Chapter 11

Jennifer got to come home a week after she was born.  The doctors agreed that she had gained enough that she could come home.  That was when the weight of responsibility hit them all.

Of course, Mandy had the brunt of the care but Greg and Traci helped out as much as they were able.  Jennifer slept in a cradle that Heather insisted Mandy have next to Mandy’s side of the bed.  During the night, Mandy would breastfeed and then Greg or Traci would change and burp the child then hold her until she fell asleep.  While the other two were at school, Mandy was more or less on her own.  She handled it pretty well for her age, but there were still panic phone calls if things were not quite right.

Everything seemed to be going fine until one afternoon, Greg came home to find Mandy sitting in the middle of the bed holding Jennifer and crying her eyes out.  He went over and sat beside her pulling her as close as possible to him, consoling her even though he didn’t have any idea what was wrong.  He did get her to shake her head ‘no’ when he asked if there was anything wrong with the baby.  Otherwise, he could get nothing but deep sobs.

They were still sitting there when Traci came home an hour and a half later.  When Jennifer started to fuss, the coed gently took her from her mother and changed her.  When Jennifer stopped fussing, she brought the baby back and placed her in Mandy’s lap.  Traci then took a position opposite Greg, rubbing her friend’s back and stroking her hair.

When Mandy had cried herself out, Traci went to get her a drink.  On the way back, she grabbed a washcloth as well..  After accepting the items when they were offered, Mandy was ready to talk.

“I really don’t know what came over me.  I have been really overwhelmed with the responsibility for Jenni. You guys do a whole lot to help out, but I still feel like I am the one who has to carry the load.  And I’m scared that I will screw up somehow!  What if she gets sick, or I don’t have enough milk to feed her what she needs?  What if she stops breathing and I’m not watching her and she dies?  What if I’m not a good mother?”  The last words came out in almost a wail as she broke down again.  Greg didn’t know what to do.  He realized that the fears she had were probably groundless, but they were very real to her.  He couldn’t ignore the fact that he didn’t know what to do.

“Mandy.  Sweetheart, look at me.”  Mandy did raise her head from his chest to look directly at him.  “I can’t tell you not to be worried.  I worry about Jenni all the time and I am not with her 24/7.  I didn’t know you were having these feelings that you weren’t good enough.  But I can tell you this.  You are the most caring, loving mother I have ever seen.  You do everything you can for this little bundle of life.”  He reached down and tenderly stroked Jenni’s sleeping face with his finger.  She shifted a little at his touch, making little sucking motions with her tiny lips.  “I love her as if she was my own.  But I want you to let me help more with her.  You don’t have to keep all the burden on your own shoulders.  If you are feeling like it is getting to you, come and tell me.”

Traci spoke up softly then.  “That goes for me as well.  I feel like she is almost mine.  If you want a little time to just relax, let Aunt Traci take over for a while.  The only thing I can’t do is breast-feed her.  I could never replace you as her mommy, but maybe I can give you a break once in a while.”

Mandy pulled her friend in close and hugged her tightly.  She felt not so all alone with her responsibility of Jenni.  If she really thought about it, she had known that these two people were there for her.  She had just forgotten it.  She was still scared that she might make a mistake or something could go wrong.  But now, she could share those fears and feelings and they would understand.  “You guys can’t believe how much I love you.”

The stayed huddled together on the bed until Mandy’s stomach growled, much to her embarrassment.  When asked, she admitted that she had not eaten since breakfast.

“You know that Jenni isn’t the only one who needs to eat,” Greg said in a gentle reminder.

Traci volunteered to order pizza as her treat.  The other two readily agreed with that choice so while Traci called in the order, Greg held the baby and Mandy went in and washed her face.

They ate in the living room and after disposing of the boxes, they settled down to watch a movie.  Jenni was sound asleep in her carrier next to the couch.  Traci and Mandy sandwiched Greg between them, each one snuggling into his side while the action on the screen held their attention.  Later on, Mandy fell into the first really restful sleep she had since Jenni had been born.

One thing that was not affected was Mandy’s sex drive.  She was still a little tender but her libido was coming up to normal levels.  She had been surprised at the feelings that she got from feeding Jenni.  It almost felt like a mini orgasm when her baby would suckle her breasts.  Her feelings for her two lovers were causing her to become more aroused by the day.  She found that she enjoyed watching Greg and Traci together and encouraged them as much as possible.  As soon as her muscles felt back to normal, she joined in with doing everything she could with the exception of having Greg’s cock inside her.  She was counting the days until Dr. Simmons released her for that activity.

Greg had been surprised with this turn of events.  Since he had always heard that women didn’t want sex after a pregnancy, he asked her about it.  “Maybe I am just weird,” she replied, “but I feel more like a woman than even when I first found out that rubbing my pussy felt so good.  And I guess I have gotten used to the great sex with you and Traci, and I miss that.”

Greg didn’t complain about her horniness.  He was getting great sex from a beautiful woman and his girlfriend was encouraging it.  He just hoped he could keep up the pace once Mandy was allowed to make love again.

When the day came for Mandy to receive her six-week checkup, she was very anxious to get to the appointment.  She took the city bus, something that until recently she had been too scared to do.  Maybe it was time for her to get her driver’s license.  She had never considered it when she had been at home because her parents would not allow her that much freedom.  But it would really be handy since she now had Jenni to take care of .

