The Bunker Ch. 06 - The Happy Fortnight

"Well then you can have mine. Not a fan of tomato unless it's in something."

"Gladly." I searched the tray. "Where's the salt?"

"Downstairs, and you know better." Jess said uneasily.

I just stared for a minute. It would be so easy to order her to get it. And she would. But then, no, no, I can't do that. Not to her, not to me, not to all of them. Damn it, I like a bit of salt on my tomato slice. I am not going to be that guy though. I just pursed my lips for a minute, then cut the slice with my fork edge and took a bite. Jess looked relieved as she left. Jenn looked at me for a long moment.

"Not going to order her to?"

"If I did, would you still want to be here and have babies with me?"

She leaned in and kissed my shoulder, careful not to disturb the tray. I speared a bit of scrambled egg off her tray. As she opened her mouth to protest, I fed it to her. She went from half-faux angst to pampered happy instantly.

Breakfast concluded, I slid the tray to the side and we cuddled together. We talked about our families, our pasts, concerns and hopes about the coming year. Connie slipped in and took the tray while we were talking.

Jenn started rubbing my chest with her hand. Look, I may not be great at reading signs when I'm not in a relationship, but that was usually because I discounted it as 'just being nice'. Here, my young lover had already pledged herself to me and committed to getting pregnant. I recognized the signal right off the bat. I just took my time stroking her thigh before I went any further. We went missionary this time, taking it long and slow.

Jenn suggested I pick a show I liked and stream it, so she could continue getting a taste for my favorite things. I put on a scifi show from my high school years, an episode where one of the crew is on trial for his very existence and the captain has to argue his defense. One of my favorite of all time. We were watching another episode I'd jumped to when Connie came back in carrying a tray just before 9am. I was kind of hungry already.

On the tray was a small bowl of blueberries, another of pumpkin seeds, and saucer with grilled steak cut into easy to manage strips. I smirked. Still on the same diet plan. We thanked Connie and she left. Jenn picked up a steak strip and held it up to my mouth.

"My turn." She said with a grin.

We finished the food about the time the second episode ended. We set the tray aside and made love again, on our sides, facing each other. Yes, love. This girl had my heart for all time. Yes, she had to share it with the others. Somehow, it seemed like I loved each one as intensely as if they were the only one. Well, I had put something in motion to demonstrate that.

Sarah came in a short while later, carrying another tray and collecting the last one. The new tray bore chilled oysters, a spinach-watermelon salad, and squares of dark chocolate. Jenn immediately granted me permission to keep all the oysters for myself. Fortunately, there were only six.

Curious, I checked the clock. 11am on the nose. I busted out laughing. Sarah turned with a grin. "Figured it out did you?"

Jenn just looked puzzled.

"It's 11am and this is the third time they've brought us food." Jenn gave a look that said '...and?' "Breakfast, second breakfast, and elevensies, just like a hobbit would eat."

Jenn laughed lightly and looked to Sarah. "You guys are so bad."

"Why thank you." Sarah bowed comically and exited with the empty tray.

Lunch continued the theme: chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce -- just the right level of horseradish, and a lentil salad on the side. This time, Jenn picked a show. Two older men and a young Latina woman solving a mysterious case in their apartment building. Not something I would have jumped for, but it was fun. Especially with the company.

We went at it once more, doggy style, just to change things up. Just before three, when we couldn't take staying in bed any longer, showered, dressed, and came downstairs. Jenn walked gingerly. My legs were a bit wobbly. Our timing couldn't have been better. Sarah, Jessica, and Gabriela had put together afternoon tea. Not something any of us were accustomed to, but fitting the ongoing hobbit meal theme. And still on the fertility diet, at least somewhat. Green tea, cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon sandwiches, and egg salad sandwiches. And real honest-to-god homemade petit fours.

"So I did smell cake earlier."

Gabby smiled and nodded.

"You made these from scratch?" Another nod. "You're amazing, you know that, right?" Gabby beamed as I moved in to kiss her softly on the lips. "Thank you. These look great." I paused for a moment, staring int her eyes. "I already knew you were pretty and smart and kind. I had no idea you'd be such a great cook." Gabby gave me a kiss and a hug, then slipped off to move the trays into the living room to serve everyone. Jenn, Connie, and Bel were there when I turned around. They all had slack smiles on their faces, staring at me. "What?"

