Chapter 37: Compensation

March 6, 1987, Chicago, Illinois

"This is a big improvement," I said as the green flag dropped for the Goodwrench 500 at North Carolina Motor Speedway.

Bill had taken the pole, and when the flag dropped, led the field into turn one.

"His car seems fast," Kara said.

It was. Bill led the first 89 laps, most of them under green, though there had been a yellow flag for seven laps when Richard Petty had wrecked in Turn 1 on lap 19. From lap 90 to 143, the lead shifted a few times, mostly between Neil Bonnett and Buddy Baker, until Bill took command again for another 23 laps. He yielded the lead to Neil Bonnett, who proceeded to dominate most of the rest of the day, leading 146 laps. The only real strong challenge came from Sterling Marlin, who led 72 laps, but in the end Bonnett led the final 20 laps, beating Lake Speed, Sterling Marlin, Alan Kulwicki and Dale Earnhardt to the checkers.

Bill finished sixth, which was an improvement over the previous races, but by finishing five spots behind Bonnett, he was now 121 points out of the lead in sixth overall. With Bonnett, Earnhardt, Wallace, and Bobby Allison all ahead of him, he still had a serious challenge ahead of him if he was going to take the points lead. Granted, the season was only three races old, but 121 points with former champions in front of him didn't give me any confidence.

"He ran better today," Kara said.

"But not good enough," I said. "His car was fast in the beginning, but he fell off when the others improved. Bill needs to figure out a way to get into the top five regularly, or he's not going to have a chance at the Cup. That said, it was great to see Kulwicki finish fourth."

"Have you heard from Jason?"

"Just a quick call a week ago. He's doing OK. Emily is sending us six tickets for Michigan, so we have two additional ones besides Dave and Julia."

"What about taking Jesse?" she asked.

"He hasn't shown any interest in watching the races on TV," I said. "I tried to get him to watch with us today, but he preferred to hang out with Matthew, Kristin, and a couple of kids from his playgroup."

"No Francesca?" Kara smirked.

"Not today. She's visiting her grandma in Gary."

"Ugh! Who goes to Gary?"

"Not me, except to drive through it, and I even like to avoid that! Anyway, they have a date scheduled for next weekend."

"A date?" Kara giggled. "Really?"

"That's what Jen and I called it. Francesca is coming over for the afternoon on Saturday and she'll stay for dinner. Jen is going to set up a small table just for them and serve them their food."

"No way! Does Carol know?"

"I'm not telling her! She's way too uptight. Jesse and Francesca will love it!"

"One day, those two are going to get into some serious trouble!" Kara laughed.

"Like we did during your Junior year?"

"Yes! Shall we go find our wife? She said it was OK to disturb her once the race ended."

"Absolutely!" I said.

March 8, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"That was a thrashing," I said. "Bush wiped Dole off the map."

It was 'Super Tuesday', and we were watching election returns.

"So it's going to be Bush on the Republican side for sure," Elyse said. "The Democrats have a complete mess! Right now it looks like Dukakis will win six primaries, Gore five, Jesse Jackson five and Gephardt one."

"Didn't the Democrats attempt to set this up so that they wouldn't have this kind of situation?" Jessica asked.

"Yes. Their goal was to make 'Super Tuesday' definitive and prevent a contentious campaign. I'd say that failed miserably for them, and put Bush in a perfect spot."

"Who do you think will win on the Democratic side?"

"I'd guess it's going to be Governor Dukakis. I don't think Jesse Jackson can beat him."

"So, which of those two are you voting for?" Jessica asked.

"Neither. I can't stand Bush. I didn't like him in 1980 when he ran against Reagan. And Dukakis is way too liberal for me. I'll most likely vote for Ron Paul, the Libertarian candidate."

"Isn't that throwing your vote away?" Elyse asked.

"No, it's voting for the candidate I prefer," I said. "If Bush is leading Dukakis by 10 points in the polls on election day, which wouldn't surprise me, how is voting for Paul any different from voting for Dukakis? I know that's a bad analogy, but it's a legitimate question."

