Chapter 31

Morgan was sitting in the hot tub with Sonja after the rather exhausting removal of Sonja's body jewelry.

"Sonja, I think you should invite your folks to the party tomorrow night."

"Oh, they'd never come. Between the dancing and the booze, they'd freak out. Besides, they'd be all over me, trying to drag me back home and everything. I want to enjoy the party."

"Think about it, Honey. This is your turf. They would have to abide by the rules. And they couldn't make you do anything or go anywhere. We checked with our friend at the DA, and they can't make you go back. This is your biggest chance to establish your independence."

"You know, that would be kinda cool. I really could be in charge, couldn't I?"

"You bet! And we could work it out so Jessica, or Eric, or Amy, or somebody was always right with you, so they couldn't corner you alone unless you wanted them to."

"I'll do it, but I'm sure they won't come. Will you help me with what to say?"

In a poignant demonstration of how much she had changed, Sonja wanted at least Jessica, Carol, and Mogan to be with her and hear her conversation with her parents. Dex set up the same system he had used with Megan's call to Craig, and almost everyone gathered round to listen and to encourage her. Dex used the same 800 LD service to place the call.

When the phone was answered, Sonja spoke in a surprisingly confident voice. "Anna, this is Sonja. Get Fred on the phone, too."

"What's this Anna and Fred business? You will address you parents respectfully, young lady!"

Sonja snapped out "Anna, stop that and get Fred on, or I'll hang up right now." There was some sputtering, but pretty soon there was silence followed by a man's voice saying her name. Several of the onlookers made silent applause signals to her and she responded with a big smile.

The questions and comments from the other end started again, and again she cut them off. "Listen. This is not a conversation. I am going to tell you a few things, and give you a chance to come to a party tomorrow night. If you want to find out any more, you will have to come here."

"First of all, I am safe, and happier than I have ever been in my life. I am in a large, beautiful home with several other battered women..."

"Battered?" her mother practically screamed over the phone.

"Anna, just listen. If you want to find out more, you'll have to come out here. Now, as I was saying, I am here with the nicest, most caring people I have ever met. There is a huge party here tomorrow night, and you are invited." She went on to tell about the dress, travel arrangements, etc.

"There will be dancing here, and there will be liquor served. There is a special rule just for you two. If you make one complaint about the booze or the dancing or anything, or one judgemental remark about anyone here, you will be escorted out the door and taken home immediately. If you don't see me tomorrow night, I don't know when or if you ever will. I will probably just do what Sarah did. I will call back in fifteen minutes with instructions if you decide to come."

Sonja put the phone down quickly, and sagged to her knees. Morgan got to her first, with Jessica close behind, and they both hugged her and cooed encouragement to her. "They'll never come," she said.

"Do you want them to?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, I guess I do. I got sent to a counselor once, and she talked about closure. I need that."

Morgan made the call later, and gave the pickup instructions as Sonja listened in disbelief.

Karen was staying overnight to be the baby sitter, and that caused even more rearrangement of sleeping quarters. Everyone was keyed up in anticipation of the next day, but they also realized it would be a short night, and things quieted down quickly.

Dex and Morgan had time to finish their workouts before they roused the other women for the big day Saturday. The departure for the spa was predictably chaotic, but good spirits prevailed. Sonja even came close to showing enthusiasm at a couple of points. There was some redness on her face where the piercings were, but everyone assured her some make-up would cover it nicely.

Once the mob had departed, Karen, Patrick, and Dex shared coffee in the kitchen while Eric caught up on some sleep. Dex spent a good part of the morning on the phone with Carl, Russell, and Tim. At the end of their conversation, Dex could tell Tim was fumbling a bit, wanting to ask him something.

"String, Buddy, just go for it. I can guarantee she won't turn you down."

"How did you... ?"

"Sometimes, even us guys can figure it out, you know."

"But I thought maybe you two..."

