Chapter 68: Billable Hours

March 29, 1997, Chicago, Illinois

After lunch I gave Sari a tour of the house, from top to bottom. As with most first-time guests, she was amazed that we had a ‘lift’ in the house, and a sauna in the basement. But she was even more amazed at our family structure. Eduardo was at the house, and Jesse had the week off from hockey because of Western Easter. His Holy Week wouldn’t start until Orthodox Palm Sunday, which was April 20th.

“Complicated doesn’t begin to describe it!” Sari said, shaking her head as she, Kara, and I relaxed with tea in the ‘Indian’ room.

“So you see now why I wouldn’t be violating any vows?”

“What vow could you have given that would allow this?” she asked with a silly smile.

“To be faithful in my duties and responsibilities to my wives and children, as well as the mothers of the other three.”

“I know this isn’t my place, but Kara, why did you agree to this?”

She smiled, “Because I wanted to spend my life with Steve, and I’ve known him since High School. And I don’t know if he was totally open, but I love Jessica and she loves me, and we all make love together, as a trio, and as couples.”

“Oh!” Sari said. “I didn’t realize THAT!”

“I didn’t think it was necessary to tell you, but Kara is free to disclose as much as she likes.”

“Will I be able to meet the doctor?”

“If you stay for dinner, and Guys’ and Girls’ Nights, sure,” I replied.

“What are those?”

“The men stay here and play pool or poker or whatever, and drink. The women usually go out to a club. They’re going to the House of Blues tonight, and you can certainly join them. We do this on alternate weeks. It lets us all socialize and the kids have babysitters, though some of the older boys hang out with us and have their own poker game. The moms won’t let them play with the men yet.”

“But you would?”

I chuckled, “Jesse, my eldest, is almost as good as I am. He does really well when I play with him and his brothers.”

“I’d like to stay, if I could.”

“Absolutely,” Kara said. “We can even put you up in a guest room if you don’t want to go back to the hotel.”

“I don’t have any of my things, so I’ll go back there. Where is the club?”

“In the city proper,” I replied, “so you can take the O’Hare line directly there. You should come back tomorrow, if you’re free.”

“I am. And I’d like that.”

I heard the front door open and a voice call out, “Any Yanks about?”

“Who is that?” Sari asked.

“My friend Doctor Jon, and his wives Amanda and Karen, come to reclaim their kids.”

“Wives?!”

I nodded, “Same general arrangement.”

We got up and hurried to meet Jon, Amanda, and Karen, and help them with their bags. Jon and I took the bags to Elyse’s room, which she was graciously allowing them to borrow, as she’d be going home with Eduardo, while my kids mobbed Amanda.

“How was Florida?” I asked.

“Disney was good, the resort hotel you recommended was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed being with my wives!”

“Good to hear! Al Barton will be at Guys’ Night tonight. He’s looking forward to seeing you.”

“Same here. Who was the drop-dead gorgeous girl I saw when we came in?”

“My new friend Sari. She’s a KLM Stewardess.”

“You sir, are a legend!” Jon laughed.

“Only in his own mind!” Elyse laughed from behind us.

“Thanks,” I replied flatly.

“Thank you for the use of your room, Elyse,” Jon said. “It’s very much appreciated.”

“You’re welcome!”

The three of us headed downstairs to join the rest of the gang. We had an enjoyable afternoon, a good dinner, and fantastic Guys’ and Girls’ Nights.

March 30, 1997, Chicago, Illinois

“Eight weeks, you think?” Hannah asked as we sat in my study drinking tea.

“I think so. And I was thinking of offering it four times a year. That gives us four or five weeks between each session. If we don’t get the attendance, we’ll reduce the number, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

“Two friends from work said they’re interested, and they said some of their friends might be interested, too.”

“That’s good. How do you like your job? I know it’s not even a year since you graduated.”

“A payable clerk’s job is pretty simple, and I have my degree in accounting, and once the baby is born, I’ll work on getting my CPA. I figure I’ll have some time to study.”

I laughed, “Oh you poor, naïve young woman! The phrase ‘sleeping like a baby’ is the exact opposite of reality! The first two months are rough, especially if you nurse your baby. I think you might want to have a chat with one of the moms!”

“My mom told me it wasn’t too bad.”

“That’s your mom’s revenge! And I bet she was a homemaker, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’ll leave the horror stories to the women!” I grinned.

“Gee, thanks!”

“You’re welcome. So, I was thinking we start with situational awareness and smart behavior.”

