Chapter 53: The Gang of Four and a New Arrival

June 17, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

"Steve, the caterers are here," Kara called from the foyer.

"Let them in. We're on a very tight schedule!"

"Steve, the florist is finished with the trellis," Jennifer called from the back door.

I sighed and said to nobody in particular, "You know, I liked it when Elyse handled all this stuff."

I went to the backyard to check the trellis under which the 'Gang of Four' would stand for their vows. It looked fine, as did the flower arrangements around it. Bunting had been hung on the fence earlier that morning, and the rented folding chairs had been delivered and set up.

Penny and Tasha were next door with Alice and Tasha's mom, while Bart, Paul Zhukov, and Terry and Zeke's parents were in the great room. Zeke and Terry were in my study. Once again, the sunroom was being used for a meal, though this one was going to be buffet-style, so the caterers were setting up chafing dishes and tables. I checked on them and was talking to the catering manager when Abbie called out that the photographer was here.

"Send him next door," I said. "And let Zeke and Terry know. Alice has everything set up for photography in their great room."

She went off to do that, and I checked off another item on my checklist. Stephanie had left earlier with Jorge and my parents to go to her graduation ceremony at UofC, so I didn't have help from either of them. Jorge was always a big help, and I knew Elyse relied on him for just about every task that required strength or height. I'd roped Kurt and Andrei into helping with that kind of thing, so at least I didn't have to move furniture.

Time flew and at 10:30am, I handed the clipboard to Kara so I could take a quick shower and put on my suit. I was back downstairs fifteen minutes later and thought everything was in place. I didn't like the looks of the sky, which had gone from scattered clouds to mostly cloudy, but there was no rain in the forecast, and the temperature was a wonderful 70°F. The only problem was that it was a bit windy, but the way the houses and fences were situated, the backyard was relatively well sheltered from the wind blowing in from due west.

"Steve, we need an extension cord for the electric piano," Katy said.

"In the storage shed over there," I pointed. "There are fifteen- and thirty-foot outdoor cords."

It was always something. Less than five minutes before we were supposed to start, and I was still trying to get it all together. The minister had arrived while I was in the shower and was walking with the 'Gang of Four' who had just come over from the Nichols' house with the photographer and the girls' moms.

"Are we ready?" Alice asked.

"I think so. The minister is here. The food is here. The guests are all sitting in the backyard. And the brides and grooms are here."

"Then I suppose we can start any time!"

The parents moved out to the backyard, and took their seats, as the 'Gang of Four' had decided to do this relatively informally, including not having the girls' dads give them away. Just as I was about to go to the backyard, the doorbell rang. I hurried to answer it.

"Father, Bless!" I said, holding out my upturned hands to a cassock-clad Father Basil.

"Bless you, Stephen," he said, making the sign of the cross over my upturned hands.

I kissed the back of his hand and ushered him into the house and towards the backyard.

"We're just about the start. I'm pleased you came, but a bit surprised."

"I came for the Zhukovs, as well as to have a chance to meet the rest of your family."

"Just remember, Jesse's moms don't have much use for religion."

"I didn't just fall off a turnip truck, Stephen," he laughed.

"No, you didn't!"

We went to the back yard, and I took my place by Jessica and Kara just as the electric piano began to play the wedding march. Tasha and Penny walked side by side in white formal gowns towards Zeke and Terry, who were dressed in matching tuxedos. Both brides looked ravishing, and both grooms handsome. I was pleased that the girls had decided on what amounted to white prom dresses, rather than going for formal wedding gowns, because it meant they'd be far more comfortable. There were no attendants, not even best men.

"Welcome!" Bob Hanson, the Lutheran minister said.

The wedding ceremony was, as traditional weddings go, brief and to the point, because there was no associated liturgical service surrounding it. Surprisingly, the couples had decided to use the traditional vows, verbatim, which I wouldn't have expected. I wondered if that was a sop to Tasha's conservative parents, though I knew that the Orthodox marriage rite didn't include traditional vows like Western rites.

