Chapter 44: Obsession

March 7, 1984, Chicago, Illinois

"Impressive self-control," Alexa said as we dressed after our modeling session.

I'd been reclined on what Claire had called a 'marriage couch', which was a type of sofa from India. It was designed for reclining, with a high back and side on one end and a lower side and back on the other end. I had lain on my back, with Alexa lying half on me and half on the couch cushion, with my arm around her and her head on my chest.

"Context is everything," I said. "Your body feels great, but with four guys watching, my brain basically turns off my libido. Now that I think about it, I understand why a gay guy would be better."

Alexa nodded, "No real risk of an erection. What if the class were just girls?"

"That might be different," I replied with a grin.

She laughed, "Sophie indicated you had entertained more than one girl at a time."

"Sophie talks too much," I replied, though I smiled to indicate I wasn't annoyed.

"Not enough to tell me what I was going to see! Can I say something, and have you just let it go if it bothers you?"

"Sure."

"I'd like to get together sometime."

The way she'd said that, along with her body language and facial expression, made it clear that 'get together' meant fooling around. She was attractive, and I was interested, but my concern was doing that might lead to an embarrassing problem.

"Ask me again when we're done modeling," I requested.

"Count on it!" she declared.

When we finished dressing, Alexa opened the door and stepped out, with Claire stepping in before I could walk out.

"Do you have a minute?" she asked.

"I do," I replied.

She shut the door and moved to stand in front of me.

"I wondered if you'd help me with an experiment when the semester ends."

"What kind of experiment?" I asked.

She laughed softly, "Physiology. I want to see if I can deep throat that monster you have in your briefs!"

I almost laughed but managed not to. At dinner, Deanna had hinted that Claire might be interested, and I'd agreed it was possible, given her expression on Monday night. I felt the best answer was the one I'd just given Alexa.

"Ask me again in May, please," I said with a smile.

"You can take that to the bank!" she declared. "Thanks for modeling for us."

"You're welcome!"

I left the office and saw Deanna waiting with one of the girls from class. When I walked over, Deanna winked and walked away.

"Hi," the cute, dark-haired girl said. "I'm Stefi."

"Jonathan, though I'm sure you knew that."

"I did. Here's my number. If you're not doing anything on Saturday night, call me."

I accepted the piece of paper that had her name and number and put it in my pocket.

"I'll call you either way tomorrow," I said.

"Thanks! Good night!"

"Good night!"

She walked away, and Deanna came over to me.

"As I said!" she smirked. "Rick warned off the other guys."

We began walking towards the doors.

"They'd be wasting their time, so that makes sense," I replied.

"What did Stefi want?"

I decided to be a smart ass.

"The same thing all you girls want!" I said. "I'm just a piece of ass!"

Deanna laughed, "Nice role reversal!"

"I was kidding, obviously, but there is some truth to it. Claire propositioned me."

"I told you that would happen."

"Sure, but do you know what her proposition was?"

"Besides the obvious?"

"She wanted help with a physiology experiment; one that no sane, rational guy could resist."

"I can guess, but go ahead and say it."

"To see if she could, and I'm quoting here, 'deep throat the monster in my briefs'."

Deanna laughed, "And yet, because you made the comment about a sane, rational guy, you either declined or put her off."

"She did say it would be May, after class ends, which makes sense. I suggested she ask again in May. I said the same thing to Alexa when she propositioned me."

"And Stefi?"

"I have a day to think about it, and I could always say I was busy or whatever. Do you know anything about her?"

"Just that she's from some small town in Oklahoma that, according to her, has two churches and one gas station and is a hundred miles from anything interesting to do."

"Goshen was a heck of a lot closer to Cincinnati, and I rarely made it there so that I can relate. What about Britney?"

"San Diego. She's a military brat. Her dad is a Marine major, and her mom is a Navy Lieutenant Commander. Those are the same rank, according to her."

"I don't think the military has much call for artists, so she's clearly not following in her parents' footsteps!"

