Chapter 10: Promises To Keep...

December 7, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"I'm here to see Mr. Marcello," I said.

"Who sent you?" the big Sicilian in the doorway of the Old Neighborhood Italian American Club.

"Little Tony in Cincinnati. I have a message for Mr. Marcello. Theo said to be here at 8:30am."

"Come inside and wait."

I stepped inside and waited for a few minutes until he came back, frisked me, and I was ushered into the fireplace room.

"Mr. Marcello," I said, nodding my head.

"Come sit down, Kid. Carlo, please bring some coffee."

Remembering everything that Don Joseph taught me, I waited until the coffee was served and 'Little Jimmy' took his first sip. He raised his cup, letting me know it was OK to speak.

"Anthony Cicilioni sent me. He has a stone in his shoe. It's some friends from south of the border and he needs a service. He's open to any accommodation you require."

"You wearing a wire, Kid?"

"No. You know who my «padrone» was. I wouldn't sully his name in that way, or put my family at risk. I know who my friends are, and they are NOT from the government."

"The FBI has visited you."

I nodded, "And they only asked questions about my Russian friends. I'm not going to drop a dime on them, either. The FBI can kiss my ass."

"No argument here. What kind of service does 'Little Tony' need?"

"Something Cincinnati doesn't really have. A bit of muscle. It's the same friends you have from south of the border."

"Fuckin' wetbacks. No respect. Can you negotiate on his behalf? A non-Italian?"

"He needs a go-between who isn't under suspicion. The agreement needs to avoid any federal entanglements. The Feds don't have anything on Cincinnati. Not like here."

"OK. It's going to cost him five points. Of everything."

"He'll accept that. I'm sure. Not dealing with this problem will cost him far more than that. And he doesn't have the organization to do it himself."

"I need you to deliver a message for me."

"Of course. What can I tell Anthony?"

"Not to him. To your Alderman friend. He doesn't know it yet, but the Feds are sniffing around. They have nothing on him at all, but he needs to be careful."

"I'll deliver the message."

"Thanks, Kid. Did you really have one of your associates put a gun to Little Tony's girl's head?"

"It was personal, not business," I said.

"Ballsy move, Kid. I could use someone like that who doesn't have any ties, if you know what I mean."

I nodded, "I was instructed to stay out of the muscle side of the business by my «padrone». If that had been business, I wouldn't have done it. But it was personal. Mr. Marcello, I can do anything you want with computers. I can deliver messages. I can collect or deliver envelopes or boxes. I can consult. But the muscle stuff? I would dishonor Don Joseph's memory by doing that. And honor is everything."

He chuckled, "You sure you don't have Sicilian blood in you?"

"I may be German-Irish, but I listen and learn. And I know the value of duty, honor, and keeping my word. I'm flattered you would trust me that way."

"OK, Kid. Theo will be in touch. If you change your mind, let him know. I'll find very lucrative work for you."

"Thank you," I said.

I stood and shook his hand, then left the club and headed back to Hyde Park. Kimmy greeted me but had a worried look on her face. I knew what that meant, so I went to Elyse's office and shut the door behind me.

"Why does Kimmy look upset?"

"I don't think she trusts what I said to her. She freaked out."

"No fucking shit she freaked out! Why don't we call her in?"

Elyse called Cassie and asked her to cover the reception desk, then called Kimmy to come to her office.

"Hi," I said when she came in. "You are not in any trouble. Elyse is just looking out for me. Do NOT worry about it. We're still on for Saturday."

"Are you sure?" she asked nervously.

"I'm sure," I said. "Elyse is simply looking out for me, just as she has for the past seven years. She's the only one who knows, and it's fine."

"I'm not going to be fired?"

"No!" I said emphatically. "And I'm sure Elyse didn't say that."

"No, but when she told me she knew about us, I figured she was just waiting to confirm with Julia about firing me."

"I told you I wasn't telling you to stop!" Elyse said. "I just told you that you need to be careful!"

"Kimmy, listen to me," I said gently. "Nothing bad is going to happen. As I said, I'll still see you on Saturday. And we can still have lunches. I promise nothing has changed. You know the problems I'm having? Elyse knows all of them and she's helping me. Just as you're helping me. I told her I planned to be with you for the long term, if you'll have me."

She smiled, "So we can still have lunch?"

"Not every day," Elyse said. "It'll be way too obvious. You can't arouse suspicion. Let Steve tell you when."