Hannah nodded, “Absolutely. For defense, are you thinking locks and throws?”

“And kicks and knees below the waist - groin, knees, ankles. Plus some basic escapes and blocks.”

“What about open-handed jabs to the throat?”

I nodded, “The open-palm thrust into the hyoid with three fingers is pretty effective to convince someone they’ve chosen poorly.”

“Well, ‘Indiana’, that is our goal here. We don’t want anyone permanently injured.”

“Though I wouldn’t mind if the miscreants were unable to contribute to the gene pool.”

“Did your little sister really rupture some jerk’s testicle?”

“That was right before you came to the dojo. Three jokers decided she was easy pickings and she demonstrated the error of their ways.”

“But she left the dojo?”

“She decided Jazzercise was more her speed. She’s still doing dance aerobics which fits her schedule better than trying to progress through belts.”

“That makes sense.”

We spent the next thirty minutes working out a lesson plan, and after I walked her to the door, it was time to say ‘farewell’ to Jon, his wives, and the kids. Albert and Jane were clinging to each other for dear life, and I wondered if we’d need a pry bar to get them apart, but eventually they stopped hugging and we walked out to the waiting minivan taxi.

“Come see us again,” I said.

“We’ll try,” Jon replied. “Come visit us next time you’re in London.”

“I’m sure Albert will want to visit his wife, so I expect you’ll see us in the next year or so.”

After hugs and handshakes, Jon and his family piled into the taxi and were whisked away. Everyone went back inside and Kara, Sari, and I went to the ‘Indian’ room.

“Sorry about my meeting,” I said.

“Don’t be!” Sari replied. “You have your life to live, and besides, I enjoyed talking with Kara and playing with your kids.”

“So you believe me now?” I asked.

Sari smiled, “Yes, we could jump in the suitcase together without getting in trouble.”

“‘Jump in the suitcase’?” Kara asked.

“The Dutch version of ‘roll in the hay’,” I replied with a grin.

“Hallo,” Kara smirked, doing an impression of Teri Garr, “Vould you like to have a roll in ze hay?”

“Nice,” I chuckled.

“I’m sorry,” Sari said, “I don’t understand.”

“It’s from a movie,” I replied. “Young Frankenstein. But it’s also a tease, because the next thing Teri Garr, the actress, does is roll around in the hay cart saying...”

“Roll, roll, roll in ze hay,” Kara said.

“It’s a funny movie,” I replied. “And if you get a chance you should rent it.”

“So it’s about Frankenstein’s monster?”

“It’s a comedy spoof, like Airplane.”

“I saw that movie! It’s quite funny.”

“This one is equally funny,” I replied.

“Dad?” Michael called from the door of the ‘Indian’ room.

“Yes?”

“I’m having trouble with the computer. I can’t get it to print my homework.”

I excused myself and got up and followed him to my study where I spent about ten minutes troubleshooting, then gave up and simply rebooted the Mac and power-cycled the printer, which resolved the problem.

“I could have done that!” Michael declared.

“Yes, you could. And it’s OK to try that if this happens again.”

“Can I get my own computer?”

“Why do you need your own computer?” I asked.

“So I can play games. I like the computer games better than the console games.”

That would mean bringing another Windows box into the house, something I was loath to do.

“Let me talk with your mom and see what she says, OK?”

“Yes. Moms are in charge of everything!”

“They are NOT!” I countered.

“Then why do you have to ask Mom?”

“Because I want to hear what she has to say,” I replied. “Being in charge means you need to listen to what other people say before you make your decisions. Would you want your mom to decide things for you without asking you?”

“No way!”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow, I promise.”

“Thanks, Dad!” he said, taking his papers from the printer and leaving my study.

I went back to the ‘Indian’ room and sat down on one of the floor cushions.

“Problem solved?” Kara asked.

“That’s the second time that’s happened,” I replied. “The printer and computer just stop talking to each other. I can solve it by restarting both of them, which is fine, but I’m going to need to sit down and figure out what’s wrong.”

“What’s the plan for the rest of the afternoon?”

I shrugged, “I didn’t really have any plans other than hanging out.”

“Mom?” Stephie said from the door. “I need you!”

“Well, that was quick!” I chuckled.

Kara got up and went with Stephie, leaving Sari and me in the ‘Indian’ room.

“I was surprised yesterday when I heard you weren’t allowed to spar,” Sari said. “But last night, Doctor Jessica explained about your head injuries.”

“Or as Jesse and Birgit have called it, my ‘brain damage’!”

