Good Medicine - Senior Year
Michael Loucks
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Contents
Copyright © 2015-2024 Michael P. Loucks
Сам Себя Издат
First publication date: 2020-04-01
First revision publication date: 2024-02-22
You may contact the author at: author@michaelloucks.com
https://a-well-lived-life.com/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
While this story was inspired by actual persons and events, certain characters, characterizations, incidents, locations, and dialog were fictionalized or invented for the purposes of dramatization.
For Jennifer
Other Books in This Series
Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
Senior Year
Medical School I
Medical School II
Medical School III
Medical Schoo IV
Residency I
Residency II (*)
- Work in Progress
Other Books by Michael Loucks
A Well-Lived Life, Series I
Book 1 - Birgit
Book 2 - Jennifer
Book 3 - Pia
Book 4 - Bethany
Book 5 - Stephanie
Book 6 - Kara I
Book 7 - Kara II
Book 8 - Stephie
Book 9 - Anala
Book 10 - The Wife
A Well-Lived Life, Series 2
Book 1 - Bethany
Book 2 - Stephie
Book 3 - Jessica
Book 4 - Elyse
Book 5 - Michelle
Book 6 - Samantha
Book 7 - Sakurako
Book 8 - NIKA
Book 9 - Kami
Book 10 - Bridget
A Well-Lived Life Series 3
Book 1 - Suzanne
Book 2 - The Inner Circle
Book 3 - A New World
Book 4 - Coming of Age
Book 5 - The Pumpkin Patch
Book 6 - The World Turned Upside Down (*)
Climbing the Ladder
Book 01 - The First Rung
Book 02 - The Second Rung
Book 03 - Climbing Higher
Book 04 - Chutes and Ladders (*)
From the Files of Doctor Fran Mercer (*+)
A Sailor's Diary
Book 1 - The War Years (*+)
- Work in Progress
+ Available exclusively on Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
I. Ultraviolet
May 25, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio
"Hi, Mikey!" Liz exclaimed when Clarissa and I walked into my parents' house on Friday afternoon.
"How is my newly graduated sister?"
"Stoked! I'm done with school and moving out of the house! Are you staying the whole weekend?"
"Except for driving Maggie to McKinley tomorrow morning. Am I supposed to bring her back for the party?"
"If you can take her back on Sunday with you, she'll stay at Valerie's on Saturday night."
"It's going to be a bit complicated because Clarissa and I are invited to a small reception for Tasha at her house on Sunday afternoon. We'll spend a couple of hours at Grandpa's house and then head over there. I can't take Maggie there, and I don't want to drive back to Rutherford to get her. Can you bring her here by 6:00pm or so?"
"Sure," Liz agreed. "The thing at Grandpa's house will be done by then. Mom said she wants to talk to you this weekend."
"Good for Mom," I replied flatly. "The weekend is really busy, and you know I have nothing at all to say to her. You're an adult and have been legally one for almost three months. It's up to you what you tell Mom, not me. And that's what I'm going to tell her. When you're ready to tell her about Paul, I'll come stand with you."
Liz smiled, "Thanks, Mikey! Clarissa, you can put your stuff in my room unless you and Mikey are sleeping together."
"Dad would never understand," I replied.
"So you ARE!" Liz smirked.
"I sleep in Mike's bed quite a bit," Clarissa said, "but you know I have sex with girls!"
"Let's take our stuff upstairs," I interrupted, wanting to end that conversation before it got out of hand.
Clarissa and I went upstairs, dropped our bags, and then came back downstairs.
"We're going to have coffee with Tasha," I said to Liz. "We'll meet you at Hannah's."
"OK. See you at Hannah's!"
Clarissa and I left the house, got into the car, and headed for Marie's diner.
"Worried your sister was going to figure out we'd made love?" Clarissa asked.
"I was more concerned for you than for me," I said. "I don't think we want to advertise, for either of our sakes. Most people wouldn't understand."
"Jocelyn would. And believe it or not, I think Tasha would as well."
"How much did you reveal to them during Christmas break?"
"Pretty much everything, but remember, we hadn't done anything but kiss at that point. Jocelyn was sure we were going to sleep together, though. She felt it was inevitable, no matter which way things went. I am really looking forward to having her in McKinley."
"I BET you are!" I chuckled.
Clarissa laughed, "And here I thought your brain was short-circuiting over seeing me and Tasha together!"
"I'm not sure who's a bigger troublemaker, you or Lara!"
"Just wait until the FOUR of us are in McKinley in August!"
"I may ask the bishop to send me to Mount Athos!"
"Where?"
"The Holy Mountain in Greece, where there are around twenty monasteries and where women are expressly forbidden from entering under ANY circumstances! In fact, all female animals are banned except female cats and female songbirds."
Clarissa laughed, "Because bunny rabbits honor the ban?"
"I was referring to farm or domesticated animals!"
"And you going someplace with no girls? That'll be the day!"
"OK, so maybe not!"
"Who's going to be at the party tonight?"
"According to Liz about forty kids, split about evenly between guys and girls. The core group is Liz's friends you've met. The weird thing is that Maggie's house is just behind Hannah's, so she'll see everyone when we're in the backyard. But she decided to skip because she didn't want her parents to see us at the same party and have that cause trouble with her escape tomorrow morning."
"Wouldn't it have made more sense to have Liz bring her to McKinley this morning?"
"Yes, but I'm pretty sure Maggie wants the symbolism of me taking her away."
"Making the point that her dad can't control her and didn't change her mind about anything."
"Exactly," I said. "Of course, the problem is, he DID interfere, and it DID cause difficulties. Maggie just isn't aware of the extent."
"I think I'll stay at your parents' house while you make that drive and have that talk."
"It's not a done deal, Lissa."
"You just keep telling yourself that, Petrovich!"
"You do know that Lara has a lot of thinking to do over the Summer, right? And that she could decide this isn't what she wants or needs."
"Do you think that's really a risk?"
"I would never have guessed Tasha couldn't handle it," I said. "And that didn't really come out until after she and I started sleeping together. Sure, there were questions about us marrying before, but when she truly contemplated what being married to me would be like, she realized she probably couldn't handle it."
"But Lara is perfect and checks every single box!"
"I know that, but that's not enough. Tasha basically checked every box until she didn't."
"If only I could..."
"That's a bigger thing to overcome than even the one Tasha would need to overcome. And that same point has to be made about Maggie -- we never had enough time together for me to impress on her just how horrible our lives are going to be for five or six years after we graduate from Taft."
"So you could end up with one of the girls from church?"
"I'm not ruling anything out because, ultimately, I'm not in control of the situation."
"You do want it to be Lara, don't you?"
"Yes."
I pulled into the parking lot at Marie's and parked next to Tasha's Volvo. A minute later, Clarissa and I sat down in a booth with her.
"How are Sasha and Viktoriya?" I asked.
"Just fine! It's strange to have a baby in the house, but she's adorable!"
"What about the wedding?"
"Family Services filed an objection saying they felt Sasha was being coërced by my dad because of his strict religious views."
"Oh, give me a break! Even I know they can't use religion against him!"
"That's what the judge said. He rejected their report on First Amendment grounds. They have until Tuesday to submit a new report."
"Did Sasha tell them your dad was making her do it?"
Tasha shook her head, "No. She said she wanted to get married and have a father for her baby. Well, one who is her husband."
"Are you sure?" Clarissa asked.
Tasha was quiet for a moment, "I think Sasha would have preferred not to get pregnant in the first place, but after what happened, I'm sure this is what she wants. Yaroslav visits every evening after work and has dinner with us, and Sasha seems very happy to see him. I suspect she does feel somewhat pressured, but honestly, I can't imagine who wouldn't feel the pressure of being a single mom."
"I think all of us," I said thoughtfully, "at some point in our lives, encounter situations where we experience pressure, even if it's only from ourselves."
"You're talking about your ordination, right?" Tasha asked.
"Yes, but it's complicated by my other calling -- to be a doctor. If I were going to graduate and get a job a year from now, I'd be able to support a wife and family and give them the attention they deserve. If that were the case, you and I would most likely be getting married this Summer. But it's not, so I'm in a situation where my own choices and my callings have created a situation of intense pressure.
