Chapter 43: Pia Sandberg

February 13, 1993, Chicago, Illinois

“Permission to tease you,” Kara giggled as we walked home.

“Go on!” I laughed. “I’ve been expecting it since the first pin!”

“See, I don’t even have to say it!”

“The thing is, I didn’t even think that because I put her completely off limits. Well, I DID think about you teasing me.”

“No flirting at all?”

I shook my head, “No.”

“Did you and Samantha talk about Pia’s visit?” Jessica asked.

“Yes. She knows I might exercise one of my options with Pia.”

“You didn’t talk to Pia about it?”

I shook my head, “No. We’ll just play it by ear, unless the two of you have some kind of objection I need to consider.”

“No, and Samantha won’t be jealous?” Jessica asked.

“I think she’ll be fine,” I said. “She’s adapting to the realities of Cirque du Steve.”

“What about Ellie?” Kara asked.

“That’s totally up to Samantha. I don’t even ask about it at this point. If Samantha invites her, she invites her. If she doesn’t, she doesn’t. Part of this is Samantha figuring out what she can and can’t handle, and how things will work for her once she decides to marry and have kids.”

“What do you think?”

“I have no idea. Originally, she was all about monogamy, but she’s seen a different way.”

“What did you decide about her paying for Ellie’s room and board?” Jessica asked.

“I think given how controlling Ellie’s parents are, especially her dad, it’s probably OK. I told Samantha that I wouldn’t object, but that she should carefully consider the ramifications of her decision.”

“The same thing you’ll tell your kids when they have difficult choices to make.”

“Exactly,” I replied. “Do you know what Jennifer, Melanie, and Jackie planned for tonight?”

“There’s a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Shakespeare Repertory Theatre that we’re going to. Then ice cream! What are the boys doing?”

“Poker, bourbon, and cigars. Pretty much the usual!”

“And how many cigars are YOU going to smoke, Tiger?”

“One. I haven’t had my pipe out since October 2nd!”

“I wish you would quit!”

“I hear you,” I said, doing my best not to sigh or sound exasperated. “Are we having a Valentines breakfast tomorrow?”

“That’s going to be the only time we have!” Kara said. “Sex. Breakfast. Sex. More sex! Then you have to go to the airport and Jessica has to go to work.”

“Sounds good to me!” I grinned.

“Me, too!” Jessica agreed.

February 14, 1993, Chicago, Illinois

“When does the plane land?” Jesse asked as we sat waiting in the International Terminal at O’Hare.

“See the board up there? It says the plane from Stockholm landed. They have to go through Passport Control and Customs.”

“I remember!” he exclaimed. “In Sweden! ‘Passport please!’.”

“Yes, that’s right. And when we came home from Russia.”

“Are you going to sleep with Pia?”

“That’s up to Pia. Aunt Jess and Aunt Kara said it’s OK.”

“And Samantha?” he giggled.

“Yes, AND Samantha, you turkey!”

“Is Aunt Elyse getting a new boyfriend?”

“Did she tell you that?”

“Mom Two told me. His name is Eduardo.”

“Yes. It’s someone Aunt Elyse loved a long time ago, before you were born.”

“Before you and Mom One had sex to make me?”

“Yes. But you know Mom One and I had sex together when we were fifteen.”

“Before she decided she loved Mom Two. Now she only has sex with Mom Two.”

“Yes.”

“She wants to have sex with you, Dad!” he said.

I laughed, “I know. And I want to with her. But Mom Two doesn’t think it’s a good idea, so we don’t.”

“Like with Francesca and the other girls?”

“Yes. Remember when we talked about you and Francesca? And you decided you loved her and wanted her to be your girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“That’s part of why Mom One said Marta should sleep in the other bed.”

“Because Francesca won’t like it.”

“Yes. That’s why you only hug Amber and Kristin and the other girls.”

“Like you and Aunt Kathy!”

“Yes. We only hug and have regular kisses because Uncle Kurt wouldn’t like it if we did more.”

I caught sight of Pia coming through the doors and stood up. I took Jesse’s hand and we walked over to the ropes that kept people from getting too close to the doors.

“«Hej, Pia!»” I called out.

“«Hej, Steve!»” she called back and pushed her luggage cart towards us, with Marta walking next to her.

“Marta! «Hej!»” Jesse exclaimed.

“Jesse!” Marta squealed.

They rushed to each other and hugged while Pia and I moved more slowly, and embraced and exchanged a quick kiss.

“How was your trip?” I asked.

“Not bad. I could use a sauna to relax!”

“I think we can arrange that! Let’s get to the car. We’re parked right outside.”

