Good Medicine Junior YearChapter 65 Developing A Relationship
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September 16, 1983, McKinley, Ohio
“Are you sure, Tasha?” I asked. “I’ve never done that and I’m not sure I know how.”
“The book said some people enjoy it while others don’t. Will you try?”
“I think I read the same book,” I replied. “The Joy of Sex?”
“Yes, that was the book. So you know how it’s supposed to work?”
“Mechanically, yes, but Tasha...”
“Mishka,” she said gently. “You are my first lover, and the one I want to experience everything with. I’ve told you that for a long time!”
“But this?”
“Well, I didn’t know about it until perhaps a month ago!” she replied. “But I did tell you there were no restrictions and no limits in the marriage bed!”
“But we’re not in our marriage bed?”
“Either it’s our honeymoon, or it’s simply a wonderful love affair with a man I love. Either way, this is exactly like the marriage bed, even if we do not marry. All things are possible, Mishka. That is what I told you.”
“I thought you meant oral sex,” I chuckled.
“I wasn’t even sure what THAT was when I was fifteen!” she laughed. “But I didn’t want you to think I wouldn’t do anything you wanted to do or that I wouldn’t want to please you.”
“I don’t know,” I replied.
“You promised we could do everything,” she said.
“I did, but I didn’t consider this.”
“If you’ve never done it before, then it’s something you can do first with me. Perhaps you’ll never do it again. Perhaps I won’t. But I want to. With you.”
“If you’re sure, I’m willing to try.”
She smiled and got out of bed. She went to her bag, unzipped the pocket, and came back with a blue and white tube which I recognized from being with Jocelyn the first time after her hysterectomy.
“This is K-Y Jelly,” Tasha said. “The woman at the clinic said it might help with our first time making love if I wasn’t wet enough.”
“I don’t think THAT was a problem!”
“No, it wasn’t! You make me wet between my legs just by kissing me! You have since our very first kiss! But the book said this could work for what I want to try.”
“I’m pretty big,” I replied. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I almost got it all the way into my mouth! But it’s too long and thick to do that! It filled me VERY nicely when we made love! I love how it rubbed against my insides, and made me feel completely filled up!”
“And I liked how tight you were around me, like a glove that was just a bit too small.”
“Will you try?”
“If that’s what you want, yes.”
She turned on her stomach and spread her legs so I could move between them.
“It said you should rub lots of that on me and on you, and go VERY slowly.”
I squeezed some of the slick gel onto my fingers and carefully rubbed some between Tasha’s firm, sexy butt cheeks. I squeezed a bit more and repeated the process, ensuring I spread some over the place she wanted me to enter. I was nervous about the entire adventure, but used a third dollop of the lubricant to coat my glans and shaft, the set the tube aside.
“OK,” I said.
Tasha took a very deep breath and let it out, then another, trying to relax as much as she could. Completely unsure about how to proceed, I placed my glans between her firm butt cheeks, and lodged it against her, much as I had when we’d first made love several hours before.
“Try,” she whispered.
I put my hands on her waist and leaned forward, exerting a small amount of pressure, and making no headway. I leaned forward a bit more, and pushed, but again, nothing happened. Tasha took a deep breath, and let it out, and suddenly she gave way before me.
“Unghh!” she groaned. “Wait, Mishka!”
“Are you OK?” I asked, adjusting so there was no forward pressure.
“Yes!” she gasped. “Just wait!”
I waited, my glans feeling as if it was encased in a tight, fiery furnace, as her sphincter muscle threatened to sever it from my shaft. Tasha took several more deep breaths, letting each one out slowly.
“More,” she whispered.
I pushed forward, leaning and thrusting gently, and more of my shaft disappeared into Tasha’s rear. She continued to take deep, gasping breaths, letting them out as slowly as possible, until I was deeply embedded in her butt.
“I feel so full,” she gasped.
“You’re OK?”
“Yes. How does it feel?”
“Strange,” I replied.
“Can you move?”
“I’ll try.”
