Chapter 11: Living in Sin?

July 19, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“How was Miami?” I asked Elyse when she came through the security doors at O’Hare.

I took her bag, and we started walking hand in hand.

“Good. How was Kimmy’s wedding?”

“A typical wedding. It was nominally Lutheran, basically what the ‘Gang of Four’ had for theirs. The reception was fun, but not out of control. They were off to Hawaii this morning, if everything went according to plan.”

“And you behaved?”

“Yes, Elyse. I behaved. I only danced with ‘approved’ girls.”

“Did any ‘unapproved’ girls ask you to dance?”

“If you mean Mikela, no, she didn’t. In fact, other than Penny, I didn’t dance with anyone from work. Penny wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“I bet!” Elyse said. “You’ve been able to withstand her constant assaults over the years, so I suppose a dance or two is OK! She has to be ready to pop!”

“She is,” I said. “She only managed four dances. Two with Terry and two with me. And Terry insisted I dance with her. He didn’t want to have to deal with her in her state!”

Elyse laughed, “She is a force of nature, isn’t she?”

“And the second best programmer who works for us, after Jeri.”

“That seems to have settled down, despite my continued discomfort with the entire situation.”

“In the end, the bottom line is that I don’t want Howard to get hurt,” I said. “Neither does Jeri. And that common cause will make this work out.”

“Did you see Samantha on Friday evening?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“Slow, steady progress. We can’t go back to the way it was before, and I’m not sure where it leads in the future. She’s a very little girl in most ways, but her business knowledge is like someone who was in their 30s and had graduated from UofC with a Master’s degree in business!”

“It’s really the opposite of most of the girls you’ve been with who tend to be mature for their ages,” Elyse observed.

“I mistook her obvious intelligence for maturity. And the same with how she approached sex. But emotionally, she was stunted. And that’s probably the most difficult thing to deal with. I should know. My emotional growth was stunted and it took Jessica leaving me to finally get my act together.”

“To a point!” Elyse teased.

“Will you EVER cut me any slack?”

“No! Was Samantha here tonight?”

“Yes. She went home when I came to get you at O’Hare. Are you avoiding telling me about you and Eduardo for a reason?”

“What do you always like to say? It’s complicated?”

We reached my car and I held the door for her, tossed her bag into the back seat, and got into the driver’s seat.

“So it’s complicated. Big deal. It can’t be half as complicated as the REIT transaction!”

Elyse laughed, “Nothing is THAT complicated. I went to school for six years and the regulations around that are still mind-boggling. It’s an extreme specialty in both finance and tax law.”

“So, Eduardo can’t be that complicated.”

“I can’t sleep with you for a few weeks,” she said.

I smiled, “Sleeping is just fine. It’s the stuff BEFORE sleeping that would be off limits!”

“He promised to get tested as soon as he’s back in Spain in a week. I judged it worth what I think was a very minor risk, and we used rubbers. I forgot how much I hate those things!”

“You know what Jessica said about oral-genital contact, too.”

Elyse laughed, “Did you just say that?”

“Hey, I spend time with doctors, I pick up technical language. But you know what I meant!”

“Are you asking if I did something specific?”

“Oh come on! You know me better than that! I’m talking merely about transmission pathways.”

Elyse laughed, “Will you just say you can get an STD from blowjobs and pussy eating!”

“OK. You can get an STD from blowjobs and pussy eating! And other things!”

Elyse laughed, “He was never into that. At all!”

“Too much information! So what does this mean?”

“That we spent most of yesterday fucking!”

“Yes, but you know what I meant!” I said with laugh.

“There’s an open position in Chicago. He’s applied for a transfer. It will probably be approved.”

“Which means what?” I asked.

“Hell if I know. We’re taking this one step at a time.”

“When did he tell you about the transfer?” I asked.

“At breakfast on Saturday,” Elyse smirked.

I laughed, “Did you even finish breakfast?”

“Yes! He told me when we were drinking coffee after we finished eating.”

“And you and me?”

“Nothing changes. Once he gets his test results and I have a test, I expect oral-genital contact and genital-genital contact with you on a regular basis!”

“You know my rules,” I said.

“First of all, you and I were fucking when Eduardo and I were dating. He knows. He wasn’t concerned about it then and he’s not concerned about it now. Second, I made no commitments to him other than to see how things go in the future. And if you try to invoke your rule based on that, I will personally end your life. Do you hear me?”

I chuckled, “And what will you say when Cindi comes knocking at my door? Or does relaxing the rules only apply to you?”

