Chapter 30: That All Makes Sense

March 1, 2001, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio

🎤 Steve

“So, ‘catch and release’?” Elyse asked after I’d explained what had happened with Annita.

“I suppose.”

“Is this a new style for you?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know. In this case, it felt right.”

“I bet she did!” Elyse teased.

“You do realize that was about everything EXCEPT sex, right?”

“Baptism?”

“I suppose,” I replied. “And our second meeting will be for Confirmation, if we stick to the Roman Catholic analogy. But her commission is different from the small group of subversives I’m forming.”

“I heard through the grapevine that you and Bethany are on the outs. That’s not a good thing.”

“No,” I sighed. “It’s not. And I see the backchannel communication by the mothers of my children is still fully active! But I can’t fix things with Bethany because she’s almost as irrational on the topic of sex as my mom.”

“Bullshit!”

“I said ‘almost’,” I replied. “But she thinks Chelsea and Matthew are in an inappropriate relationship because Chelsea is three years older than Matthew.”

“They’ve basically been a couple for four years!”

I chuckled, “In Chelsea’s mind, it’s been almost nine!”

“She might have jumped the gun a bit,” Elyse allowed with a smirk, “but she seems to have been right. Matthew has had plenty of girls around who are interested, but he’s stuck with Chelsea, despite the distance. And he’s talked to both of us about her. You know they’ve kissed, but that’s the limit of what they’ve done so far. I don’t see how what we all know is going to happen on his birthday can be wrong.”

“Me either, but Bethany does. I’ve forbidden her from talking to any of my kids about sex or relationships, and strongly discouraged her from talking to any of the cousins. She felt Jesse was taking advantage of Francesca, for fuck’s sake!”

“Oh, come on!” Elyse exclaimed in disbelief. “They were together from the time they were babies! And they were VERY clear about what was going to happen once they both passed puberty; everyone accepted that, well, except Carol.”

“I know, Belgium, but Bethany can’t see that. I pushed her to look at teens from Europe and South America but she claimed she doesn’t have the resources. I suggested a talk with Sofia and some of our Swedish friends, but she demurred. I honestly think she doesn’t want to hear contrary evidence at this point.”

“What the hell happened to her?”

I shrugged, “I think her clients have weighed so heavily on her that she’s lost the bigger picture. She needs therapy from someone more like her twenty-eight-year-old self.”

“Well, I’m not sure what to say to that. Did you figure out what’s up with Ed?”

“Stephanie talked to you?”

“Yes, though it was more about why I thought he might have wanted a divorce.”

“Ed told Bethany that Stephanie demanded the divorce, but I don’t believe that for one second.”

“She does have a history of being volatile and jealous,” Elyse observed.

“Jorge; but this is different. She’d have accepted Ed banging the babysitter and extracted some concessions, but she wouldn’t have divorced him.”

“Two Naval officers is a ‘concession’?” Elyse laughed. “Who knew?”

“I’m not sure he’d have gone for THAT, but the point remains, as Stephanie said, he had pretty much everything he could have wanted, including my sister as a regular sex partner.”

“Was that it? You know...”

I shook my head, “It wouldn’t make any sense. He came to Chicago to be with her knowing about us. Yes, he was upset she traveled with me, but I still feel that was a pretext for the real reason. But what that real reason might be, I have no idea. As for the other stuff, if he was foolish enough to get caught up in the city corruption, I have no sympathy.”

“Says the man who was caught up in the city corruption!”

“Yes, but there are differences. I was very careful, I always had a planned escape route, and I had some very powerful backers.”

“Someday you’re going to tell me the whole story.”

“You’ll need a hell of a lot more gray hair before that happens!”

“That’s low, even for you!”

“I believe you are as sexy as the day I met you, Ms. Clarke. I see some of the younger male staff checking you out!”

“They like Cindi’s and Liz’s boobs and Kimmy’s ass more.”

“Uncultured swine,” I chuckled.

“I suspect that sounds better in the original Russian!”

“Probably. But you are a very, very sexy woman, Ms. Clarke.”

We arrived at The Christ Hospital just before midnight, and walked into the lobby. I stopped, dialed Joyce’s cell phone, and she answered.

“How are you?”

