Chapter 64: A First Real Kiss

June 10, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

When I arrived home, Suzanne was out with Tessa and Nickie and the kids had gone to bed, so Jessica and I relaxed on the floor pillows in the ‘Indian’ room.

“Who was the girl?” Jessica asked.

“Katelyn Shanahan. A strawberry blonde seventeen-year-old who took my order at Potbelly’s, asked for my card, and five hours later, was the happy recipient of an expert deflowering.”

“Seriously?” Jessica asked, though she could barely get the word out because she was laughing.

“I kid you not! I placed my order, and after I paid, she asked for my card. I gave it to her. She called me four hours later, we met, confirmed our testing status, went to the NIKA apartment, and had sex. It was her first, second, and third times, and her first blowjob.”

“You’re unreal, Tiger!”

“And she asked for a regular thing — Mondays until she heads to college. We’d have to come here, of course, because the NIKA apartment won’t be available, and of course, I’ll miss some time when I’m traveling.”

“She knows about us?”

“I explained after our second time,” I replied. “She was surprised, but not offended.”

“Already a subversive?”

“She’s certainly already at odds with society, given what she elected to do with no prompting in my part, except perhaps what you girls call the vibe.”

“I’m curious — what if she were sixteen?”

“Then I’d have told her to call me on her seventeenth birthday. With VERY few exceptions, and we’ve discussed them, the limit is the age of consent. It has to be. And those possible few exceptions will be discussed, in advance.”

“Age of consent where you are, right?”

“Yes. So the assignation Katt arranged can happen, assuming Erin is interested, because Sweden’s age of consent is fifteen.”

“Another virgin to add to your list!”

“So it would seem.”

“Well, I don’t have my virginity, but if we go upstairs, you could play with the box it came in!”

I laughed hard, scooped Jessica into my arms, and carried her up to bed where we made love slowly and gently, and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

June 11, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

“What time did you get in last night?” I asked Suzanne when we got up to run on Tuesday morning.

“About 1:30am,” she replied. “I was careful when I got into bed to not disturb you and Jess. How was your evening?”

“Oh, the usual. Propositioned by a seventeen-year-old strawberry blonde virgin who’d had an STI test and who wants to have a short-term affair, until she goes away to college.”

Suzanne laughed, then said, “Only you could call that ‘the usual’!”

“Tessa and Nickie are leaving for home today, right?”

“Yes. Kim is leaving tomorrow, and Elsa on Sunday because her little sister came to visit. I’m going into the Loop with them today. If you’re free for lunch, we’d love for you to join us at Maxim’s.”

“I can do that. What time?”

“11:30am, so we beat the lunch rush.”

“Sounds good!”

We left the house, heading for Washington Park for our run.

🎤 Ashley

Susie, Ellie, Jasmine, Veronica, and Amber all came over to the house about mid-morning so we could bake cookies. We had the house completely to ourselves because Mom and Dad were at work, Kara Mom was at Stanford, Albert was out with his friends, and Stephie had gone to Allison’s house, for which I was grateful, because she was still being a bitch. She wasn’t quite as bad as she’d been, but she had a bad attitude about everything and everyone.

“What kind of cookies?” Jasmine asked.

“Chocolate chip and ginger. I have a recipe for ginger cookies from Yuriko.”

“Where is she?” Amber asked.

“She went home yesterday,” I replied. “Suzanne drove her to the airport right after breakfast. She’ll be back in August.”

“When do you leave for Sweden?” Veronica asked.

“A month from tomorrow,” I replied. “Are you still going to Florida?”

“Yes. We’ll be at Disney World while you’re in Europe.”

“Amber, did your parents decide where to go next month?”

“Yes. We’re going to Jamaica! Andy and Stephen are going to stay with my grandparents, but I’m going to hang out on the beach in my bikini!”

“Your mom will let you wear a bikini at twelve?” Ellie asked.

“Sure! She bought a new string bikini for the trip.”

I laughed, “I bet she tries to show my dad!”

“I’m positive she will!” Amber declared. “I sure would!”

“You can’t say that, Amber,” I commanded. “Remember the rules.”

“Sorry,” Amber replied.

