Chapter 32: Bethany and Kara

August 1982, Chicago, Illinois

Bethany arrived on Saturday morning as she’d said she would. From outward appearances, she looked like she was doing OK, but I suspected she was more emotional than she appeared. I hugged her, and she gave me a quick peck on the lips, a sign that she had indeed broken things off with Gene. I poured her a cup of tea and we sat down with Stephie and Elyse.

“You seem to be doing OK,” I said.

“I was prepared for it, so yeah, I’m fine, mostly,” Bethany said.

“And Gene?”

“He’s pissed off. He blames you, of course. I guess it didn’t help that I was coming to Chicago.”

“Probably not, but this is where your two closest friends are, so I don’t know what else you would have done.”

“I tried to tell him that it’s not because of you, but he wasn’t buying it.”

“Kathy and Kurt will be here soon. Stephie and I will be heading to our karate class in a bit. Our friend Jackie, who’s Stephie’s roommate in the dorm, will be here before lunch as well.”

“Stephie has a dorm room? Who knew?!” Elyse smirked.

“It would be a bit awkward next weekend if I didn’t,” Stephie said.

“Kara’s coming to visit, right?” Bethany asked.

“Yes,” I said. “She’s coming this month and I’m going to Milford for a weekend in October. I’ll also be going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Stephie and I had to get ready for karate, so we went to put on our gi, leaving Bethany with Elyse. When Stephie and I walked out, Kathy and Kurt were just coming into the building. After a quick greeting, Stephie and I walked down the street to the dojo. Ninety minutes later, freshly showered, we were back in the living room with Bethany, Kathy, Kurt, Jackie, and Stephie.

“Stephie, do you mind if Steve and I take a walk before lunch?” Bethany asked.

“Of course not! Yankee’s your best friend,” Stephie said with a big smile.

Bethany took my hand, and we walked out of the apartment and down the street towards Washington Park.

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

“Right now? Just be my friend. I know that’s all you can do. What I really want right now, I don’t think you’ll do.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Sweetheart. You and I both know that.”

“Even if I can handle it?” she asked.

“Can you? You’re in much better shape than you were a year ago, without a doubt, but when we were at the fireworks, didn’t you tell me that your feelings for me were part of your problem?”

Bethany let out a long sigh, “Yes.”

“So why reinforce that by making love? Won’t that make things worse? I’m going to be with Kara, Sweetheart. Maybe her decision to stay in Milford gave you some ray of hope, but it’s not really there. I’m sorry.”

“Do you remember the things you said to me last Thanksgiving? That if something changes, we’d talk? And that you’d think about one last time before we marry other people?”

“I do. I’ll make you a deal, OK?”

“What?”

“That before Kara moves to Chicago, you and I will spend a day and night together and I’ll do anything you ask me to do. Well, except dump Kara or marry you.”

“And what do I have to do?”

“Find yourself a good man, one that you can love and who loves you, that you’ll be ready to spend your life with.”

“I already did,” she said softly. “But something kept messing it up.”

I stopped and pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight.

“I know, Sweetheart,” I said, “and I’m sorry. Neither of us could ever figure out how to get past whatever it is that pushes us apart when we get that close. Maybe it’s just me.”

“No, I don’t think so. I think, in the end, it’s the rape. Not because you hold it against me or because my life is controlled by it, but because of everything we went through to help me get over it. Maybe, just maybe, if I’d had you make love to me that first night, it would have been different.”

“There was no way you were ready for that. You would have completely freaked out!”

She laid her head on my chest and sobbed softly for a moment before regaining her composure.

“I hate it when you’re right; I’ll take the deal,” she said.

“And that means for real,” I soothed. “If Gene wasn’t the permanent guy, then he wasn’t. But you do need to find someone who meets your needs as a spouse. I’ll always be your friend and so will Kathy. Have you talked to her?”

“A bit while you were gone, but I’m going to get her to take a walk with me, too. She’ll tell me the same thing, won’t she?”

“Probably. But she’ll have a girl’s perspective. As much as I love you and care for you, I can’t see things from a female perspective.”

“Thanks, Steve,” she sighed, releasing me from the hug.

“Let’s head back for lunch,” I said, taking her hand.

After a lunch of soup, sandwiches, and chips, Bethany and Kathy went out for an hour-long walk while the rest of us did homework. Before I sat down with my books, I helped Elyse get VisiCalc running on the Apple so she could work on a forecasting problem. None of us had too much homework because it was early in the semester, so by dinner time everyone was done.

After dinner, Stephie, Kathy and Elyse went to the video store and came back with Logan’s Run. I was quite happy to have nerdy female friends who liked Science Fiction. Kurt and I had worried they’d bring back some sappy romance. I popped some popcorn and poured drinks for everyone, including offering Kathy her sloe screw with a smirk and a wink.

“You’d cry, Steve!” she giggled.

