Chapter 30 — A Truly Small World _February 10, 2003, Rochester, Minnesota_ 🎤 Steve {br} {psc} Anna had used those words the day she'd given me her virginity when we were fifteen. She'd used them again when we'd reconnected during our Senior years after I'd returned home from Sweden. The last time I'd been with her had been a few years later when we'd concluded we didn't have a future together. Our interactions after that had been limited and mostly negative because of the choices I'd made about how to live my life. I'd promised her a direct answer, and I'd give one, but I wouldn't fulfill that request until we'd talked about it. "I do," I replied. "You don't have to answer, obviously, but why the change of attitude?" "Brutal honesty?" "That tends to work well with me." "I haven't been with anyone since Gerry and I separated. My divorce was final back in September, and I'm horny. I've been with you before, you're available, and it can literally be just great, uncomplicated, uninhibited sex." "That's quite the change from when we were dating." "Except that first time after you came back from Sweden," Anna said. "That didn't turn out so well," I observed. "It didn't, but the sex was hot. With Gerry, it was more like when you and I were dating." "You're sure this is what you want?" I asked. "I want to start with nice, slow, sensual lovemaking for old time's sake, followed by giving you a blowjob, after which you fuck me senseless, doing anything you want, with no limits." "You're sure about that?" "Positive." "How much sleep do you need?" "None!" _February 11, 2003, Rochester, Minnesota_ In the end, we only got about ninety minutes of sleep because Anna had to meet Angie for breakfast. It had been a night of pure pleasure for both of us, and Anna had enthusiastically lost her final cherry, meaning I'd gotten all of them over the years. "Think you could manage one more?" Anna asked as we stepped into the large shower stall." "What did you have in mind?" "Under the spray, with me in your lap, kissing softly." "The lotus position," I replied. "Or what a young woman dubbed the 'adulting' position." Anna laughed softly, "Cute. Teenager?" "Eighteen, but that was ten years ago. I'm game if you are." Anna smiled, dropped to her knees, and used her mouth to get me hard, which took a bit of time after I'd cum seven times before we'd fallen asleep. Once I was hard, I sat down, crossed my legs, and Anna sat in my lap with her legs around me. She lifted up, grasped my shaft, and held it while she slid slowly down, engulfing me in her silky folds. We kissed softly as Anna ground against me and raised and lowered her body, bringing herself off three times before lifting off, bending down, and taking me in her mouth. She stroked, bobbed, sucked, and licked until I came, then French kissed me without having swallowed, something she'd first done when we'd reconnected and had done after the blowjob she had given me the previous evening. "You're a very sexy woman," I said as we quickly washed, having used up most of our time having sex. "And you're a handsome guy. I broke my cardinal rule, but I have no regrets." "Sleeping with a married man?" "Yes. I've actually only been with one other guy besides you and Gerry. I hope you won't be upset if I say I probably won't break that rule ever again." "I understand completely," I replied. "I'm glad you made the exception." "Me, too." We finished in the shower, dried off, and dressed. I walked her to the door, where we exchanged a soft kiss. "Keep in touch," I said. "I will!" She left, and I went back to bed, setting my alarm for 10:00am. ————— {br} [Chicago, Illinois] 🎤 Jesse {br} On Tuesday, after lunch, Aunt Jessica took me to the hospital for my neuro check with Doctor Carver. "How are you feeling, Jesse?" Doctor Carver asked, coming into the exam room with Grandpa Al. "My knee hurts a bit, but I've been taking Advil. Otherwise, no complaints. The headache went away and I never saw double or had blurry vision." "Any trouble remembering things?" "Only what happened from the time Tomás and Nicole crashed into me until I came to." "How long was that?" "Maybe thirty seconds; I don't know for sure. I was dazed for a bit after I came to, but Tomás said it was about thirty seconds." "What exams were done?" he asked. "Doctor Anders made sure neither of us had neck injuries, the paramedics checked us out with penlights and their fingers, and then a neurologist examined me in the Emergency Department." "Any nausea?" "No." "Any trouble waking up yesterday or today?" "No, though I slept later than usual." "What time do you usually get up?" "About 4:00am because of hockey practice. I slept until 9:00am yesterday and today." "How many hours of sleep?" "About eleven. I usually get about eight when I have hockey practice, nine on weekends." "Any personality changes, Jess?" "He's his usual