Chapter 45: Caps and Gowns and Planes and Cars, Oh My!

May 18, 1985, Chicago, Illinois

On Saturday morning, Kara and I drove to Meigs Field to meet the Twin Beech that was bringing my dad and sister to Chicago. We only had to wait about ten minutes before I spotted the plane approaching the airfield. After ten more minutes, the door opened and Aimee stepped off the plane, followed by my sister and my dad. Kara and I walked over and I shook hands with my dad and hugged Stephanie, and then Kara hugged them both. Aimee smiled and gave a quick wave, then climbed back into the plane.

My sister and Kara got into the back of my Daytona, and my dad got into the passenger seat. I quickly started the car, put it in gear, and pulled away from the administration building, heading for the house in Hyde Park. When we arrived, I made some coffee and the four of us sat in the kitchen.

"What time do you need to be there?" my dad asked.

"11:00am," I said. "So we need to leave here no later than 10:30am. Graduates are scheduled to walk onto the baseball diamond promptly at 11:30am."

"And we're leaving from there to go straight back to the airfield?" he asked.

"That's the plan. Kara's packing a picnic basket with sandwiches for us so that we don't have to stop somewhere after commencement. I figure we can be at the airfield by 2:30pm, which means we can easily get to Lunken by 6:00pm. That gives us just enough time to get to Riverfront Coliseum for Squirt's graduation."

"Then let's eat!"

Kara and I quickly made a late breakfast, and the four of us ate. Kara cleaned up the kitchen while I went up to my room and put on my suit. I grabbed the suit bag with my cap and gown, and the four of us headed to IIT for commencement. I put on my cap, gown, and the cord signifying my summa cum laude status, and went to the assembly area while Dad, Stephanie, and Kara went to meet Sofia, Jorge, Charlie, and George.

I was pleased when everything started on time, though the speeches quickly droned on. As With my High School graduation, I simply didn't care about the speakers, or much of anything else about the ceremony. I checked my watch often, and it appeared that graduation was following the schedule closely enough that we'd be able to leave on time. Eventually they came to calling the graduates' names and my name was called third. I walked across the stage, shook hands with the university President, Thomas Lyle Martin, Jr., and received a blank diploma from him. Once grades were published, a real diploma would be issued and sent to me.

When the ceremony ended, I found Dave, Cindi, Katy, and Julia and we all hugged. They knew I was in a rush, so after some quick congratulations all around, I went to find my dad and my sister. I took off my cap, gown, and cords and gave them to Kara, who was riding home with Sofia, and then pulled Sofia aside.

"Have a safe trip and I'm looking forward to seeing you in August!" I said in Swedish.

"Have a good Summer. I'm looking forward to coming back! Anything you want me to bring you?"

"Bilar!" I said, referring to a popular traditional Swedish candy. "And two bottles of Grappo!"

"You got it! Now, give me a kiss and get on your way!"

I pulled her into my arms and we exchanged a soft kiss, and then I hurried off towards the car, trying to beat as much of the traffic as possible. We were fortunate and got out of the parking lot quickly and arrived at Meigs at 2:20pm. Kara, true to her word, had called ahead and Aimee and Patrick Shaughnessy were just finishing their pre-flight check of the plane, which had already been refueled.

I grabbed my overnight bag as Stephanie grabbed the picnic lunch and we got onto the Twin Beech. Just over five minutes later, Aimee was taxiing us for takeoff. She called for and received clearance and the engines roared as the plane leapt into the air, heading for Cincinnati's Lunken Field. Once we were level at altitude, I moved so that I could talk to my dad.

"Tonight, after graduation, I have a date with Aimee. She'll drop me at the Spencers' and Stephanie will come get me in the morning. We'll plan to leave the house about 10:30am. We're having lunch with Don Joseph and then heading on to Chicago."

"Stephanie told me. Her car is at Lunken. We dropped it off last night. It's a fairly quick drive down US-52 to downtown. By my watch, we're going to arrive a bit earlier than planned, so there's less of a rush."

"Dad, I have a few things I should tell you now."

"That sounds a bit ominous," he said.

"Not at all; shocking, maybe, but not ominous. You know that Jennifer and her girlfriend are moving to Chicago. Squirt and I are driving out to Stanford to get them, and then we're going to Seattle and Minneapolis to pick up their cars and stuff and eventually back to Chicago. That's the straightforward part. The not so straightforward part is something I told you about before. On the trip, Jennifer and I are going to do our best to get pregnant so that she can have a baby together with Josie."

