Chapter 49: Jennifer & Josie and Kurt & Kathy

June, 1985, Chicago, Illinois

On Saturday morning, Stephanie joined me at karate and I introduced her to Sensei Jim. She signed up for lessons, got her gi and white belt, and joined the class. She appeared to enjoy it and she told me so as we walked home. After showers and lunch, we hung out with Josie and Jennifer.

Kurt, Kathy, and Larry arrived just before 2:00pm on Saturday. Everyone who was participating in the ceremony in the morning got together so that Josie could explain her plan.

"I have white robes for everyone. You should put them on and come to the sunroom just before 5:00am. We want to be there when the Sun rises. When we see the first glimmer, we take off our robes and light our candles. Steve will read the words that Jennifer and I wrote, and then she and I will make our vows together. When we finish, Steve will read a bit more and then bind our wrists together with a white ribbon. Then Jenny and I will express our love for each other. Once we've done that, we'll have a group hug and put our robes back on and eat."

"Are there rings in this ceremony?" Bethany asked.

"No," Josie said. "We decided not to wear rings. We have matching bracelets instead."

"Is there anything you need us to do?" Kathy asked.

"No. Stephanie took care of arranging the flowers and the candles, and Jenny and I bought the robes. The food is mostly prepared, and I'm sure that Steve will cook for us."

"Of course," I said. "And everyone is comfortable being naked in front of everyone else?"

"First time for everything!" Larry laughed.

"I suppose if I can handle the sauna, I can handle that," Dave laughed.

"I'm fine with this group," Bethany said. "But only this group. Nobody else."

That meant Jorge wasn't invited. I'd need to talk to him and make sure he was OK. I'd already talked to Penny and she'd been OK with missing the ceremony because she didn't feel comfortable being naked in front of other guys. That was a good thing, because I didn't know how I could explain it to Bart and Alice. Penny would come for breakfast and the party afterwards.

"Are you guys going on a honeymoon?" Larry asked.

"No. We had it already," Jennifer said. "The drive from Stanford to Seattle to Minneapolis to Chicago. We both start work on Monday. I'll be at Nuvatec where Steve used to work, and Jos is a newly minted civil engineer with the City of Evanston, though she still needs to qualify for her license in Illinois. Have you decided what to do?"

"I'm thinking about nursing school," Larry said.

"Wow!" I said. "Good luck!"

"If we're done, let's play some chess!" he grinned.

"I don't think Jennifer and I together would present much of a challenge," I said.

"We haven't played in ages," he said. "Come on, at least give it a try!"

I nodded and smiled, "Sure, why not."

As I had expected, neither Jennifer nor I were much of a challenge. After two games apiece, we'd had enough, and the three of us went to hang out with the rest of our friends. I took Jorge aside and explained the situation to him and Bethany's concerns. He said that he hadn't expected to be invited because he didn't really know Jennifer and Josie. I did let him know that he was invited to breakfast and the party afterwards, which would be fully clothed.

That evening, Stephanie asked Bethany and Kathy to help her set up the sunroom. Jennifer and Josie gave me copies of what I was supposed to read and I went over it so that I didn't stumble over the words in the morning. Jennifer and Josie distributed the robes and brought the food from the coach house to the main house.

Bethany slept with me again on Saturday night, and we awoke at 4:30am so that we could shower. Instead of dressing, we put on our white robes and went down to the sunroom. We all took our places and Stephanie lit all the candles in the room. We waited for the signal from Josie, who was watching for the first glimmer of dawn. When she saw it, she nodded and everyone dropped their robes to the floor. Josie nodded to me to begin.

"Josie and Jennifer welcome their friends to this joining of their lives in love. They stand here, unclothed and unburdened, before their friends who shall witness their sacred joining. Josie, do you come here of your own free will?"

"Yes, I do."

"Jennifer, do you come here of your own free will?"

"Yes, I do."

"Friends, do you come voluntarily to witness this bond that Jennifer and Josie shall make?"

"We do!" everyone said.

"In times past, it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions: East, South, West, and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East — The communication of the heart, mind, and body; The fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun; The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South — The warmth of hearth and home; The heat of the heart's passion; The light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West — The deep commitments of the lake; The swift excitement of the river; The refreshing cleansing of the rain; The all-encompassing passion of the sea.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North — Firm foundation on which to build fertility of the fields to enrich your lives; A stable home to which you may always return.

"Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and loving union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union. I ask you now to look into each other's eyes and take each other's hands."

"Josie, please say your words to Jennifer, then Jennifer, please say your words to Josie."

