AWLL2 — Book 5 — Michelle¶

Last updated through AWLL2.5 ch 85.

Book summary¶

AWLL2.5 Michelle picks up June 1991 with Katy O'Connor's Vermont inn fire and stacks corporate/legal pressure: the NIKA lawsuit, repeat FBI fishing on aldermen and unions, and Steve's deliberate shift from first officer to CEO and household captain. A Russia–Sweden trip, August 1991 coup news, and Fawn's New York boundary test run beside Jessica's surgical stress. Steve rejects informant deals, tightens ethics, and takes financing control of NIKA while Bethany's January 1992 press crusade on sexual abuse (Why Me?) goes public. Michelle York enters as counselor and rape survivor — rap-session trust, diagnosis, Vermont weekends, and Steve's platonic commitment while he still deflowers other virgins per his pattern. Samantha Spurgeon's wealth tests his restraint; Jill, Keisha, Crystal, and Kajri threads resolve or stop at rules. Penguins repeat as Cup champions; Josie, Abbie, and Jennifer reposition. June 1992 burnout forces vacation — book ends with Samantha's false accusation about Lisa Glass, launching AWLL2.6.

Chapter summaries¶

Prologue — February 24, 2000, Chicago — Steve feigns outrage at April sleeping with fourteen-year-old Jesse, then laughs — it was a once-in-a-lifetime teaching encounter April wanted. He still worries about Donny (her husband) and reinforces Jesse's rules about taken partners.
Chapter 1 — June 22, 1991 — 3:02am Katy O'Connor B&B fire in Vermont; Steve and wives respond. Recovery, insurance, and rebuilding plans. FBI re-contact and Europe trip still scheduled.
Chapter 2 — June 26, 1991 — Person of interest: NIKA lawsuit strategy session with Joyce, Jamie, Karl, and family; motions to dismiss expected to fail.
Chapter 3 — June 28, 1991 — Your move: Jack and Gwen prep Steve for second FBI interview; agents bluff; Steve refuses informant role; IRS audit pressure alleged.
Chapter 4 — July 2, 1991 — Resentment: household friction; babysitting shuffle as Fawn nears departure; Keisha considered.
Chapter 5 — July 4, 1991 — I'll Take Sweden! — Fourth of July; Europe departure; friends farewell; fertility-treatment request declined.
Chapter 6 — July 10, 1991, Stockholm — Back in the USSR I: Swedish friends; Katya intelligence on Soviet unrest and possible coup.
Chapter 7 — July 13, 1991, Saint Petersburg — Back in the USSR II: Tanya, Dima, Larisa; KGB-era warnings; wedding and diplomacy.
Chapter 8 — July 18, 1991 — Back to Reality: return through immigration; Katy calls from Vermont B&B recovery.
Chapter 9 — July 22–29, 1991 — Stress fractures: Jessica surgical stress; Doctor Green couples work; Jamie corporate-ethics pushback (Greylord parallels).
Chapter 10 — August 2, 1991, New York — Journey: Fawn Manhattan trip; fortune-cookie intimacy; pre-Academy boundary testing.
Chapter 11 — August 4, 1991, New York — Destination: Central Park day; wives tease Steve about Fawn; pregnancy and jealousy humor.
Chapter 12 — August 8, 1991 — Major impediment: libertarian rap session on law, sin taxes, and UCMJ vs. Nick's murder.
Chapter 13 — August 14, 1991 — State Committee (August coup): Soviet coup news; Francesca middle name; Thanksgiving plans.
Chapter 14 — August 28, 1991 — End of the line: poker night; Keisha babysitting; relationship checkpoint.
Chapter 15 — September 1, 1991 — Depositions, doctors, and legal disagreements in the civil suit.
Chapter 16 — September 13, 1991 — Angry sex with Jessica — 'No talking! Just screw me!' — stress release.
Chapter 17 — September 29, 1991, Milford — Jennifer home visit; Block family; Ohio roots.
Chapter 18 — October 8, 1991 — Multitude of revelations about marriage, Jessica trauma, and household roles.
Chapter 19 — October 15–17, 1991 — Kindergarten Cop tone: Crystal diner flirtation; Jesse school/GLAAD prom-date precedent cited.
