The next morning bright and early, Paul was out and about going to work. He showed up at the warehouse before anyone else got there and was sitting on an extra pillow because he was very sore thanks to William and his vigorous lovemaking. Roy came by to check on Paul, make sure he was okay before going to the office. "Perfect, wonderful. I’m doing great," Paul smiled.
It had been about an hour that they were all working when Paul had to get up to go get something. About two strides into his walk, the pain hit his vent and it was major—he had forgotten all about what happened and his vent was pulsing.
One of the other guys looked at him walking, or trying to walk. "Paul, is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I’m doing fine. Just kind of overdid it and stressed a muscle last night." The other worker thought to himself: looks like you got something stretched wide last night. Stressed muscle—if there was anybody else other than Paul, he would say they got fucked but good. But Paul didn’t play that game; he didn’t mess around.
Paul went to the office and asked Roy if he could borrow the restroom—he needed to apply some lotion and salve to his vent. "They do get stretched bad by some larger breeders, but it’ll get better. You will be sore for a couple of days, but you will get better. Go by and see Lex—get you some pain-relieving cream," Roy smiled.
Paul was coming out of the restroom when in walked William.
William walked right up to him, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed him directly on the lips. Thank goodness there was only Roy in the office or he would’ve had to explain to the whole crew why the new partner was kissing him on the lips.
Paul stressed his concerns to William—he didn’t want anything to happen, he didn’t want anything to be thought ill of him for bedding William. William embraced him once again and kissed him. "I don’t care who knows. In fact, I want everyone to know that you’re carrying my child, that I, William Hawthorne, took you Paul to bed and we created a life inside of you and you’re going to have my hybrid child."
"That’s sweet, but Genmen are a little different. Sometimes they don’t take to humans and Genmen getting together and creating hybrids. I’m not saying the guys would be this way, but I don’t want to put you or Mr. Jonathan in a situation," Paul smiled.
"Okay Paul, I understand, but we’re not going to keep this secret very long. Everyone will know before long because you’re going to be showing, and then they might be mad at you because you didn’t let them in on it—you hid it from them, you kept a secret."
"Okay, we will talk about this later, but I have to get back to work. I’ve got a whole crew depending on me. I’m not going to be climbing—I’m not going up there on the scaffolds or anything else. I’ll find a reason: I pulled a muscle, I don’t feel good, or something, but I promise I won’t go up there."
William snuck one more kiss very quickly and left.
Roy had his own devious little plan to announce to everyone that Paul was pregnant, and boy was it going to be a whopper.
Tim finished cleaning up and helped Jared clean himself up after their passionate night of lovemaking.
Jared did not want to be late for his job—Mr. Harry needed his flowers this morning on the table beside the bed and at the breakfast table, so he needed to get going. "Tim, you got the key. Lock up when you leave."
Jared didn’t walk so freely as he left the cottage. He could feel every thrust that Tim did the night before—it was wonderful. He could feel the seeds already working.
Jared was on the job and was clipping roses when Zack walked up. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"I’m feeling very good, Sir. I’m a little sore from being stretched for the first time, but Tim was fantastic. I know what someone making love to you feels like now." Jared paused, his expression growing sad. "It’s just too bad that I have to go back to the J&J."
Zack put his hand under Jared’s chin and lifted it up, looked into his eyes. "You’re at home now, Jared. The Z1 is your home. You don’t have to go anywhere, you don’t owe anybody a damned thing. The baby that you are carrying—Tim’s—will know nothing but peace and love."
"And I have a message for you from Ed and Carter. You are to go to their home when you get off work. You will not return back to your cottage—you will stay with them until after the baby is born. Then the choice is yours to stay there with them as a family, with Tim as the father of your child and as many children as you want to have with him. Or you can stay somewhere else of your choice."
"But how—I owe the J&J money. I have to give them three of my children before I can leave," Jared looked at Mr. Zack with confusion.
"Trust me, young man, you owe them nothing. Your bill has been taken care of. You’re free, just like every Genman is free. They never have to answer to anyone about where they wish to live and how many children they wish to have and who they must have them with."
Jared started crying. "Can I hug you, sir?"
Zack nodded his head yes. Jared gave him the biggest hug he could and told him he would make him proud—he would make sure that Tim had as many children as he possibly wanted. "He told me how you took care of him, how you raised him to make him a better person. And these children, when I have as many as he wants, will come to know how great of a man Tim’s Uncle Zack is."
Jared wiped his tears. "I need to get back to work. Mr. Harry needs his roses so that he’s not sad. He’s got a lot here—in fact, he’s got everything he needs, but sometimes he needs to know. I know you’re busy, Mr. Zack, but you’re never too busy for him and those babies he carries for you."
"Thank you for your words of wisdom. I’ll carry the roses to him myself," Zack smiled.
Jared picked out the most beautiful roses—Harry’s favorite ones—wrapped them in some baby’s breath, and handed them in a sleeve to Zack.
Zack kissed his forehead and headed into the main house to deliver the roses to the future dad of his twins.