Mothers and Daughters

Reggie's funeral was held the following Thursday and his body was laid to rest. Natasha suffered a new bout of grief as she reflected on what she had lost. That night, Natasha vowed to Vera that Reggie was her soul mate and she had lost all; so she was not going to have sex ever again. She would dedicate her upcoming musical career to his memory. Vera grimly sighed at the naïve statement, but didn't say anything. She chalked it up as a period of sorrow her youthful daughter was enduring, the likes of which she had never experienced before.

Three days later, on Sunday morning, Vera had a surprise for Natasha.

"Come on Natasha, honey, get dressed. A real estate agent is coming to pick us up to show us some houses."

"What? What are you talking about Mom?"

"I have contacted a real estate agent about purchasing a home. I listed my desires, with the most important that it be conveniently located for travel to Northwestern University, for your school, and for travel downtown, for my work. As a result, the agent has lined up four houses for us to examine. Since you will be living in it for at least awhile as well, I would not want to choose a home that would not suit you."

"My God Mom, you have never mentioned a word. I thought you were going to live here forever. You seem so content with living with Ruth and Alisha. What's brought this on so suddenly?"

"Well Natasha, perhaps I ought to review some things about my life as well as tell you some things I haven't really told you before, so that you can understand my decision. Despite having lived here on Excalibur Street for over eighteen years; more years than I have lived with my parents and family, I was always under the mind set that this place was a temporary living arrangement for me. Ruth offered me temporary shelter when I was pregnant with you. Then when my father made it clear he would not welcome me back with a child, Ruth converted the offer of temporary shelter to allow me to live here on a permanent basis.

"I reconciled with my father when you were four, but there was no question of us moving back to Mississippi, as I was now completely settled in Chicago. However when we were visiting my parents then, I got in touch with Larry Grant, your biological father, to advise him of your existence. He thought that I had obtained an abortion since he had given me money to do so. Now I never intended to get an abortion, so I felt I had fooled Larry and because of that I did not tell him about you. However I realized it was not fair to you or to him that I keep silent and thus the opportunity to inform him about you came about during that visit.

"Larry was not happy and did not want anything to do with us, especially since he was about to marry Pamela Rose. I have told you all this before, but it bears repeating. Larry started then paying me child support, a very substantial and generous sum indeed, but the main proviso was that we were not to intrude on his life."

Natasha interrupted:

"Yes, I know, and it is the one thing about my life I cannot fathom. I really do not understand why he does not want to know anything about me. However when you first fully told me about the circumstances of my birth I realized I had no desire to meet him. It is hard for me to contemplate a relationship with him, a man who would have preferred that I would not have been born."

Vera replied:

"Well to be fair to Larry, when I sprung the news of your existence on him, he was in the midst of probably the highest point of his life. He had just signed which up to then had been the most lucrative NFL contract ever negotiated, and he was engaged to marry Pamela Rose. It is no wonder that news of your existence would be upsetting to him. I suspect the generous child support he paid was his way of making amends."

Vera continued:

"In any case, with the money I began receiving I obviously had the financial wherewithal to move out of here. However Ruth told me I was welcome to continue to stay. I guess I was selfish and too lazy to move out. I like living with Ruth and Alisha and it sure was convenient to have the availability of their babysitting help."

Natasha protested her mom's self-degradation:

"You lazy? Come off it, Mom you are the most industrious woman I know. Be reasonable- you were about as old as I am now and I sure as hell have no ambition at this time to live on my own, especially now with Reggie gone."

Vera replied:

"Be that as it may, I really should have gotten a home about six years ago, when I finished my education and certainly three years ago when I started the firm with Walter. However, starting a new job and then starting my new firm took all my energies. I did not relish the bother of establishing a new home competing with the time I needed to make my work and then my business a success. Once again it was convenient for me not to seek a new residence. Besides most of the entertaining our firm does is at Walter's place, though I realize that is unfair to he and his wife and family.

