Chapter 44: Six Girls, Part II

July, 1983, Milford, Ohio

Joyce arrived about 5:30pm and we had greeted each other coolly. It was going to take some time to get things back to even a normal level of friendship. Dave arrived just as Stephanie, Bethany, and Kathy were setting out the food, and Pete and Larry were putting out plates and silverware and making sure everyone had something to drink. Stephanie invited everyone to dig in and my friends descended on the food like a pack of ravenous wolves.

Everyone was on their best behavior and with only a little bit of joking around, and it was mild by our usual standards. I was happy to see my friends respecting Tatyana's sensibilities. Of course, those sensibilities also gave me pause, because I very much enjoyed the usual ribald hijinks that ensued when my friends got together. Perhaps another year or two at Harvard might make Tatyana more tolerant of our coarser jesting.

After we all had finished eating, Kurt stood up and said, "I have something I need to share with all of you!"

I knew what was coming because Kathy had talked to me about it earlier.

"Last night I asked Kathy to marry me, and she accepted!"

Everyone cheered, and the girls mobbed Kathy while the guys shook hands with Kurt.

"When?" Bethany said above the hubbub.

"Right after graduation," Kathy answered. "June of '85."

"No ring?" Stephanie asked me quietly.

"I bet she has it in her purse or something so they could make the announcement without everyone figuring it out," I whispered back.

"Should we reenact it?" Kathy smirked.

Kurt nodded, and they moved to the center of the room. He took a small box from his pocket and went down on one knee, and once again asked her to marry him. Amidst giggles and clapping, Kathy accepted, and Kurt slipped the ring on her finger. Kathy showed it off as the girls gathered around her. It was a very nice stone in a nice setting and I was sure it had mostly wiped-out Kurt's savings given he'd told me that he was borrowing money for his last year of school.

"He gave you that last night, didn't he?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, but we wanted to surprise all of you!" Kathy said.

"OK, he had it, but I was sure that was the case," I whispered to my sister.

When the hubbub died down, Stephanie brought out two half-gallons of hand-packed UDF ice cream and everyone served themselves. When we finished our dessert, everyone pitched in to clean up, then we put on some music so people could dance and let everyone know they could swim if they wanted. Nobody chose to swim, but pretty much everyone wanted to dance. The girls outnumbered the guys, so the guys were kept VERY busy, especially Larry and Dave, who didn't have partners at the party.

Kathy and I shared a slow dance and held each other tight, but looking into each other's eyes instead of her resting her head on my chest.

"I'm happy for you, Kathy," I said.

"I'm happy for me!" she giggled. "Though I guess now I'm permanently off-limits."

"You were before because I could never hurt Kurt that way, and even with permission, I don't think he'd really approve."

"True," she sighed.

"What's bugging you?" I asked, knowing the answer before she said it.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how you and I might have been a permanent couple. But then I realized how much you had helped me and encouraged me to be with Kurt. I'm NOT having second thoughts at all, so don't worry."

"You're going to have a wonderful life and lots of kids! God help you if you have a girl who looks like you!"

"And I'll have to keep her away from your sons! Or maybe even you!" she giggled.

"I hope we'll still be good friends when that happens!" I said.

"We will, Steve. Kurt and I love you like a brother. Well, I do now! Before, well, that wasn't very sisterly!" she giggled.

"And I'm never going to get to see that red pubic hair again!" I groused.

"No, probably not!" she laughed. Then, in a lowered voice, "Unless it's in a sauna!"

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Anyhow," she whispered close to my ear. "Kurt likes it shaved so you wouldn't see it, anyway!"

I groaned, dropping my head to her chuckles, "Now THAT is a travesty!"

When the song finished, we kissed softly, and she went to Kurt and I went to Tatyana. I pulled Tatyana out to dance with me.

"You two were once lovers, I think," she said.

"Yes, long ago. We had teenage crushes on each other, but it never came to anything other than dating a bit."

"And now you kiss another man's fiancée in that way?" she asked. "And he is not upset?"

"Kurt is one of my best friends, right up there with Pete and Josh. Melanie and Mary will kiss me the same way when they leave or when I dance with them."