I was sure she was going to do whatever was necessary to get Dad to fuck her, but if she was dumb about it like Birgit had been, it was never going to happen. Not that I thought Dad would have done it with Birgit if she’d been less obvious about it, but she might have had a chance. The whole idea really bothered Stephie, but for me, it was no big deal if Birgit and Dad did that, so long as it didn’t wreck our family.

“Amber, are you going to Maria like your mom did?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes, for ninth grade.”

“You’re going into seventh in the Fall, right?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes,” Amber replied. “You’ll be in sixth, right?”

“Yes. All five of us are going into sixth.”

We got all the ingredients for the cookies and then the six of us shared the tasks of mixing the ingredients and getting them onto cookie sheets. Once they were in the oven, we went to the sunroom to listen to music.

🎤 Steve

I had received the FedEx from Jameson Miller, and everything had been in order. I spoke with his attorney to ensure that the necessary documents were being prepared for delivery to the registered agent, and he assured me the formal transfer of the stock would occur by Friday. I let him know that the escrow had been established, and would be paid out when I received the shares.

That was the last piece that needed to fall into place, and once I had the shares registered in my name, I’d call a board meeting, replace the Board of Directors, and then put our plan into action. Within sixty days, I’d have completely removed a very annoying stone from my shoe. If all went according to plan, both Brauns would be spending time in Club Fed.

Just after 11:00am I headed to Maxim’s, where I found the girls waiting in the lobby.

“Steve,” Elsa said, “this is my sister, Frida. Frida, Steve Adams,”

“Nice to meet you,” I said to the pretty brunette, who, like her sister was thin and athletic.

We went down the stairs to the lower level and were seated in a booth. I was very tempted by the chicken Parmesan, which I’d had in the past, but there was no way to have it without blowing out my carb limit, something I’d promised I wouldn’t do. Instead, I ordered their chopped salad with oven-roasted turkey strips, with bleu cheese dressing.

“What do you think of Chicago so far?” I asked Frida once the waitress had taken our orders.

“The view from the Sears Tower was «ausgezeichnet»!”

“What else do you plan to do this week?”

Suzanne answered, “An architecture cruise on the river, Brookfield Zoo, the museums, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium.”

“The usual stuff, then,” I replied.

“Any suggestions?” Elsa asked.

“No. Those are the things I’d do if I were showing someone the city. I’d also have lunch at Portillo’s and Ricobene’s, and dinner at Connie’s. I know Uno’s is the one all the tourists go to, but I think Connie’s is better, and Lou Malnati’s is even better than Connie’s.”

“I was thinking about either Indiana Dunes or Oak Street Beach for Friday,” Suzanne said.

“Either of those would work,” I replied. “What about Great America?”

“What’s that?” Frida asked.

“«Ein Vergnügungspark mit vielen Achterbahnen.»,” I replied. (“An amusement park with lots of roller-coasters.”)

“«Du sprichst Deutsch?»” (“You speak German?”)

“«Ein bisschen.»” (“A little.”)

“He speaks fluent Swedish, pretty good Spanish, some Dutch, some German, some French, some Italian, some Greek, and a smattering of Japanese,” Suzanne said.

“Not usual for an American!” Frida declared.

“German, English, and French?” I asked. “Like Elsa?”

“German, English, and Italian,” Frida replied. “I do like to do some things different!”

The waitress brought my salad, but I chose to wait for the others to receive their food before I started eating.

“It’s OK if you want to start,” Elsa said.

“It’s OK,” I replied. “I’ll wait. Frida, where do you plan to go to college?”

“I’m hoping to go to Stanford,” she replied. “For computers.”

“I know some people there, and Kara is there doing research, so if we can help, just let Elsa know and we’ll see what we can do.”

“Thank you!”

The waitress brought the rest of the food and we began eating.

[Apple Orchard Bed-and-Breakfast near Montpelier, Vermont] 🎤 Birgit

“Do you want to hang out tonight?” I asked Ed when I saw him just after I’d had lunch with Davey in the kitchen.

“Yes! We’re going for a hike this afternoon. Mom and Dad think it’s great, but Jamie and I are bored out of our minds here!”

