Amanda and Jeff Ch. 18

Tyrell was the first to speak up. "How the fuck could you do that to someone like Jeff? That man didn't think of me as a sex appliance for a movie; he saw me as a person. He helped me through the loss of my grandmother, helped me with college and my financial setup. Vince, you're really screwed up. That man forgave me even though I almost killed him on the set once. I saw him as an older brother. You people are fucked." He shouted as he left the deck, went in the house, and then headed out. The others could hear his car leaving rubber in the driveway.

"Anybody else wants to clear the air," Yvette asked.

The others raised their disgust, wanted to do something to make things right for Jeff. Eventually, the anger quieted down somewhat, and people started leaving. Most expressed sympathy to Amanda for the broken relationship with Jeff.

When it was just the three, Vince, Yvette, and Amanda were sitting in the living room nursing drinks.

Vince said, "Well, that didn't go as bad as it could have. I thought Tyrell was going to kill me. I didn't know Jeff meant that much to him or the rest of them. "

"Tyrell really liked Jeff," Amanda said. "Jeff tutored him through college. Jeff consoled him when his grandmother died; he helped him clean up the estate. He helped a few of the others with their financial matters. He did everyone's taxes for free."

Yvette chimed in. "And then he let all of us torment him in role-play or abuse him in the name of making a movie. He did try to keep professional and personal life separate."

Amanda sobbed, "Why didn't I get that? He tried to tell me again and again."

Yvette said, "I'm going to try to calm things with Jeff, do our best to make things up to him if we can. But I've got to do something to restore the trust in the crew. Vince, tell me we didn't fuck with anyone else the way you did, Jeff."

Vince answered, "No, just Jeff. That other couple, Julia and her sissy husband Brad, was all her doing. That was my inspiration for what I did to Jeff."

The conversation wound down, and they all went to bed together. It was a quiet night of cuddling; no one was in the mood for sex.

The following Monday, Yvette met with the owner of the film company that she and Jeff were supposed to be working with. The company worked within the genre of female domination. Yvette and Jeff were favorites on the set because of the chemistry between them and the taboo of a black woman dominating a white man.

Reba Jenkins was the owner of the other firm. Yvette had brought lunch with her. They were going to have a working lunch together.

"So what's up with the delay? Jeff injure himself somehow?" Reba asked.

"He's hurting but not physically. It's a long story, and I don't know how there's a happy ending in it." Yvette said.

"Do tell," Reba said.

Yvette told Reba the long, sordid tale.

"So, Vince tried to change the fantasy into reality. He should have known better. That's when people go to jail, or people wind up dead." Reba said.

"Well, I'm running the company now. I'm trying to fix things the best I can. I screwed up as well. Amanda is my best friend, and I was beginning to have some feelings for Jeff, more than just being my sub. I just want to try to make things better for the two of them; I can't fix what was done." Yvette said.

"Well, the delay doesn't hurt too bad. I don't want to lose the project though, you and Jeff were going to perfect. Do you think more money would bring him around?" Reba asked.

"He's not thinking finances right now; I told him there could be a suit if he broke the contract with you. He's sitting on a bit of money; he's been a genius with the finances." Yvette said, "We'll miss that with the company."

"Leave me his phone number; I'll try being nice first. Maybe I'll offer him a job over here since he doesn't want to work with your company anymore." Reba joked.

"I'd be happier if he did go to work for you; he'd be busy and not living in the middle of nowhere licking his wounds. Plus, I could come in and work with him." Yvette said.

"Some feelings there?" Reba asked.

"I always have feelings for my subs. It's why I can generate that chemistry, and I'll feel less guilty. Jeff's been a good sub through all of this." Yvette said. "I'd even discount my take if that would help."

"I'll see what I can do. I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Reba laughed.

"I'll bet you do, girl, I bet you do." Yvette laughed.

Jeff's solitude was disturbed by his cell phone ringing. He didn't recognize the number, so he took the call.

"Hello?" Jeff said.

"Hi, Jeff. This is Reba Jenkins from FD studios. I hope you remember me."

"Yeah, Reba. I remember."