When the ceremony finished, we ushered everyone inside to have drinks while the photographer completed his work with the couples and the families. I stayed outside to make sure everything was OK, then went in to check on the caterers. They were ready for us whenever the photographer finished. I went to the great room where I saw Father Basil holding Jesse and talking to Jennifer and Josie. I thought about going over to join them, but decided against it, instead walking over to where Dave and Julia were standing.

"Where's Peter?" I asked.

"With the rest of the kids in the basement," Dave said. "Kurt and Kathy are riding herd on them at the moment. Jesse didn't want to go when he saw Father Basil was here."

"I'd love to be a fly on the wall in that conversation, but I think it's best if I stay away."

"Probably a good idea," Julia said. "Where's Elyse?"

"I think she went up to lie down. She's been totally beat these last few days. If that baby doesn't come soon, she's going to collapse from exhaustion."

"What was her actual due date?"

"Yesterday, I think," I said. "But you know that's just a guess. How are you doing?"

"Fine. The baby isn't due until the end of December, and I haven't had any morning sickness. Not like Bethany. Jessica is due in three weeks?"

"Yes. And our blushing bride is due in about a month."

We spoke for a few minutes before I went to check on the progress with the photographer. He was still in the midst of taking pictures, so I went back inside to ensure our guests had drinks and then went to check on the kids. I was still in the basement when Kara called down to say that the photographer had finished and it was time to eat. I helped Kathy and Kurt bring the kids upstairs, then got everyone organized to get their meals and find their assigned seats.

"May I have your attention, please," Terry's brother Bob called out, tapping his spoon on his glass.

"I'd like to offer a toast to my brother, his new wife, and their coming attraction! A long, healthy, and happy marriage, and long healthy happy lives! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone called out.

"I'd like to offer a toast to Zeke and Tasha," Zeke's uncle Leo said. "A happy marriage, long lives, and lots of kids to make my sister, Zeke's mom, happy! «На здоровье»! Cheers!"

Everyone laughed, then exclaimed, "Cheers!"

Dave was next in a line of a dozen toasts, of which I was last.

"Penny and Tasha," I said when it was my turn. "You are both very special young women. I'm very happy that the two of you found two fine young men to marry. It is my great privilege to have all four of you working for me! «Skål»! «На здоровье»! «Cent'Anni»! And Many Years!"

The Orthodox in the room, plus my wives and Jesse responded 'Many Years!' with Jesse yelling at the top of his lungs to be heard above everyone. Paul Zhukov and Father Basil both laughed and reached across the table to ruffle his hair. He grinned in a self-satisfied manner and went back to eating.

I was interrupted while I was eating because the cake was delivered. I supervised placing it on the dining room table, signed for it, then hurried back to the sunroom to finish eating. Penny and Tasha had decided to cut the cake immediately following dinner, and then go upstairs for their first dance. I checked my watch and saw that we were more or less on time, so there was no rush.

When everyone had finished eating, and had been served coffee or tea, we adjourned to the great room, where we could watch the couples cut the cake. Once they had done that, Kara, Katy, and Abbie served everyone. I stood by Henry, who had come as Abbie's date, to eat my cake.

"Trish said to say 'hello'," he said. "I believe you impressed her!"

"Trish or Patricia?" I asked with a smirk.

He laughed, "She's funny that way. Most people who would do what she does I would call phony, but she's not. She's up front about everything. Most of the people at the club don't know about her other life, and nobody in her other life knows about her club life. Abbie's more like me in that this IS our life. It's who we are, and we basically don't let anyone see us without our makeup and clothes except for our absolute closest friends."

I nodded, "I got that picture from Abbie."

"She said she was in your sauna with you, without the makeup. That shows you how much she trusts you."

"She's a wonderful young woman and I'm very glad I met her. She's challenged me in quite a few ways."

"Did she tell you she was offered a job yesterday?"

"No, but I haven't been available because I've been playing wedding planner for the last week! I'm guessing she's staying?"

