Chapter 14 — Interesting Developments

_January 9, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_

🎤 Steve {br}

On Thursday morning, Penny and I went to 500 West Jackson for a meeting about a newly requested module for _NIKA Legal 2004_, dubbed 'Trial Manager'. It was a significant upgrade of the trial management features which already existed in 'Case Manager', but with a focus on managing a trial minute to minute, including the ability to connect a laptop to a large monitor and display exhibits.

"Is this something you want to add in the first release?" Dave asked Cindi.

"The User Group requested it, and in their most recent release, Chickasaw Systems incorporated features that strongly indicate they're moving in that direction. That would give them a huge advantage. It will protect our flank if we could announce it as a feature."

"Vaporware, Cindi?" I asked with a smirk.

"Unlike Microsoft, we'll actually deliver it on time and on schedule! You know we don't do FUD!"

I chuckled, "Guess who is STILL easy to wind up twenty years later!"

"I'll wind you up, Buster!" she mock-threatened.

"Play nice, children!" Dave commanded, but he, too, was smiling. "He does have a point, Cindi. If you do announce it, we'll have to include it in Alpha, which is set for August. Is seven months really enough time to design and deliver a version that is up to NIKA's standards?"

"I figure Steve and Penny could have a prototype by this afternoon!" she teased.

"I'm good, but I'm not _that_ good!" I chuckled. "On a serious note, WiFi internet access isn't guaranteed to be available, and cellular modems are way too slow, so I see the biggest challenge as offline access and synchronizing with the server at the end of each day."

"Data merge is a difficult challenge," Brenda agreed. "Cindi, would it be acceptable to lock the records when they're checked out on a laptop to take to court?"

"I don't see that as a problem, at least in the initial release," she replied. "And I think we could limit it to a single, specially configured laptop at first. In fact, perhaps it's one we sell as part of the system. Make it turnkey, and at the end of each day, connect via modem or wired network and synchronize the data."

"What about the hosted clients?" Larry Jefferson asked. "The ones who use the full desktop client should be fine because it's feature complete. But there's no local client to download and use the data for the browser-based hosted firms."

"That argues for the dedicated laptop," Brenda said. "I can't think of a reason that wouldn't work, given the full API is available to the client-based hosted firms. Steve?"

"It'll take a bit of work to create that standalone system, but it will work. I'm concerned about the deadline."

"So am I," Alonzo said. "Cindi, if you want this feature in the _2004_ release, I'm going to need at least two more software engineers."

"There's also the support concern," Dave said. "We'll need to discuss it with John Kyle because if something were to go wrong mid-trial, there would be hell to pay if we couldn't get them up and running."

"That's a big concern," I said. "Cindi, I know you know your job, but this has to be very carefully marketed and priced because our usual two- or four-hour response times aren't going to cut it."

"You're right," she said. "Could we at least create the design document and start working on this while I sort out the support challenges?"

"Yes," Julia said. "We can do that. I'll sit down with the team and the specs, and we'll develop at least a preliminary design document. I'd strongly advise not announcing until we know more. Anything else?"

Nobody had anything else, and the meeting broke up. Cindi pulled me aside.

"I usually don't ask you to pull rank," she said. "But I think this is vitally important."

"Let's see how things go," I said. "If you encounter serious pushback, take it to my sister, and she'll come to me for advice. But you need to be right, Cindi. You're betting our reputation on being able to support something we haven't even developed and which nobody else is doing."

She smiled, "So what else is new? That's been true since the day you asked me to work for you!"

I chuckled, "Good point."

"Are you going to the Executive Retreat in Boca on the 20th?"

"Yes. I had considered not going given my role, but Stephanie pointed out that I still do have the role as keeper of the NIKA «kami», and there are strategic discussions."

"This place would not be the same without you, even in your current role."

"I don't plan to leave anytime soon."

"Good!"

We exchanged a quick hug and I returned to my office in the NIKA building, where I had a productive day. At 4:15, I left the office to head to Caribou to meet Shaye.