"Yvette and I had lunch today, and she said you were wavering on not filming with us. I know you've suffered a loss lately, so I'm cool with delaying the production, but I need you to live up to your word and fulfill your contract with us. Other people's livelihoods depend on it. I know that other people have let you down, so you know how much it hurts, so please consider that. I can give you a larger slice of this film, but we need to make this film. It's a good project."

"I don't know. So the word is out," Jeff sighed.

"Look, I know you're hurt. I know you're severing ties with that mess Vince built. Come work for me; we always keep the acting on the set; it never gets forced into anyone's real life. You did well so far; you have a fan base, you're recognizable, and you're good."

"Thank you. I'll think about it. I don't need to work, but I suppose it would give me something to do."

"Are you still comfortable working with Yvette?"

"She's the only one that didn't pretend to be nice to me while screwing me over. She was usually upfront with me. Are you aware of what her husband and that criminal of a doctor did to me?"

"She told me, and she also told me that she feels guilty about it because she didn't see her husband's bullshit until it was too late."

"I told her that I would let her know on Thursday. I'll just tell you now that I'll go through with the project. If you have some ideas about future projects, you can email them to me."

"That's great. I look forward to working with you and seeing you around the studios."

Jeff provided his email address, and they ended the phone call.

A few weeks later, Jeff was at the studio owned by Vince and Yvette. His ownership in the company had been bought out, but he still had a share in the company. He had been working with the new accounting firm to transition the financials. The official change would be at the end of the quarter, and he would have to be available should any questions about his work came up. Yvette was doing a good job managing the firm and sat in on the meetings with the accounting firm.

Yvette had asked Jeff for a private meeting one afternoon. Jeff was on site cleaning up his office anyway. He reported to Yvette's office at the time she requested. When he entered the office, he saw Yvette and Amanda sitting at a conference table.

"Jeff, thank you for joining us," Yvette said.

Amanda was nervously quiet. Jeff closed the door and sat down.

"Well, the participants of this meeting are a surprise," Jeff said.

"I'm sorry to surprise you like this, but if I had told you, would you have come?" Yvette asked.

"Good point. Well, let's get on with what you all have to say. I know it's awkward, but I hope you can come to the point right away." Jeff said, trying to be as unemotional as possible.

Amanda finally spoke with her voice cracking. "Please come home."

Jeff answered, "I live in my home now. Your house is not my home. I've told my lawyer that the estate was going to be split evenly with you getting the house and me keeping my father's camp and cabin."

Amanda said, "I don't want a divorce. I've missed you since you moved out."

"What do you miss? Me doing all the household chores? Me cooking all of the meals? Me pampering you all the time with no reciprocity?" Jeff answered forcefully.

"I took advantage of you, I know. I can only imagine how alone you must have felt. I know my word is no good to you, but I promise to change. I'll retire from the filming. Our house will be play-free. We can even have the open marriage you asked for in the beginning. I won't lie to you about giving up sex outside of the marriage; I don't think I could." Amanda said.

"An open marriage? Now that I'm sexually ruined, you offer me an open marriage? And I suppose I'll have to provide some support to you in raising Vince's baby," Jeff asked.

"It's our baby, Jeff, won't you believe me?" Amanda said.

"I see you're still living in denial. We're about a month from the due date. Do you want to have an amnio fluid draw to check for DNA, or are you going to wait until you deliver before you realize that your cheating and Vince's evil has caught up to you?" Jeff asked.

Yvette interrupted. "If Vince is the father, you won't have any support responsibilities for the child, Jeff."

"Amanda is giving the baby away? The child won't be living in the house with us?" Jeff asked.

"I'm not giving away our baby. We're raising our child." Amanda said.

Yvette said. "If Vince fathered the child, we expect that Vince and Amanda will share custody of the child; the child wouldn't always be living with you. How you and Amanda would work out parenting would be up to you two, I'd be a stepmom, and you could be a stepdad."

"I don't see anything in this arrangement that is good for me," Jeff said.

Yvette said, "Please think some more about this. What are you going to do with the rest of your life? If you walk out on Amanda, who do you have left? Outside of this company, how many friends do you have? Some of your co-workers have asked for you; they did like you and enjoyed working with you. When we told them the reason for your departure, Vince took a fair amount of heat; I think he's still getting the stink-eye from most of them. You told Reba that you'd finish the other project in progress but then said you weren't sure about others. Are you going to be a hermit living in the woods?"