I slowly pulled back until I was mostly out of her, then slowly pushed back in, Tasha grunting and groaning as I fully entered her. I waited, deeply embedded, until she took a few breaths, and raised her hips slightly, encouraging me to move. Once again, I pulled back, and pushed deeply into her eliciting a groan. I waited for her to breathe, then repeated the motion. Tasha seemed acclimated to my presence, so I began rhythmic thrusts, timed with her breathing.
“What should I do at the end?” I asked.
“Leave it in me,” she hissed. “I want to feel it.”
About five minutes later, she did feel it, as I exploded into her very tight, very hot rear end. When my orgasm had passed, I carefully pulled out and went straight to the bathroom to clean up. I got into the shower and used copious amounts of soap to clean off, somewhat surprised that I didn’t see any of the contents of what I knew to come from the area I’d just penetrated. Once I was sure I was clean, I went back to the bedroom and got in bed with Tasha, who was still on her stomach.
“Are you OK?”
“I feel VERY weird right now,” she whispered. “Did you like it?”
“Yes, but probably not enough to do it again. Did YOU like it?”
“I don’t know. It didn’t make me feel like when you make love to me, but it was very exciting, perhaps because it is so naughty!”
“Somehow I think that would be the least of your dad’s worries!”
Tasha laughed softly, “Yes, he would be much more concerned that you pushed your big, thick dick into my tight pussy and popped my cherry!”
I laughed hard, “Speaking of naughty!”
“That is what happened, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“And I suspect he wouldn’t be happy that I sucked your big, thick dick, let you cum in my mouth, and then swallowed your cum!”
“Very true!”
“Or that you stuck your tongue into my tight pussy and made me cum!”
“Also true!”
“Very good, Mishka!”
“What?”
“You didn’t react with surprise when I used those words. I believe you see me as a young woman, not as a pristine little girl!”
“I think it would be difficult to see you as a pristine little girl after I popped your cherry, you sucked my dick and swallowed my cum, we fucked like bunnies, AND I fucked you in the ass!”
Tasha laughed, “Wow! Now it’s MY turn to be surprised!”
“Oh, sure, because after doing THAT there is ANY chance I could pretend to be proper with you!”
“There is one more thing I want before we fall asleep.”
“What’s that?”
“Please put your big, thick dick in my tight pussy and fuck my brains out,” she said impishly.
“Your wish is my command!”
September 17, 1983, McKinley, Ohio
“This is wonderful,” Tasha sighed as we reclined in the whirlpool tub late on Saturday afternoon.
“I agree,” I replied, squeezing my arms tightly around her.
“I’m sorry I wore you out!” she teased.
“No, you aren’t!” I chuckled. “But I did need that nap. I’m guessing you aren’t going to let me go to sleep early tonight!”
“What about Eucharist in the morning?”
“I think neither of us should partake until we confess.”
“But...”
“But what? You know Father Herman can never reveal anything he hears in confession. And I’ve confessed what I’ve done. Both Father Nicholas and Father Herman have the same basic opinion — that if they kicked every teenager or young adult who had sex out of church, the church would be empty. He’ll counsel you to stop, and give you some fasting and prayer rules designed to help you control your urges.”
“Do they work?”
“Not for me,” I replied. “This is a weakness which I will only overcome by marriage. I’ve tried, and I’m not justifying or excusing myself, but I don’t have the willpower to abstain completely.”
“And he will let me receive the Eucharist?”
“It’ll be up to you. When I talked to my mom about it, back when the whole thing with Jocelyn was going on, she pointed out that, in the end, everything comes down to whether or not you love God. Again, that’s not license to sin, but God knows our weaknesses and loves us despite them. If we return that love, he’s accepting and forgiving. I’m not sure how to explain it, other than to say that I love God. I’m sure you do as well.”
“Yes, of course. But what do I say?”
“Just that you’ve sinned by having sex. He won’t ask for names or details, but he will talk to you about the church’s teachings.”
“I don’t know.”
“Tasha, as right as this is, as much as we both wanted it, it is still falling short of perfection. Confession and the Eucharist are the medicine by which we are healed and saved. Don’t forego them.”
“Does the bishop know?”