"Hi!" Shaye said when I walked in.

"Hi! Same as last time?"

"Hot chocolate for sure!" she replied.

I placed our orders, paid for my coffee and Shaye's cocoa, and once the barista had made our drinks, we took them to the same table where we'd sat on Monday.

"How long before Deanna shows up?" I asked with a smile

Shaye laughed softly, "Oh, she would, but not for that reason! She said she'd fuck you if I wasn't interested!"

"Good to know," I chuckled.

"I did convey your request, but she wasn't sure how her patron would respond."

"You know his name, right? Jonathan Kane of Clermont Capital, from Goshen, Ohio, just a hop, skip, and a jump from where Deanna and I grew up. No need to be cagey or circumspect."

"If you know all that, why not just call him?"

"It's a long story, but the short version is I'm too close to the young woman who runs a rival investment firm where he used to work."

"The daughter of the guy who was busted for videotaping himself having sex with underage girls?"

"One and the same."

"And they each ended up with a million bucks! For something they all wanted to do!"

"Well, that answers that question," I said with a smile.

"Which?"

"Whether or not we have compatible worldviews."

"You mean not freaking out about fifteen-year-old girls having sex?"

"That usually indicates sanity in this increasingly insane, puritanical society."

"Well, given I was fifteen my first time and the guy was a Senior at UofI, I can't be a hypocrite."

"Another good sign. Hypocrisy is very much a bright line for me."

"You won't find many virgins among girls who were into drama or art in High School," Shaye smirked. "But in line with your comment before, I've seen a significant change just since Freshman year."

"And getting worse. So, Alice, are you ready to go _Through the Looking-Glass_?"

"Lewis Carroll had to have been doing some seriously good drugs!" Shaye declared.

"Or simply a good imagination and a warped mind! I can relate!"

"So, no mind-altering substances?"

"Whisky and caffeine, but I'm careful about both. Otherwise, no."

"Health nut?"

"You haven't answered the question as to 'red pill' or 'blue pill' or, if you prefer, journeying into the Twilight Zone."

"Your life is really that weird?"

"Let's just say that whenever someone asks, 'Could it get any weirder?' it _always_ does. Loki is always lurking!"

"I'll bite," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Just how weird?"

"Very. To answer your question about being a health nut, yes, but not in the way you mean. I have a minor hormonal imbalance, which requires me to be very careful about sugar and complex carbs. It means I also have to be careful about alcohol and caffeine, but it doesn't require me to be teetotal or only drink decaf. I run most days and practice karate. I'm licensed as 錬士 ('Renshi'), a Polished Instructor. I hold 6th Dan, which is a Master rank for instructors."

"6th degree black belt?"

"Yes, though the correct term is 'Dan'."

"I bet you have amazing stamina!"

"Something for you to judge should we get there."

"So, spill on the weird!"

"I told you I was married to a medical doctor who is an Attending trauma surgeon at UofC hospital. That is true, but we, and I mean _we_, are married to two other women; one has a PhD in chemistry, teaches at UofC, and is involved in polymer research. The other is pre-law at UofC. I have two kids by each of the first two, two by a friend from High School who is not part of our polyamorous marriage, and one by my High School girlfriend who came out as lesbian in college. I also have two live-in girlfriends."

"That's WAY beyond anything I might have imagined! All of that is true?"

I nodded and pulled my wallet from my pocket, took out the plastic photo holder, and handed it to Shaye. I named each person and their relation as she flipped through the photos, Shaye shaking her head the entire time.

"I don't even know what to say!"

"That is the usual response. And I have freedom to manage my sex life within a set of fairly wide boundaries, with the caveat that STI tests are required. I've had a vasectomy, so birth control isn't a concern."

"Make it weirder!"

