Chapter 12: Out of Proportion

August 20, 1987, Chicago, Illinois

"I still don't think you should make a big deal out of it," Kara said as we walked to the hospital to have breakfast with Jessica.

"As I said, it's not about missing dinner, it's about not calling me at the office," I replied firmly.

"I still say she just didn't want to bother you. Don't be too hard on her. It'll just cause more problems."

I sighed, "Communication is the key to any successful relationship. And that means talking, not leaving messages with whomever happens to answer the phone at home, or worse, on the answering machine."

"Don't let your annoyance with the Kaitlin situation cause trouble with Jessica. That would be really foolish. And so would making a scene at the hospital."

"Fine," I sighed. "You win."

"Steve Adams! Jessica could still be in Indianapolis doing her Residency there! How much would you have liked THAT?"

"I said 'you win'," I said, certain that I sounded as annoyed as I actually was. "What do you want from me?"

"Right now? Probably to turn around and go home before we turn the next corner. And to skip breakfast. You're in such a mood right now that you'd blow apart our relationship with Jessica because she hurt your feelings. Feelings that never should have been hurt by the fact that she was busy!"

"And didn't talk to me," I said angrily.

It took me a second to realize that Kara had stopped walking.

"Go by yourself," she said firmly. "If you're bound and determined to wreck things over something this trivial, do it by yourself. Then you can run to Bethany or Kathy to cry about it, because I sure as heck am not going to listen! But you know what? They might not either! I thought you were past all this drama. I guess I was mistaken."

I took a deep breath and blew it out. Kara had a point, and I was acting like what my sister would have called a 'dumb boy'. I was letting my frustration with Kaitlin affect other areas in my life and doing exactly what I'd said I didn't want to have happen — have her controlling me.

"I'm sorry," I said. "You're right. I AM letting Kaitlin affect everything else."

"I know. And do you know why?" Kara asked, walking up to me and taking my hands.

"Because, in effect, she's making me dance to her tune," I said.

"That's part of it, yes. A big part. But you also think she's made it impossible to have the one dalliance you REALLY want. Tasha."

"You're back on that again?" I sighed with exasperation.

"No matter which way you decide, admitting the truth to yourself is the first step to actually deciding what to do and dealing with the ramifications either way. If you keep it bottled up, you'll drive yourself to distraction and allow stupid little bitches like Kaitlin control your life."

I smiled, "I'm lucky to have you in my life, Kara. Please keep helping me, even when I'm an idiot."

"It's when you're an idiot that you need my help. Otherwise, you do a pretty good job."

"I'm also happy that you're going to have a baby nine months from now!"

"You think so?" she asked, with a beaming smile.

"With my track record? I'd say so! Let's go see our wife!"

I slipped my arm around Kara's waist, and we turned the last corner, and walked up the drive to the ER. I saw Jessica standing at the desk talking to another doctor, so we stopped and waited just inside the door. Jessica finished her talk and walked over to us. She hugged and kissed Kara first, then hugged and kissed me.

"Sorry about last night," she said apologetically. "We were short a doctor."

"I got the message you left with my sister," I said. "It's OK."

"I didn't want to bother you at work, because I know how busy you are and that you're trying to get a new release out."

I saw Kara smirk, though Jessica couldn't see that.

"Babe, you wouldn't have bothered me," I said. "But let's go have breakfast!"

Jessica signed out, and we walked two blocks to a bakery and got bagels and coffee.

"Jess, how was your night?" Kara asked.

"Long. I didn't get a lot of sleep because we were missing a doctor, as I said. A couple of catnaps here and there. But I got some interesting news. On September 1st I get my very own medical student. A Third Year who is doing an ER Clerkship."

"Let the hazing begin!" I chuckled.

"It's not hazing! They'll take histories, take samples to the labs, all the scut work that I did as a Clerk. You have to start somewhere! Would you want them doing your angioplasty?"

"I don't plan on having one anytime soon, and no, I wouldn't even let them suture a cut on my finger!"

She laughed, "You have no choice in the matter, you know."

"Sure I do. I'll look at the length of their white lab coat and demand a doctor, not a medical student!"

