Chapter 67: Flight Delay

December 23, 2002, San Francisco, California

🎤 Steve

"I think I'll take the cable car back to the hotel," I said once the memo of understanding had been signed. "But I'll call Golden Gate Livery for a car for the rest of you."

"I have a meeting this afternoon in Sunnyvale," Megan said. "I'm going to head out that way and work from our satellite office there."

"Mind if I hang with you, Steve?" Liz asked.

"Not at all," I replied.

"Then I'll see you both at the hotel," Stephanie said.

I placed the call and let the dispatcher know there were only two passengers, then confirmed the car to take me to the airport, positive that Raven would find a way to be assigned that trip. I wasn't on the same flight as Stephanie and Liz, as there was no justification for waiving the rule, and they had an earlier flight than I did, meaning I had some time to relax before heading to the airport.

I shook hands with Ned, hugged Megan and my sister, then Liz and I left the building to walk to the plaza at Dunham to catch the cable car that would take us up the steep California Street.

"You're incorrigible!" Liz declared once we were away from the building.

"If that's news, Counselor, I need a new Consigliere!"

"Is Raven someone you met here before?"

"No, she was my first chauffeuse who worked for a car service!"

"Only Steve Adams would use that word in conversation!"

"I gotta be me!" I sang, slightly off-key.

"Keep your day job!"

"No kidding," I chuckled. "I'll leave the singing to Matthew!"

"Is your new friend now a subversive?"

"What do you think?"

Liz smirked, "I think you waved your magic wand, and she'd do anything you asked!"

"Something you know from personal experience!"

"Whatever else is true, it is absolutely true that day in Saint Martin was the best and most important day in my life. That was the day everything changed, and is why I'm here with you right now. I might even say it's why I'm married to Julius and going to have his baby in early July!"

"Congratulations!" I exclaimed happily. "Not quite three months, right?"

"I see your brain isn't too addled from sex to do basic math!"

"Love you, too! I'm very happy for the two of you! Do you know how much maternity leave you'll take?"

"The maximum, if you'll agree that I can work a few hours a day from home after the first six weeks."

"Make the arrangements with Bob. I guarantee Stephanie will endorse whatever modification to the policy you need or want. I take it nobody else knows? Well, besides Julius!"

"What? You think I told my husband before you?!"

I laughed, "I'd be cross with you if you really did do that!"

"Both sets of parents, plus all the Saint Martin Six!"

"That kind of long-term friendship is important, and I think you made the right decision to tell them before me, despite how close we are. How did Louise react?"

"She's going to be the best 'aunt' in history! She's engaged, by the way."

"That's good to hear."

"You made her feel very, very special twice — once in Saint Martin, then once on that flight home, years later."

"She's a special girl. You don't have to answer, and you may not know, but did she ever pay LeeAnn back?"

Liz laughed, "Yes. They had a flight to Europe, and LeeAnn finally joined the Mile-High Club! She was hoping to see you at some point, but it never worked out, and now she's married to the broker she seduced on the flight!"

"Good for her! How are the other girls doing?"

"Great! The rest of Saint Martin Six are going to throw a baby shower for me in April or May, so you'll be able to see all of them, though now all of them are spoken for, so no hanky-panky!"

I chuckled, "It will still be good to see them."

We got onto the cable car, and a moment later, it began making its way up the steep hill.

"I take it you decided to come with me to reveal your good news?"

"Yes," Liz replied. "I'll make it public in a week or so after I speak to Bob."

"Anything else going on in your life?"

"Not really. NIKA, Julius, and my friends occupy my time, and soon enough, Julius or Juliette."

"Nice names," I replied.

"Thanks."

"If there's anything I can do for you, anything at all, just let me know."

"I will," she said, squeezing my hand.

We held hands for the rest of the ride, only letting go when the car stopped near the Mark Hopkins. We went into the hotel, and I called my sister to join us in my suite, which she did. The three of us hung out for about an hour before the girls had to check out, and after they left, I went back to my room and pulled out my computer.

I spent about an hour reading and responding to emails, as well as checking Usenet, then shut everything down and went to have lunch in the hotel restaurant. After lunch, I checked out, and about five minutes later, Raven arrived to drive me to the airport, as I'd suspected she would.

"Fancy seeing you again!" I chuckled when I saw her.

A bellboy put my bag in the trunk, and at Raven's bidding, I got into the front seat rather than the back.

"How did things go with your dad this morning?" I asked as she pulled out of the parking court.

"He just asked if I was OK, and I said I was. I'm pretty sure he thought last night would be my first time, given my dating history, which never got serious beyond some making out and some touching outside clothes. He didn't know that, though he knew I never had a serious, steady boyfriend."

"What did you tell him about me?"

"That you're a successful entrepreneur from Chicago, charming, and older. He didn't ask about you being married or divorced or whatever, so I didn't have to try to finesse that. He did ask me if I thought it was 'serious', by which he meant marriage. I said probably not, but I really wanted to spend the night with you. He wasn't judgmental, just concerned. I'm sure I'll hear about it from my mom tonight, but my response to her will be that there is no way I'm pregnant from my first time!"

