Chapter 1: Advice From My Best Friend

January 14, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Jesse

When I arrived home, I dropped my book bag next to the door, got a drink of water from the filtered pitcher in the fridge, then went up to my room. I put on WXRT, changed from school clothes to sweats, and lay down on the bed. I really should have known better, because Birgit had offhandedly mentioned the cheerleaders who had sold candy to Dad, implying he'd been interested in them.

I honestly didn't care who he banged, but I DID care about not being involved with anyone who had been with him. In the end, I couldn't undo what had been done, but I wasn't sure I should continue seeing Angelina, no matter how much I'd enjoyed being with her. That said, there was one thing which was humorous, and that was that Angelina had said I was bigger than the 'older guy' who I now knew was Dad. Of course, I didn't particularly care, but it was funny. The only downside was I could never make use of that information, as it would reveal what had happened.

I heard the doorbell, but I really didn't want to speak to Angelina, so I decided to just ignore it. Fifteen minutes later, I heard the door open, and knowing it was too early for either of my moms to arrive home, assumed it was Birgit. She came upstairs and stood at the door to my room.

"Libby is here and said she's worried about you. I guess Angelina talked to her."

"You knew, didn't you?"

"I guessed, but I only know for sure about Kelly, Kayla, and Kristy."

"What IS it with Dad?"

Birgit giggled, "He likes fresh, young pussy, especially virgins! And if they throw themselves at him, can you blame him?"

"I guess not, but ... never mind. Is Libby here?"

"She's waiting in the main house. Is it OK for her to come up?"

"Sure."

"Before I get her, can I ask how you found out?"

"Kelly decided to be a bitch," I sighed. "And now I can guess why."

"She was jealous?"

Oh, I was sure she was jealous, but I also knew WHO she had cheated with. If Lee ever found out, there would be hell to pay.

"Partly," I allowed. "But Lee broke up with her for cheating on him."

"Holy shit!" Birgit gasped. "How long were Lee and Kelly dating?"

"Since October, after he broke up with Kimberly."

"Whoa! And Kristy gave her V-card to Dad!"

"V-card?"

"Nothing," Birgit said quickly. "Forget I said anything. Dad would kill me."

"Fat chance of THAT," I chuckled. "Aunt Kara might ground you for life, or whatever, but Dad would just talk to you."

"He'd be disappointed in me, and that's worse than anything Mom could do."

"Before you get Libby, V-cards?"

Birgit sighed, "You can NEVER repeat this. The cheerleaders who are virgins all get V-cards to hand out to the guy who gets their virginity. Dad got Kelly's."

"And Angelina's, obviously. Is it some kind of contest?"

"I don't know the details. I'm really surprised Kelly didn't give hers to Lee."

"I'm not," I replied, shaking my head. "But I bet Dad didn't know, because of his rule about girls involved in relationships."

"She lied!" Birgit gasped.

"Or he didn't ask," I replied. "But either way, Kelly cheated on Lee and if Lee ever finds out who it was, there's going to be trouble."

"She's seventeen, right?" I asked.

"Yes, but Angelina is fourteen, though we're close in age, so that's not really a problem. Not to mention the problems the thing between Dad and Kelly might cause for the hockey team if Lee blames me."

"Ugh. Let me get Libby for you."

"Thanks," I replied.

🎤 Birgit

I left Jesse's room and realized I'd opened my mouth once again without thinking, and revealed something nobody, including me, should have known. I just hoped Jesse didn't say anything to Dad, because if Dad asked me how I knew, I'd likely be in huge trouble. And if Dad told Mom, or made me tell her, my life would basically be over until I moved out of the house. I put that aside in my mind, hoping Jesse kept my confidence.

It was no surprise to me when I figured out that Dad had been with the cheerleaders, because I knew exactly what he liked, as I'd just told Jesse — young, fresh, preferably virgin, pussy. I just had to figure out how to make sure mine was included! But that meant staying out of any trouble with Dad, because I would need every bit of luck and chance that Loki could provide, with Dad having no reason to be upset with me about anything else.

Of course, I couldn't have what I really wanted, no matter what, because the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't going to go away, and even if she did, Dad still had my other mom and Suzanne. I couldn't imagine either of them leaving Dad, and I knew he'd be very sad if they did. He'd be sad about my mom, but she was so annoying that ... well, no, I couldn't even think that. I loved her, but ... ARGH!

"Jesse said it's OK to go up to his room," I said to Libby when I walked into the great room.

"Do you know what happened?"

"Uhm, yes, but I already opened my big mouth too wide once today, so I think you should ask him that question yourself. The door is unlocked, so just go in and go upstairs."

"Thanks, Birgit!"

Libby left, and I went to start on my homework.

"What's the crisis?" Suzanne asked when she came into the sunroom.

