Chapter 53: Spring Break, Part I

March 1981, Milford, Ohio

On Saturday morning, Stephanie and I swam, then ate breakfast. Dad loaded up the car for the drive to Myrtle Beach just after 9:00am. Mom tried one last time to talk him into making Stephanie go along, but he resisted, saying that he’d already told her she could stay. Mom objected vehemently to Stephanie being around me, but she knew that argument wouldn’t work with Dad. I hadn’t made any plans for Saturday, and Beth and I agreed we’d skip this Sunday’s work because she was going to be heading to Wisconsin with her family.

Dad double-checked that they had everything and then he, Mom, and Jeff got into the car. Even though it was a cold, blustery March day, Stephanie and I stood on the porch in our shirtsleeves and waved as they drove away. After they disappeared from sight down the street, we walked back into the house. I put on the teapot to make some tea. It would be nice to have free run of the house for a week without having to worry about where Jeff or my mom were. I didn’t really watch a lot of TV, so Jeff occupying the living room most evenings didn’t bother me a lot, though it would have been nice to sit in there near the free-standing fireplace during the Winter.

Stephanie came into the kitchen to see what I was doing.

“Tea?” I offered.

“Yes, please,” she answered softly.

“I’ll bring it to you in the living room,” I said.

She nodded and walked to the couch. I sighed. We were alone. Finally. And I was still upset because I was sure that I’d ruined our plans for Spring Break. I wanted to go to her, hold her, and beg again her forgiveness, but I had to wait for her.

A couple of minutes later, I poured two cups of tea and I put the cups and the teapot on a tray and went to sit on the couch in the living room. I went over to the big console stereo my parents had and turned it on, switching the dial from the oldies station to Q102. I sat down and picked up my teacup and sipped.

“What plans do you have, Big Brother?”

“Nothing for today, really. And no work tomorrow because Beth is going on vacation. I’ll probably have lunch with Bethany and then hang out with Pete and Melanie at some point. The same goes for the rest of the week — hang out with Larry, Bethany, and Pete and Melanie, and go out on Wednesday with Elyse. How about you?”

“No plans, really. I’m just going to enjoy not having Mom and Dad around. I’ll probably hang out with Tracy because I can do that without Mom knowing, and I’ll probably spend time with Shelly, Trish, and LeeAnn.”

“So, what should we do today, Squirt? Just you and me?”

“I hope you’ll cook a nice dinner tonight for me, Steve. Would you do that?”

“Sure. Finish your tea and we’ll head to Fazio’s and get the ingredients for whatever you want me to make. I can cook for you most nights this week, except tomorrow and Wednesday, I guess. If you want, I can cancel all those plans and just spend time with you. I’m happy to do that, you know.”

“You would do that even though I told you nothing was going to happen?”

“I’d do anything for you. Even if all we do is spend time together.”

She thought about it for a moment, “I’d like that. We have a lot to work out between us still and this is the best chance we’ll ever have. Once you leave for school, you won’t be home that much.”

“OK, Squirt. Let me go make some phone calls. I’ll keep things open with Bethany and Pete and Melanie in case you change your mind or we decide to go out with them together.”

I made the call to Elyse and let her know that I wasn’t going to be able to make it this week, but I would see her next week for sure. Elyse didn’t complain, and we said our goodbyes. I called Bethany and let her know that I needed to cancel, but would call her later in the week, then called Melanie and let her know that I wouldn’t see them on Sunday, but probably later in the week. When I finished the calls, Stephanie and I headed to the grocery store.

When we got out of the car, Stephanie took my arm and we walked into the store.

“So, what should we get, Squirt?” I asked.

“Steaks, chicken, a roast, ground beef and pizza fixings. Will that work?”

“Yep. We’ll get some fresh broccoli, fresh cauliflower and fresh green beans. A bag of potatoes and some onions and then some fixings for salad.”

“Perfect.”

We walked around the store, picking out the things we needed. At the bakery, I picked up a couple of loaves of Italian bread and I also picked up a fresh apple pie and a frozen chocolate cake. I also picked up some candles, thinking that the least I could do was offer Stephanie a romantic dinner, and if she declined, I wouldn’t be offended. We paid for our groceries and loaded them into my car. We drove the short distance to United Dairy Farmers to get some hand-packed ice cream.

“Squirt, I have a couple of bottles of wine at the apartment. Should we stop and get them?”

“Sure!” she answered with a grin, “That’ll be great!”

We drove to the apartment, and I ran up to get the wine, putting it in a brown paper bag so I wouldn’t be seen with it. I put it in the back of the car with the groceries and we headed home. We carried the groceries into the house and put them away. We decided that we’d have chicken for dinner that night. I put the bottle of white wine in the fridge and the two bottles of red on the counter.