Jenn and Connie, still smiling, grabbed the remaining trays and followed Gabby to the living room. My baby girl gave me a fierce hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Just keep being you, Dad." Then she walked out.

If Jenn and Connie can be that happy with me showing affection for another of my ladies, instead of jealous, this could work. I certainly hope so. It sounds like the kind of thing that requires magic or mad science to hold together in peace. Hmm. Maybe it wasn't the affection, but the reason I gave for showing affection?

******

Dinner stuck with the fertility plan: crab legs and a roasted corn and black bean salad. And homemade biscuits. Gabby did a great job replicating the biscuits from that seafood place. Jenn and I watched a movie with the others before retiring early for a few more attempts at impregnating her, and some much needed sleep.

We woke in the morning at nearly the same time. Jenn insisted I give her another go, though she was wincing with each stroke, both directions.

"I'll go without for a week, and slather my chapped little pussy with Vaseline. Just give me another dollop of baby-makers."

We finished, or rather, I finished as quickly and as tenderly as possible. Jenn just wasn't in it for the pleasure by this point, but she was in it. She made that abundantly clear.

******

An hour later, as she dozed in my arms, I got a text I had been waiting for. Well, this little errand would give my young lover a longer reprieve. And frankly, as much as we had done it lately, if she didn't get pregnant, maybe I did have a problem. What would happen then?

I came back from my trip before lunch. The ladies of the house had organized a list of needed furniture items -- more beds, dressers, bookcases, in addition to appliances. There were none at the new place and several of them were unaccustomed to hand washing the dishes. Not to mention we were definitely going to need laundry done in the next day or two. A laundromat run for nine adults and three kids worth of clothes was a daunting idea. Well, we had unlimited accounts at both chain hardware and home stores. Time to put that to work.

Leslie added some items she would need for setting up a home network. Somethings were possible at the same stores, but several items would have to be ordered online, given the scope of what I asked her to accomplish. It was entirely within her skillset, I just had to spend the money and give her the time to get it done.

Jenn balked when I told her we'd done it enough, and she should just rest. Sarah and Gabby initially chimed in to support Jennifer's insistence we continue as planned. Then I told them about this morning. Complete one-eighty. She wasn't happy, but when we all told her she had done everything she could, she bowed to the house's decision.

After dinner, I gave Bel a little nod as a signal. She shooed Nel, Matt, and Sam to their room to play while she watched over them. Then I brought out my surprise. I laid a small, velvet covered box in front of each of my partners. A ripple of excitement and a few gasps went around the table. I looked into each face and saw joy, some with tears forming. I stepped over to Sarah, the one who outranked the others in this caste afflicted world. The one I should have already been dating, or married to. I knelt beside her and removed her ring from it's box.

Centered on the ring sat a 5mm white opal surrounded by an aquamarine, a ruby, a blue topaz, an emerald, a sapphire, an amethyst, and a diamond.

"The central stone is your birthstone, surrounded by those of the other ladies of our house, and mine, the diamond," I explained. The diamond sat such that it could be viewed as the top or bottom. I slipped the ring on to her finger, with the diamond leading the way. "I like to think of this as we are one family, bound to each other, dear to each other. Placed on your finger in this orientation, indicates that as dear as I hope you all are to each other, I am closest to your heart." Sarah's tears flowed freely down her beaming face as she caught me up in a passionate kiss. The others all cheered, tears in their eyes as well. The kiss lasted just long enough to cause a few to squirm in their seat. We parted, breathing deeply.

I knelt in front of Jenn next, the tender, resilient heart that could very well be carrying my first child. I slipped her ring on her finger as well, getting and giving a sweet kiss. A much shorter kiss that ended with our foreheads pressed together, breathing together, gazing into each other's eyes.

I went to each of them, placing my ring on each finger, sharing a kiss and a moment unique to each one. Leslie blushed as red as her hair when I came to her. Once the ring was on her finger, she wrapped both arms around my neck and eagerly brought her face to mine, fervently kissing with her tongue darting in and out, seeking and entangling with mine. She broke the kiss hard enough for both of us to rock backwards. She blushed even more deeply when the other six cheered.