"The military has made use of photographers and filmmakers since the advent of cameras."

"I actually knew that, but didn't think about it until you mentioned it. President Reagan made what amounted to propaganda films, right?"

"Yes."

We caught a cab back to the Hancock Center.

"Have you decided about posing for Britney?"

"I'm leaning towards it because I'm strongly considering posing for CeCi. If I decide against modeling for CeCi, then I won't for Britney. I didn't check, but what's the next set of poses?"

"Side by side in bed with the sheets pulled up to your waists on Monday; standing slightly offset with Alexa wearing your unbuttoned shirt on Wednesday. The following week is Spring Break. After Spring Break, it'll mostly be clothed — swim trunks for you and a bikini for her, for example. Casual clothes and sunglasses for another session. In one session, Claire will bring in bikes. Basically, it's all about the relationship."

"Why not do all those first?"

"Because the full-body nudes are the most important ones, and she wanted to get those out of the way in case either of you were to drop out for any reason. It's far easier to find models when nudity isn't required. It would kind of mess up the series, but it would be played as a breakup."

"Interesting. Have you received any grades?"

"The grade comes from the finished portfolio, and they're pass/fail. So far, it's just the critiques you've heard in class. Well, and the private one to Adriana for drawing you smaller than Michelangelo's David."

"I'd simply pass it off as artistic license," I said. "Why stir up trouble?"

"Because Adriana didn't follow the rubric. It's like the pottery I'm going to have to do. I do not have ANY interest, but it's part of my degree curriculum."

"Art teacher, right?"

"Yes. Ultimately, a Master of Fine Arts in Education. So, I can't just ignore the rubric because I don't like it. If they want me to make a mug, I'll make a mug and do my best."

"That makes sense."

"It's like any other thing anyone has to do for class. I'm sure you've had assignments you didn't like."

"Not really. I bet I will in my English and sociology courses this Summer!"

"What about in High School or grade school?"

"I positively hated writing book reports in grade school and term papers for English in High School. I didn't mind them for history classes, but writing ten, or even two, pages about a book I hated was the worst. How about you? What didn't you like?"

"Science. I really didn't care for biology, chemistry, or physics; anatomy was interesting."

"Uh-huh," I chuckled as the cab pulled up in front of the Hancock Center.

After I paid the cabbie, we got out and headed to my car.

"It wasn't human reproduction!" Deanna exclaimed. "But I enjoyed learning about how all the organ systems work. That was far more interesting than plants and animals, chemical formulas, and physics experiments."

"What did you think of art class?"

"It was OK, but I was way ahead of everyone else. Music class, too."

We reached my car, got in, and headed home. At home, we watched the 10:00pm news, and when it finished, I joined Deanna in her room.

March 8, 1984, Chicago, Illinois

On Thursday, after work, Bianca, Jack, and I went to the condo to meet Natasha so I could see her drawings.

"As you can see from this overhead plan, I have your segregated area for your projection TV and eight comfortable chairs at the end of the open space, with the screen against the wall. That avoids blocking any windows. Next to that is what I call the conversation pit — a group of sectional furniture pieces set in a 'U' with the open space towards the windows. Next to that is room for a pool table or grand piano, though a baby grand would fit along with the pool table. Finally, at the other end — the one with the windows — would be the dining room table that seats twelve."

"Grand piano or pool table?" I asked.

"My idea," Bianca said. "I mentioned it to Deanna."

"Another option is simply to leave it open as a mingling space," Natasha suggested. "The den on this floor I left off, as I understand it's going to be similar to your current front room."

"Correct," I said.

"Then the last piece is chairs along the kitchen breakfast bar, which will seat six."

"That floor plan looks good," I said.

"The upstairs floor plan is simple, really — six bedrooms plus the sitting space at the top of the stairs. I have two concepts for that — one is a pair of couches, and the other is casual, with beanbag chairs, floor cushions, or something similar. I think the casual option might be better because it could be a play space for your daughter."