"This is quite strange. In Russia, that would be a blood insult!"

"We're not in Russia, Dorothy!" I joked.

"Dorothy? Oh, yes, girl in The Wizard of Oz. These men do not get upset with you for kissing their girlfriends?"

"No. They know I wouldn't touch their girls no matter what. A kiss to express love is very different from making love with them!"

"I suppose is true. Russian kisses on cheek are much safer and do not cause misunderstandings."

"That does make sense," I said.

We finished our dance and got something to drink, then we each danced with different partners, finally ending up with each other again just before the party was supposed to end at 10:00pm. We had our final slow dance and then everyone pitched in to clean up before my parents arrived home. As I had predicted, both Melanie and Mary kissed me, as had the other girls, though the kisses from the other girls were more pecks than anything. Joyce was one of the last to leave.

"Thanks for inviting me," she said. "And thanks for the dance, even if it was a fast song."

"You're welcome Joyce. It's going to take some time, OK?"

"Yes," she said.

We hugged briefly, and she left. I thanked my sister, and then she left to take Zach home. Tatyana and I got in my car and went back to the Spencers', where we saw Pete and Melanie sitting on the couch with Frank and Trudy. I introduced Tanya to Frank, but then we went right up to bed.

On Saturday, after the usual trip to see Stephanie, Tatyana and I did indeed spend the day at the Spencers' making love, coming out of our room only for showers before lunch and before a quick trip to Frisch's for dinner. By the time we fell asleep Saturday night, we'd made love six times, including once in the sauna.

On Sunday morning, Tanya and I made love both before and after going to my parents' house, and after doing so back at the Spencers' house, we hung out in the basement with Pete, Melanie, Bethany, and Stephanie. Just before dinner, I excused myself briefly to call Carie and confirm our date, then went back to the basement. We had dinner at 2:00pm, and when we'd finished eating, Tanya and I went upstairs so she could pack.

"I enjoyed visiting you and your friends, Stepa. I see why you would be unwilling to leave them. You all care for each other very much. I have much to consider if I wish a future with you."

"Tanya, that's something to worry about a few years from now," I said, pulling her into my arms. "There's lots of time."

"I know," she sighed, putting her head on my chest. "But the more I see you with your friends, the more I worry that our future requires great change for one of us."

"I think that's true, but you have three more years before you graduate from Harvard. Do we need to worry about that now?"

"I suppose not," she said, hugging me tightly.

We reluctantly released our hug and then Tanya finished packing her things. We went downstairs to say goodbye to everyone and then went out to my car for the drive to the airport. As usual, there was little traffic, and we were able to sit together at the gate for about twenty-five minutes before her flight was called.

"I will miss you, Stephen Rayevich!" she said, kissing me Russian-style.

"I will miss you, Tatyana Ivanovna!" I said, breaking tradition and kissing her deeply.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Such a kiss in public!"

"That's the American way, Tanya!" I grinned.

"You are naughty, Stepa!" she said as I walked her to the Jetway door.

"I expressed my love, Tanya, that's all."

"See you in September, Stephen Rayevich."

"In September, Tatyana Ivanovna."

I watched her as she walked down the Jetway and onto the plane, then turned and headed for my car to drive home to hang out with my sister for a bit, because it was too early to head to the Blanchards'. When I arrived, she dragged me down the hall to my old room.

"Steve, Becky called. She sounded frantic. She's said to call her at her parents' house. Is something going on with you two?"

"Only what I told you, Squirt. Let me call her. I need some privacy, though."

She gave me a hard look, but then left my room, closing the door behind her. I pulled out my address book and found the number and dialed it. Ben van Hoek answered, and I identified myself and asked for Becky.

"Steve, it's good to hear from you. It's been a long time. Becky told me that you two have lunch regularly. You should come by sometime!"

"Thanks for the invitation!" I replied, with no intention of accepting it.

A moment later, I heard Becky answer and her dad hang up the other extension.

"Steve! I tried to call your house, but I got your machine! I didn't know where you were, so I came home!"

"Becky, what's going on?"

