Chapter 62: Are You a Cult Leader?

December 16, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

Late on Monday afternoon, I decided that I would contact Danielle's friend, Nadia. I'd discussed it again with Kara, who, unsurprisingly, encouraged me, as she was curious as to what the 'dark dreams' might be. I had pointed out that 'curiosity killed the cat', and she'd simply laughed and said there was pussy involved, but not the feline kind!

NIKASteve: It's the Big Bad Wolf. Little Red Riding Hood suggested I contact you.
DarkDreams82: I'm Nadia! I'm guessing your name is 'Steve' from your ID?
NIKASteve: It is.
DarkDreams82: How much did Danielle tell you?
NIKASteve: Just a basic physical description and your age. She demurred on your specific desire.
DarkDreams82: Could we meet face-to-face to talk?
NIKASteve: We could. Where?
DarkDreams82: Somewhere between Chicago and DeKalb? Maybe Spaghetti Warehouse on Ogden near the Fox Valley Mall?
NIKASteve: I know it. I could do that, but it'll have to be after my trip to San Francisco. I'm leaving Wednesday afternoon, and I'll be back on Sunday evening.
DarkDreams82: Next week is Christmas. ☹️
NIKASteve: I could meet on Monday evening to talk, if that worked.
DarkDreams82: The 23rd? How about 6:30pm?
NIKASteve: That works.
DarkDreams82: Then I'll see you there! Looking forward to it!
NIKASteve: Me, too!
DarkDreams82: Dream about me! I'll dream about you! Later!
NIKASteve: Later!

I minimized the chat window and got back to work.

🎤 Jesse

"Happy birthday, Mom!" I said when I put dinner on the table on Monday evening.

"Happy birthday, Jen!" Mom Two said.

"Thanks!" Mom One replied.

"Ashley made cakes," I said. "We'll go over to the main house for dessert and gifts, but I know you wanted a quiet dinner with Mom Two tonight!"

"I requested no gifts," Mom One said.

"My gift is spending the night in Albert's room, so you have the house to yourself," I said. "And you know Dad, he can't let your birthday go without a gift."

"How does it feel to be forty, Jen?" Mom Two asked.

"Turning forty doesn't make me feel old," Mom One said with a smile. "Having a sixteen-year-old son makes me feel old!"

"It could be worse," I said with a smirk. "You could be Birgit's mom!"

Mom One and Mom Two both laughed.

"I thought you two were getting along," Mom Two interjected.

"Oh, we are," I agreed, "but that doesn't make her any less challenging!"

"That was your Aunt Melanie," Mom One said. "Your dad learned his parenting style mostly from her parents."

"Grandma and Grandpa Block were pretty cool, though, right? I mean, didn't Dad stay over?"

"Yes, but they weren't nearly as open-minded as Melanie's parents."

"Jonathan sure doesn't think his parents are mellow!"

"Pete tempered Melanie's wild streak; he's always been more conservative and straitlaced. He and your Aunt Kathy kept your dad and Melanie from getting into more trouble than they did, though with Aunt Kathy, it was after they both came to Chicago."

"You were at Stanford then, right?" I asked.

"Yes, but before I met Mom Two."

We ate our dinner, then the three of us went to the main house for dessert and a gift from Dad to Mom One, which was really a gift for both of them — an all-expenses-paid Caribbean cruise which they could schedule for any time during 2003.

"What part of 'no gifts' did you not understand?" Mom One asked Dad.

"When's the last time Snuggle Bear did ANYTHING you said?" Aunt Kara teased.

"Point taken!" Mom One declared.

"This is where you say 'thank you', Jen," Mom Two prompted.

"Steve knows I'm grateful," Mom One said. "And he also knows he's annoying!"

"TELL me about it!" Birgit declared, causing everyone to laugh.

When we finished our cake and ice cream, my moms went back to our house, and I went up to Albert's room with him to play video games until it was time for bed.