******

Thursday morning I awoke to find my chestnut haired lover staring into my eyes. "Ready to make baby number two?"

As I kissed her lovingly, my brain caught with the day. Now began Jessica's two-a-day time, until Monday when she got me exclusively for two days straight. And true to her nature, Jess was confident both that Jenn was pregnant and she soon would be.

"So how would you like me this morning?"

"Ride 'em cowgirl."

Blue eyes laughing, she climbed up on me. Jess lay soft, sensual kisses as she rubbed her whole body slowly against mine bring me to full hardness rapidly. After seating me inside her, she leaned in to kiss me. I returned the kiss, reaching my hands up to her generous breasts. She hummed her appreciation of my touch. She brought herself off twice before causing me to erupt within her.

Mid-morning I walked the grounds around the house with Sarah, Gabby, and Connie. With Gabby, the focus was choosing a location for a workshop. Manuelo, Gabby's son, had two carpenters and two mechanics in his friend group. A place for them to build or modify equipment would give them a greater chance of success here. The mechanics were also both tinkerers, so while vehicle repair might become less useful as the supply chain for gasoline broke down, their skills could translate into other uses, including maintaining the equipment we stock in this shop. Gabby made plans to contact the men regarding the equipment and hand tools they wanted and could maintain.

In a separate part of the land, Connie laid out her plans for raised grow beds and greenhouses. We discussed the materials needed. I explained the greenhouse effect and how multiple layers of plastic sheeting would provide an insulating effect, so long as the air gap between layers was small. She mentioned a guy on the radio called the 'Dirt Doctor' and methods for keeping the plants healthy using non-chemical means. That meant the grow beds would be productive without artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which soon would not be available. Sarah kept copious notes alongside each of the ladies making notes for their own projects. As we wrapped up, Sarah and I made plans to head to the nearest chain hardware store. Sarah headed to the space Leslie had designated for her server room. Gabby asked me to follow her, as she needed to ask me something.

She dragged me into a nearby towel closet. What she needed was to put her tongue in my mouth and get my cock inside her. A quick romp and we both came out a bit disheveled and smiling. Melissa just smirked as she walked past in the hallway when we emerged.

When we got back with the materials, the ones in stock anyway, Melissa enlisted me and Connie to dig post holes for the fence, place the posts, and pour the cement. Then Melissa dragged me off to her room. That was the theme of the next few days, everyone but Jenn getting sometime with me at least once while Jessica now took a double shot each day

******

Friday morning I met one of the health science professors for my follow up.

"Congratulations. You're down 10.9 pounds and 2.1% body fat." Professor Daniels told me. "You met both your goals."

"Barely, but yeah, think I'll take the win on this one."

As I walked out, I sent a text with the results, and a picture of the form Daniels prepped.

That was just the start of a great day. Leslie's high school graduation was at 2pm. Melissa and Constance graduated from Simpson with their associates. Sarah and I were still expected to sit with the faculty for the ceremony. We had to be lined up at 6:30 for our march in. Mel and Connie were expected to be in place at 6:30 also.

Late morning, I gathered my clothing for the ceremonies and stuck them in a hall closet nearest the downstairs bathroom. All the primping accompanying three graduates evicted me from the master suite until tonight.

Just before we loaded up to head for Leslie's graduation, I received a date and location for the Family Challenge. Apparently, completion of one personal requirement and all the general requirements was enough to get on that calendar. The indicated army base was a three hour drive away, and we had to be there Wednesday morning, 8am. Maybe we could get a hotel room the night before. I love my ladies, but they are not morning people. Well, that's not fair. Jess, Gabby, and Connie were often active in the morning. Leslie and Melissa were fine if it was a once in awhile event. Jenn, well, we could just pour her into a seat in the van and let her wake up on the way. Sarah -- no, no, better to get a hotel room the night before.

******

Impending doom had dichotomous effects on the high school graduation. Many families just didn't attend, although in a few cases, the young graduate did, two looking forlorn, another two not showing any outward expression, and a fifth celebrating with friends. Those families that did show were boisterous. The arena still echoed loudly from the shouts lauding the previous student as the next name was called. Bel put on her earphones and used her hands to press them in tightly. She would have left, but she wanted to show support for Leslie.