"What about a close election?" Elyse asked.

"Then I deny my vote to BOTH candidates, neither of whom I like. Voting for the lesser of two evils is really a bad idea, because, no matter what, you're voting for evil."

"Who was your choice amongst the Republicans?" Kara asked.

"Jack Kemp," I said. "He was certainly the best of a mediocre lot."

"And if you had voted in the Democratic primary?"

"Lyndon LaRouche!" I laughed.

"Who?!" Elyse and Jessica said simultaneously.

"A whack-job 'economist'. I ran into some of his supporters in Sweden. The 'European Workers Party'. He's really nuts. He runs these crazy thirty-minute commercials on late-night television. And I'm joking, of course. If I was forced to pick, I'd probably have voted for Dick Gephardt. But again, the best of a bad lot. Actually, the guy I would have chosen on the Democratic side didn't run."

"Who was that?" Jessica asked.

"Governor Clinton from Arkansas," I said. "He's done a good job from everything I've read. He's pretty young, though, so I suspect he's waiting for '92, or more likely, '96. Senator Gore ran this year at age 40, and I honestly think he was just getting his name out there for '92."

"How do you keep up with all this stuff?" Sofia asked.

"I read The Economist every week and Chicago Tribune every day. And I do pay attention to CNN, but only for one 30-minute cycle, unlike the news junkie on the loveseat!"

I was referring to Elyse, who could watch CNN for hours at a time, even when the stories repeated every thirty minutes, though she was usually doing something else at the same time.

"So Bush versus Dukakis and you think Bush will win?" Sofia asked.

"In a landslide," I said. "The only big states that Dukakis will win are New York and Massachusetts. Bush is going to take the rest. The polls will probably fluctuate for a time, but by October, Bush will be eight to ten points ahead."

"We need to get to bed, Tiger. I have to be up in just under six hours."

"You didn't have to stay up, Babe," I said.

"It's OK. Last night I got some sleep, so I'll be OK."

We headed up to bed and Jessica was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

March 13, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"Happy 21st birthday, Squirt!" I said at breakfast early on Sunday morning.

"Finally!" she laughed. "Not that it changes anything other than being able to drink with the girls when we go out. You've been OK with me drinking since I moved in!"

"Are you and Jorge going out?" Jessica asked.

"We went out Friday night because I have an 8:00am class tomorrow and he has to be at work," Stephanie replied. "I skipped karate yesterday because we didn't get in until 2:00am, and I wanted to get some sleep before our girls' night last night. He's having a small dinner party here for me tonight."

"I'm taking Stephanie to lunch because you'll be napping," I interjected. "She's up early so we can spend some more time together."

"What are you doing, Kara?" Jessica asked.

"Studying. I have midterms coming up, and some homework to finish."

We finished breakfast, and I walked Jessica up to our bedroom, kissed her, and then went back downstairs to spend time with my sister.

"What's your pleasure?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.

She leaned close, "Your big dick in my tight pussy! But I can't have that!"

I groaned, "Those memories are the best and worst!"

"Think you can handle a sauna with me?" she asked, licking her lips provocatively.

"Is that any way to act around your brother?" I asked.

"Yes!" she laughed. "Come on. You can take a cold shower first if you need to!"

We went to the basement and ten minutes later were sitting close together in a steamy sauna. We weren't quite touching, because we didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea, or have someone see us and say something to Jessica.

"How are things with Jorge?" I asked.

"Good. He's really starting to come around. I'm sure you've noticed him coming out of his shell a bit more."

"I have. He's much more open with the guys, though he seems better in small groups than big ones. I really like him. He has a very different perspective than most of us. He's keeping you happy?"

"He is. And I'm not just talking about sex. That's good. But he makes me laugh. He has a quirky sense of humor and a very odd take on things we think are normal. Growing up in Puerto Rico seems to have been very different from growing up in Ohio. It's cool, though, and I like his outlook. Well, once he got past the whole brooding, morose, 'nobody likes me and I don't fit in' thing."

