Chapter 82: It Never Ceases to Amaze Me, Part II

December, 1983, Milford, Ohio

"You're wrong," I said firmly. "I do not have ANY explaining to do. None. What, if anything, has happened or will happen between your sister and me, is between Connie and me. Period. You have NOTHING to say about it."

"Bullshit!" Joyce growled. "I know her games. You don't. You're being used. And she's scheming against me to boot."

"Whatever your problem with Connie is, it's between the two of you. Leave me out of it."

"You're right in the middle of it. Once you went to bed with her, you put yourself right in the middle of it."

"You're making a hell of an assumption based on pretty thin evidence," I said.

"Deny it!" Joyce demanded. "Go on. I dare you. Deny it!"

"I'm not going to admit or deny anything. It's none of your God-damned business either way!"

"Oh, yes, it is! You fucking Connie is absolutely my business because it affects my relationship with you, my relationship with her, and, more importantly, my relationship with my grandfather. I swear that little slut is unbelievable!"

"Joyce, will you fucking grow up? This petty squabble is beneath you. To borrow your own words, stop acting like a shithead."

"Fuck you!" she screeched. "You have no idea what's going on, none at all, you fucking idiot!"

"OK, Joyce," I said calmly, "tell me. What's going on?"

"She's trying to find a way to displace me AND make me look bad in front of Grandfather at the same time. You're the key to that. Don't you see she's using you?"

"How the hell can I be the key to your situation with your grandfather? If I was an Italian, I might see it. Hell, you should be more worried about that Italian guy she had hanging out with her the last time we were at your grandfather's house. If she marries him, I'd say that might cause trouble. I don't see how I figure into your stupid squabble."

"Didn't you hear Grandfather? His job offer was basically to run all his businesses. Sure, you can't be the Don because you aren't Italian, but if you were married to one of us, you'd be running things, even if it meant some Italian was a figurehead. This isn't like Chicago, you idiot. I can't remember the last time anybody was killed or even hurt. It's business, Steve. Yes, they have businesses that the government doesn't like, but it's not like the Outfit in Chicago.

"That's what Connie is gunning for. If she nabs you, she has it all and I have nothing. That's her game. And if you're too stupid to recognize that, then you're going to fall right into her trap. The minute she gets her hands on it, you'll be out on your ass so fast that it'll make your head spin. Oh, she might have to wait for Grandfather to die, but either way, you'll be toast. Cast aside like a used tissue."

The funny thing was, Connie WAS scheming. But she wasn't hiding it from me. She was putting it right out in the open. Connie knew I was smart enough to not fall for a scheme like that. She also knew that I might be opportunistic enough to agree to it, especially with the 'sweetener' that she'd thrown in about having someone on the side. But I wasn't going to fall for a scheme. I was going to go into it with my eyes wide open. Well, assuming that I did it, which wasn't likely.

"Do you really think that I'd be that stupid?" I asked in exasperation. "God damn it, Joyce, I'm not an idiot! I'm not admitting a damned thing here, but even if your assumptions are correct, do you think I'd be dumb enough to fall for something so obvious? Come on. I know enough about your family to see quite clearly what would be going on. And do you think she could pull that off with your grandfather? Don't you think that HE'S smart enough to know what she was plotting?"

"You've been trapped before, Steve."

"Yes, and don't you think I might have learned something from that? That I would be smart enough to see that coming?"

Actually, I hadn't. Connie had even teased me about the fact that I'd been a bit careless about the birth control issue and about her potential ulterior motives. But there was no way I could admit that to Joyce. I'd have to keep my guard up with BOTH sisters, no matter what my relationship with them was.

"You're going to have to make a choice," Joyce demanded. "Me or her. There's not an in between. And if you decide to keep fucking my sister, you're going to have to tell Grandfather about it, eventually. And that's not going to be a pretty sight, unless, of course, you're putting a ring on her finger."

"I have no intentions of doing any such thing, with her OR with you. As I said, you two can have your little spat and work it out between the two of you. Leave me out of it. The choice is YOURS, and I reject your ultimatum."

"One more time, Steve. The minute your dick went into her pussy, you put yourself right in the middle of it. I hope it was worth it. And I hope you used a rubber because who knows what she's been doing with all those guys."

