Chapter 5: Milena and Joel

June 3, 1983, McKinley, Ohio

"You're serious?" Milena asked, incredulous.

"I am; you figured it out, and this is the talk we SHOULD have had."

She shook her head, "Now you have ME thinking about whether we should do this or not."

"Which was my entire point."

"Not to interrupt this moment of clarity," Deb said quietly, "but is that invitation open?"

I chuckled, "I'll leave the answer to that to the pianist. Her opinion may have changed."

Milena sighed, "How the hell did a twenty-year-old, generally conservative guy manage, in a few minutes, to confuse the living hell out of me about sex?"

"By actually caring about you as more than a life-support system for secondary sex characteristics. Very NICE ones, mind you."

"Seriously?" Milena laughed, shaking her head. "'Secondary sex characteristics'? That's even worse than using clinical terms!"

"He IS going to be a doctor," Deb laughed.

"You know, I don't know that I've ever heard him swear or even use any off-color language," Milena said.

"I rarely do, and if I swear, it's in Russian, and even then, it's mostly the milder epithets."

"My approach to you was ENTIRELY wrong," Milena observed. "For most guys, either directly saying what I want or making it clear it's available is more than enough. With you, simply being nice and asking you to have a cup of coffee and a conversation would have had a far better chance of success."

"I don't think he's the norm," Deb added with a soft smile.

"I think he is if you're looking for THE guy," Milena countered. "If the first thing a guy thinks about is banging you, that's not exactly an auspicious start."

I laughed hard, "Good luck with that! Even I thought that when I first saw you!"

"He has a point," Deb laughed. "I think the difference you're looking for is the guy who tried to get you into bed right away versus the one who thought you were someone he felt was worth investing the time to get to know."

"And I made it totally about sex right from the beginning. Which in our usual circle is the way it is."

"Mike, do you mind if I ask if you've had more than two or three lovers?" Deb asked.

I chuckled, "Want to make sure it's worth it?"

Deb laughed softly, "I was just curious. You know, trying to figure you out."

"I have. Some of them have been what I would call girlfriends, while others were more casual."

"Can I ask why you're OK with me?"

I smiled, "I think you figured it out some time ago. You were just following the lead."

"I suppose I was. What do you like?"

"I think that conversation ought to be had in the bedroom with all of us wearing WAY less clothing!" I grinned. "But before that, would you mind doing an experiment with me?"

"I have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!" Deb replied. "What's the experiment."

"Just a very soft kiss. Just follow my lead, OK?"

She nodded and scooted over next to me, then got into my lap. I put my arms around her, and she put hers around my neck. Our lips came together, and we held a soft kiss for a few seconds before I pressed my tongue forward gently. Deb parted her lips, and our tongues met and danced slowly for a minute before we broke the kiss.

"Nice," Deb sighed. "Did I pass?"

"That's not the question," I replied gently.

She smiled, "Would you like to make love?"

I nodded, "That's the correct question. I would."

"How did you know, Deb?" Milena asked.

"The kiss. But I looked at it from HIS perspective, not mine. That was backwards. He needed to know what I wanted. And the kiss told me it wasn't what we thought it was."

"Want to try, Milena?" I asked.

Deb scooted from my lap and smiled at Milena, who considered for a moment, then moved to my lap. We kissed softly for a minute before she broke the kiss.

"I don't think I'm supposed to ask the same question," Milena said. "Mike, would you like me to make love with YOU?"

"Yes."

She moved from my lap, and the three of us stood.

"There is one more thing," I said.

"What?" Milena asked apprehensively.

"After I make love to each of you, THEN you can try to fuck me to death!"

They both laughed hard, and we locked arms and walked to the bedroom.

June 4, 1983, McKinley, Ohio

"I don't think that's how it was supposed to work out," Milena groaned softly as the three of us stepped into the shower together early on Saturday morning.

Deb laughed, "HE was supposed to be worn out, not the two of us! But I think he's more worn out than he's letting on! And I'm certainly VERY satisfied!"

"Me, too!" Milena agreed.

"I agree," I grinned, pulling Milena to me for a sexy kiss.

"Again?" she groaned when I released her.

"No. I got plenty last night!"

"And I did something I thought I'd NEVER do!" Deb laughed. "But it was fun!"

I chuckled, "The power of the dare!"

"I thought I had you! When you asked Milena and me to French kiss after you came in my mouth, I NEVER expected you to agree to kiss both of us afterwards!"

Milena smirked, "I knew he'd go for it because he let me sit on his face after we each made love with him, and you were taking your turn riding him!"

"True!" Deb replied. "I should have realized!"

"I think I terribly misjudged you, Mike!" Milena said, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me tightly against her slick, naked body. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you."

"Suck up," Deb laughed.

I grinned sillily, "I do have to say that was, without question, the most amazing blowjob I have EVER had, bar none!"

"You've never been with two girls before, right?"

I shook my head, "No, I haven't."