“Stressed, but everyone is here. Come up to the fifth floor,” she said. “Tell the person at the desk you’re family.”

“We’ll be right up,” I said.

Three minutes later Elyse and I entered the waiting area on the fifth floor where I saw Jake, Larry, Drew, Larry’s dad, Anthony, and Joseph Junior, the Don’s only son, sitting. I walked over to them, they stood up, and we shook hands all around.

“How is she?” I asked.

“In and out,” Larry replied. “Joyce said you should just go in. The women are with her. Room 517.”

“I’ll wait here,” Elyse said quietly.

I nodded and went down the hall and into the room Larry had designated. Donna Grossi had a nasal cannula and an IV as I had expected, and a quick glance at the monitor showed a rapid pulse, barely acceptable PO2, but regular heart rhythm and a normal temperature. Around her bed were Joyce, Alicia, Connie, Larry’s mom, and a woman I didn’t recognize, who I assumed was Joseph’s wife.

“Hi, Steve,” Joyce said. “Thanks for coming.”

“How could I not. Is she awake?”

“In and out,” Joyce replied. “If you squeeze her hand she’ll likely wake up.”

I moved over to the bed and gently took Donna Grossi’s hand and squeezed it.

“Hi,” I said.

She stirred and looked at me, then blinked a few times.

“Steve,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Joe loved you like a son.”

“And I loved him, and love you,” I replied.

“I’ll tell him when I see him soon,” she said, then closed her eyes.

I released her hand and stepped back, and Joyce and I moved away from the bed.

“How long?”

“Hours, probably, She’s not getting enough oxygen and she refused the mask so she could talk, and you know that now that she’s unable to care for herself and others, she won’t accept ‘heroic measures’. They wanted to give her drugs to try to help her breathing, but she refused because they’ll only prolong the inevitable.”

“Which is the consensus amongst our friends about how to approach the end of our lives.”

“True.”

“Where are the kids?”

“Nancy has my kids and Connie’s son. She and Paul came to get them and took them back to the house. They already said ‘goodbye’ to grandma.”

“Damn,” I sighed. “Has the priest been to see her?”

“Yes. He gave her Last Rites and Communion about three hours ago. He’ll be back in anytime now; he had another emergency to attend to in the hospital.”

“I hate to sound morbid, but...”

“Wednesday, probably,” she said before I finished my sentence. “Jake said you need to get back for Jesse’s hockey game.”

“Yes. I’ll have to work around the dojo as well, but there are enough instructors I can manage to come down on Wednesday. My Sensei is leaving for Japan on Sunday morning. I’ll speak with Samantha about the plane, which would make life a lot easier. If that won’t work, I’ll check with Patrick Shaughnessy.”

“Go get some sleep, please.”

“Jess called you, didn’t she?”

Joyce nodded, “Of course. We all want you around for another fifty or sixty years!”

I chuckled, “Are you SURE about that? Can you imagine me as a cranky old man?”

“No, because you’ll be like my grandfather,” Joyce said. “Go get some sleep. You’ve said ‘goodbye’.”

I nodded, we hugged, and I headed towards the door. Connie stopped me and gave me a hug.

“I’m sorry for everything,” she said quietly.

“It’s all forgotten,” I replied.

“Come to the club for dinner if you can.”

“Thanks,” I replied. “I will, though not on this trip.”

I left the room, went back to where the men were standing, shook hands with them, and then Elyse and I headed out. I told her what had transpired, she gave me a quick hug and a soft kiss, and we got into my BMW for the drive to Colerain Township where Joyce’s house was. Nancy was awake when we arrived, but Paul and the kids were sleeping. Elyse and I greeted her, then headed to the guest house where we got into bed, made love gently and slowly, then fell asleep with our arms and legs entwined.

March 2, 2001, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio

On Friday morning Elyse and I had breakfast with Paul, Nancy, Joseph, Amelia, and Anthony Junior.

“Happy birthday, Joseph!” I said when he came to the table.

“Thanks, Uncle Steve! Do you know how old I am?”

“Thirteen!”

His little sister was eleven-and-a-half, and both of them were growing like weeds. Joseph was going to be tall and strong, perhaps even taller than Jesse. Amelia was going to be at least as pretty as Joyce and Connie, and I could just imagine the intimidation factor of guys interested in her when she had a very protective older brother!