“Let’s worry about that if and when she asks.”

“If?” I smirked. “You know Cindi better than that.”

“Yes, I do!”

July 20, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“Steve, this is Alli Mills,” Keri said when I walked into the office on Monday morning.

“Hi, Mr. Adams!” a bubbly blonde who looked to be nineteen said.

“Good morning! Welcome aboard, at least for the next two weeks! And please, call me Steve.”

“Yes, sir!” she said with a big smile.

“No sir, either,” Keri laughed. “We’re very informal. Just use everyone’s first name, please.”

“Keri, are you running the staff meeting this morning?” I asked.

“That’s what Kimmy said. I’m not sure that’s such a good idea!”

“Hogwash! If Kimmy thinks you can do it, you can!”

“I think Kimmy has OTHER things on her mind right now,” Keri laughed. “Gary. Hawaii.”

“Perhaps! See you at 9:00am. Nice to meet you, Alli.”

“You, too, Mr ... Steve!”

I chuckled and walked into the office. I would have a private office for the next eight to twelve weeks. Terry had finally convinced Penny to stay home, though she would actually be spending time at her mom’s house or my house until she delivered, which Doctor Robertson felt could be any time now. Tuesday was Amber’s birthday, and I thought it would be amusing to have Penny’s kids have identical birthdays like the Jaeger girls did.

“Where did you find the bubbly blonde?” I asked Elyse, who had come to the office early this morning.

“She’s the little sister of one of Kimmy’s friends. Why? Got your eye on her already?”

“She’s an employee!” I chuckled.

“Only for two weeks!” Elyse said with a laugh.

“You like to cause trouble, don’t you?”

“I do! Besides, if Eduardo and I get together, you’ll need a third regular!”

“Says who?”

“Says me!” Elyse smiled. “It won’t be Bethany. You two will, in the not too distant future, set off seismographs in Shanghai. But in the long run, she’ll remarry.”

“I challenge both those assertions,” I said. “I know what Bethany wants, but I have my own counsel on those matters.”

“Challenge all you want, I’m right. Abbie is going to be with Jason. Samantha? Maybe, but she’d have to grow up and accept not getting married or having kids for a time. Maybe that works for her. Maybe not. Maybe Jodie?”

“Elyse, forget it. You’re still here and you’ve said nothing is changing in the near future. And you know things have changed.”

“They have. But you are still you. Ten years from now, I’ll be living in the suburbs and you’ll have another regular girl around. It’s just how the world works.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Yes. Seriously. I’ve known you since we were sixteen. That’s thirteen years. One main girl, one secondary girl, a regular third girl and someone who is a close confidante. That confidante is sometimes the secondary or third girl, but not always.”

“I thought it was one and one,” I said.

“Jennifer, Becky, and Melanie. Pia, Katt, and Sofia. Well, and Karin fit in there somehow, too. Kara, Bethany, and Stephanie. Stephie, Kathy, and me. Shall I go on? Your wives know this. That’s what Samantha was about. We all thought it was Abbie, but you introduced her to Jason!”

“‘We’ all thought?” I asked.

“The ‘Steve Adams Management and Control Committee’!” she laughed.

I had to laugh, too.

“Seriously? Years ago, yes. Now? I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“You don’t get to decide that! Your wives do!”

“So who is on this committee?” I asked.

“Jessica, Kara, Jennifer, Bethany, me. With input from Abbie.”

“And what is the job of this committee?”

“Why, to manage and control the ‘Steve Adams Experience’! Fortunately, he hasn’t needed much management or control lately.”

“As I said.”

“But your history says SOMETHING will happen that will require management.”

“I managed Lisa, Jeri, and Samantha just fine. In fact, you were all worried because I did such a good job of it. I handled Margaret Lundgren. I handled the FBI. And I’ve developed pure friendships with two girls like Doctor Mercer suggested. And I have a couple of good mentors at this point.”

“One swallow does not a spring make,” Elyse said.

I laughed, “I believe the last time you said that, I responded ‘Or a blowjob!’.”

“And I think I said at that point the blowjob was basically over!”

“Yes, and if I recall that was when we talked about Nick’s death. Another thing I handled just fine.”

“Perhaps you have a point.”

“Perhaps? I think it’s time to disband the committee and let my wives handle things. I’m not the same person I was before Jessica’s meltdown.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“So can we stop with you all trying to figure out and manage my life and let me do it, please? Or just leave it to my wives?”

“You’re right. But you’ll still listen to advice?”

