~~Minneapolis, MN; February 2066~~
Annabella answered the door, giving Jade a beaming smile. "Jade! You came!" She exclaimed, stepping back and drawing Jade into the house with gentle hands. "And you've brought gifts?" Her face turned perplexed, one hand dropping to cover her stomach.
"Yes, for your little one," Jade murmured shyly. "I've also brought rolls, though I fear I am not anywhere near as accomplished a cook as you."
Annabella giggled and kissed Jade's cheek, "You're adorable." She drew Jade to her side and walked in with her. She guided her into the living room chatting quietly with her friend and discussing how excited she was for her baby.
"Master Michael," Jade greeted Michael with a slight incline of her head and a smile.
"Jade, glad you could make it. How have you been?" Michael asked, giving her a beaming smile as Annabella moved to tuck herself under his arm and into his side naturally.
"I am well, thank you Master Michael," Jade responded. "Per our agreement I will not discuss business with you tonight, however I will state that you have some files to peruse on Monday. They are in your email." She winked at Annabella who giggled softly.
"You're too good to us," Michael murmured fondly. "So what gift is my darling slave holding?"
"A present for your little one. As you weren't sure of sex yet I went with something gender neutral, and something for Mommy after the baby is born." Jade gave another shy smile.
Annabella looked at her, then opened the box. First, she pulled out a T-shirt and an adorable onesie. The T-shirt read 'You're killing me Smalls' and the onesie read 'Smalls'. Annabella started giggling softly, then dug further and found a booklet that had different maid services and an offer from Jade to babysit a couple of times a month for them to have a night out. "Oh, Jade," Annabella said with a soft laugh, throwing her arms around Jade's neck. "You're wonderful."
Jade smiled fondly, rubbing Annabella's back as she started crying happy tears. "Easy, you're going to get all snotty. Just breathe and go eat some chocolate." At the suggestion, Annabella started giggling through her tears. "Now, tell me about what your plan is for the nursery and I'll see where I can help." Annabella giggled and led her away, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief as she did so.
Annabella talked about it, gesturing how she wanted a mural in the nursery, then started talking about cribs and the other things, and chattering away happily to Jade about her plans for purchases. She was so relieved and happy someone was interested in what she wanted and had to say. "And Master said for me to do whatever I wanted, but every time I've talked with someone, they've asked me what he thinks." Annabella trailed off, "Why aren't you?"
"Are you a grown woman?" At Annabella's nod, "Is he a grown man?" She nodded again, her brow still confused, "You're married, having a kid together, it's between the two of you if you've talked about it or not. None of my business. However, you just said he told you to do what you want, so why would we need to ask him?"
Annabella giggled, "You and Jasmine would get along so well. Logic, the bane of all idiots." Jade snickered softly.
"I heard my name?" Jasmine stepped in giving Jade and Annabella a smile.
"Logic," Annabella stated with a fond smile. "Jade this is Jasmine, Jasmine this is Jade." She teared up and tugged them into a hug, "I'm so glad you two are here."
Jasmine hugged her back, "Hey you're going to get all snotty if you keep this up." Prompting Annabella to burst into teary laughter.
Jasmine looked at Jade, quirking a brow. "I may have said that not twenty minutes ago," Jade offered sheepishly with a shy smile.
"Clever girl. You, I like you." Jasmine said with a giggling laugh and drew them into a hug. "So let's go see what our Masters are up to, and you can keep telling us all about your nursery plans."
Annabella walked with them back towards the main room, bracketed by the two of them and her hands gesturing excitedly as she explained her plans for the baby's room. Jade smiled slightly as she listened, glancing up at Michael with a faint smirk, "Yes, Master Michael, I'm getting it all down," she tapped her temple, "I'll make arrangements to make it happen."
Annabella looked from Michael to Jade in confusion, "Huh?"
"I told Master Michael I would help arrange for someone to come do what you want to the baby room to limit the amount of time you're around paint fumes. I've got about twelve college students that are eager to expand their portfolio." Jade said, an impish smirk crossing her lips.
Over the next half hour, several people trickled in. Mostly couples. A couple of singles. Most of them were regulars at the group's munches. With each, Michael seemed a little more downcast. The doorbell rang again. He went to open it and Annabella heard him exclaim, "You found it! It's good to see you again, Zane!" He was hugging someone in the doorway.
Annabella kept her arm through Jade's and led her over to see who Michael was so happily greeting, "Master?"