"I like that idea," I said.

"The bedrooms would all have low, wooden pedestal beds with mattresses but no box springs. That's more of a European style, which I think you'll like. Each room would also have either a desk or a wardrobe, depending on individual choice. The two larger rooms will also have a love seat."

"So far, so good."

"Then let me show you the perspective sketches."

We all looked them over, and they looked incredible, with a mix of overhead lighting and floor lamps. My biggest concern was the cost of the furniture, but I could do it piecemeal if I needed to, with the second batch being in July when I received my second-quarter payout.

"Fantastic," I said.

"Talk about 'high society'!" Jack observed, shaking his head. "Great stuff, but way out of my price at the moment."

"Just hang in there," I said. "You'll get there. Natasha, what about the windows?"

"Except in the TV area, a dual system with a light-colored cloth blind with a fairly open weave and a darker, more closed weave cloth blind. The darker color would be for daytime to cut the light and reduce the strain on the wall air conditioning units. The lighter one is for the evenings so you can see out while entertaining. Close both, and you keep the heat in during the winter nights. By the TV, the darker blind would be blackout, so there's no glare."

"That all makes sense," I agreed.

"The bedrooms would all have blackout blinds as their second blind."

"Automatic or manual blinds?" Bianca asked.

"Either will work," Natasha said. "Personally, I'd go with automatic for the downstairs and manual ones for the four bedrooms and the upstairs sitting area. I have paint samples and fabric samples for furniture, which I'll leave with you. I think it's best to leave the walls downstairs matte eggshell white, and with gloss in the kitchen because it's easier to clean.

"For the bedrooms, the same color, but with borders in each room to match the bedding. Those are mix and match, and you could do all the rooms the same, all different, or however you wanted. For the room that is going to be the gallery, I have a scheme that Dee and I worked out, and you can see it in this drawing."

"That's going to be really sharp," Bianca said. "I love the lighting."

"It's gallery-style," Natasha said. "The only concern there is the electrical work, but I spoke to an electrician to see if it could be done, and he suggested running the power behind the baseboards and using conduit to get to the lights. You can see that in the drawing."

"Awesome stuff," I said. "Impressive work. For the blinds and electrical work, I'm going to use Brown Construction or a contractor they suggest. For the rest of it, I'll sit down and determine a budget, and then I'd like you and Deanna to simply execute your plan."

"Just like that?" Natasha asked.

"Just like that!" I confirmed.

"I need you to sign some releases so I can use the drawings and photos for class."

"Come to the kitchen, and I'll sign."

"Mind if I wander around?" Jack asked.

"Not at all."

Bianca went with Jack, and Deanna followed Natasha and me to the kitchen. She handed me a pen and three forms she'd filled in. I read them and signed them, then handed them to her.

"How much can I compensate you without you getting into trouble?"

"The only rule is you can't pay me for anything I submit."

"So I could, say, pay you an hourly rate for choosing the furniture and bedding?"

"Yes."

"OK. I'll factor that into my budget. As we agreed, you're welcome to show your professor at any time, and after that, we'll work out any showings you might want to do."

"I can't tell you how grateful I am!" she exclaimed.

She stepped over to me and hugged me tightly,

"But I could show you!" she whispered into my ear.

I hugged her back, and when I lowered my arms, she stepped back.

"When the work is done, we'll celebrate," I said.

"I'm looking forward to it!" she exclaimed.

Jack and Bianca returned, and the five of us left the condo. In the lobby, we bade Natasha 'goodbye', then the four of us headed to the parking garage to get my car.

"She did an amazing job for only being a Freshman," I observed.

"She's been doing this since she was fourteen, though mostly just for herself, her family, and a few friends."

"She's going to be very successful," I said.

"That she will!" Deanna agreed.