"No, she's all yours. And I tell you, Buddy, if you don't marry this one, you are the world's most hopeless case. I can honestly say I wish she and I were a couple. That is one incredible woman! I don't have to warn you not to hurt her, because I know you never would - unless you walk away from her. She has had feelings for you since she started working there, but did nothing because she was married."

"Well, it's the same with me. You think this divorce deal is going to happen soon?"

"Within a few weeks at the most."

About 3:30, the women returned. The shopping trip had been reduced to just shoes, hose, and other accessories. Kendra had even shared her impressive collection of jewelry with the others. It had already been a long day after a short night, but most had been able to catch naps between sessions at the spa. Because of concerns about hair, there was no question of anyone napping now, and the party guests would start arriving about 5:30, anyway.

Dex's house had an open plan in the central area, with a very large entry area opening into the gigantic family room. All of it was hardwood floors, and the family room furniture had been moved back a bit to provide the greatest possible open space for dancing. The caterers had brought in a few dozen chairs to allow most of the expected 60-70 guests to spend at least some time seated, especially when they were eating. A synth, a couple of guitars, and an electronic drum set were on hand for when it was time for Jenny and the others to sing.

As it did every year, the guest list started with Dex's family. It included the original Doggerel crew plus three musicians who had become regulars. Carl and Randy would be there, along with their three employees who would do the driving, one of whom was Mel. Gerald and Tim Archer always attended. Susan Plonsky and Stan and Tracy O'Connor represented the police force, while Marty and two associates who worked with Doggerel were on the list every year.

The biggest surprise to Dex was Elise. She had been invited every year since Dex had been working with her, but had always declined. Dex had to assume her change of mind was because of 'her' women who were staying with him. He did remember Morgan's comment about Elise being in love with him, but he was not ready to believe that.

There were a couple of surprises that Dex himself had arranged. Everyone but Kendra and Sandra had parents scheduled to be brought in. Dex had flown in Sandra's parents, and had invited Kendra's former maid, Ilyana, as a guest.

It worked out that Sonja's parents, Anna and Fred, were in the first limo of relatives to arrive. Only Donna's family and the O'Connors among the drive-in guests had arrived. All of the 'residents' were in the entry area. Morgan had asked them all to stay as a group whenever new arrivals appeared. The driver had phoned ahead, so everyone knew who would be coming in the door.

No identification of Sonja's parents was needed, as the dress and demeanor made them obvious. When they saw Sonja, they stopped as if frozen, as well they should. The spa had done a masterful job, salvaging most of the length of her hair, and dieing it all very close to her natural color. The makeup and the dress had done so much that even Sonja was astonished at how good she looked.

"Sonja, thank God you've gotten rid of that Devil's jewelry. But your hair and that dress! You still look so worldly." This was the greeting from Sonja's mother.

Sonja totally ignored the outburst. "Anna, Fred, this is Morgan, the psychologist in charge here. These women," and she pointed to the others, "have all escaped abusive situations. Morgan and the others are helping them put they're lives back together."

"It looks like she's training them to be dance hall girls, from their dress," Anna remarked.

"Officer O'Connor," Morgan called out loudly, "We need you to escort this couple back to the limousine, please!"

"No, wait!" These were the first words from Fred.

Morgan could not be stopped. "You were clearly told the rules before you came here, and you violated them in your first minute. This is a party of celebration and new starts. I will not let you ruin it with your narrow minded prejudices."

"Young lady, you can't talk to us like that."

"I most certainly can, and I can throw you out on your tight little holy-roller asses, too! Not only have you violated our rules, you have shown everyone exactly why you drove Sonja to a life that almost killed her."

Fred spoke again. "Please. We'll leave. You're making a spectacle."

"You're the spectacle. You haven't seen your daughter in what, six months, and how much warmth and concern for her do you show? You're too worried that the lovely dresses some of us are wearing don't meet your purity standards."

Both parents were now looking for somewhere to retreat to, but Morgan was really rolling.

"You fancy yourselves experts on Hell. Bullshit! These women, including your daughter and my mother, have been through some hells you couldn't imagine. And did you care?"

