Good Medicine Sophomore YearChapter 26 Martyrdom
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December 10, 1982, Circleville, Ohio
“Will you come to my eighteenth birthday party on January 5th?” Katy asked.
“I’ll have to skip Vespers, but I will if you want me here.”
“It would make me very happy.”
“Then I’ll be here! What’s the plan for tonight?”
“Chinese, if that’s OK.”
“Sure.”
“And then we could see Airplane II.”
“I loved the first one, so sure!” I replied enthusiastically.
“Shall we go?”
I took her hand and we walked out to the car. After opening the passenger door for her, helping her in, and then closing the door, I walked around to the driver’s side and got in.
“My parents will be at a Christmas party next Friday, so I planned to cook at home, if that’s OK.”
“Of course.”
“We could use the sauna, if you wanted.”
“I suppose,” I grinned knowingly.
Katy laughed, “That is EXACTLY what I had in mind!”
We had a nice Chinese meal, then went to see the movie. While I didn’t find it as funny as the first movie, there were a few excellent gags, and I enjoyed William Shatner as Commander Buck Murdock and the references to Star Trek, as well as the Mission: Impossible reference with Peter Graves, who had played Mr. Phelps in Mission: Impossible. On the way back to her house, Katy told me she enjoyed the movie as well, and when we arrived, she led me to the basement.
“Your parents?” I asked.
“They won’t bother us. We’ll wear towels wrapped around us when we go in, but they’ve been known to slip off on occasion!”
“And if they slip off and your parents happen to come in?”
“They never have, even when I’ve been in there with friends, and with mixed sexes. They’re cool so long as we all have towels wrapped around us.”
“But you implied...
“You’ll just have to be creative, Mike!” she said with a soft laugh. “Besides, they’re absolutely sure we’ve already done it, so from their perspective, the horse is out of the barn!”
We each went separately into the bathroom to change, and then went into the sauna. Katy’s towel was wrapped to show off a bit of cleavage, which meant it also showed off most of her legs. Mine was wrapped around my waist and went nearly to my knees. Katy poured water on the stones which had warmed up while we changed, and light steam hissed upwards.
“Oh, look,” she teased, “my hand accidentally slipped into your towel!”
She had lightly grasped my flaccid shaft, and a few strokes encouraged the blood to flow to the right place. With a slight flick of her wrist, the towel moved, and my erection popped into view.
“Oops!” she laughed, then leaned down and slowly took me into her mouth.
Katy slowly bobbed up and down, licking and sucking, and I felt her gently close her hand around my scrotum. A few well-timed gentle squeezes, combined with the wonderful feeling of her warm mouth, soon had me right on the edge. Katy recognized the signs and began bobbing faster and sucking harder until she achieved her goal, and I filled her mouth with hot, sticky semen.
Katy eventually slowed her pace, then swallowed. She released me and sat up for a long, deep French kiss. I slid my hand along her inner thigh, finding her other lips dripping with juices. I broke our kiss and moved to the lower bench in front of Katy. She spread her legs, causing the towel to move and reveal her lovely blonde pubic hair and perfectly formed labia.
I looked up, smiled, then gently ran my tongue along her lower lips before pressing it into her tight, silky entrance. I closed my mouth on her clit, and sucked gently, teasing it with my tongue. The blowjob she had given me had Katy fairly worked-up, so it didn’t take long for me to give her an orgasm, but I knew one wasn’t enough! After the third one, I sat up and we exchanged another long, deep French kiss.
“And the towels never left our bodies,” she declared firmly, sliding close so I could put my arm around her.
“I could swear to that in court without any trouble,” I chuckled. “But would your mom and dad buy it?”
“I told you what they think, so it’s sort of not a problem. I mean, sure, I don’t want to be blatant about it, but I’m sure they expected us to at least make out a bit.”
“Let’s just not upset them, please.”
Katy laughed and shook her head, “You mean the parents who were going to be cool with us living together? THOSE parents?”
“Well, if you look at it THAT way, I guess they probably wouldn’t overreact.”
“Exactly. Are you ready for your exams?”
“Latin is the only one that has the potential for being overly difficult, but I took Latin in High School which has been a huge help. For my other classes, I just need a B or better on the exams. For Latin, I could actually get a C on the exam and still be OK because I have a nearly perfect score.”
“If you want to hear something totally wild, ask my mom to speak Finnish. It’s totally different from Germanic, Romance, or Slavic languages. There’s also some relation to Estonian, but I don’t know much about that.”
“Really?”
“Really. Here’s counting to five: «yksi, kaksi, kolme, neljä, viisi».”
“OK, that sounds nothing like Spanish, German, Latin, or Russian.”
“Here’s a phrase for you: «Minä rakastan sinua». That means ‘I love you’.”
“Again, nothing like the others.”
“Mom tried to teach me some Finnish, but beyond that, and a couple of other phrases, it’s hopeless! She says Hungarian is the closest language in Europe to Finnish, but it isn’t super close like say, German and Dutch are. One of the few phrases I can say is «Minä tahdon kernaasti puhua suomen kieltä, en minä taida» which means ‘I want to speak Finnish, but I can’t’.”