"Jennifer," Josie began, looking deeply into Jennifer's eyes, "my true love, the soul with which I wish to join, I promise to love you forever, to be your constant companion, to hold you, to love you, and to care for you, in this life, and the next."

"Josie," Jennifer continued, "my true love, the soul with which I wish to join, I promise to love you forever, to be your constant companion, to hold you, to love you, and to care for you, in this life, and the next."

They each crossed their arms and rejoined hands. I picked up the ribbon and held it out.

"This ribbon signifies the pledge that you have made and the bond into which you enter," I said.

"Josie, do you consent to be bound to Jennifer, in this life, and the next?"

"I do."

"Jennifer, do you consent to be bound to Josie, in this life, and the next?"

"I do."

I wrapped the ribbon around their wrists, loosely binding them together.

"Friends, do you agree to love and support this bond, in this life, and the next?"

"We do!" everyone exclaimed.

"And so the bond is completed. Josie and Jennifer, your hearts, your souls, your lives, are bound for eternity. Your friends have witnessed this blessing and have pledged to support you. You are now, and forever, bound. You may exchange your tokens and express your love."

I loosened the ribbon and Stephanie brought the bracelets to Josie and Jennifer. They each took one and fastened it on the other girl's left wrist. When that finished, they pulled each other into a tight embrace and kissed each other deeply. Everyone surrounded them and we put our arms around each other, enveloping Jennifer and Josie in a group embrace, our bodies pressed tightly together. Jennifer and Josie broke their kiss and then took turns giving each guest a very deep, loving kiss.

Everyone put on their robes and we went to the kitchen so I could prepare breakfast. Penny joined us just as I was getting the food onto the table. Stephanie gave her a robe, which she put on over her clothes. Kurt produced a bottle of champagne and he poured a small amount into glasses that he set before each of the guests.

"A toast," Kurt said. "To Josie and Jennifer. Long life and happiness!"

"And to a healthy baby!" Jennifer said.

"Baby?!" Kathy gasped.

"Yes!" Jennifer gushed. "I'm four days late for my period and I'm regular as clockwork!"

"Steve's?" Penny asked.

"Yes!" Jennifer giggled. "And Josie's, though not quite in the same way."

"Congratulations!" Julia exclaimed. "Though four days isn't really late."

"I've never been more than a day late since I was twelve. You could keep a calendar by my period."

"I hope it's true!" Josie said.

"It's about to get really weird around here!" Dave said.

"About to?" Elyse asked, causing everyone to laugh.

"Do you have names picked out?" Julia asked.

"Jesse Stephen," Josie said.

"And if it's a girl?" Julia asked.

"It's a boy," Jennifer said, lightly rubbing her stomach. "I'm sure of it."

When we finished eating, we went back to the sunroom to relax amidst the flowers and candles. Elyse and Stephanie brought in tea and coffee, and we spent the next few hours together. Josie and Jennifer had specifically requested no gifts, and their friends honored their request. Well, all of them except me.

Kurt, Kathy, and Larry left just after lunch. We'd see them again the next weekend at the wedding in Milford, so we simply said a quick goodbye to them as they left.

That evening, Josie and Jennifer invited Stephanie and me for dinner in the coach house. I handed Jennifer an envelope, and she smiled and put it in a basket with mail on the counter. She knew the rules. She also knew what was in the envelope, though not the amount.

"We just wanted to celebrate with you two, as Jennifer's closest friends," Josie said.

"Why no friends of yours?" I asked.

"I had a few in California, but most of my friends in Minneapolis would never understand. I ran with a pretty conservative group of kids. They would never have been able to handle a nude ceremony, outdoors or indoors. Some of them, I can't imagine being naked in front of anyone except their spouse or doctor. Others would have spent the entire ceremony staring. Your friends, on the other hand, took it in stride. The kisses at the end would have wigged out some people, but even the girls willingly accepted French kisses from us. Heck, all of them got into it!"

"That ceremony was supposed to be outdoors?" Stephanie asked.

"Yes, in a clearing in the woods, by a pond or river, if possible. But I figured that was going to be impossible here in Chicago. But the sunroom was perfect; it was like being outside without the risk of getting being by cops who have no respect for ancient rituals. I was actually happy to see that Steve's friends Dave and Julia, who are Christians, were cool with the ceremony."

"They've been around me long enough not to freak out about something like this," I said. "Though I would like to be a fly on the wall in their room tonight when Dave asks Julia about those kisses!"

"You've seen that before?" Josie asked.

"Yes," I grinned. "You really think that you're pregnant, Jen?"

She smiled, "Hoping that I'm not so we can make love again?"

"I try to avoid married women, but in your case, I'd make an exception!" I replied lovingly.