"I know some people think the bishop and the priests are pressuring me or that my grandfather is pressuring me, but to be honest, none of them want anything more than what I want -- for me to be true to my callings, both as a doctor and as a deacon. Nobody wished for Father Deacon Grigory to have a heart attack, but that accelerated events because Saint Michael needs an active deacon. And, I'm sure an outside observer, such as Family Services, would believe I was under intense religious pressure to marry and be ordained. I am. From myself.
"I know I can say 'no' to the bishop, or rather, 'not yet', but I would prefer not to do that. Maybe I'll have to; maybe things won't work out with Lara or Maggie or Yuliana. Elizaveta would mean saying 'not yet' because I'm not sure I could date someone her age. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try to resolve things in the next year. And again, that's me making the decision, pushing myself, not the bishop, not my grandfather, and certainly not any of the girls. Tasha, is your desire to marry because of your dad's pressure? Or because of your own desires?"
Tasha laughed softly, "You solved the 'desires' problem for me quite nicely last September!"
Clarissa and I both laughed softly in response.
"But," Tasha continued, "I know what you mean. Actually, it's the same for both -- what my dad wants is of no particular concern to me, except insofar as I have to act in such a way that he doesn't interfere with what I want to do. And I've discovered that we each have struggles about what to do in ways nobody else might understand. May I be very «некультурный» (nekulturny)?" ("inappropriate")
Clarissa and I both nodded.
"My desire to go to bed with you, Mishka, was driven by pure lust. I wanted to fuck. To be blunt, I wanted to fuck you, and I wanted you to fuck me! I wanted your «половой член» (polovoj chlen) in my «пизда» (pizda) from the time I had my first period, and I was determined to make it happen. ("dick", "pussy")
"It's different for Clarissa. She wants that because she's so deeply in love with you that she can't stand it, and even though she is lesbian, she wants you in that way. But not the same way, actually. She doesn't want to fuck; she wants to make love."
"How did you know?" Clarissa asked.
"Jocelyn knows, too. We talked about it privately when she was home at Christmas. I wondered if you might, well, please forgive me for saying this, change your decision about being a lesbian. I know you and Mike don't believe it was a decision, but I can't see it as anything other than a result of sin. I'll never treat you differently, Clarissa, nor think less of you, but it's what I believe."
"A lot of people believe that," Clarissa said, "but to be equally blunt, at the age when you decided you needed Mike inside you, I was thinking about tongues and fingers from girls inside me. It was only social pressure that made me wonder. And while you're right that Mike agrees with me about it being who I am, not a decision I make, he believes it's a feature of the fallen world. I suppose you could say, splitting the difference, it's my nature, but it's part of the corruption of the true order of the universe. The thing is, Mike is fully aware of his own sins and refuses to judge others."
Tasha smiled, "And I am fully aware of certain sins Mishka commits; he commits them VERY well, too!"
Clarissa and I both laughed.
"What do you think we should do?" Clarissa asked.
Tasha smiled, "I think, from your perspective, there really is nothing you can do except make love with Mike and see what happens."
"We already did that," Clarissa replied quietly. "It was wonderful, but since then, I've been with a girl a few times."
Tasha nodded, "That is what Jocelyn thought would happen because she basically agrees with you two that being lesbian is part of your nature, not something you decided."
"When will we see you in McKinley?" Clarissa asked. "I'd like to sit down and have a long talk."
"Wednesday," Tasha said. "My parents are helping me move. Can the three of us have dinner after Vespers? I'll cook."
"Yes," Clarissa agreed.
"Sure," I said.
"And you can stay the night?"
"Natalya Vasilyevna," Clarissa interjected, smirking, "who knew?"
Tasha laughed, "And Mishka wants to watch, right?"
"I think 'participate' would be more likely!" Clarissa teased.
"I think you just put some VERY «некультурный» (nekulturny) pictures into Mishka's mind!"
"They were already there," Clarissa said mirthfully. "Lara has been teasing him mercilessly about me and you and Jocelyn."
"And before this gets even MORE out of hand," I said, checking my watch, "Clarissa and I need to head to the graduation party. We'll see you at church tomorrow evening and on Sunday morning, then later on Sunday afternoon."
"And then I'll see you both in McKinley on Wednesday! Mike, I know you work, but Clarissa, please come by around 10:00am. You can help me set up!"
I paid for our three coffees, Clarissa and I both hugged Tasha, and then the three of us left. Tasha got into her Volvo, and Clarissa and I got into my Mustang and I followed Tasha from the parking lot, though I turned right when she turned left.
"You were right," I said. "About Tasha understanding. And from what she said about Jocelyn, too. But do you know what I found MOST interesting?"
"Besides the fantasy of seeing me and Tasha together and having the threesome of your wildest dreams?"
I chuckled, "The fact that she didn't even blush when you said that."
"Unless I miss my guess, she's a wildcat in bed, so I'm not sure I could say anything to make her blush at this point!"
"Are you bothered by the fact that she and Jocelyn talked about you? About us?"
"They're both concerned about you, Mike. That's why they talked. I was, well, incidental to the conversation. They both know how close we are."
I nodded in acknowledgment.
"Wednesday night with Tasha will be your last, won't it?" Clarissa asked.
"It has to be. She's going to start talking with Nik, and Tasha is VERY «культурный» (kulturny) when it comes to such matters."
"And Jocelyn?"
"Will work itself out by the end of the Summer. I'll just have to figure out how to properly divide my time between the two of you."
"We'll figure it out. You know she and I get along really well, just as both of us do with Tasha. It's Maggie who's going to be the problem."
"Oh, I know," I replied. "I was thinking I might miss some or all of Valerie's party because I don't want to abruptly end any conversation Maggie and I might have."
"Liz can take me, if necessary."
I parked my car in front of Mindy's house because I saw so many cars further up the street. Clarissa and I got out, locked the car, then walked the short distance to Hannah's house. There was a sign taped to the front door which said to go around to the backyard, so we followed the brick walk around the house, went through the gate, and into the backyard.
"Mike! Clarissa!" Hannah exclaimed, hurrying over to us.
I hugged Hannah, and she gave me a quick peck.
"Congratulations on surviving High School!" I said.
"Thanks! My dad is cooking burgers and hot dogs, and there's tons of food on the table on the patio and more in the kitchen. Just help yourself and have fun! There's a ping-pong table in the basement, and there's room to dance down there, too. Drinks are in the cooler on the patio!"
We went over to where Liz and Emmy were standing with a couple of girls I didn't recognize.
"Mike, Clarissa, these are girls from school -- Michelle and Ellen. Girls, this is my Big Brother Mike and his best friend, Clarissa."
"Hi," I said.
"You have a girl for a best friend?" Michelle asked.
I nodded, "I do. She's in pre-med with me, and we take classes and study together."
"You're both going to be doctors?"
"Yes."
"Cool!" she gushed.
"Liz, we're going to get something to drink; we'll be right back."
Clarissa and I walked over to the cooler, and I selected two cans of RC and handed one to Clarissa.
"Your adoring public!" Clarissa said quietly.
"High School girls seem to have a thing for college guys," I said. "I sure didn't get that kind of response from girls when I was in High School!"
"Because you didn't pay attention to your little sister's friends until Emmy basically threw herself at you."
"I was pretty clueless back then."
"Back then?" Clarissa teased.
We started back to where Liz was standing, but they'd been joined by three guys. I saw Brett Ellison, Mindy's older brother, so we went to talk to him.
"Hey, Brett!" I said.
"Well, if it isn't Mike Loucks!" he said, extending his hand.
"This is my friend Clarissa. Clarissa, Brett Ellison, Mindy's brother, and former member of the Harding High Chess team."
They said 'Hi' to each other.
"Do you still play?" Brett asked.
"Occasionally," I said. "I just don't have the time. You?"
"I'm on the school team. Did you hear about my roommate?"
"Mindy told us," I replied. "Hauled away by the cops. My ex-roommate got the same treatment, but his was rape, not exposing himself to little kids!"
"Supposedly, Jeff, my ex-roommate, copped a plea and is doing time in the county jail in Clermont County. I thought he was a strange dude, and I guess I was right. How is school going?"
"Good. We're about to take the MCAT -- the medical school exam. And we're working on our applications. You?"
"I'll graduate with my degree in accounting and look for a job. I'll work on my MBA in night school. And start looking for Mrs. Ellison!"
