Chapter 36: Travels and Travails

March 16, 2001, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

The graveside service was short, simply a matter of a few prayers, some holy water, and some incense. When the priest finished, Samantha and I watched as the cemetery workers lowered Noel’s coffin into the ground. When they finished, she put her hand in mine and we walked back towards the limo.

“You OK?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m, well, you know.”

“More upset that Brian couldn’t bring himself to come to your dad’s funeral than you are about your dad dying.”

“Yes. I love Brian, and I won’t let this come between him and me, but it does hurt, even though I understand Brian’s visceral reaction to my dad.”

“He’s not the only one,” I replied. “In a hypothetical vote between Satan and your dad, your dad would have lost in a landslide.”

“You’re here.”

“There are several people from my past who would say I had more than a nodding acquaintance with Satan.”

“Your mom and Kara’s former pastor? Who cares what they think!”

“True,” I replied. “I suppose the answer is that love conquers all. But that’s my take on the world, not everyone else’s.”

We got back into the limo and Samantha instructed the driver to take us to my house, then put up the privacy screen.

“Can I ask you something that’s bugged me from day one?”

“Day one of you and me?” Samantha asked. “Or my dad?”

“Your dad, but the escape, not the girls. Why in Loki’s name would Murray Matheson, Harry Foulkes, and Norm Monroe take the risks they did? All three of them had more money than they could spend and risked federal prison to help your dad get to the UAE on the theory that the Emir would play ball.”

“Foulkes and Monroe owed him and he collected, like our favors, only not, if you get my drift. Matheson was sheer loyalty. He was the first person my dad ever hired, and he’d have held his hand over the candle like Liddy is reported to have done.”

“OK, Matheson I can understand, at least from the perspective of loyalty, but nobody could collect on a favor from me that had the potential result of a long stint in prison!”

The situation with Theo was the closest I’d come, and I hadn’t known in advance. Foulkes and Monroe certainly had.

“But there ARE people who if you asked to do that, would, with no questions asked. Charlie Johnson being one. Terry Penfield being another. And while it’s not risking prison, others would sacrifice everything for you. And even if you wouldn’t go to prison, you’d give your life for your family and close friends.”

“Or accompany them to see their dad in prison and to his funeral.”

“Exactly. And you know I’d do anything for you; all you need to is ask.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

She reached over and took my hand.

“You’ve cared for me from almost the day you met me; a debt I can never repay.”

“You have, many times over,” I replied. “By being successful, having a happy marriage, and now two wonderful kids!”

“I could have done without the ninth month of pregnancy, thank you very much!”

“You aren’t the only woman I know with that attitude! But you have two wonderful children, both of whom will be loved not just by their parents, but by scores of virtual aunts, uncles, and cousins!”

“Two more recruits for Steve Adams’ Subversity!” Samantha said with a laugh.

“Subversity?” I asked, then it dawned on me. “Subversive University!”

“Very, very good!”

“I am, aren’t I?” I smirked, channeling Penny.

Samantha laughed hard and squeezed my hand, “In SO many ways!”

“A hayloft?” I smirked. “And a ‘Wonder Woman’ cartoon?”

“I should have killed Jeri for that, but I’m glad I did it, and that’s something very special between you and me, never to be repeated with anyone else.”

“Thank you. That was a very special day.”

“For me, too, obviously!” Samantha declared.

She squeezed my hand and we rode quietly until the limo pulled up in front of my house. I saw a Lincoln Town Car waiting, double-parked.

“The limo will take you, Kara, Jennifer, Stephanie, and Bethany to DuPage,” Samantha said. “My jet will take you to Cincinnati where a rental Mercedes S500 will be waiting for you. The jet will bring you back tomorrow and a limo will be waiting to bring you home. And I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer after what you’ve done for me.”

“I know far better to argue with you,” I replied. “Thank you.”

She lowered the privacy screen and let the driver know to pull into the alley behind the house to wait, and then we got out. Samantha and I exchanged a tight hug, and then she surprised me with a soft kiss.

“I love you,” she said quietly.

“I love you, too, Samantha.”

She smiled and I waited until she got into the waiting Town Car before I went into the house.