"Jessica here is fourteen, and barely escaped being raped by her father. Her third night here, she invited your daughter, a stranger who looked terrible and acted surly, to share a bedroom with her and her mother because we were overcrowded. In the middle of the night Sonja woke up with the shakes and night sweats because she needed a fix and wasn't going to get it. It was Jessica, not even recovered from her own hell, who held Sonja and helped her through the night."

"I believe 'love' is one of the most common words in the Bible, but you seem to have cut it out of yours. Jessica showed her love for an unlovely stranger. You're obsessed with cleavage and skirt length instead. Stan, get them out of here!"

Before Stan could usher the two out, Morgan whispered in his ear for several seconds. His eyes grew wide, but he nodded uncertainly. When he shut the door after ushering the stunned couple out, he turned to speak to them.

"Talk about love! Morgan has more love for you two than you deserve, in my opinion. Or maybe she's just doing it for Sonja's benefit. Anyway, she said if you want go back through that door and start again, everyone in there will act is if your first entry never happened. It's up to you."

Inside, Morgan was giving the same message to the equally stunned onlookers. "Sorry about losing my cool, folks, but I care too much for these women to see them shit on like that. Uh, it looks like a few of you maybe need to repair your makeup. Oh, and everyone make sure Sonja is never left alone with those two if they come back, OK."

Morgan was busy greeting two other sets of flabbergasted parents when, to everyone's surprise, Anna and Fred re-entered. In a consummate acting job, Morgan was introduced and greeted them as if they had never met. This time, the couple was very quiet.

"I hope I didn't ruin your party," Morgan said to Dex when she got a minute to talk to him.

"It livened it up some, that's for sure. You were really rolling there. Can I assume that was a very calculated performance?"

"Well, it started out that way, but I kinda got into it. Their attitude pissed me off."

"You know, you could have kicked them out very discreetly. Why the public outburst?"

"First of all, I didn't want them gone. Sonja needs to have them here. I made a scene because Sonja has never in her life had anyone stand up for her. I wanted her to feel completely in control of them, and I was hoping they would screw up. Do you think any of the other folks will be afraid of me?"

"Not after you talk to them, I'm sure."

At about that time, the second limo arrived, carrying the surprise guests Dex had arranged. Dex felt a little sorry that Sandra's exquisite makeup got smudged by tears, but it was clear that she thought it was a small price. Kendra was just as happy to see her friend, dressed up for the first time in her presence.

By prior agreement, Morgan and Dex circulated separately. They concentrated on evaluating the parents who were there and their relationship with their daughters. They also worked at getting interaction between the women and the other guests.

After their discussion the other morning, Dex was particularly anxious to see Kirstin's parents, and when he did, he barely stifled a laugh. Helga, Krstin's mother, looked like a pudgy, smiling Valkyrie. She did not appear fierce or pugnacious, but she entered the room with that 'I'm here - everything's under control' attitude. Dex wondered briefly if he would have to help the caterers defend their turf from Helga's attempt to take over. There would certainly be no doubt in Helga's mind that she could do a much better job. It was no wonder that Kirstin showed the strength he had seen in the last week.

"Well, Teri's going to be all right. Her future is taken care of," Morgan told Dex as they passed each other during dinner. To his questioning look, she explained. "She and her step-father will marry as soon as her divorce is final." Dex just closed his mouth in the process of asking if Morgan was smoking something. As if Morgan was prescient, Teri came up to them towing a man behind her.

Almost breathlessly, Teri told them "I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I want to go home with Daddy!" Her step-father, Mark, spoke up and told Dex and Morgan that he had just gotten a report from a detective he had hired to follow Teri's husband. Her husband was gay. The marriage had been a useful disguise, but it was now clear that he would be relieved to get a divorce, and posed no more real danger.