It was just after 11:00am, so we decided to have lunch. I made us each a sandwich and Stephanie put out some chips, pickles and got a couple of Cokes from the fridge. We sat down to eat. I was happy to be spending time with Stephanie, though I would really have preferred our original plan, despite the misgivings that I’d had that had led us to the current situation.

We finished lunch and after putting the dishes in the dishwasher, we played some pool, and then played some video games. Around 3:00pm I went to the kitchen to start dinner. I was making roast chicken, potatoes and salad. We’d have the apple pie for dessert. I pre-heated the oven and brushed oil over the chicken, then sprinkled on salt and garlic. The chicken went into the oven to bake. I cut the potatoes into wedges and put them in a bowl with water to keep them fresh and soak out a bit of the starch. Finally, I put together the salad and put it back in the fridge.

I set the table and set out two wine glasses and a pair of white candles. I went back to the stove and melted some butter to dredge the potatoes through. Once it was melted, I drained and dried the potatoes, dredged them through the butter, then sprinkled garlic on them, then put them into the oven. I set the timer and went to sit with Stephanie in the living room and we watched the latest taped episode of Cosmos.

The show finished just before the timer went off and I went back to the kitchen. I set out the bowl with the salad and a selection of dressings. I sliced some of the Italian bread and set out some butter, as well as olive oil and Parmesan cheese. I got the chicken and potatoes from the oven and then lit the candles. Finally, I got the bottle of wine from the fridge and opened it. I called Stephanie to dinner.

“Wow! You went all out!”

“OK if I dim the lights, Squirt?”

“Yes,” she said with a smile.

I turned the dimmer down low and sat down. I sliced some chicken for Stephanie and then for myself. We served ourselves potatoes and salad, and she buttered some bread. I poured a bit of olive oil on a plate and added some of the cheese. I explained to Stephanie that was how Joyce had shown me to eat it and I let her have a bite of my bread. She liked it. I poured us each a half-glass of wine and we toasted.

“To us, Stephanie. To two people who love each other unreservedly.”

“To us, Steve. To two people who mean everything to each other.”

We touched our glasses, drank, and then began eating our meal.

“This is amazing!” Stephanie gushed. “Everything tastes great. Way better than anything Mom cooks.”

“The thing is, it’s so easy if you just want to spend a little bit of time preparing and cooking. I didn’t do anything fancy.”

“But you did it for me! And the candles and everything. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you’re trying to seduce me, Big Brother,” Stephanie said softly.

“Is it working?” I asked.

“Steve, you melted my heart with the card and gifts last night, then again with dropping everything for me without any expectation and now again with dinner. I love you so much.”

“But is it working, Squirt?”

“What about your girlfriend?” Stephanie asked, avoiding my question for the second time.

“She left it up to me. She said if it happened, we’d talk about it when she got back. But you’re avoiding the question.”

“I know I am Steve. We still have the problem of Becky. Let’s eat. We can talk after dessert.”

“Apple pie? Or a different dessert?” I smirked.

“Apple pie!” she giggled.

We finished our meal, and I served both of us apple pie with vanilla ice cream. After dessert, we did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. I put on water for tea and asked Stephanie what she wanted to do.

“Let’s check out dad’s collection of Laserdiscs and watch a movie,” she said. “We’ll talk after that.”

We agreed on Smokey and the Bandit and went to watch it in my dad’s office, because that’s where the player was. It was rare that we could use it because that was is where our parents spent most of their time. We sat together on the couch, close but not touching. It was clear to me that she was sticking to her decision, but I held out a small hope because she had promised that we’d talk once the movie was over.

When the movie finished, we both used the bathroom and sat in the living room, on beanbag chairs, facing each other.

“Steve, do you know how badly you hurt me by being with Becky?”

“I’m not sure I could have done anything to hurt you worse, so I have a pretty good idea. If it was bad enough to call off what we’d planned for this week, it had to be pretty bad,” I answered, “and I probably hurt you just as bad last Summer.”

“You did. Both of those felt like you had ripped my heart out and stomped on it. When you told me about Becky, I thought I might throw up! Then I hit you and ran from your room. I went right to my bathroom and put cold water on my face until I calmed down. I couldn’t understand why you would do such a thing. Now I have a better understanding, but I have a serious concern, Big Brother. How can I be sure it won’t happen again?”