March 16, 2001, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio

“What do you think?” I asked Kara after we’d all paid respects to Frank.

“I think you have to, really. I mean, Trudy has nobody else, and Pete and Tom are a pall bearers and Aaron is here to help take care of Melanie.”

“I think she’s right,” Jennifer said. “Escorting Trudy tomorrow makes sense. It’s like what you did for Jennie McGrath back in High School when she didn’t have any male relatives.”

“I guess I was just surprised because we’ve barely seen them in the last ten years,” I replied. “Not to mention her brother will be at the funeral.”

“She was your surrogate mom for a long time,” Bethany said. “I agree with Jennifer and Kara.”

“And I’ll make it unanimous,” Stephanie said.

I couldn’t really disagree with them despite how my last one-on-one interaction with Trudy Spencer had resulted in me deciding never to stay at their house again. What concerned me was a very emotional Trudy seeking comfort, something which would be a very, very bad idea. But, so long as Kara was with me, I didn’t foresee anything like that occurring.

“OK,” I said. “Let me tell Pete.”

I went over to where Pete and Melanie were standing and waited until an older couple I didn’t recognize finished speaking to them. Frank and Trudy clearly had plenty of friends, as the room was filled to capacity.

“I’ll escort Trudy tomorrow,” I said to Pete.

“Thanks. Why don’t you and Kara stay at the house? It’ll be so much easier in the morning. That way you can drive Trudy’s car back to the house, and Melanie and I can come in our car. The logistics were a bit messed up earlier.”

“Whatever you guys need,” I said. “Just ask.”

He handed me the keys to Trudy’s Toyota, and I went back to where Kara and the others were standing, now with Joyce, Jake, their kids, and my dad.

“Kara and I will stay at the Spencer’s tonight,” I said, handing the keys to the Mercedes to Stephanie. “You guys have the hotel rooms; just let them know we won’t use ours. We’ll end up paying for it, but I think Pete’s right about it being simpler if we just start at the Spencer’s house tomorrow.”

“What’s going on, Son?” my dad asked.

“I’m going to escort Trudy tomorrow,” I said. “You remember she doesn’t have any contact with her family except her brother, and Pete needs to be there for Melanie. Both of them are pall bearers.”

Dad nodded with a grim look on his face, “I remember.”

“You know you guys could have stayed with us,” Joyce offered.

“Yes,” I acknowledged, “but given our limited time, we didn’t want to have to drive from Colerain to Milford and back. Of course, that was before Samantha insisted we come down on her jet.”

“I need to go back to your mother,” Dad said. “I’ll see you at the church in the morning.”

He went back across the room where my mom was talking to Mrs. Spencer. I truly wondered what she could be saying, given the falling-out they’d had when I was in High School and my mom’s inability to forgive even the smallest transgression by anyone other than herself. I also wondered how my mom would react to me being Trudy’s escort for the funeral Mass and the graveside service.

A priest I didn’t recognize moved near the casket accompanied by an altar boy, and asked everyone to take their places for the prayer service. I’d heard that Father Buschmiller had been reassigned, but I hadn’t cared enough to find out who the new priest was. The prayer service was relatively brief, and when it finished, people began to filter out. Pete, Melanie, and Trudy finally left, going in Melanie’s car, then Kara and I went out to the parking lot, got into Trudy’s Toyota, and headed for the Spencers’ house.

“I have a pot of coffee brewing,” Pete said when we arrived.

“Do you need us to do anything?” I asked.

“No. Just go ahead and relax.”

Kara and I sat on the loveseat, while Pete, Melanie, and Trudy sat on the couch. I thought back to all the time I’d spent in this house so many years before. The room Kara and I would be sleeping in was the one Birgit had used, and that I had used with Karin and others over the years, and one that later had become mine when I traveled back and forth between Chicago and Milford before Stephanie had moved out of my parents’ house.

“Remembering?” Melanie asked.

I nodded, “I am. There are some great memories.”

“And some difficult ones,” she replied.

I nodded, “But the good far outweighs the bad. Your parents were my surrogate parents when I was a teenager, and that’s something for which I’ll always be grateful.”

“You had a huge impact on our lives,” Trudy said with a smile. “A very good one.”