"I'd be a bit less blunt," I said. "Convey the idea, but do it in a way that won't start a fight."

"How so?"

"Say something along the lines that her experience led you to be very careful to avoid a difficult situation."

"You think pretty quickly."

"One advantage of age is the accumulated knowledge and experience, usually called 'wisdom', but you know my take on that concept."

"I've been thinking about it, and I wonder how you are so confident if you don't think you're wise."

"It's more that I admit freely I might be wrong, and nearly everything I say or believe is provisional and subject to revision at any time based on new information. Nothing is ever 'settled' with regard to my beliefs, with one exception — the love I have for my family and friends. That is never in question, will never be in question, and ought never to be questioned. It is the one unchangeable thing in the universe."

"You don't fall out of love?"

"I don't believe romantic love matters. The kind of love that matters is self-sacrificing love, which is, as I mentioned yesterday, «agápē» in Greek and is often translated as 'charity' in the Bible. I assume you know the verse 'husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church'?"

"Yes, of course."

"The word 'love' in that sentence is «agápē», and it means putting the other person before yourself, no matter what. Most importantly, it's a decision, not a feeling."

"But couldn't you decide not to love someone?"

"Could I? Yes. Would I? No. No matter what happens, nothing will stop me from loving my wives, my kids, and my friends. And if I were to say 'I love you' to someone, I mean «agápē», not «érōs», which is the word I mentioned is associated with romantic love."

Raven was quiet for a moment, then nodded, "And because of that, you could say 'I love you' to many people without diminishing any of them."

"Exactly."

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

"Twice. Once, at fourteen, but she died in a boating accident when we were both fifteen. Then Kara, who is my Senior Wife."

"Your girlfriend died when you were fifteen?"

"Yes. It made a complete mess of my life, and it took me years to truly come to terms with it. It also helped me become the man I am today."

"That's so sad."

"My eldest daughter is actually named for her."

"Do you do anything that isn't strange?" Raven asked.

"Nope!" I declared with a grin.

"What are the rules?"

"For?"

"Fucking!" Raven smirked.

"You're learning. You need to have a clean STI test at least every six months, and if you are with anyone else, both for your protection and mine, they have to have an STI test in advance. If you don't follow that rule, then you need to wait six months and have a clean STI test before we could be together again. Also, for your own protection, you should go on the Pill to ensure you don't get pregnant or be religious in your use of rubbers. The other options are an IUD and a diaphragm, if you know what those are."

"Our sex ed wasn't completely useless; they were pretty good at explaining birth control and STDs. Not so much anything else."

"Typical. I suspect it won't surprise you that we educated our kids about sex from the time they were little."

"Nothing surprises me now because I simply assume nothing you do conforms to social norms!"

"Another good sign."

"I can't believe how things could change so much in such a short time."

"Once you free your mind, everything becomes possible. Remember your comment about sex being a rite of passage? You've finally become an adult at age twenty-two. But sex was simply the ceremony, similar to confirmation."

"Done at an age when traditionally Catholics are considered to have full moral agency and are fully responsible for their actions. You've compared sex to baptism and confirmation! As if it were a sacrament."

"Well, technically, it is, in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, but in my system, it's a rite of initiation, comparable to baptism and confirmation, or chrismation in the Eastern Orthodox Church."

"Do you have something that conforms to the Sacrament of Penance?"

"Not specifically, but it's the obligation of my mentees, whether they're karate students or not, to admit error, seek forgiveness when necessary, and experience the love of acceptance, no matter what. It is much closer to the Eastern Orthodox practice, which focuses on the experience of God's love, rather than the Latin practice, which focuses on punishment, or the avoidance thereof."

"You're not a Christian."

"No, I'd say my system is eclectic and syncretistic, including elements of Zen Buddhism, Shinto, Hinduism, Orthodox Christianity, and Norse paganism, along with the principles of Shōtōkan karate."

"Is that something I should look into? Karate, I mean."

"It has helped me mentally, physically, and spiritually."

"I could stand to lose twenty pounds, mostly from my butt and waist."

"Sitting all day in the car isn't conducive to being in top physical shape."

"Did you just call me fat?"

"No, I simply pointed out a fact — lack of exercise leads to not being in top physical shape. YOU made the comment about weight loss."

"Truthful answer — did you notice I had some flab?"

"I noticed you were cute but not in optimal physical shape. I believe what happened yesterday afternoon, last night, and this morning showed that I found you attractive! Not to mention, I explained what I find sexy."

"Intelligence," Raven said. "You made the point that you liked smart girls."

"Exactly. Certainly, physical attraction is important, but intellectual attraction is more important."

"Ever had sex with a dumb girl?"

"I have always avoided airheads," I replied. "There were girls who behaved foolishly, but that was poor judgment, not lack of intelligence. You've experienced my style; how well would that go over with the stereotypical airhead cheerleader or, to use something more relevant to California, a self-obsessed Valley Girl?"

"If you can't have a deep philosophical discussion with them before or after, you aren't interested, and you'd find the sex unfulfilling."

"Very perceptive."