"If you survey this backyard, I think you'll find a bevy of cute girls who might take you up on that search!"
He laughed, "My little sister did have some cute friends! How's your sister?"
"Good. She's moving in with Emmy Nelson, and she'll be going to Rutherford Junior College in the Fall."
"And my sister will be in McKinley with you. She seems to have a thing for you."
"I have a girl I'm seeing pretty steady," I said. "Not 'going steady' but working on it. You?"
"There are a couple of girls I go out with, but nothing too serious. Are Dale and Jocelyn around?"
"Dale's working in Seattle for the Summer; he has an Internship with Boeing. Jocelyn won't be home until Sunday afternoon. She's transferring to Taft to finish her undergrad degree."
"She's recovered from her wreck, right?"
"Yes. She has some minor aches and pains and stiffness and the slightest limp but given the alternative..."
"Yeah. A kid I knew pretty well at Bowling Green was run over by a drunk driver. He's paralyzed from the waist down now."
"That sucks."
"It does. Still involved in church?"
"I am. I was ordained a subdeacon last year, and I'll probably be ordained a deacon next year."
"No surprise there! Still taking karate?"
"I'm a brown belt now. Are you still flying model planes?"
"Yes, though it's a bit tougher to find the open space at school. Here, I can go almost anywhere."
"BURGERS ARE UP!" Hannah's dad called out.
"That's my 'bat signal'!" Brett declared.
I laughed, and Clarissa and I followed him to get in line for food. Liz and her friends, now including Mindy, Violet, Valerie, and Larisa, got in line behind us. We got our food, and Brett struck up a conversation with a cute brunette I'd never seen before, so Clarissa and I went to sit at a picnic table. Liz and her friends joined us, and we sat close together to make room for everyone, with Clarissa on my right and Emmy on my left, much to Mindy's chagrin.
When we finished eating, Emmy asked if I'd dance with her. I agreed, so we went to the basement and saw a few other kids dancing in a softly lit, open area at the end of the basement. A song was just ending, and we waited a few seconds for the next one to start. Emmy smiled broadly when All Out of Love by Air Supply began playing. I took her in my arms and held her close.
"This is one of those songs that makes me wonder what might have been," she said quietly.
"You mean if all the stuff with Liz and later with your dad hadn't happened?"
"Yes. And then the stupid way I behaved with Clark. That was all about getting back at my dad."
"We've all made mistakes," I said gently. "It's a matter of learning from them and moving on. You're doing that. You're all set for the Fall for the criminal justice program, right?"
"Yes. In two years, I'll be ready for handcuffs and a nightstick! You could help me test them out!"
I chuckled, "I think in two years, there's a good chance I'll be married, and I can't see my future wife, whoever it is, allowing me to play with you!"
Emmy laughed, "'Can Mike come out to play?' won't work, will it?"
"It's highly unlikely!"
As we turned a bit, I saw Mindy come into the basement, and it was obvious she was going to want to dance, something I was loath to do. I didn't want to encourage her in any way, but I also didn't want to make a scene. The song ended, but I didn't release my hold on Emmy. The next song was Stay the Night from Chicago 17, a new album which I had on my list to buy when I arrived back in McKinley.
"You do NOT want to dance with Mindy to this song!" Emmy teased knowingly.
"No, I don't. I really don't want to dance with her at all. I don't want to encourage her."
"I have an idea, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression."
"What?"
"Neck with me and run your hands over my butt while we dance. When the song finishes, I'll take your hand and lead you upstairs where we can get drinks, and I'll sit on your lap."
I chuckled, "Which isn't exactly torture for either of us!"
"You know I'd do it with you if you wanted, and I know you liked me, but I also know you have Maggie, so I won't be a bitch."
I slid my hands down over Emmy's cute butt, and she hugged me tightly, pressing her firm breasts into my chest and running her hands over my back. I lowered my head, and we exchanged a soft French kiss as Chicago urged us to 'stay the night'. Each time they sang 'I want to make it with you', Emmy ground against me, causing what I was sure was her desired reaction. She DID want to go to bed with me, but I was also sure she wouldn't press the issue beyond the play-acting we were doing. Well, play-acting AND expressing desire on her part. Not that I didn't have the same desire, but it would be a supremely bad idea to act on it.
The song finished, and as Emmy had suggested, she took my hand and led me from the basement, past a glowering Mindy, and up the stairs. We got cans of RC from the cooler and then found a chair in the living room where I sat down, and she curled up in my lap.
"Interesting development," Clarissa teased, coming up next to us.
"I'm simply defending Mike from Mindy!" Emmy exclaimed with a smirk.
"She's on the prowl again?" Clarissa asked.
"More like 'still'," Emmy replied. "She has it in her head that Mike will be available for some fun in McKinley."
"She's SADLY mistaken," Clarissa said. "Why not just tell her 'no'?"
"I didn't want to make a scene, and if there's a safer girl at this party than Emmy, I'm not sure who it would be!"
"Hey!" Emmy protested, smacking my shoulder lightly.
"I meant in terms of not taking things the wrong way!"
"I'll take it ANY way!" she teased, then said, "Sorry."
"It's OK," I replied. "I know you're teasing, even though the offer is real."
"Maggie should have come to the party," Emmy said. "That would make it so much easier."
Or that much more difficult, I thought, because I wouldn't be able to talk to her the way I needed to.
"Are you going to monopolize him all night?" Hannah asked.
"Mindy," Emmy replied flatly.
"Still?" Hannah asked, rolling her eyes. "She knows Maggie is going to be in McKinley starting tomorrow. You'd think she'd have a clue!"
"And would you like Mike to take you up to your room and screw you silly?" Emmy teased.
Hannah laughed, "Duh! But I also understand that being a stalker is NOT the way to make that happen. He treats Mindy like she has the plague! He treats us really nicely! And under the right circumstances, he WOULD take me to my room and screw me silly!"
"And your dad would be grilling ME instead of burgers and dogs!" I said with a grin.
"It's possible he might object," Hannah allowed with a smirk.
I saw Mindy come up the steps and glare at Emmy and me, then go out to the backyard.
"Boy, is she pissed!" Hannah said. "Is it safe to ask for a dance?"
"I think so," Emmy said. "But I'll come downstairs just in case."
We got up, went downstairs, and Emmy held my can of RC while Hannah and I slow danced to The Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel. Hannah danced just as closely as Emmy had, and my mind immediately flashed to our very enjoyable time in bed.
"Remembering moving like this horizontally?" Hannah asked as she rubbed against my quickly hardening shaft.
"It was very enjoyable," I replied.
"That's what you said when you left that day! But I think Emmy told you we all understand about you and Maggie, so unless my dad were to suddenly lose his mind and let me take you to bed tonight, I'll have to settle for the dance!"
The song finished, and before we could leave the dance floor, Valerie asked if she could have the next dance, which led to a series of dances with Liz's friends and Clarissa, including the girls I'd just met, Michelle and Ellen. All of them had danced fairly close, but not as close as Emmy or Hannah, and I'd very much enjoyed the varied female flesh in my arms. I was sure that the other guys they were dancing with appreciated it just as much, and I saw quite a few smiles on newly graduated High School guys.
The one thing which surprised me was that Violet hadn't asked me to dance, and I wondered if she was still struggling with her feelings. We hadn't spoken since that day at my house when we'd played pool and kissed, and I had no idea what she might be thinking or feeling. My thoughts were interrupted by Hannah's mom telling us that it was time for cake and ice cream, so I released Michelle from my arms, and we joined everyone else outside in the backyard.
Hannah's mom and dad served graduation cake and ice cream to everyone, and we all stood in the backyard to eat. I looked over at Maggie's house. The lights were on, but all the drapes or blinds were closed, and thoughts of what I'd say in the morning ran through my head as I got a serious sugar high from the heavily frosted cake and the ice cream.
Clarissa and I went to toss our plates and plastic forks into the trash, then got cups of ice water, as we'd already had enough sugar to double our risk of diabetes. I saw Violet walk towards us. Clarissa winked and walked away.
"Hi," Violet said quietly.
"Hi! Enjoying the party?"
"Yes, but I'll enjoy mine in two years even more!"
"I'm sure! I missed dancing with you, and if you want to, I'd like to."