“That just sounds totally weird to me, even with English, Russian, and Latin, and the bit of German we all pick up living in Ohio. Well, and the bit of Spanish we hear on TV. And the Greek we hear in church on occasion, too.”
“Mom learned to speak Russian when she was in school in Finland, so that helped her talk to Dad when they first met, though they both could speak decent English. Now we only use English at home unless Mom and Dad want to say something private when I’m in the room.”
“Your Russian is THAT bad?”
Katy laughed, “Yes. It was never super important to me. I learned quite a bit when I was little, but I never used it, so I barely remember anything. Do you plan to teach your kids Russian?”
“Probably not. We’re Americans, after all. I don’t think anyone in my dad’s family has spoken Dutch for close to two hundred years.”
“What do you think of the Church getting rid of Slavonic?”
“I think almost nobody younger than about thirty understands it, except in families like Tasha’s where they speak Russian regularly at home, or in my case, where the priest taught me to read it when I started out as an acolyte. But Mom had taught me a lot of Russian by then, so it wasn’t too difficult. We don’t use Russian much, so I don’t speak it very well. Anyway, the Church has always adapted to the local language. My grandparents are from the last full generation of Russian speakers, and when that generation passes, I think that’ll be the end of it, except maybe in circumstances like funerals or prayers for the sick.”
“So no conflicts there!”
I shrugged, “I’m not sure why there would be. Being Russian is part of my heritage, but as I said, I’m an American. So is my mom, by birth, and my grandparents by naturalization. Heck, they speak English most of the time these days.”
“Some people who are very traditional, like you, make a big deal about it.”
“If that were the case, I’d have to stop speaking like a retarded toddler,” I chuckled.
“Before I forget, is my birthday a fasting day for you?”
“No. It’s before Theophany, so we’re good. But you know how I handle that, right?”
“Sure. But why give intentional offense?”
‘Why?’ indeed. I STILL hadn’t come to terms with Jocelyn’s behavior. Why not simply tell her parents ‘no’ and let that be the end of it? I would have been upset, but I also wouldn’t have been hurt by what Katy called ‘intentional offense’. I just couldn’t seem to get my head around what was going on, though the whole notion that her severe trauma had caused behavioral changes made a lot of sense.
“I’d never want to ruin your birthday!” I replied. “To me, that would be the bigger offense!”
“I promise you won’t ruin my birthday! I turn eighteen and you’ll be here! That’s perfect!”
I smiled and squeezed my arm which was around Katy’s shoulders. We sat quietly for about ten minutes, then left the sauna. We took quick showers, then dressed, and Katy walked me out to my car. We hugged, kissed, and I headed back to McKinley.
December 11, 1982, McKinley, Ohio
“Are you out of your mind!” I growled at Emmy on Saturday morning.
“What?”
“Look, I know you think you’re getting back at your dad, and if that’s what you need to do, that’s your business. But bringing HER with you? What were you thinking?”
“Jesus, Mike! She wants you! And she wants you to be her first! Like you were for me!”
“Have you been talking to her about stuff you shouldn’t have?” I said, my eyes narrowing.
“Uh, well, uh, I guess.”
“For heaven’s sake, Emmy! You KNEW I wasn’t interested in her! My suggestion, when she comes back from the bathroom, is you drive her home then come back if you must! I am NOT staying around to babysit her and I sure as heck am not having sex with her. Not today. Not ANY day!”
“That wastes two hours!”
“Well, waste them!” I replied tersely.
Mindy walked into the room just then and smiled. I wasn’t staying around, or even getting into a discussion with her, so I went into my room, grabbed my study notes and textbooks, then locked my bedroom door and walked right past Mindy to the common area of the floor. I sat down at a table and took out my books, knowing others would eventually join me, and there would be safety in numbers, as it were.
“Mike?”
“Emmy, forget it,” I sighed.
“But what’s she supposed to do today?”
“You should have thought of that before you brought her with you! She can sit on the couch in the room while you and Clark do whatever it is you’re going to do. But I’m NOT spending time with her and I’m NOT getting involved with her. PERIOD. What is it about that statement that is unclear?”
“She’s really upset.”
“She shouldn’t be. Well, unless somebody told her something which wasn’t true. And that sure wasn’t ME. I have studying to do. You go play and Mindy can find something to entertain her. And I do NOT mean me because, as I said, I have studying to do. YOU figure out how to deal with Mindy, as you apparently told her I was going to have sex with her today, which I decidedly am not.”
Emmy scowled and turned away from me and walked back to the room. I opened my Western Civ notebook and began reviewing the ‘Code of Hammurabi’, one of the first forms of codified law in the West. I didn’t get very far before a very annoyed black man tapped my shoulder.
“Thanks a lot,” Clark said sarcastically.
“What?”
“They left.”
“Did YOU know she was bringing Mindy with her?”
“No. She just said she might bring a friend. I had no clue she’d bring that chick. But, White Boy, she’s cute as hell and those tits! Damn!”
“Trouble I do not need,” I replied.
