Chapter 57: You are NOT That Blind!

July 8, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

Abbie and I didn't get much sleep, because we were doing exactly what she'd asked my wives for — screwing each other senseless. I'd taken her every way, and literally spent hours pleasuring her with my mouth in between rounds. We finally fell asleep around 4:00am, after a nearly eight-hour sex marathon. I hoped I'd be able to perform with Kimmy later in the day, but I knew she'd understand if I couldn't.

We got out of the sweaty, sticky bed about 9:00am and went to the small basement shower. After we dressed, Abbie reapplied her makeup, and we went upstairs to eat before I had to leave for karate. At some point later in the morning, Henry would come by with his car to move Abbie's things. After we finished eating, I took her to my study.

"Remember, you can come here any time you want," I said.

"Thanks for everything you've done. I really mean that. Would you come out with us on Friday? Trish asked if you were interested."

"Let me check with my wives, but tentatively, yes."

"Cool. I had a LOT of fun last night. You're a machine!" she giggled.

"And you're a lot of fun!"

"We'll do this again, for sure," she smirked.

"Anytime!" I grinned.

We hugged, and I went to get ready for karate. Later, after karate, lunch, and a quick goodbye to Abbie, I headed to Kimmy's apartment.

"Can I see your new baby tonight?" Kimmy asked while we were cuddling in her bed after making love.

We were in her preferred cuddle position, where she would lie on top of me with her legs between mine. I had my feet on her calves and my arms around her back, and she rested her chin on her crossed arms.

"I'm sure you can sneak in and see Albert, so yes. Jessica, Kara, and Penny are staying in tonight. I'm not sure about Elyse."

"Penny is due in a week or so, right? And she's been staying at your house or her mom's while Terry is at work?"

"Yes," I said. "And I need you to do something for me."

"Anything!" she giggled, wiggling her hips. "I mean that!"

"Not THAT, silly!" I chuckled. "Well, yes, but this is for NIKA. We won't have a place for my dad to stay at the house when he comes up to run things while Julia is on maternity leave. Elyse and I want you to try to find an apartment close to the office NIKA can rent month-to-month for him, starting in December. Julia's due at the end of the month."

"I'll make some calls on Monday. We should be able to find a sublet, at least," she replied. "I'm still surprised they let you come over today."

"Jessica and Kara are spending time together. It's all part of our bonding after the disaster of last Fall and Winter. I think this was their way of keeping me out of their hair!"

"And in mine!" she giggled, wiggling her butt so that her pubic hair tickled my stomach.

"You're still happy with our arrangement?" I asked.

"More than you can know," she sighed. "Seriously. This is exactly what I need right now. Someday, and it won't be too long, I'll be ready to date and find a guy of my own. But for now, I just want to take care of you and make love with you. And, even after this part is over, you have to let me take care of you at work!"

"That sounds like an order!" I chuckled.

"It is!" she giggled. "You need it, and it's fulfilling to be able to do things for you."

"Do you remember that fantasy you told me about?" I asked.

"Oh God, yes!" she hissed. "I dream about you throwing me down on your desk and fucking me into next week!"

"One day, before you start dating, we'll find a way to do that!" I said.

"Yes, please," she whispered.

"Did anything interesting happen in the office yesterday?"

"Keri said that you had two calls. One from Chris Gibson in Milwaukee. And one from Ben van Hoek in Cincinnati. I had her tell them you would call them back on Monday. Otherwise, no, it was just a normal day."

"Do you always check on my messages?" I asked.

"Yes, of course! That way, if I'm covering for Keri at lunch, I know what's going on, or if you call in for something. I check your calendar every day as well, to make sure that Keri has everything listed properly. It's all part of the service! In this case, Keri checked with me on what to tell them."

She really did do her best to take care of me, and I was coming to understand something very important about Kimmy. And that was that in a slightly alternate universe, we'd be a nearly perfect couple. But that universe was as far from reality as Proxima Centauri was from Sol.

In this universe, if Kimmy could accept my lifestyle, and Jessica, Kara, and Elyse would go for it, she'd make a perfect addition to our family. But I didn't think that's what Kimmy wanted, and even if she did, I wasn't sure that permanently adding a fourth woman to my already complex life was a wise idea, even if the other girls would accept it.