Morgan gave Dex her now-familiar 'See, I told you so' look. He would not have guessed Teri would be the first to leave, but he was happy for her, and confident that she would be all right. It surprised him that he felt a pang of regret. She had only been at his house for four day, after all!

After asking if Teri needed any help packing her things, Dex and Morgan wished her well and received warm hugs in return. Throughout the evening, they saw Teri practically bouncing up and down as she told one after another of the other women about her departure. When she approached Jeanette and Patrick, she became tearful, and Jeanette spent a little time whispering something in the young mother's ear.

Carol was an example of a woman who definitely did not marry her father. It was as if she had looked for the opposite. He was a fairly large man who had the air of military command about him. Dex felt, after some conversation, that he was very supportive of his daughter, and would be a great help getting her back on her feet.

As the last of the guests were making return visits to the dessert table, the recorded dance music started. Keeping up what had become a four-year tradition, Amy made a bee-line for Dex and made sure they were the first dancers. By the time the second number started, there were eight or ten couples dancing.

Dex made the rounds of the women in his family, keeping an eye on Morgan, who seemed to be making the rounds of all the men. It took him a while, but he finally put it together that every man asked Sonja to dance immediately after a turn with Morgan.

Dex did not know if it was the emotion of the abused women in his house for the last week, or what it was, but he found himself in another of his introspective moods as he danced. He was happy for the lives 'his' women had found. Both Donna and Angeline had solid marriages with happy, well-adjusted children.

Angeline's career had gone very well, as had Jared's, but they had stolen some of Jenny's magic and somehow kept their family life their top priority. Because of the the reaction of the LeBrieux family against her helping Jenny, Angeline had had to decide, painfully, that it was not wise for her to ever return to France. This was the only significant blot on the happiness she had found, and she remained the ebullient little cyclone that Dex had shared a bed with for those happy months.

It had taken Donna and Rick most of his undergraduate career to work out a proper balance between their strong personalities, but the resulting partnership was an inspiration to everyone who knew them. Donna had majored in business, and had shared Rick's determination to establish a private family practice without the usual long residency. They had delayed parenthood longer than either would have liked, but were reveling in it now.

Rick had a long list of families wanting him to become their physician of record, and his biggest problem was finding new partners who met his standards. Rick was on Dex's basketball team, and the two were great friends. Rick had thanked Dex more than once for his intervention for Donna all those years ago.

As for Margo, Dex was certain she represented the epitome of 'ageless beauty.' Margo was not one of 'his' women in the same sense as Donna or Angeline, but their bond was very strong. He felt he had helped to unleash the untapped intellectual treasure that Margo had subjugated for all the years of her first marriage. He, for one, was not surprised that she was now one of the most sought-after lyricists in the popular music business.

Judy was not at the party, and had only made it to one over the years. He could not help thinking of her, though, as he worked through the list of women important to him. An extended weekend visit from Judy a few months back had been Dex's last sexual encounter until the incredible night with Morgan and Megan. Judy was still happily married to her career. He proudly watched her a number of times doing spots on a cable news network. When she knew ahead of time, she would always email him about her upcoming appearances. When that wasn't possible, she sent him video clips.

The role that Dex and Donna played in preparing Jenny for her life with Chris was one of Dex's warmest memories. The times he had been able to protect Jenny and Amy were more than enough to validate all his years of training. The fact that he could provide the capital to launch her career counted as one of his proudest moments.

And Karen. Karen and Mike represented to Dex the model of enlightened parenthood. If he ever had kids..."

And that line of thought took Dex in a direction his mind had been drifting in more and more recently. He had helped all of his women along the way to happiness - but with someone other than himself. It was not that he felt jealous, for he knew instinctively that each had made the perfect choice for them. It was just that he was beginning to wonder if that perfect choice for him would ever come along. Of course, she had once, in Connie...

Damn it! He could not keep going in that direction! He knew it was not just his grief for Connie that would keep him from that perfect choice if she ever did come along. It was the old guilt and fear.

