And Baby Makes Four Ch. 01

Cory was finally getting around to organizing his garage and getting some type of work area set up. He had purposely bought this house as the two-car garage had an expanded area for potential as a workshop area. Even though he had been living here for 8 months, he was just getting around to it, compensating for a busy work schedule that included a bit too much time on the Navy bases around the Norfolk area. Not that the time at work really bothered him, being divorced for three years, and he enjoyed the activity; he had no one to answer to except himself.

The sound of a large truck coming down the street and its air brakes engaging, drew his attention to the front of his garage. Picking up his cold brew as he wandered out to his driveway as anyone would do. A commercial moving truck had pulled up and parked in front of the house next door. It was soon followed by a much smaller van from the same company and two cars. From the small van, 3 guys exited and started opening the various doors on the larger truck and then pulling out the ramps. From the cars, a man and woman left them and headed to the house.

New folks in the neighborhood! Finally, Cory thought, maybe he would no longer be the curiosity. Mainly a subdivision of 30 somethings, married and starting families, he would no longer be the standout being divorced and no kids. He had chosen the area since it was an easy commute to work and quick access to the beaches. The couple, he assumed, looked at the younger side of thirty if not just before that milestone, while he was rapidly approaching the opposite end. He chuckled a bit as he turned and headed back into his shop area figuring he better get hot on finally unpacking before his new neighbors did.

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Darlene almost ran from the car to their new house...their very first house! No more apartments! Her husband, Dana, was close behind her, just as excited about the new home as she was. He wasn't as bored with apartments as his wife was, but he knew her urge to have a space for a family was at the forefront of her thoughts. Dana was comfortable with small spaces since he lived a lot on board naval ships on cruises. Darlene held up at the front door after opening it and turned to him.

"Carry me across the threshold, lover!", she all but shouted with a huge grin.

Laughing, Dana scooped her up in his arms and used his foot to push open the door, stepped them across the threshold, then landed a big kiss on Darlene's lips. He couldn't wait to christen this new abode properly with her, but that would have to wait until the movers got everything in and they had some privacy. He'd take every opportunity he could to make sure her desire for a child happened as they had been trying for several years now.

Dana kissed her deeply, then said, "OK, a plan. You stay here at the door and direct the movers to what room the items go to as they bring them in and check them off that master list. As soon as they get our bedroom pieces in, I'll start setting up our bed and unpack the urgent boxes for the kitchen and bathrooms."

"You got it, lover! I can't wait to make this house a home with you," she replied with a bright smile and eager face with another deep kiss that signaled so much more contact soon.

Darlene anxiously checked off the boxes and furniture pieces as the moving guys brought the items in. All the while hoping this new duty station and their house would bring them the luck of getting pregnant finally. She just wanted it to happen, tired of all the tests and frustrations of what seemed so simple for other women. Some issues had been identified with Dana's sperm. It wasn't just screw more; in fact, they were on a strict schedule to only do so at the right time in her cycle. These next few days were prime time, and he was leaving for three days, back in for four then gone four 4 weeks. She hoped this try would finally take, but his time at sea complicated things even more by her being peak fertility but Dana out to sea.

Darlene dutifully checked off the items, while her mind was running fast forward. On the drive here, Dana and she had a long conversation about their mutual desire for kids. They ran through their options as presented by the doctors. They had concluded that his infertility issues were not going to go away, even with hormones. It would be extremely unlikely that her pregnancy would happen naturally by him. He also seemed to fully understand her reluctance for IVF, even if they could afford the cost. For her, it seemed so mechanical, or laboratory like without any human connection associated with it. It just sent a shiver up her spine to think about it. She wondered if he would come around to her thought of someone directly impregnating her. He gasped at first when she mentioned reading about it, but his first question about it was how they would choose someone. Not the act itself, but on who. Darlene was taking that as a positive sign that he was open to the idea.