"Thanks," she said. "I should go back to the desk."

"Thanks, Kimmy," I said.

Elyse's blinds were closed, so I grabbed Kimmy's hand to stop her. I hugged her, and she smiled, then went back to the reception desk.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked.

"Yes. Girls get careless. Penny did."

"True."

"Learn that lesson, Steve. Your little High School girls will get careless, too. A fourteen-year-old has NO clue about life. Her hormones drove her to fuck, and your skills will bring her back, begging for more. And she'll take risks to get it. It'll be different for someone who grows up around us. Our kids, and I don't just mean Matthew and Michael," she patted her stomach, "but all the kids will know better. So will Kathy's kids, and Jackie's kids, and Penny's kids. I'm less sure about Dave and Julia, and Bethany and Nick, for obvious reasons."

"Point made, Elyse."

"Good. College girls might be just as careless, but you don't go to jail for fucking a nineteen-year-old until she's cross-eyed. Just be super careful with Jacqui for the next month. Fuck her silly, but don't take chances and make it a clean break. Maybe that'll get it out of your system."

"She's seventeen," I said.

"Fine, you don't go to jail, but it'll fuck up your life if her parents find out. And when they tell Jim."

"OK. OK. Quit busting my balls. I got it!"

"Was she good?" Elyse smirked.

"Which one?" I said with a grin.

"Any of them. All of them."

"That's hardly an appropriate question."

"Oh stop. Just answer my question."

"Come on, Elyse. I gave up talking about that stuff years ago. Why are you asking?"

"Because I want to know if you can actually keep your promise. I know you. Tight, young pussy calls to you like the sirens called to Odysseus."

I chuckled, "Guilty as charged. But I promised."

"OK. Get to work. You and Dave have to be at IIT after lunch."

"Thanks," I said.

The first thing I had to do was to call Cincinnati and let Anthony know that I'd made the deal. He wasn't thrilled with giving up five points, but he agreed that he'd lose far more than that if he didn't make the deal. He thanked me and said he'd be in touch. I hung up and waved for Jeri to come in.

I was actually able to concentrate. Jeri noticed and complimented me on it. We had lunch brought in and worked through it before Dave and I headed to IIT. The presentation was excellent and Mikela did a fantastic job. After class, Dave told me he agreed with my assessment.

"I should have known she was a cute, Slavic girl," Dave laughed. "You have a real weakness for them! Tanya, Lyudmila, Tasha. Did you notice the cross?"

"Cross?"

"She had on a gold necklace with a three-bar cross. I think she's Orthodox."

"Uhm, Dave, how did you know about me and Tasha?"

"I didn't until you just admitted it," he chuckled. "Or rather, didn't deny it."

"You bastard!" I chuckled. "That's just what you did with regards to Julia."

"It's over, right? Just like you and Penny?"

"Yes, Dave. She's dating Zeke, and that alone is enough. It's been over for some time. Have Penny and Terry talked to you?"

"Yes, this morning. You could have knocked me over with a feather!"

"Join the club," I said. "Not about living together. But the other thing? They asked me to come with them to tell Alice. Bart was cool, but Alice lost it. And our wonderful CFO gave me the third degree to be sure it WAS Terry's."

"You know, the thought did cross my mind briefly. But you gave me your word that it was over, and I believed you."

"Thanks," I said with a nod.

"Jeri told me that you were in a better mood today. I assume Elyse kicked your ass?"

"What the fuck, Dave?"

"You needed an intervention. Julia, Kara, Jennifer, and Penny joined me in asking her to talk to you."

"I was pretty fucked up."

"Yes, you were. And you had good reason. But it's been seven weeks. I'm not telling you not to be sad or mourn the relationship, but we have a business to run."

"I know," I said.

"We all love you, Steve. All of us. We're all sorry about Jessica. And we have no idea why she freaked out. If we could fix it, we would. We can't. So we have to fix you."

"Thanks, Dave. Seriously. I mean it."

"You're welcome."

That evening, after karate practice, I sent Kara and Stephanie home so I could talk to Jolene.

"What's up?" she asked.

"You don't have to worry about me and Hope. I won't be with her again."

"What changed?"

"Let's just say I had a revelation. She's fourteen. I'm not interested in going to jail for twenty years."

"I told you I wasn't going to call the cops."