"Oh for Pete's sake! If I said that about you, you'd slap me across the face, you petty little bitch! Now just shut up before you make it worse, though I'm not even sure how that could be possible!"

"Fuck you!"

"Not in this lifetime you won't," I sneered.

"You're a real prick!" she growled.

I decided to let it go. There was no possible way out of this situation. Even a joint conversation wasn't going to cut it. I needed to talk to Connie, but that would have to wait until she went back to Purdue, because the last thing I wanted to do was give Joyce any ammunition. I also needed to talk to Bethany, and that meant breaking my promise to Connie, but I didn't see any way around that.

Joyce has created a huge fucking mess. But, the thing was, I didn't regret being with Connie at all. She was sweet, intelligent, and a lot of fun. And she'd been brutally honest with me about what she wanted to happen. It seemed to me that Connie had the upper hand, and that's why Joyce was so livid. She'd been outmaneuvered by her little sister and was beside herself about it.

The only question I had was whether or not Connie had had sex with me as a calculated gamble that I might take her up on her offer. It was possible, but in the end, it really was no different from Kara's thinking behind making love with me. She had a goal in mind, but was wise enough not to push it. When it came right down to it, I could say something similar about Sofia, Bethany, Jennifer, and even my little sister. Each of them had some personal motivation for being with me that wasn't necessarily clearly stated. Of them all, Connie had actually been the most up front.

When I pulled up in front of Joyce's house, she leapt from the car and slammed the door behind her. I watched her storm up to the house and go inside. I shook my head and put the car in gear to head back to the Spencers'. The thing I needed to do was to go sit in the sauna and relax. That would help me clear my mind. I hoped that I could be alone in there, or, if not, that whoever joined me kept quiet.

I parked in front of the Spencers' house and went inside. I knew Frank was at work, and because I didn't see Pete's car out front, I assumed they were out. The house was quiet, so I went up the stairs to my room and undressed. I put on the robe and walked to the master bathroom where the sauna was. I saw that the controls were on and realized that Trudy was probably in there. I sighed, but decided to go in anyway.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked, opening the door.

"Not at all. I've only been in for about five minutes," Trudy said.

I put my towel down a couple of feet away from Trudy and she laughed.

"Oh, come on, you have to have more will power than that," she said, laughing.

"I believe the Old Testament says to not even walk down the street where the harlots are so that you aren't tempted."

"I don't charge!" she giggled. "Even though I might occasionally behave like a harlot!"

I laughed and slid my towel so that about twelve inches would separate us.

"Better?" I asked.

"I was just teasing, Steve. If you're more comfortable being further away, by all means, do it."

"Nah. It's fine. I just really need to clear my mind."

"Did something bad happen?" she asked.

"I had a fight with Joyce. We've been having difficulties for some time now. It's really no big deal. It'll likely blow over after Christmas."

"If you want to talk, I'm here."

"It's OK, Trudy. What I really need is just to relax."

I leaned back and breathed in the steam. It was less than I liked, but Trudy had been in here first and it wasn't my place to change things. I didn't really want to talk at all, and that would just be more discussion that I wanted to avoid. It wasn't about Trudy; it was about me and getting my head clear.

As I let the heat and steam work out my tensions, I thought about how Connie had approached me. No matter how I looked at it, I just couldn't see the quid pro quo that Joyce was alleging. Connie hadn't made any demands, and had shown every sign of being a typical, nervous teenager.

There was also no question about her virginity — that wasn't something she could have faked. Maybe Connie really was that cold and calculating and maybe she won that bet with herself, but in the end, her entire plan hinged on my willing agreement, something that wasn't likely. And she knew that.

I tried to put it all out of my mind and let the sauna work its magic. I willed the tension from my body and ever so slowly, it seemed to seep out my pores as sweat. By the time Trudy left the sauna to take her shower, I was feeling much more relaxed and my head was clear. I'd be a much better date for Bethany later in the day, even though I was going to raise this issue with her to check my thinking and get her advice.

After my shower, I dried off, dressed, and went downstairs. Trudy offered me a cup of hot cocoa, which I gratefully accepted. It was a raw 12°F outside and the furnace was working overtime to keep the house warm. I sat down at the kitchen table to drink my cocoa. I'd just finished it when the phone rang. Trudy handed it to me.

