Chapter 30: The American Club

October 4, 1986, Chicago, Illinois

Later that evening, I let Bethany know that Kara and Jessica had agreed to the date, and that I'd made the reservations. She stayed in with Kara and me, and we watched television and ate popcorn. Tasha had come for her usual homework session, but had left immediately afterwards, saying that she was going home so that she could go to church on Sunday morning.

"Anyone interested in a sauna?" Josie asked.

"Sure," I said. "Is Jesse joining us?"

"Yes! Jenny will be over in ten minutes. I came to turn on the sauna. Who else is around?"

"Just Elyse," I said. "Sofia, Alejandra, and Leila are at a party at Loyola. Stephanie and Jorge went dancing somewhere, and Jess went back to Indy after lunch. I'm not sure where Charlie is."

"On a date," Kara said.

Bethany, Kara, and I joined Josie, Jennifer, and Jesse in the sauna.

"How long can the little guy stay in here now?" Bethany asked.

"Steve keeps the temperature lower because he likes lots of steam, which means Jesse can stay in here about fifteen minutes. If Steve did the whole 'dry heat' thing, then he could stay in only a couple of minutes."

"Steve and I were talking about parenting stuff earlier," Bethany said. "I'm curious what you're going to do with Jesse when he gets a bit older?"

"Nothing," Jennifer said. "If he's raised around nudity in the sauna, it'll just be a normal thing for him; it won't be a big deal."

"Until he brings his friends into the sauna," Bethany said. "Well, if it's a mixed group. Other parents will flip out."

Jennifer sighed, "I think Steve's response to stuff like that is right — Fuck 'em! But then some idiot parent calls the cops or DCFS and there's a shitstorm."

"That could happen, even if it's just all of Steve's kids. Somebody could complain about it to DCFS and create all kinds of problems."

"What the fuck?!" I growled. "Nudity is natural! Clothes are a technological invention! Don't these people read National Geographic?"

Bethany nodded, "They do. And there have been protests when they had pictures of African women topless, which in certain situations is their normal mode of dress."

"So, what are you saying? We can't behave the way we want in the privacy of our own home?" I asked.

"Here's the problem. Even if the parents of the kids agree, some OTHER parent could report you."

"Maybe I should just close NIKA and move to Sweden," I said disgustedly. "I'm sure Jess could get into Karolinska for her Residency. And there are good schools where Kara could finish her Chemistry Master's degree and PhD if she chose."

"I think what you have to do is set firm rules for when any outsiders are here. Like your old weekend rules. And be very careful of mixed-sex groups, especially if there are men over eighteen and girls under eighteen. Society just can't deal with it, and some busybody will report you."

I sighed, "You know what? I'm going to make millions and then buy my own island and set up my own kingdom! King Stephen the First! There will be exactly one capital crime — prudishness."

All the girls laughed. Life was going to be far more difficult than I'd thought, even without the issue of having two wives.

October 12, 1986, Indianapolis, Indiana

"You guys can leave right after breakfast if you want to go to the Penguins game," Jessica said as we ate.

"No way, Babe," I said. "I want every minute with you that we can get. They aren't going to stop playing ice hockey any time soon, so there will be other games. Dave, Julia, Sofia, and Elyse will use the tickets and probably take Alejandra and Leila with them."

"That's sweet of you. I know you love watching your beloved Penguins play! What's the plan for next weekend?"

"I'm going to come down to spend it with you, Jess. Steve won't be there, so we can have a wives' weekend together."

"Cool! We'll make popcorn, watch TV, cuddle, and smooch!" Jessica said.

"And I'll miss it!" I sighed.

"Oh please! You'll be busy screwing your best friend silly!" Jessica said.

"Babe, all things being equal, I'd rather I was with you two. That's where I belong."

"Not in this case, you don't," Jessica said firmly. "You need to screw your best friend back to normal. Just like the first time. And just like Elyse did for you when you were in your silly little funk over Penny."

"You're handling this pretty well," I said.

"I've known this was coming since before you proposed to me. It had to happen. I don't see any other way the two of you could set things right and put all the bullshit behind you."

"Now I know you're serious," I chuckled. "You swore!