“Your kids are lots of fun and say things I could never say to my parents, even now!”

“Something I encourage. I want them to speak their minds and we respect their opinions. It helps them learn to be adults, because we can point out when it isn’t appropriate to say certain things.”

“And they never get in trouble?”

“You mean for what they say? No. They may be corrected, but they aren’t punished. Why should anyone ever be punished for speaking their mind? That never made sense to me when I was little, and I’m sure not going to do something to my kids that I think was bad for me.”

“You seem very open-minded.”

I nodded, “I like to think I am.”

“And you always say what you’re thinking?”

I chuckled, “Not always, but probably a bit too often. But it’s with friends and family, not in public. There I tend to be a bit more circumspect.”

“Like during the flight?”

“That was just me being careful to keep my comments appropriate so I didn’t offend you. I didn’t know you well enough to know what I could, or couldn’t, say.”

“But some things are obvious!”

“Such as?”

“Your desire to be with me.”

“The feeling was obviously mutual,” I replied.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive. But guess what? Desire is only one part of it. That’s something we learn growing up as well. Just because we want something, doesn’t mean we should get it. As I tell my kids, they automatically get what they need; they don’t always get what they want. As an adult, you exercise discretion. You have a range of options of what to do and you choose the one you think is most suited for the time and place.”

“You have a very interesting style.”

“Oh?”

“It’s extremely obvious what you want, but you’re very careful about saying it. Very indirect. I’m not used to that.”

I smiled, “I don’t use dumb ‘pick up’ lines and I generally detest crude comments.”

“And that works?”

I chuckled, “You tell me!”

“It would seem so. And you would just tell your wife that we’re going to bed together?”

I nodded, “Yes. And she wouldn’t object at all. She’ll tell us to have fun.”

“That’s just strange.”

“Other than my friend Jon, whom you met, I don’t know anyone who has managed this kind of relationship. I’m sure there are others, but it wasn’t an easy path getting to where Kara, Jessica, and I are. You met the girl everyone thought I was going to marry last night.”

“Which one?”

“Bethany, the psychologist.”

“And you and Jesse’s mom?”

“She struggled with her sexuality all through High School and most of college. When we were young, we had talked about marriage, but obviously that wouldn’t have worked out. So instead, we had a baby together, with her wife.”

“And the other mom?”

“Elyse? A friend from High School who wanted to have kids with me. But she couldn’t be in the same kind of relationship I have with Kara and Jessica, because she’s as straight as I am.”

“Your wives... ?”

I nodded, “Yes, which is why so many other girls who were interested ended up marrying someone else. And even girls who might have been willing to engage in occasional same-sex lovemaking before marriage wanted their husband to be exclusive and faithful.”

“I had the impression last night that several of those girls were very interested in you - the Swedish doctor and the school teacher.”

I nodded, “I met Sofia in Sweden, but she couldn’t share. The same was true for Kathy who I met in High School. She met Kurt while she and I were seeing each other.”

“And you let her go?”

“It’s complicated,” I replied. “Kara was in the picture at the time, but that was before we had our problems.”

“And all of this is in your diary?”

“And a whole lot more,” I grinned.

“And what will you write about me?”

“About our conversations and about the dojo.”

“Do you describe your encounters?”

“Sometimes.”

“In detail?”

“Sometimes.”

“And if we did?”

I shrugged slightly, “I never know beforehand what I’m going to be moved to write. My journal has always been a way of talking to myself, ordering my thoughts, and trying to make sense of my life. Sometimes it’s just a stream of consciousness, sometimes it’s debates with myself, sometimes it’s analysis, and sometimes,” I smirked, “it’s erotica.”

“And to read it I need a degree in psychology?”

“In effect, though I don’t plan to change therapists anytime soon. There is a pre-requisite for the erotica part, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t be with anyone who doesn’t have a recent, clean, STD test. I think the Dutch term is ‘soa’.”

“Yes. But I always insist on condoms.”

“Very effective, but not perfect, because any exchange of bodily fluid can spread a disease. Jessica is adamant about the test.”

“I suppose a doctor would be. I had one last year, in September, after a brief love affair with a pilot. It was after that I decided to not hang out with pilots.”

“May I ask?”

“He lied about being married. And bragged to the other male flight crew about being with me.”

“A first-class jerk. Lying AND bragging; two of the worse possible behaviors.”

“You’ve never done that?”

“Lied about my relationship status? Never. And I have never, once, discussed any specifics of my sexual relationships with guys. Ever. Kara and Jess know, and in the past, the girls I was closest to would know, but that was our agreement.”

