Chapter 66: Moving Forward, Step by Step

October, 1983, Chicago, Illinois

On Sunday morning, I let Jackie know I was going out for my run. We kissed, and she headed for her room so that she could shower and I headed outside. When I got back, I showered and made my usual call to Karin, then went downstairs to make myself some breakfast.

Our Sunday afternoon discussion was fairly tame, as nobody seemed up for any controversial talks. Jorge, Charlie, and George were there, though Jamie was absent, as Jackie had predicted. We discussed the Halloween party, and I let our new friends know that they were invited. Cindi offered to help Jorge with a costume if he needed one, and he gladly accepted.

"Steve, there's a guy in one of my classes I think you should meet," Stephie said, "He's an aerospace engineering major, and is into computers. His name is Jamal Hassan, and he's from Lebanon."

"A Muslim?" Julia asked. "Now THAT might lead to some interesting conversations."

"You know, I don't know that I've ever met a Muslim in my entire life," I said. "Or if I have, I didn't realize it. I met some Iranians in Sweden, but they were Baha'i, not Muslim. Anala suggested broadening our group because with the probable exception of Jeremiah, we're all pretty much European."

Jeremiah laughed, "My grandparents on my mom's side came over from England!"

"OK, then including Jeremiah!" I said. "I went to a High School that had maybe six black kids in a student body of 1,000. And I don't recall any Asians or Hispanics. Milford was as white as can be. Kathy went to school with me there, and Bethany as well."

"More or less the same with my school," Katy said. "Though we did have a bunch of Portuguese kids in my school in Salem."

"I think most of us were in that kind of situation, except maybe Jorge, Jeremiah, and George."

"Nah, my school was pretty much 100 percent Filipino," George said. "A few Muslims, but more than 99 percent catholic."

"Mine was the reverse of Steve's school," Jeremiah said. "Mostly black with a few Hispanic and white kids."

Jorge chuckled at that, and said, "You would think that about me, too. But actually, I was one of three PR born students in my graduating class. The rest were either US or Cuban born, and half of each of those groups was Jewish! Shalom Aleichem."

Several of our friends laughed at that comment.

"Go ahead and invite him, Stephie," I said, "but make sure you warn him that we're pretty freewheeling. I've read that Muslims tend to be conservative."

"He's from Lebanon, not Iran," she said. "I asked him and he sounds just like us, except he doesn't drink alcohol or eat bacon! I guess in Lebanon they aren't crazy like the Ayatollah and his buddies in Iran, or even like Saudi Arabia."

"Cool," I said. "Ask him to come. And invite him to the Halloween party."

"Steve, as we're just talking, how about moving to the sauna?" Cindi asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Sure. I need to explain to our new friends, though," I said.

I explained the house rules for the sauna and saw a look of relief wash over Jorge's face when I said that on weekends, we were required to cover up. I went down and turned on the sauna and made sure that everyone had a towel. I went to my room to change and then went back down with my towel wrapped around me.

With everyone at the house, and with wanting everyone to use the benches, it was difficult for everyone to sit without at least the risk of touching of shoulders and hips. I noticed that Jorge made sure that were a couple of inches between him and Cindi, but wasn't surprised at all when Charlie sat next to me so that our shoulders and knees touched, as well as our towel-covered hips.

"This is way cool!" Charlie said. "I've never been in a steam room or anything. And that's a whirlpool of some kind?"

"Yes, though I don't think you could fit more than four, and that's a tight fit. Plus, today we'd need bathing suits."

"We're getting very close to capacity in here," Elyse observed. "Already the benches are close to full and everyone is sitting fairly close together. Well, I guess there are a few spots on the floor where people can lean against the wall. And I suppose people could sit around the edge of the tub, too."

"And here I thought it was plenty big!" I said. "Well, we don't come in here all that often as a group, but we'll have to take that into consideration."

When we'd been in long enough, everyone queued up to use the showers, and I let Dave and Jorge use my shower once I'd taken mine. Our guests began leaving, though Charlie asked if she could speak to me before she and George headed back to campus. We went into the Indian room and sat in the basket chairs.

"What's up?" I asked,

"What about my idea?" Charlie asked with an impish smile.

"I vowed that I wasn't going to have a roommate this year," I said.

"You did before?"

"Stephie and I dated seriously for the last two years and she basically moved in with me back in January. When we broke up, I decided I wasn't going to become seriously involved for some time. There are a bunch of reasons and a lot of history as to why."