Michael turned his head, "Zane, meet my Annabella. Anna, this is Master Zane. He took over Future Power Designs from Master Bryan when he retired to Alaska. Zane, this is my wife and slave, Annabella."
Annabella smiled up at Zane, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Zane." She released Jade to slip under Michael's arm, tucking into his side. "I'm glad you could make it. This is my friend Jade." She gestured to Jade who was still busily typing into her commlink the notes that Annabella had given her.
Zane looked at her for a moment to see what she did, then cleared his throat softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Jade." Turning back to Michael after a couple of moments, he pulled a bottle from behind his back. "Are you still a single malt guy?"
"Yes, I am," he smiled at Zane as he held out a bottle.
Jade lifted her head, the glaze clearing from her eyes, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. My apologies, I was trying to get Annabella's baby list down so I wouldn't forget it."
Zane turned to look at her again, then at Annabella. "Congratulations," he said warmly. "It's good that you have friends to help. I know the saying that 'it takes a village' seems trite, but having good friends around to ease the challenges of birthing and raising a child is a huge blessing."
Annabella smiled, blushing slightly as her hand dropped to the small bump of her stomach, "Thank you, Master Zane. We're very pleased." She leaned in and whispered, "I'm a little excited."
He winked at Jade, then whispered to Annabella conspiratorially, but loud enough that Jade could hear, "I think you're supposed to be. It doesn't work as well if you're not. Or so I'm told..."
Annabella giggled, blushing again, then snuggled into Michael's side, "Please, come in." They stepped back so Zane could enter.
Jade moved further back to give them space in the entryway, "I'll excuse myself and go get some measurements, Annabella." She smiled at Master Zane again, "It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope you enjoy yourself, Master Zane." She turned and headed down the hallway towards what would be the baby's room.
Zane watched her go, then chuckled softly, "She's cute. Been coming to your MAsT meetings long?"
Michael watched her go, looking down at Annabella with a raised brow, "When she can she comes. She's not much for the...," he trailed off gesturing to the single men flocking around the uncollared girls intensely, "But she's been invaluable to us." He smirked at Zane, "She produces all the videos."
Zane's eyes widened. "Get out! She did those? That's some good work," he said, his voice sounding extremely impressed. "And she isn't interested in the neophytes?" he chuckled. Michael shook his head. "Intelligent, capable, and has taste and standards. How about that..." he mused.
Annabella spoke up, her voice soft, "She's wonderful." Annabella giggled and pulled out the shirt and onesie, "She gave me these along with a book for house cleaners and offered to babysit for us."
Zane looked at the single 'Masters' and asked softly, "Any of them worth mentoring?"
Michael sighed, and shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe someday. Problem is, this isn't something you just walk up to the right kind of person and say, 'Hey, are you interested in being a Master to a slave?' You have to have more tact than that. So much of it is people coming to us. The few that are worth it get noticed and the rest get weeded out."
Zane grunted, "My advice? Keep her away from them. She's worth something."
Annabella wrinkled her nose, "That's why she's been staying close to me and Jasmine. She doesn't want a bedroom Master." She giggled, and kissed Michael's cheek, "I'm going to go check on dinner."
"Good girl," he murmured, reaching down and squeezing her ass. As she walked off, he turned to Zane. "So, your flight was OK?"
Zane nodded, "It's a plane ride. Gets you from point A to point B, even if it was First Class. I'll be here for a couple of days. I'm trying to recruit some talent out of UMN. They've got a couple of promising Ph.D. students that I think would work out well with us. But it gets me out of the office too."
"That's important. All work and no play make you prematurely old. Like me," Michael chuckled. "Come on in. I'll go put this away and get you something to drink and we can introduce you around a little."
Zane nodded and followed Michel to the alcohol bar where he placed the bottle of whiskey among the others there and poured from one that was already open, handing a glass with two fingers of the amber liquid and a single ice cube to Zane. Raising the glass in a salute, he took a sip. "Dear God it's good to be around someone who understands that beer and wine coolers are not 'fine drinking'. Most of my engineers haven't quite figured that one out yet."
From over the din, Zane heard another voice, "Did he finally get here, Mike?"
Michael waved to someone behind him and Zane turned to see a tall, middle-aged black man walking toward them with a smile. "Zane, you remember James Phelps, my VP?"
Zane smiled and nodded, "Of course. James, It's good to see you again. How have you and Jasmine been?"