“What trouble? Banging some chick who’s begging for it? There’s a pattern there.”
“And one that’s going to continue. See these books and papers? THESE are my life. Sandy is on the same page. Things are relatively calm in my life and I aim to keep them that way. Mindy is NOT a way to keep them that way any more than Milena and her friends are. And before you tell me I’m doing college wrong, I’m getting straight A’s AND I have Sandy in my bed nearly every night. If that’s doing it wrong, I’m not sure I want to do it right!”
“You couldn’t take one for the team so I could get busy with sweet young thing?”
“Nope. Heck, I bet there are a hundred guys in this dorm alone that would give her what she wanted. She’s barking up the wrong tree. I’m sorry I messed up your plans for the day, but I didn’t know anything about this until they walked into the room. Is Emmy coming back?”
“I’m not sure,” he sighed. “I suppose I’ll study.”
“I am sorry. Maybe Amy will have pity on you!”
“Not likely. I guess it’s just me and my economics textbook.”
He went back to our room and a few minutes later, Sandy and Clarissa walked over to the table.
“I thought we were studying in your room,” Sandy said.
“I think it’s safe to go in there now.”
“Clark and Emmy?” Sandy laughed.
“Emmy brought Mindy. I made it clear to Emmy I was not happy with her. Now Clark’s not happy with me because Emmy and Mindy left.”
“Why would she do that?”
“I think Emmy was talking up my, uhm, skills. I’m not sure exactly what was said, but I told Emmy I wasn’t even going to talk to Mindy and they should leave. They did, and Clark isn’t happy.”
“Your skills?” Clarissa teased. “What do you say, Sandy?”
“That’s QUITE enough, thank you!” I said firmly.
“Touchy, touchy!” Sandy laughed. “Come on, let’s go put on some music and study biology and chemistry. Then you and Clarissa can study Latin and Western Civ.”
We went into my room and I unlocked the door to the bedroom and put on 1999 by Prince. The three of us sat down on one of the couches, opposite Clark who was stretched out on the other couch reading his economics textbook. We took out our books and began reading. About forty minutes later, Pete stuck his head in the door.
“Group study session tomorrow afternoon for biology and chemistry?”
“1:00pm,” Clarissa replied. “In room 2B at the library so we can use the big meeting tables.”
He left, and about ten minutes later the phone rang. I got up to answer it.
“What did you do to Mindy?” Liz demanded without even a greeting.
“Literally nothing. I didn’t even say ‘hello’ to her! Emmy brought her here without my knowledge!”
“Mindy said you invited her!”
“I did no such thing! I don’t know what Emmy’s game is, but whatever it is, I’m not playing. I want you to tell Mindy in no uncertain terms that I’m not interested, and I’ll never be interested. Period. End of discussion.”
“Something strange is going on,” Liz said.
“No kidding. Mindy’s your friend, so please, please put a stop to it. And whatever Emmy’s game is, she needs to stop as well.”
“Maybe Emmy was looking for cover,” Liz said. “You know, she could say she was in McKinley to drive Mindy to see you.”
“Her dad would STILL lose it. Anything to do with us will set him off because of Clark. I take it Mindy is with you?”
“Yes. Just so you know, Emmy’s on her way back.”
“Thanks, Liz. And do me a favor, talk to Mindy. Please.”
“I’ll try.”
We said ‘goodbye’ and hung up.
“Your lucky day, Clark. Emmy’s on her way back.”
“Excellent!” he grinned, sitting up.
“And that means we three are going to the library to study. I want to avoid Emmy if possible.”
“Probably a good idea,” Clarissa agreed.
We gathered our books, and the girls went to get their coats. I got mine and met them at the elevator and we headed to the library to complete our morning study period.
“This is going to go horribly wrong, isn’t it?” Sandy asked.
I nodded, “That’s what has me very concerned. Emmy is rebelling, which I understand, but the risks she’s running are crazy.”
“I think you need to reconsider your decision on getting a new roommate,” Clarissa said.
“Moving mid-year is tough. What reason could I possibly give? An ex-girlfriend is dating my roommate and her dad is a racist with a large collection of guns who is likely to kill her AND Clark?”
“That might get her banned from campus, which would solve the problem.”
“And somehow give Dean Parker some kind of ammunition against me? I don’t think so! And if I reported Clark because the girls are under eighteen, that would only get him in trouble for violating the dorm rules, and I don’t want to do that. Maybe I can get Liz to convince Emmy to stop coming here.”
“I don’t think there’s anything we can do today,” Sandy said. “And we need to study.”
And except for lunch and dinner, and Angie and I going to Vespers, that’s what we did for the rest of the day.
December 14, 1982, McKinley, Ohio
“What does your schedule look like for next semester?” Angie asked as the gang relaxed in my room on Tuesday.
“It’s similar to this semester,” I replied. “Though we have Mechanics instead of Western Civ. We decided to take Western Civ next year and get one of the physics classes out of the way.”
“Isn’t that a Freshman level class?” Robby asked.