"You and Stephie? But you two seem like you get along really well."

I smiled, "I get along pretty well with my exes in general. Stephie and I ended things amicably, and it was mutual. She has got a guy back in Georgia."

"And you?"

"It's a long and complicated story, and right now I just don't want to get seriously involved."

"Oh," she said, obviously unhappy. "I just hate being in the dorms. My roommate is a total bitch. She hates guys, and I'm sick of her ranting about guys on campus."

"Sounds like she chose the wrong school. When you're a 10 percent minority, there will be a LOT of guys after you."

"Tell me about it! George and I get hit on all the time! Even the ugly girls can get all the action they want at IIT. You said you didn't want a full-time roommate. What if I just stay Saturday nights? Then I don't have to drive back and forth."

"It's possible. I do have a guest room that's usually open. What about George?"

"She can use the guest room! I'll just sleep in your room with you."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but what's up with that?"

"I've been waiting for you to ask me out since the first tutoring session! Why do you think I keep coming and why I flirted with you and asked you to be my friend? You're about the only guy I've met who hasn't hit on me!"

I chuckled, "There are times when I'm dense. I figured you were just being friendly, and I really don't want to mix tutoring and dating, so I didn't think anything of it."

"A cute girl talks to you and flirts and you don't think anything of it?"

"OK, to be honest, when you and George walked over in the computer lab that first day, I thought to myself that I'd tutor you both for no charge in exchange for favors, but there is NO WAY I'd ever have said that."

"Too bad. I could have saved some money and had a good time! Can I stay next Saturday night?"

"What about George?" I asked.

She smirked, "You'll have to ask her yourself!"

I laughed. Hard.

"I meant was she going to stay in the guest room!"

"I'll ask her. So can I stay?"

"If you really want to, sure. Why not?"

"Cool! And next semester, if there's room, I'd love to move in!"

"I don't think anyone's leaving after this year. Most of us are Juniors and Jackie is a Senior, but architects go for five years, not four."

"Bummer. Well, for now Saturday nights!"

"Uhm, not to be indelicate, but what about birth control?"

"I'm on the Pill. I have been since I was fifteen. There isn't much to do in Muskogee as a teenager, so you make your own entertainment!"

I laughed, "Milford was kind of like that, too. I mostly chose the same solution! Let me know about George."

"For the guest room? Or?" she smirked.

"The guest room! You are quite the Smart Aleck."

"I'm not even the crazy one. Have you ever met any girls from the Philippines?"

"No, except for George."

"She's flat out crazy. She'll do just about anything, without even a dare! But she's a head-case, too! Just as likely to bite it off as to suck it!"

"I'll keep that in mind," I chuckled.

She got up and went to find George so they could head back to campus. Elyse saw me in the hall and asked what was going on.

"Charlie's trying to find a way to move in! She's not a big fan of the dorms. She offered to share my bed, if that's what it took."

Elyse laughed, "Yep. Right on target. I assume you said 'no' to that arrangement?"

"I am not looking for anything steady at this point."

"Good, because otherwise Jackie and I might have to have Charlie eliminated!"

"Don't worry, Elyse. I'm available when you need me."

"Not too often, but I don't want you to forget my offer, and I really, really like your gentle love making."

"I won't forget your offer. We have two years of school to figure everything out."

George and Charlie said good night, and I went to make dinner for my housemates. After dinner, I headed up to my room to make some phone calls and work on my programs for the unions. I called Jennifer first, and we had a good talk. Everything was going well for her, and she and Josie were slowly moving forward.

"Binky is still my best friend, though!" she smirked.

"Josie doesn't have that appendage unless there's something you aren't telling me!"

"True," she giggled. "But I just prefer mouths and fingers when I'm with a girl, rather than toys, though sometimes the toys can be fun."

"On that, we agree. Sometimes. But not in December, Jen. That's just you and me."

"Yeah," she said wistfully. "It can't come soon enough. And neither can I!"

We both laughed. We talked for a few minutes and then I hung up and called Bethany. She was doing fine, and was still hanging out with Bob, but it was purely platonic at this point because the make out sessions had left her cold. She did have some news for me.

"Josh Benton's appeal was denied last Thursday. He's going away for twenty-five years."

"It's not enough, but it will do. That dude better hope he and I never cross paths."

"Let it be, Steve," Bethany counseled. "The law took care of it. I don't need you on death row because of a piece of shit like Josh Benton."