When we arrived home, we ate dinner that Juliette had prepared, and then I went up to my room to call Stefi. I'd contemplated what to do sporadically through the day and on the drive home, I decided it was worth testing the waters, similar to how I had with Kayleigh, though without the Catholic baggage.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Jonathan; is this Stefi?"

"It is. Hi!"

"Would you like to have dinner on Saturday evening and see Against All Odds?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed happily.

"I can pick you up at 5:00pm. Do you live in the dorms?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll see you on Saturday."

"Great!"

We said 'goodbye', and after I hung up, I went downstairs to hang out with my housemates. As usual, I went to bed after the 10:00pm news, but by myself.

March 9, 1984, Chicago, Illinois

Late on Friday morning, my phone rang.

"Research; Kane," I said after picking up the handset.

"Mr. Jonathan Kane?" a male voice said.

"Yes."

"Mr. Kane, my name is Larry Walsh, an attorney in Milford, Ohio. I represent Miss Beverly Newton, and I have a subpoena to take a deposition from you."

"I've provided an affidavit to Stefan Chojnicki at Barnes and Walden," I said. "Everything I know is in that affidavit, and I have no plans to come to Ohio in the near future."

"I can take steps to enforce the subpoena," he said.

"Yes, you can. I'm represented by Ms. Gwen Meyer, and from this point on, you need to speak to her. Let me give you her address, phone number, and fax."

"Fine," he said, sounding annoyed.

I provided the information, and after he repeated it back, we ended the call. I called Gwen to let her know, and her assistant said she was on the phone with Mr. Walsh and would call me back, most likely after lunch. I let him know when I'd be back from the gym, then called Stefan Chojnicki to let him know. He was in court, but his secretary promised to relay the message.

I was, frankly, tired of Bev, and there was no way I was going to do anything to help her when all she needed to do was call her parents and reconcile to put an end to the nonsense. Her situation was far removed from the one with my grandparents, who had kicked my mom out, refused any contact with her, and rebuffed my attempt to reconcile. I wondered if I should make another attempt, but the fact that they had boycotted both my wedding to Keiko and her funeral meant any attempt would likely be fruitless.

I had lunch with Bianca and Violet as usual, then Violet and I went to the gym. I returned to the office, and about ten minutes later, Gwen Meyer called.

"That is one unhappy attorney," Ms. Meyer said.

"Tell me something I could possibly care less about," I countered.

She laughed, "Oh, I know. I was just letting you know he's not going to give up. I reiterated your refusal to travel to Ohio, and he made it clear that the affidavit was insufficient in his mind. He said he intends to enforce the subpoena, so I asked him to have the court send me a certified copy of the subpoena. That'll delay them until at least Monday or Tuesday. Once I receive it, I'll draft a response to the court stating the facts and ask for the subpoena to be quashed. If that works, it's over, though he could try again if this goes to trial."

"You should make it clear to him, if you haven't already done so, that I'm going to do his client far more harm than good, given our past relationship."

"Of that, I have no doubt, but he obviously thinks he has some angle. Remember, Bev is feeding him information, so he will very likely know every intimate secret the two of you ever shared."

"Wonderful," I said, my voice conveying my annoyance. "If the Ohio judge won't quash the subpoena, what happens?"

"Mr. Walsh will have to hire counsel here in Illinois to enforce it. In my motion to quash, I'll make it clear we intend to oppose that and notify Mr. Walsh that I reject any ex parte hearings in Illinois. If he tries that, we'll have the subpoena quashed and file a motion for sanctions against whichever attorney he uses here."

"Can this hurt anything Jim and Julie Newton are doing?"

"At worst, your affidavit would be deemed inadmissible because they were unable to cross-examine you. But that actually doesn't help them because Family Services in Ohio can use the affidavits if they so choose and base their reports on them. There is literally nothing he can do to stop that, which gets your testimony in through the back door. And yes, that's all perfectly legal and conforms to how things work here as well."

"OK. Charge this time to me, and don't worry about Stefan Chojnicki trying to get it back from Bev or her attorney."