Violet smiled and nodded, so I took her hand and led her to the basement. We were the only ones there, and no music was playing, so I put a cassette labeled 'Slow Mix/Late -- Ken' into the tapedeck and pressed 'Play'. Once the tape was rolling, I went over to Violet and waited for the first notes, which turned out to be In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins from his album Face Value.
I wasn't quite sure what Violet would want, so I held my arms out. She stepped close but didn't press her body against mine. I put my hands on her hips, and she put hers on my shoulders. As we danced slowly, she moved just close enough for her breasts to rub against my chest, which, in some ways, was more exciting than if she'd had her body pressed firmly against mine.
The light contact and gentle rubbing made me think about my fantasy, which was only reinforced by the refrain of the song, which seemed almost prescient -- 'Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord'. We continued dancing that way, and when the next song began, I realized that whoever 'Ken' was, he had an agenda because the next song was Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) by Rod Stewart, which was perhaps the most suggestive song I knew that could be played on the radio, and I suspected 'Ken' used this tape to try to get laid!
"Mike," Violet whispered just as Rod Stewart sang about the 'secret about to unfold'.
"Yes?"
"Do you remember what you told me? Back in April?"
I nodded, "I do."
She moved closer, pressed her body firmly against mine, and put her lips near my ear, "Will you fuck my brains out? Please?"
I wasn't prepared and had no rubbers with me, and there was no way I could take her to Hannah's room or any other room in the house.
"I don't have protection with me," I said gently. "And where would we go?"
"I live three doors down, and nobody is home. And I, uhm, started taking the Pill in February because I thought I wanted to do it then. Will you fuck my brains out? Please? Tomorrow, you'll be with Maggie, so it needs to be tonight!"
Every single one of Maggie's friends was driving home the point that Saturday morning was going to be very difficult. And I wondered if being with Violet was a good idea because of that. The thing was, I'd been very clear with Violet that if she asked me, I would, and while I knew it was entirely within my rights to say 'no', it might totally crush her. And, pig that I could be, one last fling with a sexy girl was nearly impossible to resist. No, not just 'nearly', but 'impossible'.
"If you're sure," I replied.
She stepped back, took my hand, and we headed to the steps just as Do That To Me One More Time began playing. The steps took us to the foyer of the house and let us slip out the front door without running into anyone. I wasn't concerned about being seen for me, but I wasn't sure how Violet would feel, and I certainly didn't want to chance any kind of interaction with Mindy.
We walked down the sidewalk, in the opposite direction from Mindy's house, to a two-story house which looked almost identical to Hannah's, though it was painted beige and had yellow shutters instead of being white with green shutters. She led me up the walk, unlocked the front door, and let us into the darkened house. She shut the door, then wordlessly led me up a flight of stairs, lit only by a dim nightlight, down a similarly lit hall, and into her room. She shut the door, turned the lock, and then moved across the dark room to turn on a radio. Next, she pulled down the blinds and closed the curtains, then moved to the nightstand next to her bed and turned on a small lamp, which provided just enough light to see.
She pulled down the bedspread, blanket, and sheet, then moved back around the bed and came to stand in front of me, arms at her sides, clearly waiting for me to make the first move. I smiled, took a half step, and moved my lips to hers to kiss her. The moment our lips touched, Violet practically threw herself at me. Her lips parted, our tongues met, and she hugged me tightly, mashing her body against mine, every bit of nervousness having seemingly vanished in an instant.
There was an urgency to Violet's kisses, and her hands pawed at my clothes. Taking the hint, I tugged her T-shirt from her jeans, and we took turns removing each other's shirts. Less than two minutes later, the rest of our clothing was in a jumbled pile on the floor, and her firm, full breasts, and my rock-hard erection were mashed between us as we kissed furiously.
As we kissed, Violet shifted slightly and flexed her hips, pressing her mons against my shaft, grinding against me, and groaning softly into my mouth. I moved her backwards a bit, and when her legs touched the bed, she broke the kiss and sat down. I dropped to my knees and immediately latched on to a large, erect nipple, sucking and licking greedily for a minute, then switching to Violet's other breast before kissing my way down to my true destination as Violet lay back in anticipation.
"Ungh!" Violet groaned as I ran my tongue over her labia.
She tasted heavenly -- a mix of copper, spice, and musk. I was always amazed at just how different each girl tasted and that I hadn't found one I didn't like. I pressed my tongue between Violet's engorged labia and lapped up her wonderful juices, in the process, causing even more to flow. Within a minute, she was extremely wet, and my face was covered with her juices. When I latched onto her clit and sucked, she gasped, then groaned loudly, and her entire body shook.
"Oh my God!" she gasped when her orgasm had passed.
Determined to make it as pleasurable as possible for her, I slipped my arms under her legs, resting them on my shoulders and sliding my hands up to cup her full breasts while I kissed, licked, and sucked her labia and clitoris and explored her tight tunnel with my tongue. Her second orgasm was better than the first, causing her to cry out in ecstasy, and the third one was even better than the second.
"Mike!" she exclaimed, gasping.
I raised my head and saw burning desire in her eyes. I slid from under her legs, stood, and helped her move so her head was on her pillows. I got into bed and moved on top of Violet, who spread her legs wide. I shifted so that my glans was against her sopping-wet labia, looked deeply into her eyes, and waited.
"Fuck me, Mike," she whispered insistently. "Fuck my brains out!"
I lowered my lips to hers, and as I pressed my tongue into her mouth, I pushed my glans past her labia, entering her hot, silky, slick tunnel, encountering just the briefest resistance. With one firm thrust, I was fully embedded in her tight confines. Violet wrapped her arms and legs around me and began bucking her hips. I took my cue and pulled back, pushing forward firmly. Violet met my thrust, and after one more withdrawal and thrust, we were off to the races.
Violet broke our kiss, gasped for breath, and begged me to fuck her, which I obliged, thrusting into her with the same force with which she bucked her hips. She begged me once again to fuck her, so I put my head next to hers, my arms around her shoulders, and pounded her as hard and fast as I could, with her matching every thrust. As her orgasm approached, Violet became frenzied, bucking, wriggling, and grinding. She moved her legs from across my thighs to around my butt, squeezed them tightly, and SCREAMED as a tremendous orgasm overtook her.
The strong spasms of her internal muscles nearly put me over the top, but I managed to hold back. Her orgasm passed, and we instantly began working her towards another one, which I knew would take me past the point of no return. As we moved closer and closer, Violet's breathing became ragged, but that didn't prevent her from gasping for me to fuck her as we both reached the pinnacle. I blasted jet after jet of cum into her spasming tunnel, and she ground against me, doing her best to prolong her orgasm. When mine had passed, I resumed thrusting until Violet relaxed under me, and I lifted my head and looked into her eyes.
She smiled and ran her hand over my back, and I kissed her softly.
"Do you think we have time to do it again?" she asked.
I smiled because, for another round with Violet, I'd make time!
II. "Well, THAT was fun!"
May 25, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio
After our second round, Violet and I went to her bathroom to shower together. We needed to get back to the party, so we didn't take too long. Once we were clean and dry, we dressed, and I helped her change the sheets on her bed. She put them in the washing machine and checked the time so she could return to put them in the dryer. Once she was satisfied there was no remaining evidence, we left the house to walk back to the party.
"Thank you for fucking my brains out," she said impishly as we turned up the walk to Hannah's house.
"I should thank you!" I replied.
She laughed, grabbed my arm, and gave me a quick peck on the lips before we went into the house. We walked through to the backyard, and each got a pop from the cooler. Violet winked and walked over to where Liz and her friends were, and Clarissa came to stand next to me.
"Last fling?" she asked quietly.
"I expect so," I replied.
"She looks VERY happy!" Clarissa said, looking towards where the girls were standing.
"Well, there IS a pool table in their basement," I said smugly.
Clarissa laughed softly and shook her head, "Seriously?"
"Well, I know they have a pool table, but no, we were in her bed. And I'm certainly satisfied!"
"Of course you are! And you left me all alone with a bunch of High Schoolers!"
"Sorry," I chuckled. "No cute girls here you're interested in?"
"Compared to Rebekah? No chance!"
"I'll take your word for it!"
"You should! But I guess it's winding down -- Tasha Wednesday, me Thursday, and then, however you end it with Jocelyn. You're going to be chaste over the Summer?"