I just shook my head and went back and got my bourbon, pressed play on the VCR, and sat in the easy chair with Stephie cuddled in my lap. Kurt and Kathy were on the loveseat and Bethany, Elyse, and Jackie were on the couch. We all enjoyed the movie and when it finished, Kurt and I used the pumps to inflate the air mattresses. We put them in Elyse’s room, which was kind of a tight fit, but allowed the couples to sleep together without anyone else near them.

Sunday was a lazy day, and Kurt and Kathy left about 3:00pm to head back to Northwestern. Bethany stayed until 4:30pm and Jackie stayed for dinner. After dinner, the four of us played video games until 9:00pm when Jackie headed back to IIT. I excused myself to make a quick call to Kara and then Stephie and I went to bed and cuddled.

“How’s Bethany doin’?” Stephie asked.

“OK, I think. The real problem isn’t me, but that Gene just wasn’t the right guy for her. I encouraged her to date, like I have for the past year, and she said she was going to. Hopefully Kathy encouraged her as well.”

“She’s still in love with you, I guess.”

“Kind of. I think she depended on me for so long that she’s having a hard time fully getting past it. She did pretty well for a time, but once things with Gene started going downhill, it sort of came back. I know how to deal with it, and I’ll keep encouraging her. The key for me is not to give her any notion that she and I have a future.”

“Which is why you kind of keep her at arm’s length with regard to any kind of physical intimacy, ain’t it?”

“Yes. Hugs, kisses on the cheek, and the occasional peck on the lips, but only initiated by her. She’d hop into bed with me in a second, but at this point, that’s a really, really bad idea.”

“At this point?” Stephie asked, propping herself on her elbow.

“Last Thanksgiving, before you and I had done much more than kiss, she told me that before we both married, she wanted one final lovemaking session. I didn’t agree at the time because of Gene. She reminded me of her request. So at some point after you go back to Georgia and before Kara moves in, there’s a very good chance Bethany will get her wish. That absolutely depends on her upholding her end of the bargain, which is actively dating and not pining for me.”

“I’m not surprised she asked for that. Hell, I’m not flyin’ home until a couple of days after school lets out in May because you, Sir, are goin’ to fuck me as near to death as you can! If I’m conscious, you’ve failed!” she giggled.

“Challenge accepted!” I grinned, pulling her to me.

The next week flew by as our new routine fully kicked in. We hadn’t had any tutoring calls as yet, but that wasn’t a surprise. The first quizzes would be coming up after Labor Day and that would get the phone ringing. I did get the list of collections and payouts from Theo, and a quick tally showed that I’d bring him back more than twice what I was paying out. On Tuesday afternoon, I made my rounds while Stephie was in class. As Theo had said, everyone paid on time. At a couple of houses, the guys weren’t there, but had left envelopes for me.

September 1982, Chicago, Illinois

On Friday I was antsy all day, knowing that Kara would be arriving around 10:00pm. Stephie clearly noticed, but didn’t say anything to me during lunch or between classes. When my last class finished, Stephie and I met in The Hub and headed to Connie’s Pizza for dinner. After dinner, I took her back to her dorm, and she invited me in. Jackie was out, so we sat on Stephie’s bed and necked for a bit before I said ‘good night’ and headed home to wait for Kara.

Elyse let me know that Kara had called about 4:15pm and was on her way, expecting to arrive by 10:00pm. I checked the clock and saw that I had about two hours. I stripped the sheets and pillowcases off my bed and grabbed the rest of my laundry. Friday evening was always a good time for laundry because most of the students who lived in the building were out. I put fresh sheets on the bed and put out fresh towels in the bathroom. I grabbed my philosophy textbook and went to sit on the couch to wait. Elyse was sitting in the bay window and looked up when I sat down.

“Relax, Steve. She’ll be fine,” she said.

“Is it that obvious?”

“It is. It’s an easy drive, impossible to get lost if you just follow the signs. She has a decent car, right?”

“Yeah, her dad’s Oldsmobile. It’s only a few years old.”

“Relax!” she said, getting up and coming over to me.

She sat next to me and put her hands on my shoulders and rubbed gently. I started to relax a bit.

“I need a sauna,” I said.

She got up and took my hand, and pulled me up from the couch.

“Elyse, no,” I said.

“Jesus, Steve. I’m not taking you to have sex, I’m taking you to the shower.”

I followed her down the hall and she turned the water on as hot as we could stand and shut the bathroom door.

“Strip!” she ordered.

I did and climbed into the shower. A few seconds later, Elyse got in and turned me under the spray and started massaging my shoulders. Between the hot water, the steam and her hands, I started to relax. I didn’t understand why I was so tense, but I guess I really was just worried about her driving all the way from Milford by herself. After about ten minutes, Elyse shut off the water, got out and handed me a towel.

“Feel better?” Elyse asked.

“Yes, I do. Thanks,” I said.

“You owe me one!” she smirked.

I finished drying off and dressed, moved the laundry to the dryer and went back to the couch and read philosophy until the dryer was done. After putting away the laundry, I answered letters from my Swedish friends until the buzzer for the door rang. I leapt up and pressed the button to open the outer door. I opened the door to the apartment and waited for Kara to come up the stairs and walk down the hall. When she saw me, she ran down the hall, dropped her bag and hugged me tight.