Leslie first went to her parents after the ceremony for hugs and congratulations. Her parents followed after her when she came to our seats. They smiled and shared handshakes as Leslie hugged the other ladies. When Leslie pulled me in for a very demonstrative kiss, Mom's smile slackened, becoming pro forma. Dad's face went stony. If we hadn't been on cordial terms before, things might have gotten much worse. I could practically hear Alan Roark chanting 'I will not kill the son of a bitch fucking my daughter.' as he looked on.

******

Simpson's graduation was more subdued during the ceremony, but just as exuberant afterwards. Of course, it was conducted outside, so the noise was not nearly so disturbing. Sarah and I managed to get seats together in the faculty section, while the rest of the family found open seats in a cluster near the area graduates walked off the stage. I caught a wistful look on Jenn's face while the new graduates paraded across the platform.

"Remind me to look into college opportunities that will be available once we are in the bunker." I whispered into Sarah's ear.

She looked at me quizzically.

"I think Jenn is worried she won't get to finish. Check out her face." Sarah acknowledged her understanding, then turned her lips to my ear.

"Let me take care of that. Learn to delegate, dear." She smiled as she pulled away.

Connie's family took some time to greet each of us afterward. Her dad gave me that 'take good care of my daughter' look while he shook my hand. The one that was half threat and half plea.

Melissa's mom admitted Mel had confessed her interest in me back during the semester she was in my class. Once my name popped up as a lottery winner, she wasn't surprised Melissa tracked me down. She gave me a fierce kiss on the cheek and a big hug and whispered "It's a little weird, having a son in law my own age, but as long as you take care of her, I'm happy for you both."

******

"That does not look safe, Kevin." Jenn's voice practically vibrated with worry. He kept filming though. Early on, she had decided to document moments in our lives to share later. Mundane moments and more memorable ones. Right now, I was on a step ladder running coax around the underside of the trim that appeared to split the house into two layers. It was purely decorative, but it was made of wood and much easier to hammer a nail into for the cable clamps.

The problem was I didn't have an appropriate ladder. We had ordered two good ladders that could reach the peak of the roof, but they were on back order. The manager of the hardware store said it might be in three weeks from now. The cabling needed to be up before that. Not all the equipment was in yet, but it would be a lot easier to run all the cable now, as one task, than keep repeating it.

Still, I was standing on the top step of a step ladder swinging a hammer and desperately keeping my focus on the part of the house I was working on. Looking up or down would result in serious vertigo. I hate heights.

"Jenn," I said, around the two clamps in my teeth, "this needs to be done, and I can do it with what we have right now. It's not ideal, but it will do."

"Please don't break your neck and make our baby fatherless before he's born."

My heart skipped a beat, but I managed to maintain my balance on the ladder. The ground was a bit soft from last night's rain and any attempt to steady the ladder after a wobble was liable to lead to a series of over corrections that might look funny in a movie, but less so in real life. At least not for the acrophobe up on a ladder that's actually too short for the task his dumbass is attempting. Sure of my balance once again, I looked at Jenn.

"Oh, sorry, no, it's way to early to tell."

"Yeah, I would think so, but you sounded quite certain there."

"Faith is the evidence of things hoped for."

"How 'bout sending some of that faith my way?" I queried with one eyebrow raised.

"Okay, big, strong, resourceful man of mine. I won't doubt your skills anymore. Today. Well, at least this morning." She giggled.

"And I thank you for your support."

******

We skipped over lunch. Gabby, Connie, and Jessica collaborated to assemble a 'grazing dinner' of many finger foods to facilitate the big event of the day. A family rpg game. Leslie had a couple years experience as DM, and everyone had met with her individually over the week to put together characters. She'd also spent the time putting together a script and some aids to enhance the experience. Most had no dice, so we'd ordered some in off of RainForest. I dug out a pair from way back, the few times I played. They had a granite appearance, with irregular red lines suggestive of blood. The sets we'd ordered varied from single color to fancy styles similar to mine.