"You're sounding like there might be something there. Something serious."

"Who knows?" she sighed. "I'm not even close to being ready for that. Not to mention the fact that I met the perfect guy a long time ago, but the world won't let me have him."

She put her hand on my arm and squeezed gently.

"I know," I sighed. "Things with you were so special. I mean, they still are, but you know what I mean."

"That was a very different part of our life," Stephanie agreed. "And as much as it pains me to say it, we did what we had to do and ended it. I guess you've decided to keep it secret from Jessica."

"Yes. I don't see any possible good that could come out of telling her, and honestly, how is she going to find out? Kara's advice was right; Bethany's was wrong. I understand Bethany's reasoning, but I don't agree with it."

"The only person I would worry about is Ed, but he's in Ohio and I can't imagine him saying anything, especially after you did your best to help him get out of trouble."

"True. Do you still have that towel?" I asked.

"Of course! I'll keep it until I die. But nobody is ever going to see it except me. Or you, if you want to."

"Keep it locked safely away," I said. "Like I do my journals."

"You can never, ever let Jessica read those!"

"No kidding! The question is, what do I do with them when I die? Can you imagine Jesse reading them? Or one of my other kids?"

"There's so much history there, Big Brother. You don't want that to all disappear."

"I suppose not, but some of the revelations there could really devastate my family after I'm gone. Maybe I'll write a book and excise the sex between you and me. We'd just be extra close. But that means I can't reveal how I really got out from under Mom's control."

"It's strange having Dad here most of the time. Him living in your house instead of the other way around."

"It's half his, Squirt!" I chuckled. "You know the financial arrangement."

"Yes, but you also know he doesn't see it that way. I'm just glad he didn't bring the old hag with him."

"She has been behaving. Jessica really put her in her place."

"Like Kara did with me?" she asked, a note of sadness in her voice.

"It had to be. You said that yourself. You did so much for me, but then it became Kara's and Jessica's responsibility, much like Stephie became Red's. And Penny will become someone else's eventually."

"Never!" Stephanie said vehemently. "She'll never, ever allow it. Whoever she eventually marries is going to have to accept that you're the primary man in her life. Penny won't take a single step without your approval."

I knew that wasn't true, given the fact that she kept a certain thing from me, and rightly so. Stephanie had a point, but it wasn't quite as extreme as she was saying.

"We do have a special relationship, but when she and Ned broke up, I had her talk to Jackie. So it's not quite as extreme as you say it is."

"Oh, she might not tell you everything, but you'll have to approve of the guy she marries. Heck, she'll make him come and ask YOUR permission, not Bart's or her dad's. At this point, you're a mix of dad, big-brother, friend, and lover. Well, minus the sex, though those kisses on the cheek are about as intimate as anything you could do short of screwing."

I nodded, "True. Penny is super-special. But the age gap was just too much, really. And honestly, she wasn't what I needed in a wife. Not to mention that she wouldn't have accepted anything other than strict monogamy."

"Most of your former lovers are like that. Even Jennifer."

"And you?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'm not sure I can commit to only sleeping with one man for the rest of my life, but most guys aren't willing to share. Heck, your wives let you play around, but they don't play around themselves!"

"Not because I made them promise not to," I said. "You know Kara's view on that — one man for life. The thing with Jessica is different, somehow. But Kara was absolutely sure that the first penis in her vagina would be the only one. Ever. Jessica didn't think that way; she just never found anyone she felt was worthy. And now she doesn't feel the need to look for another one. Heck, she barely has time for me."

"Which is why she agreed to your unique lifestyle!" my sister laughed. "She can only be a part-time wife for years, so she lets you have a full-time wife and other lovers."

"Well, the reins are kind of tight at the moment," I sighed.

"What did you do?!"

"I broke a promise about using rubbers. Jessica was cross — and rightly so — so I'm severely limited in who I can be with. Elyse, of course, and Leila in a limited way. But that's it, at least for now."

"You know, you might be a successful business owner, a summa cum laude graduate, and a 2nd Dan black belt, but you can still be a dumb boy!"