"So now finally, I feel I must move. Had Reggie not died I would have given you the option of staying here. As that's not the case, I think you would be happier if we do move away so you will not have constant reminders of Reggie to keep you depressed."

Natasha replied:

"Well you have a point there. But what does Ruth say? Have you told her?"

"Yes I have been discussing our move for some time with her and she understands. As a matter of fact, she is going to move soon as well. She has had a terrific career as at nurse anesthetist at North Central Memorial such that a headhunter recently approached her to offer a dream job at a hospital in Arizona. Ruth accepted the new position, and will start there within six weeks. Either Jasmine or Raven is going to move back here to take over; and Alisha would remain here."

So the real estate agent picked up Vera and Natasha to show them four houses he thought would be suitable, and in accordance with Vera's requirements. Since Vera and Natasha always spoke in Russian with each other, the agent could not be in on their conversations as they were viewing the homes. Thus, without the interference of the real estate agent's agenda, Vera and Natasha were able to agree on a house to their genuinely mutual satisfaction.

The chosen house was a large three bedroom colonial of about 3000 square feet in Morton Grove. One of the bedrooms could be set up for Natasha's music room and the a huge dining room was quite suitable for corporate entertaining. It was an easy commute to either Northwestern University or the Sears Tower. In short, it was as perfect a house as they could wish.

They made an offer and, once accepted, plans were finalized to move in at beginning of April. Natasha then was grateful for the car she had received for her birthday present. She could move to Morton Grove but could finish out her last days at her private high school by commuting with her car.

Natasha's vow to remain celibate did not last long. In fact before that February ended she had sex again. As part of the application process to gain admittance to Northwestern's School of Music, she had to perform an audition at the School to determine her musical abilities before she would be formally accepted as a student.

On Friday, the last day of February, having taken the day off from her high school, she arrived at the Bienen School of Music, the name of Northwestern University's faculty of Music, and registered in the morning for her audition and other activities including a performance of a Mozart opera put on by the school for the candidate students that evening. That is how she met Professor Bolek Ostrowski.

Bolek taught Music Theory and was one of the instructors assigned the task of conducting these auditions. When Natasha appeared and performed a Beethoven Sonata he was astounded by two things. Firstly, Natasha played the violin about as perfectly as he had ever heard the violin played. Not only was her playing technically flawless but there was a passion in the performance that was rare amongst musicians. And secondly she had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered. He knew he had to have her.

After Natasha had finished, Bolek beckoned her to approach him and said:

"Ms Starikovich, I am Professor Bolek Ostrowski and if you elect to take a course in Music Theory, I will likely be your instructor."

He threw in that line knowing that there is a sublimely hidden mission there which hopefully might indeed induce her to take his class. He already envisioned that the more in contact he was with her, the more pleasant his life would be."

He continued:

"Your playing was superb and I am certain you are going to fit in perfectly at the University. I'll be free in half an hour here. If you like I would love to give you a tour of the school, which I modestly suggest will be more helpful to you than the official tour that is planned by the school for all of you student candidates. If you are planning to take advantage of the opera tonight, then I would offer to take you out to a restaurant nearby that provides far better food than the cafeteria here. This way I can give you some pointers on the school and how you can best take advantage of what is available to you."

Natasha flattered by his interest and his offer gushed a reply:

"Oh that would be wonderful Professor Ostrowski. Yes I was planning to take the tour of the school after my audition and attend the opera. Actually as I live in Chicago and have my own car here, I was planning to eat at a restaurant rather than the cafeteria, but I would be delighted to take up your offer to dine with you. After all I would not want to be famished at the performance."

"Bolek. Call me Bolek. Let's treat this afternoon not as a student-teacher event although I will provide you hopefully with some helpful hints that will enable you to succeed better at the University. Instead let it be an exciting afternoon as a precursor to the start of your true musical career. Just think of me as your guide and to keep it light may I call you Natasha?"

