Starting from Scratch Ch. 12

Holy fuck!

They rivaled her own!

Marg felt two things warring inside her, intense attraction and equally intense nervousness. Marg straightened her shoulders and tried to put on an air of confidence, but then Deborah stepped out of the pool. Deborah was a black-haired beauty. She was older than Anna by at least ten years, but that didn't make a hill of beans worth of difference. With her broad shoulders, large breasts, and athletically toned body only marred by her small four-month pregnancy bump. Deborah looked like a swimsuit model or a superheroine!

Anna and Deborah walked up to Marg and hugged her. She was taken aback at first. Mostly because of Emma's hostility, but as Anna's hug persisted she found herself relaxing.

"Thank you," Anna whispered into her ear.

"For what?" Marg asked as she wrapped her arms around Anna hesitantly, not knowing where exactly she should put them.

"For taking care of Thomas when he needed you," The beautiful young redhead replied, then she took a step back and smiled beautifully.

Deborah stepped up next and offered a hand to shake. Marg did so as Deborah purred, "It is so nice to finally meet you, Cinderella. I was beginning to think that you were nothing but a fairy tale."

"So," Margaret said in a humbled voice, "This is what Martin meant when he said that I wasn't the only woman who loved Thomas."

"Yep," Emma retorted without an ounce of sympathy. Then she grinned as she purred, "There were more of us. Anna was able to drag Thomas out of his self-imposed celibacy first. Then I finally got him to take me out on a date. It was a Masquerade party. That's where he met Janette, Beth, Elisha, Elizabeth, Kinsae, Victoria, Deborah, and Jessica. Lastly, but never the least of us is Rhea."

"However," Anna broke in with a much more sympathetic tone, "Because of you, Margaret, and Rhea I suppose, and me, he gave up all of those women who were not interested in having a committed relationship."

Deborah nodded and put a hand to her breast as she finished, "That left me, Anna, Emma, and Rhea. And, all I've heard for two months now is how he is waiting for you and some other woman named Leslie."

Marg's breath caught at that. She had to calm herself before she was able to whisper, "He's been waiting for me?"

"Unfortunately," Emma replied disgustedly, "He gave you until the babies' due date to get in touch. Then, he was going to ask me to marry him."

"You're that close?" Marg gasped.

Emma just looked down at her pregnant belly and up again before saying, "Yeah!"

"Except that now, Marg, as long as you're okay with the fact that you're going to have to share him with all of us, then he is going to ask you to marry him instead," Anna said.

Marg felt lightheaded. She had never swooned in her life, but now, it was as if she could feel it sweeping over her in slow motion.

"Oh. Oh! Grab her! Emma! Fucking bitch! Help!" Marg heard Deborah say as darkness swept over her.

----(!)----

When Marg awoke she was laying on a bed. She could feel a cold compress on her brow, and as she opened her eyes, the room was darkened. It was also very very quiet.

She moved her hand to remove the compress and there was a sudden rustle of fabric moving before a hand touched hers and took the compress with a low warm, "Oh my, you're awake. Here let me take that for you. Are you feeling better?"

"A little," Marg whispered as her eyes fluttered open and fell upon the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

At first, she thought it was Anna, but the voice wasn't quite right. It was close, but this woman's voice was a little huskier and as smooth as velvet. She also looked exactly like Anna, but as Marg ogled her she noticed that her long curly hair was quite the same flame red as Anna's. No, this woman's hair was copper. She was age-defying too, Marg was certain the woman was no older than her late twenties, but then she noticed the fine lines at the corner of her eyes, and the creases of her smile dimples were too deep for a mere twenty-something. No, this woman was like her, like Marg, she was older than she appeared.

"Hi," She said in her velvety voice, "I'm Rhea. The girls carried you to the Master Suite and to me. This is where we all sleep with Thomas. We sleep together, and we make love together."

"Rhea," Marg croaked, her throat dry.

Rhea offered her water and Marg took it gratefully. She drank, and then she continued, "How old are you, Rhea?"

"Forty-three," Rhea answered, then asked, "How old are you, Margaret?"

"Forty-eight," She replied.

"Well," Rhea sighed resignedly, "Neither one of us is the oldest Thomas has been with. Janette is fifty. Elisha is forty-nine. Elizabeth is forty-six. And Beth is forty-four. Though, you and I are the only ones that got pregnant."

"Well," Marg mumbled, "At least that is something."

"Indeed," Rhea agreed, but then added, "Lucky for us Kinsae and Jessica-- You heard of them, right?"

Marg nodded and Rhea continued, "Well, they got pregnant, but, at least, they are on good terms with Thomas though they don't want to commit to him."

Rhea seemed to have realized that she was rambling and her eyes went wide while her beautiful face flushed a bright crimson.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, "I'm just a tad nervous. It's just that I have heard so much about you."

As Rhea talked something had been nagging at Marg. The voluptuous Aphroditess seemed so familiar somehow, and suddenly she just had to ask, "Rhea, who are you in relation to Thomas?"

Rhea stopped talking and smiled weakly while her hazel green and copper eyes seemed to sparkle in the dim light. After a few seconds, she answered, "You will learn it sooner than later, so you might as well find out now and decide whether you are going to stay or go home."

Marg was suddenly nervous, whatever this revelation was Rhea obviously thought it was serious.

"Margaret," Rhea purred in her husky velvet voice, "I am Anna's older sister. Nineteen years separate us. That is why we look so much alike."

Margaret nodded.

'Okay,' She thought privately, 'That wasn't so bad. So, two of Thomas's harem were sisters, so what! If she was going to have to share Thomas it really didn't matter that some of them were sisters.'

"Also," Rhea continued, "Thomas is my son."