I laughed, “Yes and no. I made the point when he expressed his intention to ordain me that I was a sinner. He smiled and said that he was as well, and that if we excluded all sinners from the clergy, we would have no clergy, and if we excluded all sinners from church, we would have no laity.”
“Do you feel bad about doing this?”
“You mean do I feel guilty? Not really. I feel as if I’ve missed the mark of perfection. I struggle, at times, with the problem, but in the end, the only thing I can do is rely on God’s love to overcome whatever flaws I have and whatever sins I commit.”
“You won’t confess tonight or tomorrow?”
“That would clearly indicate I’d been with you, unless you don’t come to church with me. If I do it Wednesday, at Vespers, or next weekend, there’s just enough question that it won’t be completely obvious to Father Nicholas.”
“But won’t Father Herman know I was with you?”
“He might surmise, but again, there is what they call ‘plausible deniability’. And besides, even if our priests know, they can’t say anything.”
“So why not confess tonight?”
“I was thinking of you.”
“I think it best you confess BEFORE you serve in the altar, Subdeacon Michael.”
“You’re right. I’ll do that. And you?”
“Father Nicholas is not my confessor, so I can’t, really, except in an emergency. I’ll simply refrain from the Eucharist tomorrow.”
“I may be required to,” I replied.
“If so, then we can make love all night!” she said happily.
“You’ll never get enough, will you?” I teased.
“No! But also, I will not simply go with anyone, Mishka. If you end up not being my husband, I will wait for the man who is before I do this again.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Being with you is different. But after you, the next man to touch me this way will be a man I am betrothed to. Maybe it’s you, but we both know now that’s not likely to happen.”
“Why do you say that?”
“For the same reason I did before — if you thought we should marry, you would have asked me quite some time ago. Even if it was several years before we could marry, you would have asked. You didn’t. And I think that means, most likely, you never will.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? For being honest? We both had fantasies about the future. We both grew up to realize that fantasy and reality aren’t the same. Perhaps we won’t fulfill the one where we marry and raise an Orthodox family together, but we certainly fulfilled the one we both wanted from the time I turned fourteen and we noticed each other! You were the only man who could make me a woman, Mishka. But it is probably some other man who will make me a wife and mother.”
“Does that make you sad?”
“No. It would have in the past, but I think it’s the right thing. I suppose there is a bit of longing in my heart that we could marry, but that’s not enough, is it?”
“No, it’s not.”
“I think we’ll always be friends, Mishka, and until one of us finds our mate, we can be lovers.”
“I’d like that.”
“Me, too!”
September 18, 1983, McKinley, Ohio
“What time do you need to leave to go home?” I asked as Tasha and I lay together after making love for the third time on Sunday afternoon.
“After dinner, so about 6:30pm. That way, I’m home by 7:30pm, and that gives me time to do my homework.”
“OK.”
“And until then, you’re going to use every last ounce of energy!”
I chuckled and pushed Tasha onto her back so I could orally pleasure her, something we had discovered that she truly enjoyed.
Six hours later, having exhausted myself to the point that even walking required exertion, I carried Tasha’s bag to her Volvo. I put the bag on the passenger seat, and then we kissed tenderly.
“I won’t be able to stay the night again for some time,” she said. “But I will come to visit! Would you be upset if I visited on Sunday afternoons?”
“Hmm. A visit from the most beautiful girl I know who wants to have sex with me? Would that upset me? No, I don’t think it would!”
“You!” she laughed. “I suppose it would be better to ask if that would cause you trouble?”
“Not really. Sundays aren’t busy, and after church is my usual time to relax.”
“You won’t be relaxing!” she teased.
“I think I can make an exception for you, Natalya Vasilyevna!”
“I love you very much, Mishka.”
“And I love you, Tasha.”
“I’m glad we could finally say that to each other, and truly mean it, but without fear that it committed us to some future course of action.”
“Besides screwing like bunny rabbits?” I teased.
“Yes, besides that!”
We exchanged another tender kiss, she got into her Volvo, and I stood and watched as she drove away. Once she was out of sight, I went back into the house to clean up the bedroom, and put the soiled sheets in the washer.
