You never know,” I chuckled. “What if it’s all been an act?” “HAS it all been an act?” she asked in a silly tone as I opened the passenger door for her. “Of course not!” I said, closing the door. I walked around the car and got in, started the engine, and backed out. “Not implying anything,” Becky...
November 20, 1981, McKinley, Ohio I got up from the couch and walked over to where Nancy was standing. She took my hand and led me to her bedroom where she shut and locked the door. She stood in front of me, and I held out my arms. She stepped forward and melted against me, sighing deeply as she put her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and held her. “I’ve wanted this for months,” she whispered. I moved one of my hands to lift Nancy’s chin so we could kiss. Our lips...
November 25, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Family Court for Harding County is now in session, Judge Martha Lee, presiding. You may be seated.” The small courtroom was packed with doctors, lawyers, and our family. Nobody from the general public was permitted because Liz was a minor. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Judge Lee said, “this is a status hearing on an emergency custody petition which I signed on Sunday evening. The procedure is a bit less formal than in a normal courtroom. That said, please...
June 5, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “What do you want to do tonight?” I asked Emmy after she got into my Mustang on Friday evening. “Anything,” she said with a smile. “Whatever you want!” “There’s a new skydiving place that opened in Clermont County over by Cincinnati. I saw an ad in the newspaper.” “OK,” she laughed, “maybe not ANYTHING!” “Too exciting for you?” I laughed as I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “Too risky! What happens if your parachute doesn’t...