December 17, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

"Let me get this straight," I said to Liz when she came to my office on Tuesday afternoon. "Cole, Nichols, and Smith failed to get an internet connection for the server, failed to change tapes on a daily basis, ignored the daily warnings on the console for three days, ignored the warnings on EVERY sign-on screen for ten days, had disconnected the modem line, had the server in a closet with no cooling despite being told not to, and it's OUR fault?"

"That is their claim," Liz said. "Obviously, they didn't cite any of those items in their claims, and those will be part of our reply brief, but their contention is, in effect, we should have known they were non-technical and wouldn't understand anything we told them."

"Our end-user maintenance documentation is written in clear English, with step-by-step instructions," I said. "Why do I feel as if this is like the warnings on ladders or the ones on blow dryers about not using them in the bathtub or shower?"

"It's not, and I bet you know why," Liz countered.

I sighed, "Because if they admit fault, it's going to look bad for their clients and likely open them up to lawsuits. Do we know what they have in the way of paper files?"

"No, but the problem is likely related to work in progress, especially briefs. I suspect they'll miss deadlines."

"And they want to be able to tell the judges that it's our fault when they ask for extra time and continuances. Tell me your take."

"Well, all they need from us is an admission of responsibility. I suspect that and a small sum in settlement so they can claim victory and put the blame on us would do."

"And trash our reputation," I countered. "Not to be obtuse, but what is their theory for not even calling us when they received a message on every login screen in red saying to call us immediately?"

"We won't know until we get there. There are disputed facts, so neither side can win on summary judgment, nor can we obtain a dismissal for failure to state a claim. In the end, it's a contract suit with questions about our disclaimers of warranty and liability."

"And ours are mild compared to, say, Microsoft. We actually commit to fixing bugs in a timely fashion and provide business continuity and recovery services, which, of course, Cole, Nichols, and Smith did not contract for and are not paying for. I know the answer to my next question, but I'm going to ask it anyway — how do we prevent this in the future?"

"You know full well there is no way to prevent someone from suing you except through mandatory arbitration clauses, and you've ruled those out."

"And I wouldn't reconsider, but that's up to my sister."

"She won't," Liz replied, "because it's part of the «kami» that we don't do anything to disadvantage our clients. Nobody is going to change that. In any event, I'll work with Jamie on the response, with input from John and his team. Do you want to see the reply brief before it's filed?"

"Yes, though obviously, I'll defer to your judgment."

"Obviously?" Liz asked with an arched eyebrow.

"OK, maybe not," I chuckled. "What day is our filing due?"

"January 21st. We get a few extra days because of Christmas and New Year's."

"I'll be in California tomorrow through Sunday. What would you say to me speaking to someone at Cole, Nichols, and Smith while I'm there?"

"Unwise. An informal conversation could create trouble for us. A formal conversation, with counsel present, would be appropriate, but I know that's not what you meant."

"No, it's not. I'll let it go. After all, I'm a software engineer! It just seems as if every time I turn around, Loki is throwing some obstacle in my way."

"Have a nice trip to California. San Francisco, right?"

"Yes."

Liz left, and I went back to work, making my final suggestions for the design document for the next major release of our medical software. About ten minutes later, the intercom buzzed.

"Steve, I have Hisataka Fujikawa on the line for you."

"Thanks!" I exclaimed, knowing what that meant.

The phone buzzed, and I picked up the handset.

"Good afternoon, Hisataka-san!" I said.

"Good afternoon, Steve-san! We have a baby boy, who we will name Kenji."

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks! Miyu is tired but otherwise fine and in good spirits, and Kenji is healthy!"

"Very good news! When you and Miyu-chan are up to it, please come by the house. I'm sure my daughters would love to spoil yet another baby!"

"Thank you! We'll see you soon."

"Give my best to Miyu-chan, please."

"I will."

