I was sitting on the couch, reading, when Rupert and his slave arrived. Marie, having been subject to Kelly's fussing had been washed, and forced into one of her new uniforms as soon as it was dry, and then did whatever she could to stay close to the front door.
Despite that, Grace still managed to beat her to the front door when the bell rang. Rupert and A1386J were clearly not prepared for the welcome they were receiving. Really, if Marie hadn't seen the baby in the carrier, she probably would have tackled her sister the second she and her master came inside.
Grace directed the two to sit in the living room while she ran off to get Constance with a shout of "Young Mistress, your boyfriend did something stupid!"
After Rupert had sat down, he directed A1386J to sit down on the floor next to him (on a cushion we kept around just for guests' slaves) and Marie looked at me, as if asking permission. I nodded, and she sat down next to her sister. The two twins made for an odd comparison, seeing A1386J in her khaki short shorts and blue button-down shirt while holding an infant next to Marie in her black and white maid uniform.
Marie turned to A1386J, and spoke. "So I'm Marie now. What's your name?"
Marie's twin turned to her sister, and held the child close to her. "I'm Janice," she said before gesturing down to the bundle in her arms, "and this is my daughter Katerina."
Right about then Marie got a bit overstimulated and started making this odd squealing noise I've never been able to really describe. Somehow, the child was still asleep.
I looked over at Rupert and spoke. "You didn't."
He rubbed his head sheepishly and smiled. "It was that or get a new car, and I've gotten a bit attached to my car."
At about this time, Kelly and Anne came out to see what the noise was, while Constance, Grace, and Jimmy emerged from upstairs. Constance immediately gave Rupert a look, while Kelly and Anne fawned over the baby.
After the introductions were completed, Kelly dragged Marie, Janice and the baby off to what I could only presume was a crash course in childcare, while the rest of us sat around the front room, with Grace and Jimmy on the floor, and Constance now sitting next to Rupert while Anne was the only person in the room standing. Apparently the three had nothing better to do than watch their young mistress and possible future master argue.
"Anne," I said without looking up from my book, "Could you go get me a glass of sweet tea?"
Anne bowed, as she replied. "Certainly young master. Does anyone else want something to drink?"
"I'll just have water, thanks." Rupert replied.
Constance shrugged. "I'll have some tea as well," she said, "Could you just bring out the pitcher and some cups?"
"Of course." Anne replied, "I'll have it right out."
After Anne departed the room, Constance was the next one to speak. "So, what is your plan with Janice and the baby?" She said as she looked intently at Rupert. "I doubt your mother will let them stay with her while you're at school."
"She already said she didn't want Janice around. I was thinking I'd just have them stay in my dorm room, like most residents do." He replied.
"You do remember that children, pets and whatever disgusting combination of those two that might exist are banned in the undergrad dorms right?" I said, speaking up.
"Shit." Rupert said, "Really?"
"I see you read the Handbook." Constance replied.
I started laughing. "I won't even be staying in the dorms and even I know that, what kind of RA are you?" I said.
"Thank you Steven," Constance said coldly, "and aside from that, there's meningitis and everything else. So they're going to have to stay somewhere else." She then turned to look at Jimmy and Grace. "Do you two remember where the hell the bassinet and crib are?"
Anne at this point returned to deliver a serving tray with the pitcher full of sweet tea, and Rupert's glass of water, placing the platter on the coffee table.
Anne spoke as she filled the two glasses. "Young Mistress, The crib is in the sewing room, and the bassinet is in the slave room closet."
"Young Mistress," Grace said agitatedly. "I don't think your mother would allow you to let your boyfriend borrow either of them, especially for some breeder to use, they've been in our family for generations! "
Rupert spoke as well. "I don't need to borrow a bassinet." He replied, "I bought a baby box, and if Grace is getting that worked up, it has to be a family heirloom or something."
I put the book down as Anne handed me my glass. "They're both antiques, and are old growth mahogany." I said, "I think the crib is actually something like two hundred years old, and has been in the family the entire time, while the Bassinet is from at least six generations back."