“Did Mom tell you I’m playing football?”

“Yes, she did. And you’re playing tight end. She told you about Jesse’s hockey team, right?”

“I wish we could have been at the game, but great-grandma was sick, so Mom and Dad didn’t think we should drive to Chicago.

“I think that was wise.”

“Unc’ Ste’?” Anthony Junior, who was just starting to talk, said. “I one!”

“And you’ll be two soon!” I replied.

“Will Kara come down with you?” Nancy asked.

“Joyce said it’ll be Wednesday, so Kara will need to get someone to cover her classes. So will Jess, but she doesn’t have an ER shift next Wednesday, so that makes it easier. I’m sure her dad will cover the class.”

“Will the cousins come?” Joseph asked.

“I don’t know. I need to talk to their moms first. I’m not sure who all will be here. I need to make some phone calls after you guys leave for school.”

“Deborah and Krissy are stopping by on their way into the city,” Nancy said. “They wanted to say ‘hello’.”

“OK.”

We finished eating and Paul left for work while Nancy got Joyce’s kids ready so she could get them off to school. I played with Anthony Junior until Deborah and Krissy arrived. We exchanged hugs, chatted briefly, and then said ‘goodbye’. Nancy took Anthony Junior from me, and I pulled out my cell phone to call Samantha and inquire about the plane.

“Of course!” she replied. “LeeAnn and Louise will make sure you get there and back on whatever schedule you need. How many?”

“I’d say at least my wives, but beyond that, I’m not sure. It’s not like the kids knew Donna Grossi that well. I may bring Eve and Liz, as they both met Donna Grossi a few times. And Elyse is signaling that she’ll come along. So configure it for max passengers, if you would.”

“Got it. How are you doing?”

“Fine. No disrespect to Donna Grossi, but this hasn’t hit me the way Don Joseph’s death did.”

“He was your mentor, Steve! So it makes sense.”

“Yes, I know. How’s the bun in your oven?”

“I am SO ready to have this baby!”

“I believe it. Everyone except Kara said the ninth month was the worst.”

“Kara does not count!” Samantha groused. “She LIVED to be pregnant! It’s not normal!”

I chuckled, “Is there ANYTHING about my life that’s normal?”

“Well, now that you ask, no!”

“Thanks again for the help. Send me the invoice, please. Personal account.”

“You’re welcome. And I will. Call me with the details when you have them.”

“Will do.”

We said ‘goodbye’ and I snapped my phone shut.

“When are you leaving to go back?” Nancy asked.

“Soon,” I replied. “I’d like to make the drive while it’s light, and be home for dinner.”

“Are things better than at Christmas?”

I nodded, “The medication seems to be working. My only complaint is no caffeine and no alcohol.”

“If that’s the worst of your troubles...”

“Oh, I know. Everything is going really well.”

“Steve, were you going to see your dad?” Elyse asked.

“I’m sure he’ll be at the funeral on Wednesday, well, assuming, so I’ll see him then.”

We chatted for about fifteen more minutes before Elyse and I said ‘goodbye’, got our bags, and got into my car for the drive back to Chicago.

March 3, 2001, Rockford, Illinois

While we were waiting for the puck to drop at the ice rink in Rockford, my cell phone rang. I saw the name on the display, and knew what the call was about.

“Steve, it’s Jake.”

“When?” I asked.

“About fifteen minutes ago with all her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids around her bed, along with the spouses, a priest, and an auxiliary bishop.”

“If it has to happen, that’s the way. When is the service?”

“Wednesday at 10:00am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Colerain Township.”

“I know it. That’s where the Don’s funeral Mass was served. We’ll be there. Give Joyce and the kids my love.”

“Will do. See you Wednesday.”

I closed the phone.

“She passed?” Josie asked.

“Yes. I’ll be heading down to Cincinnati either late Tuesday night or very early on Wednesday morning. I don’t plan to take any of the kids, though Kara, Jess, and Suzanne are coming with me, as are Elyse, Liz, and Eve.”

“I don’t think there’s a need for us to go, is there?” Jennifer asked.

“No. Joyce and Jake will totally understand. Mainly for me, it’s because of Don Joseph and my relationship with him, and Jake and Joyce. But I did see Donna often enough, and she always welcomed me to her home.”