"Hi, Steve, it's Larry."

"Hi. What's up?"

"My aunt Alicia asked me to track you down. Do you know what's going on with Connie and Joyce?"

"I was with Joyce today. We went to see your grandfather and Joyce and I had a bit of a spit in the car on the way there and back. Why?"

"Apparently the girls had a screaming match which ended up with them slapping each other and pulling each other's hair. Your name came up, so my aunt wondered if you could shed some light on what's going on."

I sighed, "Joyce accused me of sleeping with Connie and thinks Connie is scheming to cut her out of your grandfather's future plans."

Larry chuckled, "You're serious?"

"As a heart attack," I said. "Joyce was really out of control. She called me names. She called Connie names. She accused Connie of plotting against her. She accused me of falling for Connie's trap, whatever that might be."

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad I'm in Milford, not Loveland right about now. Is there any truth to any of it?"

"You know me better than that, Larry," I replied. "If there is, I can't say. Which means I can't say that there isn't, either. I just won't comment."

"True. You never really have. I'll let Aunt Alicia know that Joyce started in on you and that you aren't saying anything one way or the other, which is normal for you. All I can say is that Christmas dinner on Sunday at my grandfather's house is going to be interesting, to say the least!"

I chuckled, "Uh, yeah. I can't believe they had a fight like that. But it's their problem, not mine. Say, what are you doing for lunch tomorrow? We haven't talked in a long time. We should get together."

"I'd like that," Larry said. "I'll pick you up around 11:30am."

"I'll be at my parents' house. I just need to be home by 2:00pm because of our Christmas Eve celebration."

"Got it. See you tomorrow."

We hung up, and I sat back down, shaking my head. Trudy offered me some more cocoa and when I nodded, she filled my cup. I sipped it carefully and wondered what that fight between the girls had looked like. I decided that I'd certainly have bought a ticket if I could have had one, just for the sheer entertainment value of the fight. But I also wondered what effect the fight was going to have on the extended family, and on me.

When I finished the cocoa, I thanked Trudy again and then went upstairs to get dressed for my date with Bethany. I put on navy blue slacks, a white dress shirt, a blue and silver striped tie, and my navy blue sports coat. I added a black leather belt and black shoes, and grabbed my black fedora to complete the look.

I picked up Bethany, and we headed for the country club. I'd decided to wait until we were seated in the private booth that I was sure that she'd reserved before I raised the issue of Joyce and Connie. The valet took my keys, and the doorman opened the door for us. We walked inside and, as usual, we were seated immediately in one of the private booths. We reviewed the menus and placed our orders.

"I need some advice, Sweetheart," I said.

"Uh oh!" she said with a knowing smile. "Now what?"

"Joyce and I had a fight in the car on the way to and from her grandfather's house."

"Oh come on!" Bethany exclaimed, sounding exasperated. "Aren't you past that at this point?"

"Hang on. First, I didn't start it. Second, it wasn't about Kara."

"Then what happened?"

"She accused me of sleeping with her little sister and accused her little sister of plotting against her to usurp what she sees as her rightful position in the family business. I took exception to what she said and how she said it."

"I have to ask, is any of that true?" Bethany said.

I sighed, "I promised Connie I wouldn't talk about it, but yes, it's all true."

Bethany laughed, "You find the most interesting ways to get yourself in trouble!"

"Don't I though?" I grinned. "I didn't admit anything to Joyce, but she assumed it was true because Connie had been in Chicago twice during the Fall semester. Pretty thin evidence, but Joyce decided it had happened. The fight between us started because Joyce called Connie a slut and a cunt."

"Those are fighting words for you, and I'm sure that Joyce knew it. She was baiting you."

"Bethany, I stayed mostly calm. I pushed back on Joyce for sticking her nose where it didn't belong and for the name calling."

"Tell me what happened," Bethany said.

"When we were at Joyce's house that day after Kara was hospitalized, Connie was sweet to me and said that if I found myself unattached, she'd like to get together and have some fun. She called me back in October and let me know that she was going to be in Chicago with some friends. I had dinner with them, then Connie and I hung out at my house. Nothing happened, and there were no hints that anything was going to happen. We went to meet her friends to have ice cream, and she made an offer to come home with me if I was interested.