"I think so, yes. Jos will have a say in the matter, but I'm pretty sure she'll agree with my approach."
"A kind of Lenten purge before Lara returns?"
"That was my thinking. No complications and nothing to interfere."
"Maggie?"
"Not sex, that's for sure. That has a very specific meaning for Maggie -- it's a promise to work towards marriage. It's not a commitment to marry the way it would have been for April, but it's also not something she's going to do without at least a very good chance, and I'm not going to mislead her or try to manipulate her."
"You're walking a tightrope trying to not give her false hope, but also not to write her off."
"I know. But we should have already been at that point. Her dad messed it up and that's created the perfect storm of tomorrow morning. And given that, I think we should probably thank Hannah and her parents and head home."
"I thought you might stay later to avoid talking to your mom."
"She'll be up early tomorrow for sure, and I'll have a tough time avoiding her, given I need to have breakfast. But in the end, I have nothing to say to her about Liz, so the more I think about it, avoiding her isn't necessary. Let's go."
We went to find Hannah's parents and thanked them, then found Hannah, congratulated her once again, thanked her for inviting us, then exchanged a quick hug.
"I loved being with you, Mike," she whispered as we hugged. "Make it even better for Maggie!"
I nodded, as I couldn't really say anything. Clarissa and I left through the gate to walk to my car, which was parked in front of Mindy's house. As we got to the car, I realized that I was lucky Mindy hadn't egged or keyed my car, or worse, given how upset she'd seemed.
When we arrived at my parents' house, I backed into the driveway as I usually did, we got out, locked the car, and went into the house. I wasn't surprised to see my mom sitting on the couch with her Reader's Digest magazine. Clarissa squeezed my arm and headed upstairs while I went to the kitchen, got a glass of water, and then went back to the living room and sat down.
"What's going on with Liz?" Mom asked without any preliminaries.
"You'll have to ask her," I replied. "I know she's moving in with Emmy, has a hostess job at a diner in Rutherford, and is enrolled in Rutherford Junior College."
"There's more to this, Mike, and I think you know what it is."
I took a deep breath and let it out, "And I think you have to ask Liz. She's an adult, and that means she gets to make her own decisions."
"What decisions?"
"All of them! Just as I do. She's enrolled in school, which is what you wanted, and I hope you intend to contribute to her tuition the way you have for me."
"We do, but Mike, given everything that's happened, do you really think she's ready for this?"
"Given that I wasn't, I'm not sure what you're asking."
"What do you mean? You were more than ready to go to college!"
"I meant to be an adult," I replied. "I believe my first few decisions as an adult raised serious questions in your mind about my ability to act and think like an adult. And I've made mistakes since then. If you wanted me to be ready to be an adult in the sense of not making any big mistakes, I'm not sure when I could ever have left home. I'll point out she's doing the same thing I did, with the exception of living in the dorms."
"Mike, you didn't go through the trauma she went through."
"No, I didn't. But how long are you going to define her solely by the fact that she was raped?"
"WHAT?!" Mom gasped.
"Pick one -- the Kramer brothers or Paul, at least in your mind. That's how she's been defined in this house for the last two years. You not so much as Dad, but you, too."
"That's a bold accusation and pretty harsh, don't you think?"
"I'm not sure what you want me to say, Mom. Liz is an adult and needs the same room to grow that I've had. I guarantee you I didn't conform to your ideas of how I should have conducted my life the past three years, but you've mostly treated me as an adult, even when I've messed up in a big way. I don't think you've done that for Liz."
"Assuming for a moment that all of that is true, and I'm not agreeing it is, but assuming it is, there's something you know which you aren't telling me."
"Whether there is or not, and I'm not saying either way, you HAVE to talk to Liz about your concerns, not me. I need her to trust that if, and I mean 'if', she comes to me for advice, she can count on me to give it without, in effect, tattling to you and Dad."
"And what is it you think might be tattling?"
I shook my head, "We're no longer at that point, Mom. I'm still your son, and I always will be, and you're my mom, and you always will be, but we're both adults now. I'm not yours to command, and I'm not using that word in a way that signifies I think you were overbearing. What I'm saying is, you can ask, and I get to decide what to say; you don't get to tell me to answer, which, I'll point out, I did in the past. Before Liz turned eighteen, there was a grey area, and after the initial problems, I shaded towards your version of grey, not mine."
"Are you aware that Paul Reynolds is out of prison?"
I nodded, "I knew that was supposed to happen at some point this year based on his sentence."
"Is this about him?"
"Mom, I can't answer 'yes' or 'no' without giving in to playing Twenty Questions, which I simply won't do. Ask Liz. If she won't tell you, then I CAN'T tell you, assuming I even know what it is that you want to know. What I do know is that I love Liz, and if she asks for my advice or my help, I'm going to give it to the best of my ability. And not to be impudent, but now that Liz is eighteen, I don't have to clear that advice or help with you."
"I have a very bad feeling about all of this."
"Just trust her, please. And give her some space to become the person she wants to be. There's something important you haven't considered, and that's the fact that Liz talks to Clarissa, Tasha, and Jocelyn. And she asks them for advice, and they don't reveal any confidence. And you like and trust all three of them. Let Liz be an adult, please. Just be there for her. That's what I'm doing."
"Which doesn't change my belief that something is very, very wrong."
"Let me say this, and it's all I'm going to say -- I'm not aware of Liz doing anything, or planning to do anything, that's illegal or dangerous. Personally, I'm FAR more worried about the idea of Emmy Nelson with handcuffs and a nightstick than anything Liz might, or might not, be doing!"
Mom laughed and shook her head, "And I know EXACTLY which image you have in your head, Subdeacon Pig!"
"I'll likely be married by the time she joins the Sheriff's Department," I grinned. "So those thoughts will just stay safely tucked away in my brain."
"Are we going to get to meet this girl who your friends and sister have met?"
"She's back home near Pittsburgh, and she and her family are going on a cruise starting in a few days. When she comes back to McKinley, IF things go that direction, then yes, you'll get to meet her."
"Mike, are you SURE that Liz isn't in any danger?"
"As sure as I can be," I replied. "I do need to get to bed. I have to be up early."
"Good night, then."
"Good night, Mom."
May 26, 1984, West Monroe and McKinley, Ohio
On Saturday morning, Clarissa, Liz, and I ate breakfast together, then sat on the patio to drink tea until it was time for me to leave to get Maggie. I'd considered saying something to Liz about my talk with my mom, but I decided that, in the end, there wasn't a reason to belabor the point either way. So long as my mom left it alone, I could leave it alone. Clarissa walked me out to my car.
"See you around noon, right?"
"Assuming all goes well, Yes. Do me a favor?"
"Sure. What?"
"Take Liz somewhere just to avoid ANY possibility of my mom trying to confront either of you."
"Already planned! We're going to go see Viktoriya."
Clarissa and I hugged, I got into my car, and waved to her after I pulled out of the driveway and turned in the direction of Maggie's house. To get there, I drove past Mindy's, Hannah's, and Violet's houses, turned two corners, and pulled up in front of the house. I elected to back in, even though this was a subdivision and not an occasionally busy road such as the one which passed in front of my parents' house. I unlocked the passenger door, got out of the car, and went up to the front door, where I rang the bell.
"Hi, Mike!" Maggie said, opening the door. "Come in."
I stepped into the house and followed her upstairs to her room.
"Get that box, please," she said, pointing to a cardboard box with photo albums, what looked like a diary, and a bunch of other small items. She picked up two large bags, which I was sure held her clothes, and started for the door.
"Margaret?!" I heard a woman's voice call out.
"Ignore her!" Maggie said. "Let's go!"
I followed her down the stairs where a woman, who I was sure was Maggie's mom, was standing, hands on hips.
"Who is that, and where do you think you're going, young lady?"
"This is Mike. And I'm moving out."
"You're doing no such thing!"
"I'm eighteen," Maggie said, dropping one bag and pulling the door open. "Mike, go!"
I walked out the door and made my way to my car. I got the box placed in the back of the Mustang and turned to wait. Loud voices reached me from inside the house, and I saw Maggie push past her mom, who was trying to block the door. She walked quickly to me, I got her bags into the back seat, and we got into the car. I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway, fastening my seat belt as I did so.