“I take it you had a good time,” Milena smirked, coming into the laundry room as I added soap to the machine.
“You could say that,” I grinned.
“Do you have to get back to campus right away?”
“I promised to be there by 8:00pm for study group. Why?”
“I wondered if you would have some time to talk.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I’ve missed talking to you these last few weeks. Between Joel being here and you being busy.”
“Then let’s talk.”
“Would you violate any commitments you’ve made to anyone if we use the Jacuzzi?”
“No, but that ring on your finger says you would,” I replied gently.
“Joel knows everything that happened between us,” Milena replied. “And he knows how close you and I were, and how close I’d like to stay. It’s not about sex, remember? It’s about closeness. And I promise you he’s OK with it.”
“It seems wrong to me,” I replied.
“Have you ever been in a sauna?”
“Yes.”
“With someone of the opposite sex? Naked?”
I chuckled, “This is a losing argument for you because I have, and I got to ‘third base’ as we called it, and then another time actually made love!”
“Oops,” Milena laughed. “Bad example, then. But you have the necessary self-control, and so do I. And Joel trusts us. And he knows we were lovers. He also knows we aren’t now.”
“I don’t know,” I replied.
“It’ll be fine, Mike.”
I let her take my hand and lead me upstairs to the master bedroom, then into the bathroom. She turned on the tap and started undressing. I reluctantly did the same, and when she climbed into the tub, I followed her. We sat down and she snuggled back against me. I was careful to ensure my hands were on her stomach, neither too high nor too low. We sat quietly while the tub filled and when it had, Milena turned off the tap and pressed the button to start the water jets.
“What’s bugging you?” I asked.
Milena laughed softly, “You aren’t quite as clueless as you seem.”
“Gee, thanks?”
“You do have to admit you aren’t quite as tuned into others as you probably should be.”
“Clearly.”
“You’re getting better, Mike. You just need the right balance of empathy, caring, and attention and you’re going to make a great doctor. I can vouch for you having good hands!”
I chuckled, “I’m not quite sure that’s a qualification!”
“The pretty nurses won’t mind, at least if you’re still single at that point! Heck, some of them won’t mind if you aren’t.”
“That’s not me.”
“No, it’s not. You’ll give your word at the altar, or wherever, and keep it until you draw your last breath. And you won’t ever knowingly cause anyone else to cheat. And that’s why this is perfectly safe.”
“You put a lot of faith in my self-control,” I replied.
Milena laughed, “If a score of orgasms, or perhaps more, these last three days didn’t satiate you, well, then perhaps I chose the wrong guy!”
“I thought you liked just gentle and once, then lots of cuddling.”
“It depends on my mood and what I need at the time. You simply followed my lead. I wasn’t the girl for you to bang senseless for three days! If I was, you’d have done that during your Freshman year!”
“So what’s actually bugging you?”
“Believe it or not, growing up. I’m going to be married, be a professor, have kids, and basically turn into my mom!”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing!” I chuckled. “Your mom is totally cool. And if it’s not out of line to say, she’s very nice looking.”
“Oh, it’s not out of line to say, and she’d appreciate that. May I give you a piece of advice?”
“Sure.”
“Don’t commit to anyone until after the Summer of your Senior year.”
“Why?”
“You aren’t THAT clueless,” Milena laughed.
“No, I’m not. I sort of got that drift when she told me she’d collect on the favor. But isn’t that a bit weird?”
“For you? For me? For her?”
“All three, I guess.”
“A young, good looking, virile man with lots of energy? Who wouldn’t want that? As for me, strange as it seems, I’m OK with it. For you? A love affair, even a brief one, with an experienced, mature lover might be just the trick.”
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April 2, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “«Ты говоришь по-русски?»” I asked when I recovered from the double shock. “«Удивлены»?” “I don’t think surprised even scratches the surface!” I replied in English, not wanting to give up any nuances of my speech. “What’s your full name?” “Larissa Sergeyevna Federova. I was named for ‘Lara’ in Doctor Zhivago, but I go by Laura Sera Bragg. My parents divorced when I was little and both remarried. My mom changed her and my legal name to Bragg, which is my...
