Authors: LaVenia R. Boswell
“May I touch Aunt Mary's stomach?” he asked Mark with hesitancy.
“Of course you can! Beth would like that,” Mary answered.
David walked over to her and placed both hands over her abdomen. Everyone was watching him in anticipation. He frowned for a few seconds, then his face lit up like a Christmas tree.
“She's beautiful, Mama!” he said, turning his head to look at Melody. “She's so beautiful. I love her. She's not afraid now.” Then he stepped back to where his dad was and took Jon's hand.
“David, I know that she must be beautiful, but could you see her?” Mary asked his still smiling face.
“No, I couldn't
see
her. She's beautiful
inside
. But I bet she's beautiful outside as well.” He blushed brightly and ran out the door.
Everyone was speechless. They had no doubt of what he said. David never lied.
The birth was without complications, but she had been moved into the special birthing room that Melody and her had designed. There was all the needed equipment, as well as a regular bed that had a part that dropped down to allow the doctor to handle the delivery better with her legs in warming stirrups. Included were a small drink bar and couches and soft chairs. There was a heavy drapery screen to be used when needed.
An elevator had been installed when Mary was around three months into the pregnancy. A pregnant woman no longer had to climb the stairs. Melody had thought of everything that would make pregnancy comfortable and safe. She still frequently asked Jonathan for a daughter but he remained steadfast.
There had been several hundred marriages by the time Beth was born. All the brides were in various stages of pre-natal care. The birthing room would get a good working out. They all came to the labs for visits so the birthing room was located underground almost next door to the doctor's now plush offices. The birthing room had been designed to be divided if needed to allow complete sound proof privacy for each family, up to three at a time.
Melody had left her interior designing and was now a very appreciated part of their Redesign Team. They redesigned homes to accommodate the rapidly increasing growth of the people.
Jonathan had been talking about those who wanted to might be able to return to H'trae with their new families. He alleged that he was very happy here, but sometimes she saw him looking up into the sky and she felt him missing H'trae. This made her nervous.
In only fifteen months David grew to full manhood. He looked approximately twenty earth years of age. His exceptionally fast aging had slowed to an almost stop. He now openly and habitually discussed the fact that he could barely wait for Beth to turn at least sixteen.
David had watched Beth grow and had been extremely protective of her. Their telepathy seemed to be limited only to each other. David admitted he still didn't have full control over it. Mel and Mary figured out that Beth's own determination is what kept David's ability limited, after all she was female and females have to have their secrets.
Mark and Jonathan had many talks about the need for David to allow Beth to grow older before he asked to complete the Bonding ceremony.
“Mom! Where's Dad?” David called out in his deep husky voice as he came in from the pool.
Melody was still constantly startled every time she saw her son. He was a man now and looked like Jonathan's twin brother. They had the same eyes and build. His hair was cut short and curly on top but the rest of his mane was long and as black as Jon's. He was extraordinarily handsome. He had her fuller lips and that just added to his appeal.
“Sweetheart, he's in the lab with Uncle Mark. Why? Is something bothering you?” She saw that he had an odd look on his face. “David, come here please and talk to me.”
He dried off and sat down beside her on the porch swing. “Mom, have I told you lately just how beautiful you are? Dad's the luckiest man ever born. If I weren't your son I'd Bond with you today and forget Beth!”
She kissed his sincere face and hugged him to her. “David, I love you with all my heart. Thank you! That's the sweetest compliment a man has ever given me. Besides, we are bonded, a mother and son bond, and our's is the strongest in the universe. Now,” she looked into his sparkling blue eyes. “What's the problem?”
His face started to blush then he got control of it, “Mom, I need Beth, badly. Dad and Uncle Mark don't seem to understand our feelings for each other. They know that we will Bond, but this waiting thing is driving me mad!”
Mel saw that just him talking about her was causing his eyes to darken. Her son's needs were strong indeed. “David, I know that Beth returns these feelings for you, but as a woman, I know that she needs her physical development to reach a more mature state.” Then she cupped his chin and looked into his dark blue eyes for emphasis, “Beth will not be able to fully enjoy the pleasures you have planned for her until her body has more maturity. She'll be sixteen in another month, that's still awful young but it
will
be worth the wait. It would be even better if she were eighteen or nineteen, but I know you can't wait that long.”