I chuckled, "My views on raising children is that they are independent, thinking individuals who have the right to govern their own lives within very broad parameters. All of my children make most of their own decisions and have since they were toddlers. And that governs everything in their lives. My children, if they so choose, may have overnight guests of the opposite sex. Or the same sex, if that's their thing."

"My parents would have completely lost their minds if I'd asked to have Rob spend the night!"

"My mom, too, but fortunately, my girlfriend had hippie flower children for parents. She was born while they were living in a commune. I was allowed to stay at her house as a teenager, and on one occasion, we came down to dinner completely nude."

Shaye laughed, "OK, OK! You've made it weird! Anything else?"

"I've deflowered over a hundred and fifty young women."

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Shaye gasped.

"Actually, exactly that way!" I chuckled.

Shaye laughed, "Cute. OK, weird AND crazy! Can I ask something?"

"My life is mostly an open book."

"First, how old were you?"

"Fourteen; she was twenty-three."

"Jesus! Luckiest fourteen-year-old on the planet!"

"Pretty much, though I've had my share of heartache and pain."

"Bad breakups?"

"Only one, really. Some people very close to me have died very young, including a girlfriend who died when we were fifteen."

"Holy shit!"

"Yeah. She died in a boating accident in Sweden. My college girlfriend died of cancer when she was twenty-four, though she had married another guy by then. My best guy friend died at the hands of a drunk driver when he was twenty-seven, and that accident nearly claimed my wife's life as well. The husband of a girl who was my best friend in High School was murdered while serving in the Navy. Add in my mentor, though he was advanced in age, my mother-in-law dying on a plane on 9-11, and the aforementioned hippie dad dying of a stroke at a relatively young age, and it's pretty intense."

"Wow," she breathed, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's beyond anything I can even imagine."

"It's not all bad — I started a very successful company with five friends right after college graduation, I have an amazing group of friends, I've traveled all over the world, and I can, with a few limits, do pretty much whatever I want."

"What limits, if it's OK to ask."

"I don't have Samantha Spurgeon or Jonathan Kane money, but short of buying a pro sports team or my own jet, I can afford to do anything I want to do, and my kids won't need to borrow for college."

"Where do you live?"

"Kenwood, just north of Hyde Park Avenue. You?"

"The dorm, though I sure wouldn't mind having a studio like the one Deanna had!"

"Unfortunately, I don't have a room that could be converted to a studio, but I think we're skipping ahead."

"Are we? I thought calling you to meet today pretty much telegraphed my decision."

"To be my friend? Sure. Beyond that? I never, ever make assumptions."

"Are you trying to tell me you didn't expect to get laid when you put the menu on the floor?"

"I didn't expect it to work to even get your number! I did it for Penny's benefit, to tease her!"

"OK, fine, but when I gave you my number?"

"I knew it was possible, maybe even likely, but I didn't assume. May I turn the tables?"

Shaye laughed, "In my experience, a girl who gives out her number expects to get laid! I knew, by the time I was fourteen, that every straight guy on the planet would fuck me if I offered. I'd say that's true for just about any girl who made the offer if the guy was even the least bit attracted to her, and probably even if he wasn't."

"That does reasonably describe the human condition for teenagers and college students!"

"Evidence suggests even married guys will usually fuck anyone who offers. Monogamy is not a human strong suit, though some people manage serial monogamy."

"No argument here, as nearly everyone I know has had more than one sex partner."

"I have to ask — how did a fourteen-year-old seduce a twenty-three-year-old?"

"He didn't! He was sent by his mom to do yardwork for a widow whose husband had been killed in Vietnam. She thought he was a few years older, and when she discovered he was younger than she thought, she decided she was still interested. They had a brief, torrid affair, but then she ended it so he wouldn't become too attached to her. He was a bit disappointed, but that was the beginning of his sexual odyssey. Will you share?"

"Our next-door neighbors rented a room to a college student every year. It had been a girl the previous four years, but then a hunky Senior moved in. I started sunbathing in the backyard and caught him looking at me a few times. After a couple of weeks, I bought a bikini to replace the one-piece. That really got his attention, and one day, he said the bikini looked really good on me, but he thought it would look better on the floor next to his bed."