"For a while. I think she might end up in New York eventually, but right now, she wants to be here."

"You and Trish are welcome here any time. I mean that. Don't worry about an invitation or anything. Just show up."

"Thanks," he said.

I excused myself and went to talk to Father Basil, who I saw was getting ready to leave.

"Leaving, Father?" I asked.

"Yes. I need to get to Carol Stream for Vespers. I had a very nice chat with Jennifer and Josie, and it was nice to meet Elyse, though we could only talk briefly. Your children are all quite wonderful. I hope we'll see you at church soon."

"When things calm down a bit," I said. "It's been pretty hectic. I'm missing my sister's graduation ceremony today because of the wedding."

"I wondered where she was, but didn't think it was my place to ask. Let's have lunch soon."

"Absolutely," I said.

I walked him to the door, asked for and received his blessing, then went back to the great room. When everyone had eaten their cake, we moved upstairs to the attic. Two of Penny's friends and one of Tasha's had come the previous night and decorated the room, which had streamers, balloons, and flowers. Penny, with a smirk, had asked Abbie to DJ for her, using my CDs and records. They'd given her a playlist, but there were spots where Abbie could insert songs of her choosing from her collection of CDs that she'd brought with her or borrowed from Henry. Henry had brought his CD player and turntable so they could cue multiple songs in advance.

"Penny, Tasha, Terry, and Zeke," Abbie called out, "have selected We Can Last Forever by Chicago as their song."

The four of them moved out to the dance floor as the song began...

I thought it was fitting, and put my arms around my wives, and held them close. The girls had opted out of dancing with their dads, so the next song would be for anyone to dance to. But Penny and Tasha had a surprise for me.

"The second song," Abbie called out, "was requested by Penny and Tasha for Steve and his wives, as a way of saying thank you! Here's Jessica, Kara, and Steve's song, You're the Inspiration, also by Chicago."

We went out to the dance floor and formed a small circle with the three of us and just swayed to the music, while others danced around us as well. Jessica wasn't particularly in a dancing mood, and it was kind of tough to get close to her because of Albert, but we put our heads close and told each other how much we loved each other. When the song finished, we moved back to the edge of the room.

"The next song," Abbie said with a smirk, "is Just Like Heaven by The Cure!"

I laughed hard.

"What's so funny, Snuggle Bear?" Kara asked.

"The first lines are

"Ooh! I like it! Can you show me?" Kara giggled as the instrumental intro gave way to the vocals.

I looked around the room and saw a confused look on the Zhukov's faces and then saw Penny and Tasha smirking. They knew exactly what the song was and what the lyrics implied. I walked over to the stereo where Abbie was standing.

"Nice," I chuckled. "That's not suggestive at all!"

She smiled, "Even more so than the revolver emptying into my mouth!"

"Did Penny and Tasha put you up to that?"

"I suggested it to them and they were totally for it. I saw a couple of disapproving looks from Tasha's parents."

"They aren't dealing well with this whole thing," I said.

"Fuck 'em," Abbie said. "It's Tasha's choice. And Penny's. I had a really good talk with them yesterday when we went over the music. They're both totally cool. And I bet Mommy and Daddy wouldn't approve of their lifestyle any more than Trish's mom would approve of hers!"

That was an interesting comment. Penny and Tasha had clearly shared things with Abbie. In a sense, it didn't surprise me because Abbie was completely open about everything, and Penny was as well. Tasha was more reserved, but I had a feeling that like Trish, the persona she showed in public was VERY different from the one she showed to her closest friends. I didn't feel left out by that, because I'd made it clear to her that Zeke was the person she should go to, and she and Penny had become fast friends.

A couple of songs later, Penny came and asked me to dance. Her belly wasn't quite as big as Elyse's, but it was getting there.

"It sucks I can't rest my head on your chest!" she protested.

"We had plenty of chances to dance close before, and we'll have some again, but remember, you have to agree with Terry what's OK and what isn't."

She laughed, "As if THAT limits me very much! He's more like you than you know."