"I still don't think that's a good idea, Son." he said. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive. But that's not all. Once Elyse is close to finishing her Master's, she and I are going to have a baby as well."

"What?!" he exclaimed. "Are you out of your cotton-picking mind?"

Stephanie smiled and put her hand on Dad's arm.

"There's more," I said. "Most likely, I'm going to marry Bethany, though that's not for sure. But Kara is going to be my second wife, no matter who I marry, and she and I will have kids as well."

My dad just shook his head, "Son, you're not thinking clearly."

"Yes, Dad, he is," Stephanie interjected. "This isn't some spur-of-the-moment plan. It's been in the works for four years; more, actually. All the girls know and agree. And that includes Bethany."

"But it makes no sense," my dad protested.

"It does," I said. "Let me try to explain."

I spent the next thirty minutes explaining everything that I'd talked about with the girls, and how we'd come to the conclusions that we had, and why it made sense to all of us. And, perhaps most importantly, how we thought we could afford it. Dad listened closely, but shook his head in disbelief several times, finally giving up his protests. Stephanie got out our picnic lunch, and we ate and continued talking.

"Your mother is going to be fit to be tied," Dad said.

"I have no doubt," I replied. "But I'm neither asking her permission nor seeking her blessing. It took me a long time to get used to this idea, and I'm at peace with it. The only real question is me and Bethany. But that's looking pretty good, I think."

My dad got a smile on his face, "And I'm sure you have a backup plan in your pocket, too!"

I chuckled, "I do. The worst possible scenario is that Kara and I marry because things don't work out right between Bethany and me, and my backup plan falls through as well. Somehow, I don't think that will bother you in the least."

"You're right. I've always liked her. I've thought from the first time I met her that she was the best girl for you, though your Russian friend is a very close second. How is she, by the way?"

"Great, actually. I just saw her last week. Her father has been reassigned to Moscow with a promotion. Tanya is still planning on going home once she graduates from Harvard next year. The KGB Colonel has been assigned as head of the protection detail at the UN."

"So the changes in Russia haven't caused them any trouble, then?"

"No. So far, everything is moving along just as it was before."

"When are you going to make your plans public?"

"As they happen. Once Jen is pregnant, we'll announce that. And obviously, when it's time to get married, I'll let everyone know as soon as I'm engaged."

"All I can say is, I hope that you know what you're doing!"

"Me too, Dad," I grinned. "Me too!"

Stephanie just laughed and shook her head.

May 18, 1985, Cincinnati & Milford, Ohio

We landed at Lunken Airport a few minutes before our planned arrival time. We thanked Patrick and Aimee, and I handed Patrick an envelope with enough cash to cover the fuel for the flights to and from Chicago. Aimee let me know me where she'd pick me up and I replied that there was no way I'd miss that red Supra. After we all shook hands, Stephanie, Dad, and I headed for her Nova.

We arrived at Riverfront Coliseum with about ten minutes to spare for Stephanie not to be late, and she went to join her class while my dad and I went to find our seats. There really was no way that I could avoid sitting with my dad, and he wanted to sit with my mom, so he sat between us, with Jeff on the other side of my mom. Neither she nor Jeff greeted me, which was fine by me.

My sister's graduation was much like mine from High School, though she wore a white graduation gown and cap instead of red ones, which I had worn four years before. Once again, the ceremony was about as boring as it could possibly be. The Superintendent, Mr. Boyd Smith, gave effectively the same speech, as did the President of the school board, and as did the Principal. After that were the usual platitudes from the valedictorian and salutatorian.

Finally they got to the important part, when they called the names. I heard my sister's name called and a nice cheer went up. Stephanie had quite a few friends, though she didn't have what amounted to a cheering section as I'd had. When all the names had been called, the Principal presented the graduating class, and the ceremony was over. Stephanie, Trish, and Shelly were standing with Ed and a group of guys that I didn't recognize.

"Congratulations, Squirt!" I said, pulling her into my arms for a hug.

"I'm free! I'm free!" she laughed. "And tomorrow, I move to Chicago!"

I hugged Trish and Shelly and found out that they were going to the University of Arizona and UCLA, respectively. Their boyfriends came up a moment later and everyone was introduced. My parents and brother came to where the small group was standing and Stephanie gleefully hugged Dad and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks for everything, Dad!" she gushed.

She hugged my mom, but it seemed perfunctory. No words were exchanged about her graduation, but my mom foolishly decided to escalate.

