Mike & Karen Ch. 25

The pair were sitting in the small dining room, having just finished their breakfasts and now drinking coffee and reading their papers, an expression of their defiance against this new electronic world. Theresa came in and refreshed their cups, needing only a nod from each of them to express their appreciation. She headed back into the kitchen to prep the staff lunch.

"Oh, hullo," Karen mused as she read something. "Sotheby's just sold Botticelli's Young Man Holding A Roundel for ninety-two million."

Mike stopped reading just long enough to peer over the rim of his own paper at his wife.

"You are not selling your great-grandfather's Botticelli, young lady," he said in a quiet but very firm tone.

Karen responded by way of a sigh and then returned to reading her paper.

"I hate that stupid painting..." she muttered under her breath.

***

Disclaimer: All characters are 18 years of age or older while portrayed engaging in sexual activity. This story is a prequel/sequel (sprequel?) to my other work, Alex & Alexa. As always, many thanks and gratuitous panty shots from Freja and Jeanie to my long-suffering editor and beta-reader for their assistance in polishing up and improving this work. Reviews are welcome; flames will be snickered at and deleted with extreme prejudice. Enjoy!

Please Note: There are incest themes with a secondary couple in this story. Just a forewarning.

Chapter XXV-- Home Is What You Make Of It

Later that morning, in the seneschal's office in the west wing ...

"Mrs. DeBourne is interested in seeing that you start understanding the duties of running the Manor, not to mention hosting events," Tatyana said from behind her desk while Alex and Alexa sat on the visitor's side in comfortable chairs. While Tatyana may have preferred a more compact space for herself to work in, she needed to be able to accommodate visitors, sometimes two at a time. More than that, one of those visitors might be her employer, the rather gigantic Michael DeBourne, so space was a necessity.

Alex and Alexa both nodded, having been instructed by Karen to see Tatyana and start getting a feeling for how things were going to be now that they all lived here. The housewarming that officially declared the Blackwell Manor 'occupied' was just about a month away, and there were endless details to be seen to. While they had no doubt Tatyana would have it all under control, she was under orders to begin imparting her organizational wisdom to the young couple. While they might have learned from Mike and Karen, the elder couple were probably too busy to really be bothered explaining themselves. They did that often enough when teaching at the university.

"The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the names on the invites list," the Russian woman said, sliding several printed sheets across the desk to them both. Naturally, she had the entire list in the database, but she liked to have hard copies handy, just in case. Having lived in Russia when she was younger, she had little trust for public power grids, and couldn't wait for the entire residence to be converted to privately owned solar panels with backup generators. Not to mention the power outage they'd suffered here at the manor just over a week ago. "Take a look through the list and see what names you recognize. Mr. DeBourne, you have A through M, Ms. Blackwell, you have N through Z..."

The young couple began scanning down the lists, making notes in their heads about who they were likely to see. The list indicated who had responded already, with confirmations, declines (almost none of those), and a few tentative unsure. Alex recognized several names from the Bridle Path neighbourhood- a judge, a megastar rapper, sports icons, a few business magnates...

His father's family was coming, or rather, a small delegation of the sizable clan was. At this point, it was Alex's grandfather Orion, patriarch of the DeBournes, his grandmother Anne, his uncles Connor and Josh, his aunt Ronnie, and Connor's wife Stevie, along with their two kids, Derek and Starsha. It'd be good to see them again, especially considering that Alexa was going to be a surprise for them.

The DeBournes were the nicest people on the planet, a stark contrast to the Blackwells. It never ceased to irk the Blackwells that Karen preferred her husband's family to her own. Not that Alex blamed her, mind. He mostly took after his father's family in any event. Good times ahead.

"Oh, hey, Uncle Hannibal's gonna be here," he remarked casually as he read.

"He is?!" Alexa exclaimed, promptly forgetting her own portion of the list and leaning over to look at her nephew's. "As in Hannibal Blackwell the Fifth?! Mom told me a lot about him!"

"I saw that name, and just assumed he was a member of Mrs. DeBourne's family," Tatyana said, intrigued at the response from Alexa. "Is he of special note?"

"He's really, really different for a Blackwell," Alex replied. "Y'know how mom's Blackwell family is all scary-intelligent and talented and stuff, right?"