"So you're a sucker for corny lines!"

"Obviously, given I said we should find out! We slept together until he graduated and moved to Texas for work. Starting Junior year, I hung out with the drama club and art club and did what artists and thespians do; then I graduated and came to Chicago. I was surprised at the slim pickings at school, and being nineteen, I can't go to bars. I've had a few dates, but nobody worth my time. I've had guys try to pick me up at the café, but I've never gone for it until you."

"The corny line?"

"It made me think of Rob, and unless the vibe is totally wrong, you're fantastic in bed."

"What do you paint?"

"I haven't settled on a personal style or a single medium. Everything from watercolor landscapes to oil on canvas portraits. I've toyed with cubism and surrealism, as well as abstract. I've also done some woodblock pieces in the style of _Octopuses and the Ama girl_ as well as egg tempura in the style of Byzantine icons."

"I have an affinity for all things Japanese and for Byzantine icons. When we finish here, let me take you to my office, and you can see what I mean."

"_'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the Spider to the Fly_," Shaye smirked.

"What are you looking for?" I asked.

"I thought that was obvious! But before I answer, what are you looking for?"

"Subversives," I said. "People who reject social norms and the status quo and who want to effect change."

"Artists and thespians fit that bill."

"They do, but mostly, their politics don't mesh. I'm an unreconstructed capitalist and believe individual liberty is the foundation of a free society. I find too many Marxists in fine and performing arts and in academia. Those in academia are a driving force in the closing of the American mind, as well as the infantilization of teens and young adults."

"And what happens when you find these subversives?"

"Why, they join my subversive revolutionary cell!" I chuckled. "There are two chapters, both here in Chicago, one on the South Side and one on the North Side. The chapters meet twice a month and discuss just about any topic you can imagine. They used to be called 'rap sessions', and started in 1981 with some friends in my apartment, and grew into what we now call 'Philosophy Club', which then separated into the two chapters."

"Are you purposefully avoiding the obvious?"

"Sex? I thought that was a given in your mind. If that's all you want, then, believe it or not, I'd likely decline despite you hitting my sweet spot of red hair, green eyes, and athletic body."

"Hang on! If I just want to fuck, you'd say 'no'?"

"As Jules Winfield said, "I'm in a transitional period. In the past, fucking just to fuck was something I did, though mostly it was about bonding; well, and deflowering virgins. These days, it would be the exception, not the rule. Remember, I wasn't actually trying to pick you up, though it did work out that way. Will you answer my question?"

"Besides the obvious? Deanna encouraged me to find a patron, and you might fit the bill."

"Then the thing for you to do is come to Philosophy Club on Sunday, meet my wives, and hang out with us for a few hours afterwards. You'll get a fuller picture of the circus you might join. I'll want to see some of your work, obviously, and if we all agree, we'll work out the details. As I said, sex is not a _quid pro quo_."

"But you are interested in sex, right?"

"As I said, sweet spot in terms of looks. You have the right personality, and I'm positive you'll be a fun partner. But, again, it's not required for a friendship or even a patronage relationship."

"This is surreal," Shaye observed.

"You're not the first person to say that. Want to see my office?"

"What the Hell? Why not?"

————— {br}
[Aurora, Illinois] {br}
🎤 Matthew {br}

"Hi, Mrs. Jones," I said when Chelsea and I arrived at Maggie's house on Thursday afternoon.

"Hi, Matt. Hi, Chelsea. Matt, Maggie wanted to talk to you privately."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," I said.

"Normally, I'd agree with you, but she won't tell us what happened, and I thought maybe she'd tell you."

"You should, Matt," Chelsea said. "I trust you."

"I know," I replied. "And I appreciate it. It's just that…"

"Just listen to what she has to say," Chelsea suggested. "It's not as if anything bad can happen from that."