"Of course you may, er... Bolek. No doubt you will let me know when I am to revert back to Professor Ostrowski. I guess my clue will be when you start calling me Ms Starikovich again."

Bolek laughed at Natasha's playful repartee. It boded well for success in getting into her pants. Professor Bolek Ostrowski was married with two infant sons; not necessarily happily but also not unhappily. He actually got married as result of impregnating his wife, Claudia, shortly after he had met her, so their wedding was of the old fashioned shotgun variety. He did not object to marrying because Claudia was an heiress and so extremely wealthy.

Although he was required to sign a pre-nuptial agreement, which limited his access to his wife's fortune, nevertheless his marriage to her allowed him to lead a luxurious lifestyle. In addition he truly enjoyed his position at Northwestern University which absolutely fulfilled his career ambitions. In essence he was content with his lot in life. Despite his serendipitous state he knew there was a lack of passion in his life, and from that viewpoint he felt somewhat short changed.

He was cognizant, though, that he was partially to blame for such deficiency because he was a dull man who intellectually shunned passion. Had he been a passionate man he would never have married Claudia; not that Claudia was repulsive or horrid. Actually she was more or less amiable but still she did not float his boat. He did not mind fucking her but he never derived ultimate sexual pleasure or enjoyment from her. He certainly was not in love with her, but perhaps he was not meant to love passionately.

In lieu of this lack of passion, he was able to develop an artificial excitement in his life that made up for his perceived deficiency. The stipulations of the pre-nuptial agreement inspired him to decide to try and thwart the intent of the agreement, while still retaining the full benefits.

He had chafed at executing this agreement of which his father-in-law had insisted. Bolek did not have any unusual or outlandish schemes or plans in mind to utilize his wife's monies. Pragmatically, all he desired in life was to be a member of the elite high society in Chicago, have lots of material goods and go on exciting expensive vacations throughout the world. The pre-nuptial did not hinder him in the least from pursuing such a lifestyle, as his wife's monies were available for such purposes.

What he really objected to about the pre-nuptial agreement was that its very existence suggested to the world that he was a fortune hunter or even worse a gigolo. He knew that if he h'd had a fortune anywhere near matching hers there would have been no pre-nup. Of course in truth he was a fortune hunter, and he knew that as well but he wished there were not such tangible evidence.

Finally from the perspective of an outsider's viewpoint though, if he was truly in love with Claudia he would have no problem with the pre-nup. So he signed the pre-nup cheerfully to outwards appearances to keep up the fiction that his marriage to Claudia was a love match. He needed that fiction to preserve his dignity when dealing with his friends and acquaintances.

The pre-nuptial agreement would only onerously come into play should his marriage dissolve as a result of his infidelity. In such eventually, he would be cut off from her fortune and would be required to forfeit half of the profits he made on investments derived from her capital. Even if his marriage ended through no fault attributed to him, he would only get a pittance from her fortune, certainly not enough to maintain the lifestyle he had grown accustomed to. Consequently, he had no desire to end his marriage.

Still there was a death wish in his subconscious psyche. He was compelled to commit adultery. The risk of losing all of his comfortable lifestyle was the sought after excitement he craved in his life. Now in commencing such an adventure he was careful enough not to be reckless. In his adulterous trysts he always paid for any expenses such as dinners and motel rooms in cash so there was no paper trail.

He sensed that Claudia did not wish for a divorce. Since she was 35 years of age and a virgin when she first met him; he had the impression she had been unhappy with such status. Being married with children was a much more desirable situation from her viewpoint. As he kept her decently happy, the last thing she would want was to lose a lifestyle she had desired since she was a little girl. So his ace in the hole was that so long as there was no irrefutable evidence of his adultery Claudia would stick by him.

Two years previously, he had his first illicit affair; it was with a student that lasted several months and last year he had an affair with a faculty member. Both affairs ended badly as each woman fell in love with him and demanded he leave his wife to convert their clandestine affair into an open relationship. It took all his powers of persuasion to convince the women that he could not leave his wife and ruin his children's happiness.