His time with Megan and Morgan had heightened his awareness of what was missing in his own life. His infatuation with Megan had led him to picture her as his perfect choice, and his handful of sexual encounters with her had been terrific, even in her injured condition. Now, though, it was apparent that her heart was with Tim. Her times with Dex had been therapeutic, and neither would ever regret them. But once again, he had helped one of his women to find the right life for her. Once again, it wasn't with him.

Morgan was a force, both sexually and intellectually. She ranked up there with Margo, Judy, and Elise among the strongest women he had ever known. Unfortunately, the picture of the two of them together forever just would not come into focus. With a surprising touch of bitterness, he wondered what lucky man he was grooming Morgan for.

All of these thoughts took only split seconds in real time as Dex was dancing with Donna. She, of course, did not miss what was happening, and when he looked back at her, she said "I'm glad!"

"What about?"

"That it's finally time."

Dex didn't try to say anything, just pulled her a little closer. How she knew what he was thinking, he would never understand. That she knew exactly, however, he had no doubt at all.

Teri could not believe that just four days ago she had fled home with her baby, the clothes on her back, and not much more. It had been the absolute low point in her life, and looking ahead from Tuesday night, she saw nothing but loneliness and despair. Matthew was her only bright spot.

Now, her father was here with news that was shocking, but somehow liberating. She had started to believe her husband's scornful comments about breast feeding and what had happened to her body. Only the thrill of Matthew's mouth and little hands on her, and the sense of communion with her child kept her from giving it up for the bottle. Suddenly, she could discount all the criticism, and even the punches. The incredible morning session with Patrick and Jeanette had almost wiped out the hurt, and her father's news finished the job.

Her father. She could not imagine how he could have been more loving and caring if he had been her real father, rather than her step-father. He had been her buddy all her life, and the rock for her and her mother through the horror of her mother's death from cancer.

Now, here she was at this unbelievable party, wearing a dress far more expensive and far more sexy than she had ever dreamed of. Her whole back was bare, and she wore no bra under the soft, silky material of the scanty top that covered her breasts and not much else. It had been hard to come out of her room at first, but all the positive comments about how she looked had her tingling with excitement. The feeling of her father's hand on her bare back as they danced had almost caused her knees to buckle.

During her third dance with her father, the tightness in her breasts became painful, and she knew it was time to feed Matthew. From now on, she would probably always see herself naked leaning against Patrick as she nursed. That memory was so vivid and so precious! She stopped dead in mid-step when the image of Patrick changed to that of her father.

"Daddy, come downstairs with me. I have to feed Matthew."

"But Honey, that's not..."

"Please, Daddy. Keep me company." She gave him no option as she towed him toward the stairway.

Her father, Mark, stood and watched as she picked up the baby from his crib and changed him. In her bedroom, she set the baby on the bed, then took off her confused father's coat and tie. Mark managed to resist a little when she pushed him down onto the bed, but by now, her demeanor was almost frantic, and he was uncertain just what he should do, so he went along.

So excited her hands were almost shaking, Teri spread Mark's legs apart as he sat against the headboard, then sat back between them. She was somehow able to undo the clasp behind her neck, letting the top of her dress fall around her waist. To Mark's gasps, she picked up Matthew, leaned back, and began nursing.

"Teri, Honey, I don't think..."

"Does this disgust you, Daddy?" Teri asked, still fearful of the reply.

"Oh, no, Honey. But I shouldn't..."

"Daddy, I need this! Please!" She proceeded to tell him of her husband's opinions and how they made her feel. She did not tell him about the session with Patrick, but described her dream.

"Daddy, make my dream real! Please! Hold me! Love me up! I need it so bad!"

Mark was faced with one of those moral crises that can end up changing lives. His daughter was hurting and was asking for his help. He had always been there eager to help, but why was she asking for this? Had the trauma of her abuse and rejection made her unstable? Did she fully understand what she was asking him?

