Chapter 7

Three months later, we were about to doze off when the phone startled us to sitting positions in our dark bedroom. Michele picked it up, listened for a while, spoke a few words, listened some more, then asked the caller to hold on and hit the receiver's mute button.

"It's Connie," she said to me.

I sat up straighter. "What about her?"

"Her stupid jerk of a husband just went over the edge — big time."

We knew it was coming. Michele had long ago told me that she and her friends had predicted the worst for Michele's older sister. But Connie stuck it out with Bob for years.

"What happened?"

"He beat her up." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Are you kidding? She's a physical therapist, short but feisty and strong. How could-"

"Bob is an animal, Tony. He beat Connie up."

"Is she-"

"She's okay, if you call a black eye and bruised body okay. She left him, finally."

"Thank God for that. Is she coming down from San Antonio?"

"Yeah, but she can't stay at our childhood home. You know how she and Dad get along."

"About the same way you and your father do."

Michele nodded. "She's headed this way but she doesn't want to stay at Dad's."

"Tell her to come here."

"Tony, are you sure? I mean, that's why I put her on hold. I was going to ask if she could live here until she gets settled and finds a job in town."

"Of course she can. She won't be a bother."

"Remember, Connie has Tommy and Lisa."

"Sure. I know her kids will come with her. They better be, to get them away from Bob. The kids aren't going to be a problem. How old are they again?"

"Tommy is nine. Lisa's eleven. Tony, you're sure? I mean," Michele bit her lower lip, "it might be awkward with our lifestyle. We're not exactly conventional, are we?"

"You mean my lifestyle." I pointed to my naked member resting heavily on my thigh. "I can fix that and cover up."

"But Tony, I know that you love to be nude."

"True, but it's not like your sister will be here forever. And I can wear next to nothing and still be mostly decent, right?"

Michele beamed, leaned over, hugged me and planted a wet kiss on my lips. "Thank you! Thank you so much for being so sweet and accommodating. You're the best!"

Connie, Tommy and Lisa moved in a few days later. She quickly landed several temporary physical therapy assignments around city clinics and hospitals. The temp agency that helped her secure the positions assured her that something permanent would break for her soon enough. In the meantime, Connie wanted and needed some healing time. She spent many nights crying on the shoulder - literally - of her little sister. Michele was over eight years younger than Connie. Still, Connie really needed her "Baby Sis" during this tumultuous time.

I took to wearing light cotton shorts while Connie, Tommy and Lisa were around. Connie didn't waste time investigating the various local school districts but she held back enrolling her kids in any specific school until she found out which job she would land. Tommy and Lisa put our pool to constant use, along with our expansive yard and walking trails.

Our guests had full run of the house except for my third-floor study. I explained that I needed full privacy to write - I did — but Michele and I also turned my office into our temporary den of iniquity. Since it was off-limits to everyone but my wife and I, I was naked from the minute I shut the study door. Michele thrilled to come upstairs in the evenings.