The student was so distraught, though, that she still tried a desperate gambit. She accosted Claudia to reveal the affair and to demand Claudia leave Bolek as a consequence. Claudia did not believe her especially as the student had no proof other than her word. Claudia did confront Bolek about this. She sheepishly asked because all she required was his word that it did not happen.

Bolek convincingly assured Claudia it was just an infatuation by the student who desperately wanted an affair to bolster her self esteem. As he did not encourage her advances, she resorted to this desperate tactic to try and force him to pay attention to her. This crisis finally ended when the student dropped out of the university.

The faculty member at least did not confront Claudia but she still annoyed him at the school. She kept pestering him to leave Claudia and talked about her affair to every faculty member who would listen. However she did not have many friends in the faculty and; as she was not particularly attractive almost everyone believed Bolek's denials. Bolek's carefulness in the affair paid off dividends as realizing she was not being believed, she finally started to avoid Bolek. She was able to obtain an alternative position at another University at the start of the current academic year and so she finally was out of Bolek's hair.

The main thing he learned from these affairs was that it was imperative to dissuade any possibility of a lasting relationship. It would be better to be up front from the get go. So he had vowed that before he started another affair he would be candid about his marital status and make it clear that for the sake of his two sons he would not leave his wife. He would further stipulate that he would still be having sex his wife during their affair.

Obviously such forthrightness made it more difficult to seduce a woman especially a single woman. However Bolek knew that if he could woo a woman having established such ground rules at the beginning, the eventual break up should go smoothly and be free of headaches for him.

Fortuitously for Bolek, such candor was what sealed the deal in enticing Natasha to bed. When Natasha made her statement of intended celibacy to Vera, she was sincere, but in the back of her mind she recognized the absurdity. It was totally absurd given that her initial reaction of learning of Reggie's death was to have lesbian sex with her mother! She realized her statement was merely a bitter reaction to her grief.

So she knew she was a sexual animal, but still she felt Reggie Williams was her soul mate. Although knowing she would like to continue to have sex now that her virginity was no more, she was not that interested in seeking another soul mate. So when Bolek casually let it slip out that he was a married man with two children her interest perked up.

He was blatantly sending out signals that he wanted to get into her pants. As he claimed he was happily married, it stood to reason that he would only be interested in casual sex. To Natasha casual sex was of great interest, so she felt the full luck of meeting Bolek.

To her mind it was axiomatic that he was not going to do something stupid like fall in love with her and make noises about leaving his wife to marry her. Ah, yes thought, Natasha a fling with Bolek might just be the right ticket to get her over the loss of her true love, Reggie.

So she warmed up to Bolek almost immediately. He was a handsome enough man and was a very intellectual conversationalist, bordering on being pedantic. This though did not turn off Natasha as she was always interested in improving her vocabulary. She found Bolek's observations on various esoteric topics fascinating.

The tour of the School of Music conducted by Bolek proved to be very beneficial for Natasha. Natasha truly had set no goals in her life. Up to now she had been content to master the playing of the violin and think about Reggie. With Reggie gone and having attained a prowess in playing the violin, she realized she was rudderless in her journey in life. With the tour and with Bolek's commentary, she now saw the possibilities in her planned studies. With Bolek's suggestions she could see that from her proposed studies in addition to becoming a proficient musician and a teacher, she could master the mechanics of composing.

After the tour Bolek renewed his offer to take Natasha out for dinner. Natasha agreed and he took her to Ruth's Chris in Northbrook. He had chosen that restaurant for its fine dining, hoping she would be suitably impressed to prepare her for his eventual seduction of her. The location of the restaurant had two advantages. First of all it was close enough from the school to suggest going there would not be out of the question. Secondly the prolonged driving to and from the restaurant to school allowed for more time to converse with her and pave the groundwork for eventual seduction.