"Richie and Arthur were murdered yesterday! It was all over the news! Somebody killed both of them in Cicero in broad daylight with a shotgun! I'm scared, Steve!" she said, barely taking a breath.

"Holy crap! Are you sure?"

"It was on the news this morning and in the newspaper! Their pictures and everything! What do we do?"

"Nothing right now, Becky. I'll ask Theo, but I'm not supposed to call him, and I certainly don't want to talk about this on the phone with him. I'm heading back Tuesday morning, but I'll only be home for a couple of days before I leave for Georgia to see Stephie."

"I don't want to go back to Chicago alone. Could we caravan on Tuesday? And can I hang out with you until you talk to Theo?"

"Sure. That makes sense. I'll call you on Tuesday morning. For now, just stay at your parents' house. Everything will be fine, I'm sure."

"I'm really scared, Steve!"

"Becky, you'll be safe at home. Just don't talk to anyone about this!"

"I won't. I told my parents I missed them and just wanted to come home."

We said 'goodbye' and after I promised to call her on Tuesday morning, we hung up. I picked up the phone and called Don Joseph's house and asked to see him for lunch the next day. He quickly agreed and told me to arrive at 11:45am. I promised that I would be there. I hung up the phone and went to find Stephanie to say goodbye.

"What was that about? Are you involved with her again?"

"No, Squirt. I am NOT. I know we talked about it before, but I promise you, I have not done anything with her. You know that Becky is high strung. It's just a business thing. I'm keeping her at arm's length."

"Steve, something is going on."

"Don't worry about it, Squirt. Everything will be fine."

I was trying to convince myself as much as I was trying to convince Stephanie, and I wasn't sure how successful I was being. I said 'goodbye' and then went out to my car and drove to Kara's house, trying to think about how to broach the subject with Don Joseph. I didn't think I needed to tell him about the incident with Theo, but I'd seek his advice and counsel on what to do, and if I had to, I'd relate that story as well.

At Kara's we sat in the kitchen and drank tea — Kara, me, and her bear. Nancy came in occasionally to chat, but for the most part, I listened to Kara talk about work and about her talks with Doctor Mercer and the time she spent with Susie. Kara was a bit more animated than she had been, but still spoke slowly and in very simple sentences, and she kept a death grip on her bear.

"Will you call me sometimes?" she asked when it was time for me to go.

"Yes," I replied. "I'll call you every couple of weeks and you can always call me."

"When will you come to Milford again?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Thanksgiving, I guess. And probably Christmas."

"OK. I hope you'll come see me when you come here."

"I will, Kara, I promise. You keep talking to Doctor Mercer and work on your issues, OK?"

"I will. And Steve, thank you for telling me that God loves me."

"You're welcome, Kara. Remember, I love you, too," I said.

She smiled and hugged her bear tight. I got up and said 'goodbye' to Nancy and promised I'd call and asked her to please call if there were any major changes or if they needed me for anything. She said she would, and I headed out to my car.

Carie lived in downtown Milford, about two blocks from Ruth. I found her house and walked up to the door and rang the bell. Carie opened the door, called goodbye to her parents and then walked with me to my car. It was about 85°F outside, and when Carie asked me to take the T-tops off, I obliged, and after stashing them in the back, we headed to Mariemont to Graeter's.

"This is an awesome car!" Carie said. "How long have you had it?"

"I bought it just before the start of my Senior year, so about three years now."

"And your sister said you bought a house in Chicago?"

"Yes, with my dad."

"She also said she's going to live there when she comes to school. I'm planning on going to Loyola or Northwestern. Is it close?"

"Loyola isn't too far, really. Northwestern is a hike, though."

"Interesting. It would be cool to not live in the dorms if I didn't have to. You're studying computers?"

"Yes. What do you plan to study?"

"I don't know yet. I'm into science, but I'm not sure yet. Maybe biology. I still have to take chemistry and physics, of course, so maybe I'll decide on one of those. Or maybe electronics. I have a lot of time to decide."

"True. But you know where you want to go to school?"

"My brother graduated from Notre Dame, but I don't want to go there. He played football in the NFL for a while and was a substitute teacher at the Junior High. He suggested I go to Northwestern."

"What's your last name?" I asked.