“You never cheated?”

“Once. I was an idiot High School boy. And I immediately confessed and apologized.”

“Teenage boys aren’t known for their intelligent behavior with girls.”

“No kidding,” I chuckled. “But that was the one major error. There were times I didn’t think things through, but I learned from my mistakes.”

“What happened with that girl?”

“She forgave me.”

“A difficult thing to do.”

I nodded, “As I said, I learned my lesson. That’s why I didn’t hide anything from you. But I also understand why you’re skittish about married men.”

“As I said, it wasn’t the fact he was married, but the fact he lied. The other married men who have flirted with me never hid it, but I think most of them wouldn’t actually have cheated on their wives.”

“And I would say that was true of most of my friends; they might flirt, but they wouldn’t follow through. In fact, there is a couple that my wives and I flirt with all the time, but nothing will ever happen.”

“Why, if you’re all OK with it?”

“There’s a difference between being OK with flirting and being OK with breaking your vows, which this other couple would be doing. And it’s more complicated by history, too. Suffice it to say, it won’t happen.”

“Are there any limits?”

“Sure. As a general rule, nobody who works with Kara or Jessica, nobody at the dojo, and nobody at my company. There have been occasional exceptions, but the rules have worked pretty well. I also usually avoid married women because it’s difficult to know if they are cheating or not, and I don’t want to encourage or facilitate cheating.”

Sari was quiet for a bit.

“I think,” she said, after nearly five minutes, “that despite the fact that I feel you are one of the most interesting men I’ve met, and that I am attracted to you, it’s best to say ‘no’, at least for now. I’ll be back in Chicago during the Summer, so perhaps then.”

I nodded, “As you wish. You’re welcome to visit anytime.”

“Did I miss anything?” Kara asked, coming back into the room.

“Just that I’m the most interesting man in the world,” I said with a grin.

March 31, 1997, Chicago, Illinois

“I don’t have to let him in, do I?” I asked.

“It’s a tricky question,” Jamie said. “This is private property, but depositions are considered court proceedings, and as such, have to be public except in the rarest of circumstances.”

“Can I mess with him?” I asked hopefully.

“You’re going to respond to me saying ‘no’ about the same way Eric and Patricia do!”

“Pretty much,” I grinned. “Wait here.”

“I am SURE that I don’t want to see what happens,” Jamie replied, shaking his head.

I left the ‘Lemieux’ room just as Kimmy showed in the court reporter, along with Mark Ball and a second attorney for Peach. I walked down the hall to Eve’s office and stood in her doorway.

“I want to introduce you to Dante,” I grinned.

“That bastard is here?”

“Of course he is. Just as I’m going to sit in on his deposition in Atlanta later in the week. The proceedings are public.”

“And why would I want to meet him?”

I grinned, “Because I’m going to mess with him, that’s why. I need you to come downstairs with me, no sweater or jacket.”

“You do realize how horny this is going to make me, right?”

I chuckled, “You do get off on this kind of thing, don’t you?”

“Oh, yeah!”

She got up from her desk and we walked back down the hall, stopping at my office so I could leave my jacket, and then the two of us went down the staircase and into the lobby. I saw Dante with a man who could only be an attorney, given the obviously tailored suit and Bruno Magli shoes.

“This is private property,” I said firmly.

“What the fuck, Adams? Guns? Seriously?”

“It keeps the riff-raff at bay,” I replied. “And ensures that when I tell people they aren’t welcome, they get the message loud and clear.”

“Mr. Adams, Mr. Puccini has a right to attend the depositions. They are public hearings.”

“He’ll need to be searched, and leave any cellular telephones, tape recorders, cameras, or anything similar with Lucas at the reception desk or in his car. He’ll also need to sign a non-disclosure agreement and a hold-harmless agreement.”

“You can’t make those requirements, Mr. Adams.”

“I sure as hell can,” I replied. “Eve will frisk him and check his briefcase. And given he wants to come into my offices, he can submit to the search and sign the forms, or stay out. It’s a simple choice.”

I knew he couldn’t pull a similar stunt, because the Atlanta depositions had been scheduled at the law firm precisely because he didn’t want me, or anyone from NIKA or our legal representatives, in his offices. I, on the other hand, preferred playing psychological games with him.

“Fuck you, Adams!” he growled.

“I believe we’ve already established I don’t swing that way. I mean, no offense to your sexual preferences, but they aren’t mine.”