“Mom, you're not even twenty! Maybe Beth is more mature than everyone thinks,” David said with doubtful eyes.
“David, I've kept up with her physical as well as mental progress. Right now she's still a young girl, and believe me when I say, you will want a more mature woman to make your passionate love to. She'll be able then to respond to you as you've been dreaming she would. Just keep
that
in mind while you look at her now.”
Then a sudden thought came to her, “David, who's been teaching you about the Complete Bonding?”
“Dad has told me some things, but he wouldn't elaborate because of you being my mother, it wouldn't be seemly. Uncle Mark has told me other things, but then again, he's hesitant to teach me because I will be doing those things to his daughter, so he feels uncomfortable. Besides,
all
he talks about is gentleness. I think I know full well how to be gentle with Beth, I'm not an animal!”
Melody saw the dilemma, “Well, ask me, I'll be more than happy to share my knowledge. Your dad had a master for a teacher and he's got to be the very best.”
“MOM?! I can't do that! You're my MOM!” David exclaimed, jumping up, disbelieving what she just said.
“Sit down, David! I may be only a woman but I can share with you a few things that another woman likes to feel. I can do it without making either one of us uncomfortable, I think.”
He saw that she was only trying to help the son that she loved so dearly. He loved her even more for trying to make the effort. “Mom, if you get uncomfortable, just stop. I'm thrilled that the most desirable woman in the known galaxies is willing to share her secrets with me, even if she is my mother!”
Melody ordered iced tea for them both then she proceeded to tell him of the fears that Beth will be having, as well as the desires. She explained and described for him the joys of touching and kissing. The need for gentleness was explained clearly, as well as occasional roughness if his mate indicates the desire. She taught him the need of seeking out what his mate’s wants are and trying to fulfill them.
She ended with, “David never let her worry unnecessarily. Be open and truthful to her at all times, while being careful to spare her feelings if it's needed. Remember she will love you with a love that's unconditional and unrestrained, never abuse it. Always put her needs first.”
David was tearful with love and respect for his mother when she finished. “Mom, when Beth asks me who my teacher was I'll proudly and truthfully say, a Master. I would rather wait until her emotions have matured more, now. I'll go find Dad, he said that he could show me some movies that could somehow show me more about these Stirrings, do you know what they are?”
“I have a sneaking suspicion, but, that’s a male thing. I'm sure Jon will explain it to you better than I,” Melody said calmly, trying to hide her shock.
David strolled his handsome hulk through the door in search of his father and that knowledge Jon had told him about.
“Mel, sweetheart, what did you say to David that has him so much more relaxed?” Mary asked the next day. “I've been afraid to let Beth out of the house. But, he came by today and his eyes were sky blue the whole time.” She sat on the sofa in Mel's study.
“Jon and I had a little talk with him and he suddenly understood the need for Beth to mature emotionally as well as physically for an excellent Bonding to take place. His love for her is very strong and he doesn't want her to feel any less for him,” Melody said truthfully.
“Well, I'm relieved! It's been hard enough but when her brother Mike started acting as her protector, well, we really started worrying.” Mary had indeed been worried, as had all of them. David and Beth's wedding was going to be a truly royal affair and they didn't want anything to happen to mar the occasion.
“David is royalty Mary, he has the strength to control himself. He just had to mature, to be able to do it,” Melody said defensively.
“Oh, Mel, I know that sweetheart! We know David's a wonderful person and I love him like my own two son's. We're really more worried about Beth's raging hormones. We both know how they can break down the strongest of men.” Then they both laughed realizing the truth of it.
“As women we certainly do wield a lot of power over the strongest of the species, don't we?” Melody giggled.
Then she sobered as she said, “Except, I still can't get Jonathan to make me pregnant!”
“Melody are you still on that kick? Why don't you just let it drop for a while?” Mary said feeling sorry for her friend.
“I have let it drop, almost. He did tell me that after David is
safely
married, that he would think about it. He will not explain why I can't have another child even though there have been hundreds of births now and all have been safe ones,” Melody said as she walked to the window to watch Mary's children play in the pool.
CHAPTER TEN: GIRL'S NIGHT OUT
“Mel, let's have a beach party tonight? What do you say? We haven't done anything exciting in over three months!” Mary asked excitedly.