I released Milena and pulled Deb tightly against me.

"So you really don't have anything to compare it to, then!" Deb declared.

"Are you suggesting I undertake a thorough investigation?"

Both Milena and Deb laughed.

"I'm sure Jennifer and Laurie would love to prove they're better," Milena said, laughing. "And if you get off on watching two girls, you'll enjoy that, too!"

"He won't," Deb said. "They're just in it for the sex. Our new friend here even cuddled us in between!"

"WHAT in-between!" I chuckled. "You two were VERY demanding. Well, once we got past making love."

"We weren't that bad, and you know it! Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure."

"I liked cuddling with you," Deb said quietly.

"And the NEXT thing she's going to say is she's in love with you and wants to marry you!" Milena groused.

"She's just jealous that you might say yes!" Deb laughed. "But that is NOT why I said it. Believe it or not, I never cuddled with anyone before."

"I bet Milena did," I replied.

"Guilty as charged," Milena smiled. "Joel, of course. We used to make love, then lie in bed together for hours and talk."

Deb slipped from my arms so we could actually wash ourselves but stayed facing me.

"May I ask the obvious question? Or should I leave it unasked?"

"Go ahead."

"I'd like to do this again. Could we? Sometime before the end of the Summer?"

"Milena?" I asked.

"I'd like that, too."

"Sometime in July?" I asked.

"Mom and Derek are going to Spain for the last two weeks in July. Let's plan then."

I nodded and smiled. We finished washing up, dried ourselves, dressed, and then went to the kitchen for breakfast. Milena began preparing bacon and eggs, making enough for her mom and Derek, who joined us about ten minutes later, just as everything was ready.

"Did you kids have a good evening?" Doctor Blahnik asked.

"We had a very good talk," Milena said. "It turns out he's a sweet, sensitive guy."

"No kidding!" her mom laughed. "I knew that from day one! And I know what that means."

"What?"

"That you finally found someone you could make love with. The last time was with Joel, wasn't it?"

"OH, SHUT UP!" Milena complained, almost whining.

I smiled and put my hand on hers, "Moms know WAY more than they ever let on."

"She's pined for him for almost ten years," Doctor Blahnik said, "but you'd never know it."

I smiled, "I know it. It was only after SHE admitted it, indirectly, mind you, that she was able to ask me for what she NEEDED, not what she wanted."

"Did you find what you were looking for, my sweet?"

"That's not what it was about," Milena said quietly. "It was about remembering what to look for."

"There is, indeed, more to life than orgasms!" Doctor Blahnik said with a silly smile.

"Speak for yourself, Anicka!" Derek laughed.

"Don't listen to him!" Doctor Blahnik laughed. "If that's ALL he wanted, he'd find someone younger and sexier!"

"You're kidding, right?" I asked incredulously.

"Told you!" Derek laughed. "I think I've found the perfect woman — intelligent, sexy, independent, and uninhibited!"

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!" Milena complained loudly.

"Darling, where exactly do you think you came from? The stork? I don't believe so!"

"You said dad was a lousy lay!"

That remark caused all of us to laugh hard, and I was happy I'd just swallowed a mouthful of orange juice. If I hadn't, everyone would have been wearing it.

"Later on," Doctor Blahnik said. "When he no longer cared. When he was younger, well ... almost as good as Derek!"

Milena and Deb both laughed, but Derek looked at me with a huge grin and just shrugged. The conversation calmed down after that, and when we finished eating, we all pitched in to clean up, and then I grabbed my bag, guitar case, and music, and the girls walked me to the door.

"Thanks for helping me remember what it's supposed to be about," Milena said, then kissed me softly.

Deb kissed me as well, and then I headed back to campus, where I dropped my bag in my room, then headed to the administration building for RA orientation. I was a few minutes early, despite the lengthy shower and breakfast, and took a spot near the front of the room as was my usual practice.

The first morning session was about the dorm rules and how to properly enforce them. When that finished, we had a CPR session conducted by the local fire department, which resulted in me having my CPR card. When that finished, we had lunch. After lunch, Doctor Hart gave a talk about adjustment issues faced by Freshmen and how to talk about them. The final session was about conflict resolution, and when that finished, we were dismissed.

"Mike?"

I turned to see a nicely tanned brunette girl in faded, cut-off jeans and a red blouse.

"Yes?"

"Hi. I'm Cecilia. I hear you have the guys on the second floor; I have the girls."

"I guess that makes us partners in crime for the Summer. What's your major?"

"I just finished my first year of my Master's in Psychology. You?"

"Pre-med. I'll be a Junior in the Fall."

"First time RA, right?"

"Obviously. You?"

"Third and last. Next Summer, I'll be doing my Intern work so I can get licensed."

"You don't need a PhD?"

"I can work under the supervision of a PhD with just a Master's. I'll do the PhD once I get a job. What kind of doc do you want to be?"

"Emergency medicine."

"Cool. Shall we go check on our kids?"