"You are going to make a LOUSY patient, Tiger. Please stay healthy!"

I chuckled, "From you, that's a high compliment! Any interesting cases last night?"

"Well, there was the guy who claimed that he was cooking naked, tripped, fell, and accidentally sat on a cooking spoon!" she laughed.

"No way!" I said, laughing hard. "Accidentally? Seriously?"

"What? You would go to the hospital and tell them that you purposefully jammed a cooking spoon into your rectum?"

"No. But I wouldn't jam a cooking spoon into my rectum in the first place!"

"We've had to remove vibrators, too. Those they usually admit to doing."

"Uh, yeah, I suppose they would!"

"The funniest one I've heard about was the teenage couple that came in because their condom had slipped off and they couldn't retrieve it."

"You mean in her vagina?" Kara asked.

"Yep. The ER staff all had a good laugh at that one, but only after the kids left, so the story goes."

"I'd like to meet her!" I smirked. "A pussy THAT tight would be fantastic."

Both wives slugged me on opposite shoulders.

"Oww!" I said, still smirking.

"Jerk!" Kara said with a laugh. "You've NEVER complained. Ever."

"No, I haven't," I said, rubbing my shoulders theatrically. "And I have no room to complain."

"That's right, Tiger. You do NOT!" Jessica said. "Before I forget, I want to see Dirty Dancing tomorrow night!"

"You and your love stories!" I chuckled. "Sure."

"I could have suggested Fatal Attraction!" she said with a small laugh. "But I didn't think you would appreciate it. On the other hand, there's one coming out next month that we have to see. We've seen the trailer, and I read the book years ago. It's called The Princess Bride. I think you'll love it!"

"Don't forget the new Star Trek TV series starts next month, too," I said.

"But no Captain Kirk? No Spock? I'm not sure how that's Star Trek," Jessica objected.

"Let's wait and see," I said. "I'm hopeful."

We finished our breakfast and walked back to the hospital. As we arrived, two ambulances were pulling into the ambulance bay.

"I have to go!" Jessica said. She gave us each a quick kiss and then ran into the ER.

Kara took my hand, and we turned to walk to the office.

"You handled that well," she said.

"Only because you helped me."

"You do have to decide what you want to do about Tasha. Make a decision and stick to it. Don't dilly-dally. That always causes you problems. When you're decisive, you're successful. When you dither, you make a mess of things. Look at your business. You don't worry yourself to death; you simply make decisions and move on. And remember what Elyse keeps telling you about balance."

"I know. Stephie more or less said the same thing. She told me not to become a cranky old man, though not quite in those words."

"I think all the girls who know you best think you need to be true to yourself," she said. "Now, what are you going to do at work?"

"Apologize to Julia and tell Jamie to go ahead with the agreement with Kaitlin. And then lock myself in my office because I have a ton of work to do by tomorrow at 5:00pm. I'm going to have someone bring me a sandwich instead of coming home for lunch."

"I'd say work late, but Jess is home tonight."

We got to the office and Kara kissed me and wished me a good day. I went inside, started the coffee, and sat down at my desk. I reviewed what I needed to do, went and filled my coffee cup, then came back to my office, shut and locked the door, and started coding. About 9:00am, I got up, unlocked the door, and went to Julia's office.

"I'm sorry," I said. "It won't happen again."

"Good," Julia said. "That kind of behavior isn't acceptable. Are we agreeing to the terms?"

"Yes. Let's call Jamie. I still don't like it, but I suppose there isn't a good alternative."

"Who talked sense into you?" Julia smiled.

"My sister and Kara."

"Hmm. Not Elyse? Interesting."

"Stephanie got to me first," I grinned. "She was home when I got there."

Julia dialed Jamie's number and his secretary put the call through.

"Make the deal," I said after we greeted each other. "I don't like it, but it makes financial sense."

"OK. I'll get the final paperwork drawn up and send it over for you to sign. Julia told you about the policy on references?"

"She did, and I don't like it one bit. If someone has done a good job, I want to be able to say it."

