Chapter 42: Pater Familias

January 4, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“Then as my first decree, I command every woman in this house to have sex with me whenever I wish!” I grinned.

“Snuggle Bear, we already DO that!” Kara giggled.

“Hmm. This is harder than I thought!”

“Ooh, I hope so!” Kara giggled. “Much harder!”

“Will you two be serious for a moment,” Jessica pleaded.

“Sorry,” I said. “I thought a bit of levity might help.”

“Steve!” Kara said forcefully. “Stop apologizing. That’s exactly what you just said you weren’t going to do!”

“I think it’s going to take some time to get used to the new dynamic,” Jessica said.

“It’s been twenty seconds!” I grinned. “Don’t start beating yourself up!”

“Is that an order?”

“It is!”

“Yes, Master,” Jessica grinned, putting her hands together and curtsying. “Your wish is my command!”

The three of us started laughing.

“OK, that might be a bit over the top!” I allowed.

“Do you have any idea how this is supposed to work?” Jessica asked.

“I think we’ll all learn together,” I said. “But maybe there’s an analog to Roman times. The «pater familias».”

“I never studied much history.”

“In Roman times, the father of the family had a duty to father and raise healthy children as future citizens, to maintain the moral propriety and well-being of the household, to honor his clan and ancestral gods, and to dutifully participate, and if possible, serve, in Rome’s political, religious, and social life. In other words, be a good citizen. As I think about it, THIS is what Don Joseph was trying to teach me.”

“Don Stephen?” Kara giggled.

“I’m not Italian, but it’s the same idea - the scion of the family. And the family meant everyone who lived under the same roof, or on the same property. In modern times, I’d call it the extended family, even if they aren’t under the same roof. For us, that would include Abbie, and with some limitations, Jennifer and Josie.”

“Not the glue, but the true head of the family,” Kara said. “But not an iron dictator, like my dad.”

“No, not like your dad. At one point in Roman tradition, the «pater familias» held the power of life and death over the extended family, but that gave way to what I said. What Don Joseph was trying to teach me; what my dad has been trying to teach me; what Al Barton has been trying to teach me. Now it’s time to put those lessons into action.”

“You’re going to be a very different man, Tiger. That worries me.”

“I don’t think it should,” Kara said. “I think, ultimately, this is what you were looking for. A strong man to help and guide you. A partner, yes, but also someone to moderate your impulses. To help you become the woman you want to be. Just as Steve has, finally, hit on the formula to become the man he has always wanted to be.”

“So now we’re submissive?”

I shook my head, “No. Remember what I said about «agape» love? In the Scriptures, there’s a pair of commands; feminists have a fit about the ‘women obey your husbands’ command, but they miss what’s really being said there. The man is told to love his wife, as Christ loved the church, even giving himself up for her. Does that sound like instructions to be a dictator? Or does it mean he should do everything in her interest, up to and including sacrificing his life for her?”

“I never heard it that way,” Jessica said.

“No, of course not!” Kara said. “The men who ran our churches would never have done that. But Snuggle Bear, isn’t that being submissive?”

“No. It also says that the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. Somebody has to be in charge, so to speak, but is ruling with love and compassion. «Agape».”

“The way you handle the kids!” Jessica said. “I get it!”

“Yes. Despite our joking about Birgit running things, she does not, indeed, get away with murder! You’ve seen her test the limits, just as Jesse has, and to a lesser extent Matthew, Michael, and Albert. Stephie and Ashley will do the same as they get older. But I’m not an ogre to them, am I?”

“No. You guide them and help them be the best little persons they can be.”

“And that’s got to apply to everyone else. I’ll point out that’s how Al has treated you, Jess. And how Nancy has treated Kara. And,” I chuckled, “how I’ve treated my staff. I guess NIKA was a real learning experience.”

“But you’re going to cede control at some point, aren’t you?” Jessica asked.

“Yes, I am. I think it’s served its purpose, in helping to bring me to this point. I can do this.”

“And decision making?”

“I will continue to rely on my most trusted advisors for help,” I said. “And if you notice, I do take advice from people who know things. I took Jeri’s advice on dealing with the Press, despite my severe aversion towards talking to them. I like my privacy, defined in my own terms. I don’t make myself the center of attention unless I’m forced to, and even then, I prefer to keep it short and sweet and work from the shadows. Maybe some of that will have to change. This is new to all of us.”