“Pete?” I asked. “Where’s Jonathan?”

“With my parents,” he said. “He was just exhausted and out of sorts after the last week or so. He kind of felt abandoned because Aaron picked him up from school, not Mel or me. He had to stay in Chicago for school, and Aaron brought him down last night. He was wiped, so my parents took him home just before you guys arrived.”

“I can understand.”

“Did Samantha bury her dad this morning as she’d planned?” Melanie asked.

“Yes. And besides me, it was just a priest and an altar boy. And just brief prayers.”

“I’m not sure I could have stomached that,” Pete said.

“Steve loves Samantha so much that he put his dislike for her dad aside and accompanied her,” Melanie said.

“Not her husband?” Trudy asked.

“Brian’s a good man,” Pete said. “But even good men have limits.”

“Brian’s limits stem directly from him being a good man,” I said. “My track record, on the other hand, has been spotty at times, and I have no moral high ground to claim. And I’m not exactly in a position to judge anyone.”

Melanie smiled, “I seem to recall an offer to which Pete responded by bouncing you off the hood of his old Mustang.”

“Something both necessary and correct,” I replied. “The lesson I learned that day was invaluable.”

“I think you’re a bit too hard on yourself, Steve,” Melanie said. “A lot of things happened in your life that created what amounted to impossible situations. That incident with Pete was a direct result of Jennifer messing with your heart. You can’t take all the blame for it.”

“Maybe not,” I replied. “But even so, I’m still responsible for my own actions. And the thing is, whatever Jennifer did then, we have Jesse and that is more than enough to cover a multitude of sins.”

Pete got up, went to the kitchen, and returned with coffee for everyone.

“I’m thinking of selling the house,” Trudy said. “And given my only grandson is in Illinois, I think I’ll look for a condo in Chicago.”

That actually didn’t surprise me all that much. Without Frank, there really was nothing tying her to Milford. Well, her friends and her church, but her daughter and grandson were in Chicago, and she’d been estranged from most of her family for nearly forty years. I had no idea where they even lived, except for her brother, and the Parkers had moved to Michigan.

“I know some very good real estate people,” I said. “If you want, I can put you in touch with one of them.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Trudy said with a smile.

“Pete,” I said, “Bethany and I talked about visiting Nick tomorrow. Will you join us?”

“Absolutely.”

“We’ll stop by to see Kara’s dad as well,” I added.

“Mom, is there anything you need?” Melanie asked.

Trudy shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. Do you kids mind if I go upstairs?”

“Are you OK, Mom?” Melanie asked.

“Yes. I just want to lie down.”

“She has a point, Mel,” Pete said. “Let’s go up as well. You need to get enough sleep.”

Melanie acquiesced and after everyone said ‘good night’, she and Pete followed Trudy upstairs.

“Are you ready for bed?” Kara asked.

“Not really. I could use a sauna, but it’s in the master bedroom. Let’s just go to the basement and turn on some music so we don’t disturb anyone.”

“Sure.”

We got up and went to the basement. I turned on the stereo and tuned to Q102, then Kara and I sat on the couch. We sat close together and listened to the radio for a good ten minutes before Kara spoke.

“How are you doing, Snuggle Bear?”

“Pretty good, I think. Not having to drive back and forth was a huge help.”

“Samantha was showing you just how much she loves you. You took good care of her, and today she had a chance to take care of you.”

“Which is why I didn’t protest. Everything is OK, though I know this is not what Sensei Jim had in mind when he left me in charge of the dojo when he went to Japan.”

“But you’ve made sure every class is covered, and you’ll be there all next week.”

“Until something ELSE comes up,” I sighed. “It hasn’t been this crazy since Christmas of ‘84. And now, I don’t have time for my wives, my kids, my work, or karate.”

“Just relax, Snuggle Bear. Things will calm down. And I know you’re looking forward to being back in the office.”

“I am. I’m also very tired of death. You and I have both lost friends or family, and we’re at an age where Frank and Grandma Grossi are harbingers of things to come.”

“Please don’t get morose; Grandma Grossi lived a long, happy life with lots of great-grandkids. Frank was just one of those things. You remember what Jessica said after she talked to the doctor who attended his case - it was congenital.”