"After what I've experienced from a loving wife and supposedly two dear friends, maybe I've got a different view on society, friendship, and relationships altogether. Maybe I need to heal before I can open up again." Jeff said.

Amanda pleaded. "Please come home. I'll make an effort. I'll change. If I don't, you can leave again. I want you to be part of our baby's life."

Jeff answered. "It took a lot of strength, mostly anger, to leave you, to leave the pain. I'm sorry, I can't risk it again. If I let you back in and you failed me, I think it would kill me." Jeff said.

Yvette asked, "Will you be there for the delivery in case Amanda is right about the paternity?

"I am right; it's Jeff's baby. I'm carrying Jeff's baby." Amanda said.

"I will stay local for the week of the due date. I'll go to the hospital if someone calls me." Jeff said.

"Then you'll see, it's your baby," Amanda said through her tears.

"Are we finished here?" Jeff asked.

"Thanks for coming by. I'll be in touch," Yvette said.

Jeff rose to leave; as he was walking out of Yvette's office, he heard Amanda pleading, "you'll see, it's our baby, your son."

Jeff shook his head as he walked away. When reality caught up to Amanda, she was going to have a breakdown.

Jeff visited the FD studio building. He met up with Reba, and she asked him about his recovery and being up to the filming schedule. Jeff explained that everything was better than before except his sperm count. He was able to get erections and ejaculate....just no children for him. Reba brought him to the medical office, where a nurse was waiting. Reba remained during the physical. When Jeff stripped naked, Reba noticed his muscle definition and said, "Are you working out? You look good. It will show a different story, instead of a wimpy sub, a strong man that submits."

"I have to. I put about two hours a day into it. My doctor has me on testosterone and steroids. My body isn't producing hormones on its own; it may eventually." Jeff said.

The nurse was making measurements, height, and weight. Reba asked, "What about the other matter?"

"I'm told my virility isn't going to come back. I'll be sterile forever." Jeff said.

"That sucks. We do everything at this studio to protect our actors. Our special effects crew manages to make things safe but realistic. We provide sperm bank services so our male actors can preserve sperm in case something goes wrong." Reba said.

"I know, I've filmed here before..." Jeff didn't finish his sentence, and his eyes met with Reba's.

"Did you provide sperm to our contracted lab?" Reba asked.

"Yes, I provided samples before every movie. I forgot about that. Are they still being stored?" Jeff said. "I figured after the film; they'd be destroyed."

"You would have had to agree to have them destroyed," Reba said. "I can make some phone calls."

The nurse hinted that the conversation was getting in the way of the physical.

Reba said. "Let me go do that. I'll get right back to you."

She left the exam room and returned to her office.

The nurse finished the exam, making light, small talk. She told Jeff that he was clear to work on the set. She asked that given his being sterile, he probably didn't have to visit the lab the company used for storing sperm. She told him that she thought what happened to him sucked and hoped that his previously collected sperm was still viable. In case he ever wanted children. He thanked the nurse for her thoughts and returned to Reba's office.

Reba was on the phone and held up an index finger to get Jeff to wait until she finished the call. So Jeff sat down. She was smiling when she hung up the phone.

"Well, the good news is the lab still has your sperm stored. There's no reason why it wouldn't be viable; it was when they stored it. They'd have to thaw it to make sure. I told them that it wasn't necessary at this time." She explained. She gave him a piece of paper with the lab's phone number and his account number. "You should contact the lab with further instructions. Granted, it's not the 'old fashioned way,' but if you wanted to, it looks like you could father children." Reba said.

Jeff looked at the paper, folded it, and put it in his pocket. "Thank you." He said quietly. "It's more than I had hoped for."

"We take care of our people. Sometimes a scene can get rough. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes people get hurt. No one's been hurt permanently; knock on wood." Reba said. "Of course, what Vince did to you was just criminal. How are things with Amanda?"

"As soon as she comes out of this dream world she's in; I might be able to proceed with the divorce. We're legally separated now. She insists the baby's mine. She won't have DNA drawn before birth. When she has the kid, I predict it will be pretty obvious. She's insisting I be there for the delivery."