Shock tingled Margaret's body. It coalesced in her spine and ran right up to her brain and sucker-punched her!

----(!)----

When Margaret awoke for her second time Rhea was there to help her sit up with a softly spoken, "I see that my relationship with my son is somewhat of a shock to you. Are you going to be alright? Is this something you can accept?"

"I..." Marg began, but still feeling faint her voice fell away.

She had to gather herself. She was a grown woman. Of course, she had heard of incest before. It wasn't unheard of. Who hadn't heard of a couple of cousins crushing on each other until the family intervened and set them straight? Who hadn't heard the jokes? There were whole states that were ridiculed over an assumed propensity toward incest. It was just--one of the most socially taboo things that could happen in modern American society!

"I don't know," She whispered uncertainly.

"Well," Rhea said softly, "You need to figure it out because we aren't going to let you see Thomas until you do."

"What?" She gasped, "Why?"

"Margaret," Rhea said firmly in a voice that bespoke of a mother bear protecting her young, "Thomas is still head over heels in love with you. So, we can not let you break his heart any further than you already have. As Anna and the others have told you; you gave him up. You sent him away. We picked him up and loved him when you wouldn't. Now, you can accept him as he is now. You can accept that he has four completely devoted women that love him dearly and think of ourselves as his wives and are already pregnant with his children. Or, you can reject him and us. We all come as one package. Decide what it will be."

Margaret imagined the rest of her life without Thomas in it. She'd have her children. She'd have Leslie. Was that enough for her?

The last five months without Thomas was all the answer she needed. No! No she could not live the rest of her life without Thomas. Leslie, god love her, was not enough. The children. Thomas's babies in her belly were not enough. She needed him. She needed him now, and forever!

"I..." She croaked then stopped, cleared her throat, and firmed her resolve, "I accept your conditions. I love Thomas too much to live my life without him now."

Rhea's smile was divine as she took Margaret's hand and replied, "That is exactly how we all feel."

Rhea helped Marg up out of bed then and led her to the door.

"Before we go see Thomas," Marg said suddenly, "I need to go potty."

"Oh yes," Rhea purred as she flashed an understanding grin at Margaret, "The luxuries of pregnancy, I can hardly wait."

"Are--" Marg started to ask but faulted from doubt. Surely Rhea, Thomas's own mother, would not let him get her pregnant. But the question nagged her and so she just asked, "--Rhea, are you pregnant?"

"I am," The matronly Aphroditess confessed proudly before looking down at her barely-showing belly, "I'm three months along, but I won't show very much until I'm nearly seven."

Shock kept Margaret from responding and soon they were in the master bathroom. Rhea left her there to do her business. Marg took the time to splash water on her face and tidy her hair. Now, she was ready to see her beloved. When she left the bathroom Rhea was waiting.

"Better?" Rhea asked.

"Better," Marg replied with a more sanguine smirk.

From the Master Suite, Rhea led Marg through the large house, down the stairs to the first floor, and Thomas's office. Rhea opened the French doors and Margaret's mouth fell open. The room was a large library with bookshelves lining every wall. There was enough room for a table stacked with a few open books and maps, a couch, a chair, and a large desk. All of it, every piece of furniture and shelf was made of satin polished mahogany. And behind the computer that sat on that giant desk was Thomas.

As soon as Margaret saw him she couldn't take her eyes off him. Thomas looked up, their eyes met, turbulent gray-green and golden brown, and his eyelids opened wide.

----(!)----

Thomas sat in front of his computer looking at lines of code but what he was supposed to be doing was lost to him. He couldn't concentrate at all. Margaret and Leslie invaded his thoughts constantly. He even worried for Cheyenne, Lauren, Hannah, and Gwen. But mostly, he worried for Margaret. When she wasn't occupying his thoughts he was dealing with contractors and making decisions on the new construction that was going on all sides seemingly. Then, when things finally calmed down on that front there was Rhea, Anna, Emma, and Deborah and all of their turbulent emotions and physical cravings.

As if that were not enough, his youngest brother Scot moved Cheryline into his room and announced very determinedly that they were a couple and that as soon as they were old enough they would move out and get married. It didn't help that his other younger cousins, namely Jamin and Jasper, who were three years younger were besotted with him. Thankfully, Raegan and Ingrid the youngest of Thomas's nieces decided they wanted to be little girls rather than play at being adults. Though, unfortunately, it was too late for them. Come October, Ingrid and Cheryline would find themselves thrust into the reality of young motherhood whether they wanted it or not.

The door to the library that was serving as his office opened. Raising his head from the computer he immediately saw his beautiful goddess of a mother, Rhea, and then from behind her stepped Margaret.

She stood there looking fearful and uncertain. It was the first time he had ever seen that expression on her beautiful face. Several seconds passed as he looked her up and down twice. She had her long platinum blonde hair braided and pulled over her left shoulder. Her ivory skin was smooth and flawless, and between hair and skin she almost glowed from her maternity. He could tell that Margaret's breasts had grown exponentially but they were secured well inside the confines of her lavender dress with green flowers.

His breath caught and he couldn't suppress a smile as his eyes took in Margaret's figure. Her narrow shoulders. Her small ribcage. Her newly grown breasts. Her gravid belly. Her broad hips.

Shock delayed him from standing until Margaret asked in a small quiet voice, "Am I--too late?"

Then, he did stand up, moved around the desk, and as he moved toward her all of her fear, all of her uncertainty, all of those months of heartache broke through Margaret's tenuous facade and she started to cry as she ran into Thomas's loving embrace!

Rhea smiled as she wiped tears from her eyes. Silently she left the room and closed the door behind her as Thomas comforted Margaret and then very tentatively disrobed her before showing her just how much he loved her.