"But it would feel so good, Bethany."

"Yeah, when you pulled the trigger. Not when they threw the switch on the electric chair. You have to put it aside. I have. Move on and forget it."

"I suppose. Did Carla call you?"

"She did. She's seeing a rape counselor at the clinic she told you about. Even though she wasn't actually penetrated, she has the same general kinds of issues I had. Remember how I was? And that I told you that I wanted you that first night at the dance but was totally freaked out, even dancing with you? That's how she is. She wants you in the worst possible way, but she's scared to death. Just remember what I told you."

"I will. She's off limits. I got it."

"At least until she deals with her challenges, and maybe even after that. She has to work through all of this. It took years for me, remember."

"Yeah. What the fuck is it with some guys? I just don't get it."

"Remember what we talked about? It's about power and control. As Doctor Mercer told you, rape is a violent act, not a sexual one. You don't have the personality type for that, Steve. And you don't see how guys can think that way. A lot do. Sure, in some cases it's a situation like Annie, but more often it's alcohol, drugs, force, or all three. But you know my opinion on coercion, even if it's just getting the girl overly excited."

"I do. We don't agree on that, but I acknowledge you have a valid point of view. And I do take it into account."

"With you, Steve, you are almost two different people when it comes to violence. You'd kill Josh Benton in a heartbeat and think nothing of it. You laid out Gene and broke his nose. But you would never, ever even raise a hand to a girl. You're one of the gentlest people I know, except with men who piss you off. Though Joyce came damn close."

"Special circumstances. She hurt someone I care very much about by doing something I'd specifically, directly, and clearly asked her not to do."

"That fits, too. I've always said that you would kill to defend your friends and would willingly die for them. That's the line Joyce crossed. Even Jennifer's betrayals paled in comparison to what Joyce did. Hell, Kara could have cheated on you and it would have hurt you less than what Joyce did."

"I see your point. I'm not sure I agree with that last one, but I see your point."

"Sure you do, Steve. Jennifer and I were wrong, by the way, about the whole issue with sleeping with other guys. The issue would only be the deceit, not the actual sex. It doesn't bother you that I was with Gene, that Stephanie was with Ed, or that Jennifer was with Ted. What DOES bother you is that Jennifer lied to you. If she'd told you that she wasn't a virgin, you wouldn't have cared one bit. It was the lie, not the sex."

"I see your point," I said. "And just as Kara forgave me, I'd have to forgive her, or be a total hypocrite."

"The gravest insult anyone could ever hurl at you would be an accusation of hypocrisy. That's the blood insult for you. Well, that or hurting a friend of yours. And God help anyone who hurts your little sister."

"Even you couldn't stop me then, Sweetheart," I said firmly.

"I know. And so does she."

"Speaking of which, I need to call her, too. Will you come down for the Halloween party?" I asked.

"Sure. It's on Saturday the 29th, right?"

"Yes. Though you might have to fight Charlie over sharing my bed with me."

"Charlie?"

"Charlotte. She goes by Charlie," I chuckled. "A Freshman CS student."

"You had me there for a second. I wondered if you had finally decided to test the waters!"

"Me? Do you know anyone more heterosexual than I am?" I asked.

"No, I guess not!"

After we hung up, I called my little sister. We spoke for about ten minutes to catch up. Once I hung up, I fired up the IBM PC and worked until close to midnight on the union programs. When I finally shut everything down, I had programs ready to deliver. I'd have to find some time to go to the union halls. Sadly, the only time I really had was on Thursday, so I'd have to call Anala and ask if we could skip this week.

I called her on Monday evening and explained the situation. She said she understood and suggested that she could spend the night either Wednesday or Thursday. I suggested she come home with us from IIT on Wednesday and have dinner, and she quickly agreed. I hung up and went back to my homework.

School was going well so far, and I was holding A's in all my classes, though the one in American Government was tenuous. Doctor Pleasonton was being tough on me, but he was also being fair. I was fighting hard for every single point in that class. There was a lot of work, but nothing that was really causing me any grief. So long as I stayed disciplined, I'd be just fine. And now that I had the union programs completed, I'd have some more free time.

At the end of the school day on Wednesday, I met Anala in the Hub and she rode home with Stephie, Julia, and me. She helped me prepare dinner and after we ate, she and I went up to my room. I shut and locked the door and drew water for a bubble bath, our usual way of starting our time together. As usual, Anala reclined against me and I put my arms around her.