And Baby Makes Four

This is the 5th story in a collection called 'New Lives'. The first 4 stories were 'Ice Storm,' 'The New Guy,' 'Catastrophe' and 'Homecoming'

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As Paula carried newborn Julia into the house she recalled that time, not so long ago, when she first brought her grandson Michael into this house. Back then it had been Jane and Walt's home. Now Walt was gone and it was her home, too. That was the night her life changed. The night when she and Jane touched each other for the first time.

Had anyone told her what happened that night would set her life on a whole different path she would have thought they were crazy. To have fallen in love with another woman, and then fallen in love with a man, and then each of them fallen in love with the others -- that would have seemed like an impossible plot for a trashy Lifetime Channel movie -- a movie that would never have been made because it was so outlandish!

While Julia slept in her baby carrier, Jane made some tea and they sat around the table. At first, nobody said anything. The reality was finally settling in. Then Marc turned to Paula, took her hand looked deep into her eyes and said, "I love you, Paula." She smiled and whispered. " I love you, too." They turned to Jane, each took one of her hands, and said, "I love you." She was so overcome with emotion she began to cry. She could barely speak the words," I love you, too." They held on to each for a while without saying anything else.

Then Julia began to cry and it was like a trumpet reveille that woke them up to the fact that they were starting an entirely new chapter of their life. First Jane and Paula (and Michael) got together. Then Jane and Paula added Marc. Now Jane, Paula, and Marc had added Julia. She was their new life and love in one tiny brand-new bundle. They were happier than they had ever been at any time in their lives. But they were worried, too. They did not know how they were going to make it work.

Their trepidation did not last long. They had decorated a baby's room for Julia but, at the last moment, Paula got out the old bassinet Jane had bought for Michael when they first began spending time together. Julia immediately became a presence in their bedroom. Paula just wanted Julia to be close.

The first night, Paula went to bed early so she could breast feed Julia and put her to sleep. But when Jane and Marc came to bed, she was still awake. They immediately offered to let Paula have the bed to herself but she insisted they join her.

Jane laid next to Paula and Marc was next to Jane. Paula urged them to just fall asleep. When Julia fell asleep Paula would put the baby in her bassinet. Julia seemed interested in the two new people who came into her proximity. She looked at their faces and they reflexively smiled at her. She seemed to like being the center of attention.

But Julia did not fall asleep. Paula apologized and Jane told her it was okay. "This is all new for her. She's probably overwhelmed. She'll get used to it." Jane watched as Julia sucked at Paula's breast and reached her hand over to touch the baby, then began stroking her. Suddenly, a soft melody vibrated in the silence. Jane was singing. Both Marc and Paula were startled, and smiled at Jane. She did not notice their smiles and just kept singing the lullaby. Julia watched Jane's face as she sang.

Marc surrendered himself to the lilting melody of Jane's lullaby. He closed his eyes, and drifted into a twilight sleepiness. He did not notice that his penis had begun to stiffen. Without being aware of it, he moved his crotch closer to Jane's ass. She felt his erection through the cloth of her panties and his pajamas. She was startled but concentrated on the lullaby.

The way they slept together it was normal for Marc to ease himself toward one ass or the other, depending on who was lying next to him. It usually meant that some kind of sexual activity was about to commence. Jane and Marc had slept together while Paula was in the hospital after Julia's birth, but they had not had any sex. Jane assumed Marc was just horny. She thought she might take care of him later, after Julia was asleep. She knew Marc would not press himself onto her. He was always a gentleman.

Next morning, Marc slept late and came into the kitchen as Jane and Paula were having breakfast. He overheard Paula say, "He what?"

"He got hard."

"While you were singing?" Jane nodded. "Whoa. I don't want to even think about why he did that," she said, smiling.

"Did what?" Marc asked, sleepily.

"Um, Jane says her lullaby got you hard?" Marc suddenly woke up.

"Yeah, I guess it did."

"Um, you wanna talk about it?" Paula teased.

"What do you mean?"

"Did your mama used to sing to you?" Jane teased. Marc looked at her but did not answer. He was not sure why she asked. "C'mon, Marc. You can tell us. Did your mamma's lullabies excite you when you were an itty-bitty baby?"

"I don't think she ever sang to me."

"Well, maybe Sarah sang to Caroline and that's what turned you on?"

"If Sarah did, it was not when I was around."

"So.....why last night?" Marc shrugged but did not reply. "Did you know lullabies turned you on?" Marc remained silent. He knew they were teasing him, and he liked it, but he could not think of a reply. Finally, he thought of a way to tease them back.

"You know, I don't think it was just the lullaby. I think it was the person who was singing it."

"You mean me?" Jane asked, in mocking disbelief. Marc smiled and nodded. "You're sure?"

"Only one way to find out," Marc said. Jane shook her head.

"Down boy. You'll have to wait until tonight." The three of them smiled.

"She loved it, though, didn't she?" Marc said, nodding toward Julia. Paula nodded. He turned to Jane, "Did you plan it?"

"No. I didn't. I forgot I even knew those old songs. They just came back to me."

"I'm glad they did," Paula said, smiling at Jane, "It was beautiful." She paused again. "Despite lover-boy, here," she added, grinning at Marc. He sheepishly grinned back, and then reached out both his arms to clasp their hands. Nobody felt the need to say anything else. The only sound in the room was Julia sucking milk from Paula's nipple. It was more beautiful than any lullaby they could imagine.