“How does this affect things we’ve already decided?”

“Some things are already in motion and can’t be stopped. The public donation to the Center. I suppose I could call it ‘damage control’, but I think the correct response is to embrace it and make it work for me, no, for us, the way I believe it should. It’s similar to Jeri’s admonition to me about the Press. Making enemies of them is a sure way to have trouble. Making friends is no guarantee, but it at least gives you a chance to shape the message. So we shape the message. I’m curious, Jess, what percentage of your savings and investments is that?”

“Well over half, probably close to three-quarters, not counting the 401K. But it’s not as if I have any real expenses. My student loans are paid, and I’m saving the maximum in my retirement fund. Why?”

“Did you write the check already?” I asked.

“No.”

“Then it applies to this year’s taxes. That may or may not be good. NIKA isn’t going to show nearly as much profit this year, so my payout will be lower. It’s not going to affect our standard of living, but there’s a good chance it would have saved us more on taxes last year.”

“I never even thought about that,” she said.

“Yes, go on,” I encouraged.

“Just as I didn’t think about the other things that would happen. All of which could have been avoided by talking to you.”

“Yes,” I agreed.

“I suppose it’s the pattern we established. I’m not excusing myself, but you did let us make all the decisions. Well, most of them, anyway.”

“But MOST of the time I was consulted at some point before the decision was put into action. That’s not what happened here. Or, to be honest, with Fawn. You teased me about her, but you never told me the truth. And I almost got burned by underlying issues. That’s why, just before, I decided not to go to her again. I can make a rational decision, you know.”

“I know,” Jessica sighed. “I guess it’s just all the history. I’m sorry.”

“If I accept your apology, can we move on? Forget what happened before and agree to this new structure?”

“Yes.”

“Then I accept your apology. It’s forgotten. And we move forward.”

“I’ve always been amazed at your ability to do that,” Kara said.

“I never saw the value in holding a grudge,” I said. “And I will point out that you have a pretty amazing capacity to forgive as well.”

“But not to forget,” Kara sighed. “That’s something I’ve never been able to do.”

“Or me,” Jessica said.

“I don’t know that ‘forget’ is accurate,” I said. “More like, place little value on, such that it isn’t taken into consideration except as part of a whole experience. That said, broken trust, as I did with you, Kara, is hard to repair.”

“But she did it. Even with Becky.”

“Which took twelve years and risked destroying our trio.”

“It was already destroyed at that point,” Jessica said. “You put it back together. I think, maybe, that was the start of the transformation that occurred today. Can I call you ‘Master’?” she giggled.

“Only if you wear a djinni costume like Barbara Eden!” I chuckled.

“That could be VERY sexy!” Kara smirked. “I sense a role-play in our future!”

“Well, husband,” Jessica said. “What about Bethany?”

“That is a difficult and complex issue which I am not going to solve today.”

“Tiger, and I mean this in all seriousness, it’s up to you now to decide how to include her in your life.”

“But not without input from the two of you. And probably Doctor Mercer as well.”

“You know Doctor Mercer objects to Bethany taking on this new role, don’t you?” Kara asked.

“I’m well aware,” I said. “I guessed before Bethany told me. I think the issue for Doctor Mercer is two-fold. One; she’s worried about Bethany; and two, she doesn’t want to lose her from the practice. I think she’s wrong on both counts. On the first one, Bethany was ready for this role the minute she received her license. On the second one, it’s like with kids. You have to let them go to make their own way in the world.”

“That’s tough for a mom to do,” Kara said.

“It’s no easier for a dad, but I’ve known from the very start that it has to happen. My own life has proved that to me. I need to be there to love and support my kids, but they need to make their own way.”

“And Jennifer?” Kara asked.

“Until she and Josie decide what to do, there isn’t a decision to make. We can safely wait on that one.”

“We never talked about Abbie,” Jessica said.

“There isn’t much to talk about,” I said. “She made it clear to me that while she likes Jason a lot, she’s not going anywhere. And given that Kulwicki is on the cusp of being a top Winston Cup driver, I can’t see Jason leaving the team. It’s an impasse.”

“Tiger, do you know if she made him get tested?”

“I have no idea, but her group always got tested in New York, and I know Henry and Trish do here. I will talk to her before I have sex with her. I promise.”

“Isn’t it almost time to go to the airport and get Lyudmila?” Kara asked.

I checked my watch and nodded, “It is.”