"Just the usual teenage relationship angst," I said.

Suzanne laughed softly, "I am SO glad I didn't date seriously before I met your dad!"

"Why didn't you?"

Suzanne shrugged, "I'm not sure. Perhaps I somehow subconsciously knew I needed a man just like your dad and a situation like this, and it kept me from being interested in guys in any serious way until the universe brought your dad and me together on the plane."

"Loki strikes again!" I smirked.

"You absolutely take after your dad in so many ways!"

"And he keeps you happy?" I asked, making a silly face.

Suzanne laughed and nodded, "Yes, but not just in that way. Your dad, for all his quirks, is a wonderful, loving partner who has helped me become the woman I want to be."

"In spite of his quirks? Or because of them?"

"Both, I think," Suzanne replied with a soft smile. "The quirks make him who he is, even if they do create a bit of unnecessary drama and excitement now and then. You're very lucky to have him as a dad. All of you kids are intelligent and mature, and act more like adults than most of the adults I know. You have your dad to thank for that. And your biological mom, who is perhaps the most free-spirited person I know, and is absolutely the person I know who loves life the most."

"And the one who is a pain in my butt!" I groused. "Uhm, pretend I didn't say that!"

Suzanne smiled, "I think all little girls believe their moms are pains in the butt at times; big girls, too. Boys pretty much always think that from about the time they hit puberty. And they for sure find their dad to be a pain in the butt at times, too."

Jesse certainly did, at least today. But Albert, Matthew, and Michael never seemed to have any trouble with Dad, and Eduardo never seemed to cause trouble for Matthew and Michael.

"I suppose," I agreed. "But that doesn't make it OK!"

"But it's part of life, and we have to deal with it. Things do not always go the way we want them to, and part of being an adult is accepting that, and finding a way forward despite that."

"You just said Dad isn't an adult!" I giggled. "He has fits when things don't go his way!"

"Only with the government," Suzanne declared. "Nothing can make him see red like the government."

"True," I agreed, though if he found out how I knew about the V-cards, he'd turn positively crimson.

🎤 Jesse

"Hey, best friend," Libby said, stepping into my bedroom. "You OK?"

"I guess," I replied. "Close the door, please. And this is under 'best friend, cross my heart, hope to die' rules."

Libby shut the door, I sat up and leaned against the headboard, and Libby got into bed next to me.

"So?" she asked.

"Well, let's see, Lee and Kelly broke up because Kelly fucked my dad, though Lee doesn't know it was my dad she had sex with. To top THAT off, my dad got her cherry, not Lee. Angelina knows about Kelly and my dad, AND Angelina was with my dad, and Kelly knows about THAT, too."

Libby giggled, "Uhm, sorry. I shouldn't laugh. So your dad got both their cherries? I thought he wouldn't be with anyone who was in a relationship."

"I bet he didn't know, and I suspect Kelly didn't tell him because of some kind of pact amongst the cheerleaders to give out a V-card when they lose their virginity."

"I thought that was just a rumor!" Libby gasped. "It's true?"

"So it appears. Birgit implied Dad collected more than a few of them."

Libby laughed, "Of course he did! We all know your dad likes teenage girls! That's no surprise. Do you know anything more about what happened?"

"Not really," I sighed. "Birgit implied something about them selling Dad candy. I bet you anything they flirted with him and they offered. It's like the normal routine around here. How did you know something was wrong?"

"Angelina came to my house and said that you were really upset, and she thought it was a good idea if I came to talk to you. What happened? She wouldn't say."

"Kelly was being a bitch for some reason, which I didn't know, but I do now. She asked Angelina who was better, me or my dad."

"And?!" Libby asked with a smirk.

"As if I waited around to hear the answer to THAT question!" I chuckled. "Once it was obvious they'd both been with my dad, and that was the reason Kelly and Lee broke up, I decided to come home."

"I thought you really liked fucking Angelina."

"I do! But the whole 'dad thing' is kind of a turnoff."

"I suppose I can see that. What are you going to do?"

"Hope to Hell that Lee never finds out that my dad was the one who got his girlfriend's cherry. That could really mess up the hockey team, not to mention if Kelly really is as bitchy as she seems, she could tell someone about my dad and Angelina."

"They'd just deny it, right?"

"Probably, but that wouldn't stop all the trouble. Sure, in the end, there wouldn't be a case, but that would be after it was in the newspapers, and stuff. Not to mention what Angelina's dad might do."

"So, you're breaking things off with Angelina?"

"It was never going to be more than just what my dad calls a 'dalliance'."

Libby giggled, "Don't look now, Jesse, but you are more like your dad than you think!"

"Oh, I know," I sighed. "But," I smirked, "Angelina said I was bigger."

Libby laughed loud and hard, "Just wow! She didn't tell you who, just that you're bigger?"