“Yes,” Clarissa replied, “but we need two physics classes for pre-med, though fortunately neither of them has to be a lab class. We’ll take one this year and one next. The second one covers Electricity and Magnetism.”
March 15, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “I’m Clarissa Saunders and this is Mike Loucks! We’re Sophomores and we’ll be your guides for your campus tour, and we’ll do our best to answer any questions you have.” I surveyed the prospective Freshmen and wondered if I’d looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck when I’d been on my first campus visit. I probably had, and several of the High School Seniors in our group certainly looked that way, especially one guy who was about an inch taller...
February 27, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Father, Angie had to withdraw from school for health reasons, and she’s gone home to Cincinnati.” “Lord have mercy! I didn’t realize she was ill! Do you have her home number?” I nodded and handed him a piece of paper, “You might want to speak to her mom first.” He nodded, “I’ll do that. She’s aware of Angela’s intention to be chrismated?” “Yes. They helped her find a church in Loveland to attend last Summer when she was home. They’re supportive, but...
February 5, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “I owe you an apology for earlier. Not for what I said, but how I said it.” “And I owe you one for interfering in something I shouldn’t have.” “I’m going to need to talk to Dad, too,” I said. “But again, only for walking away, not for objecting to his classification of April as not being a ‘nice’ girl.” “I thought for a moment you were going to say, ‘make Mom’ instead of ‘make me’.” “For a moment, I was. But at that split second good sense overcame my...
May 9, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Is something wrong?” Kristin asked on Monday morning. “What do you mean?” “It just felt as if you were somewhere else last night when we were fooling around.” I had been, because once my sleep deprivation was past, I had basically obsessed on the bishop’s comment about ‘choosing’ and the myriad of possibilities I had to choose from, AND the potential problems each of them might create. What he had said about serving at the cathedral and in other parishes only...
June 12, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “What’s going on between you and Jocelyn?” Mom asked when I returned upstairs after talking to Dad. “I thought that was obvious,” I smirked. “Or did you want details?” “Pass,” Mom laughed. “But seriously, Mike, what’s going on?” “We love each other. We had a long, long talk about everything and this is what we want to do. We’re not going to marry; we both understand that. And I’m not going steady with Melody.” “Do you love Melody?” I shrugged, “I have no...
January 29, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “These cookies are excellent!” I took another bite and washed it down with a bit of hot cocoa. “Believe it not, it’s just the ‘Toll House’ recipe!” Kristin said. “I’m glad you like them.” “You liked my songs?” “Oh man, those love songs made me shiver! You must have really loved her.” “I did, and I still do, but it doesn’t really matter now.” “I guess not,” she said quietly. “Why pick me to sing to?” “I saw a pretty girl who didn’t have a guy with her,”...
September 19, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Mishka!” Tasha gushed when I called her on Sunday afternoon. “How are you?” “Good. How are things in West Monroe?” “You know nothing changes here. Church is the same. School is the same. Home is the same. And you?” “School is about the same as last year, but I’ve made some new friends.” “I want to meet them! Do you think Sasha and I could visit in two weeks?” “If your mom and dad approve, yes.” “They will, so long as I bring Sasha. She promised not...
January 13, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Mike?” I heard from behind me. I was sitting on a bench under a tree while snow fell around me. I wasn’t wearing a hat or coat or gloves because I hadn’t put them on when I’d walked from my room. I’d wandered around for a bit, then sat down on a bench near the edge of campus. “Mike?” the voice repeated, but I didn’t respond. I was still reeling from the pictures Jocelyn had sent me. It wasn’t that she was having sex, apparently, with a bunch of different...
June 6, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Jos,” I sighed. “It’s not that simple.” “Isn’t it?” “Come on! You know that would end things between Melody and me!” “I believe Melody has been good for you, but is she THE ONE? Wait! Don’t answer. If she was, you wouldn’t be dating Tasha and Katy, and you wouldn’t still be carrying a torch for Angie.” “Angie is just a friend,” I protested. Jocelyn smiled, “I’ll take that wager anytime you want to make it. You can answer my first question now.” I...
August 20, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Mike Loucks,” I said to the young woman at the desk in the brand-new Rickenbacker dorm. She flipped through the manila envelopes and pulled out the one with my name on it. “Your room key, a sticker for your ID to update it for this year, a new student handbook, and your parking sticker,” she said. “Parking sticker?” “The lots are all numbered now, and you can only park in the lot you’re assigned to. Yours should be next to this dorm.” “What about...
September 14, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “How did your parents fight?” Doctor Hart asked. “They didn’t,” I replied. “Whenever my dad disagreed with my mom, he went to his workshop in the basement.” Doctor Hart smiled, “OK, perhaps I should have phrased that better. How did they resolve conflicts?” “Just as I described.” “And after he hid in his workshop?” “He basically stayed there until he accepted that my mom was right, then went to make up. Do NOT ask me how!” Doctor Hart laughed, “The...
March 25, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to talk to you earlier,” I said to Mom when I arrived home. “I understand. You’re home a bit early.” “There really wasn’t anything playing at the movies we wanted to see. We’re going to have breakfast tomorrow and spend the day together. We’ll be at Vespers, though to prevent any explosions I’ll drop her at home so she can come to church with her family.” “I talked to your grandfather on her behalf,” Mom said. “I think...