Chapter 20 — October 19–23, 1991 — Abel and Delilah: Bethany substitution theory for Jessica's heart; The Hockey News; Penguins season.
Chapter 21 — October 26–27, 1991 — Russian proverb night (In vino veritas); drunken truths at party.
Chapter 22 — October 27–30, 1991 — World War III sound — USS Iowa turret explosion news; diner flirtation continues.
Chapter 23 — November 2, 1991 — Pre-masquerade talk: Cindi's masked ball vs. last year's body paint; Penny admits curiosity about wife-swapping and Tasha's bedroom inventiveness — Steve ends the TMI thread.
Chapter 24 — November 12, 1991 — Penny coffee pursuit continues; Mitsuko hand-kiss at UofC trumps weeks of Crystal diner sparring — roommate rivalry analysis with Jessica and Kara.
Chapter 25 — November 20–22, 1991 — Elyse flogs Steve for hurting Crystal (Kant on foreseen harm); Pete's new-job celebration dinner; Jessica stays on sparkling water while wives drink.
Chapter 26 — November 23, 1991 — 2:00am triad crisis: Jessica's incest triggers from Steve's journals; Kara reveals a secret she swore only Doctor Mercer and Steve knew.
Chapter 27 — November 26–27, 1991 — Al's Solution: Al Barton is Jessica's biological father; Fawn is her half-sister — Steve must stay silent until Al permits disclosure. Crystal truce at the diner.
Chapter 28 — November 29, 1991 — Whole story: wives parse saying an unequivocal no to Bethany/Jennifer vs. Steve's pattern of delay and Fawn acquiescence in Indianapolis.
Chapter 29 — December 1, 1991 — Hotel Just Like Starting Over: eight-hour triad sex instead of Bethany talk; Jessica confronts Al as father figure, commits to reading Steve's full journals.
Chapter 30 — December 5, 1991 — April pregnant with Donny's triplets — Saint John's Wort voided her Pill; naval pacifism debate with Bethany before her flight lesson.
Chapter 31 — December 6, 1991, Milford — Sea Stories with Jennifer; dating cautionary tales.
Chapter 32 — December 7, 1991, Mason — Just Following Orders; Aimee career; Abbie asks Jason to stay over (STD-test talk).
Chapter 33 — December 9, 1991 — Thieving Bastard! — employee theft uncovered; Crystal friendship-only rule; company-party prep.
Chapter 34 — December 13–15, 1991 — Bond. James Bond. — Alex's Bond-themed dinner; Star Trek VI; Karin 'what might have been' at fifteen.
Chapter 35 — December 16–17, 1991 — Root of the Problem — sci-fi rap session (Blade Runner, Heinlein); Vesper/Casino Royale callbacks.
Chapter 36 — December 19, 1991 — Jill and Keisha sexual encounters; slow, consensual pattern.
Chapter 37 — December 23, 1991 — Christmas 1991 — holiday gatherings; Kara lists Steve's restraint history (Kathy, Jennifer/Josie).
Chapter 38 — December 29, 1991 — Coming out of the Woodwork! — NYE prep; Jesse/Francesca negotiation.
Chapter 39 — January 1, 1992 — Valuable Life Lessons — consent-age philosophy; Jennifer/Bethany boundaries.
Chapter 40 — January 1, 1992 — Bolt From the Blue — Bethany public rape-crisis press event; Why Me? book; Stan Jakes Trib reporter.
Chapter 41 — January 2, 1992 — Sorting Out Jessica/Kara hurt feelings after press conference; Steve apologizes for harsh truth-telling.
Chapter 42 — January 4–6, 1992 — Pater Familias — Steve accepts command at home; lagom and 'evil overlord' humor; Michelle observes shift.
Chapter 43 — January 7, 1992 — Putting the New Me Into Action — CEO financing from Steve; Kimmy fax to Jamie; December 31, 2004 calendar note.
Chapter 44 — January 10–11, 1992 — Sex and the City Boston trip tone; Kajri lunch scheduled; Jill delay.
Chapter 45 — January 12, 1992 — Decisions — reject Jill's role-play underage dynamic despite maturity.
Chapter 46 — January 13, 1992 — Boston Legal Systems — Sam stock-compensation problem at NIKA.
Chapter 47 — January 16, 1992 — Jeri Explains It All — family-business HR; Howard relationship.
Chapter 48 — January 18, 1992 — Three Square Meals — Crystal blocked by STD-test rule.