June 3, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “You’re serious?” Milena asked, incredulous. “I am; you figured it out, and this is the talk we SHOULD have had.” She shook her head, “Now you have ME thinking about whether we should do this or not.” “Which was my entire point.” “Not to interrupt this moment of clarity,” Deb said quietly, “but is that invitation open?” I chuckled, “I’ll leave the answer to that to the pianist. Her opinion may have changed.” Milena sighed, “How the hell did a twenty-year...
September 30, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. Well, perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but compared to other first kisses, this one was certainly memorable — a soft touching of lips, a light hug with Kimiko’s small, silk-covered breasts brushing lightly against me, and her hand lightly on my back. Kimiko broke the kiss, looked me in the eyes, and whispered,...
December 1, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “You really object to Emmy and Clark being together because they’re from different races?!” I asked, completely taken aback. “I’m sorry,” Kimiko replied meekly. “I was trying to describe how Japanese felt about mixed-race children, especially those of black American soldiers and Japanese women. But it’s really any mixed-race children or relationships, because they are not pure Japanese.” “So if you and I were to marry, and have kids who were half-Japanese,...
August 7, 1983, McKinley, Ohio The phone in my room rang late Sunday afternoon while Milena and I were relaxing and listening to music. “Hi, Mikey!” “Hi, Liz! What’s up?” “Guess whose parents came home WAY earlier than expected? Three guesses, and the first two don’t count!” “«Говно». Maggie’s.” “Right the first time.” “And?” “Grounded for two centuries, I think.” “Wonderful,” I sighed. “It’s worse, Mikey.” “How could it be worse?” “Her dad found the books you gave her and the...
January 7, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Thanks for the lift, White Boy!” Clark said as we got out of my Mustang. “Somebody had to drag your lazy black ass the last fifty miles, and I have sympathy for the mentally challenged,” I deadpanned. “Hey, Cracker, are you saying I’m dumb because I’m black?” “Not at all! You being dumb has absolutely nothing to do with the color of your skin!” “Fuck you, Honky!” “I love you too!” I grinned. We both laughed, shook hands, and with Clarissa following...
June 25, 1983, McKinley, Ohio I awoke to someone pounding on my door and calling my name. A quick glance at the clock showed it was 2:50am. I quickly got out of bed, pulled on shorts and a t-shirt and went to the door. I opened it to see a girl in a robe. “What’s up?” “Cecilia said to come get you. One of the girls is really sick!” “Did someone call for an ambulance?” I asked. “I don’t know.” “Call right now. Use my phone. Where are they?” “243!” I hurried down the hall into the...
December 16, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Exams had gone well, and Clarissa, Sandy, and I didn’t have a Friday exam because of our work in the lab only had an evaluation, which we’d each received earlier in the week. We’d all received excellent reviews, which meant an A for the course for each of us. Our stats exam had actually been a breeze, as had the biochemistry exam. The psychology exam was moderately tough, but I was sure I’d achieved at least a B, which meant I would have an A for the course....
March 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Sorry about earlier,” she said. “My roommate was being a bitch.” “Something specific?” I asked. “She’s been on the rag ever since our second week here. Guy trouble. I guess she thought you were trying to use me.” “I can see why she would think that,” I replied. “You and I don’t know each other except basically by sight and name, I sang to you, and you came to my room.” “If I were totally clueless about life, I could see it. But I knew what was going on!...
MAGIC MEDICINE Christopher Halstead was at the end of his tether. He was only 50 years old but felt deep down in his soul that his useful life had come to an end. To understand why it is necessary to go back some twenty-five years. In 1992 Christopher married his childhood sweetheart Amy. He and Amy had grown up in adjacent houses; attended the same schools; and had had an unspoken 'understanding' from their teens. They only occasion they spent time apart was whilst they were at...
June 1, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Wednesday at the Quick Mart was very much like Tuesday, though there were no deliveries, so I had time to work through a number of items on Mr. Sokolov’s list. That kept me busy, and away from Nancy except for when it was time for her breaks. She apologized again and I replied as I had before, just telling her to take her break. Maybe I was being a jerk, but I was honestly quite upset with her, and really didn’t think there was much to talk about. When my shift...