October 16, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “I had the weirdest experience today.” “Oh?” Mom asked with an arched eyebrow. “I stopped in to see April. She was nursing Chastity. Later, April let me hold her. I was just blown away by the whole experience.” “Babies change your life in many, many ways.” I nodded, “It was like scales fell from my eyes. You know, things I knew intellectually but didn’t really understand.” “Care to share?” “Let’s just say my views on female anatomy changed a...
January 1, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “Good afternoon, Father Deacon,” I said. “Good afternoon, Mikhail Petrovich. Sit down, please.” Tasha and I exchanged a look and we sat down on the settee, but with about a foot of empty cushion between us. “I would like the truth, Mikhail Petrovich. Have you and Tasha been behaving inappropriately?” That was a good question to which ONE answer was ‘yes’, but another answer was ‘no’. I was reasonably certain he was asking the second question, not the...
April 3, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Hi, Mike!” “Hi, Mrs. Landers.” “Come on in. Nancy is putting the finishing touches on dinner.” I hadn’t said anything to Nancy about my fasting rule because I didn’t want to create any issues with their Easter dinner. “Thanks!” “Your Easter isn’t for another month, right?” she asked. “May 8th, though our service starts about 10:30pm the night before.” “We went to midnight mass when I was little, but Nancy and I prefer the first morning mass at 5:30am....
July 23, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “I’m sorry I missed our date late Friday,” Katy said after greeting me with a kiss and letting me into the house. “That’s the fourth time you’ve apologized! I accepted your apology when you called to tell me, and for that, you don’t have to apologize! How is your grandmother?” “No change since we spoke on Wednesday. Mom is still there, so it’s just Dad and me. He’s out with his friends tonight, so we have the run of the house. I figured we’d cook, eat, use...
January 25, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “You won’t believe what happened on Sunday,” Dale laughed. “What?” “You know Pam’s roommate? The hot cheerleader chick?” “The one you’ve been drooling over since day one?” “Yeah, but I think I have to reconsider. Liking her appears to be VERY dangerous!” “What happened?” “Remember how I said she was dating a guy, even though she was hung up on a guy from Chicago?” “Sure.” “I found out Pam dated him at one point, too! The guy is a legend! Anyway, he...
July 25, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Hi, Angie, it’s Mike,” I said when she answered the phone on Sunday afternoon. “Mike? We just talked during the week! What’s up? Is there a problem with me coming to visit in two weeks?” “No, not at all. I wanted to talk to you about the problems I’m having with Jocelyn.” “Uh-oh. Did something bad happen?” “You could say that,” I sighed. “Do you have time to talk? This won’t be a short conversation.” “For you? Of course!” I explained, as best I could,...
February 7, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Hi!” Kristin gushed when I went to her room just after lunch. “Come in!” I walked into her room and she offered hot cocoa, which I accepted. We sat down on the couch. “Sorry I ran out of cookies. Mom will send more in another week or so.” “I’ll need to run an additional lap every morning to make up for the extra calories!” “I go to a dance class three days a week to keep in shape. I heard you’re into karate.” “Yes, I go three times a week as...
June 25, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea or not,” I replied. “Why?” Becky asked. “We’ve done it before. I don’t have a steady boyfriend. And you said you don’t have a steady girlfriend.” “That’s true. May I ask a very blunt question?” “Sure.” “Are YOU looking to be my girlfriend?” Becky shook her head slowly, “Remember what I said back in October? That I had no illusions about this and that I had no designs on you? But that if I had the ability to make a wish...
August 28, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Duh!” she laughed softly. “I’m in your bed! What do you think?” “I think you need to go back to my sister’s room before she or my parents find out and kill both of us!” “Come on, Mike! I want to do it with you! Don’t you want to do it with me?!” She was cute and had a great body, but the LAST thing I needed was ANY kind of relationship with Mindy, even one where I only did what I’d joked with my mom about doing — banging her like a drum! “Just go,...
September 12, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Hi, Jos,” I said when her roommate called her to the phone. “Hi. How are things?” ‘Shitty!’ I wanted to say, and not in Russian. I also wanted to tell her I missed her and wanted to see her, but saying that might only make things worse. At this point, though, I wondered what ‘worse’ might be. “OK. How are you doing?” “I’m getting used to the routine and how different things are here from West Monroe.” Her answer was flat, and she sounded...
October 8, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “I want to, yes, of course; but we reset things for good reasons. Why the change?” Katy got up from the couch and sat back down in my lap, draping her arms over my shoulders. “I wanted to from the minute I saw you naked. I’ve dreamed about what it would be like.” “I felt the same way when I saw you naked,” I said. “Well, even before, when you first let me touch you. But I can’t promise you anything right now, Katy.” She sighed deeply, then moved her...