Chapter 49 — January 19, 1992 — Rap Session — group nudity trust exercise; Michelle York participates.
Chapter 50 — January 19, 1992 — Hero Worship? — Jeannette Orozco IIT hire idolizes Steve from Cindi stories.
Chapter 51 — January 20–22, 1992 — Cindi's Story, Natick — acquisition integration; medical 5.0 scope cut; Don't Stop Believin'.
Chapter 52 — January 24, 1992 — Surprise Visitor — Lauren-related investigator; Patrick privacy counsel.
Chapter 53 — January 25, 1992 — Master of the House? — CEO domestic authority tested; lunch date with STD paperwork.
Chapter 54 — February 1, 1992 — Kajri Cooke rap-session follow-up; Michelle asks to talk.
Chapter 55 — February 3, 1992 — Unexamined Life — sin-as-missing-the-mark philosophy session.
Chapter 56 — February 4, 1992 — New Employees hired; Boston dinner — Ally date; Godfather briefcase quote; Cheers bar pilgrimage.
Chapter 57 — February 4, 1992, Natick — Inflection Points with Cindi — CEO warns every word and act ripples; Kara/Jessica recall choices they did not foresee.
Chapter 58 — February 6, 1992 — Best Girlfriends rap session — Jennifer's suicide-survivor stories.
Chapter 59 — February 16, 1992 — Old Friends and New — Howard/Jeri; Pete navy gossip.
Chapter 60 — February 23, 1992 — An Apology — reconciliation after command-style friction.
Chapter 61 — February 27, 1992 — Michelle's Diagnosis — clinical picture clarified.
Chapter 62 — March 4, 1992 — Siobhán Callaghan introduced.
Chapter 63 — March 8, 1992 — Mindfulness coping tools for Michelle.
Chapter 64 — March 11, 1992 — Long Weekend in Vermont — B&B and Katy arc.
Chapter 65 — March 16, 1992 — Blockhead — Jennifer family complication.
Chapter 66 — March 21, 1992 — Long, Slow Seduction — deliberate pacing with partner.
Chapter 67 — March 22, 1992 — That's What Friends Are For — support network for Michelle.
Chapter 68 — March 29, 1992 — Abbie, Michelle, and Crystal — girls' trust talk.
Chapter 69 — March 29, 1992 — Big Changes — household structure shifts.
Chapter 70 — April 5, 1992 — Abbie's enforced chastity while Jason is away; charity gala with Howard, Jeri, and Samantha — Steve escorts Samantha down; first society event she enjoyed.
Chapter 71 — April 21, 1992 — Birthday Surprise — Steve birthday.
Chapter 72 — April 26, 1992 — Best Friends — Abbie/Jennifer/Kara 'best friend' hierarchy with Steve.
Chapter 73 — May 3, 1992 — On Being a Real Man — 27th Amendment ratification; masculinity rap session.
Chapter 74 — May 9, 1992 — Art of the Deal — corporate acquisition maneuver; Plainfield horse farm.
Chapter 75 — May 9, 1992, Plainfield — Samantha Spurgeon first meeting; Corvette; hayloft first intercourse (oral/vaginal/anal).
Chapter 76 — May 9, 1992 — Relationships debrief; Elyse teases Steve's young admirers.
Chapter 77 — May 11, 1992 — Lifestyles I — wealth, feminism, abortion debate with Samantha.
Chapter 78 — May 15, 1992, Glencoe — Lifestyles II — Samantha's estate; hot tub; Steve declines sex again.
Chapter 79 — May 16, 1992 — Josie's Situation — Josie/Jennifer relationship stress; Matthew discipline lesson.
Chapter 80 — May 23, 1992 — Michelle York — MRI after episode; Bethany warns Steve not to abuse protector role.
Chapter 81 — May 26–27, 1992 — Victimized — Michelle assault aftermath; Kathy new daughter shares Kristin's birthday.
Chapter 82 — May 27, 1992 — Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Champions — Penguins repeat; Lemieux/Hašek game.
Chapter 83 — June 2–7, 1992 — Love — Samantha/Gracie DeVoss context; 'thirteen is the limit' circle.
Chapter 84 — June 8, 1992 — Arrangements — custody/household agreements; Michelle vs. parents.
Chapter 85 — June 15, 1992 — Burnout — new IIT hires; Jennie/Kent visit; Chelsea kisses Matthew; Steve forced vacation; Michelle reads The Seven Storey Mountain. Samantha accuses Steve of sleeping with Lisa Glass and flees — Michelle stunned. Book ends.