We said 'goodbye', and I replaced the handset in the cradle. I made a note to find a gift for Kenji when I was in San Francisco, as I wouldn't have time to do it before I left.

December 18, 2002, San Francisco, California

🎤 Steve

"I don't believe I've ever had a chauffeuse," I said to the young woman driving the black Lincoln Town Car very late Wednesday morning.

"I'm sorry, sir, a what?"

"A 'chauffeuse' is a female chauffeur."

"Are you an English professor or teacher?"

"No, I'm a software engineer. I founded a computer consulting and software company with my friends right out of college about seventeen-and-a-half years ago."

"You don't look forty!"

"Thanks. Mind if I ask how old you are?"

"Twenty-two. I'm Raven, by the way."

"Steve. Do you drive full-time?"

"Yes. My dad owns the company, and he started as a driver, so this is where he thinks I should start."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," I observed. "You'll learn everything you need to know about the business this way. You can hire people to keep the books and hire legal counsel to handle contracts, and so on, but really running the business means understanding what your employees do and who your customers are."

"You sound a lot like my dad! Was your dad into computers?"

"No. He has a degree in electrical engineering, served in the Navy, and worked for government agencies."

"Covert?"

"Yes. Then, he went into business for himself. I wasn't interested in taking over the businesses because I was really into computers."

"Most of my passengers are computer guys from one Silicon Valley firm or another or visiting one of those firms. Are you here for meetings?"

"No. A bit of R&R in one of my favorite cities to visit, and meeting a friend from Hawaiߴi. We do have several employees based in the Bay Area, but our satellite office is in LA. Our Western Region office is in Colorado Springs."

"What kind of software do you write?"

"Software for law firms and medical practices; we also do custom programming and provide consulting and computer systems and network support. We have clients all over the US and a sister firm in Moscow that covers Europe."

"Where's home?"

"Chicago, though I'm originally from the LA area. My family moved to the Midwest in the early 70s."

"Do we have your return trip?" Raven asked.

"Yes. Sunday at 10:00am for a 1:00pm flight."

"Have any big plans for the next four days?"

"A bit of sightseeing, some shopping, meals, and possibly a drive along the coast."

"Sounds like fun! OK to ask if it's a guy friend or a romantic friend?"

"You realize those might not be mutually exclusive, right?"

Raven laughed, "Sorry. It just seemed as if you were straight."

"I am straight! I was just pointing out the fallacy of your question."

"You were just messing with my head?"

"I was. I do that fairly often."

"So, a real smart ass?"

"Yes, but it's deeper than that."

"Deep is good!" Raven declared.

"Speaking of being a smart ass!" I chuckled.

"I usually play it totally seriously, but you seem cool and not uptight."

"Life is too short to be uptight."

"On a serious note," Raven said, "you'll be early for check-in at the Mark Hopkins."

"I'm a member of their Six Continents Club, which provides early check-in and late check-out, in addition to an upgrade to a suite."

"Nice! What time is your friend arriving?"

"About 5:00pm," I replied.

Keiki had her campus visit at Stanford, and a car arranged by Scott Bannerman would bring her from campus to the hotel. I had considered renting a car, but it wasn't really worth it for just a round trip from the hotel to campus and back. I would rent one for a day if we took the drive along the coast.

"If you aren't doing anything for lunch, I could take my break," Raven offered.

"Are you always this forward with clients?" I asked with a smile I was sure she could see in her rearview mirror.

"No, and actually, it's against company policy, but being the owner's daughter gives me some leeway. What do you say?"

Raven was tanned, had reddish-brown hair, and was cute, though not pretty, and she wasn't a typical 'Steve type'. I had no specific plans before Keiki arrived, and lunch was an excellent way to kill some time.

"That sounds good," I replied. "Where?"

"What do you like to eat?" Raven asked.

"I'm open to anything, though I have to watch my carb intake. Oriental of any kind is fine; I'll just skip the rice."

"Diabetic?"

"No, just weird metabolism."

