Chapter 44: That's ... Crazy!

November 9, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Jesse

Zahra seemed sweet, and I thought she was probably pretty, though, with her hair hidden behind a scarf and only an oval of her face available, it was hard to say what she actually looked like. But no matter how sweet and pretty she was, there was an obstacle as large as the Rock of Gibraltar between us — our incompatible faiths. I'd been down that road with Adi, and she didn't wear a headscarf, which was usually a sign of a devout, practicing Muslim.

Mitch and Fangsu appeared to hit it off, just as Birgit and I had expected, and the four of us had an enjoyable lunch, though I had to leave as soon as we finished so that I could drive to Naperville to get Viktoria. When I got up, Zahra slipped me a piece of paper with her phone number on it and asked me to call her. To be polite, I agreed, though I felt it could go exactly nowhere.

"Come in!" Viktoria exclaimed when I arrived at her house about an hour after I'd left the diner.

"Remember what I said?"

"Yes, but they called ten minutes ago. They're in Pennsylvania, and there is no way we could get caught! Even if they left right now, they wouldn't be home until late tonight. I want to do it in my bed!"

"What about your brother and sister?" I asked.

"My brother is at school in Champaign, and my sister went with my parents. There's a youth conference during the clergy meeting. Please, Jesse? I'll do anything you want!"

"Including a sauna with my family tomorrow after dinner?" I asked with a smirk.

"What IS it with you and wanting other people to see me naked?!"

"I told you it's not that," I replied. "It's about you being comfortable with your body and the two of us having a compatible view of sexuality."

"And if I didn't do that, we could never be a couple?"

"It's symbolic of an approach to life, the universe, and everything," I said. "And that difference of worldview would create tension and lead to conflict. I, my wife, my friends, their wives, and all our kids will be like my family."

"That's just gross!" Viktoria said.

"And that's why there's no chance we're ever going to be a couple."

Viktoria frowned, "I thought there was a chance..."

"Not if we don't see eye-to-eye on important concepts," I said firmly.

Viktoria's eyes narrowed the way Birgit's did when Birgit was extremely unhappy with Dad.

"Fine," she said flatly. "Go home."

I shrugged, turned, and began walking back to the car.

"Jesse?" Viktoria called out.

I stopped and turned.

"Don't call me again."

I shrugged again, turned, and continued to my car. I had been tempted to say that she had called me, but I wasn't interested in an argument. I'd wasted two hours of time, but in the end, it was better to end things if Viktoria thought they were going to lead somewhere. A relationship with her, beyond just fooling around, was nearly as impossible as one with Adi had been. And that reinforced my thinking about Zahra. I got into the car, backed out of the driveway, and headed home.

🎤 Steve

All of my students gathered for class except Birgit, who had discussed missing my class so she could be with her friends. Miyu led our meditation and Neil led our warm-up exercises, and then the group sparred for the remaining class period, as Neil, Dyani, and Sarah were all competing in the Thanksgiving tournament.

"I'm going to beat you once I have this baby," Miyu said with a smile at the end of class.

"Given I've barely sparred for the past decade, I think you have a better than even chance, but you should never underestimate your opponents."

"I'm not underestimating you, Sensei! I'm simply stating a fact!"

I laughed, "When your OB clears you for sparring, we'll put that to the test!"

"Where's the ruler of your universe?"

"In her dreams!" I chuckled. "She's with her Girl Gang today. She spoke to me about it before she missed this morning and this afternoon. And she cleared it with Sensei Will."

"You were at Jesse's game, right?"

"Yes. They're still undefeated. Remind your sister that we'd like to see her at the Compound. It's been over six months!"

"Mitsuko and Neil are so busy, but I'll remind her."

"Thanks. How much longer do you intend to come to class?"

"I'm allowed to exercise during the ninth month, but not strenuously, so next week will be the last time I do anything more than very light exercises. I'll come on Saturday afternoons, but I'll exercise at home."

"What about kata?"

"The lower level ones are OK, but anything with kicks beyond orange belt are out starting now."

"OK. Just keep me posted."

"You'll be the first to know after my family, despite Birgit thinking she should be first over anyone!"

"Birgit has delusions of world domination," I chuckled. "The rest of us don't have to participate in her delusion!"

