Chapter 4: Saying Goodbye, Part II

June, 1982, Milford, Ohio

“You know what? We need to eat something,” I said.

“Let’s see your sister and your dad first, and then we can go out,” Kara replied, sounding very tired.

We pulled into the driveway at my house and after I parked, we went inside. First, I went to find my dad and asked if he’d come talk to me and Kara privately. My mom glared at me but said nothing. It was cool and overcast, but not raining, so we went out on the deck.

“Dad, I wanted to let you know that Kara and I discussed things, and she’s going to take a year off before going to college so she can stay with her mom. It’s is something we both agreed on, so there are no problems at all.”

“That probably makes sense, Steve. Mrs. Blanchard will need Kara close, at least for a time.”

“Also, I changed my return flight from Sweden. I’ll be back in just about three weeks, instead of five. I want more time with Kara this Summer.”

Dad smiled, “That was a very good choice. Are you two still planning to go to Seattle?”

“Maybe. We’ll see what happens when I get back, but as of right now, yes. I’m going to talk to Stephanie, then Kara, Joyce, and I are going to the Spencers’ house. I’ll pack up and leave from there at 5:00am tomorrow. Thanks for everything, Dad. I appreciate it, and I know Mrs. Blanchard appreciates it. And I’ll see you in three weeks or so.”

Kara stepped close to my dad, gave him a light hug and kissed him on the cheek, “Thanks ... Dad,” she said softly.

“You’re welcome, Dear,” he said with a big smile that matched mine.

We went inside to talk to Stephanie, but I stopped Kara as we walked by the pool.

“Dad?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It just felt like the right thing to say, Steve. I know it sounds strange because of what happened, but he will be my dad, won’t he?”

“That’s the plan!” I said, smiling.

Stephanie was sitting with Joyce in the living room, waiting for us. I quickly explained what had happened, and she gasped in shock.

“Are you OK?” she asked, clearly worried.

“Yes, I’m fine. Why don’t you come to dinner with us? And call Ed and Bethany to join us. We may as well let her know what’s going on, too.”

Stephanie scampered down the hall to my old room and placed the call. She was back in two minutes and said that Bethany and Ed would meet us at Frisch’s.

“I made the assumption, Big Brother, I hope that was OK.”

“Yes, of course.”

We headed to Frisch’s and got a booth for six. Ed and Bethany arrived about five minutes later.

“Stephanie said it was important that we come, though I would have come to say goodbye anyway!” Bethany said.

“Kara has an announcement to make,” I said.

“Steve and I talked about it, and because of everything that’s happened, I’m taking a year off before I go to school so I can stay with my mom. I’m going to get a job and work. This time next year, I’ll move to Chicago to be with Steve.”

“What?!” Bethany gasped. “Steve, you’re OK?”

She was clearly worried, just as Stephanie had been.

“Relax, Bethany,” I replied with a smile. “Kara and I talked this through, and yes, I’m fine. No freak out, no tantrum, no drama. It’s what Kara needs to do, and I support her.”

“Let it be known by anyone on this entire planet who thought Steve and Kara were not permanent, that this, THIS, is proof. Holy shit, Steve! You aren’t this calm when you’re sitting drinking tea!”

“He did pass out when she first told him,” Joyce said, “but I think that was a combination of stress, lack of proper sleep, and not eating for about ten hours.”

“That’s my Big Brother,” Stephanie said. “He was too worried about staying glued to his girlfriend’s side to get up and get something to eat. The only time I saw him away from her was one minute when my dad was talking to him and then when either of them had to pee.”

“How are you doing, Kara?” Bethany asked.

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m tired of people asking how I’m doing.”

“Sorry,” Bethany said, looking down.

“It’s OK, Bethany,” Kara said. “I’m fine. For now. Just be my friend, help me, and help Steve, and everything will be OK.”

The waitress took our order and ten minutes later, we had our food.

“Kara,” I said, “could I ask you a question about your church?”

“Sure, I’ll do my best to answer.”

“Most of us here are Roman Catholic, and I was wondering why nobody said a single prayer for your dad.”

“Why would you pray for someone who is dead?” Kara said.