"Tell me about it!" I sighed. "I had my reasons, and Jessica understood them. But I broke my word, and she had to do something. And I have to accept it."

"Poor baby. You're fucking a cute doctor, a girl who could be a supermodel, a stacked Turkish chick, and your long-term fuck buddy Elyse, who is also pretty darn cute! The reins are EVER so tight!"

I laughed, "Yeah, it's not like I could reasonably complain!"

"No, but you're a boy, and if boys can come up with something dumb to do, they'll do it!"

"I'm not even going to argue that point! I know you have a list of dumb things I've done as long as your arm!"

"Longer!" she giggled.

"I love you, Squirt. I guess it's time for our showers."

"Together?" she asked hopefully.

"I wish, but no. That's just too intimate for Jessica to handle."

Stephanie nodded, and I went to the basement shower while she went up to her room. After we dressed, we spent some time together in my study, and then went to the 95th restaurant for lunch. After lunch, we went back home. Stephanie went to hang out with Jorge, and I spent the afternoon with Jessica and Kara. They were both studying, so I read a book.

The party that evening was a relatively quiet affair. Just our housemates, Jennifer, Josie, Jesse, and three of Stephanie's friends from UofC. Jorge had prepared a wonderful meal and had even baked a cake. All in all, it was a nice 21st birthday for my sister.

March 14, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"They finally gave in," Jamie said when he called late Monday morning.

"Dallas?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm sure you won't be surprised that they said that they couldn't be a customer. They offered half of what we'd asked for a penalty, promised to remove all of our software, and said that they were going to license Boston Legal's software."

"I suppose that's probably the best we could hope for. Accept the offer of settlement. I didn't want them as a customer after all of this."

"I'll take care of it. That closes the books, then. You've converted nine of twelve to customers. The other three all paid a settlement fee and removed the software. I have some new contract language for you to add. For existing customers, it'll be an addendum to the maintenance contract."

"Give me the short version," I said.

"It requires them to cooperate in any investigation of licensing issues and allows us to audit their licenses. I also want to add a clause that makes them liable for the cost of licenses if we find their licensed copy at another firm."

"Which is, effectively, what Volstead and Braun did with their payment to us."

"Exactly. I'll draw up the language and have a revised licensing agreement and a revised support agreement to your dad next week."

"Julia will be back next Monday," I said. "My dad is staying through the end of next week to ensure a smooth transition."

"We saw Peter yesterday. He's a beast!"

"No kidding. He takes after Dave's dad, who's built like a linebacker. What about you and Jackie?"

"Another year or two, most likely. If I make partner this Summer, then we'll start trying. It's more or less the situation Cindi and Chris are in. If he becomes a junior partner in his architectural firm, then Cindi will feel better about taking time off. Remember, more than half of her income comes from commissions, so really, she's only receiving a quarter of her salary when she takes maternity leave."

"I hadn't thought about that," I said. "And eight weeks without building her pipeline would really hurt her income going forward, too. I don't know what we can do about that."

"Nothing, really. Your offer is generous. It's just that your two salespeople are the highest paid in the company if you include commissions. If you don't, they're among the lowest paid. Only your receptionist and interns make less. Well, excluding Penny and Tasha, who only work part time."

"When the time comes to set up an employee stock ownership program and make stock grants, everyone is going to participate, including Kimmy."

"We'll worry about that a few years from now. Bruce Grady and I will have to work that up together. It'll need both a CPA and a business attorney to get it all set up."

"So you can get together and both charge me by the hour?!" I laughed.

"You're starting to sound like your buddy Dante Puccini!" Jamie teased.

"Fuck you, Jamie!" I laughed.

We both laughed for a bit, then said 'goodbye' and hung up. I went to tell my dad about the resolution of the 'Dallas problem' as we'd taken to calling it, then decide to head home for lunch. It was raining lightly, and that put the kibosh on our usual lunchtime walk, much to Jesse's annoyance.

"I WANT TO SEE FRANCESCA!" Jesse demanded.