self," Aunt Jessica said. "Which is enough to give ME a brain injury!" Grandpa Al declared. "On that note, let's do a complete neuro physical." He checked my heart and lungs, then my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth, checked my neck and my distal pulses, then performed a Babinski test and a neuropathy test. "Flying colors," Doctor Carver said. "Jesse, if you develop a headache, besides your sisters, or have any vision problems, let Jessica know right away. Sometimes concussions have late-onset symptoms." I laughed, "Only one of them is a headache at the moment; I just avoid her. I'll let Aunt Jess know if I have any symptoms." "You're cleared to go back to school tomorrow. I'll write a note for you. No restrictions at this point beyond the ones that McCoy gave you." "No beaming down to planets with hot green chicks! Check!" Doctor Carver laughed, "We do tease him about that." "Do they tease you about being a neurosurgeon with the surname 'Carver'?" "All the time! A friend of mine in Ohio has the last name Cutter. He was a general surgeon. They had an oncology doctor whose last name was Sabey, who they called 'Chemo'." I groaned. "That's bad." "And a Doctor Casper whose nickname was 'Ghost'." "That's not as bad as the _Lone Ranger_ nickname. What do they call Aunt Jess?" "AND ON THAT NOTE, we're out of here!" Aunt Jessica declared, causing the other two doctors to laugh. "No need for a follow-up unless you have further symptoms. Take it easy for the rest of the day, OK?" "OK," I agreed. "Thanks, Doctor." He wrote out a note for school, gave it to Aunt Jess, and we left the exam room. The crutches were a pain in the butt, but the last thing I wanted to do was damage my knee further, so I was following Doctor McCoy's instructions carefully. Aunt Jess took me home, then returned to the hospital. Yuriko made lunch for me, and after I ate, I used the elevator to go up to Albert's room to play video games. I had played for about ninety minutes when Yuriko let me know that Missy had arrived with my assignments. I made my way downstairs via the elevator and met her in the sunroom. "Can your leg handle our usual Tuesday activities?" she asked hopefully. "I'm supposed to take it easy for the rest of the day," I said. "Next week should be OK." "Bummer," Missy pouted. "But I understand. When will you be able to drive?" "Not before a week from Friday," I replied. "That's when I have my next appointment for my knee." "Well, that sucks! I suppose I'll go home and do my homework. Will you be in school tomorrow?" "Yes." She gave me a quick kiss, and after she left, I went to the coach house to do my homework, with Yuriko helpfully carrying my books and papers for me. I had just started when my mobile phone rang. "Go for Jesse!" "Jesse, this is Coach Nelson. How are you?" "Good, Coach. No neuro problems, and the doctor confirmed I have a Grade 1 sprain. I have to keep it wrapped, iced, and elevated. I can go to school tomorrow using crutches, and my next appointment is a week from Friday to start my rehab plan." "What did the doctor say about playing?" "We'll know in early May," I replied. "He did say I could coach at hockey camp, but he won't commit to playing for eight weeks." "It sounds as if you'll be ready to go in the Fall." "I expect to. I'll keep you posted." "Thanks. Is it OK to share all of this with Doctor Anders?" "Yes." "See you at school." We said 'goodbye', and I ended the call. Before I could start my homework, Birgit, Ashley, and their friends from the Lab School came into the house to check on me. "Do you need anything, Jesse?" Chadrima said sweetly. She was trying to flirt but in a little girl's way. It was cute, but she was only twelve. "Missy brought my homework," I replied. "So everything is good. I appreciate the offer." She beamed, and I knew I'd said exactly the right thing. "Did the neurologist confirm you're a bird brain?" Birgit asked with a smirk. "At least I don't need a proctologist for a brain scan like a certain sister!" "He's not wrong!" Ashley declared mirthfully. "What did I do to deserve this abuse?" Birgit asked. "Be born?" Tiffany teased. "HEY!" I protested. "Who decided this was National Pick on Birgit Day?" "That's _every_ day!" I said with a goofy grin. Birgit rolled her eyes, and then she, Ashley, and their friends left, though Zahra stayed behind to get a kiss before she joined the others. Once she had gone out the door, I returned to working on my homework. ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} My flight from Rochester to Chicago was uneventful, and the seat next to me had been empty. When I arrived at Midway, I headed straight for my car, and ten minutes after deplaning, I was in my BMW. I had just pulled out of the parking lot when my mobile phone rang. I flipped it open, pressed the button to accept the call then put it on speaker. "Steve Adams." "Steve, it's Mike Knox." "Hi, Mike. Perfect timing because I just got back to Chicago. What's up?" "Windy City Taxi is looking to settle the case as quickly and as quietly as possible." "Which will make life more difficult for Jonathan and me. I assume they won't admit liability?" "Correct. I don't have any idea as to what kind of settlement they'll offer, but Nelson Boyd is obviously concerned." "I'm going to speak with Jonathan and see if we can come up with a strategy." "Given the two of you both agreed to sink or swim together, I don't see a problem with that." "Thanks, Mike. What's the next step?" "A motion to dismiss. Nelson and I are working on that. Our goal is to get before the judge in advance of any settlement agreement. If Windy City Taxi wants to settle, we'll do our best to leave them holding the bag." "What grounds?" "Initially, the fact that the police refuse to release information critical to the defense. Julius and I spoke to the detectives, and they flat-out refused. The State's Attorney informed us they'll fight any subpoena request until the investigation is complete, and they'll very likely block us. We'll ask for dismissal, but without prejudice, which has a better chance of being granted because they could refile once the records are available." "Would there be a problem if we did our own investigation?" "The cops will hate you, but so long as the investigator is licensed in Illinois, no problem." "Thanks. Keep me posted." We ended the call, and I pulled over so I could scroll through my contact list to reach Jonathan. "Kane." "Steve Adams. I assume your attorney told you the same thing Mike told me?" "He did." "Given the LEOs haven't made an arrest, what do you think of hiring our own investigators? We're going to need them if the CPD and DeKalb County Sheriff stonewall us on our subpoenas." "Do you have someone in mind?" "Let me call Katy Anisimov at Global Security. They have several licensed investigators here." Jonathan laughed, "You just dredged up an ancient memory. A friend's parents sent them after me trying to find her." "It sounds as if your life might be as interesting as mine! Do you have a problem with them?" "No, but the guy who was following me wasn't smart enough to follow a relatively clueless twenty-year-old me." "If it was in the city, just using the subway, the Pedway, and L transfers would do it." "Right the first time! I also had someone drive my car while I ducked out a different door." "Katy didn't work for them at that point; she was too busy protecting the Soviet Trade Attaché, Ivan Voronin." "You know him?" "Know him? I dated his daughter, and there was a chance we'd marry. Do you know him?" "I arranged a meeting and checked out one of their businesses in the mid-80s" "Belarus Tractor," I replied. Jonathan laughed again, "Samantha always said we were like two electrons orbiting the same nucleus." "There's a third one — Doctor Mike Loucks from Rutherford, Ohio." "Code Blue?! And an ER doc?" "One and the same. How do you know him?" "We met once, but my mom knows him very well from when Code Blue played Goshen's Prom gigs." "Very small world! I'll give Katy a call once I get home. I just came back from Mayo." "Business?" "No, medical. I've been playing 'stump the specialists' for over a decade." "I bet I know a few other people you know. Jenny McGrath?" "Saunders now, but yes. Let me guess, you were at the wedding?" "I was. I also know Beverly Vaughn and her daughters Debbie and Tracey, though I haven't seen them in more than ten years now. And I met one of your wives, too." "It had to be Kara." "To this date, the most beautiful girl I've ever met in my life." "You never got into karate?" I asked. "Who told you about Keiko?" "You ought to be able to guess. She kept everything she knew about you secret until four days ago." "Stephanie Krajick, your little sister." "Yes. She changed her name back to Adams after the divorce. We should get together and have a glass of bourbon. In fact, we should get together with Mike Loucks as well. Our universes have intersected in so many ways! I'm positive there are other people we all know." "I suspect so. Talk to the investigator and let me know." "Will do. Give me a day or two." "No problem." We said 'goodbye', and I ended the call. I decided to wait until I arrived home to call Katy, so I continued driving. Twenty-five minutes later, I walked in the door and was greeted by Birgit. I hugged her, and she took my overnight bag, and went upstairs while I went to the coach house to see Jesse. "Hi, Pops!" "Hi. What did the neurologist say?" "No neural deficits. Aunt Jess and Grandpa Al were in the exam room. I'll need a ride to school until at least Friday of next week." "Let your moms know that I'll take care of that." "OK" "Are you still planning your party on Friday?" "Yes. Simone came by yesterday, and we discussed it. We'll be in the attic room, and I can use the elevator; I just won't be able to dance." "How does the knee feel?" "A dull ache, but ice, elevation, and Advil help." "How is Nicole?" "She needs surgery; she'll have it on Thursday and could be out for a year. That really messes up her chances at a scholarship. Aunt Jess knows the surgeon and says he's one of the best." "Good. I'll give the Heaths a call later. Let me go say hi to the others, then I have a call to make." I left the coach house and went to the main house and found Jess and Kara in the Indian room. I greeted them with hugs and kisses, then went to my study to call Katy Anisimov. The call went to her voicemail and I left a message asking her to call, then joined my wives in the Indian room. "Anna spent the night last night," I said. "But that's not the important news — Anna's friend Angie shows no signs of schizophrenia since she nearly died following a ruptured appendix that led to peritonitis." "No way!" Jessica protested. "Not possible!" "And yet," I countered. "She's having an EEG-MRI today along with a battery of tests and an interview with a team of pshrinks." "I need to call Mike!" Jessica declared. "Before you do that, I also learned that our wife is holding out on us!" "What?" Kara asked suspiciously. "You've met Jonathan Kane!" "The guy who helped find Samantha's dad?" "Yes." "I don't remember meeting him!" "He remembers you! He said you were still the most beautiful girl he's ever met! He's not wrong!" Kara smiled, "Thanks. He didn't say when?" "No, but he mentioned Debbie V and her sister in the same context." "I remember him vaguely from a funeral. He was at a dinner before the wake, and I spoke to him for about twenty seconds, I think. Then I saw him at the reception afterwards. Docter Mercer and her family were there, too, along with Kent and Jennie Sanders. My mom was friends with all of them when they were in High School, though I think Jonathan's mom went to Goshen." "A truly small world," I observed. ————— {br} 🎤 Ashley {br} "He's such a hunk!" Chadrima declared. "I mean, to die for!" "You do realize you're talking about my brother, right?" I asked. "Duh! But that doesn't mean he's not hot!" "Somebody got their period, didn't they?" Veronica asked. "Obviously!" Susie declared. "Besides Ashley, does anyone not agree?" Chadrima asked. I rolled my eyes because Susie, Jasmine, Ellie, Chadrima, and Veronica all agreed. If Jesse wasn't with someone exclusively, he was going to have a crazy amount of fun in about four years. All my friends were starting to be boy-crazy, and while I was absolutely positive I'd want to, I wasn't in any rush. "OK," I said. "That's settled. Should we get back to doing homework?" "Party pooper!" Ellie teased. ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} Katy called back just before dinner, which meant she'd just completed dinner, given she was in the Eastern Time zone. "How are you, Stepa?" she asked after we greeted each other. "Good. You?" "Very good. How can I help you?" I explained the situation and who was involved. "I think a pair of investigators," she said. "Ted Farley, who you know, and a new investigator who was most recently an NCIS agent based in Japan — Erica Barrett. She's originally from Chicago. She's available immediately; Ted is available next Monday." "Thanks. Bill this through McCarthy/Jenkins so that the investigators are technically hired by them. I'll work things out with Jonathan on how to divvy up the costs." "I'll take care of it! I'll have Ms. Barrett call you tomorrow." "Thanks, Katy!" We said 'goodbye', and I immediately dialed Jonathan's number. "Kane." "Steve Adams. I arranged for a pair of investigators from Global Security. One is a former NCIS agent, and the other is Ted Farley. The former agent will call me tomorrow. I'll make sure she knows everything I know, and I'll give her copies of the surveillance tapes I have." "Good. Give her this number. I'll share what I know, but it's limited. There are no security cameras in the building, unfortunately." "That is unfortunate. We'll talk again soon." We ended the call, and I joined the family for dinner. ————— {br} _February 14, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_ 🎤 Steve {br} "What's the plan for tonight?" I asked Jesse as I helped him into the car on Friday morning. "About twenty of us, total, mostly from the hockey team and softball team, plus Birgit and her friend Fangsu who's dating Mitch." "Is there anything you need me to do?" I asked as I got into the driver's seat. "I don't think so. Birgit and Albert offered to help set up. He's going to hang out with the Kallas boys and some other guys." I pulled out of the driveway and headed for Kenwood Academy. "Did you hear from Nicole?" I asked. "Mikey called last night. He said the surgery was successful, and she'll start rehab in two weeks. For the first month, it's leg-strengthening exercises using resistance, light weights, and a treadmill. That progresses to a step machine, then knee strengthening exercises. After four months, she can try to skate, She has to be able to do all the usual skills with her knee being stable and without pain. Best case scenario is she can play the last few games of next season." "Does she have any options?" "It's possible to arrange a private tryout, but by the time she can do that, the scholarships will have been awarded. Her option is to walk on and win a roster spot, then try to get a scholarship after Freshman year. Well, assuming she doesn't make a miraculous recovery." "Did you want to visit her?" "She's going home tomorrow morning. My moms are taking me to see her." "Cool." Tomás and DeShawn were waiting for Jesse at Kenwood Academy and helped him from the car, with Tomás taking Jesse's bag. "I'll pick you up when school is out," I said. "Have a good day!" "Thanks, Pops!" DeShawn closed the door, and I pulled away from the curb, heading to the office. ————— {br} 🎤 Jesse {br} "Did you hear from Nicole?" Tomás asked. "Her surgery was successful, and I'm going to see her tomorrow." "Hi, Jesse!" Luna said, coming up to us. "How's the leg?" "It feels better today, but I still won't be dancing tonight." "I kinda figured," she replied. "Is it OK if Bonita comes to the party tonight?" "Who's she?" I asked. "She's my third cousin, and her family moved here from Mexico in December. She's fifteen and plays soccer." "It's cool," I replied. "Thanks." "Who's the common relative for a third cousin?" DeShawn asked. "We have the same great-great-grandparents," Luna replied. "Our entire extended family lived in the same village in southern Mexico until some moved to the US. My parents came here after they married, but before I was born. Bonita was obviously born in Mexico. What about you, Tomás?" "My dad's parents moved here when he was a baby; my mom's family was in southern California for at least a hundred years, but I don't know too much about how they first moved there." "Mine were transported from Gabon around 1820," DeShawn said. "What about you, Jesse?" "On my mom's side, they came from Scotland just before the Civil War. On my dad's side, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but supposedly just after the Civil War. The German relatives on my dad's mom's side came over sometime around 1840." We reached my locker, and Tomás helped me with my books, and we headed to homeroom to start the school day. ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} Erica Barret, the private investigator, called me just before 10:00am. "I spoke to a friend who is a CPD detective," she said. "Unofficially, they have no suspects and no leads. I did discover that she was dropped off at Burwood Tap on West Wrightwood Avenue, and the timing works that the cab took her straight there from your house. I'll go there tonight and see if I can find anyone who saw her. I also located a friend in DeKalb who provided fairly solid background material. There's nothing there yet, but I'm just getting started. I'll try to speak to the cabbie to find out how she ended up there." "I'm going to guess she asked the cabbie about a bar," I said. "Which would explain why the cab company wants to settle quickly." "I'd say that's good speculation," Erica said. "Let us keep working. I do have a lead on the boyfriend, though my contact indicated Nadia's parents didn't know about him." "From what Nadia and Danielle said, it wasn't serious, which would fit the situation. Did the police speak to the friend or the boyfriend?" "No. I found the friend by using her High School yearbook, finding pictures, and then tracking down the friend. I'm reasonably certain her parents didn't know this friend, and Danielle didn't." "That raises some interesting questions." "It does. You said she claimed she was a virgin; do you still believe that?" I had the example of Jeri, who had claimed to be a virgin but was not, and I had absolutely no indication, only knowing much, much later when she'd confessed the subterfuge. "Given there is no reliable way to know for certain if someone has not had sex, I have to trust the representation that she was." "It's possible she lied about that to entice you into doing something she knew you were reluctant to do. That would make it as much role-play as her babysitter fantasy. But it only worked if you weren't aware she was role-playing." "Possible," I replied. "It's also possible there was some other motivation, and that's what I'll try to uncover. The LEOs don't really care about why, and I don't think they're looking past what you've told them and what they can discern from her online chats. I'm reasonably certain there is more in her chats than you or her friend Danielle know." "Entirely possible," I replied. "I'll check in with you next week. Ted will take the DeKalb portion and I'll stick with the Chicago portion, and obviously, we'll work together." "Thanks." We ended the call, and I dialed Mike Knox at McCarthy/Jenkins. I related what Erica Barret had reported. "That's actually very good for us," Mike said. "If the cabbie deviated from the fare you paid, a motion to dismiss has a much better chance of success. If Windy City Taxi does settle, that actually helps you. As for Mr. Kane, they're going to have to prove that the building was somehow unsafe or that he did something other than passively own the property. Everything I know so far indicates the building was properly secured and that while Yuusuke Holdings, Mr. Kane's LLC, does hold the title, the property is managed by a third party." "That's good news all around," I replied. "And explains why Windy City Taxi would want to settle quickly and quietly. Why wasn't the bar named?" "The only reason I can think of is the parents don't know. It was never in the papers, and until Ms. Barret uncovered it via her contact, whoever that was, it was closely held. My advice for the moment is to sit tight. Nelson Boyd and I will file the motion on Monday morning. We had planned to do it today, but I want to add the additional information you provided about the drop-off point." "What's the basic argument?" "That given the known facts, it would be impossible for you to have any kind of culpability based on their claims. They'll likely be offered a chance to amend them, but the new information puts them in a tough situation. I'll send Liz a copy when we file." "Thanks." I ended the call and left the «yōshitsu» room where I'd gone for privacy. "Why the skullduggery?" Penny asked. "In a civil case, they could depose you and ask you about anything I said to my attorney or the investigator, and privilege wouldn't apply." "How does that work with the investigator? They aren't attorneys." "It'll be billed through McCarthy/Jenkins, so it's work product." "You seem to know every angle! Now, if I could just get you interested in curves!" "I am interested in curves, and I know yours very well! They just have to be observed from a distance!" "You're no fun, Steve! Just no fun!" "Get back to work, Pretty Penny!" I said, then kissed her on the cheek She smiled and her fingers once again began dancing over the keys of her keyboard. ————— {br} [Oswego, Illinois] 🎤 Matthew {br} "We have less than four weeks to go until opening night," Mr. Fruits said in drama class on Friday afternoon. "That means you should be able to say your lines without the script by the end of next week." "He means you," I said quietly to Tara, who was playing Golde opposite my Tevye. "I know," Tara replied. "Do you have time for extra practice?" "Maybe tomorrow morning before _D&D_, because on weeknights, I need time to do my other homework after play practice. Chelsea is hanging out with her friends tomorrow until 6:00pm, as she usually does." "How early could I come over?" "If you show up at 8:00am, we'll have two hours to practice before _D&D_. I can set up for the gaming session before you show up. But make sure you read through your lines tonight a bunch of times, please." "Something you want to share, Mr. Clarke?" Mr. Fruits said. "Tara and I are arranging practice time for tomorrow." "That's good, but pay attention, please." He ran through the schedule for the next four weeks, including set building, undress and dress rehearsals, performances, and striking the set. "Tickets go on sale on Monday," he said. "Today is the last day to let me know how many seats you want to reserve for each performance. As of Monday, you'll need to buy them directly on a first-come, first-served basis." I had already turned in my request for my extended family, who would all come to the Saturday evening performance. Because the musical was likely to be well-attended, we had a Sunday matinée performance, followed by striking the set, and then a cast party at Nick's house. "I'll see you at 8:00am tomorrow," Tara said. "Cool." As it was our last class of the day, when the dismissal bell rang, I headed to my locker, then went out to the parking lot to take the bus home, as none of my three usual rides were available. As soon as I got on the bus, I called Chelsea on her mobile phone. "What's up?" she asked. "I just left Loyola." "I wanted to let you know that Tara is coming over tomorrow morning to rehearse before _D&D_." "Well, it's not like there are love scenes, and Golde is pretty much a bitch." "She's called 'sharp-tongued' in the notes," I countered. "They have to be politically correct!" Chelsea declared. "There is a bed scene," I replied. "And Tevye pretends to be waking from a nightmare! Anyway, you know I don't have a problem with Tara." "I know, but I wanted to make sure you knew. That way, there are zero misunderstandings." "I appreciate it! Larisa called today and wondered about visiting at Spring Break." "Coming here or us going there?" "Us going there. It's totally up to you. "Larisa, Pavel, Abi, and Rachel are absolutely coming to visit during the Summer." "I don't have anything planned for Spring Break except spending time with you!" "Cool. I'll call Larisa back and let her know. We can figure out our plans later. Are you on the bus?" "Yes. I'll see you in about ninety minutes! Love you!" "Love you!" After we said 'goodbye', I closed my phone and slipped it back into my pocket. ————— {br} 🎤 Jesse {br} "This is my cousin, Bonita," Luna said. Bonita was almost as tall as Luna, with long black hair and brown eyes, and was built like a fútbol player - athletic, with long legs and small breasts. "Hi, Bonita!" I said. "Welcome!" "Thanks for allowing me to be here," she said in a fairly heavy Mexican accent. "I'm sorry you got hurt!" "Thanks. It's not too bad, and in a week, I should be able to walk without crutches. Enjoy the party!" Everyone arrived by 7:30pm, and while I couldn't dance, I could hang out with my friends. After discussing things with Simone and Luna and confirming with Dad, we stuck to the PG version of the party. That meant _Twister_ was OK, but everyone would be clothed. We'd also skip any of the sex games, but instead play _Pictionary_ with teams. ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} "I don't know that we've ever had a Valentine's Day reservation for six, where five were women and none of them lesbian!" Sam Saunders declared when I arrived at Bucktown Bistro with my wives and girlfriends. "Steve is different!" Kara declared. "Now, there's an understatement if there ever was one!" Sam exclaimed. "We have you in the small private dining room. That frees up three tables in the main dining room. The large private room is open plan tonight." "That makes perfect sense," I observed. Sam led us to the private dining room, where a round table for six was set. My wives had worked out a seating arrangement that had me between Kara and Jessica, with Suzane next to Kara, Yuriko next to Suzanne, and Natalie between Suzanne and Jessica. "So," Sam smirked as we sat down. "How do you celebrate later?" "Join us and find out!" Kara teased. "Somehow, I don't think Alex will go for that!" "Go for what?" her husband asked, coming into the room. "It's just Kara being Kara," Jessica declared. "She was inviting your wife to join us later." "Well, if Sam wants me to work out a trade with Steve…" "Not a chance, Alex Saunders!" Sam declared. "Welcome, all of you," Alex said, as we recovered from the laughing. "Our Valentine's Day tasting menu has 'Steve Safe' choices for each course. Unless anyone objects, that's what we'll serve you." "It's always a gastronomic adventure," I replied, looking around the table for any headshakes. "No objections. We're in your capable hands." "Excellent. I chose the wine, keeping in mind Steve's usual price limit, and San Pellegrino is on the house." "Thanks, Alex," I said. He and Sam left, and Henry, our waiter, came in to begin serving us the multi-course meal. ————— {br} 🎤 Birgit {br} "How late can you stay?" I asked Tomás. "My dad is picking me up at midnight," he replied. "You know the stupid curfew rules, and that's the latest he's willing to stay up." "Want to dance horizontally in my room for an hour?" I asked. "Obviously!" I took his hand and led him from the attic room, down the stairs, and to my room. I closed and locked the door, and we quickly undressed and got into bed. Thirty-five minutes later, we were resting after a very energetic fuck. "What do I call you?" he asked. "What do you mean?" "Well, I don't think you'd like it if I called you my girlfriend." "I actually don't mind 'a girlfriend'," I replied. "I've called you 'a boyfriend'. I mean, it's not like we can say that we're lovers because too many people would get their panties in a twist because we're both fourteen." "This is not a trap or anything," Tomás said, "but when would you consider having an actual boyfriend?" "I've actually considered it, but I want the freedom to see other people. You know I absolutely won't object if you want to go out with someone else." "Not to be a dog, but I don't know any other Freshman girls who'll do this with me!" I laughed, "I think I know a few, but I shouldn't say." There was a knock at the door, which surprised me, so I grabbed my robe, put it on and opened it. "You wouldn't have room in your bed for one more, would you?" Libby asked. "Tomás, do you mind if Libby joins us?" "Do I look like an idiot?" he asked with a huge grin. I opened the door all the way and allowed Libby to come into the room. She had come to the party alone because Lilibeth was busy with her parents. Libby quickly took off her clothes, then we got into bed with Tomás.