An hour later we were at the house, and I introduced everyone. We got Pia settled in a guest room, and then took Marta to the coach house to get her settled in Jesse’s room. Once that was done, we went back to the house and as Pia had requested, went to the sauna.

“Wow! All the kids?” she asked.

“Yep. If you’re uncomfortable, we can have them wear bathing suits, or you can.”

Pia shook her head, “No. I was more amazed at how many people it would be!”

“Go in and check it out,” I chuckled. “We can fit 20 people in there, more if people sit on the floor.”

“No way!”

We all filed in and despite there being nine kids, including Nicholas, and ten adults, there was enough room for everyone.

“Wow! Nice artwork!” Pia exclaimed.

“Thanks,” Abbie said.

“She has piercings!” Jesse said.

“I noticed!” Pia laughed, then turned back to Abbie, “You’re the one who was ‘goth’, right?”

“And I still am when I go to the club or take Matthew out for our monthly ‘goth’ lunch date.”

“Matthew? He dresses ‘goth’?”

“Yes,” Elyse said. “When he met Abbie he said he wanted to look like her, so we let him. He loves it!”

“I can’t believe all these kids!” Pia said. “It must be crazy here!”

“It sure is,” Abbie laughed. “And that’s why I love it here.”

“It’s nice to finally put names to faces! I know everyone here by name from talking to Steve, except Samantha. He didn’t mention her.”

“I met her after my last trip to Sweden,” I said. “She’s living here while she finishes High School and then she’s going to UofC for her degree.”

“Trouble at home?”

“You could say that,” Samantha smiled. “Steve and his family were very nice to take me in.”

“He’s a nice guy,” Pia said. “It’s just too bad things didn’t work out for me. Back when Steve was my boyfriend, a LONG time ago, there were only Jennifer, Bethany, and Elyse, and he was planning to marry Jennifer! And he was going home, too. We didn’t know if he’d ever come back to Sweden. I ended up moving to Amsterdam with Marta’s dad. She was born there, actually. Then my boyfriend and I moved back to Sweden and we broke up.”

“Because he was mean to you?” Birgit asked.

Pia smiled, “He decided he liked another girl more.”

“Oh,” Birgit replied, sounding sad.

“It’s OK,” Pia said. “Marta and I are happy.”

“Will you have sex with Daddy?” Birgit giggled.

Everyone in the room laughed.

“I warned you,” I said quietly to Pia.

“I don’t know yet. I need to talk to your daddy and your mommy. Is Jessica at work?”

“Yes! Mommy is at work! She’s a doctor! She fixes people when they are hurt!”

“I thought she was your daughter,” Pia said to Kara.

“She is, but she calls both Jess and me ‘Mommy’. She never adopted Jesse’s ‘Mom One’ and ‘Mom Two’ distinction, so you need to pay attention to the context to know which one she means, though when she says ‘my mommy’ she means me.”

“Could this BE any weirder?” Pia laughed.

“NO!” came the chorus from all the adults.

When we finished the sauna, and after showers and lunch, Pia and Marta decided to nap for a few hours. That gave Abbie and me a chance to watch the Daytona 500. It wasn’t a good race for Bill, who dropped out just shy of halfway because the engine in his #11 Budweiser car was overheating. It wasn’t much better for Kulwicki, who ended up three laps down at the finish. That still put him 13 spots ahead of Bill, who finished 39th.

The last lap of the race was one of the most exciting that I’d ever seen. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jarrett battled on the last lap, and with his father Ned calling the finish on CBS, Dale Jarrett edged out Ironhead for the win. Geoff Bodine finished third, Hut Stricklin fourth, and surprisingly, rookie Jeff Gordon finished fifth. He had actually led two laps, including lap 1.

“An exciting race, but crappy for our guys,” Abbie said.

“Not a good way to start the season,” I said.

“Dale Earnhardt was second!” Jesse said triumphantly. “I wanted him to win!”

“Of course you did!” I laughed.

“Is it safe to enter?” Pia asked from the door.

“Don’t like racing?” I asked.

“Formula One. This going around in circles business is silly!”

I laughed, “You and Jessica will get along just fine! But be careful, Abbie’s boyfriend works for one of the teams and I’m friends with one of the top drivers!”

“Your friend from Georgia, right? The one your friend Stephie introduced you to?”

“Yes. And her husband. Well, you know what I mean.”

“Yes.”

“Come to the kitchen with me,” I said. “I’m going to make dinner.”

Pia followed me to the kitchen and sat at the island while I began preparing the meal.

“So, we need to talk?” I asked in Swedish.