"Chelsea is making a good point," Mrs. Jones said. "And it's not your fault. I should never have allowed her to be in drama."

I didn't think drama was the problem; I was the problem. Maggie was in love with me, and there was literally nothing I could do about that because I was committed to Chelsea. I had absolutely no intention of changing that because I was sure our future was together, as husband and wife, with at least two kids. I was singularly uninterested in anything like my dad's situation, even if Chelsea somehow would agree, which she wouldn't.

"I guess," I said reluctantly.

"She's in the basement," Mrs. Jones said. "Chelsea can stay with me."

I nodded, kissed Chelsea, then went down the steps to the basement rec room. I saw Maggie curled up on the couch with a blanket pulled over her.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

"Yes. They made me go to the hospital because I ran away, but nothing bad happened."

"Where were you?"

"One of the girls who is a member of my church goes to UofI. I took the Amtrak from Naperville. I was in her dorm, but the RA wouldn't let me stay any longer. I was trying to figure out what to do when the cops came up and said they were looking for me."

"How did they know you were there?"

"I think the RA called the campus police, but I don't know for sure."

"Why did you run away?"

"You know," she said almost inaudibly.

"Because of how you feel about me?"

"I love you, Matt, and I can't stop thinking about kissing you and what it would be like to…to…make love with you."

"Whatever else is true," I said, "I know you want to be a virgin on your wedding night."

"But I can't stop thinking about it," Maggie protested. "And I love you."

"I don't know what you want me to do," I said. "You know Chelsea and I are basically engaged."

"I know…but…but…I wish you were my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I want to help you, but I can't do that."

"Then just go," she said. "Go."

"Maggie, I'm concerned."

"Not enough. Go."

I thought about staying, but I realized that at the moment I couldn't help. I left the basement and went back upstairs.

"Maggie needs to speak to a counselor," I said to Mrs. Jones. "The school has a psychologist on staff."

"Psychology is simply a way to excuse sin," Mrs. Jones said. "Our pastor and his wife counsel the congregation."

"I don't think that's going to work at this point," I said. "She needs professional help."

"I know what's best for her," Mrs. Jones said. "What did she tell you?"

"Nothing, really, other than she went to be with a girl who used to go to your church, and the Resident Advisor wouldn't let her stay longer. Somebody, probably the RA, called the police. Please get her some professional help."

"We'll handle this, Matt. Thank you for coming over."

I knew arguing with Mrs. Jones wouldn't get me anywhere, so Chelsea and I said 'goodbye' and left Maggie's house.

"What did Maggie say?" Chelsea asked once we'd reached the sidewalk.

"That she's in love with me and wants to go to bed with me," I said.

"And do you want to be with her?" Chelsea asked.

"No! Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," Chelsea sighed.

"I love you! We're going to get married and have kids and grandkids! I don't want Maggie. I want you. You know that! There is literally nothing that can come between us!"

"I'm sorry I'm insecure."

"So long as you love me and remember I love you, everything will be fine."

"I do."

————— {br}
[Chicago, Illinois] {br}
🎤 Steve {br}

"Care to share why your office is fully Japanese, right down to the «tatami» mats?" Sheye asked.

"I finally grew up when I spent five weeks in Japan in 1994. That's also when I received my teaching license."

"Grew up?"

"Perhaps 'found myself' is a better term. I spent most of the time either in quiet contemplation or working in the compound of the master of our karate school. Think Daniel-san in _The Karate Kid_. I even painted a fence and waxed a car the last full day I was there."

Shaye laughed, "Too funny. Who painted the cherry blossom mural?"

"Siobhán Callaghan, who has a studio down in Hyde Park. She paints multiple styles, gives art classes, and also does some home decor detail painting. I've bought a few paintings from her and commissioned some others, and she painted borders in the bedrooms in my house."

"Family portraits?"

"Yes, but also a nude of my wife, the chemistry professor."

"She's beautiful enough to be a model!"

"I agree!"

"Did you design this room?"

