Chapter 6: Called on the Carpet

July 17, 1987, Chicago, Illinois

"How did it go today?" Jessica asked as we worked on dinner together.

"Kaitlin is gone. She was upset, but that was to be expected. Julia offered Kimmy the full-time receptionist job, and she accepted. She called the professor she works for, Robert something-or-other, and let him know she had a full-time job and would be quitting. She'll start in two weeks, and Barbara and Elyse will help cover phones in the morning. We interviewed a programmer to whom Dave is going to make an offer on Monday."

"It sounds as if everything went as well as could be expected. What about Alderman Bloom?"

"He wasn't happy, but he didn't put up much of an argument. But forget all that, did you have a nice rest today?"

"Yes! I relaxed, ran some errands, worked on some charts, and studied. I'm ready for a fun night! How about you take us to see Roxanne?"

"That's the Steve Martin flick that is the Cyrano story?"

"Yes," she said.

"Sure! Anything else?"

"Ice cream, and then a sauna when we get home. Oh, and you can make love with me, if you want," Jessica smirked.

"If I want? If I want? I've wanted to since the first time I laid eyes on you and it hasn't changed!"

"Me, too!" Kara said, coming into the kitchen. "Did he say yes?"

"Of course. He's well trained!" Jessica teased.

"Is my sister around?" I asked.

"Yes," Kara said. "She's pretty much been hanging out with a couple of friends from school because Jorge is still in Puerto Rico, though I think that Naval officer, Howard, took a real liking to her at the wedding. He's called a few times."

"My sister will NEVER be a Navy wife," I chuckled. "But she might keep his morale up for a while! Would you two finish preparing dinner so I can talk to her?"

"Sure!" Kara said.

"Thanks," I said, and went to find my sister.

She was in the backyard playing with Jesse, waiting for Jennifer and Josie to arrive home.

"Hey, Squirt!" I said.

"Hey!"

"Hi, Dada!" Jesse said, coming over to me.

"Hi, Jesse!" I said, picking him up.

"I have something for you to do," I said to my sister.

"Oh?"

"Julia is going to run an ad for a marketing intern. We're likely to get a ton of responses, and I'd like you to go through them and find the good ones."

"Cool. Did you fire Kaitlin today?" she asked.

"Julia and Cindi did, yes."

"You know, if you fire ALL the girls who want to sleep with you, you won't have any staff left!"

"Desire is one thing," I said. "Acting on it is an entirely different thing. Kaitlin simply wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. And they do not ALL want to sleep with me!"

"Oh, sure they do. But Julia and Cindi are married, so they won't ask, or even tell you. And Penny, well, we KNOW what Penny wants, even though she's getting some from Ned. The others? They're just afraid to ask."

"Good," I said. "Let's hope it stays that way! I heard that Howard Pointe called you a few times."

"Kara talks too much!" she laughed. "I'm going out for lunch with him on Sunday. He seems like a nice guy."

"And Jorge?" I asked.

"When he decides to tell his mom to drop dead, and comes back to Chicago, then I'll know where we stand."

"How are you doing otherwise? We don't really talk a lot."

"I'm fine. I hang out with a couple of girls from UofC that live in the city, play with Jesse, and do whatever you or Julia ask me to do for NIKA. Oh, I talked to Ed's parents today. It sounds like they might have some evidence that can help him."

"I heard about that!" I said, then after a moment, I asked, "Are you happy here?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. I guess we just don't talk enough. Since Jess got here, I have breakfast with her at 4:30am on the days she goes in, and we got out of our schedule. We need to find time for each other."

"I agree, Big Brother. I miss spending time with you. It's just your life is so busy now with work and kids."

"I know," I said. "Why don't you walk with Jesse and me at lunch? I usually take Charlie or Natasha, but honestly, I'd rather take you. Sometimes Elyse will come along with Matthew, but mostly it's been just me and Jesse with one of the girls."

"Why one of the girls?"

"To keep Carol from getting any crazy ideas. I mean, she had them, but she was basically looking for someone to latch on to emotionally when things were going down the tubes with her husband."

"That could go right to Hell pretty quickly," Stephanie agreed.

"Mama!" Jesse screeched as Josie walked into the backyard.

"I guess we're dismissed," I chuckled. "Let his mom have him and we'll go inside for dinner. It should be just about ready."

Josie scooped Jesse up in her arms and carried him into the coach house, and my sister and I went back into the main house.

"Tasha? What are you doing here?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen and spotted her sitting at the table.