"What happens, if it's OK to ask?" Raven inquired.

"The main symptom is syncope, that is, light-headedness and passing out."

"Isn't that usually from low blood sugar?"

"With normal metabolism, I would agree. With mine, not so much. I see a team of experts at Mayo, but they haven't figured it out. The theory is that it's something with my hypothalamus, but it's not a tumor, so there isn't a treatment. I take a fast-acting beta-blocker if I feel the effects of the carbs, which manifest as a manic feeling before the syncope."

"You should see someone at Stanford."

"My doctor at Mayo has consulted with Stanford, as well as Johns Hopkins and Karolinska in Sweden. Other doctors have looked at it as well, including at the University of Chicago and a family friend who's a doctor in Ohio. But, so long as I watch my carb intake, there are no problems."

"How about Chinese? There are several places close to the Mark Hopkins."

"Sounds good to me. What about the car?"

"I know the Bellman at the Mark Hopkins; he'll let me leave it in their parking court for an hour."

We chatted for the rest of the drive, and I learned she had two younger brothers, one who was at UCLA studying computers and a younger one who was a starting quarterback for his High School team and was being recruited by several NCAA schools. Her mom kept the books for her dad and also did dispatch, and they'd met when he'd picked her up in his car twenty-two years previously.

"So, following your mom and dad?" I asked.

Raven laughed, "To do that, we'd have to skip lunch!"

"That sounds like an interesting story."

"Mom was eighteen and coming back from a Summer in Europe. Dad picked her up at the airport, she flirted, and when they arrived at her house, she invited him in. I arrived nine months later."

"When did they marry?"

"When they found out she was pregnant, they went to Vegas and got hitched. Her parents were pretty upset, though they're cool now."

"Unwed pregnant daughters do tend to create a bit of tension at home. But from my perspective, they've been married, ostensibly happily, for going on twenty-three years, which says it was the right thing to do."

"And if that had been your daughter? Well, if you had a daughter."

"Things happen," I replied. "You can get pregnant with even perfect use of birth control. The key is understanding that and taking responsibility for your actions and acting honorably."

"Nobody is THAT cool."

"I am. I have kids, and my three eldest are allowed to have their paramours sleepover."

"I call BS!" Raven declared as she turned onto California Street.

"It's true. My three eldest are two boys and a girl, in that order. All of them have overnight guests."

"I still don't believe it. Wait! Three eldest? How many kids do you have?"

"Seven," I replied. "By four women."

"Four marriages?"

"One, but it's complicated."

"It would have to be! Mind telling me?"

"If I did mind, I wouldn't have volunteered the information! My eldest is by my High School girlfriend, who eventually figured out she was a lesbian. I also have two boys with another High School girlfriend. If that's not complicated enough, I'm in a polygamous marriage and have two kids, each, by my Senior Wife and my legal wife. There's a third wife as well, but she doesn't have kids and doesn't want any of her own."

"Holy crap!" Raven exclaimed.

"And to top it off, I also have a pair of girlfriends who live in my house."

Raven started laughing hysterically, "OK, I was buying it until that last bit!"

A few seconds later, she pulled into the parking court and pulled into a spot marked 'RESERVED: Car Service'.

"I can show you pictures," I said.

I slipped my wallet from my pocket, pulled out the photo insert, and handed it over the back of the seat to Raven.

"The first picture is the entire clan — seven kids, three wives, two other mothers, and two girlfriends."

"No way!" Raven protested. "Just no way!"

"Completely true."

"Are you a cult leader?"

"Do you think I'd answer with a 'yes' if I were?" I asked with a smirk.

"Good point!" Raven declared. "So?"

"It has been said about me by others, but no, I'm not a cult leader. I don't hold any specific religious or spiritual views, and everyone has the freedom to act in their own best interests, though everyone always takes into account what's best for the extended family. In the end, though, each person, down to my youngest daughter, who's eleven, decides for themselves."