The crew unloading the truck were fast. Boxes quickly stacked in the appropriate rooms per Darlene's guidance. Then came the furniture pieces. Dana started arranging the bed frame pieces and suddenly realized he needed some tools to connect the head and foot boards. He had no idea where his tools were as the movers were stacking all the odd stuff in the garage. He could see his toolboxes were buried behind a wall of boxes 3 or 4 deep. Sigh, it would take an hour to dig out and find what he needed.

"Hey Darlene, I'm going to see if the neighbor can loan me the tools, I need to get the bed together. Mine are just completely buried in the garage."

Darlene chuckled as her mind was already thinking about that bed set up, "Okay, lover! Hopefully all your "tools" are not hidden! There's one that I most definitely need later!"

Dana, as he walked next door, thought, just three days to have another try during her prime time. Then three days out, four days in, then 4 weeks gone. Which meant it would be now or a long time before she would be at the prime time again, and he would be home. He didn't even want to think about the impending 6-month cruise just a short week after the 4 weeks out. He supposed they would try during the days in, but it wouldn't be likely, even if he didn't have issues.

Just all those chances that would be lost for the two of them to achieve their dream of a baby. So, it boiled down to now or after that long cruise before he had the possibility of giving both what they dreamed of since getting married. He was still somewhat surprised at her suggestion of a physical donor. He fully understood her reluctance to IVF and how mechanical it was. Hell, he still wasn't over having to give so many samples for testing. It was embarrassing as hell to do it and then discuss the results, especially with a female doctor, let alone handing a sample of his sperm to the female lab tech. He was shocked that he had so indirectly agreed to a physical deposit to cause pregnancy. No way he could back down now. It was all about satisfying their desires, and unexplainable to himself, he didn't have a real issue over her being with someone else, intimately, if it achieved their desires.

Dana enters the garage, "Hello! I'm Dana Edwards, your new neighbor. I was hoping you could help me out with a couple of tools to get some furniture set up."

Cory came around the corner of the work area. "Hey, I'm Cory James. I'll be glad to help you out. I know how hectic move in day is. Tell me what you need, and can I offer you a brew or water?"

"Nice to met you. Sure, I could use a brew, it's been a long hectic day. I could use a medium sized #2 Phillips and a 6" crescent hammer if you got them."

Cory grabbed a couple of brews from the refrigerator designed as if a toolbox, a luxury for sure but so many macho points. "I'm still trying to get squared away after being here for 8 months. It's a never-ending job."

"I've only got three days to get Darlene settled in before heading out to sea. We just got transferred down from Connecticut and I'm catching the final preps for a more extended cruise and things are rushed. Not the best way to introduce the wife to a completely new area."

Cory nodded, "She'll find the area quite friendly. Lots of Navy wives and families in this sub-division that I'm sure will be helpful. I do some engineering work at the bases around here. If she has any questions about the area, tell her she is free to hit me up, Dana."

"That's great to know, Cory. I'm on a tight in port time frame on this transfer here. Just the needs of the military stuff." He filled in Cory on his upcoming schedule, without mentioning the main reason for his concern.

"I don't envy you guys and the sea time. I've been seeing this for quite a few years working different bases. My hats' off to you folk for doing a great service. I'll just opt to stay home and support in the ways I can."

Dana finished off the brew, "Well, I got to get back and finish of setting up our bed. Then do what I can before heading out in two days. Nice to meet ya!"

"Like wise, Dana. I'm always around if you folks need help."

Dana headed back home, tools in hand. It looked like the moving crew was just about done. He filled Darlene in on the neighbor Cory, and told her it seemed like they had an easy-going neighbor that could be a great source of info on this area, and he was familiar with the Navy bases as he worked on them.

"Maybe we should invite him over tomorrow night for burgers. Just a quick social thing, as I'm sure we need all the time together we can, babe."

"Sounds good lover. Now get that bed set up. It's been a long day and I have plans for us", she said with that look he had come to know very well. Her eyes had a way to express that primal desire so well. The movers headed out and Darlene ordered delivery Chinese for them. Dana finished the bed set up, paused for dinner then got the stereo up and going, then the TV and sound system. Before they knew it, it was 10 PM.