"You're a bad influence on me, husband!" she giggled. "What if I asked you to fuck my brains out before you leave?"

"I think I could oblige," I said. "Kara, want to help?"

"Yes!" she said.

I got up, scooped Jessica from her chair, and carried her to the bedroom. I tossed her onto the bed and Kara and I pounced on her, quickly removed her clothes, and then our own and proceeded to do as she'd asked.

"I think I'm going to stay in bed," Jessica said, two hours later when Kara and I got up to shower. "I don't think I could move!"

"You asked for that!" I said.

"Oh, I know," she sighed, "Those hard, driving, pounding lovemaking sessions just really take everything out of me."

"Good!" I chuckled, kissing her.

After Kara and I showered, Jessica did get out of bed and shower. The three of us had lunch, and then Kara and I kissed and hugged Jessica, and headed back to Chicago.

October 12, 1986, Chicago, Illinois

"You missed a great game!" Sofia said as Kara and I walked into the house.

"Let me guess, the Penguins won?"

"Easily! They beat the Hawks 4-1."

"That figures," I said. "But being with Jess was more important than a hockey game."

"Well, of course!" Sofia agreed. "How was your weekend?"

"Good. It just sucks to be away from Jess. I'd become used to having her here the last two months. But, as we told you at dinner, we really appreciate your help in making that possible!"

"It was just a small piece of information."

"A very important one!" I said.

Kara and I went to call Jessica to let her know that we were safely home, then fixed ourselves something to eat. Afterwards, we had a quiet night at home, though I was a bit perturbed by the news report that talks between President Reagan and Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavík, Iceland had broken down at the last minute. I understood Reagan's insistence on being able to test SDI components in the lab, and didn't understand Gorbachev's intransigence on the issue. I hoped more details would emerge, and that, in the end, some sort of intermediate-range missile agreement could be reached. What I really wanted was the elimination of all nuclear weapons, but that, alas, was a pipe dream.

October 17, 1986, On the Road to Kohler, Wisconsin

"I talked to Jessica for nearly an hour last night," Bethany said.

"And?" I asked, as I steered the car onto the Dan Ryan for the first leg of our journey north.

"I just wanted to make sure that she was truly OK with this, and that she understood exactly what you and I mean to each other."

"And?"

"I wouldn't be here if there was any concern at all. I wanted to make absolutely sure that I wasn't going to cause you problems. Jess really loves you."

"I know. If you're uncomfortable with this, we can spend the weekend together without having sex."

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" she asked with a laugh. "I spent an hour on the phone making damned sure that you could fuck me senseless and Jessica would be OK with it. There is NO FUCKING WAY I am passing up that opportunity!"

"Sorry," I chuckled. "You know my caution about stuff like this."

"I do. And I also know that you had a long talk with Jessica as well. And that she had to talk you into this. Can you explain that one, Mr. Adams?"

"Easily," I said. "I'm married to Jessica and Kara. It's just not the same as it used to be."

"You entertained your little Russian friend after she chased you for nearly four years!"

"Jess told you about that?"

"Yes. It was when we were discussing your reluctance to do this. You really have changed your attitude about this."

"I have. I just felt different after I was with Lyudmila."

"Regrets?"

"No way! Just different. And different in such a way that I question if it will happen again."

"You mean to tell me that once Elyse has her second kid, you're basically going to be exclusive with your wives?"

"It's a distinct possibility," I said.

She nodded pensively, and we were quiet for a while.

"Do you remember the key that you gave me? To the safe deposit box?"

"Yes, of course."

"Maybe you want to give that to someone else."

"No way, Sweetheart. As long as you're close by, you keep it. There's nobody else I'd feel comfortable having it."

"I thought you'd ask for it back when we had our issues last year. I was surprised when you didn't."

"Asking for that key back would have been telling you that you weren't my best friend."

"How the hell do you do that?"

"You said you were going to do a study on me," I chuckled. "And my answer is that I have no idea. I just do it."

"Have you ever hated anyone? I mean really, viscerally hated anyone? And don't include your mom."

I thought about it for a moment.