"One of my employees did, including sourcing all the Japanese items from Japan. She knew my affinity for Japan and decided to do this."

"What style is your house?"

"Mosty Scandinavian modern, complete with a sauna in the basement. I spent a year in Sweden as an exchange student."

"I'd love to travel. Where have you been?"

"Australia, Singapore, Japan, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, most US states, England, the Netherlands, Germany, East Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Russia, both when it was the USSR and after."

"Business or personal?"

"A mix of both."

"So you've been all kinds of places and laid all kinds of girls?" she asked with a smirk.

"Yes, but I don't play an instrument, and you do NOT want to hear me sing! So, what do you think?"

"I think I'll take you up on your offer of coming to your house on Sunday."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Good."

_January 10, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_

🎤 Steve {br}

On Friday morning, just before 9:00am, _adium_ chimed to let me know I had a message.

{block}{tt}
PrincessEmma: Hi! It's Emma! {br}
NIKASteve: Hi! Princess? {br}
PrincessEmma: Blame my dad! He set up my IM account when he moved to Chicago! {br}
NIKASteve: How did things go with your mom? {br}
PrincessEmma: I think she was relieved. I'm really looking forward to June! {br}
NIKASteve: Me, too! How much does your dad know? {br}
PrincessEmma: You're going to be my karate instructor and mentor. When I saw Mrs. Spencer, she just smirked. {br}
NIKASteve: Of COURSE she did! Melanie came by being a smart aleck naturally! {br}
PrincessEmma: I'm sure your kids do, as well! {br}
NIKASteve: Obviously! {br}
PrincessEmma: Time for me to leave for school! L8r!{br}
NIKASteve: L8r! {/tt}{/block}

I was just about to go back to work when Kimmy let me know Dante was on the line.

"Morning," I said. "Or afternoon, for you."

"It's a beautiful sunny day here in Jo'burg! Got another company for you to check out."

"Where and what?"

"A startup performance car company."

"Well, 'startup' rules out one in Maranello, Italy," I chuckled.

"In my dreams! This one is in the Netherlands. I'm acquainted with one of the founders, and he's looking for some additional capital."

"Not that I'm objecting to a trip to the Netherlands, but if you know the guy, and it's performance cars, shouldn't you be doing the analysis?"

"I want a second opinion from an unbiased third party. You do that with your doctors, and I know you do that with legal counsel!"

"True. It'll have to be after GlucoTech. Would late February or early March work?"

"That would be OK. I know you have other things going on."

"Let me figure out the dates, and I'll send you an email. Are there any dates which don't work for them?"

"No. They'll work around anything else they have."

"Will a day be enough?"

"It should be. I'll send the details to your secure fax. I take it you'll take some time in Amsterdam?"

"Hopefully, I can see some friends. I'll let you know as soon as I work it out."

"Thanks!"

He disconnected the call without saying 'goodbye' as was his wont, and I placed the handset back in the cradle.

"What's in Maranello, Italy?" Penny asked.

"Ferrari. Dante said he's looking to invest in a performance car company, and you know his affinity for the 'Prancing Horse'!"

"Almost as much as for pussy!"

I chuckled, "He's married and settled down. She has him on a fairly tight leash, and he's not straining at it!"

"She must be almost as good as I am!" Penny teased.

"Not a high bar," I retorted.

I bobbed and weaved, and managed to duck or bat away the Nerf balls thrown at me.

"After a statement like that, you have to let me prove it!" Penny declared fiercely.

"in your dreams, Mrs. Penfield!"

"I should give Terry a hall pass for Birgit!"

"No, you shouldn't! And not because of Birgit, but because of you and Terry. Don't repeat past mistakes, young lady."

"Oh, now it's all 'young lady' and 'Dad mode'!"

"What-ever!" I chuckled. "Don't you have work to do?"