“Well, if your dad is in heaven like the pastor said, and I’m not questioning that, then he’s very much alive. If you can pray for someone who is living here, why not someone who is in heaven?”

“I don’t know, we just don’t,” she said. “You could always ask the pastor,” she added with a slight smile.

“That probably wouldn’t go too well. I’m not sure I could keep from punching him in the nose.”

“I told you the solution, Steve,” Stephanie teased.

“No way, Stephanie!” I exclaimed. “I can’t imagine anything less fulfilling and less interesting.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Stephanie teased, “She’s cute and has a nice body!”

“Sandy?” Kara said, laughing. “Oh, that would be rich, but I don’t think that’s wise! Nor do I think he should do it.”

“Think of the revenge factor, Kara,” my sister said slyly, “when that old fool’s own daughter has her cherry popped by his main enemy! And he gets told in public!”

The idea of sex for revenge made me think back to Lotta, Mikael’s girlfriend in Sweden. As much as I had desired her physically, it just felt wrong on so many levels.

“And that’s exactly why I wouldn’t do it, Stephanie. Someone once tried to use me for a revenge fuck and it just felt dirty and wrong. Please drop it.”

She did, and we all ate without much more conversation. After we finished, I hugged Bethany and shook hands with Ed. I hugged my sister, and she went with Bethany and Ed, who would drop her at home. Joyce, Kara and I headed for the Spencers’ and when we arrived, after saying hello to Melanie’s parents, we went upstairs. I turned on the sauna, then went back to my room to pack my things. Once I had everything ready, I put everything except my overnight bag in the trunk. I set the alarm for 4:00am and then Kara, Joyce, and I went to the sauna. I ladled my usual amount of water on the stones and we sat down together on the lower bench, with Kara between Joyce and me.

“Steve, why didn’t you make love with Joyce last night when I offered?” Kara asked.

“Because neither Joyce nor I felt it was right. You ended things between Joyce and me and restarting them after what just happened didn’t feel right to either of us.”

“It would have been OK, Steve,” Kara sighed.

“No, it wouldn’t have,” Joyce said. “It would have changed the relationship again, and I don’t think you want that. At least not without some serious thought about what that means, Kara.”

“Kara,” I said gently, “let’s just leave it for now, OK? I want to talk about us. No offense, Joyce.”

“None taken. Should I leave?” Joyce asked.

“No, I don’t see why,” I said.

“What about us, Steve?” Kara asked.

“Are you really going to be OK with another year like the last one?”

“Yes, Snuggle Bear. After a year, I’m used to it, I guess. Are you going to be OK with it? You aren’t going to dump me for one of those other girls?”

“Of course not! And I’ll see you regularly. You’ll be able to come to Chicago and I’ll be able to come here.”

“That’s true! We have two cars and I guess my dad doesn’t need his, does he?” she asked, a tear running down her cheek, mixing with the sweat.

I put my arm around her shoulder and hugged her, “No, Honey, I guess not.”

“Anyway,” she continued, “if we can see each other at least one weekend a month, plus on your breaks, I’ll be fine. And you’ll have Stephie to keep your bed warm for you.”

“You’re really OK with that?” I inquired. “I’m somewhat surprised, actually.”

“For five years, you’ve had someone close to you who you could make love with whenever you wanted to, or, better said, whenever you needed to. And because I’m changing things, I guess I feel like I need to give you some leeway in that area, at least until I come to Chicago. Stephie is safe at this point, just as Joyce would be.”

“Oh, so now I’m safe?” Joyce asked, rolling her eyes.

“Shush! I’ll deal with you later!” Kara said firmly, but with a soft smile. “But I’d much rather you were with someone like her than have you either try to be celibate or find someone else. After all, if Stephie didn’t steal your heart in a year, she’s not going to. I think that you trying to be celibate would be a bad idea at this point in your life, and would just lead to temptation. I want to meet Stephie as soon as possible.”

“That would be in August, I guess, when she comes back from Georgia.”

“I’ll plan to visit at some point, then. I can drive up on a Friday evening and come home on Sunday like you’ve done in the past. And maybe I’ll bring Joyce with me.”