October 16, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio After my talk with Mom, I went to find Liz, and invited her to sit on the floor of my room to talk. We sat side-by-side, leaning against the bed. “Why in here and not in the basement?” I felt it was my duty to warn Liz, as my sister, of the way voices carried through the heating ducts. Mom had told me, in confidence, but I couldn’t in good conscience keep that vital piece of information from Liz. “Because voices carry through the heating ducts,” I...
November 13, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “So, what do you want to do tonight?” Nancy laughed, “As if you have to ask!” “I mean BESIDES that!” “How about we grab some dinner and then see The Man from Snowy River. It’s an Australian film and it’s had excellent reviews. Then we can come back here.” “Dinner and a movie, sure. The other thing? Let’s not move so fast, OK?” “We’ve done it before...” “Yes, we have. Remember that I gave you a choice? I think you immediately figured out what the choice...
November 29, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Now that you’ve had a night to sleep on it, what do you think?” Sandy asked, snuggling close. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to ask you?” “Probably, but I thought you might have changed your mind or had more of an idea what you meant.” “I asked my mom if there was anything wrong with marrying a friend.” “Me?! Have you lost your mind?” “A long time ago!” I chuckled. “Probably about the time the heavy doses of testosterone started coursing through my body...
January 2, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio When I arrived at church on Sunday morning, I was pleased to see Deacon Vasily with Father Herman, saying their entry prayers. I stood quietly in the nave while one of the acolytes, a Junior in High School, lit the oil lamps and ensured everything was properly arranged in the altar. As I stood there, I wondered what would happen when Tasha arrived. Where she stood would speak volumes about what had happened the previous evening when they had missed...
March 8, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “You don’t look happy, Mike,” Mom said when I greeted her after arriving home. “Tasha and I had a serious disagreement.” “Uh-oh. Because of her dad?” I shook my head, “No, it’s way more complicated. We can talk after dinner if that’s OK.” “Sure. Your sister and her friends are up in her room.” “The tradition I started?” I grinned. “Exactly. You had Jocelyn and Dale at every birthday celebration from the time you were in second grade. And before that,...
December 18, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Don’t you want to give this to Jocelyn directly?” Mrs. Mills asked. “Want to? Sure. But she made it clear she doesn’t want to see me. I’m half-expecting her to return the gift unopened.” “Not if I have anything to say about it!” she replied firmly. “Please don’t force the issue,” I pleaded. “Whatever is wrong with Jocelyn isn’t going to change because you pressure her. In fact, that might actually make things worse. “I’m not sure they could be worse...
December 27, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “I’m tempted, but not tonight. I’m not saying never, but not tonight.” Janey frowned, “Nothing I can do to change your mind?” “Remember what I said about slow but sure.” “Can I see you again before you go back to Taft?” “Maybe Friday?” “Sure.” “We’ll talk at work. You work every day, right?” “Yes. How about another kiss?” I smiled and pulled her closer again and we exchanged another soft French kiss. “Good night,” I said when we broke the kiss a...
February 4, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “Emmy?! What are you doing here?” “She came to talk to me,” Liz said quietly, from behind me. “OK. Is there anything I can help with?” “No.” “You know, if her dad finds her here...” “I know. Just go upstairs, OK? I’ll come talk to you later.” I nodded and went upstairs. The door to my parents’ bedroom was closed, and I didn’t see any light leaking from under the door, which meant they were most likely asleep. I stopped in the bathroom to brush my...
October 26, 1982, McKinley, Ohio When we returned from biology lab on Tuesday morning, a large group was milling around the entrance to the dorms. I saw Melody and walked over to ask her what the issue was. “The police busted Jeremy for pot,” she said. “Nobody can go into the dorm right now.” “What? For one or two joints? I thought they decriminalized pot.” Melody laughed, “One or two joints? You’re joking, right? He’s the main supplier in our dorm! How did you not know that?” “Because I...
January 21, 1983, McKinley, Ohio I still hadn’t decided on the answer to Clarissa’s final question when Angie and I went to run on Friday morning. One thing I was reasonably sure of was that saying ‘no’ would likely be equivalent to saying, ‘not yet’. Milena and her friends didn’t seem likely to withdraw the offer anytime soon, though they would all complete their Master’s or undergrad degrees in May. But that wasn’t the thing which was in the front of my mind. What was foremost was what...
January 21, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Light snow was falling as Angie and I left Doctor Blahnik’s house to walk back to the dorm. “That was fun,” Angie said. “Sorry about the minor indiscretion.” “It’s OK, Mike. Why would she assume otherwise? She knows we run together, pray together, and go to church together. Why do you think everyone calls me ‘Mrs. Loucks’?” “But still...” “She’s just very open and a lot of fun. I wish more professors were like her, even if she made me turn purple!” “I...
September 16, 1982, McKinley, Ohio Sandy hadn’t moved, but the feeling of her leaning against me changed with her question. My first thought was Angie, and I lifted my eyes to hers, and found a bemused look on her face. I realized, at that moment, that the dorm opinion of her being ‘Mrs. Loucks’ wasn’t all that far-fetched. In some ways, I was treating her that way, and she certainly was, in some ways, acting like a wife. I’d known that before, but my instant, gut reaction of looking to her...