No, despite our nearly perfect relationship, the intense companionship, the love, and the wonderful sex, this was a passing fantasy. A fantasy I was living, but a fantasy nonetheless. And one that would come to an end, probably within a year at the most, if I understood the hint Kimmy had dropped. And that would be OK. I was in a very different place than I'd been that Friday after Thanksgiving. I'd miss the time with Kimmy, but it wouldn't impact me the way it would have before Jessica came home.

"What are you thinking about?" Kimmy asked quietly.

"Us," I said.

"Wondering what it would be like to be married to me?" she said with a smile.

I chuckled, "Sort of. Just thinking about how wonderful this has been, and what might have happened in an alternate universe."

"You know I can't share long-term," she said.

"I know. As I said, an alternate universe where I was a different person."

"I might not like that person," Kimmy said. "Or he might have met someone before he met me."

"True," I said, raising my head to give her a quick kiss. "That's why I try not to play the 'What if?' game. But sometimes it's fun to think about some of those 'What if?' scenarios.

"What if we make love again?" she asked softly.

"Now that's a 'What if?' we can certainly ask!" I grinned.

"Ravish me, Steve," she whispered.

We rolled over, and I did just that. After our second lovemaking session, we cuddled for a bit, then showered. I headed home, where she'd join us a few hours later for Guys' and Girls' Nights.

July 10, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

"CNN reported a massive strike by coal miners in Russia this morning," Elyse said at breakfast.

"When were you watching the news?"

"When Michael needed to eat. He likes having either music or the TV on in the background. He's way less fussy when I do that for him."

"So, about the strike?"

"The reports say 300,000 or so coal miners in Siberia are on strike, demanding better living conditions and less bureaucracy. They said that it's the largest Soviet labor strike since the 1920s."

"No doubt. It's just another sign that the Kremlin is loosening the reins. I actually received letters on Saturday from those soldiers I met in Moscow, including a gift for Jesse."

"What did they send him?"

"A General's hat," I chuckled. "I think they know him too well!!"

"Jesse-size? Or adult-size?"

"Adult-size. He'll have to wait until he's a teenager before there's a chance it'll fit. It's on his dresser in his room, along with the «ушанка» he received from Tanya a few years ago."

"How is Jessica this morning?"

"Tired. Albert was up four times last night."

"And you?"

"I don't need much sleep and Sunday was a pretty lazy day, so I got a couple of naps in. How's Michael doing?"

"About the same as Albert! I'm glad I have the next six weeks off. Kimmy's been doing an outstanding job."

"I agree. She's going to start looking for a rental for my dad for December. We'll at least have an idea of what's possible, even if we can't make final arrangements just yet."

I finished my breakfast, went upstairs to kiss my wives and Albert goodbye, then went to the sunroom to say goodbye to the rest of my kids and Veronica, and headed to the office. After the staff meeting, I went to my office to return the calls I'd received on Friday when I was out. I called Ben van Hoek first.

"I understand congratulations are in order," he said. "Again!"

I chuckled, "Yes. Albert Stephen was born last Friday afternoon. Jess and he are doing great. And I already told you about Michael."

"That's five now?" he asked.

"Yes. Jesse, Matthew, Birgit, Michael, and Albert. We'll probably have two more. But I don't think you called for that. What can I do for you?"

"I called to thank you. Whatever it is that you said to Becky seems to have worked."

"Oh?" I asked.

"I'll just read you this item from the Sunday Cincinnati Enquirer if you don't mind."

"Sure," wondering what it could possibly be.

"Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin van Hoek, of Indian Hill, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Rebekah, to Mr. Andrew Stephens, of Loveland, Ohio."

"Wow! That's fantastic!" I exclaimed.

"I was just going to call you on Friday evening, but when your receptionist told me why you were busy, I decided it could wait until today. I didn't think I should bother you at home after your wife just had a baby."

"For this news? You could have called me at 2:00am and I would have not been upset! I'm super happy!"

"Becky said that she felt it was best if I were to call you. She said something about proper relationships that I didn't quite understand. She said you would."

"I do. It's something she and I discussed when I was there. About how we'd handle our relationship once she found a guy she wanted to be with."

"Steve, whatever you said or did, I owe you a huge debt. We'll send you a wedding invitation! They haven't set a date yet, but as soon as they do, we'll send one to Mr. and Doctor and Mrs. Adams and family!"

I was half-tempted to say that I fucked Becky's brains IN, but didn't think Ben needed to know that!