"Are you?" Reba asked.

"In for a dime, in for a dollar. They can't humiliate me much more. At least the game will be over." Jeff sighed.

"And then what for you?" Reba asked.

"Retreat for a while; I've turned my interest in the company over. I've got enough money banked." Jeff said.

"Will you work for us?" Reba asked. "You've got a following; the movies that you're in are always selling."

"One movie at a time, if I like the project and the rest of the crew," Jeff said.

"Are you comfortable working with Yvette still?" Reba asked. "We've made some serious coin with the interracial femdom movies. People love to see a black woman torment a white boy." She laughed.

"No problem with Yvette, I mean, she was a real a bitch to me at first, but she never allowed things to get out of hand. She respects the safety, and that's important to a sub." Jeff said.

Reba relaxed in her chair. "It's going to be great to get you in the studio again. We can all make some money. I'll call you when we're going to get set up. How much notice will you need?" She asked.

Jeff was getting up from his chair. "A couple of weeks should be enough, not like I'm doing much now."

He left the office and the building and drove home.

Jeff was working on the books for the company still. They hadn't moved over to another accountant yet. Yvette asked him to come to her conference room; this time, she told him that Vince and Amanda would be there. Vince wanted to try to talk him out of divorcing Amanda. Jeff told Yvette that he would listen to what they had to say.

An hour later, all four were in Yvette's office.

Vince opened, "Jeff, you owe me nothing, but I'm going to ask you to reconsider your divorce from Amanda. It's not about money; we all have enough of that in no small part thanks to you, for the movies and your financial management of the company."

"Well, as you said, Vince, I owe you nothing. So if you're holding a 'quid pro quo,' this would be the time to unveil it." Jeff said.

"No, I have nothing to bargain with, but I have some information that might get you to reconsider your anger about my possible impregnation of Amanda and my duplicity in Dr. Jerome's sterilizing you."

Yvette interrupted, "Vince, what are you doing? What information do you have?"

"I was going over Dr. Jerome's notes on Jeff's physical before he came to work for us. Dr. Jerome's apparently did a sperm count on Jeff, and he was virtually infertile before working for us." Vince said.

"Vince, I'm going to caution you on this information. Are you sure it's true? Dr. Jerome wasn't the best for being truthful." Yvette asked.

"Vince, the information is false, or you are lying. Dr. Jerome never took a sperm sample from me. Are you going to say someone gave him something collected at a roleplay?" Jeff said calmly.

"No, Dr. Jerome's notes are quite clear," Vince said.

"As I said, the information is false, or you are lying; I don't have the time to deal with this bullshit; it changes nothing. But I will also tell you that before, I did each of those outsourced movies with FD studios. They did a sperm count and froze a total of eight deposits from me. Before storage, the samples were tested for viability and were good. See at FD; they know someone could get hurt in the production of a movie, especially the castration themes we did, so they have their actors store sperm in case something goes really bad." Jeff explained. "And if I was sterile, why would the good doctor drug me so I would be chemically castrated?"

The other three looked at Jeff. Vince swallowed; his only shot was flagged by Jeff as bullshit right away.

Amanda asked, patting her belly, "So if this isn't our baby, we can have one with your stored sperm?"

"No, I didn't say that. We're done. I'll be around until the baby is born so you can come out of the dream world you're in. I may opt to have those samples destroyed." Jeff said.

Yvette said, "Don't be impulsive, Jeff. Whether you reconcile with Amanda, and for the record, I hope you do, or you take up with another woman, you may want to be a father someday."

"Well, I'm going to take my leave from you, good people. It was a nice try, Vince, but as usual, I can't trust you." Jeff said, leaving the room. Jeff heard shouting in the room as he walked away.

Jeff arrived at the hospital and checked in. He was shown to Amanda's pre-delivery room. Amanda was on a bed in her hospital gown with an IV running. A blood pressure monitor was running. Vince and Yvette were there as well.

As Jeff entered the room, he placed a bouquet on her night table.

"Thank you for coming. Thank you for the flowers." Amanda said.

Despite the labor, she was in a very positive mood, almost euphoric.

Vince acknowledged him with a nod; he and Jeff were pretty cold to each other these days.

"Where are we on the schedule?" Jeff asked.