December 26, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Shit!” I swore vehemently, and in English for effect, when I walked out onto the porch on Sunday morning. “Mikhail Petrovich!” Mom said sternly. I picked up the box on the front porch and turned to show her. “«Говно»!” she replied. I nodded, “Nice to know you agree with me.” The box was the one that held the two stuffed rabbits I’d bought for Jocelyn. The fact that she’d returned them spoke volumes, and short of putting up a tombstone, I wasn’t sure...
January 1, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “It’s open, Mindy!” I called out. The door opened and she came into the room. “You were expecting me?” “I’d have been seriously disappointed in my ability to predict your behavior if you hadn’t shown up!” “A little too obvious?” “You might say that! May I give you a tip?” “I’d rather have the whole thing!” Mindy smirked. I laughed so hard I had to sit down on the bed so I wouldn’t fall over. It took me a full minute to recover enough to be able to...
March 26, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio Vespers with Tasha next to me was positively weird. I had no idea what she was thinking nor what she intended. But the MESSAGE she was sending was loud and clear to anyone who saw us, and was very specific for three people — Janey, declaring I was STILL Tasha’s property; Deacon Vasily, declaring she was still going to see me; and Mr. Orlov, stating that she didn’t care about his opinion. I could tell the message to Janey was clearly received when she looked...
April 16, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “So what had you nearly bursting at breakfast this morning?” “I’m no longer a virgin!” Clarissa exclaimed. “And Oh! My! God!” “That good, huh?” I grinned. “You have NO idea. Well, maybe you do because you’ve had sex!” “From a guy’s perspective, anyway.” “Can I ask you something?” “Sure.” “Do you like the taste?” I nodded, “Very much so.” “And do different girls taste differently?” “Yes, but it’s kind of subtle, though I notice. Did you kiss her...
April 23, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Tasha demanded you not date me?” Janey asked. “Actually, she requested that if I date her, I not date anyone at either church because of the trouble it could cause with her father, the priests, and Vladyka ARKADY.” “Very neatly excluding me by appealing to your desire for peace.” “I know that’s how it looks, but honestly, I wasn’t seeing you at the time, and certainly didn’t believe you were going to show up here tonight to talk to me, or any other time for...
Palm Sunday, May 1, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Where are your palm branches?” Clarissa asked when I returned home from church. “Just how many palm trees do YOU think grew around Moscow and Saint Petersburg?” “Probably not too many.” “Which is why I have pussy willows in my hand!” “It’s Palm Sunday and you’ve already been to church Friday night, Saturday morning and night, and this morning.” “It’s only just begun,” I chuckled. “Tonight is the first Bridegroom Matins.” “If I wanted to see the...
August 23, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Well, here we go again!” Jason said as he, Clarissa, Sandy, and I plopped into front row seats in the O-Chem classroom.” “Look at it this way,” Sandy laughed. “You’re about one sixth of the way done. We doctors are about one eighth, not counting the Summers we have to work for no pay and our intern year when we get a small stipend! By then you’ll be earning major bucks developing bioweapons for the CIA!” “I’m actually thinking of doing a PhD at some point,...
January 15, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “No way!” Dale protested. “I’m serious, Dale. Ten Polaroids. She sent them to my parents’ house and my mom brought the envelope to me on Thursday.” “I don’t believe it. That’s not her. It’s not!” “They came from Purdue,” I said. “They were postmarked ‘West Lafayette, Indiana’ on Saturday.” “Shit. I called her on Saturday morning. I pushed her to admit you guys had been together. I’m sorry, Mike.” “It’s not your fault, Dale.” “But I think she did that in...
February 1, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “What the heck were you thinking?” Doctor Hart snapped. “That has to be about the dumbest thing you could possibly have done!” “Funny thing,” I said. “I agree with you.” “There is nothing funny about what you did! You’re lucky as hell that it turned out as well as it did!” “Again, funny thing, I agree with you.” “Cut it out, Mike!” “Sorry. I beat myself up enough about this that I’m not sure I need your help.” “So why tell me?” “I thought I was...
February 5, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “This is heavenly,” Janey sighed. She was sitting in front of me, leaned back, with my arms around her, in a tub full of warm water and lavender bubble bath. “I could get really used to this,” I agreed. “When you finally get paid a decent amount, we’ll build a big house with a shower and tub like this.” “And a sauna,” I said. “Who has a sauna?” “Katy’s parents.” Janey laughed, “Did you?” “Just some fooling around but not that.” I ran my hands up...
February 15, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “How did it go?” Clarissa asked when I walked out of the interview room. “I owe you guys big time! My biographical sketch seemed well received, and the answers you all helped me prepare were perfect. Dean Parker walked right into Melody’s trap!” Melody laughed, “Of COURSE she did. She’s so predictable. Did she try to pry into your private life?” “She started to ask the question and Dean Foster cut her off before she could finish.” “Awesome!” The three...