Darlene's announcement was more than welcome, "That's it for one day lover. I have this deep urge for a hot shower with you and some moving in by you into me."

Dana didn't need any more prompting. This hitting it every four weeks or so was painful at best, and even if he was shooting blanks, he needed this connection with his wife. He just couldn't get enough of her and was so far behind from all the time at sea, which was bound to get even larger soon. They all but raced to the new bedroom and both had stripped along the way, as they had been doing for months when her time was right, according to all the doctors. She wanted him in her and hoped that this time would really take. They affectionately soaped each other up, while exploring one another in that way comfortable lovers can do. After rinsing, they didn't even bother to dry off much, it was an urgency they both felt tremendously.

Darlene felt his urgent thrusting and matched it back, both knowing the force wouldn't make her pregnant, but it felt good, as if they were doing something more purposeful to make things happen. Two more nights and even when he was back for 11 days over the next 40 days, he wouldn't be in for the right time for a long while. They needed to finalize her alternative solution to the impersonal IVF. She felt him release into her, every bit of her hoping that each pulse was the one that mattered. All the while thinking how they can pick the right donor that can make it really happen.

The next morning, before Dana headed out to the base to officially check in off leave, he asked, "Do you think you can return those tools to Cory? I hate to keep them any longer than needed and give him a bad impression of his new neighbors. Don't forget to invite him over for dinner tonight. I'll get home as soon as possible babe to help with the unpacking."

"Sure lover, we only have two more nights to hit it big time. I so wish you didn't have so much time away coming up, but I realize this is our life with being in the Navy. Hope your day is great." With a quick kiss he was out the door. She sighed as she watched him pull out, had some more java, and got presentable to take the tools back and then planned on getting as much of the kitchen items unpacked and turning this house into home even though Dana had so much away time coming up.

Darlene, who didn't really want to be the one returning the tools with so much unpacking to do, cautiously knocked on the front door at Cory's house. She had no reason to be so nervous, just her natural tendency to be shy. It had been a hectic day of moving in yesterday, with last night an intense round of love making for their mutual needs of a baby. What kind of impression was she about to make?

Cory, on a day where he was somewhat working from home, had just filled his mug up, headed for the front door, quizzical on who it could be as he wasn't expecting any deliveries. Opening the door in his cutoffs and shirtless, he was somewhat taken aback with a flash of recognition of his visitor, but he instantly shoved the thought aside as foolish.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

Darlene just stood there for a few seconds, shocked at who she was looking at...it couldn't be, could it? It had to be a mistake on her memory, no way was that her cousin Cory, just someone who looked similar. Right? His light blonde hair and deep green eyes almost matched hers.

"Umm...Hello! I'm Darlene Edwards, Dana's wife from next door, your new neighbors. I was just returning the tools he borrowed yesterday...I hope I'm not disturbing you or anything."

"Cory James...not at all Darlene. No rush if you need them longer."

He had some distance memory of her face; it seemed somehow very familiar. That blonde hair and striking green eyes with such well-defined cheek bones, he couldn't help thinking he knew her.

"Hell, where's my manners? Please, come in and have a cup of coffee. I just made a fresh pot."

Darlene was hesitant at first but being polite, followed him inside. Looking around, she got a private chuckle as it was obvious, he was in the latter stages of unpacking himself. Cory gestured at the kitchen island stools, "Have a seat." He poured her a mug and grabbed some cream from the fridge and sat them on the counter.

"You'll need to excuse the mess, Darlene. I'm not the most efficient at moving in. Before I knew it, months had passed and I'm still procrastinating. Guess I'm too much of a work-acholic."

Laughing, "I imagine our place will be similar, though with Dana heading out to sea soon, I suppose I'll have plenty of idle time to get it all done, Cory. Umm...not to be forward but you look very familiar to me. Have we met before?"

Cory replied, "I kind of see you as being familiar also, Darlene. Besides college in Ohio, I've pretty much been working on the west coast naval stations. This is my first time on the east coast. Other than that, I am from Michigan."