I chuckled, "Thanks very much! Tell Becky that I'm ecstatic and wish her all the best!"

"I will. And thanks again for everything!"

We said 'goodbye' and I hung up. I wasn't quite sure how to share this news with the girls, but I figured it would give them some relief, even if it dredged up a bit of pain. I could start with my sister, who was working with Julia over the Summer. I got up and walked to Julia's office and asked Stephanie to come to mine.

"Becky's engaged," I said.

"Thank God," Stephanie said. "At least this removes THAT potential stumbling block!"

"Becky and I were not going to be together again, Squirt. That was never a risk once Jessica came back to us. But it does bring to a close one of the more sordid chapters of my life."

"Finally. Do you realize she's the only person who ever made me mad enough to slap you?"

"I do. And it makes sense. She was the one, true love. The one that got away because we were both too young and clueless to figure out how to make it work. Think about it — if we had, neither of those slaps would have happened."

"I thought you didn't play 'What if?' games!"

"I don't, usually, but in this case, it actually seems appropriate. Anyway, I have another call to make. I'll tell the rest of the girls when I get home. Just keep this to yourself until I do."

"I promise," she said.

She went back to Julia's office, and I dialed Belarus Tractors in Milwaukee and asked for Chris Gibson. We greeted each other and made a bit of small talk for a few minutes.

"So, what can I do for you?" I asked.

"I have some work for you," she said. "I asked Dave if you could do it, and he said it was OK, but that I'd have to ask you. He said you're free."

"Sort of," I said. "Jessica just had her baby, so I'm not really free to come up this week. I need to be around for her."

"That makes sense. This actually isn't pressing. We want some new modules. I talked to Charlie, and she thinks you can finish it in about ten hours total."

"The only way that can work is if I come up on a Tuesday or Thursday, and work until I finish."

"How about Tuesday of next week? We can have lunch and dinner brought in."

"Tuesday the 18th works for me," I said. "I can be there around 8:30am. If that's good, I'll put it on my calendar."

"It is. See you then!"

I thanked her and hung up. I wrote it on my desk calendar and then sent Keri a note in cc:Mail, letting her know so she could add it to my calendar. I also copied Kimmy on the message, as was the usual practice, because she was the backup receptionist. I was surprised that Chris hadn't propositioned me and wondered if she'd given up. I pushed that out of my mind because it wasn't an issue to worry about until next Tuesday.

I taught the lunchtime karate class, and on the way back to the office, stopped in a record store to get some new CDs. After talking to the clerk, I bought Porcupine by Echo & the Bunnymen, a post-punk British band, and Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply by Slade, another British band. I wasn't sure that Abbie would approve of Slade, but I thought she'd approve of 'Echo'.

I headed back to the office to have my lunch, which Kimmy had waiting for me, worked for a couple of hours, then headed back to the dojo for the afternoon class, and when that was finished, back to the office until 5:30pm. I was glad that I wasn't on a specific deadline at the moment, because the constant interruptions really impeded my productivity. I'd have to manage for another nine weeks. Sensei Jim had written saying that he would be returning September 6th, though the postcard didn't indicate whether or not he'd been promoted to 6th Dan. In fact, other than the return date, and that he was healthy, the card said nothing.

At home that evening, I heard some very sad news — Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester, Porky Pig, and a host of others, had died at age eighty-one from complications of emphysema.

July 14, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

Abbie and I were dancing at the club to the Sex Pistols.

"Echo & the Bunnymen are good," Abbie said. "Slade? Well, I suppose it's better than the pop dreck you listen to. And it is definitely better than ABBA!"

"You know, this hatred of ABBA is a real stumbling block!" I chuckled. "If we get together again, I'm going to play nothing but ABBA. I have a CD-changer that holds 5 CDs and I have plenty of ABBA CDs!"

"I hope you and your hand enjoy your time together," she smirked.

"ABBA speaks to me," I protested.

"What? Like you talk to your new baby? Goo-goo! They're about as deep as July snow!"

I actually didn't talk to my kids that way, but plenty of others sure did.

"I need a drink," I sighed.

We left the dance floor, and I bought her a vodka and got a Coke for myself because I was driving. Henry and Trish joined us and I bought them a round as well. We'd been at the club for a couple of hours. I checked my watch because I'd promised Kara and Jessica that I'd be home no later than 1:00am.