Miyu laughed, we bowed, and she went to change while I went to the locker room to take a quick shower. After I dressed, I waited for the stragglers to leave before I locked the dojo, and Avanti and I began walking towards the house.

"Mom and I discussed how to handle me spending the night with you on January 25th," Avanti said. "She booked a weekend for her and Dad in Kohler. My brother will spend the weekend with my paternal grandparents, and I'll be home alone, though with Mom's blessing to be at your house as much as possible."

"Unless you want me to come to your house," I said. "Some girls have the fantasy of doing it in their own bed."

"We don't have a sauna, and I don't have mirrors on my ceiling!" Avanti replied.

"Besides that, is there anything specific?"

"You're my guru, and I trust you to provide the perfect experience because you know me so well! I will do anything you ask, and you may do anything you want, limited only by your adherence to your rules about doing no harm."

"And if, as your guru, I asked you what you wanted?"

"Well, after talking to Mom, I'd request that my first time be slow and sensual and last for as long as humanly possible. And for that to also be the last thing we do when we're together for the first time. In between, anything and everything you want, though I very much wish to taste your essence."

"I believe I can accommodate."

"Mom asked if we'd discussed what happens after the 25th, and I had to admit we hadn't."

"I think that's up to you, though my wives would have veto powers."

"Yes, of course. As my guru, I'm yours for as long as you want until you grant me permission to be with someone else."

"That is NOT up to me," I protested.

Avanti smiled, "Yes, it is, as my guru. And when I meet a boy I want to be with, I'll bring him to you for your approval. Mom took you to see her guru, though I think the order of events was different, as she was no longer physically intimate with him."

"You know my take on that."

"Yes, of course," Avanti said, "but I agreed to submit to you. I can also revoke my submission at any time, but it would require some unexpected event for that to happen. As Sensei and guru, you should be involved in every aspect of my life, much as Mom was in yours."

Anala's submissive nature had passed to her daughter, though it had a somewhat different character. And once I had agreed to be her guru, and as her Sensei, I did have an obligation to her, though I would never violate my principle that nobody could owe anyone sex or commit irrevocably to it.

"You are very much like your mother, though different."

"Isn't that how it is? Jesse is like you, only different, just as Birgit is like Kara, only different."

"Yes."

"I know this has to be cleared with your wives, but I think once a month we have a day together, and I'll spend the night some of those times. One time I spend the night, I want to do nothing but partake of each other's essence for as long as we can be together."

"You are your mother's daughter!"

"Yes, I am!"

🎤 Matthew

When Maggie arrived in the city, she and Chelsea spoke privately together, then we went to Lincoln Park Zoo and finally headed to the Compound. When we arrived, the three of us went to the coach house and found Jesse in the Duck's Nest playing video games.

"I thought you had a date today," I said. "But I saw Aunt Jennifer in the main house, and she said you were here."

"I was supposed to hang out with Viktoria, but she has in her mind that we're all a bunch of crazy libertines because of how we use the sauna."

"Cross her off the list, then!" I declared.

"You mean being naked, right?" Maggie asked.

"Not just that," Jesse said. "But with the family. I'm sure Matthew has explained it."

"Yes," Maggie said. "My parents would lose their minds if they knew about that. I've been in the sauna with Matt, Chelsea, and Mark, but we always wore bathing suits. I know Matt and Chelsea follow your dad's practice."

"I think my mom gives my dad a run for his money in being free and open," I said. "But they have 'weekend rules' here, which are like our rules at home about bathing suits when we're with people who aren't part of the family. Eduardo doesn't want to risk trouble, so Mom conceded the point. Jesse knows all about trouble! Something about a girls' softball team!"

"But only because of uptight parents and one jealous cheerleader," Jesse said. "None of the girls complained."

"And neither did you, I'm sure!" Chelsea declared.

Jesse shrugged, "You know how that is. It's not about sex."

"That was the most difficult concept I had to work through," Chelsea said.

"Do you guys want to play Mario Kart or do something else?" Jesse asked.

"We were thinking about a sauna," I said. "But suits because Maggie is with us. Want to join us then play Mario Kart?"

"Sure," Jesse said.

He shut down his game, and the four of us went to the main house, changed into bathing suits privately, and then went into the sauna.

"How was your game this morning?" I asked.

"I could have slept through it and not given up a goal," Jesse said. "Our D was rock solid. Nicholas scored the first goal, and it turned out to be the game-winner. We got an empty-net goal at the end, too. How is practice going for your Christmas musical?"