November 26, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “So what did you say?” Clarissa asked after I relayed what Hannah had said. “I simply said I appreciated the offer, that I’d keep that in mind, then smiled and left the house.” “After Maggie gave you permission?” “I don’t need ‘permission’ from Maggie to do anything,” I protested. “And be serious, Lissa, do you think it’s a good idea?” Clarissa shrugged, “Is it all that different from Kristin? Or from Mindy and Emmy?” “That kind of thinking is a...
October 16, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “I started dating someone,” I said to Tasha as we relaxed in the whirlpool at Doctor Blahnik’s house. “You’re not cheating on her, are you Mikhail Petrovich?” “No. It’s not THAT serious, and it won’t be anytime soon, if it ever is. But I thought you should know because we promised complete truth and complete honesty. I don’t want any misunderstandings.” “May I ask about her?” “Her name is Kimiko Mei Takahasi. She’s from a small town called Oguni in...
July 23, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Just as I had when Nancy told me that her mom had put her on the Pill, I missed a shift due to being completely surprised by Maggie’s question. I recovered enough to find the correct gear, and willed my heart to stop beating rapidly. The silence was deafening, but I needed to think about how I could answer her question. I wasn’t sure I knew the answer, but saying that seemed lame in the extreme. Almost immediately, I realized that I really shouldn’t have been...
July 28, 1983, McKinley, Ohio On Thursday evening I was sitting in my room, practicing my guitar after having spoken with Tasha and confirmed our date for Sunday. Just after 9:00pm, there was a knock at the door. “It’s unlocked! Come in!” The door opened and Milena walked in, closing the door behind her. “Hey!” I replied. “What’s up?” “Got some time for me?” “Always. What can I do for you?” “Sing me a love song and then make love to me?” “Your wish is my command!” I grinned. “Come sit...
November 19, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “You know I think you’ve made a terrible mistake and given Sasha bad advice, right?” Clarissa asked after we got into my Mustang for the drive to my parents’ house. “Obviously.” “Her life is going to be very, very difficult.” “And living with her conscience after what she would consider murder would be easy?” “It’s not murder, Mike,” Clarissa said firmly. “I know that’s what you believe, and I know that’s what the law says, but I also know what she’s...
March 15, 1984, Gettysburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania “You’re OK?” Clarissa asked when she and I got out of bed on Thursday morning. “Yes. Just kissing was fine, Lissa. Let’s get our showers and meet Jocelyn. We need to get on the road by 6:30am so we can be in Philadelphia by 10:00am.” We both quickly showered and dressed, then we met Jocelyn in the hotel lobby. We went across the street for breakfast, and from there, straight to the car so we could get on the road. We followed US 30,...
July 1, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Are you OK?” Clarissa asked on Friday morning as we lay in bed together. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “You seemed a bit out of sorts last night. Did that kiss bother you?” I smiled, “Not the way you mean. It was just, well, to be blunt, fighting a reaction. And losing.” Clarissa laughed softly, “I know. I felt it when I spooned. I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. I liked the kiss. The other reaction is kind of involuntary. As I keep saying, testosterone knows NOTHING about...
July 5, 1983, McKinley, Ohio As I showered after karate, I wondered exactly what Angie had meant when she said that she’d changed, and what that meant for the future. Angie had told me that her counselor had advised against starting a relationship, so perhaps this was just Angie’s way of telling me that what Clarissa had suggested might be true — that Angie was playing the ‘long game’ and this was simply the next step. That made more sense than anything, but it also meant I needed to be...
April 8, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Natalya Vasilyevna Antonova, please meet Larissa Sergeyevna Federova,” I said. I laughed as the two girls instantly switched to Russian and I had to focus to catch everything that was said. Clarissa smirked and rolled her eyes, and I just shrugged. The gist of the conversation was hometowns, parents, churches, majors, and to Tasha’s obvious shock, Lara’s age. “Perhaps we should switch to English so Sveta isn’t left out,” Tasha said in English. “Mike looked...