February 20, 1983, McKinley, Ohio Clarissa and I lay together for about fifteen minutes before I heard voices and a soft knock on the bedroom door. “I think the posse is here,” I chuckled. “Bummer,” she sighed. I reluctantly released her, and we sat up on the bed, leaning back against the wall. “Come in!” I called out. Sandy opened the door and I could see the rest of the gang was with her. “Anything interesting going on in here?” she smirked. “Just the lesbian girl talking to her...
March 28, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio As I drove home, I considered my conversation with Tasha, and realized it was, in its own way, very close in character to conversations I’d had with Clarissa — intimate, honest, and designed to build a relationship. That, as much as anything else, confirmed that her conditions were not only wise, but the correct course of action. In one sense, it really only excluded Janey, but I felt my conversation, or rather, attempted conversation, with her had closed...
July 16, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “You’re not seeing Katy tonight?” Mom asked on Friday morning. “No. Her grandmother, who lives in Pittsburgh, fell and broke her hip. They were leaving this morning and won’t be back until sometime next week.” “We haven’t talked about you and Jocelyn since last Saturday.” “There isn’t much to say,” I said. “She and her parents are basically not talking. That’s why we’ve been hanging out here, at the pool, or at Grant Park.” And Jackson Lake, but I didn’t...
August 18, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “And you’ll come home and see me, Mishka?” “Of course, Tasha!” I replied. “On breaks for sure, and I promise to try to come home at least one weekend a month, though I can’t guarantee it.” “Dad said I’m allowed to come see you, but I have to bring Sasha with me and Sasha has to be with us the entire time!” I chuckled, “I don’t think he trusts you to be in my dorm room!” “I think you’re right!” she giggled. “He’s afraid we will make passionate love...
October 31, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “What are you doing here?” I asked. “And please tell me you just arrived!” “Mom and Dad were away for the weekend,” Emmy replied with a smirk, “so I came to visit! And I got here last night!” “Please tell me you didn’t...” “All night! Wow!” “Your dad will kill ALL of us if he finds out!” “I’m not going to tell him! Are you?” “No, of course not! But seriously, Emmy, this was super dangerous!” “And super fun!” “Where’s Clark?” “He went to the...
March 12, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “Cheating on me? Really?” “I know it sounds strange, but I know how much you and I love each other, and how close and intimate we are, even if we don’t kiss and touch and stuff. It’s really weird. I WANT to be with Glenda, you know, that way, but that doesn’t change the feeling.” “That way?” I grinned. “I know you aren’t clueless, Petrovich! You do the same things!” “I know. I’m teasing you, Lissa! Is this feeling going to be a problem?” “I don’t think so....
March 27, 1983, West Monroe, Ohio “I told Mom I’d make you dinner tonight,” I said to Liz when I arrived home. “How does penne pasta with arrabbiata sauce and a salad grab you?” “That sounds good! I could invite Mindy and Maggie?” “It’s up to you,” I replied flatly. “I have enough ingredients and there’s plenty of penne in the cabinet.” “Is something bugging you?” “Not bugging me, per se, just making me think. I had a long talk with Tasha and the last thing she said was very, very...
April 9, 1983, McKinley, Ohio “I still don’t like the way Clarissa interfered last night,” Kristin said on Saturday morning after we made love. “You know how important church is to me, right?” “Sure, but she didn’t have to be a bitch about it!” I took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t see it that way. She was simply trying to point out something which is true. When Holy Week rolls around, I’ll be in church every evening from the Friday before Palm Sunday until the following...
August 1, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio Soft laughter reached my ear from Cincinnati via the magic of the Bell Telephone Network. “That is just TOO funny!” Angie declared. “Funny? Why do you find it funny?” “College boy breaks up with girlfriend and has serious falling out with his best friend. Swears newfound celibacy and is almost instantly propositioned by two High School girls who are ‘off limits’ because he decided High School girls are too immature, despite dating two other High School...
September 9, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “White boy! Phone for you!” Clark called out on Thursday evening while I was with the study group. I got up and went to our room to pick up the phone. “Hello?” “Hi, Mikey,” Liz replied. “I just called to say, ‘thank you’.” “For what?” “Making Mindy come back to my room.” I chuckled, “Do you know how difficult it was to kick a hot, naked fox out of my bed? And then, after she turned on the lights so I could see her body, kick her out of my room?” Liz...
October 2, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Mishka!” Tasha squealed. She flew across the lobby to where I’d just stepped off the elevator and threw her arms around me. I hugged her, and then she kissed me, turning a soft kiss into a fierce French kiss, pressing her body against mine. It was a good minute before she broke the kiss and released me. “Hi, Mike!” Sasha laughed. “Hi, Sasha.” Her eyes twinkled, and she gave me a very nice hug. “I don’t think Tasha would like me kissing you the way she...
November 20, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “No bacon or eggs? Seriously?” April asked on Saturday morning. “The general rule for fasting is no animal products of any kind.” “But you didn’t do that when we were dating?” “Because I wasn’t interested in debating it with you,” I replied. “That was probably a mistake on my part.” “So now what?” “I’ll eat what you’re making,” I said. “It falls under the ‘hospitality’ rule which says you should eat what you’re served. I’ll eat waffles, eggs, and...