"No, but is a fourteen-year-old-girl mature enough to keep it completely secret? To not do anything suspicious?"

"You thought she was mature enough to fuck her!"

"I did. And she IS mature enough to have sex. But with someone who's fifteen or sixteen! Not with someone who's twenty-five."

"It's a bit late to become all moral about it."

"I'm not apologizing, nor do I regret doing it. This has zero to do with morals. I simply can't have any kind of relationship with her beyond sex. Do you REALLY think she could handle just fucking? You know what she wanted from me. I was careless."

"The whole 'boyfriend' issue."

"Exactly. I promise to stay away from her. Period. No exceptions."

"Who's going to tell her?"

"You should. Explain it to her as her mom. I suspect you two have already had some long conversations about it as it is. Make me the bad guy if you have to."

"I'll talk to her. That just leaves one question."

"You and me? I told you what you had to think about. When you're SURE, then we can talk about it."

"And you'll go along with my decision? One way or the other?"

"I promise."

We hugged, and I headed home. After my shower, Kara and I cuddled in bed with Birgit between us.

"So, an intervention, huh?" I asked.

"We had to do something, Steve. It was affecting your work, karate, our relationship, everything. Dave and Julia talked to Elyse, and then she talked to Jennifer and me. We agreed that Elyse was the one who could set you straight."

"Thanks," I said. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK, Snuggle Bear. Just keep it together for me and your kids."

"I will, Honey. I promise."

December 8, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"Practice? Or something new?" Jacqui giggled as we got into her bed.

"You tell me," I said.

"Practice! And then I want you to, uhm, you know, fuck me, like you did the other day!"

"I think we can manage. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What?"

"You're going to go out with his boy in January, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Then I think we should finish your lessons by the end of December. You don't want to be fucking someone else when you start dating. That wouldn't be right."

She nodded, "Now that you mention it, I guess it wouldn't. I told you I just want to do this as much as we can before then. I have a question for you."

"Sure."

"How soon should I have sex with a guy?"

"When you feel comfortable with it, and when you both want the same thing. That's really what it comes down to."

"How do I know?" she asked. "I mean, when I think about you, I get so excited that I make my panties wet."

"Well, if you feel that way about a boy, and you think he cares enough for you to treat you right, then you should think about doing it with him. It's important to remember that YOU are in control of YOUR body. You only do what you want with who you want. Nobody has any claim to you or any right to have sex with you. And that includes me. Even if you ask me to teach you, you can still say 'no' to anything, and stop this at any time. YOU are in control."

"Is that why you never tried anything with me?"

"No. I never tried anything because it's not really appropriate because I'm your karate teacher. If Sensei Jim were to find out about this, I could be in real trouble."

"I wasn't sure you were interested. I thought you were, but I wasn't sure until I saw your face when you saw me in the bikini. Then I knew you wanted me, and I was really happy. I've wanted to have sex for ages, but nobody would do it with me before. Well, nobody I would let touch me."

"Will you promise me one thing?" I asked.

"Will you keep your promise?"

"To teach you everything? Yes. With the condition that you agree."

"Then sure. What promise?"

"That you will never, ever let anyone do anything to you that you don't want and that you will never ever think you owe somebody sex for any reason."

"I promise," she said.

"Then I think it's time for practice!" I said and kissed her softly.

"Goody! I love how it felt and tasted! I LOVED your tongue in me and the fuck that lasted forever!"

"Then let's not waste any time!" I chuckled.

December 10, 1988, Chicago, Illinois

"Are you free today?" Melody asked before karate class began.

"No. I didn't hear from you, so I made other plans."

"Damn! With finals and studying, everyone was so busy. And I'm going home a week from today. Damn!"

"I'll still be here in January. When you come back, we can figure it out. Finals are WAY more important."

"I know," she sighed.

"Talk to me in January."

"Count on it!" she smirked.

Sensei Jim assigned me to work with the lower belts as usual, and I took them into the small practice room. In addition to Will, Melody, Jacquelyn, and Angelique, there was a new ten-year-old guy named Martin. We spent most of the time practicing punches, kicks, and kata, though I took some time to show Martin how to put on his gi. I know that soon enough I'd be losing Will, Melody, and Jacquelyn because they were all close to testing for their orange belts. Some of the white belts had dropped out, which Sensei Jim said was fairly common. I wondered what he'd have me doing once most everyone advanced, but I was sure he had a plan. He always did.