“That's a great idea! But let's go shopping first. I feel an urge to use some of my credit cards coming on! That will surprise Jon,” Melody stated getting caught up in the excitement.
“What are you planning on buying?” Mary asked seeing a sneaky look come over her friend's face.
“The sexiest things I can find! I'm going to break down Jon's resistance, somehow.” Melody called for the car then left a message for Jon and Mark that the two women would be shopping.
“Mel, this is exciting! I haven't been shopping in ages. I guess I've become a real bore to Mark in the process.” Mary looked suddenly sad.
“Why do you say that, Mary?” An understanding look came into her eyes. “Has Mark been spending a lot of his time in the labs lately? Up until late at night?”
“Yeah, how did you guess?”
“Jon's been doing the same thing. I thought that he was just trying to stay away from me so I wouldn't badger him about a baby.” Mel looked thoughtful for a long while, then she said, “I think I know a way we can find out what they're up to.” Melody rolled up the soundproof window between them and the driver.
“Mary, Jon told me once that they have a camera that can look through walls and stuff. If we can get to the view screens, then we might be able to observe what they're up to. I'm curious as to exactly how they spend their days and nights.”
“Could we do it? How will we know how to locate them?” Mary asked.
“We'll just scan all the screens until we get the hang of it. It shouldn't be too difficult. If I concentrate real hard sometimes, I get glimpses of some of Jonathan's knowledge, I'll just concentrate on what he knows about the screens.”
They arrived at the mall and became like teenagers again. They shopped until they were exhausted. Melody got a little bit of everything at Fredrick's then picked up several things at
Victoria
's Secret. They smiled and giggled at the men's attire that Fredrick's had. Both bought their hubby's a ‘G-string’ for men.
Finally they headed home. As they passed by a nice restaurant lounge they decided to have a late lunch and a few cocktails.
Once inside they got plastered before the lunch arrived, both had gone on almost empty stomachs. Several men in the lounge saw them and each tried to make his move on them.
They lingered a long time over lunch trying to sober up before going back home. After a while they got involved in a lengthy discussion and ordered more drinks.
David had just gotten off the phone with their driver when Jon asked him if the women had gotten back home yet. “No Dad and I'm getting worried, it's dark. The driver I just called, said that they were in a lounge and appeared to be drinking and laughing too much. Dad, he also said that the last time he looked that a group of men had gathered at a table near them and appeared overly interested in watching them.”
Jonathan's face became flaming red. He got Mark and the three of them went to get the wayward women.
“Mary, where did this drink come from? I didn't order it, did I?” Melody collapsed into a series of giggles just thinking about it suddenly appearing in front of her.
“No, Mel, hey, Mel, I didn't order the last two drinks. Now tell me again, how are you going to seduce Jonathan?” Mary, leaned back against the back of the booth they were in and anxiously awaited the story one more time. She thought that Mel almost had it perfected, but not quite.
David and Jonathan rushed in blocking a struggling Mark in the doorway. They looked around and finally saw the giggling girls. David started to go to his mother, then Jon held him back.
Jon grinned at Mark and the men each understood. They would let the women go on until they got themselves sick or in trouble. They took a seat in a dark corner and Jon ordered them each a drink.
Looking at his son he said, “David, you'll learn that women will get themselves into as much trouble as they can. You always have to stay a step ahead or they'll surprise you.”
Melody was leaned over the table telling Mary something when Mary cackled loudly, “Mel, that ought to drive him crazy!”
They shared this bantering back and forth until a man from a nearby table came over to them. “Ladies, I see that you've been enjoying the drinks that me and boys have been sending over. How about letting us join you two beautiful ladies?”
“Are you for real? No way! We buy our own drinks, thank you,” Melody said looking startled at his interruption.
“I beg to differ with you, but I believe that we deserve at least a little friendly conversation from you girls!” He was becoming obnoxious and neither woman wanted to pursue this any further. They started getting up, gathering a few small bags and their purses. A couple of the other men went to their friend to encourage the women to either stay a while or to go with them.
David was eagerly waiting for his dad to turn him loose on them. No man had ever dared to talk to his mother this way! “Not just yet David, let's see what the women do now.”
Mary plowed through them saying, “If you gentlemen will excuse us, we have to meet our husbands now.”