“I guess the only thing I can say is that I’ve conquered that fear, or at least got it under control so that I’m not controlled by it. Jennie Sanders once told me that sex changes us in unpredictable ways and changes the very nature of a relationship. That’s what scared me, Stephanie. What if it ruined our relationship because of the changes? What if things fell apart? That’s the deep-seated, subconscious fear I had.

“Do I still think that’s possible? Yes. Do I think it’s probable? No. I think our love transcends any potential negative effects between us. It might wreck things with Kara and Karin, but I know that Jennifer and Bethany are accepting and supportive. If push comes to shove, Squirt, and things end with Kara, so be it. You’re worth more to me than any other girl in the world.”

“Do you really mean that? Really, truly? Cross your heart and hope to die?” Stephanie asked, sounding like a little girl.

“I do. Think about it. I once told you that any girl who couldn’t accept what we planned to do had no long-term chance. I’ve told the most important girls in my life about you — Bethany, Karin and Kara. Jennifer knew before I did, as did Melanie. Kara probably can’t accept it, at least as I see it. She told me to do what I needed to do, and we’d talk about it, if it came to that. Karin is tolerating it. Jennifer and Bethany accept it, and Jennifer even encouraged it. So yes, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Stephanie smiled, “Good.”

“I hope that you know I love you more than anything.”

“I do, Big Brother. You know that I love you the same way.”

“Yes, I know that. What are we going to do?”

“How about another movie?”

I sighed, “Sure. Animal House or Xanadu, your choice, Squirt.”

She giggled, “Animal House. Mom would never let me watch that!”

“Very true, Squirt! Let me make some popcorn before we start.”

I went to the kitchen and popped some popcorn. I grabbed a couple of Cokes and went back to the office. We watched the movie and ate popcorn.

The scene where John Belushi spies on the sorority girl came on.

“Mine are better!” Stephanie giggled.

“So you say, Squirt,” I teased. “I’ll have to take your word for it, I guess.”

Stephanie just smiled. When the scene with Pinto and the Mayor’s daughter, played by Sarah Holcomb, came on, she said the same thing.

“Stop teasing me, Squirt!” I chuckled.

When the movie finished, we took the soda bottles and popcorn bowl to the kitchen. We shut off the lights and walked down the hallway. When we came to the door to my room, Stephanie put her hand on my arm.

“We made a lot of progress. I know that you love me totally and completely. But I’m still concerned about the betrayal. I just don’t know if I’m ready to move beyond that. I love you with my whole heart, Big Brother. But I’m not there yet. We still have a ways to go.”

“I know, Stephanie,” I said, pulling her into a hug.

Stephanie hugged me tight, looking me in the eyes, and then relaxed her hold on me.,. We held each other for a moment, then she stood on the tips of her toes and moved her lips towards mine. I met her halfway and our lips touched. It was a soft kiss that poured everything we felt and everything we desired into each other. Stephanie broke the kiss quickly.

“I don’t know, Steve,” Stephanie sighed. “I just don’t know.”

“Stephanie, if that’s all we ever have, that one kiss expressed everything we’ve ever said to each other, everything we’ve ever felt for each other,” I said lovingly.

We dropped our arms, and each went to our own rooms. I brushed my teeth and then sat down and wrote in my journal. Just a few sentences that conveyed my emotions. I stripped off my clothes and got into bed. Despite the turmoil of my emotions, I managed to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly.

Sunday morning, I awoke early, as was my habit. I called Karin and then put on my swimsuit and went out to wait for Stephanie. I sat on the diving board, dangling my feet. When she walked out the door to the pool, she took my breath away. She was wearing a red string bikini that left little to the imagination. My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped.

“I don’t think Dad would approve, do you?” Stephanie said, striking a sexy pose.

I cleared my throat, “Uh, no. And Mom would have a heart attack. I know I just about did!”

Stephanie giggled, “Jennifer helped me pick it out right before you arrived home. I’m just glad it still fits!”

“Yeah,” I breathed. “It fits. Oh HOW it fits!”

I got up and dove into the pool, hoping that the erection that was quickly rising would subside once I started swimming. On my return lap down the pool, I saw Stephanie swimming hard, trying to catch up. I slowed down a bit so that by the middle of the second lap we were swimming together. I picked up the pace, and she kept up. We finished our fifty laps and climbed the ladder out of the pool.

“See you at breakfast, Squirt,” I said, quickly walking into the house.

I went to shower, using much colder water than usual. The effect of that bikini on me was, I was sure, exactly what Stephanie wanted. If she teased me like this the rest of the week, I would need to take quite a few cold showers! I got out of the shower and dried off. Since we were just lounging around the house today, I put on underwear, socks, a sweatshirt and sweatpants, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast.