Chapter 12 — It's Up to You

_January 4, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_

🎤 Steve {br}

{psc} "How much do your kids know?" Emma asked once we'd arrived at the Compound after breakfast on Saturday.

"We don't hide anything, but we don't advertise, either. I simply let them know I needed to pick you up so you could attend karate classes today."

"But from their looks, I could tell they assumed we were going to sleep together."

"Unless you're tired, I doubt we'll do any sleeping!" I teased.

Emma laughed, "Euphemistically, you dope!"

"And to think she hasn't even spoken to Penny yet!" Kara said, coming to greet us with Suzanne right behind her.

"Hi, Kara; Hi, Suzanne!" Emma exclaimed. "Who's Penny?"

"She works for my company, and we share an office," I replied. "Her favorite word for me is 'dope'."

"Steve left out the torrid affair they had when he was twenty-one, and she was fifteen!" Suzanne interjected. "Though they quit because Penny wanted to work for Steve's company."

"Interesting parallel," Emma said. "Though Steve is a bit older than twenty-one!"

"A bit," I chuckled. "Kara, what time are you and Birgit leaving for O'Hare?"

"In about ten minutes. I spoke to Sensei Will, so he knows not to expect us. We're taking Jessica's BMW so you can have the SUV to drive to the dōjō if you want."

"I think we'll walk and change at the dōjō. Suzanne, would you let the girls know? I need to get my gi."

Ten minutes later, Suzanne, Stephie, Ashley, Emma, and I were walking south on Woodlawn Avenue towards Hyde Park Avenue.

————— {br}
🎤 Matthew {br}

"Matthew Adams?" a voice said when I answered the phone after arriving home from breakfast with Dad, my brothers, and the men.

"Yes," I replied.

"This is Detective Andrews with the Aurora Police Department. Do you have a moment to talk to me about Maggie Jones?"

I knew Dad's advice was to always lawyer up when speaking to the police, but I had zero concern because I hadn't done anything wrong, and I wanted them to find Maggie.

"Yes," I replied.

"When's the last time you saw or spoke with her?"

"Before Christmas," I replied. "Once school was out, I didn't see her. I went to Ohio to visit my aunt and some friends during Christmas break. Maggie was supposed to be at a New Year's Eve party, but she didn't show up."

"How was she the last time you saw her?"

"Out of sorts," I said.

"Do you know why?"

I did, but there was no way I was going to tell the cop that it was because Maggie wanted to sleep with me!

"She broke up with her boyfriend, and she's been interested in me, but I have a girlfriend, and I think that bothered her."

"You're in the same grade, right?"

"Yes."

"Were you ever romantically involved with Maggie?"

"No. We're both in drama and had some stage kisses, but I had permission from my girlfriend!"

The detective laughed, "Wise! Even those theatre kisses can bother girlfriends. I had the same problem in High School when I had to kiss my girlfriend's best friend on stage."

"Oops."

"More than you know. She's my wife now."

"Double oops."

"Yeah, let's just say it was not a good situation. Do you know where Maggie might go? Any friends or relatives?"

"Not beyond the kids who are in drama, and her mom said you were talking to everyone."

"We are, but we have to ask. Is there anything else you can tell me that you think might help?"

"Not really," I replied. "If she calls me or I see her, I'll call her mom."

"Please call me, too. Let me give you my number."

I did, he thanked me, and then hung up.

"I'm really worried," I said to Chelsea.

"Me, too," Chelsea said. "What do you think?"

"I have no clue. All we can do is wait."

————— {br}
🎤 Jesse {br}

My phone rang just before 10:00am on Saturday. I looked at the display and thought about letting the call go to voicemail, but I decided that it was better to take the call.

"Go for Jesse!"

"Hi, it's Scarlett. Could we talk?"

"Yes," I replied. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Us. What happened."

I didn't see any way forward unless she was willing to compromise about the sauna. And it wasn't really the sauna, per se, but an approach to life. Given her thinking, I strongly suspected our parenting styles and approach to teen sexuality would diverge, and that would create no end of tension. While I didn't think we had to be completely in sync, we had to be close. In the end, that was what had wrecked my dad's relationship with Bethany — they had diverging views on important topics. And all of that was on top of me not being anywhere near ready to make any lifetime commitments to anyone.

"What happened," I said carefully, "was a basic philosophical difference. The sauna was a symptom, if you will, of divergent worldviews."

"You sound so much more like my professors than my friends," she said. "It's like a whole different level."

"I think that's part and parcel of our worldview. My moms, my dad, his wives, my siblings, and our family's closest friends all have a very similar worldview. You met my siblings and some friends, and you heard the conversations. That's my world, and it's one I'm very comfortable in. Many people aren't, and those people tend not to be close friends and, in some cases, actually avoid us.

"That's what I believe happened when you were here. You weren't comfortable with our lifestyle, which is a product of our worldview and something that, in the end, isn't going to change significantly. There is ridiculous pressure from puritanical elements of society, but we intend to resist tooth and nail. The saunas are simply an expression of that worldview, as are my moms' marriage, my dad's marriage, and so on."

"So you're saying, in effect, 'deal with it'?"

"I can't change who I am," I replied. "And I certainly don't want to be fitted for a straitjacket!"

"Are you trying to say you would want complete freedom to do whatever you wanted?"

"There's a difference between me freely deciding to do something and being forced to do it. When I marry, I intend, as I told you when you were here, that it is to be for life and with a single girl. My dad's lifestyle is fine for him, but I think the way my moms do it is better. But that's _my_ choice. If I did want a situation like my dad's, that would also be _my_ choice, and I would need to find girls who would accept that. Do you see the difference between being _fitted_ for a straitjacket and making choices?"

"Yes. I guess I just never thought about things as deeply as you have. I never was exposed to anything like that in High School or even in college, with the exception of one philosophy class, and it didn't go anywhere near as deep because it was an intro class, so mostly a survey."

"At the risk of sounding nasty, may I point out that you didn't have a problem with being in the sauna with Matthew and Chelsea when you were here last year?"

"OK, sure, but that's different from being with twenty guys, or with your dad, or whoever, or you being in there with your sisters or moms. Can't you see that?"

"I can see that you object, yes, but I don't see a difference. Do you remember what I said about nudity and sex?"

"That nudity doesn't imply sex, but getting naked in front of a guy pretty much implies that, at least in my experience. Well, minus that one sauna."

"I need to be a bit uncouth," I said. "Besides me and maybe a doctor, how many guys have you been naked in front of?"

"Er, just Matthew."

"So, then, in _your_ experience, it's 50/50. You can't draw any conclusions from that."

"Oh, give me a break! You know as well as I do girls only get naked if they want to have sex!"

"No, I don't know that at all! In fact, I've been in the sauna with dozens of girls with whom I haven't had sex and don't want to. Or do you think I have some weird Oedipus complex or want to sleep with my sisters?"

"No," Scarlett replied. "But…never mind. You have an answer for everything."

"Because I've _lived_ it for almost seventeen years. Do you think your objections are new? Or that we've never had to deal with them? Not to mention our Hangouts, which are like college philosophy seminars."

"You don't have to be a jerk about it!"

"I did warn you I was going to be uncouth and possibly sound nasty, but I don't mean it to be nasty. I'm just telling it like it is. There's no point in hiding it or trying to pretend I'm anything other than I actually am. I like you, Scarlett, a lot, but we have a serious compatibility problem."

"And you won't compromise?"

"On my worldview? No. And I think the sauna is really just the tip of the iceberg."

"How so?"

"Because it's a strong indicator that we won't have the same approach to childrearing, how we relate to friends, what we consider socially acceptable, and so on."

"And your church approves?"

"Most decidedly not," I replied. "But I don't have to agree with their teaching on anything that isn't expressly dogmatic. So, I keep my mouth shut on things with which I disagree and worship God in a way that satisfies my spiritual needs. Nobody can do anything else, and nobody is going to agree one hundred percent with everything their church teaches unless they check their brain at the door, something I refuse to do!"

"You're not going to budge, are you?"

"I offered the limit of my compromises, which were the alternate rules I explained, with the caveat that I would continue doing what I do when you aren't there."

"You don't think I'm worth compromising further?"

{_ "This above all: to thine own self be true {br}
And it must follow, as the night the day {br}
Thou canst not then be false to any man." _}

"Shakespeare, right?"

"Yes. Though the original meaning is different from how we understand it today. In context, it's referring back to borrowing money, lending money, carousing with women of dubious character, and other intemperate pursuits. That behavior is 'false' in the sense that it's detrimental. In other words, Polonius is trying to instruct Laertes on how to be virtuous. Of course, it's ironic because Polonius is anything but virtuous, meeting his end while spying on Hamlet.

"In a modern context, we've changed it to mean acting according to your own nature rather than trying to be something you are not. In this case, being 'true' means acting with integrity while being who you are and doing what you need to do that fulfills you, so long as you don't harm another person. Nobody has a stronger interest in your happiness than you do."

"And you'll only be happy if you can be naked in the sauna with anyone you want, including your own kids?"

"I could be happy without doing that, but in the end, it perfectly encapsulates my worldview. I believe, and I admit I could be wrong, that that would just be the start of it, and you would push back until I followed social norms, which would make me decidedly unhappy."

"And you think that's what I would do?"

"I can draw a line from point A to point B," I said.

"And you got what you wanted, so no big deal, right?"

I wanted to scream and bang my head on the wall, but that wouldn't change things except to give me a headache.

"That is not true, but if that's what you think, there's no point in continuing this conversation. If you're at hockey camp, I'll see you there."

She didn't respond, and I heard the telltale beeps of the call disconnecting. I closed my phone, stuck it in my pocket, and went downstairs.

—————{br}
🎤 Albert{br}

After we arrived home from breakfast, I walked to the hospital where Mom worked to meet with other members of my Scout troop to begin our service project. We gathered in the pediatric ward, and Doctor Lisa Mendez spoke to us and explained the basic rules, the most important of which was that if there was a sign on a door to a room requiring masks, we had to follow it fastidiously, so as not to put the kid at risk. She introduced us to the nurses and candy stripers, and then Nurse Brad showed us where the games were.

Uncle Dave gave us each a name and room number, and I was assigned to a ten-year-old kid with leukemia named Bobby who wanted to play _Risk_. I went to get the game, and a cute candy striper followed me.

"Hi! I'm Billie!" she said.

"Albert."

"I'm a Senior at Maria. Are you a Junior or Senior?'

I chuckled, "Eighth grade."

"Uh, er, oops. You're tall and you look older!"

I grinned, "Flattery will get you everywhere!"

She laughed softly, "You're what? Thirteen?"

"Yes. Want to play _Risk_ with us?"

"Sure!"

I grabbed the box and Billie and I headed to Bobby's room.

"Hi! I'm Albert," I said. "The nurse said you wanted to play _Risk_. Are you OK with a girl playing with us?"

"HEY!" Billie protested.

"Ten-year-old boys don't usually hang-out with eighteen-year-old girls," I chuckled.

"Yeah, it's cool," Bobby agreed.

I moved a table to the bed and set the board on it, then we chose colors, and began the process of choosing countries and setting out pieces.

"How long have you been in the hospital?" I asked as we started playing.

"Almost two months."

"Do you know how long you'll be here?"

"The chemo is working, and I need one more round. My blast count is below 5%, which is the level that means you're in remission, if you can stay there."

"That's cool."

"What do you do besides Scouts?"

"Fly," I said. "My friend in the Navy is teaching me."

"WOW! That's so cool! Do you want to be a Navy pilot?"

"Yes. I'm going to try for an appointment to the Naval Academy."

"What grade?"

"Eighth. You?"

"Fifth, but I have a tutor because I can't go to school. I should be able to go back for sixth grade."

"Where?"

"Mount Carmel. You?"

"The Lab School at UofC."

I spent close to two hours with Bobby and Billie, and Bobby won the _Risk_ game. Before we left, I promised to see him the following Saturday.

"Too bad you aren't a few years older," Billie said after we left the room.

"Not much I can do about that! Sorry! See you next Saturday?"

"Yes."

—————{br}
🎤 Steve{br}

"What did you think?" I asked Emma once we were back at the house to have lunch before the afternoon class with my private students.

"I think I'll enjoy it," she said. "I was surprised you gave me a uniform and had me participate."

"It's the best way to learn," I said. "And you'll need it for this afternoon.'

"So you can tie me up with the belt?" Emma smirked.

"That is not what I meant," I chuckled. "And I don't think Sensei Will would understand."

"I bet you're wrong! His wife is gorgeous!"

"I have no clue about that part of their life," I replied with a grin. "And no intention of finding out!"

"Given your extensive experience, you have to have played that way."

"Ask me later," I said. "Right now, we need to join the others for lunch!"

We ate lunch, then Emma and I left the house, joined by Birgit, who was home from taking Kjell to the airport, to head to the dōjō for the class with my private students.

"What's the difference between this one and the morning class?"

"Birgit?" I prompted.

"Dad's goes to '11'!" she giggled. "Like everything else!"

"Pumpkin…" I said, shaking my head.

"I like to tease my dad," she said. "But the afternoon class is for students who are serious about living the principles of the «Dōjō kun». The first and most important one is: _Seek perfection of character_. And according to Master Funakoshi, known as _Shōtō_, the founder of Shōtōkan Karate-Do: _The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of the participant._

"Dad takes that seriously and insists his students take it seriously. Part of becoming his student is accepting his guidance and correction and opening yourself to examination on those principles while striving for perfection in the practice of karate. The group you are going to meet are the truly serious students in the dōjō who have accepted my dad as their mentor, guide, and master."

"I've yet to meet a fourteen-year-old girl who agreed her dad was master!"

"Busted, Pumpkin!" I chuckled.

"Hey, I _mostly_ listen to you!" Birgit protested. "Nobody else in the group is perfect, either!"

"I think I'll mention to Jesse and Albert that you just admitted you aren't perfect!"

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" Birgit growled threateningly.

"That escalated quickly," Emma said, laughing.

"There's a healthy boys versus girls rivalry at the Compound," I said.

"It's no contest! Birgit smirked. "Girls win every time!"

"I don't know," Emma said. "Your dad has three gorgeous wives and two gorgeous girlfriends, and freedom to boot! I think he's won!"

"I was born into the circus," Birgit said. "You chose it!"

Emma laughed again, "Good point! How many students do you have, Steve?"

"You'll be the tenth, which is about the limit. Well, assuming you move here as you suggested you would."

'That's a done deal. I discussed it with my dad, and he made some calls about getting into Lane Tech, and they committed to accepting me next Fall. I'll tell my mom when I go home and move in June, right after school is out."

"What year?" Birgit asked.

"I'll be a Junior when I move here."

"So, only one grade ahead of me. Cool! We can be friends!"

"That's all I need," I said ruefully.

"I'll make sure she talks with Aunt Penny, too!" Brigit giggled.

"You are a major troublemaker, Pumpkin!"

"Thank you!" she exclaimed.

————— {br}
🎤 Jesse {br}

"Did you decide what to do about the Valentine's Day party?" Luna asked when she arrived at the house to have lunch.

"We can't do what Simone wanted, for sure. If we had a party, the limits would have to be kissing. Anything else is too risky in a group, even if we trust everyone. It only takes one slip, and all of us could be in serious trouble."

"I pretty much figured that would be the case. You turn seventeen on February 22nd, right?"

"Yes."

"So after that, so long as everyone was over seventeen, we could do more?"

"We could, and it would be legal, but that doesn't mean it would be smart. Don't get me wrong — it sounds like a lot of fun, so long as it didn't get out of hand, but parents could still complain about anyone who was under eighteen, and that could cause problems for hockey and softball."

"You're probably right," Luna admitted. "You pointed out the only reason there wasn't any serious fallout from the sauna is because we didn't actually do anything."

"Exactly. Society has its head so far up its butt that I'm not sure it's fixable. I'm curious — if we actually did what Simone suggested, how far would you go?"

"In front of others? I'd dance naked, and make out, but not do anything more. Even in private, I wouldn't have sex with just anyone. I know guys don't discriminate if pussy is available, but girls do."

"I have turned girls down," I said.

Luna laughed, "You have pretty much total access to the best pussy in the school, so you CAN turn it down! Most guys would give one of their balls to have a single one of those girls, most of whom wouldn't give them the time of day!"

"I have to ask," I said with a smirk, "how you know it's the 'best pussy'? Have you sampled it to know?"

"Ewww! No way! I mean, OK, sure, it's OK if someone wants to do that, but not me! Would _you_?"

"We just established I had!" I chuckled.

"I meant have sex with a guy, you clown!" Luna said, laughing.

"No. I have no interest in experimenting."

"What about a threesome with a guy and a girl?"

"That holds no interest. That said, two girls…"

"Pig!" Luna exclaimed, but she was laughing when she said it.

"Would YOU have a threesome?"

"Two guys might be interesting, but I don't want to fool around with a girl."

"You can have a threesome where that doesn't happen," I said. "But when everyone participates with everyone, it's way more fun."

"I'll take your word for it!"

"Changing subjects, did you schedule your campus visit to Arizona State?"

"Yes. It's the weekend of February 22nd, and I'll attend classes the following Monday. CeCe and I are going to hang out when I'm not in some organized activity. I'm really looking forward to moving out of my house and being on my own! Well, in a dorm, but you know what I mean."

"I do. Have fun, but be smart, and don't go crazy."

"CeCe is having a great time, and she's not doing anything crazier than the average college student! You don't hear from her?"

"Only occasionally. She and her family were in California over Christmas break, which I'm sure you knew."

"I did. I was bummed because I wanted to see her."

We finished lunch, and Luna helped me wash the few dishes we'd used.

"Now what?" Luna asked after I put the last dish away.

"That's up to you," I said.

"Then let's go up to your room and fool around!"

I took her hand and led the way.

————— {br}
🎤 Steve {br}

"You've made up your mind?" I asked Emma as we went to the playroom after karate class.

"Yes. I hope it was OK to say that in front of Birgit."

"As I've said, we're pretty open about things here at the Compound; we just don't advertise, and we're circumspect whenever the government is involved in any way."

"How will this work?" she asked as we began undressing.

"Well, usually, the guy gets an erection, then…" I smirked.

"Not _this_ this," Emma interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Me moving here!"

"That depends in large part on what you want. If you want to join the dōjō, you'll need to attend classes regularly. If you want a mentorship arrangement, then we'll need to set aside a time to meet. If you want to hang out here or come to Philosophy Club, that's up to you, though I'd strongly encourage it. Beyond that, the main concern is wanting to work for me because there's an unofficial rule about hiring girls I've slept with."

"NOW you tell me?!" she protested as we climbed into bed.

"Relax," I said. "It's unofficial, and you didn't know in advance. I don't have a problem with hiring someone I've slept with, but my attorneys do. That means not revealing the extent of our relationship to them. At least in the short term, that's not a problem because we need to keep things on the QT because you don't turn seventeen until October.

"In addition, you mentioned dating, and I'm going to assume that means, at some point, you'll be exclusive with a guy because you'll want to have sex, and cheating isn't an option for either of us. That doesn't mean you can't have sex with another guy while we're involved, but you'd have to make it clear to him you weren't exclusive. Otherwise, it's up to you how this goes."

"Not to be a bitch, but you seem totally disinterested."

"On the contrary, I'm VERY interested, and I want to be with you and have you as a friend and protégé. But I needed to get all of the considerations out in the open. I'm happy I met you, and I'm happy you're here, and that would be true even if we weren't sleeping together. Sex is _not_ a requirement for our relationship, but it's a wonderful way to bond."

"Speaking of that, before we screw each other silly, what about the karate belt question?"

"I've engaged in light bondage," I replied. "But I don't really get off on it, and it has to be with someone I've been with before and trust, both ways. And it cannot be a rape fantasy."

"So you would under the right circumstances?"

"I would; both ways — tying up and being tied up. Is that something with which you want to experiment?"

"I hadn't really thought about it; I was just teasing. I guess I don't see how it would be pleasurable for me either way."

"Then, generally speaking, you don't do it."

"Generally speaking?"

"There are things which I don't find directly pleasurable but which I do because the girl derives pleasure from doing it. For me, the girl's pleasure is important, so I get indirect pleasure from doing things that aren't very pleasurable."

"That sounds like circumlocution! Care to say directly what you're trying to avoid saying?"

I laughed, "Certain paraphilias!"

"Now you're just being difficult!"

"I have, when the girl has desired it, allowed her to peg me — that is, use a strap-on for anal sex."

"IIIIINTERESTING!" Emma smirked. "And what would the necessary conditions be?"

"At this point? All you have to do is ask."

"Let me think about it. Dinner is in just over three hours, so may I suggest we stop talking and start fooling around?

"You may!"

_January 5, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_

🎤 Steve {br}

On Sunday morning, I walked Jessica to work, then used the treadmill. After a shower, Birgit and I had our usual cuddle time, then joined the rest of the family for breakfast. After breakfast, Kara, Suzanne, and I went to the Indian room to spend time together.

"You aren't seeing Emma this morning, right?" Kara asked.

"Correct. Her dad is taking her to the airport. We don't want to give the wrong impression."

"How did you leave things with her?"

"She's going to visit during Spring Break, and then she'll be back in June. Her dad arranged for her to attend Lane Tech, so that's set, and she's going to join the dōjō. She made it fairly clear that her primary goals are mentoring and intellectual challenge. If I had to give odds, I'd say that the physical part of our relationship ends when she starts dating in the Fall."

"Interesting," Kara observed. "I got the idea she wanted something similar to Natalie."

"That might have been true at first, but I think taking a week to think about it led her to the conclusion that I was the right person to initiate her, if you will, but the true nature of our relationship is being her mentor with the ultimate goal of working for NIKA and being a close confidante and intellectual sparring partner."

"She's extremely intelligent and very mature," Suzanne observed. "So that actually doesn't surprise me. That was actually an option for me, but I chose a different course. I could have gone Natalie's route, obviously, or the one Emma appears to have chosen, but this was so much better for me. The key difference between Natalie and me is she wants kids, and I absolutely do not!"

"If living here didn't drive that home, nothing would," I chuckled.

"I love all your kids, but they're all mature and basically teenagers, though technically Ashley isn't. I do NOT deal well with babies or toddlers, and the _last_ thing I want to do is change a diaper! Now, if I could have them show up at age twelve, or so, great? Before that? No chance! What do you plan to do about Liz?"

"Nothing. She doesn't need to know. If things go the way I expect, there won't be any signs Liz could point to, and it's over six years before Emma will graduate. It's similar to the situation with Cecily Younger, who will attend IIT. Her fiancé, James, is applying for Attending positions here in Chicago, and Jess thinks UofC will hire him. And Estrella made the Penny decision, so no problem there, either, as we discussed."

"Slightly changing subjects; do you plan to take advantage of the waiver Jess offered?"

"I haven't given it a lot of thought, really. Emma was here, and I had the thing with Nadia."

"You really aren't comfortable with bondage, are you?" Kara asked.

"I don't get off on it," I said. "But we've played some, but that was in the context of a deep, intimate relationship. And it was only really serious with Elyse that one time. To be honest, despite her denials, what Nadia wanted was close to a rape fantasy. Not quite, but close enough to make me uncomfortable. The babysitter fantasy, on the other hand…"

Both Kara and Suzanne laughed.

"Or cheerleaders with V-cards!" Kara teased.

"Fun, but foolish," I said. "Not a mistake I'll make again."

"You mean the girl who was only fourteen?"

"Yes, but the bigger problem was them talking about it. It's similar to what Jesse and I discussed before the team sauna last week. The problem isn't the kids being naked together; the problem is the kids _talking_ about being naked together and causing trouble at school or with parents.

"We were lucky nobody called DCFS. We'd have been OK, in the end, I think, but the Seniors might have been in trouble if someone had really pressed it, given they were eighteen and there were kids under seventeen. The same risk was there with Tiffany being in the sauna with the kids. Julie did not appreciate that."

"She got over it!" Kara tittered. "You waved your magic wand, and the problem went away!"

"She did, but what if she'd complained to someone officially? You know darn well SOME parent will do that, eventually. That's why I've been adamant to Jesse that if they do use the sauna, nothing can happen, not even teasing. They have to be able to honestly deny ANY accusations other than being naked in the sauna."

"Society is messed up," Suzanne observed. "We're creating a generation of neurotic, puritanical kids who have a VERY unhealthy view of their bodies and of sex. And we're denying them access to the information they need to make informed decisions. Bethany proved that in spades, and even though she caved, she still doesn't agree with you."

"It's deeper than that," Kara observed. "MUCH deeper! As in, Bethany wants Steve deep in HER and can't have him. She's, to use a cliché, green with envy of any girl who is with him."

"I don't think it's quite that simple," I countered. "I'll admit that is part of it, but she's also under severe pressure from her colleagues to repudiate the book because it sends a sex-positive message for teenagers when society has decided that teenage sexuality is something to be stamped out, hormones and consequences be damned."

"Sadly," Suzanne agreed. "Changing subjects, who'll be at the game today?"

"The extended family, Andi and her dad, Samantha and Brian, the Penfield family, the Kallas family, the Jaeger family, ten guys from the hockey team, four girls from the softball team, and a pair of cheerleaders."

"And in the past, those two roses would be plucked before the night is out!" Kara teased.

"As tempting as it might have been in the past, I do need to stick to the rules."

"With exceptions."

"Yes, but few and far between. Avanti is an obvious one, and the Saint Martin trip, but after that? Unlikely for all the reasons we've discussed."

"You're still you, Steve," Kara said. "So the opportunities will present themselves, and you'll know when it's right to make an exception."

————— {br}
🎤 Jesse

"Dude! This is SO cool!" Tomás exclaimed when he came into the Spurgeon box at the United Center.

"I've been in here before, and I still think it's way cool!" Freddy declared. "And I see some hot chicks showed up!"

I chuckled, "You have your choice of four softball players and two cheerleaders if they'll even give you the time of day!"

"Freddy is on it!" he grinned.

"Just don't get tossed over the railing, please!"

"Is Birgit going to be here?" Tomás asked.

"Dad said she would," I replied. "So I assume so. They should be here soon. Dad and I showed up early to make sure everything was ready."

"And all this food is just free?"

"Not even close! Dad and Samantha paid for it, so you don't have to pay, but it's not free! Just please don't try to sneak a beer."

"I remember you saying that when you invited us. I'm going to grab some food and then chat with the girls!"

"Go for it!"

"Hi, Jesse!" Luna exclaimed, coming into the box with Chung Cha, Simone, and Jazlyn.

"Hi! Grab some food, something to drink, and enjoy yourselves!"

"Thanks!" all four girls exclaimed.

—————{br}
🎤 Steve {br}

"Dad," Birgit said quietly. "What's HE doing here?"

I looked in the direction she indicated and saw the criminal defense attorney who had represented Arnold Gardner. He was with Eduardo, Michael, and Andi, so I had to assume he was Andi's dad. I'd never met him and never heard his name mentioned, except in court.

"I think that's Andi's dad," I said. "Remember, defense attorneys perform a valuable service, and even the more vile accusations need to be proved beyond reasonable doubt by the government."

"I agree," Birgit said. "But that doesn't mean I have to associate with him!"

"So ignore him, please. Hang out with your sisters and your friends."

She made a face but walked away, and I moved across the room to where Eduardo and he were standing.

"This is uncomfortable," Mr. Peterson said. "I was just asking Eduardo if I should leave."

"No, you shouldn't," I said. "Melanie Spencer is one of my best friends, and I've known her since Junior High. She's defended some pretty heinous charges, but that's her job, and it's a necessary one in a free society governed by laws. Please, stay, though I'd suggest not speaking with Birgit."

"I understand, not that I'd approach a teenage girl and start a conversation."

"No, but she'd approach YOU and give you a piece of her mind!" Eduardo declared. "Though I think Steve calmed her down."

"She wasn't upset," I said. "Just surprised. And she's friends with Melanie, too, so she knows the score."

"I had no idea you were Michael's dad until Eduardo told me once I saw you and your daughter and asked if I should leave."

"Just enjoy yourself," I said. "If Andi has her way, we'll be related by marriage!"

He and Eduardo both laughed.

"I don't think I'm ready for a teenage daughter!"

"Too late!" I chuckled. "She's the same age as Michael, right?"

"Yes. Thirteen. Their birthdays are about a week apart."

"At this point, they're more concerned about robotics, computers, and gaming," Eduardo said. "I wouldn't worry just yet."

"Easy for you to say, with two boys!" Joel said, shaking his head. "How many kids do you have, Steve?"

"Seven. The two you know, plus two boys and three girls, with Birgit being the eldest of the girls. Jesse, the tall kid with light brown hair who has the tall Hispanic girl hanging on him, is my eldest."

"The hockey player, right?"

"Yes. Do you have other kids?"

"No, just Andi. One was our limit! I don't know how you do it!"

"Zone defense," I replied with a grin.

Joel laughed, "I hear you."

"Let's get some food and enjoy the game!"

Everyone arrived before the anthem, and when that was played, we all moved to seats at the front of the box. The game was hard fought, and it looked like it was in the bag for the Hawks, leading 3–2 late in the third period. It was not to be because Dave Lewis pulled CuJo with about ninety seconds left in the period, and Brett Hull scored with 37 seconds remaining. That sent the game to overtime, and just over a minute into overtime, Hull scored again, giving the Red Wings a 4–3 win.

"Now that sucked!" Terry groused. "Leading the whole way, and only needing to hold them for another forty seconds or so, but give up two goals in less than two minutes!"

"Hull is a great player," Brian said. "Despite Steve objecting to the result of the Cup final in 1999."

"The league's explanation was bullshit!" I declared. "The fact that they changed the rule afterwards tells me everything I need to know!"

"You weren't upset enough to change the name of the conference room," Samantha smirked.

"I would never diss the Golden Jet because of the Golden Brat!" I declared.

"'Golden _Brett_'" Jesse corrected.

"I said it the way I hear it!" I grinned. "Ready to go?"

"Yes."