June 18, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Becky, this is my friend Milena; Milena, Becky.” “Hi!” Milena said. “I hope I’m not intruding.” “Hi,” Becky replied. “You aren’t. Mike told me you were going to hang out with us tonight.” “Do you drink wine?” Becky laughed, “My pastor would have a cow, but he’s not here!” Milena laughed, “And shacking up with Mike, THAT would be OK?” “Well, no!” Becky laughed, blushing slightly. Milena uncorked the bottle of wine while I got three glasses from the...
August 28, 1983, McKinley, Ohio When I got up on Sunday morning, I showered and dressed, and then Kristin and I left my room and I found a note from Angie on the corkboard next to my door. It said she was getting a ride to church from the same woman who had picked her up the previous night and I shouldn’t wait for her. I shrugged, locked the door, and gave Kristin a quick kiss. She headed down the hall towards her room and I walked over to the elevators and pushed the ‘Down’ button. An...
February 25, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “Hi!” Emmy gushed when she opened the door for Clarissa and me on Saturday morning. “Thanks for letting Clarissa hang out here while I take care of this for Liz.” “You’re doing the right thing, Mike. I have to go to work in a few minutes, but Clarissa can buzz you in when you come back, and then if you just lock the door when you leave and bring the key to Lou’s everything will be cool.” “You’re a sweetheart, Emmy Nelson!” “I know!” she giggled,...
August 27, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “Tasha,” I said gently, “you made me promise to keep you pure until we were married, or at least betrothed, no matter what you said! In other words, you made me promise not to do it even if you changed your mind! And I made that promise!” “I can’t change my mind?” “You were very clear that I was responsible for you NOT doing that.” “But isn’t that up to me?” I nodded, “As an adult, in charge of her own decisions, it is. But you extracted that promise...
October 14, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “I’m worried about Angie,” I said as Clarissa, Melody, and I made our way back to the dorm from the Chancellor’s office. “I know you told the detective that you have no idea where she might be, but do you have ANY thoughts?” Melody asked. I shook my head, “If she wasn’t with her friend and she wasn’t at church, and her counselor hadn’t heard from her, then no, honestly, I have no idea. I mean, she could have gone home, but I’m sure someone called there to...
December 21, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” I said. “Afraid you’ll lose?” Violet asked. No, I thought, I wasn’t afraid of losing at all. In fact, I was sure that win or lose, I’d win, from a certain perspective. “No, that’s not it...” I started. “Then let’s play!” “Are you sure?” She nodded, “I can’t think of a more fun way to celebrate my birthday!” I could, and I was sure that what I was thinking was exactly what she was thinking, and she was just...
January 8, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Is it always like that in the morning?” Clarissa asked. “Pretty often, but it doesn’t have the urgency, if you will, and it goes away pretty quickly once I get out of bed.” “Do you have ANY control over it?” “Limited,” I chuckled. “It pretty much has a mind of its own.” “That has to be difficult.” “Think standing in the altar, wearing acolytes’ vestments and seeing Tasha walk into church in a sundress.” Clarissa laughed softly, “She is gorgeous!” “And...
May 6, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “I’m curious,” Clarissa asked quietly, “but what about a patronymic in this case?” “Sasha hasn’t said,” Tasha replied. “Technically, it would be some form of Timothy, because Timmy Aston is the baby’s father, but I don’t think she’ll do that. She really could pick anything.” “What happened with the baby’s father?” Clarissa asked. “My dad, Timmy’s dad, and two attorneys worked out the deal. Timmy’s going to college and really can’t afford to pay child support,...
June 5, 1983, McKinley, Ohio My alarm rang on Sunday morning and when I reached over to shut it off, Milena groaned softly, stretched, and turned to face me, her glorious breasts rubbing against my chest. “Hi,” she said sheepishly. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing! That’s just it. Nothing is wrong. I slept, naked, with a guy and literally nothing happened except a ‘good night’ kiss and spooning.” “And you think something should have happened?” She kissed my nose, “No, not at all. I mean, we can...