“OK.”

🎤 Jesse

“What do you think?” I asked Jerry as we skated to the bench to hear Coach’s final game plan.

“I think you need to stand on your head. These guys score a ton of goals and have a strong D. They’re the odds-on favorite for State champs.”

“Gee, thanks for the pep talk,” I said, shaking my head.

“You asked what I thought!”

“I did. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Just play tough and we’ll have a chance. It’ll come down to being able to score.”

“What are the stats?”

“You do NOT want to know,” Jerry said, shaking his head.

“Tell me.”

“5.7 goals for; 1.7 goals against.”

I groaned, “OK. You’re right. I didn’t want to know.”

We got to the bench and listened to Coach’s final instructions, then I skated out with the first O-line and D-line.

“What do you think?” Mia asked.

“I think we need to score goals and control the puck. You know, it’s called ice hockey!”

Mia rolled her eyes, “If you weren’t my teammate...”

“Bring it,” I chuckled. “I’m as tall as you are now and have quite a few pounds on you!”

“I’ll pound you, if you aren’t careful!”

“Promises, promises,” I chuckled.

She took her position and I got ready. The referee dropped the puck and we were in trouble right away with the Rockford team making a quick entry into our zone and getting off a quick shot which I barely blockered aside. They got the rebound and I made a pad save. The third shot clanked off the crossbar, and Mia managed to clear it to Joey at center ice so our D could change. We managed to get one shot on our rush, and then change our O-line. The change was a bit slow which effectively gave Rockford a two-man advantage and they used it, setting up for a slap-pass which one of their forwards deflected into the net as I tried to slide over to stop it.

And that was how the rest of the period went. It seemed as if we couldn’t catch a break on anything, and when the horn sounded it was 2-0. Coach decided on a change of strategy and I stifled a groan because he wanted us to play a trap. I positively hated it, but if we didn’t stop giving the Rockford team easy entry to our zone, the game was going to get out of hand.

“Block, keep playing strong,” Coach said. “You’ve stopped fourteen shots.”

“And let in two,” I said.

“A poor line change and a breakdown in D,” Coach said. “We’ll fix both of those, right team?”

“Rah!” they all shouted.

“Now, let’s get out there and play some hockey!”

“Rah!”

We did better in the second period, until we committed two penalties almost back to back, giving the Rockford team a five-on-three. We had no chance and they scored off a rebound of the fifth shot in a row, making it 3-0 and they still had a man advantage for forty seconds. We held them off, and when Joey came back on the ice, he stole a pass, skated in unopposed, and slid the puck around the Rockford goalie to make it 3-1, which is how the period ended.

“Undisciplined play will ruin ANY team,” a clearly unhappy Coach said in the locker room. “We can’t be undisciplined and win. This is it, gang. We need two goals or we’re done! Let’s get them!”

We managed to get a goal early in the third period when we had a powerplay, and I stopped every shot. With two minutes to go, I watched for Coach’s signal and when we got control of the puck in the Rockford end, I skated hard for the bench and Blake jumped over the boards as soon as I was close to try a six-on-five to get the tying goal. It was like a powerplay, but it was risky, as Rockford could shoot for the open net, which one of their defensemen did as soon as he got control of the puck. Fortunately, he missed, which meant an icing call, and the puck was brought right back into the Rockford zone for a face-off.

We won the face-off, and Mia got the puck, skated into a clear lane, and fired it at the goal. The Rockford goalie just managed to get his stick on it, to deflect it away. One of their defensemen tried to skate the puck but Joey poke checked it away and we set up again. Time was running out and we got off two shots, but neither of them went in before the horn sounded, and we had lost 3-2.

I and the rest of the team left the bench for the traditional handshake at center ice, but we were all totally bummed.

🎤 Steve

“Those two penalties killed them,” Libby said.

“Agreed,” I replied. “On the plus side, Mia got her trophy before she graduated. Not bad for not even making the playoffs the last three years. And we’re all going to the Hawks game tomorrow to celebrate the citywide championship.”

“Wait ‘til next year?” Nicole asked.

“The Cubs haven’t won a damned thing since 1908!” I chuckled. “The school didn’t even exist then!”