“She’s only staying this one night?” Jessica asked.

“It’s really just a long layover. Her flight to San Francisco is early afternoon tomorrow. She wanted to see the kids.”

“So, Mr. CEO, does she get you tonight?” Kara smirked.

“No. New York was a special situation. Maybe it’ll happen again, maybe it won’t. But I don’t want Lucy Alexa to think I’m hers for the taking whenever she wishes.”

January 5, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“I can’t believe the change!” Jessica said as we lay in bed on Sunday morning.

“Lyusya?” I asked.

“Yes. You’re right. She seems like every other mid-20s California girl I’ve ever met!”

“In private, she actually prefers I call her by her Russian name. But I think that’s just for my benefit.”

“I had a talk with her about Curtis,” Jessica said. “Well, no, that’s not quite right. She ranted about Curtis for about ten minutes when you were helping put the kids to bed!”

“That guy is lucky his balls are still attached!” I chuckled. “What I found more amusing was that her mom basically commented that it’s normal for young men to stray, and because they weren’t engaged, she felt Lyusya was overreacting.”

“Do you think she had other reasons? That this was maybe a convenient excuse?”

“I don’t think so,” I said. “But who can tell what she’s really thinking? She is a woman, after all!”

With shrieks of outrage, both of my wives began beating on me with pillows. I liked riling them up. It usually led to very enjoyable sex. That was true in this instance as well. It was more than ninety minutes before we got out of bed.

“So? You and Jason?” I asked Abbie late on Sunday afternoon after I returned from the airport.

“There isn’t much to tell. The sex was pretty good. Completely conventional, but pretty good. He hadn’t been with anyone since Stephie died.”

“I didn’t need to know that, but I’m not surprised. By either revelation. But I do need to know if he got tested.”

“That was a tricky thing,” she said. “We didn’t actually decide to sleep together until he got to the airport. I took a risk, and slept with him that night. I took him the next day to get a test. He’s clean. But I bet you knew that.”

“I would have been surprised if it were otherwise, but you know how strict I am with that rule.”

“I do. It’s not nearly so dangerous now as when people had no clue. The blood supply is screened.”

“Abbie, please, please, don’t take chances like that. Not if you want to continue to be with me. Which is a question. Do you?”

“Jason and I aren’t a couple. And there isn’t much chance of us being one unless he gives up his career with the race team. I don’t see that happening anytime soon, and I am not going to travel 30 weeks a year.”

“But you’d consider it? Abbie Nolan would consider having a steady boyfriend? And possibly get married?”

She laughed, “Don’t push it! A steady boyfriend? Maybe. Married? Maybe if I had a lobotomy!”

“I think you might surprise yourself. Jason is a pretty traditional kind of guy.”

“Southerners are WEIRD! You do the whole ‘gentleman’ thing, but he takes it to a whole new level! I can’t pay for anything, he pulls out my chair, holds every door! It’s like I’m some fragile flower that needs to be protected.”

“Stephie chafed a bit at that, but she was a Georgia girl at heart, so she let him do his thing. I bet the piercings were a shock!”

Abbie laughed, “They were. You know he’d only been with that Rose chick, and his wife.”

“And if he’d figured things out a bit earlier, it would only have been Stephie,” I said. “That’s his way. He’s very conservative.”

“The tattoos freaked him out more than the piercings. He was WAY more freaked than you. But in the end, he was cool with everything.”

“Did you dress ‘goth’ for him?” I chuckled.

“I took him to the club. I thought his eyes were going to bug out!”

“You took a conservative, small-town Georgia boy to the club?”

“I made him dance with Rhonda!” Abbie giggled. “You know, see how the other half lives?”

“I’m surprised he didn’t have a stroke!”

“It was close,” Abbie laughed. “But he did get a kick out of my lunch date with Matthew.”

“Matthew loves dressing up with you that way. I bet he’d love the club, but that’s about fourteen years away.”

“More. They started cracking down on the ‘21 and over’ rule. The city was on their case.”

“Figures,” I sighed.

“Are you coming to bed with me tonight?”

“If you want,” I said.

“Be ready to play! I need some really serious sex after the past ten days!”

January 6, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“You know she’s not ready for this, don’t you?” Doctor Mercer asked during our telephone session on Monday morning.

“No, actually, I don’t know any such thing,” I replied. “I think it’s exactly what she needs.”

“Did you know about it before it happened?”