"Really? I'm from Michigan also. Dana and I have primarily been stationed in the Connecticut base for the last few years, though we met just after high school in Adrian, Michigan."

Cory almost choked on his coffee, "Really!! That's where I am from. Wait...what's your maiden name? You are looking more familiar suddenly."

Darlene had a flash of a memory. James. It couldn't be, could it? "It's Richardson. Oh my God! Cory James! I had an aunt and uncle with the last name James! Are your parents Denise and Edward?"

Setting his coffee down, "They sure were! Holy hell, now it clicks! You're one of Jo and Brett's kids! We're cousins!"

For the next hour they hashed over old times, both amazed at how life had placed them next door to one another. Not that they were ever that close considering she was only 10 when he graduated from high school then off to college and various employment around the country. She did embarrassingly admit to him that all the younger girl cousins thought he was "hot stuff", which gave him quite a chuckle.

He admitted getting out of their hometown was a priority, just wanting to see the country a bit after completing college. And a brief run down on his try at marriage which wasn't compatible with passion for work and its challenges. Darlene countered that Dana, and she had similar challenges with his at sea time but were handling it well.

"Well, I should head back and get my buns to unpacking, Dana won't be home much and the more that happens before he leaves, the better. Please stop over for some quick burgers tonight around 6 PM. Looking forward to us getting to know our neighbor!"

Cory smiled, "Sure. Anything I can do to help you folks get used to the area, just let me know. I'm sure I can make you're transition here easier and fruitful."

Darlene headed back home, so blown away with realizing her cousin was living next door. Then blushed like hell that she had mentioned him being "hot stuff". A part of her quietly admitting that he still was, but maybe even in a new aspect. And why was this thought already running through her mind?

She worked for several hours on the unpacking, knowing the need to make things look as presentable as possible before Dana got home, and Cory came over. Not the one to ever give the appearance of a Good Housekeeping photo shoot, but she felt a need for things to look good. She was almost scared to admit what she was already thinking of Cory as a possible father before even having the time to discuss it with Dana.

Dana arrived before she knew it and filled him in on her meeting Cory when she returned the tools. He was just shocked.

"You're kidding me! You're cousin! How wild is that!"

"I know, Dana, it completely blew me away! Last time I saw him, he was getting out of high school, and I was barely 10. He is still so handsome. He did accept the offer for dinner, so you better get the grill going, lover."

Dana got the grill cleaned and going while Darlene made up the patties and some potato salad. He was glad that she would have some family nearby for when he was out to sea. Even happier that it was someone she was glad was next door. Crap, what if it had been a relative, she detested? Maybe fate was smiling upon them on this transfer, finally. And in the back of his mind, he noted Darlene had mentioned "he is still so handsome". Dana would have to do some more thinking on this...and the potential "what-ifs".

She was really looking forward to catching up with Cory, so many years had passed since she last saw him. She couldn't recall much about him once he completed high school, just the usual family information that one would hear about a cousin or relative making it through college or getting married. She did remember how all the girl cousins thought he was the hot throb of their dreams, wishing for a boyfriend that looked as good as he did. Darlene had a private giggle at some of the other thoughts that may have passed through her daydreams back then. And another one that seemed possible if Cory and Dana were onboard with it. Could it really work?

The evening went well, Cory and Dana getting along like old buddies rather than just meeting him the day before. Both swapped stories about work related issues, but Cory always managed to pull Darlene into the conversation, especially if it allowed her to tease her husband a bit with inside jokes. She got a comfort for whatever reason that he was considerate enough not to exclude her. She realized Dana had that same trait and was beginning to see some similarities between the two of them.

Around 8:30, Cory excused himself, "Hey folks, I need to get going with an early call for work tomorrow and I'm sure you two have preferrable options with Dana getting ready to be gone. I really enjoyed our talk and the meal. Darlene, if you need anything while Dana is out these next few days, don't hesitate to call on Cousin Cory!"