“Hi, Snuggle Bear!” she said, giving me a soft kiss.

“Hi, Honey!” I said.

I picked up her bag and carried it into the apartment, and she followed me in. Kara and Elyse greeted each other while I took Kara’s bag to my room. When I came back, Elyse was getting Kara a cup of lemon tea. I refilled my cup and the three of us sat down in the living room.

“How was your drive?” I asked.

“Long,” Kara said. “I’ve never driven more than about thirty miles at a stretch until today, but your directions were perfect and it was easy to follow the signs. I’m just kind of tired now, but I’m glad I drove up tonight instead of tomorrow. On Monday I’ll probably leave around 2:00pm so I can be home by 9:00pm. Is that OK?”

“Yes; whatever you need,” I said.

“How’s your new job, Kara?” Elyse asked.

“I like it. Everyone is so nice and friendly. I eat with some of the engineers every day because most everyone brings their lunches. It’s busy, but it’s not difficult. But it’s only going to last until the end of May, and then I’ll be moving here.”

“I’m going to head to bed,” Elyse said. “I’ll see you two in the morning.”

We said ‘good night’ and when Kara and I finished our tea, we got ready for bed. Kara and I climbed naked into bed and she snuggled close. We kissed softly for several minutes, just enjoying the feel of our bodies pressed together and taking comfort from the closeness.

“It’s only been a few weeks, but I’ve really missed you, Steve,” Kara sighed. “Make love to me, please.”

When we finished, I cuddled Kara and wasn’t surprised that she fell asleep almost immediately because she’d had a full day of work and then a nearly six hour drive.

In the morning, I slipped out of bed and got dressed to run, being as quiet as I could. Kara stirred, but didn’t wake up. When I got back, she was sitting up in bed, smiling.

“Have a good run?” she asked.

“Yeah. I’m going to take a shower, then I’ll make us some breakfast. Stephie and Jackie will be here around 9:30am. Stephie and I have our karate class at 10:00am. Kathy and Kurt should be here around 11:00am. You can stay here with Elyse and Jackie or come with me to karate, whichever you want.”

“Who’s Jackie?” Kara asked.

She followed me into the bathroom and we talked while I showered.

“You know, I don’t remember mentioning her. She was a girl I had as a partner for a project last year. We became friends and we meet for coffee once a week at school. She started joining us occasionally on the weekends in the Spring, and I guess this semester she’ll be here most Saturdays. She and Stephie are roommates in the dorm this year. Like Kathy and Kurt, she likes hanging out here on Saturdays to study, then having dinner and spending the evening with us. She’s stayed overnight on an air mattress in Elyse’s room before, because Kathy and Kurt use the sofa bed.”

“And they’re here every weekend?”

“Pretty much; they want to get away from Northwestern’s dorms. Kurt and I are becoming really good friends.”

“Good. I think you need more friends like Pete and Josh. Will they stay until Monday?”

“I hadn’t even thought about it, really. Ask Kathy when she gets here.”

“How’s Bethany doing?” Kara asked. “Did she break up with Gene?”

“Yes. She’s doing OK, I think. She wasn’t super emotional and she and I had a good talk. She spent an hour or so talking to Kathy, which I think is a good thing. Those two have been friends since the seventh grade and Kathy has a good head on her shoulders.”

I got out of the shower and Kara took off her robe and got in. We continued talking while she showered and I shaved.

“I really like Kathy,” Kara said. “How serious are she and Kurt?”

“I think they’re at a Melanie and Pete level of seriousness. Completely exclusive. Kathy has stopped kissing me the way she used to — now it’s just a quick peck. Kind of like Bethany.”

“What about Elyse?” Kara asked.

“There isn’t much to say there. She and Warren broke up, and she’s only been back a couple of weeks. Knowing Elyse, she’ll find someone that she at least wants to hang out with soon enough. If you’re asking about her and me, there’s nothing really going on and not likely to be. Yes, it’s possible she and I will fool around some, but not often.”

“Interesting. Is that because of you? Or her? Or is Stephie here that much?”

“Stephie is here a lot, and I guess that’s the main reason. I like having her around, but I’d much rather it was you who was here.”

“I know,” Kara sighed, turning off the water. “I wish I was here, too. But I can see how Mom needs me. Things are getting better every day, but we spend a lot of time cuddling. We didn’t do that before. I guess Mom is just lonely.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine. I know how it felt when Birgit died, but she wasn’t by my side every day, nor in my bed every night. I know it’s too soon, but I wonder if your mom might start dating. She’s still pretty young and looks pretty good.”

Kara stepped out of the shower and grabbed her toothbrush from the bag she’d carried in with her.

“I hadn’t even really thought about that. It’s kind of hard to imagine my mom going on a date, and it would feel kind of strange for me. I don’t know, really. She’d almost have to meet someone like your dad who never married. I just don’t see mom going with a divorced guy. But I guess I can see it happening someday.”