"Pretty good. The performances are December 12th through 15th. I take it you'll come?"

"Yes. Our last game of the season is the 7th, then we're off until after New Year's, though we'll have morning workouts at the school gym between the last game and break. We start practicing on January 2nd, and the playoffs start on January 11th. You're playing poker with us tonight, right?"

"Yes, I just have to make sure Maggie gets to the train."

"BNSF, right?"

"Yes."

"I can drive her to Union Station," Jesse offered. "That would save all the time it would take you guys to get to the city on the L or South Shore."

"That would be awesome," I said.

We finished in the sauna, and after we each took individual showers, we headed to the coach house to play Mario Kart.

🎤 Birgit

I arrived home about forty minutes before dinner, checked my email, and then brought up my diary.

I was interrupted by a knock at the door, so I saved the file, closed the program, and got up and opened the door.

"Will you help with dinner, Birgit-chan?" Yuriko asked.

"Sure," I agreed and followed her to the kitchen.

🎤 Jesse

I arrived home from driving Maggie to the train, and when I went up to my room, I saw Akiko was online. It was 8:00am on Sunday in Japan, which meant she'd just got out of bed.

MightyDuck: Hi!
安希子: Hi! What are you doing?
MightyDuck: It's almost time for dinner, and then I'm playing poker with my dad and our friends!
安希子: I really miss you!
MightyDuck: I miss you, too!
安希子: I am happy you are visiting! Your mom and my mom spoke twice to confirm. Will your sister come here?
MightyDuck: No. She's going to visit Yuriko in Oguni.
安希子: My friends all want to meet you! How is hockey?
MightyDuck: We won our game today, and we're still undefeated.
安希子: Great! What else is going on?
MightyDuck: Not much except school. What about you?
安希子: The same.
MightyDuck: It's almost time for dinner.
安希子: Then I will let you go.
MightyDuck: Bye!
安希子: Bye!

I checked my email, but there was nothing except spam, which was in the spam folder, then went downstairs to have dinner with my moms before Guys' Night.

November 10, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Birgit

"I have what you asked for," Aunt Elyse said when she came up to my room on Sunday afternoon.

"Come in," I said. "You said you wanted to talk."

She closed the door, and we went to sit on the loveseat.

"I want to tell you about what happened when I was fourteen," Aunt Elyse said.

"OK," I said, curious about what she might say.

"I don't think force was the right word. I had just turned fourteen, and one of my friends had an older brother I thought was cute named Sean. He had graduated from Live Oaks and was working in an auto shop in Glen Este. I flirted with him a bit, and then we kissed. I liked it, and I ended up at his apartment. We were making out, and I was super excited. I let him touch my boobs, and then he rubbed his finger between my legs. I'm pretty sensitive when I get excited, and I felt like I was exploding..."

"Been there, done that!" I giggled, interrupting her.

Elyse laughed, "I'm sure! And I'm sure you understand that at that point, I was willing to let him do whatever he wanted. He fucked me, and I came hard again, and when he asked for a blowjob, I did it. Then he used his mouth on me, and I got so excited I didn't object when he put his dick in my butt. He didn't force me; he just had me so excited that I would do anything."

"That sounds like me and Mikael," I said.

"So you admit it!" Elyse said with a smile.

"Admit it? I'll give you all the details! I had my brains expertly fucked out!"

"Given he's married to Katt, I'd be shocked if it were otherwise! Anyway, I saw Sean every chance I got, and we did all that stuff over and over again. Then he started buying me toys and eventually the ropes and blindfold. I didn't care because the orgasms were crushing. Not long after I turned fifteen, I went to his apartment to see him, and he had a girl I knew who had just finished seventh grade with him..."

"WHOA!" I gasped, interrupting her again. "She was barely thirteen, right?"

"Yes; I think her birthday was maybe two weeks before and she was barely developed."

"What did you do?"

"I left and never went back, and he never called me or talked to me again. That was a couple of months before I met your dad."

"And had YOUR brains expertly fucked out!" I giggled.

"Perhaps," Elyse said with a smile. "But my cautionary tale is that it's possible to go overboard and to go past what you ought to do if you get too excited. I should never have done the things I did with Sean because it was abusive."

"But you liked it, right?"