The real problem was that Mark wanted to touch her in the worst way - he always had. Teri had so much of her mother, his dead wife, in her. When her mother died, Teri had been engaged. Mark had fantasized then about asking Teri to marry him, rather than her intended. How desperately he wished he had had the courage then. Did he have it now? But would it be courageous to grant her request - to give in to his own urges? Or would he be just taking advantage of her weakness?

She was not his biological daughter, but he had adopted her. He was fourteen years older than her; would she even consider him? With a start he wondered how this had turned into a debate about marrying his daughter. She had only asked for some loving touches while she nursed. Give her that and worry about the future later!

Trembling with emotion and wiping off the perspiration on the bedspread, Mark slipped his hands around Teri's tummy, below her waist, on her dress. He left them there, afraid to move them. Teri, though, wanted more, and holding the slurping baby with one arm, she took Mark's hands and pulled them up to touch her skin, humming in contentment at first contact.

Mark felt himself start to harden and started to panic. Her bottom was tight up against him! She would certainly feel it! Just as he was about to pull his hads away and push her off, she spoke.

"Daddy, does that mean you like the feeling?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Honey, but..."

"No! No! No! Don't be sorry! Be happy! I am!"

Giving him no more time to think, much less move, she took one hand and place it right on her unoccupied breast, holding it firmly in place with her own. "Now, Daddy! Love me up! Everywhere you can reach! It's my dream!"

"Your d... dream?"

"Oh, yes, Daddy! All my life I've wanted to be right here."

Suddenly, there was no more moral crisis, and Mark's hands began to explore his own dream.

Megan had danced two or three times with Tim, but with her arm still in a sling and her ribs still tender, it was quite tiring for her. Morgan saw her sit down and made straight for Tim, who was about to sit next to her mother.

Pulling Tim onto the dance floor, Morgan told him "I think it would be good for us to get better acquainted, Tim. I have a feeling you are going to be a big part of our future." Morgan said as they danced.

"Word gets around fast, doesn't it. I hope that meets with your approval."

"Oh, no doubt. If you're Dex's good buddy, that's the best endorsement you can get."

"So, are you going to be the one who finally lasso's the Dexter?"

"I can't say I wouldn't like that, but I don't think it's that likely. I'm just enjoying what I can right now. Say, who are you to worry about Dex's still being single? I can't believe some lucky girl didn't land you long ago."

"Oh, it wasn't for lack of trying - trying much too hard in most cases. No, Dex and I both have our demons, and, well... hey, this is a happy night. We don't need to spoil it digging up the sorry past."

"So, I should warn Mom to take it real easy and not push you too hard, huh?"

"Morgan, there's no comparison between Megan and those other sharks. Since she came to work, we have gotten to know each other, with no thought of any possible romance. I respected her long before I admitted any feelings for her. She's still married, you know, so we still have to be careful."

Hugging herself tight to Tim for a few seconds, Morgan said "Well, I think Mom is finally due for some real happiness, and you're just the guy who can give it to her."

Sonja had danced about three numbers when her parents, who had been shadowing her for some time, approached her while Eric was with her. "Sonja, is there somewhere we can talk privately?" Anna asked.

Assuming they wanted to preach at her about dancing, the last thing Sonja wanted was a private talk with them. Eric was watching Sonja's face, and saw a strange smirk cross it. "Well, the only possible place is the Master bedroom. Oh, there's one hard and fast house rule, though. The Master bedroom is a no clothes zone. We'd have to talk naked." Eric thought he had developed a lot of self-control over the last week, but it was tested to the limit just then.

Fred actually laughed. "We're trying to be serious. Don't make crude jokes it."

Sonja had been joking, of course, but her father's all too familiar attitude angered her. "I'm deadly serious. That's the rule."

"That's... that's the most obscene thing I've ever heard," Anna sputtered.

"Well, take it or leave it! What's the matter? Can't you pray over me without your clothes on?"

Sonja turned on her heel and walked away, with Eric hurrying behind her. "You witch! You damned near made me pee my pants! I don't think you need anyone riding shotgun for you any more, do you?"