The seneschal nodded. "As if your Hall of Ancestors and the various other portraits and busts around the property were not enough to indicate, yes, she has told me something about them and their gifts. But this Uncle Hannibal of yours has never come up."

"We call him uncle, but that's maybe a bit of a stretch," Alex said. "He's from the U.K. side of the family, the younger line that holds all the peerages and titles. His full name is Hannibal Fotheringay Phipps-Blackwell, titled Baron Snelgrove, and he's named after Hannibal Blackwell, one of the most ruthless and gifted members of the family way back in the day. He was a privateer for King James, and apparently scared the bejeezus out of royal courts across Europe."

"And this Uncle Hannibal of yours, he takes after his namesake?"

"Not at all," the young man laughed, a delightful sound that never ceased to lift the spirits of those who heard it. "Just about every other Blackwell in history has been hyper-intelligent. Poor ol' Uncle Hannibal is an idiot. I'm not lying, he's a nice guy, but if he were any dumber, he'd have to be watered twice a week."

"Alex!" Alexa giggled, giving his forearm a playful swat. "He's not as bad as all that... is he?"

"Lemme guess, grandma just told you that he just wasn't quite as bright as everyone else around him, right?" he chuckled. "She was being nice, Alexa. I like Uncle Hannibal a lot, but let's just say he gives Jeanie a run for her money in the derping department."

"Oh my God," she laughed. "No, mom obviously understated. So, he's about Kar's age, right?"

He nodded. "Yep. Polar opposites, and yet mom loves him to death, even if he makes her facepalm thirty times a day. I think she enjoys how crazy he makes everyone else in the family, on both sides of the Atlantic."

"Your mother has intimated to me that people who embarrass the family tend to be shunted off to various tropical islands with healthy stipends, so that they cannot shame the Blackwell name," Tatyana mentioned, intrigued by this new information. She'd been led to believe that all Blackwells were terrifying. "How has he avoided this fate if he is such a dolt?"

"Dumb luck, mostly," Alex replied, shrugging. "And probably threats from mom. Even our Brit relatives are scared of her and dad. So they just move Uncle Hannibal around from property to property, enduring his vacuous nature and penchant for accruing debt."

"Not good with money, is he?" the seneschal asked.

"Probably can't even spell it," Alex said simply. "He got booted out of both Eton and Harrow. I haven't seen him in six years, and the last time he was here, he tried to bum money off me to cover his tab and debts at a strip club downtown. I was thirteen."

"Oh, he sounds like fun," Alexa giggled. "I can't wait to introduce him to Fre and Jeanie."

"It'll be interesting, because he's mostly kinda intimidated by women," Alex laughed again. "He develops crushes really quickly, but then his nerves go to jelly and he can barely speak. More than anything, he's a problem for dad, since he gets in over his head with gambling debts and then people wanna break his kneecaps. Dad gets to intervene."

"So, he's not allowed off the property when he's here, got it," Alexa said, nodding. "I'll get deets from my big sissy. Back to our lists..."

They were pleased to note that all three of Alex's adopted aunts, Karen's best friends, were scheduled to make it. They would be arriving almost two weeks before the formal housewarming all on the same day. It was something of a tradition for them, even after thirty years. It had been just over five years since they'd all been together, with Aunt Lisa being absent the longest. Aunt Janet had been at his grandfather's funeral, just shy of three years ago, on behalf of the other two, Lisa and Mona, since they couldn't make it. Lisa was living in Idaho with her wife, Donna, and Mona had been at a convention in Atlanta as a keynote speaker at an animation convention.

He smiled as he thought of them- he hadn't seen Lisa since he was almost fourteen, and he'd been fifteen and sixteen when he saw Mona and Janet. They always made such a fuss over him, treating him like the son none of them had. They doted on him, and he could do no wrong in their eyes. Lisa was the fussy one, always concerned for his health and his schooling. Mona was the one he loved talking about nerdy things with, like cartoons, since she was a brilliant animator. Janet was his cool and sexy aunt, the type who snuck beers to him and his underage friends when nobody was looking. She had also been giving tacit permission by both Mike and Karen to take Alex's virginity and make a man of him if he turned out to be a flop with women. Unfortunately for Aunt Janet, Fatima, the DeBourne housemaid at the home back in Kleinburg, had taken care of that issue when he was younger.