“Meet in the rec room after dinner?”

“I’ll see you there around 7:00pm.”

He left, and Davey went to play while I went to help Katy.

“How old is he?” Katy asked when I stepped into the small office near the front door.

“Fifteen,” I replied with a smirk, “Kind of young for me!”

“And just how much experience do you have with older guys?” Katy asked with a silly smile.

“I’ve had exactly one kiss, and it wasn’t even a good one!”

“May I give you some advice?”

“As Dad says to his wives, could I stop you?”

Katy laughed softly, “Probably not!”

“What’s your advice?”

“Until you’re ‘legal’, stick to guys close to your age. You know I agree with your dad about it being a personal decision each person has to make for themselves, but you could cause someone to go to jail for a long, long time, or have their life ruined by being on the sex offender registry. And before you object that you’d testify you consented, that does not matter in the government’s eyes.”

“It’s bullshit, Katy!” I protested. “What happened to ‘my body, my choice’? Hmm?”

“That appears to only apply to abortion,” Katy replied.

“I’m sorry, but if I can legally terminate a pregnancy without the government’s permission, I ought to be able to do the thing that would necessitate it without the government’s permission! I can legally go on the Pill, too!”

“All of that is true,” Katy replied. “But what I said is also true. Your dad has taken some big risks in the past, though the political and social environment was different. I’d give him the same advice.”

“I think he’s following that,” I replied. “Well, minus a certain cousin who shall remain nameless!”

“Unfortunately, we’re not like Europe where they have reasonable age of consent laws, so he pretty much has to. I’m not telling you not to do it, I’m just making sure you understand the risk the man would be taking.”

“I’m worth it!” I giggled.

Katy laughed, “And you know this from your extensive experience?”

“Nice boobs, though they’re a bit small; a cute butt; toned muscles; and I’ll do basically anything in Bethany’s book!”

“Girls?” Katy asked with a smirk.

I shrugged, “You know I don’t have a problem with that. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure?”

“You dated guys, but then you figured out you liked girls, but still got married to Kenneth. Why?”

Katy sighed, “Irish Catholic girls do NOT have same-sex partners, or at least not in the 70s and 80s. I always felt something was a bit off with the guys I was dating, but I could never quite figure out what.”

“But you like sex with guys, right?”

“I do, but I like it better with girls. And, with the exception of your dad, I never met a guy who I could truly relate to. He’s very special.”

“I know!” I replied. “And I wish ... sorry, I shouldn’t say that.”

“Becoming circumspect in your advanced age?” Katy asked, obviously teasing.

“Ashley made the point that if I hadn’t been so obvious about it, it might have happened.”

“I think that’s unlikely for a host of reasons,” Katy said. “I’m sure your dad explained why.”

“He did,” I sighed. “And mainly it was because there was no way he could give me what I really wanted. And he thinks that because of that, neither of us could actually consent.”

“Your dad’s views on consent are nuanced, and take into account more than just saying ‘yes’. Sex always has meaning, and if there isn’t an agreement on what it means, people can be hurt very badly. Not to mention the potential problems it would cause if it did happen and anyone found out. And you know why THAT is likely.”

“Me and my big mouth!” I groused.

Katy laughed again, “Your dad has taught you to speak your mind, and that’s a good thing. But you have to balance that with revealing things which ought to be private.”

“Why I call my family ‘blended’ to people I meet, until they’re ready to hear the whole story.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“I know this is super personal, but will you tell me about your first time?”

“Other than the fact that it sucked?” Katy asked.

“Did you?” I asked with a smirk.

“I tried, but I had no clue what I was doing. There were no good books like Smart Teens; Smart Choices when I was a teenager. We obviously figured it out, but I didn’t have an orgasm that first time, or even the second or third. And I had a tough time with most guys.”

“But not Dad, right?”

“Your dad is different, and his entire focus is on the woman’s pleasure.”

“I wish...”

“Fantasies are good, Birgit, so long as they don’t overwhelm you, and so long as you are careful about which ones you actually do.”

“And your first time with a girl?”

Katy laughed, “I had more orgasms that night than any other night before I met Amy!”