"I do think I'm pregnant. I just feel different. And as I said, last week was the perfect time. I think it happened on Thursday night in San Francisco. I should have started my period last Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. I'll get a pregnancy test from the drug store in a week or so if I don't have my period by then, which I don't expect to. I'll make an appointment with an OB as well."

"You better take good care of my nephew!" Stephanie said.

"We will," Josie said. "All of us. Dad, Mom, Mom, and Aunt. This baby is going to be loved by a lot of people!"

"My dad is going to be ecstatic," I said. "And my mom is going to be livid."

"She can go fuck herself!" Stephanie declared angrily. "Sideways. With her broomstick."

"She's still that bad?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes," Stephanie said. "I think Jeff being arrested only made it worse. But forget her!"

"Steve, would you stay the night with us? Not for sex, but for love?" Jennifer asked.

"Sure. Let me tell Bethany and I'll come back."

I went to the house and relayed Jennifer's request to Bethany. She smiled and nodded, "It's your first child. Go."

Josie and I slept with Jennifer between us, holding her and our baby tightly.

On Monday, Jennifer and Josie left for their first days of work, and the NIKA team was busy with our two main projects. We also received our first call on the business line. An accounting firm had bought two IBM PCs and needed them set up and Lotus 1-2-3 installed. Cindi made the arrangements, and on Thursday we did our first actual business with our first actual customer, not counting what had been my personal contract with the unions. We celebrated that evening with several bottles of wine. Elyse capped off the celebration by handing out our first paychecks.

"Normally, you would get these tomorrow because the 15th falls on Saturday. We have tomorrow off, so I'm handing them out today. Please, please, please double-check and make sure the pay rate is correct and that I have your tax status correct."

Everyone thanked Elyse and checked the stubs of their paychecks. Dave, Julia, and Cindi all were being paid the same, so if one was wrong, they likely all were wrong. Elyse's check was only for the hours she put in, so it was much like Penny's in that regard. Mine was, for the moment, a token amount because it didn't make sense for me to take money out of the business just yet.

I had suggested, and after consultation with Julia, she had given everyone Friday off so we could travel to Milford for Kurt and Kathy's wedding. Bethany and I had to attend the rehearsal and dinner late in the afternoon, so she, Stephanie, Elyse, and I left Chicago right after an early breakfast. Dave, Julia, and Jorge were driving down together, and Dave was putting them up at his parents' house. Cindi would drive down with Chris later in the day, and Jackie and Jamie were arriving on Saturday.

While on the way, I heard a news report about a hijacking, and tuned the radio first to WBBM 780 from Chicago, and then WLW 700 from Cincinnati. The report said that a TWA flight on its way to Rome from Athens had been hijacked by unknown gunmen. As events developed through the day, we heard first that the plane had landed in Beirut, then that nineteen women and children were released, and then that the plane had flown to Algiers where another twenty-three hostages were released. There wasn't much we could do but shake our heads and hope that eventually, everyone was released.

The rehearsal at the United Methodist Church on Main Street in Milford was straightforward. The service was less complicated than a Roman Catholic one, and mostly involved just standing next to Kurt along with Pete, Dave, Kurt's brother, and a friend of Kurt's from Pittsburgh, where Kurt had grown up.

On Kathy's side besides Bethany, she had the core members of their cheer squad from Milford — Nancy Becker, Katy Splowinski, Jill Hans, and Jenna Dierks. I hadn't seen any of them since High School and hadn't talked to any of them since Kathy's 'Sweet Sixteen' party in tenth grade.

The rehearsal dinner was held at The Mill Restaurant in Milford, and Bethany spent a lot of time talking to her friends. They had all visited her at least once after the accident and she was filling them in on what she was up to. I was pleasantly surprised that the cheerleaders all seemed nice, compared to the bitchiness that I'd experienced from them in High School. It seemed that being out of the clique made all the difference.

"Hi, Steve," Katy Splowinski said, sitting down next to me.

"Hi, Katy. How are you?"

"Good. You?"

"Great, actually. I just started my own company in Chicago. Computer software and consulting."

She laughed, "Computer dating?"

"Nah. That's ancient history now."

"I've wondered for years. All that stuff you said at Kathy's party, was it true?"

"Absolutely," I said.

"So all the rumors were true, then?" Katy asked.

"I suppose so. But that's ancient history as well," I said.

"I should have satisfied my curiosity back then, I guess."

"Curiosity?" I asked.

"What it would be like to screw the school stud, even if he was a computer nerd. I hear you and Bethany are an item these days. Too bad."

"Too bad?"

"Yeah, I'd like to see if you're as good as they say! But not if you're attached."