“From you? Always. You should know that after thirteen years! Did you know Kimmy asked Keri to run the staff meeting?”

“Yes. You don’t think she’ll be a receptionist forever, do you?”

“No.”

“We’re going to need another accounting clerk. With all the new customers and the new consultants, Chris just can’t keep up, even with help from Kimmy. That’s especially true given that Kimmy is managing things for the building.”

“When?”

“Call the staff meeting an audition.”

“And you were going to tell me this when?”

“When I was ready to hire. You know, ‘manage your team’ and all that.”

“And the girl you just told me to go after?”

“Is attending college in New York. She’s not going to be available. I’m already looking for someone. So if you want Alli, she’s not off limits after the first week in August!”

“I’ll take it under advisement. Let me know when you find a candidate for receptionist. I’m assuming we can afford this?”

“Yes. I ran the numbers. But it’s one of those things we need to do to keep the lights on even if it doesn’t directly generate revenue.”

“Everyone generates revenue, Elyse. Remember that.”

She nodded and I went to my desk to work until the staff meeting.

July 24, 1992, Chicago, Illinois

“I like Samantha!” Birgit said. “She’s really nice!”

“I think so, too, Pumpkin. Now hop into bed, please.”

She climbed into her bed and I tucked her in. I kissed her forehead, turned off the lights, and went back to join Jessica, Kara, and Samantha.

“You have the Birgit Adams seal of approval,” I said to Samantha.

“She’s a sweetheart. I really enjoy spending time with her. It makes me wish I had a little sister, though the age gap is pretty big.”

“Thirteen years. That’s almost the gap between you and me!”

“Which makes you feel like a dirty old man?” she smiled. “But my dad is thirty-five years older than some of the girls!”

“That’s not exactly a standard by which I want to measure myself,” I said.

“There’s a difference,” Samantha said. “He basically buys it. You didn’t do that with me and I don’t think you ever would.”

“So that makes it OK?” I asked.

“If a girl wants to go to bed with you because she likes you, and it’s her idea as much as yours, that’s different from my dad seeing a girl he wants, plying her with gifts, and smooth talking her to get what he wants.”

“I suppose so.”

“Do you feel it was wrong to go to bed with me?”

“I think what I feel is that it happened before it should have. Not that it was wrong, just that the timing was off.”

“Because you think I’m immature.”

A statement, not a question.

“I had the same problem,” I said. “And honestly, you’re showing great progress.”

“Enough progress?” she asked hopefully.

“What do you think?” I asked, looking at my wives.

“I think it depends on if she’s the one or not,” Kara said.

“Honey, she is NOT ready to make that kind of commitment,” I said.

“The one what?” Samantha asked.

“She’s talking about the agreement we made before. The one that was premature.”

“A long-term relationship?” Samantha gasped. “You’re still considering that?”

“We like you, Samantha,” Jessica said. “We were upset with you when we thought you were part of some conspiracy or had lied to Steve, but once we found out you were the real victim of the schemes, we got over it. But I think Steve is right about you not being ready to make that kind of commitment.”

“And I think there’s more to it than you understand,” Kara said. “It’s not just Steve. It’s the two of us, it’s the kids, it’s Elyse, Bethany, and Jennifer and Josie.”

“What?” Samantha asked.

“If you want to be THAT close to Steve, then you are asking for close relationships with everyone here,” Kara said. “Let me ask you something. Would you be comfortable being naked in the sauna with our friends? Including other adult males and our kids?”

“I, uh, hadn’t thought about that. You all wore suits last Sunday.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Kara said. “It was for Bo’s and Gina’s sakes, because they aren’t comfortable being naked with the kids in there. But that’s not how we normally do it. And we’re VERY open in this house. Everyone, including the kids, will know about you and Steve. There’s no way to avoid that.”

“That’s a bit weird.”

“That’s how things are in this house, Samantha,” Jessica said. “If you truly want the kind of relationship you’re seeking, you need to understand how things truly are. If you can’t deal with it, the best you can hope for is him fucking you a few times and then ending things. That’s how his dalliances work. Do you want to just be a dalliance? A plaything?”

“No. That’s what my dad does.”

“Then you need to consider the realities of the relationship you want. And be adult enough to make that decision.”

“How will I know?” she asked.

“Well, one way would be to live here for a while and see if you can handle it or not,” Jessica replied. “But I suppose that’s difficult for you to do.”

“Maybe not,” Samantha said. “My dad won’t object if I stayed here for a week during the summer. School doesn’t start until after Labor Day. When could I come?”