“I’d like that,” Joyce said. “Kara, I’m amazed at how you’re handling this.”

“What options do I have?” she sighed. “Curl up in a ball and cry? Leave my mom by herself? Find a new boyfriend? No. Though I promise I’ll cry more. I can’t help it,” she said, as another tear ran down her cheek. “And really, as soon as mom is doing OK, I can move. So it might not even be a full year.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that,” I said. “That makes it even less worrisome.”

“And you, Steve,” Joyce said, “I’m as amazed as Bethany was at how calmly you handled this. When Kara told me what she was planning, I told her I was afraid that you would have an ‘incident’,” she made air quotes with her fingers, “but then, when she finally told you, you just took it in stride and handled it. The whole thing with Jennifer really concerned me, but I guess it was for no reason.”

“I had confidence in Steve,” Kara said, leaning against me.

We sat quietly for another ten minutes or so, then the three of us got into the shower to rinse off the sweat. The girls giggled as bodies slipped around each other and I pulled them into a three-way hug. The three of us touched lips together as we had in bed, and then we shut off the shower, dried and went back to my room to dress.

“I’m going to go hang out with Melanie and Pete so you two can say goodbye properly,” Joyce said. “But I’ll come sleep with you if you want.”

“Of course I want!” Kara said.

Joyce left the room, and I shut the door behind her.

“What can I do for you, honey?” I asked.

“Well, it’s getting late, so just make love to me and then we can call Joyce up and get to sleep.”

Kara and I quickly took off our clothes and climbed into bed and made love slowly and passionately, taking our time and savoring the feel of our bodies against each other. We stared deeply into each other’s eyes each time she had an orgasm and then when I had mine. We kissed softly until I softened and then I put on my robe and went to call Joyce to come to bed.

“Joyce, don’t bother with a sleep shirt,” Kara said. “I need to use the bathroom, but I’ll be right back.”

Kara put on her robe and Joyce smiled and stripped off her clothes. We sat on the bed to wait for Kara to come back.

“Steve,” Joyce said quietly, “I hope that the fact I knew what Kara decided to do before you did isn’t going to cause a problem between us.”

“No, it won’t. And I’m not asking this to try to find a reason to be angry, but when did she decide?”

“When we went shopping, she and her mom talked and her mom told Kara how scared she was to be alone and not know what to do. Kara offered to take a year off, but her mom said she had better really think it through and maybe talk with me before she decided to do something like that. Her mom was really worried about how it might affect you. But when Kara talked to me, she was supremely confident that you would handle it the way you did. I was worried, but as I said, it was clearly for no reason.”

“I don’t think I could hold it against either you or Kara for her seeking advice from you. That would be foolish, wouldn’t it? And I expect her to be able to have a conversation with her mom without telling me the details. It’s fine.”

“You’ve really matured, Steve. I’m proud of you,” Joyce said.

“So am I,” Kara smiled from the door.

She came in, dropped her robe, got into bed and turned on her side, and patted a spot to indicate she wanted Joyce to take. I got into bed and we spooned — Joyce, Kara spooned against her back and then I spooned against Kara’s back. Kara sighed and snuggled as close to Joyce as she could, and then I snuggled as close to Kara as I could. We all quickly fell asleep.

The alarm jarred me awake at 4:00am and I slipped out of bed and turned it off, then went to the shower. I set the water as hot as I could stand and got in. A minute later, I felt soft hands on my back and turned to pull Kara into a tight hug. She took the soap from me and proceeded to wash me carefully, from top to bottom. When she finished, she pulled me into a tight hug and we exchanged a soft French kiss.

“I love you, Steve, and I want you to have a good time in Sweden. I mean that. Just have fun.”

“I love you too, Kara!”

“Do we have time?” she asked with a smile.

“For what?” I smirked.

She slowly dropped to her knees, took me in her mouth, then slowly and gently sucked and licked me until I filled her mouth with cum. She stood up, winked, and swallowed, then French kissed me. I turned off the shower, and we dried off, and then we went down so I could make a quick breakfast. I made scrambled eggs and toast, while Kara made coffee. Joyce joined us just as we sat down, and a few minutes later, Melanie, Pete and her parents came into the kitchen.