September 3, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio Tasha was very quiet on the drive home from Jackson Lake, and I wasn’t sure what to say to her, so I stayed quiet as well. When we arrived at my house, we exchanged a perfunctory kiss. “Are you OK?” I asked. “Yes,” she replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow at church.” I got out of the Volvo and went into the house. I said ‘hello’ to my parents, then asked Clarissa to sit on the patio and talk with me. We went to the kitchen, got glasses of lemonade, then...
September 5, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “Now that you’ve had time to sleep on it, have you had any new thoughts?” Clarissa asked as we walked along the road from my house towards ‘downtown’ West Monroe on Monday morning. “Should I have new thoughts?” I asked. “Let me put it this way — if you’re going to change your mind, do it NOW, today. If she shows up in McKinley expecting two passion-filled nights and you back out, it’s going to be VERY ugly.” “Why would I back out? You and Liz made very...
December 17, 1983, Rutherford, Ohio After Vespers, Clarissa, Jocelyn, Tasha, and I went to Lou’s diner in Rutherford for dinner. “Is this Mike’s nightmare?” Jocelyn teased. “Or Mike’s ultimate fantasy?” “The three of you would be a nightmare,” I said flatly. “It’s bad enough to have ONE woman telling me what to do! But three? Kill me now!” The girls all laughed. “He knows women are in charge,” Tasha said primly. “Even the bishops cower in the corner if the women of the church are...
January 5, 1984, Columbus, Ohio “Master, Bless!” I said to Vladyka ARKADY when he greeted me in his office. “The Lord bless you, Subdeacon Michael,” he said as I kissed his hand. “Anthony, would you please bring the tea?” “Right away, Vladyka,” Subdeacon Anthony said. “Sit, Subdeacon. We’ll use the comfortable chairs so we can have a quiet chat.” I sat in one of the very comfortable wingback chairs and the bishop sat in a second chair which was very close. Subdeacon Anthony brought in a...
January 14, 1984, Loveland, Ohio On Saturday morning, after breakfast, I’d said goodbye to Clarissa and gotten in my car for the drive to Loveland. The ninety minutes in the car gave me my first real time alone since returning to campus. Clarissa was doing OK, and I’d managed to spend a few hours over the course of the week with Sophia, and had a chance to be the octopus for Kimiko. It was an interesting dynamic, because Kimiko and I hadn’t been going out as a couple, so to outsiders, it...
April 5, 1984, McKinley, Ohio Students from all over campus came up to shake my hand, pat my back, or offer thanks. When Clarissa and I, and our close friends, left the auditorium we were confronted by Reverend Saddler. “I’ve never seen a more disgusting performance by an alleged clergyman in my life!” he declared. I shrugged, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you’.” “That is...
July 4, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “It’s OK to flirt with Maggie when your sister and the girls arrive.” We were in the kitchen packing a picnic basket for a day at Milton Lake with Liz, Maggie, Emmy, and Mindy. Milena, Deb, Blaine, and Royce would join us as well. “Maggie and I don’t really flirt,” I replied. “It’s more like trying to agree on terms.” “Of surrender?” Clarissa laughed. “Of her virginity?” I laughed, “Those terms are well-known and agreed — engagement ring, wedding ring,...
July 22, 1983, McKinley, Ohio It took me a minute before I could think straight, and another minute to formulate a semi-coherent response. “Angie, I can’t make the commitment necessary to do that,” I replied gently. “I know, and I’m not asking for one. I just think it’s the only way forward.” It was obvious that she felt, based on everything that had happened, she had to prove to me that she COULD have sex. But I wondered if it was more than that. As I quickly thought about it, I was SURE...
October 11, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “So what are you thinking?” Clarissa asked as she and I sat together on my couch after lunch on Tuesday. “I’m thinking you and Glenda are conspiring, that’s what I’m thinking!” “Kimiko?” “Kimiko.” “All I did was talk to her about you, Petrovich. I didn’t make ANY suggestions. And while we were talking, she asked about the other girls she knew you saw from time to time. At this point, it really is only Tasha, because Maggie is in what amounts to solitary...