"No, I don't think so. I mean, I don't like my mom and I don't like my brother, but I don't hate them. Other than them, I guess the closest I've come to actually hating someone was either Julie van Hoek or Kent van der Meer. There's a special place in hell for Josh Benton and Ted Dixon, too."

I'd also put Connie and Anthony on my list of people I didn't like, but I wasn't about to mention them to Bethany.

"Becky's mom and Kara's former pastor. I can see why you would feel that way about them. You never hated Becky, though. Or Jennifer. And they probably hurt you more than anyone but me."

"Sweetheart, if it's a contest, Jennifer beats you hands down. Easily. But it's not a contest. Everything that happened is water under the bridge. Our life together starts over today. And after this weekend, you and Nick will start a life together."

"Me and Nick?"

"A person very, very close to me is predicting that you'll be married by this time next year," I said.

"That has to be Kara or Stephanie," Bethany said with a smile.

"My sister."

"What have you told Jessica about her?"

"Nothing about that," I said firmly. "Not a word. Not a hint."

"You're running a pretty big risk by not telling her, or at least setting it up, so she's prepared to hear it."

"Kara and I discussed it at length and decided it was best not to say anything. Who's going to tell her?"

"Think about how many people know about it! What did you tell me about secrets getting out?"

I sighed, "That you square the number of people who know, and that's the chance it will get out."

"So, how many people know? Me, Stephanie, you, Melanie, Kara, Jennifer, Ed, Elyse, Jackie, and Anala make ten. And I think there are more."

"Fuck," I said. "It could destroy everything! But it's not like Stephanie and I behave as we did before."

"No, you don't. But what's worse? Jessica hearing it from you and Kara? Or her hearing it from someone else? Your sister is fairly volatile. If she were really angry, she could let it slip."

"I think it's a really bad idea and I believe I should just let sleeping dogs lie."

"This dog is going to wake up one day and bite you in the ass," Bethany said. "If you'll permit me to mix my metaphors, you need to take the bull by the horns. I think Jessica might surprise you."

"Yeah," I sighed. "With a scalpel so that she could put my balls in a specimen jar. And that's if I'm lucky."

"If you think that's the best possible outcome, then why in the world did you keep it from her? You should have told her BEFORE you married her."

"Well, I didn't," I said.

"No, you didn't. That was a bad decision. You haven't made many since my accident, but this was a doozy."

"I did make that one big one when you first came back to Chicago. I should have skipped the church service."

"That was just a misunderstanding on both our parts," Bethany said. "We mis-communicated."

"But I'd promised you that we'd be together when you came back."

"True, but it was selfish of me to think that you should change all your plans based on the day I picked. But forget that it's water under the bridge, as you said. You really have been making good decisions and good choices in almost every instance. Just think about what I said. I didn't want to put a damper on things."

I chuckled, "Put a damper on sex between us? Even that very first time you were pretty wild!"

"So I had a bit of aggression and a lot of horniness to work off!" she giggled. "Remember, I was ready to have sex with Josh at thirteen. You came along a couple of years after that! And I haven't had sex with anyone since August of last year, and that last time was horrible. So I might just have a bit of horniness to work off this weekend!"

"A bit?" I smirked. "Should I be afraid?"

"I hope the bed is sturdy, that's all I have to say!"

"And you're really ready to move on with your life?"

"I am. I think, finally, I've dealt with everything from my past. This weekend will close the book on one part of my life and allow me to open a new chapter."

"And it takes making love with me to do that?"

She looked over at me and cocked her head.

"This isn't the old caution. This is something new. You're actually considering both the short and long-term ramifications of this."

"Sweetheart, I promised to do whatever you need me to do to fix things between us and set them right. Do YOU think this is necessary? And the right way to do it? I mean, all things considered?"

"Do you promise to keep your word if I answer truthfully?"

"Weren't you the one before talking about truth?" I asked, wondering where this was going. "But yes, I do."

"Part of it is that I'm horny beyond belief and I know that there is nobody in this world except you who could fuck me the way I need to be fucked right now. There's also nobody in this world that could make love to me the way I need to be made love to right now. I love you more than anyone or anything, and that will probably always be true, no matter who I'm with after this weekend. I know that after this weekend, I can never, ever have you again. So I want you one last time."