"She's pissed," Maggie said.
"Obviously."
"Thanks for coming to get me!"
"You're welcome. Where are we going?"
"Fourth and Oak in McKinley," she said.
That was just over a mile from Doctor Blahnik's house. I headed for Route 50 and turned east, accelerating to the speed limit.
"How have you been?" I asked.
"OK, I guess. It sucked these last few months because I couldn't see you or talk to you, and I've missed you. How are things at school?"
"Straight A's, and mostly calm. There was some idiocy with the administration about not treating us like adults, but we worked that out. Otherwise, Clarissa and I are still best friends. Jocelyn will start Summer school in a week, and Tasha will start her new job in a week as well. She's moving on Wednesday."
"Have you been dating?"
I nodded, "Yes. Kimiko and I were seeing each other, but she intends to go back to Japan. I saw Katy Malenkov, but she's going to stay in California and work on her Master's degree when she finishes her undergrad degree and then work out there. About two months ago, I met a girl named Laura, and we've been seeing each other."
"Seeing each other?" Maggie said warily. "As in steady?"
"No, but it wasn't just casually dating, either."
She slumped back in her seat and sighed, "Tell me."
"I just did," I said gently. "I'm not hiding anything. Yes, I like her. Yes, she likes me. Yes, she's Orthodox. She's also gone for the Summer, and we agreed we'd talk in August about the future."
"That sounds serious," Maggie said quietly.
"To be totally honest, it could be. But it's also true that you and I have time to get to know each other."
"But she might be the one you choose."
"There was always that possibility," I said, keeping my voice as gentle as possible. "But I've kept my word to you -- I am not steady with anyone, and I haven't made any commitments to anyone. But, again, being completely honest, it's true that I will take her into consideration in deciding about you and me."
"I guess I never had a clear playing field."
"You knew I was dating; I never kept that from you."
"True."
"There's also a complication that I'm not sure anyone shared with you."
"What's that?" she asked dully.
"Deacon Grigory from Saint Michael the Archangel had a serious heart attack and will likely never be able to serve as a deacon again. The bishop wants to ordain me not long after I graduate."
"But you have to marry before then or never marry, right?"
"Correct."
"Which means you have to decide pretty soon, right?"
"I decided to get married," I grinned.
Maggie actually laughed, which I felt was a good thing.
"I didn't think you would want to be a monk, not after the report I got from Hannah!"
"No, I'm not cut out to be chaste, and yes, it means I'll probably marry just over a year from now. I could tell the bishop 'not now' if I don't have a viable prospect for a wife."
"Would it be wrong to say that I'd accept a proposal today?"
"Yes, but mostly because we don't know each other well enough. Remember what I committed to -- us getting to know each other better and seeing what happens."
"Which would have already happened if my dad hadn't interfered! He totally violated my privacy, snooping in my room!"
"All we can do at this point is move forward," I said. "Are you still planning to come back with me to Valerie's party?"
"That is the plan. I'll stay with Valerie tonight."
"That's what Liz suggested would be the case. Clarissa and I need to leave early from my grandparents' house to go to Tasha's for a small reception. Oh, did anyone tell you that Sasha had her baby?"
"Yes. Emmy told me, but I had guessed when she didn't show up for school a couple of days in a row."
"Tomorrow, Liz will bring you to my house, and Clarissa and I will get you from there."
We were perhaps twenty minutes from Maggie's house and almost out of Harding County when I saw the red and blue strobe lights of a Sheriff's Department cruiser coming up fast behind me in my rearview mirror. The road was clear, so I moved slightly to the right to let the cruiser pass, but instead, it slowed in pace with me.
"PULL OVER, PLEASE!" came over the loudspeaker.
"I think your mom called the Sheriff," I said as I slowed and looked for a safe spot where two cars could park. I rounded a bend and saw a farm road, so I turned into it and stopped. The Sheriff's cruiser pulled in behind me.
"Hands on the dash," I said to Maggie.
I unbuckled my seat belt and rolled down the window, then put my hands on top of the steering wheel. I watched in the sideview mirror as the Deputy, who I didn't recognize, got out of his car, unsnapped the strap on his holster, and carefully made his way to stand just behind the driver's window.
"Driver, I need you to step out of the car slowly," he said. "Keep your hands where I can see them. Miss, please don't move."
I very carefully opened the door and pushed it open. I got out of the car, holding my hands up.
"Hands on the front fender, please, feet back and spread apart."
I did as he said and asked, "What's the problem, Deputy?"
"We had a report that the young lady was kidnapped."
"I'm eighteen!" Maggie protested. "I'm here because I want to be!"
"Just a moment, Miss. Sir, do you have ID?"
"Yes. My wallet is in my back pocket."
"Take it out slowly and set it on the hood."
I did as he instructed, opening it so my school ID and driver's license were visible.
"I need to frisk you, and then I'm going to put you in my cruiser. If you coöperate, I won't handcuff you. You are NOT under arrest at the moment."
"I'll coöperate," I said.
"Anything in your pockets? Any weapons on your person or in the car?"
I was suddenly glad that I wasn't in the habit of carrying a pocketknife as most guys in Harding County did.
"No. No weapons and nothing in my pockets."
He frisked me, then stepped back.
"Hands on your head, then stand up and move past the back door of the cruiser."
I did as he said, and he followed close behind, and although I couldn't see it, I was sure he had his hand on the butt of his service revolver. When I was past the door, he opened it, I got in, and he shut the door. I put my hands in my lap and waited, looking through the heavy wire screen that separated the back seat from the front, and watched as the Deputy picked up my wallet and looked at the ID. He spoke into his radio and, after a moment, went around to the passenger side of my Mustang.
I couldn't hear what was said, but Maggie got out, and took her billfold from her small shoulder bag and showed her ID. She was eighteen, so I knew there was nothing that could be done if she said she was safe, but that didn't mean we would avoid going back to the Sheriff's Department offices near Rutherford. It took about ten minutes before the Deputy came back and opened the door.
"Sorry for the misunderstanding, Mr. Loucks," he said. "You're free to go."
"Thanks, Deputy," I said.
I got out, walked to my car, retrieved my wallet from the hood, then got into the car next to a visibly shaking Maggie.
"Just take some deep breaths and relax," I counseled. "Don't talk yet."
I closed my door, buckled my seat belt, and started the car. Once the cruiser was out of the way, I maneuvered my car so I could pull out onto Route 50, and when there was a long break in the traffic, I did so, shifting through the gears and accelerating to the speed limit quickly. When we were about a mile east of where we'd been stopped, I spoke.
"Well, THAT was fun!" I groused. "What did he say?"
"That my mom called to say I was being kidnapped. Once he saw my ID and saw I was eighteen, I told him I was with you because I was moving out of the house. He asked a few questions, and as soon as they told him over his radio that there were no warrants for you or your car, he let us go."
"And right now, a pair of F-15s are being scrambled at Wright-Patterson to find us and take us out," I said flatly.
"My dad can't do that!" Maggie protested but then asked nervously, "Can he?"
"No," I chuckled. "But I'm sure he'll think it! They have no idea where we're going, do they?"
"No. How did the Sheriff's Deputy find us?"
"I'd guess your mom got my plates, and my car is registered at Doctor Blahnik's house in McKinley. Then, it was just a matter of calling whichever cruiser was closest. A few minutes and we'd have been in Hayes County."
"I can't believe my mom called the cops!"
"Oh, I can," I sighed. "I should have guessed something like that would happen. And I fully expect a visit from your dad at some point, though I guess he'll show up at Doctor Blahnik's house."
"Why?"
"I'm sure he has a friend in the Sheriff's department or the BMV who will give him the address from my license or registration. I'll need to warn Doctor Blahnik. Does anyone know the name of the lawyer or your new address?"
"Only you and Karl, and Karl is up near Chicago."
"You didn't leave a note or anything?"
"No. Why would I?"
"Just asking," I replied.
"Sorry I caused you trouble," she said quietly.
"Everything is fine," I said. "Ten minutes in the back of a Sheriff's cruiser isn't a big deal. He didn't arrest me."
"Why did he do that?"
"I'm guessing they knew you were eighteen but still had to check our story."
"What if I had been seventeen?"