I laughed, "Cute. Some of them are older than I am! But yes, let's go."

We left the room and began walking back to the Rickenbacker dorm.

"But we get to play 'Mom and Dad' to them!"

"There aren't any Freshmen, which means we shouldn't have any real adjustment issues."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's Summer session; nobody starts in Summer session."

"You can take Summer session classes as long as you've finished your Sophomore year of High School!"

"We'll have High School kids? Nobody told me!"

"Not us, but there are two floors in the other dorm with High School kids — one floor of girls and one of guys."

I breathed a sigh of relief, "OK. So I was right. WE don't have anybody who hasn't at least finished their Freshman year. So we won't have to deal with any of those issues, at least until Fall."

"We'll still have 'parenting' issues. There are always some, even during Summer session."

"I got the picture that it was mostly about dealing with roommate trouble and relationship trouble."

"And drinking. And curfew violations."

"My RA the last two years didn't pay much attention to that."

"It's mostly about kids under eighteen being in the dorms. That's the one rule they strictly enforce. The rest is really a judgment call — if some kid is stupid enough to walk down the hall with a beer in his hands, you have to bust him. But I don't worry about what's in plastic cups, if you get my drift."

"For all you know, it's ginger ale," I offered.

"Exactly! Otherwise, I've had one minor medical emergency in two years — an allergic reaction to a bee sting. On the other hand, I've lost track of the number of roommate disputes I've had to settle. But that's mostly a problem on the girls' side."

We reached the dorm, showed our IDs, and went to the elevator and up to the second floor. There was a note taped to my door which read 'Room 348 — Angie'.

"Girlfriend?" Cecilia asked.

I shook my head, "A fairly close friend, but not a girlfriend. She was one of our gang last year, but she had some health trouble, so she's making up for some of the classes she missed this Summer."

"Gotcha. Let me go check up on everyone and make sure there aren't any problems. You eating in the cafeteria?"

"Yes."

She left, and I started with room 201 and knocked on every door on the guys' side so I could introduce myself. I knew a few of the guys from classes and a few more by sight, but mostly, I didn't recognize them. Once I'd completed my rounds, I went up to the third floor, into girls' territory, and knocked on Angie's door.

"Hi!" she said when she opened the door.

"All settled?" I asked.

"Yes. All done with your orientation?"

"Yes. I even have my CPR card now."

"So, you're good at mouth-to-mouth?" Angie asked with a smirk. "Sandy should appreciate that!"

"Sandy started dating someone right after you, uh, went home."

"So, are you seeing anyone?"

"Believe it or not, that's a difficult question to answer. If you're asking if I have a girlfriend, the answer is 'no'. Beyond that, it's complicated. Have you been going to church?"

"Yes, in Loveland. I hope I can get a ride to church from you here."

"Absolutely. Would you like to run with me in the morning?"

"Yes, I would," Angie replied with a smile. "Are you still going to karate?"

"Three days a week, though I've been pretty lax recently. My plan is Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I work 6:00am to 3:00pm. I was planning on going to dinner in a few minutes so I can get to Vespers. You can join me if you want to."

"I do. And, thanks."

"For?"

"Not trying to avoid me. I thought you might because of everything that happened."

"I can be your friend, Angie," I replied. "That should never have been a question. Shall we go to dinner?"

She smiled and nodded, so we left her room and went down the elevator, then headed to the cafeteria for dinner. After dinner, we headed back to the dorm.

"Why don't you play your guitar in the common area?" Angie asked.

"Giving a concert wasn't exactly my plan for the evening."

"I don't mean a concert; just sit and play casually."

It felt as if she was asking me to play for her but didn't want to actually do so. As I thought about it, that kind of request would imply being alone together in my room or her room, which I certainly wanted to avoid, at least until she and I had time to talk. I had been mildly surprised when she hadn't raised the question of praying together, but it made sense as that was the most intimate thing she and I had done.

"I suppose, though it has to be after Vespers, obviously. Let me call Clarissa first, and then we'll head to church."

"OK."

I went into my room and shut the door, then dialed Clarissa's number. A man answered, who I assumed was her dad, and he called her to the phone.

"Hi, Lissa!" I said when she came on the line.

"Petrovich! How did it go?"

"What would you say if I told you that Milena and Deb both agreed we shouldn't just be screwing to screw?"

"I'd say you were out of your mind even more than usual!" she laughed.

"Believe it or not, that was the end result of a really good conversation the three of us had after dinner and a duet. I found out about Milena's first boyfriend, and I think I understand her a lot better now; and she me."

"So you two are all lovey-dovey now?"

"I don't think I'd go quite THAT far," I chuckled. "But she admitted she'd taken the wrong approach from the beginning."

"Interesting. So, did she have a 'good' reason?"

"I asked that question, which kicked off the discussion, but it went WAY differently from the way I had expected. In the end, after we talked a lot about relationships, she admitted that there really wasn't a 'good' reason."