"You'll be able to. It's only official reference checks. Maybe Julia misunderstood me. Your policy is from a Personnel or Human Resources perspective — you will only confirm the dates that someone worked there, their title, and job duties, but not say anything about why they left. In other words, if someone puts down on their resume that they worked for NIKA, and a company calls to verify their employment, all you'll be doing is verifying factual information. If an individual puts you down as a personal reference, then you can say whatever you like. Nobody who was fired is going to list you as a personal reference!"

"That's WAY different from what I thought," I said.

"Let me guess, you got yourself all tied up in knots over a misunderstanding!" Jamie laughed. "Jackie warned me about that!"

"Steve, I'm sorry," Julia said. "I misunderstood!"

I laughed, "Don't worry about it. I was overdue for my annual beating by my sister or one of the other girls, anyway!"

"I'll have the documents couriered to your office as soon as they're ready," Jamie said. "Just sign the agreement and send it back with a check made out to my firm. I'll get the paperwork over to her attorney to have her sign, then we'll pay them out of our segregated account, which is where I'll have your check deposited."

"Why do it that way?" I asked.

"It helps prevent problems. I don't think you would stop payment on the check, but it has happened. You can change your mind right up until she signs and returns the document, but not after. Someone might get the crazy idea to stop the check, or close their account, or whatever, if they had second thoughts. If you notice, we deliver the check ten days after the agreement is executed. That's why."

"Got it," I said. "Thanks, Jamie."

We hung up the phone, and I got up to leave.

"I really am sorry," Julia said.

"Forget it. I overreacted. And you were right to call me on it. I do need to get back to work. I'm up against a tight deadline."

"OK," she said. "Did you want me to bring you lunch?"

"Yes, thanks. Just a sandwich from the deli and a small bag of chips," I said.

I handed her $5.00 and then went back to my office and shut the door and got to work, only taking a break when Julia brought me my Italian sub sandwich and a bag of Doritos. I ate while I worked and made good progress, with the next interruption being Penny knocking on the door.

"Sorry," I said. "I was trying to avoid being disturbed."

"You ARE disturbed!" she teased.

"Stow it!" I said sternly, but then smiled. "Dave left a list of priority bugs for you to work on."

"If you would quit creating them, I'd be done already!"

"I have half a mind to turn you over my knee!"

"Oh, would you?" she asked breathlessly. "Please?"

"No!" I laughed, turning back to my computer.

"You are just NO fun!" she teased, then leaned over and kissed my cheek.

By 5:00pm I felt I was in good enough shape that I'd finish everything Friday morning, assuming that I got to the office by 6:00am. As I was shutting down my computer, Tasha came to the door of the office.

"Is it OK if I come by later to discuss Professor Bannerman's class?" she asked.

"Sure. What time?"

"I'm working until 7:00pm, so about 8:00pm. I want to stop for some food."

"OK. See you then," I said, and she went back to her workstation.

"Are you working on Saturday?" I asked Penny.

"Yes. Tasha and I are keeping the same schedule — Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. It kind of sucks because all I can do is bug fixing or really small modules."

"Time will fly," I said. "I can't believe how fast the four years went!"

She kissed me on the cheek and I went to the lobby to wait for Jessica, who arrived a few minutes later, so we could walk home together. She slipped her hand into mine and squeezed it.

"Tired, Babe?" I asked.

"You can't imagine," she sighed. "I want dinner, a sauna, and then bed. You and Kara can stay up, but I'm going to bed early!"

"OK. I suppose we'll find someplace else to work on the baby!" I chuckled.

"Just hang up your privacy sign and screw in the sauna!"

"Been there, done that. The other night, in fact!"

"Figures! One of these days I'll have the energy to have some fun. Maybe Sunday afternoon."

"Besides, Tasha is coming over tonight to talk about one of her computer science classes that Dave and I helped design."

"You designed a class?"

"A software development course that teaches how to do everything from determining needs, all the way through delivering the product."

"Wow. How did you get to do that?"

I explained the background and how the class came about, and when we arrived home, I put my things down and got started on making dinner. Jessica went upstairs to change out of her scrubs and take a quick shower. Kara and Charlie came into the kitchen to help prepare dinner and get it on the table. We ate, Leila and Alejandra cleaned up, and Kara, Jessica, and I went to the sauna.