"I don't even want to think about that!" I replied. "You're an adult now, and that's what matters. I meant to ask, how much money do you have?"
"My savings, which is just over $200. Why?"
"Just making sure you had money until you get your first paycheck."
"Karl paid my rent for the first month, and other than that, all I need is my food. I'm fine. How often can I see you?"
"I'll need some time with my other friends, but I'm sure we can see each other at least a couple of times a week, not counting church, though you know at church I have to be in the altar. Oh, and if you reach behind my seat, there's a bag with a prayer book, a prayer rope, and a copy of The Orthodox Church to replace the stuff your dad burned."
"Will you pick me up for church?"
"Yes. But remember, I need to be there early, and Clarissa usually comes along. Tasha will probably drive herself because she has a car, but we haven't discussed that."
"What about her?"
"In the next couple of weeks, she'll have her hooks into Nikolas Dmitriyevich at Saint Michael. I'd lay odds on them being married inside of the next eighteen months."
"Is there something in the water at your church in Rutherford?" Maggie asked lightly.
"The more traditional kids, me included, believe in early marriage. My problem was medical school and Residency."
"Uhm, not to pry, but this other girl, is she a student?"
"Yes. She just finished her Freshman year."
Maggie was quiet for a moment, then asked, "How do I win?"
"By being you," I said. "There's a lot to talk about, including what life would be like and when we could have a family and a host of other things. Remember, Tasha dropped out after truly considering the situation."
"Is it really that bad?"
"We'll discuss it over the Summer and get to know each other, and then we'll both have decisions to make. Which was the original plan, if you remember."
"You know what I want, right?"
I nodded, "Yes, I do. But Tasha wanted the same thing. And so did Katy Malenkov, but Katy's in California, and I told you what Tasha will be doing."
"OK," she said tentatively.
I navigated the streets of McKinley, and when we got to Fourth and Oak, Maggie scanned the addresses on the mailboxes and pointed out the correct house. I pulled into the driveway, parked, and we got out of the car. Maggie grabbed her two bags, and I picked up the box. We walked up to the front door, and Maggie rang the bell. A few seconds later, a pretty brunette woman about my age opened the door.
"You must be Maggie," she said. "I'm Mary Elbert. Who's your friend?"
"This is Mike. He's helping me move."
"Nice to meet you both! Come in, and I'll show you your room."
She led us into the house, then down a hall into a spacious room with its own private bath. Maggie put her bags on the bed and had me set the box on the table. Mrs. Elbert gave Maggie a key, told her a few house rules which weren't at all onerous, and then left us alone.
"How far is the law office from the house?" I asked.
"About six blocks, so it's an easy walk."
"Cool. Do you want to unpack?" I asked.
"Do you mind?"
"No. We have over three hours until the party starts, and it's only about fifty-five minutes to Valerie's house."
I sat down in an easy chair in the corner and watched while Maggie unpacked and put away her clothes, then removed the items from the box and either put them in the desk or on a shelf above it. Twenty minutes later, we left the house, got into my car, and started on our way back to West Monroe for Valerie's party.
Most of the people at Valerie's party had been at Hannah's party, and I ended up dancing with many of the same girls, as well as Maggie, who was instrumental in keeping a very pissed-off Mindy at bay. Clarissa and I left the party early so that we could attend Vespers, and following Vespers, we headed back to my parents' house.
May 27, 1984, West Monroe and McKinley, Ohio
After church on Sunday morning and a few hours at Liz's party at my grandparents' house, Clarissa and I went to the reception at Tasha's house, where I got to see Viktoriya for the first time. Both Viktoriya and Sasha looked healthy and happy, and Yaroslav played the part of the doting husband and father, albeit minus the necessary ceremony, which I was sure Deacon Vasily required before Yaroslav could ACT as a husband. Both he and Deacon Vasily seemed convinced that the hearing would go well, and assuming it did, the tentative date for the wedding was June 16th at Holy Transfiguration.
We spent a few hours with Tasha, her closest friends, and her relatives and then headed back to my parents' house so we could get our things as well as meet up with Maggie for the drive back to McKinley.
"Anything I should avoid saying?" Clarissa asked.
"I've limited what I've said about Lara, revealing only that she just finished her Freshman year, is Orthodox, and is from the Pittsburgh area."
"Maggie seems to be handling things OK."
"I emphasized that I've kept my word, that I've made no permanent commitments, and that she knew I was dating."
Clarissa laughed, "She knew you were fucking her friends, too!"
"Actually, she knew I was with Hannah because Hannah apparently told her, but I don't think Violet will say anything. And nobody else but you knows anything happened."
"It will be very interesting to see what approach Maggie takes. Is she nonchalant, confident, and self-assured? Is she needy and clingy and worried? Aggressive or passive? Does she consider using her body? Or are the green eyes and red hair enough?"
I chuckled, "I do have a serious weakness for green eyes and red hair."
"Angie?"
"Yes."
"Not to mention a serious weakness for one smoking-hot blonde!"
"She's all yours, Lissa!" I teased.
"Of all the girls, she's the LEAST likely to even experiment!"
"But you would, wouldn't you?"
"I am attracted to her! And don't be totally grossed out, but I'm attracted to your sister, too."
"I'm stopping at the store for brain bleach," I said, making fake gagging sounds.
Clarissa laughed, "You have to admit that she's pretty and has become a very interesting and confident young woman."
"That's the basic argument I made to my mom -- that Liz has become an adult and that she's capable of making her own decisions. And I have, in moments of extreme weakness, allowed that my baby sister is a pretty girl."
"I'd say that's fairly normal for siblings. She really needs you a lot, Mike. And I think she will even after she marries."
"I have to be very careful there," I said. "I can't ever be seen by Paul to be interfering. I may be the only friend he has for quite some time."
I pulled past the driveway, backed in, and parked. We went inside, got our things, and said 'goodbye' to my parents and Liz, and then Clarissa, Maggie, and I headed back to McKinley. We dropped Maggie at the Elberts', then drove to Doctor Blahnik's house, where, to our pleasant surprise, we discovered Milena and Joel were visiting. Derek offered Clarissa and me each a glass of wine, which we accepted, then the six of us went into the backyard.
The first thing I did was ask Doctor Blahnik to speak privately. I explained what had happened with Maggie and the Sheriff's department and that I was sure Maggie's dad would show up at the house at some point. She assured me there was nothing to worry about, and we went to join the others.
"You both received A's in my class," Milena said when I walked up. "And so did Sandy."
"Nobody should be surprised by that!" Doctor Blahnik said. "What courses are you two taking in the Fall?"
"Cellular biology, analytical chemistry with a lab, reproductive physiology, Modern Social Issues, and a supervised research project," Clarissa said. "Then, in the Spring, we have physical chemistry with a lab, a biology stats course, your Russian literature course, plus a general elective we haven't selected yet. Fortunately, our research project from last year covers this one. We just need to have Doctor Stanton sign off."
"Any ideas on your general elective?" Milena asked.
"I was thinking abnormal psych," I said. "I want to try to better understand what my friend Angie is going through."
"How is she?" Milena asked.
I shrugged, "They reduced her medication, and she's lucid, but that's about the best I can say. I'll see her again over the Summer. I've been talking to her for a few minutes on the phone each week, but that basically consists of me giving her a synopsis of what happened with me that week and her telling me she's going to work, seeing her therapist, and reading kids' books."
"Do they know what her problem is?" Doctor Blahnik asked. "I mean, if you can say."
"The concern is for schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder. According to her therapist, those two disorders manifest at around this time. The goal is to get her off the psychoactive drugs or at least reduce them enough so she can have some semblance of a normal life. But they haven't made any specific diagnosis in that regard at this point."
"What else is going on in your life?" Milena asked. "We haven't talked much since the wedding."
I smiled, "Because I was in your class, we couldn't really fraternize. Things are pretty good overall. I think the biggest change is that Kimiko decided, in the end, that she wants to return to Japan when she finishes her undergraduate degree. The other big change is my bishop wants to ordain me a deacon as soon as possible after graduation."
"Doesn't that prevent you from marrying if you aren't already married?"
"Indeed it does," I replied. "but there are a couple of viable candidates."
"Please don't take this the wrong way," Derek said, "but you'll really marry in the next year so you can accept ordination?"