“You’re talking to someone who has what’s likely a congenital defect of some kind.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make things worse.”

I smiled, “You didn’t. I’m just in a slight mood. I’ll be fine once things get back to some semblance of normal.”

“Do you think you need to talk to Mary and check to see if your meds are working properly? You’re sounding a bit depressed.”

“Three funerals in less than two weeks will do that to you.”

“Remember, we’re all supposed to watch for signs of depression.”

I nodded, “I know. If I still feel this way on Monday, I promise to call Mary. And who knows, maybe Birgit is right and I’m not getting enough cuddles!”

Kara laughed softly, “I don’t think our daughter could EVER get enough dad cuddles.”

“She does seem to draw energy from them.”

“And so do you. Are you ready to go up to bed?”

“I suppose.”

I got up, turned off the stereo, flipped the light switch, and Kara and I went upstairs.

March 17, 2001, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio

On Saturday morning, we ate breakfast, and then Kara, Trudy, and I got into Trudy’s Toyota and headed to the funeral home.

“Thanks for doing this, Steve,” Trudy said.

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do given everything you and Frank did for me years ago.”

“Frank always referred to you as the son he never had, though given your relationship with Melanie...”

I chuckled, “Awkward!”

“He always looked forward to seeing you when we visited Melanie, Pete, and Jonathan.”

“I honestly don’t know what I would have done without you two.”

“Gotten laid a lot less,” Trudy teased.

I laughed, “You have NO idea.”

“Trudy,” Kara said mirthfully, “Steve had access to an apartment in Milford he could use...”

Trudy laughed softly, “I bet your mom didn’t know about that, Steve!”

“Mom showed up once,” I winced. “But fortunately, she didn’t realize how often I could use it. Kara’s mom figured it out. Well, that we had a place to go.”

“I went home with wet hair and smelling of different soap,” Kara giggled.

“Oops!” Trudy said, shaking her head. “I meant to tell you, Lars Andersson called on Thursday night.”

I’d called to let them know when Frank had been taken off life support.

“You were a surrogate mother to Birgit for a year, and I know Lars was grateful for how much love you showed her.”

“So many good memories,” Trudy sighed.

“Are you doing OK?” Kara asked.

“Yes. I had time to prepare after the stroke. I think it’ll hit me next week with the empty house. That’s another reason to move to Chicago - to be near the people who I love.”

“I’m sure Jonathan will appreciate having Grandma around!” Kara declared. “Our kids love seeing their grandparents.”

“Steve, has your mom mellowed at all?”

I shook my head as I turned into the parking lot at Noakes Funeral Home.

“No. She keeps her mouth shut, but Birgit’s assessment remains accurate - she’s a mean old woman. Ashley, Stephie, and Michael have made serious efforts with her, but my mom just can’t get past the fact that they’re my kids, and she has never come to terms with my relationships, which are, well, different.”

“I’ll say!” Trudy replied.

I pulled up to the main entrance and attendants from the funeral home helped Trudy and Kara from the car, and one of them took the keys from me to park the car so I could escort Trudy inside where Pete, Melanie, and Jonathan were waiting for us.

“Hi, Uncle Steve!” Jonathan said.

“Hi, Jonathan. How are you?”

“Sad.”

I knelt down, “Me, too. Hug?”

We shared a hug and then I stood up and shook hands with Pete, hugged Melanie, and then shook hands with Aaron, who looked very good in his dress blues.

“Are we waiting on anyone else?” Bill Noakes asked.

“No, this is everyone who’ll be in the limo,” Pete said.

A cortege really didn’t make sense given that the church was but a few blocks away. There would be one from the church to the cemetery. We were escorted to the limo which was parked behind the hearse, and once all of us were in, we made the short drive to the church where the pallbearers were waiting. Pete joined them, and Trudy looped her arm through mine, and Melanie did the same with Aaron, and held Jonathan’s hand. We watched as the coffin was slid from the hearse, and when the pallbearers had picked it up, we followed them into St. Andrew’s. Trudy, Melanie, Aaron, Jonathan, and I were led to seats in the front row of pews, and Kara took her place just behind us. Pete joined us once he’d helped the other pallbearers place the casket on the bier.