"Hug your brother!" my mom said to Stephanie.

"There is no way in hell!" she objected.

"Stephanie Ann Adams! He's your brother!"

"He's also a pervert! No!" she declared, turning on her heel and walking away.

I was about to say something, but a quick look from my dad warned me off and I turned away to follow Stephanie, who was standing with her friend Heather, whom I knew vaguely.

"I can't believe her!" Stephanie was complaining to Heather.

"Steph, forget it," her friend Heather said. "You're moving out tomorrow! I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole! He was convicted for exposing himself to a first-grader! That's just gross!"

"Squirt, take a deep breath and just forget it," I soothed. "Have the graduation party you and Ed planned at home. Dad will make sure Mom and Jeff don't bother you. Just let it go and enjoy the party. It'll be the last one at the house on Overlook."

My parents had put the house up for sale the week before, because it was far too large for just the two of them. It was the end of another chapter in our lives; one that contained both very good and very bad memories.

Stephanie let out an exasperated sigh, "What is with her? Is she that crazy?"

"I'm afraid so," I said. "Jeff's not the only one who needs counseling. But she'd never, ever admit it nor agree to it. You can be sure that I'm keeping my kids away from her and, more importantly, from Jeff."

"But what about Dad?" she asked.

"He can come visit us anytime. If he brings her along, we'll deal with it by ensuring she's never alone with our kids. Jeff is absolutely not invited, and Dad knows that bringing him would create a standoff with Mom, and I would win because, in the end, it's my house, and Jeff isn't allowed to be around little kids. If somehow Jeff shows up, I'll handle it. Don't worry."

She huffed, "Fine."

"You need to get laid, Squirt!" I chuckled. "And work off some of that aggression!"

She grabbed my arm and led me away from Heather.

"Is that an offer?" she whispered.

"Nope. Go see Ed. I'm sure he'd like to have a 'goodbye fuck'!"

"He got that last night! Several times," she giggled. "I have other plans for tonight!"

"Uh oh," I smirked.

"Nah, it's nothing too crazy. I'm not taking those three guys I was talking to all at once or anything like that! I'll leave that to Tracey Jones!"

"So she one-upped her last extreme party?"

"Yeah. I know one of the guys and I trust him to tell me the truth. And Big Brother, there were six guys at that party, including Marty."

"No way. Just no way."

"And I think Marty beat you, Big Brother. He had all six girls who were at the party."

"I've created a monster!" I said in a voice that I tried to make sound like an evil scientist.

"She's pretty much tried everything you can imagine, Big Brother. Nothing is too extreme, from what I hear."

"Well, good for her, I guess. If she's happy, and Marty's happy, that's what matters. Anyway, I need to go meet Aimee. What time are you picking me up tomorrow?"

"Did you bring your swimsuit, as I asked?"

"I sure did."

"Then I'll see you at 6:30am. We'll swim, you can make me breakfast and we can hang out with Dad while Mom and Jeff go to church."

We hugged, and I went to say goodbye to my dad, and then left Riverfront Coliseum to meet Aimee at the corner of 2nd Street and Broadway, stopping at Stephanie's car to get my overnight bag. Aimee's Supra was parked about twenty feet from the intersection and she was leaning against the hood, looking very sexy in tight, faded jeans, a red blouse, and her trademark baseball cap with her ponytail pulled through the opening in the back. She waved, and I walked over to her. We hugged and got into her car.

"Thanks again for flying me and my family around today," I said.

"You're welcome! I saw you give my dad the money for fuel. You can pay me back in another way!" she grinned.

"It hardly feels like I'm paying you back if I enjoy it!"

"Your friend's parents are cool with us staying the night together?"

"It won't be the first time! Besides, they're away for the weekend."

"Do you want some food?" she asked as we got on US-50 heading towards Milford.

"There's a diner in Newtown on Route 50, just west of Newtown Road. They have fantastic burgers. I've been there a few times with my dad."

"Cool. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. I'd say what we're planning to do later entitles you to ask pretty much anything you want to ask!"

"Smart man! You're not steady with anyone, are you?"

"No. We discussed that before. Nothing has changed."

"Good. And you like me?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered, suddenly wary.

"And I'm exciting in bed?" she grinned.

"Without question," I said carefully.

"When I first met you, I thought you would be fun to play with. And I was right. In fact, it was better than I'd hoped it would be. I wouldn't mind playing with you a lot more. And I don't mean just tonight."