"Probably, though I'm totally in control of the situation in that I can always say 'not yet' to the bishop. I'd prefer not to, though."
"The gorgeous blonde who comes to see you on Sundays?" he asked.
"She was the primary candidate for years, but she doesn't want to wait six or seven years to have kids. The problem with not waiting that long is the severely limited time I'm going to have for a wife and family because of my medical training. Tasha would not deal well with that at all, kids or no kids."
"I hear doctors have a ridiculously high divorce rate," Joel said.
"Which," Clarissa interjected, "is why Petrovich is screening candidates who can handle the bullshit we're going to have to go through for the next seven years so we can actually BE doctors!"
"Is it true that your first year as a doctor is basically legalized hazing?"
"That's a good way to put it," Clarissa said. "The working hours, working conditions, and working rules would be illegal in any other profession."
"As my dad said," I added, "it's illegal for a truck driver to drive more than ten hours a day, but the medical profession gives newly-minted doctors scalpels and makes them work thirty-six-hour shifts straight out of medical school."
"That's nuts!" Joel protested.
"As I said to my dad, you're preaching to the choir," I replied. "But for us to be able to change things, we actually have to go through it and become doctors."
"Crazy," Joel declared. "But on that note, we need to get home. SOME of us have to work tomorrow!"
"Poor baby," Milena teased with the appropriate condescending pout that made everyone laugh.
They said 'good night', and once they had left, Clarissa and I went up to my room, completed our bedtime rituals, then climbed into bed and snuggled together.
May 28, 1984, McKinley, Ohio
On Monday morning, I ran, Clarissa and I had breakfast together, and then I headed to the Quick Mart for my first day of work for the Summer, while Clarissa would leave about two hours later for her job in the Bursar's Office.
"Good morning, Mikhail Petrovich!" Mr. Sokolov said when he let me in the front door.
"Good morning, Alexey Ivanovich!" I replied.
"Come, I'll give you a full set of keys, and then I am going home! The store is in very capable hands!"
"Thank you! Who's working with me this morning?"
"A young woman named Grace. She just graduated from High School, and she's a very hard worker. Nancy will relieve you at 4:00pm."
We walked to the back of the store, and I put on my smock and a new name tag, which read 'Mike L. -- Asst. Manager'. Mr. Sokolov handed me the keys, including ones that would let me override the controls on the registers, shook my hand, and left the store, letting in a cute girl with jet-black hair in a 'pixie' cut and a very nice figure.
"I'm Mike," I said.
"Grace," she replied.
"How long have you worked here?"
"I started two weeks ago."
"OK. Go ahead and get your smock."
My new duties meant that under normal circumstances, I'd man the register, and Grace would do all the tasks I'd done previously. It was an interesting reversal, as I was now in the role Nancy had played when I'd first started. Grace was back a moment later.
"I have the checklist," she said. "Is there anything you need before you unlock the doors?"
"No. You can get started."
She nodded and headed towards the stock room, and I went to the front doors, unlocked them, changed the sign from 'CLOSED' to 'OPEN', and then went back to the register and began doing paperwork -- matching orders and delivery manifests. A few minutes after I'd unlocked the doors, a steady stream of morning customers came through the store, with the vast majority buying cigarettes, a newspaper, or pre-packaged breakfast food.
"Hi!" Maggie said, coming to the counter just before 8:00am.
"Ready for your first day at work?" I asked.
"Yes. This is obviously out of the way, but I have plenty of time because I don't start until 8:30am. Do you get a lunch break?"
"Yes. I usually go to the deli next door because the sandwiches are good and inexpensive."
"What time?"
"11:30am," I replied. "I have thirty minutes."
"Bummer. My lunch is at noon, for an hour. But I don't get any other regular breaks."
"I get two fifteen-minute breaks," I replied. "Why don't you come by Doctor Blahnik's house after work? You can have dinner with Clarissa and me if that works. Let me write down the address; it's on Elm, just west of 2nd Street."
I wrote down the address and handed it to her.
"I can be there about 5:20pm if I come straight from the law office. Does that work?"
"It does. See you then!"
She smiled and left, and a minute later, Grace came to the counter.
"That the girlfriend?"
"She's a girl I know from back home who I dated a bit last year. She just moved here. Have you worked with Nancy?"
"She trained me. She said you guys used to date."
"That's true. Are you planning on college?"
"Taft."
"Major?"
"Business. You're pre-med, right?"
"Yes. I'll be a Senior in the Fall."
"Cool. Anything you need?"
"A case of Marlboros and a case of Camels."
"People in this town smoke like chimneys!"
"And they're a high-profit item, not to mention they drive traffic into the store, and people buy other stuff."
"Is that why Mr. Sokolov keeps his cig prices 10¢ lower than everywhere else?"
"Exactly. He still makes a nice profit but pulls people in. It's the same reason he keeps the milk prices at least 5¢ lower, and sometimes as much as 25¢, although then it's a 'loss-leader'."
"You mean he loses money on the milk but makes it up on other stuff they buy?"
"Yes. That's why bread is usually on sale as well. You know where he makes the most money, right?"
Grace laughed, "I've seen the college kids buying multiple cartons of Coke and piles of candy, so yeah."
"And he sells a lot of beer during football season, but also around the Fourth, Memorial Day, and Labor Day."
"Let me get those cigs."
She left and was back with a hand truck with two cases of cigarettes. I broke open the cases and put the cartons on the shelves, opening one carton to stock the racks with individual packs. When I finished, Grace took away the empty cases, and I returned to waiting on customers and doing paperwork.
The day went well, and Grace was a hard worker, which boded well for the Summer. Just before 4:00pm, Nancy came in, and came to the counter.
"Hi, Mike," she said. "How was your day?"
"Good. Grace works hard, and there were no glitches. Who's working with you?"
"Walt. Another recent High School grad. I think you've seen him because he's been working for a few months. Grace just started the week before exams and was working after school. You usually come in on weekends or in the morning."
Walt walked in just then and I did recognize him. He went to the back, got his smock, and relieved Grace, who came and said 'goodbye', and I turned the store over to Nancy and headed for Doctor Blahnik's house.
III. Endings and Beginnings
May 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio
"Hi, Mishka!" Tasha exclaimed when she came into the Quick Mart on Wednesday morning.
We exchanged a chaste hug, and she asked me to call Mr. Sokolov, which I did. He promised to be at the store within ten minutes to let Tasha into her new apartment.
"He'll be here in ten minutes," I said. "Where are your parents?"
"It's just my mom. My dad decided not to take the day off work. Mom's waiting outside."
A couple of customers came to the counter, interrupting the conversation, and by the time I was done, Mr. Sokolov had arrived. Tasha went outside with him, and he was back about ten minutes later.
"If there are any concerns, Mikhail Petrovich, she'll tell you. Just make a note of anything unless it's an emergency, and then call me, please."
"Will do!"
He left, and when it was time for my break, I called Grace to the register to cover for me.
"Is THAT the girlfriend?" she asked.
"Ex-girlfriend," I replied. "I don't have a steady girlfriend at the moment. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."
Instead of putting my smock in the back room, I removed it, folded it, and stashed it behind the counter, then went out the front door, around the side of the building, and up the stairs to the apartment. The door was open, along with all the windows, and Tasha and her mom were busy cleaning.
"Anything I can do?" I asked. "I have fifteen minutes."
"Take my keys and bring the boxes from my trunk, please," Tasha said. "They're the heavy ones. Mom and I can easily get the rest."
It took me four trips up and down the stairs to move the boxes, which contained books, photo albums, and what I swore had to be bricks, as heavy as two of the boxes were. I stashed them in the corner of the large one-room apartment, as Tasha asked.
"I have five minutes," I said. "Anything else?"
"There's a folding screen, you know, like they use in Japan, which will hide my bed. It's in the back of mom's station wagon. If you bring that up, then all that's left are my clothes and toiletries."
I got the keys to the station wagon from Matushka Alexandra, went down to the street and saw the Antonovs' huge Caprice Classic station wagon into which I could probably fit my car twice over. I walked over, opened the rear gate, carefully pulled out the five-segment folding screen, which had a floral design, and leaned it against the side of the car. I closed and locked the rear gate, then picked up the screen and carefully manhandled it up the stairs into the apartment.
"Set it up about three feet from the bed, please," Tasha requested.