"I thought you said that I could come by anytime. When I finished up at work, I decided to come over. Is it not OK?"

"It's fine," I said. "I was just surprised. Are you staying for dinner?"

"Yes, Kara invited me. And your wives invited me to go to the movies with you, if it's OK with you."

"Sure. I suppose we'll make it an outing. Squirt, we're going to see Roxanne. Want to come along?"

"Sure! What about Elyse, Charlie, and Sofia?" she asked.

"Elyse already mentioned going to bed early. Matthew has her tired out. Sofia's out with Stavros," Kara said. "And Charlie has a date with one of her guys."

I chuckled, "Which one? It's hard to keep track!"

Kara laughed, "You mean, like with you?"

We all laughed at that and got dinner on the table. After eating, we all pitched in to clean up, then walked to the L to head to Water Tower Place to see the movie. We bought popcorn, candy, and drinks, and found spots in our preferred location — the middle of a row about halfway back in the theatre. The movie was nothing short of fantastic. Humor, romance, great dialogue, and fantastic characterizations. It was certainly a movie I'd want to see again when it was out on videotape.

The Frusen Glädjé store had closed, but there was a Häagen-Dazs store not far from where it had been, so we went there. The quality was about the same, but neither was up to Graeter's or Oberweis in terms of flavor or texture. When we finished our ice cream, we walked to the L to head back to Hyde Park.

"Time for a sauna," Jessica said as we walked into the house.

"Uh, we'll need 'weekend' rules," I said, looking at Tasha.

"No," Tasha said softly. "It's OK."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea," I said.

"Steve Adams!" Kara said sharply. "Aren't you the one that insists that people decide for themselves what they are OK with?"

"Yes, of course," I protested. "But I'm always careful!"

"Too careful," Kara declared. "Let Tasha make her own decision."

I sighed and acquiesced.

"Maybe I shouldn't," Tasha said.

"Steve, go turn on the sauna. We'll be down in a minute," Kara said.

I sighed again, but did what she'd asked. I stripped down, but put a towel around me and went in and sat down to wait for the girls. Five minutes later, they came in, each carrying a towel but not wearing one. And that included Tasha.

"You're the only one covered up, Tiger," Jessica said.

"Yes, and it's going to stay that way," I said. "I decided for myself what's OK and what isn't."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that I'd made a big mistake. Tasha bolted from the sauna, and I heard her sobbing as she did so. Kara looked daggers at me and then went after her.

"Fuck," I sighed.

"Not smart, Big Brother," my sister said. "She worked up the courage to do something that you promote as good and normal, and then you act like it's the end of the world. I guess you're not too old to be a 'dumb boy'."

"Nice double standard, Tiger," Jessica added.

"She works for me and that makes it complicated," I said.

"And you aren't going to be naked in front of anyone who works for you? Ever? Does that include Elyse?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Penny's been in here with us since you two stopped being together," Jessica said. "And so have Julia, Cindi, Charlie, and Dave."

"Uh, Dave's a guy," I said.

"True, but you didn't have a problem with him being in here with your sister, or even Penny, when she turned eighteen! And you've been in the sauna naked with just about everyone you know. It's almost a rite of passage for your friends."

"OK! OK!" I said, exasperated. "You've made your point. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"Why?" Jessica asked. "Because she wants to have sex with you? If you sent away every girl who wanted that, you'd be alone in here with your sister, if the guys weren't around! If having your sister in here doesn't prove nudity and sex aren't the same thing, I don't know what would!"

In a fit of pique, I almost said that I WOULD be alone, but I stopped myself just in time. I'd almost done exactly what Bethany had warned would happen, and that would have been supremely dumb. She was right, of course.

"Fine," I sighed.

"You've basically run guys out of here who thought that it was OK to ogle us girls in the sauna," Stephanie said.

"I said 'fine'. You win. Point conceded. OK?"

"No, it's not OK, dumb boy," Stephanie said firmly. "You're only agreeing to shut us up. I know you well enough to know that."

"Remind me why I invited my sister to live with me?" I asked nobody in particular.

"Because you didn't marry Katt and someone has to call you a «jävla idiot» when you are one!"

I chuckled, "You still remember that phrase?"

"It's a good one!"

"What's that one mean?" Jessica asked.

"Fucking idiot," I grinned. "Katt used that when I'd finally frustrated her beyond the point she could tolerate."

"Let me guess," Jessica said. "She wanted to have sex, and you were playing your usual waiting game."