"And it was the conversation that led you to, as you put it, 'fuck my brains out'?"

"Yes."

"It was a test, wasn't it?"

"Yes. And you passed with flying colors."

"Despite being totally confused?" Raven asked.

"No, because you were totally confused. Your confusion was not because you didn't understand what I was saying but because your worldview was being exploded. You held your own and survived the Socratic Inquisition."

"Is this where I say I didn't expect the Socratic Inquisition?"

"Nobody does!" I declared.

Raven laughed, and unfortunately, we exited the highway at the airport, which brought our conversation to an end. Raven pulled up in front of the American Airlines departure hall and stopped in a designated livery spot. We got out, and she got my bag from the trunk and set it on the sidewalk. We exchanged a hug, and she gave me a quick kiss.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome."

I picked up my bag and walked into the terminal, stopping at the door to wave 'goodbye'.

[Chicago, Illinois]
🎤 Birgit

"Hi, it's Birgit," I said when Bob answered his phone.

"Hi, Birgit! What's up?"

"Plans aren't set yet, but would you like to go to Saint Martin over Spring Break?"

"The Dutch-French Island in the Caribbean?"

"Yes. My dad's friend and business partner has a house there, and we'd fly down in her private jet."

"Private jet?"

"She runs Spurgeon Capital and is worth close to a billion dollars!"

"Maybe I should meet HER!" Bob declared.

"She's married to a former Navy guy and is more than twice your age!"

"And your point is?" Bob asked.

"What-ever! Do you want to go?"

"Is this some secret plan to get me into your bed again?"

"As if me wanting that was any kind of secret!" I giggled. "Do you think your parents would let you go?"

"All I can do is ask. They're going to want to know which adults will be there."

"My mom and dad, for sure."

"Which mom?"

"The chemistry professor. But maybe the others. I don't know for sure yet. As I said, we have to confirm everything, but could you ask your parents?"

"Sure, but I don't know what they'll say, and I'm positive they'll want to speak to your parents and the friend who owns the house. Who else is going?"

"Tiffany, Naomi, Hannah, Rachel, and Javon, but everyone has to get permission except Rachel and Javon."

"Let me talk to my parents, and I'll let you know after Christmas, OK?"

"Yes."

I hung up, then changed the sheets on my bed that Tomás and I had messed up earlier in the afternoon. I took the dirty ones down to the laundry room and put them in the washing machine, then went to the kitchen to help Yuriko make dinner.

[San Francisco, California]
🎤 Steve

"Is there a flight available on a different airline?" I asked the gate agent.

"I'm sorry, no," she said. "All flights to Chicago are delayed at the moment. There's a general ground stop for all flights to O'Hare, and we have no information on how soon it will end."

"Wonderful. Thanks."

"We'll make an announcement as soon as we can."

"Thank you."

I moved away from the check-in desk and saw someone sitting in the seat I'd vacated, so I sat down in a different chair, a bit further away from the check-in desk.

"What did she say?" a man about my age asked.

"All flights on all airlines to Chicago O'Hare are on a ground stop, with no ETA as to when they'll be released."

"Any idea why?"

"No, but it could be anything from a technical fault to weather to traffic to an incident at the airport — something as simple as a plane making an emergency landing or a runway excursion."

"You fly a lot, I guess?"

"I do. Steve Adams."

"Greg Casper. What do you do?"

"I'm President of NIKA Consulting, an IT firm in Chicago, but mostly I'm a software engineer. You?"

"Chief of Emergency Medicine at Moore Memorial Hospital near McKinley, Ohio."

"Well, I have ten bucks in my pocket that you know my wife as well as my friend, Doctor Mike Loucks."

Greg laughed, "Wow! Talk about a small world! I do know Doctor Jessica Adams and Mike Loucks was a snot-nosed medical student when I was a Resident! Of course, then he was one of my Residents when I was an Attending. They call me 'Ghost'."

"Nice to meet you, Ghost!"

We shook hands.

"What brings you to California?" I asked.

"A sick friend, who, sadly, I will probably never see again in this life. How about you?"

"Spending time with a friend and meeting with a client."

"Heck of a day to have a delayed flight," Ghost said.

"How much time between our scheduled arrival and your connecting flight to Columbus?"

"About an hour. And it's the last flight out."

"That sucks. Let me call Jess and see if she knows what's going on."

I pulled my mobile phone from my pocket, pressed the correct speed-dial button for Jessica's mobile, and she answered on the second ring.

"Hi, Tiger!"

"Hi, Babe. My flight is delayed because all flights into O'Hare are ground-stopped. Ghost and I were wondering if you knew of anything going on at O'Hare."

"Ghost? As in Greg Casper?"

"Yes. He's sitting next to me."

"Wow! Small world!"

"That's what Ghost said."

"I haven't heard anything, but let me bring up a news site. Hang on a sec."

I could hear keys clicking, and about a minute later.

"Nothing on the Trib site, and the only thing a search found was about expecting delays due to so many people flying today and tomorrow."

"I figured it was probably traffic," I replied. "How's the weather?"

"Around freezing and cloudy, but no snow or rain."