"She just said 'an older guy' and I figured that meant like a Senior or whatever."

"OK," Libby smirked, "now that we're no longer lovers, I think I need to find out if she's right and who's better!"

"Please, don't," I pleaded.

"I was teasing," Libby said soberly. "And it was probably not the right thing to say."

"Though, if you did, and you told him not only that I was bigger, but that I was better, it might be worth it just for the comedic value!"

"Cool!" Libby giggled. "I'm glad you're OK with it!"

"That is NOT what I said," I protested, but with a grin. "I simply implied it would be amusing to see his reaction! Not to mention the fact that you and Karli are exclusive."

"You know, she's never been with a guy..."

"Kill me now!" I groaned.

"What if it was you?" Libby asked in a low, sexy voice.

"Oh, right, because I need even MORE drama in my life!"

"She's not interested, anyway. Not at this point, and maybe not ever."

"We're only fifteen and sixteen, so it's not like there's a rush to find Miss Perfect."

"Speaking of which, my dad finally agreed I could get my learner's permit. I start Driver's Ed in March. You're getting your license on your birthday, right?"

"That's the plan, though, as with everything else around here, subject to change with little notice."

"Are you OK?" Libby asked.

"Yes. I was just blindsided and wanted to get away from Kelly and Angelina until I had time to think it through."

"I'm not saying you should change your mind, but is it really fair to Angelina to punish her for what Kelly said?"

"That's only a small part of it," I replied. "It's really about her and my dad. And you used the 'F' word!"

Libby laughed and shook her head, "Your family is so weird! I could say 'fuck' and nobody would blink! I say 'fair' and it's like the world ended!"

"Because when people say something isn't 'fair', they're usually whining about something that didn't go the way they wanted, without any regard to it being just or right, or whatever."

"OK, fine," Libby said, rolling her eyes. "Is it right to take it out on Angelina? It's not like she lied to you or did anything wrong."

"Except fuck my dad."

Libby smirked, "Think about this — she came to you AFTER she was with your dad, AND said you're bigger! I don't see how THAT is a problem! And you said she was awesome! And if your dad doesn't know, how does that hurt you? I think you're letting him back inside your head again! But in this case, knowing what you know, you could be inside HIS head!"

"Oh, HELL no! Of all the places I'd want to be, that would be the last!"

"Your sisters' heads?"

"OK, make Dad fourth last!" I said very quickly. "But that doesn't stop Kelly from being a bitch or trying to cause trouble."

"I'm not sure breaking things off with Angelina helps. I mean, Kelly is going to be a bitch no matter what. That's her reputation."

"Lee didn't think so."

"When guys think 'prime pussy' is available, they'll put up with a lot of shit."

"True," I grinned, turning to look directly at Libby.

Libby laughed, "Mine is 'prime' for sure! You seem like you're in an OK mood."

"I am, I just wanted to get my head on straight before I said or did anything."

"Honestly, I think you worry too much about your dad, but if that's a concern, then just ask the girls."

"Oh, right," I chuckled. "'Before we go out, I need to know if you fucked my dad'. As if THAT is a good idea!"

"Just ask Birgit! She seems to know everything."

"I'm not sure that's better," I said, shaking my head.

"You guys are buddies, right? I'm sure she would tell you and not give you grief."

"I suppose. But I think sticking to Macrina and Adi makes sense."

Libby laughed, "Like any red-blooded, all-American, teenage hockey player, if prime, Grade A pussy is available, you'll go for it!"

"Perhaps," I admitted with a grin.

January 16, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

"Steve?" Liz asked on Wednesday morning over the intercom function of the phone, "Can you come to my office?"

"Be right there," I replied.

I left my office and when I entered Liz's office, I knew what it was about, as Bob and Sam were there.

"Who?" I asked.

"I repeat my advice that this is a bad idea," Bob said firmly.

"Who?" I asked again.

"Brett Mullens," Sam replied. "He printed it and deleted the file, so I retrieved the file from the backups after reviewing the printer logs. It was in his network folder, and the logs show he's the only one who accessed it. You can take it to the bank that it was him."

"Or someone with his user id and password," Liz offered.

"No," Sam replied. "Durham has the new key card access system installed on all workstations. He used his card."

"And if he did allow someone to use his card, that's a termination offense," Bob said. "Per Steve's insistence."

"Has anyone spoken to him?" I asked.

"No," Liz replied. "Stephanie was adamant that you decide how to handle this."

"It's obvious he has to go," I replied. "He's more than welcome to hold any idiotic beliefs he chooses, but he's not welcome to threaten to kill Muslim employees. And before any of you object to that statement I just made, remember he wrote that 'the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim'. How would YOU take it if he wrote, say, 'the only good HR head is a dead HR head'?"