One of the men grinned at his comrades, “How much will it cost us? A couple hundred a piece? We have it! Then you little ladies can do some more shopping for sexy things like these.” He grabbed one of Melody's bags and lifted out a silk teddy. “Hey, I'll give a hundred just to see you wear this!”
Jonathan nodded at David. The three tall, masculine men swaggered slowly over to the small group. “Hey, Sweetheart. I'm sorry we're late,” Mark said as he pushed his way through to Mary.
“Mark?!” Mary was shocked, how did he get here?
“Are these men bothering you two?” David asked. Melody saw David's face was furious.
“Uh . . . well, sort of,” Melody finally stammered as she suddenly saw Jonathan sizing up one of the other men.
“Hey! We meant no harm! We just thought that they might need a chaperon until you guy's could get here,” one of them said, realizing that the three new men could wipe the floor with them.
“Jon, I just want to go home!” Melody pleaded.
“No way! We just got here, come on, we have a larger table over there,” Jonathan said as he picked up the bags and snitched the teddy from the man's extended shaky fingers.
The women were greatly relieved, but, were wondering what else their husbands would have to say about it.
“Now Mel, what is it that you were drinking?” Jonathan asked innocently.
She didn't like the mischievous smirk on his face.
“I'm not thirsty,” she replied.
“Sure you are, Mel. I know that you like those Colada things, that's what you were having so many of, wasn't it?”
“Jon really! I just want to go home. Now let's go.”
But he decided that he would be stubborn about it. “Come on Mel, don't be a party pooper. We haven't gone out and let our hair down since David was an infant.” He reached behind his head and undid his ponytail, shook his head vigorously and instantly looked like an extremely handsome, young rock star. “Anyway, this is David's first time in a place like this, he needs it as a learning experience.”
Mel and Mary looked like they were in complete and total shock as David and Mark followed Jonathan's example and loosed their hair as well, tossing it wildly to get the effect they wanted.
“You look like some wild rock group!” Mary hissed at them in disapproval.
“I know!” David said with a grin. “But, at least we're decent looking! Dad and Uncle Mark are much better looking than anyone I've ever seen on MTV.”
Melody finally laughed, joining in with the gaiety of her son, “Decent my foot! Thank the Planets, you don't realize just how heart-stoppingly beautiful the three of you are! I'll wager you two hundred dollars that the next woman who walks in here will not keep her eyes off the three of you. She won't be able to help herself!”
Melody noticed with questioning eyes the drink that her son was drinking. Jon gave her a nod that said that he had approved it. After all her son was now a man in all respects physically and mentally.
Just as Mel had predicted, in walked a small group of career women just off from work. They couldn't keep from oogling the three men and acted openly jealous of the two women with them, giving Mary and Mel catty looks.
One of the women was brazen enough that she came over to the table, noticing that David seemed to be the one without a date she asked him to dance. David surprised them all as he readily accepted.
The girl picked out some wild song on the coin disk player then turned to David. He pulled her to him and immediately began some modern slow hip gyration that was very suggestive. They danced like that for two songs. When another came on they did something else that was equally provocative but where their bodies didn't touch so much.
“Jon! Where in the world did he learn all that!” Mary exclaimed. Just watching them was embarrassing to her. She had never seen anyone dance like that.
“All the kids are watching the internet and U-Tube and such. They love it. David has even tried his hand at singing and does a really good job of it. Mike plays some kind of electronic music maker, Mary. You should visit our music room sometime, if you can stand the noise.” Jonathan laughed.
“I'm so glad it's sound proof. But Mary, it's not unlike the music we used to dance to just a couple of years ago,” Melody said.
Jonathan stood and looking very seductive asked Melody to dance with him. He was grinning too broadly, she thought as they got on the dance floor. He proceeded to exactly imitate the same dance that David was doing.
“Where did you learn this?” Melody asked as he was doing a suggestive grind and leaned her backwards against him.
“Where do you think, I had a Master, remember!” He grinned. “I forgot until I was watching David just how very stimulating this really is.”
“I'll say. Look, Mark and Mary are dancing. This is still called dancing isn't it? Or have they given it a more appropriate name now?”
A slow song came on and David tapped his dad's shoulder, “May I have the next dance with this lovely lady?”
“She's all yours, just behave yourself!” Jonathan kidded as he started to go back to the table. Jon never made it to the table. More and more females had come in after the word had been spread about the three masculine hunks inside.