“Not Dad?”

“It was never like that between your dad and me. It was nearly always gentle and loving.”

“Were you nervous?”

“Not nearly as nervous as when I was seventeen and was with a guy the first time!”

“It didn’t feel weird?”

“No. My first time with a guy did, though.”

“Did Amy ever...”

Katy shook her head, “No. She’s never had any interest in guys. She had her first girlfriend, secret of course, when she was thirteen. May I ask a direct question?”

“Sure.”

“Are you thinking about Ed?”

“He’s good looking, in good shape, and nice, but I kind of promised someone my first time.”

“Someone your age? Or older?”

“My age.”

“Kjell, right?”

“Yes.”

“In my opinion, that’s not a promise anyone can hold you to, except if you’re engaged and waiting for your wedding night. But no matter what, you should never lie about it. The other thing you have to think about is your parents’ rule about STI testing. I know you’re on the Pill, and I’m sure you asked for a test.”

“I did,” I said, suddenly realizing that I hadn’t even thought about that with regard to Ed. “Kjell will have one, for sure.”

“Just remember, any exchange of bodily fluids can transmit a disease, and you can get them in ways other than sex. Kissing is pretty much always OK, though even that has some very minor risks.”

“Open sores and an infection in your mouth,” I said. “I remember from Bethany’s book. Kissing is extremely low risk, but anything else requires a test, even for a virgin.”

“One of the most difficult things for people to do, especially teenagers, is evaluate risk. And it’s extremely difficult to do so in the heat of the moment, as it were.”

“Natalie has said the same thing,” I replied. “And so has Aunt Jennifer. I don’t know the details, but I know Dad’s Consigliere has given him grief about his risk analysis with girls.”

“I’m not up on your dad’s latest girls, but his risk analysis has been very good, both for business and in his personal life. The problem is, he has to be right every single time, and that’s a tall order for anyone.”

“The girls would never, ever tell!” I replied.

“But you see, they don’t have to. If a parent were to find out, they could make the complaint, and if the girl is under that age of consent, your dad could be in serious trouble. Even if the girl denies it, they might be able to find enough circumstantial evidence, and someone might let some key information slip without realizing it. And that’s why I’m advising caution, Miss Headstrong and Outspoken!”

[Chicago, Illinois] 🎤 Steve

We finished our lunch, and after I paid, we went back upstairs. The girls all decided to use the restroom, and as I was in no hurry to get back to the office, I went out onto the sidewalk to wait to say ‘goodbye’. Frida was the first one to come out of the restaurant.

“You come highly recommended,” she said with an inviting smile.

That was the exact same line her sister had used in Saint Martin, and it absolutely didn’t surprise me that Elsa had told Frida about our encounter. I was fairly certain Birgit and Ashley would trade stories, though Stephie was far more circumspect, assuming she ever got over her snit and made amends with Nicholas. I was positive Frida would have proof of a clean STI test, but I had to verify.

“She explained the rules?”

“Yes. I have a test paper, though it’s in German. She said you had, I’m not sure what it’s called in English; in German, it’s «Vasektomie».”

“It’s the same word in English,” I said. “Just spelled differently.”

“Suzanne suggested you might be able to take the afternoon off, but she wasn’t sure.”

I actually had nothing pressing for the afternoon, so that was absolutely possible.

“I’m able to do that,” I replied. “I need to walk back to my office, get my car, and I’ll meet you at my house in about an hour.”

“Perfect!” she exclaimed happily.

“«Er hat ‘ja’ gesagt?»” Elsa asked her sister. (“He said ‘yes’?”)

“«Natürlich!»” I replied before Frida could respond. (“Of course!”)

Suzanne and Elsa both laughed.

“I’ll see you at the house in an hour,” I said.

The girls headed for the South Shore train while I headed back to the NIKA office.

“I’m leaving for the afternoon,” I said to Penny.

“Again?!” she exclaimed. “How do I get on your fucking schedule?”

“I spend time with you every day, Penelope!” I replied.

“Not doing that!”

“Not since your sixteenth birthday,” I replied. “You and Terry are happy and, given your history, you have to be exclusive.”