It didn't stop Janet from teasing Karen (and Alex) by groping him whenever she saw him, though. He didn't mind; it was tradition.

He couldn't wait to see them all together again, it made them all so happy. His dad told him it was like watching them back in their first few years together, giddy and excited young women facing the world together. Alex had seen videos, and he believed it.

Better yet, none of them had any idea Alexa was back from Europe after almost twenty years. They hadn't seen her since she was eight months old. He couldn't wait to see their response to her presence after all this time. The one thing he could count on was lots of tears of joy. He knew Alexa was looking forward to it as well, even if she was incredibly nervous. Her mother, Alex's grandmother Miranda, had told her all about Karen's best friends, and how much they'd all meant to one another. They belonged to a pantheon that Alexa had grown up learning about in detail, and she'd never been fully convinced she'd ever meet these people she thought of as demigods. She worshipped the ground they walked on, because they were the dear friends of the sister she revered so very, very much.

Other distinguished guests were coming as well and needed to be seen to in their own ways. Angus Gordon, the Marquess of Huntley and Chief of all the Gordons, was coming to see his distant cousin Karen as she assumed her role as Mistress of Blackwell Manor. Many Blackwells were going to be in attendance, not just from the Canadian branch of the family, but also some of the British lines. Lord Hastings was too old (and potty) to attend, but his son and daughter, the Earl Bolingbroke and the Baroness of Belasyse, were slated to be present on his behalf. The junior branch of the family, even though they were the title and peerage holders, were diligent in keeping the elder line of the Blackwell dynasty happy, and that was currently Karen. She'd scared the British Blackwells badly when she was fourteen by spanking Lord Hastings with a cricket bat, and they'd been watching her ever since.

Both the national and provincial members of Parliament were to be in attendance, and one or two members of Toronto City Council. Alex smirked at the thought of the city councillor showing up, because he was in for one Hell of a lecture by Karen for failing to proceed with an environmental initiative he'd promised to support. Karen DeBourne would make sure he knew Ward 25 was very unhappy with him. Well, better her than Mike, anyway. Alex's father was likely to give the man a heart attack.

They made note of various artists and authors who were also arriving, along with musicians, many of no small fame. A few had even been knighted.

"Okay, pretty sure I have this one down," he said finally, swapping sheets with Alexa and studying it. "My favourite hockey player of all time is showing up, and quite a few of the guys from his lineup. Sweet!"

"Bet I know who," Alexa said, smirking at him. "Lemme guess, same as your dad?"

"You know it," he replied, nodding. "My hockey god, now and forever."

"I've seen your jersey and your little figurines, so I'm sure you're pumped. I gotta admit, I'm lookin' forward to our neighbour coming over and mingling."

"You've been to his mansion down the road and mumble-rapped with him, what's the big deal?" Alex laughed. "And thanks to him, we now know there's a dance move you can't do, because your boobs keep getting in the way."

"You need to stop bringing that up, Alex," she muttered as she went back to looking at the attendees. Alex did likewise, humming 'Hotline Bling' to himself as he did so.

Tatyana knew she could talk to them while they were reading and proceeded. "Of course, I will be handling the big details, but Mr. and Mrs. DeBourne have instructed me that I am to give you each assignments concerning the event that you are to see to and keep up with, since we have just under a month. It shouldn't interfere with your courses, you'll just need to spend some free time seeing to the various issues that arise. You can both do this?"

Alex and Alexa both nodded, looking at the seneschal.

"Very good," she said, nodding. "Ms. Blackwell, you'll be seeing to seating and dining arrangements with me, any allergies, who is sitting where, and so on. Mr. DeBourne, certain guests will be staying with us for various amounts of time, so it will be up to you to see that they are roomed and accommodated accordingly for their various durations. Mostly that involves coordinating with housekeeping, but also looking to make sure we're ready if schedules change."

They would continue discussing details, but Tatyana was reasonably certain that everything was now well in hand. Two less details to not concentrate on made her job easier.

There was still a lot to prepare for.

***

In a posh condo downtown...

Vince and Jocelyn settled down onto the plush chesterfield in the living room, wondering what their daughter and her wife had invited them to Toronto for. On a weekend to boot! Didn't they know there were social events to attend to, even this early in the season?