"You know me too well," I said. "Right the first time."

"And when Natalya comes back in, you're going to apologize and make her comfortable."

"Yes, Dear," I deadpanned.

Both Stephanie and Jessica leaned over and slugged me. I just laughed, because I'd deserved it. A minute later, Kara came into the sauna.

"Well done, Snuggle Bear," she said sarcastically, with a double clap of her hands. "All that work I did over the past year to get her comfortable being naked in the sauna and you had to go and wreck it in thirty seconds."

"I'm sorry. Did she go home?"

"No, she's in the guest room where I just spent ten minutes calming her down. You need to talk to her. And reassure her that there is nothing wrong with her."

"I never said that there was!" I protested.

"Sure you did," Kara countered. "You just don't realize it. You're in here naked with countless other girls, including your own sister, for Pete's sake! But you won't be naked with her. That positively SCREAMS that there is something wrong with her! You know how she feels about you, and you just told her not only do you not want her, but you can't stand to see her naked or let her see you naked. She's crushed."

"Fuck!" I said, totally pissed at myself.

"Only you can fix this now," Kara said. "You have to convince her that what I said isn't true."

"Oh no, you don't!" I said vehemently. "I am not going to let you use this as some kind of wedge to force me into having sex with her!"

"Seriously?! The man who says that nudity and sex are totally separate things? What is WRONG with you?!" Kara asked, totally exasperated.

"What's wrong is my dumb Big Brother wants to sleep with her but is afraid to," Stephanie said matter-of-factly.

"No way!" Jessica laughed. "Not Tiger!"

"Oh yes, 'Tiger'," my sister mocked. "He's afraid because she works for him, but more importantly, because Tasha is a virgin."

"That's exactly right," Kara said. "But I was hoping that your brother would admit that for himself."

"Well, at least go talk to her," Jessica said. "We can discuss the rest later."

I sighed and got up, making sure that my towel was properly tucked around me, and went out. The air-conditioned air gave me goosebumps, and I felt chilled. The door to the left-hand guest room was closed, so I knocked and heard a soft, "Come in," from Tasha.

I opened the door. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her towel wrapped tightly around her.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It's OK. I should never have gone in there naked."

"There was nothing wrong with that," I said.

"Then why did you object? Is there something wrong with me?" she said, starting to cry softly.

"No. There is nothing wrong with you. It's me that there's something wrong with."

"You? What's wrong with you?" she asked, getting control of her tears.

"Having a double standard and acting like a hypocrite. I shouldn't have behaved the way I did."

"So why did you?" she sniffed.

"It's complicated," I said. "Do you want to go back to the sauna?"

"Yes, but why is it complicated? It's just a sauna. You've said so yourself."

I could tell her that it was because she worked for me, but the other girls who worked for me had been in the sauna and Tasha knew it. But I couldn't tell her what my sister and Kara had said, which was the same thing that Elyse had said. I didn't have a good answer for her.

"It is just a sauna," I said.

"Are you uncomfortable being naked around me?"

"That's part of it," I said.

"You're afraid to be naked around me?"

I sighed, "I'm not sure that's the right word, but I suppose it will do."

"Why? Because I work for you?" she asked.

This was going to end up right where I didn't want it to, because she was going to keep asking questions.

"That's another part of it, yes. But can we just leave it at that for now?"

"If we go back to the sauna, will you treat me like the other girls?"

"Yes," I said. "I should have done that earlier."

"You know that was the first time I've ever been naked around a guy?" she asked.

"Yes," I chuckled. "But you ran out before I really got a good look at you!"

She laughed, then stood up. She looked me directly in the eyes, moved her hand to where the towel was tucked in, pulled it out, and let the towel fall to the floor. She was absolutely gorgeous, and given my desire, my body reacted in a way inappropriate for the situation. I tried to will it away to no avail, and it was obvious, despite the heavy towel. Well, obvious if Tasha dropped her eyes, which she didn't, because she was intently studying my face.

"Your turn," she said softly.

"Tasha, uhm..." I protested weakly.

She just looked intently at me, challenging me to be true to my own values. I didn't really have a choice, so I tugged at the towel and let it fall to the floor. Tasha lowered her eyes and looked at me.

"Is it always like that?" she asked.

I decided on a bit of levity.

"You would think, given all the pretty girls around here, but no, it's not always like that."

She smiled, catching the implication, and I relaxed and willed the erection to subside, which it started to.

"This isn't going to cause us any problems at work, is it?" she asked softly.