Penny rolled her eyes and turned back to her keyboard. Kimmy came in with the fax from Dante, and I checked my calendar. The first weekend in March seemed best, as that was a weekend Jesse's team would have off if they advanced. I made a note to get in touch with Karla, Sari, and Hans and decided I'd stay a week, giving me ample time to see my friends. I could always change my return flight if nobody was available, but I loved Amsterdam, so I'd probably stay the entire week. I certainly had plenty of vacation time, and so long as I took my laptop with me, I could work if I had downtime.

I hadn't seen either Karla or Sari for some time, but we exchanged cards a few times a year, and Sari had called the two times she'd had layovers in Chicago, though I hadn't been available. She was primarily working flights to Indonesia, so US trips were rare. Hans and I exchanged emails reasonably regularly. He was retired and doing volunteer work teaching computers to High School kids and taking occasional consulting engagements.

I placed a call to Liesel to confirm Business Class tickets were available on KLM for those flights, and she put in the reservations. She also reserved a junior suite for me at the InterContinental Amstel in Amsterdam, using my Six Continents Club membership for the upgrade from a standard room. All of that confirmed, I sent an email to Dante with the proposed dates. Just fifteen minutes after I'd sent it, I received a reply saying that my meeting was set for Monday, March 3, at 9:00 in Zeewolde, located in Flevoland, a new province reclaimed from the former Zuiderzee.

I had an email address for Hans Oostrum, so I sent him a quick note saying I'd be in the Netherlands, then called the number I had for Karla Timmer, reaching her answering machine. I left a message for her, then repeated the same with Sari Onbekend. The last thing I did before going back to work was text my wives to let them know of the travel plans.

————— {br}
🎤 Jesse {br}

With school having started, the entire gang was back for Friday nights, and there was a surprise as Adi was allowed to join us. It turned out that her dad had spoken with Zaida's dad and agreed that with two Muslim girls and one Muslim guy, Ahmed, a student from the Lab School, it was OK for Adi to join us. A few minutes after Birgit and I arrived at Giordano's, Angelina came into the restaurant.

"Interesting developments," Libby whispered.

I shrugged and sat down next to Luna, and Zahra sat next to me, with Zaida next to her, while Libby sat down next to Luna. The pizza was excellent, and once we finished eating, we headed to the theatre to see _Just Married_. As we walked, Adi came up next to me.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi! Your dad relented?"

"Partly. I'm allowed to come out with the group, but only if I'm always with Zaida."

"That's better than nothing!"

"It is. I want to come to the Hangouts, but I don't think I should ask."

"Probably not. Let him get used to this, and perhaps he'll relent a bit further. I am glad you're allowed to come out with us."

"I'll be at your game tomorrow with Zahra and Zaida. My dad is coming along with their dads."

Lunch was NOT going to be fun, but I knew how to talk to the men to keep things from spiraling out of control.

"We're always happy to have more people to cheer!"

We arrived at the theater, bought our tickets, and I sat between Luna and Zahra again, with Zaida and Adi taking the next two seats. Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher were great together, and all of us laughed a lot at the story of newlyweds on their honeymoon in Europe. When the movie ended, the three Muslim girls had to go straight home while the rest of us went to get ice cream.

"Can we talk?" Angelina asked after we both had our ice cream.

"What about lunch on Sunday?"

"OK. The diner by the hospital at 12:30pm? That gives me enough time to get there from chuch."

"Sure."

————— {br}

_January 11, 2003, Chicago, Illinois_

🎤 Jesse {br}

"Men, this is it!" Coach Nelson said. "Play intelligent hockey! Forwards, pass sharply and smartly and use good shot selection, but shoot the puck! Defensemen, watch the passing lanes, and don't let anyone get a straight run at Jesse. Jesse, stand tall, play smart, and make sure you protect the five-hole. What do you say, men?"

"RAH!" everyone shouted.