Jeanie and Freja sat in the chesterfield opposite them, and they couldn't help but notice that their dim-witted daughter seemed ready to burst. While Freja looked calmer and more reserved, the air was charged with some kind of excitement. The two girls were holding hands and waiting patiently for the elder couple to get settled. Jeanie's call to them yesterday had indicated there was some kind of news to share. Vince and Jocy waited in their seats, wanting whatever it was to begin. Thankfully, Freja and Jeanie had gotten all of the suction-mounted dildoes out of the showers and hidden the blatantly erotic artwork for the length of her parents' visit. It was good to be courteous, after all. Jeanie's parents were rather... repressed.

"Sooo," Jeanie said finally, trying to keep from grinning. "We have some great news..."

"Oh, Jeanie, you're not pregnant, are you?" Jocy interrupted, her expression one of disdain while Vince pinched his eyes. Of course this was happening. "Do you even know the father? What will I tell the church?"

Jeanie paused and looked confused. "I... no, mom," she said, shaking her head. "No, I'm not pregnant. And before you ask, neither is Fre. Nobody's pregnant."

"Oh, well, thank God for small mercies," Jocy sighed, relieved. She'd never been more relieved to be wrong. Not that it happened often, in her opinion. "So if you're not pregnant, then why did you drag us down here?"

"Like I said, we have great news," Jeanie continued, getting back on track and her eyes shining with excitement. "Fre and I are now independently wealthy!"

There was a pause for several seconds while Vince and Jocy considered what their daughter could have meant. Yes, they'd heard exactly what she'd said, but her understanding of most matters was very limited. It could be exasperating and embarrassing on occasion. Jocy finally spoke again. "Jeanie, maybe you are overestimating your fiduciary status. Let your father and I help you understand. Why don't you show us what you mean by 'independently wealthy'..."

Freja and Jeanie looked at each other and then Freja reached down beside the chesterfield and opened a small attaché case. She pulled out some papers and stood up, walking over to her in-laws and handing them the papers, nodding respectfully before returning to her seat. Vincent examined the papers while Jocy leaned in to read as well.

Within seconds, both of their eyes widened in shock. They looked up at their daughter, speechless.

"I know, right?!" Jeanie almost squeaked, squeezing her hands in her lap and tapping her toes against the rug. "Fre an' me are so rich!"

"Did... did you win a lottery?" Jocy asked in quiet disbelief.

Jeanie shook her head, her kinky brown hair fluttering around her pretty face. "Nope! We killed a business deal about kinetic makeup that Fre helped develop! We went down to L.A. and San Francisco and hocked it there. A big music company bought the rights, and that's the result! Can you believe it?!"

Vince was giving his daughter a weird look. "You two did this all on your own?"

"Well, we had some pro help," Jeanie added, shrugging. "But we did the selling and negotiating, once we knew what to do. Bet if we'd had pros handle it for us, we could've made even more. Not bad, right?"

Jocy and Vince didn't seem to know what to say, looking down at the numbers and then up at their daughter again, dumbfounded.

"An' I know you guys're busy, but I thought this was probs important enough to bring you down, as opposed to just an informal phone call," Jeanie continued. "This is Fre's and my chance to begin lookin' after ourselves so that you don't need to worry! We're being advised about saving and investing, and-"

"Sweetheart, are you sure you two can handle this?" Vince asked, still in a certain amount of disbelief. "What is this makeup you're talking about?"

"Oh, right," Jeanie said hastily, reaching down toward her purse. She pulled out a makeup kit and held it up for display. "Kinetic makeup! Wanna try it, mom? Or I can put it on Fre to show you."

"Um, put it on Freja first," Jocy said warily, in case her daughter had dreamed the entire thing up and the stuff inside the case was acidic. "Then we'll see."

The brunette shrugged and opened the case while Freja turned to face her, waiting patiently with her eyes closed. Jeanie got busy dusting and mixing, creating a small charge, just like she'd been shown.

"Zap it up a li'l here..." she murmured, her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth. She then began applying the makeup to Freja's cheeks. Not much, just enough for a demonstration. They'd rehearsed this, prior to her parents' arrival, so she knew everything she had to do.