Pia replied in Swedish, “I wasn’t sure what the situation was. And what’s with that little girl?”

“Samantha?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“She’s seventeen; that’s hardly a ‘little girl’!”

“She looks like she’s a lot younger. Sorry.”

“It’s OK. She does look younger. She’ll actually turn eighteen in about two months. Is there an issue?”

“Only if she was fourteen, given the age difference! Never mind. She’s old enough to make up her own mind about things.”

“Exactly. I talked to Jessica and Kara and if you want me to spend time with you, they’re OK with it. And that includes sleeping with you in your room if you want.”

“You’re sure about that? I don’t want to cause any trouble for you.”

“You won’t. If you want to talk first, you can walk with Kara and me to get Jessica from the hospital tonight at 10:00pm.”

“And Jesse’s moms are OK with Marta and Jesse being together?”

“In separate beds. Jesse has a girlfriend, though it’s a stormy relationship. He likes his freedom and she wants to control him.”

“I’ve seen this play!” Pia laughed. “I remember a certain boy about thirteen years ago who liked his freedom; and still does!”

“It’s not like it was, though. There are serious limits now, mostly imposed by myself, but some by the women. You fall under exceptions.”

“Good to know,” Pia laughed. “I suppose there have to be SOME rules at this point.”

“Yes. And you’ll be happy to know that anytime I see you, here or in Sweden, I’ll be able to be with you. Well, so long as you don’t have a steady boyfriend or husband.”

“How did I get to be so lucky?” she asked, her voice showing a mix of mirth and irony.

“My choice. I can’t promise that to everyone! And I don’t get to replace you if you find your own guy, which, I have to say, I hope you do.”

“You know Swedish guys! Ugh! But I’ve met a few men from England who work for Volvo who were very nice. I see them every few months when they come to Göteborg. Before I forget, will I see Sofia?”

“She’s coming to dinner tonight. She’ll bring Stavros and Alexa with her, too. We’re lucky she’s not on shift tonight at Loyola.”

“She’s in her first year of training?”

“Yes. She graduated from medical school last year.”

“Do I understand correctly, we’ll have dinner with your friends and family, hang out, then walk to get your wife, and then when we get home, you can come to my bed and stay the night?”

“Exactly. The only nights that are ‘taken’ are Tuesday and Friday. The others are yours if you want them.”

“Deal!” she said with a smile.

Sofia and her family arrived just before dinner, as did Gina and Bo, who were our usual Sunday night guests. We had a wonderful evening together, and just before 10:00pm, Kara, Pia, and I left to get Jessica at the hospital.

“The temperature is not so bad here,” Pia said.

It was 25°F, which was about what it might have been in Göteborg around this time of year, though I hadn’t checked the weather report to know.

“We had some very cold days, but it hasn’t been a bad winter,” I said.

“How far is this walk?”

“About twelve to fifteen minutes, depending on traffic signals.”

“They don’t click!” Pia observed. “The walking lights!”

“No,” I sighed. “They don’t. And yes, I know that makes it hard for blind people.”

“You discussed this before?”

“Yes, with most of my Swedish friends who have visited!” I said. “Remember, Birgit was here, plus Katt and Mikael, and Sofia, and of course, Karin. Sofia’s family visited, also.”

We arrived at the hospital just as Jessica was coming out, and after I introduced her and Pia, Kara and I both hugged and kissed Jessica and we started on the way home.

“I suspect you walked along to make sure I was OK with Steve being with you tonight,” Jessica said.

“Yes,” Pia laughed. “I don’t want to cause trouble and I know I have no right to ask.”

“You had him before either of us did,” Jessica laughed. “Maybe we should ask YOU for permission!”

“I wish!” Pia exclaimed. “I tried, but he wasn’t a one-woman man then and he certainly isn’t now. An expert lover, who truly cares for me is the best he could ever be. But he had Katt and Sofia and Karin. And Jennifer waiting back home for him.”

“And he ended up with the two of us!” Kara said. “He didn’t even know us then!”

“I should have convinced him to move to Sweden!” Pia said. “But the competition there was stiff!”

“I bet HE was!” Jessica smirked.

“Steve, may I share something private?” Pia asked.

“Nothing is private from these two,” I said.

“It seems he is a much better lover at twenty-nine than he was at sixteen or seventeen, or nineteen. Not that he was bad, mind you.”

“He’s a different person,” Kara said. “Our first time was when he was seventeen and I was sixteen. His skills haven’t changed, but his attitude has. He always cared about making me feel good, but then it changed. He cared more deeply about loving me than about making love to me, and it got even better.”