We left the locker room and went onto the ice to begin our warmups for our game against Chicago Latin. We were absolutely ready for this game, and so long as we followed Coach's guidance, I was confident we'd win. As I skated, I looked up in the stands and saw my moms, my dad, my dad's girlfriends, and my brothers and sisters. In addition, I saw most of the softball team and others, including Zahra, Zaida, and Adi, who all had their dads with them.

Lunch, actually brunch, given the time, was going to be interesting, but I put that out of my mind and thought back to our previous game against Chicago Latin. They were a good team, and the first game had been a defensive struggle during the first period but then opened up in the second. Coach planned for an all-out assault, and intended to mix things up, putting our second line on the ice first for a short stint, to get a defensive matchup with their second D-line.

Fifteen minutes later, after warmups and a quick pep talk by Coach, he put the plan into action, catching the Chicago Latin coach off guard. He tried to swap his lines, but the referee was ready to drop the puck, and there was no way he could do it without taking a considerable risk. The strategy worked, and we got our first goal just seventy-two seconds into the game.

The stoppage after the goal allowed the Chicago Latin coach to synchronize his defensive lines by double-shifting, and the game settled into a hard-fought end-to-end struggle. I made six saves, and the Chicago Latin goalie made eight, and the period ended 1–0.

"Good defense, guys," I said to Freddy and the other defensemen. "You didn't give them any clear shots. That makes life SO much easier!"

We all hydrated, changed t-shirts, then headed back to the ice for the second period, which didn't go nearly as well, as we took two penalties to only one by Chicago Latin, and they scored on one of the powerplays to bring the score to 1–1 after two periods.

"Dumb penalty, Paul!" I said. "Don't retaliate!"

"Yeah, I know," he said. "Sorry."

The third period was really tough, with Chicago Latin getting ten shots, two of which I barely fought off. Fortunately, with just forty seconds to go, Freddy snapped a pass to a streaking Nicholas, who skated in on the Chicago Latin goalie on a breakaway. Nicholas deked left, drew the puck back right, and slid it past the sprawling keeper. That led to a frenetic final thirty-five seconds of six-on-five, with two good shots, one of which Freddy blocked and one I turned away just at the buzzer, giving us a 2–1 victory.

————— {br}
🎤 Steve {br}

"Good morning, Sensei!" Avanti exclaimed when she walked into the dojo after driving straight there from the ice rink after Jesse's team had won their first playoff game.

"How was your vacation?"

"Hawaiߴi was great, but I missed coming to class for two full weeks!"

"Well, the dojo was closed one of those weeks," I said. "Will you be at Philosophy Club tomorrow?"

"Yes. Are we having our time together after this afternoon's class?"

"Yes. Take your place, please."

She moved to line up, and I went to the locker room and quickly changed, then stepped into the viewing area where Anala was standing.

"Is everything OK for the 24th?" I asked.

"Yes," Anala said with a twinkle in her eye. "Prajesh and I are leaving on the 24th for a long weekend in Kohler. Avanti has permission to be at your house, so long as she's home when we arrive home, which is the evening of the 27th. I expect her guru to properly educate her."

I chuckled, "Given she's your daughter, it's more likely I'll be the one educated!"

Anala laughed softly, "You might have a point! But in all seriousness, you are the man I hoped you would become."

"Thank you. Any regrets?"

"About you? None at all."

"But about something else?"

Anala nodded, "When I started seeing you, there was a guy I was seeing, purely platonically, and I basically started ignoring him. It's my one true regret. I ruined an excellent friendship because I was so focused on you."

"I think rekindling our friendship says it's never too late. If he's still in Chicago, call him. Heck, if he's not in Chicago and you know where he is, call him. What's the worst thing that can happen? I'm certainly happy we restored our friendship, and happy you're attending our Philosophy Club meetings."

"So am I! I assume it's OK to spend time with Kara this afternoon while you and Avanti have your mentoring session?"

"Of course! She's expecting you. And now, I see I'm getting the evil eye from Will!"

"Go practice!"

I smiled, moved to the practice room, and took my position just as Ashley was called to lead meditation and exercises.