Author's note: This is Chapter 2 of "Fourth Year After", the last book in my series that began with "First Year After". Then Second, Third, you get the picture. If you have not read the earlier books in the series, I recommend you do, so you'll know who the characters are, how they relate to each other, and how they got to where they are now.
As always, all sexual acts described here involve fictional characters over the age of 18.
~~~~~
January 2nd, 2016
Ginger worked her first day with Henry and Mom at the practice. Patients were already commenting that they liked her much better than Dr. Mason. Patti and Sandy both stopped by for first ultrasounds, and Ginger performed them, instead of Henry. Sandy emailed a digital copy of the ultrasound picture of her baby to Aaron and Amanda. Due dates of August 20th were confirmed for both of them.
Toni decided that rather than wait until late February to start the induced lactation protocol so that she would be ready to nurse around the time Patti and Sandy's babies arrived in August, that she would start as soon as possible, and be able to nurse around the end of June. The six-month protocol combines birth control pills with other medicine to simulate the effects of pregnancy until 6 weeks before the end, when the birth control pills would cease, the other medicine would continue and she would begin pumping to bring in a milk supply, then add herbal supplements. I won't bother detailing every change in her medications, etc., in this journal.
~~~~~
January 4th, 2016
Henry and Mom called Carmen, the real estate agent who had handled the sales for East and West back in 2013, to see if she would act as buyer's agent for us. She agreed, and started searching for properties within the parameters that Henry gave her.
He specified that we wanted a property with privacy and a fair amount of land, either with a pool or the space to put one in, and either a modern home with at least six bedrooms with two separate masters with baths, or a knockdown where we could build our own to those specs. I figured that finding the two master bedrooms would be the hardest part, since most home designs only feature one.
~~~~~
January 6, 2016
I called Duke at lunch time. "Hey, dude. Do you and Jean want to join, Patti, Amber, Sandy and me to see Force Awakens on Friday night? It's been out a few weeks now, and shouldn't be so crowded."
"Sorry, Drew," he answered, "Jean and I have already gotten an invitation for dinner from Jean's aunt Ginger for Friday night. Ginger's still trying to clear the air after everything that went down New Year's Day, and it's important to Jean that we go. Can we do it Saturday afternoon, instead?"
"No, that won't work for us," I answered. "Henry, Mom and Toni are going to see it Saturday, so we're going to be home watching all four kids as a trade for them watching the kids Friday. Another time for another movie, I guess."
Duke suggested, "If you're going to be home, maybe we'll just stop by your place and watch something off Netflix."
"That sounds good, see you at lunch time?"
~~~~~
January 9, 2016
Mom, Tina and Henry had left for the theater about half an hour before Duke and Jean arrived for lunch. Sandy chose to spend the afternoon with some friends from high school who were also home for winter break.
Over the dining room table, Patti asked, "So how did the dinner with Ginger and her kids go, last night?"
Duke blushed, and look tongue-tied, a rarity for him.
Jean smirked and said, "Dinner was good, but dessert was better. I took Toby to his bedroom and blew his little old mind, while Ginger and Wendy double-teamed Duke. Once Toby couldn't go any more, I had the opportunity to explain compersion to him, and I actually think he got it. Time will tell."
"Is this going to be a regular thing between the five of you, do you think?" Amber asked.
"I... I don't know," Duke got out. "Since Toby and Wendy are headed back to Denver for school next weekend, we don't know if Ginger plans to continue with us, or return to spending her time with Henry and you guys."
"Which do you want?" I asked. "I would be okay with her going back and forth between you guys and us, at the minimum."
Duke considered, and answered, "I think that would work. I just hope Ginger doesn't want to get us involved with your group so that she can have both at the same time. You know my reasons."
"You mean your fears," Amber challenged. Oh, boy.
Duke frowned, then said, "I believe I'm just being rational. There is a risk that I don't think is worth it. I don't know one couple that started as friends first, who stayed friends after breaking up," Duke said. "It just doesn't happen. And don't try to tell me that you were friends with Patti first before becoming lovers. You two didn't remain friends after you broke up, either. You had not talked to each other in years before you reunited and you went back to being lovers, not platonic friends. You actually demonstrate my point."
"Patti and I were a special case, given my relationship with my Dad." Amber reached out and touched Duke's hand. "Duke, you're assuming a breakup is inevitable and its outcome certain. I'll tell you right now, it's a lot easier to remain satisfied in a polyamorous relationship, by getting different needs met by different people. We rarely fight here, because there isn't as much of a me versus you dynamic going on."
"Like the dynamic between you and me right now?" Duke retorted.
"We're not a couple, Duke, and if you think this is a fight, you're kidding yourself. I'm not trying to make up your mind for you, Duke, just provide you with a different perspective." She turned to Jean and asked, "What do
you
want to see happen, Jean?"
Jean immediately answered, "I want my husband to be happy. Is it that unreasonable to seek that happiness outside of this group, rather than inside it?"