Since the bus route was a roundabout way to get to Dr. Simmons’ office, she had plenty of time to study the other passengers and to play with Jenni.  She had dressed Jenni in a cute little snowsuit that Heather had bought for her.  Jenni’s little face was peeking out of the fur-trimmed hood and she reminded Mandy of a little china doll.  She had taken to carrying Jenni in a front pack when the weather permitted, but the weather had turned frigid, which was typical of mid December.  She didn’t have a coat that was large enough to cover both her and the front pack, so today the carrier sat in her lap.

The office visit was a breeze.  The nurses cooed at Jenni while the exam took place.  Dr. Simmons gave her a clean bill of health and told her that she could go back to any activities that she felt comfortable with.  Dr. Simmons then took a picture of Jenni to add to her bulletin board in the waiting room of all the babies she delivered.  

There were still a few hours before she needed to catch the bus home, so she did some shopping for Christmas.  Then she stopped at a coffee shop to have a bagel before heading to the terminal for the ride home.

She still had about forty-five minutes before Greg came home from school when she walked in the house, so she took the time to feed Jenni and get her down for a nap.  Feeling a little grimy from her long bus ride, she went in and took a quick shower.  After she dried off, Mandy decided that clothes would not be necessary.  She climbed into the bed to await Greg’s arrival.

Greg walked into the house and called out for Mandy.  He heard her voice drift down from the bedroom letting him know where she was.  He walked into the bedroom to find her lying on her side completely nude with a big smile on her face.

“Dr. Simmons cleared me for any activity today.  So hurry up and get your clothes off .  I need you to make love to me.”  As she was talking, her left hand had strayed down to rub the outer lips of her pussy.  He was as anxious as she was so he stripped off his clothes in record time and joined her on the bed.

He started to go down on her, but she pulled him up along her body.  “No foreplay.  I have been waiting for this for too long.  Just slide your cock into me and fuck me.”

He followed her instructions and positioned his body between her spread thighs.  He rubbed the head of his cock between her soaked pussy lips to lubricate it.  Every time he touched her distended clit, she would moan and thrust herself at him.  He moved his cock, spreading her inner lips until he reached her entrance and then thrust forward causing about half of his length to slide into her tight tunnel.

Mandy caught her breath as he slid into her then she let out a loud, satisfied groan.  “Oh God, that feels so good.  I’ve waited too long for this.”  She humped up against him as he thrust forward burying the remainder of his shaft into her.  He took just a moment to savor the feeling of the wet heat of her tunnel before he pulled about half way out to start the movements of the ancient dance.

Even as worked up as he was, Mandy was worse..  He had just started stroking in and out when she exploded.  She almost screamed out her orgasm as her body vibrated with the clenching of her muscles.  Greg got a surprise when her breasts started squirting milk.  Without thinking about it, he latched on to her nipple and sucked the tip getting more of the liquid for his effort.

His actions on her breasts caused Mandy to come even harder.  He slowed just long enough to allow her to recover a little, and then he resumed the rhythm they established before.  Mandy never did come down completely and started right back up toward another climax.  Greg increased the speed of his thrusts as she went over again.  He was getting close himself so he continued to pound into her through her orgasm and when the walls of her pussy start rippling at the onset of her third, he thrust into her hard and fired his seed deep into her womb.  They rode out their climaxes together, each one heightening the other.

Greg let himself down to where his body was covering hers being careful not to put any pressure on her abdomen.  She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss.  “You can’ believe how great that felt to me.  I feel so relaxed right now, I could fall asleep.”

“Well then why don’t you take a nap then?  I have some homework to do and then I’ll start dinner.  Traci’s late class is today, so it’ll just be us tonight.”  Greg gave her a loving kiss on the cheek and she was out before he made it down the stairs.

By the time Mandy had awakened, Greg had a simple but tasty dinner ready.  Jenni did her part by not waking up until after they had finished eating.  Once Jenni was settled back down, they snuggled on the couch.  Traci came in around nine and joined them after she reheated the plate that Greg had made for her earlier.

Traci’s eyes lit up when Mandy told her how the visit to the doctor went.  The rest of the time the three were awake, Mandy found herself caressed by two sets of hands.  Her t-shirt was pushed above her breasts and the sweats she was wearing were worked down past her knees to puddle on the floor.  Her body felt like one huge erogenous zone and every touch caused her to feel even more excited.  By the time they headed for bed, she had already had several small orgasms..  These had served only to heighten the amorous sensations she was feeling.

Once they got to the bedroom, Traci more or less took over the action.  She had Mandy lie on her back in the middle of the bed.  “Tonight is your night, Mandy-love.  You have waited for a long while to really enjoy your man.  You were loving and giving enough to let me and Greg enjoy each other even though you couldn’t join in.  Now we are going to make sure that you get to make up for that time.  But I am going to show you how much I love you and appreciate you sharing Greg with me.”  

With that, Traci crawled between Mandy’s thighs and for the first time since they had been together began to lick the other woman.  She was tentative in her movements at first, but soon began to really work at it.  She worked her way from the bottom of her lips, wiggling her tongue to separating the inner lips on her way up and around her clit before moving back down to repeat the cycle.

Mandy was so worked up from before that she went off like a rocket.  Moaning out Traci’s name, she worked her pelvis into her lover’s face as the orgasm swept over her.  Traci slowed down to allow her to recover then took her up and over again.

As Mandy was recovering from the second orgasm, Traci had Greg take her place between Mandy’s thighs.  She took hold of Greg’s hard cock and slid it around Mandy’s sopping pussy, then lined him up with her entrance.  He pushed in slowly as Mandy groaned with the feeling of being filled once again.  He kept his pace slow as much to hold himself back as to maximize his lover’s pleasure.  

Traci leaned down and gave the other woman a deep loving kiss before she started to nip and lick on her neck and ears.  Then she moved down to lick and suck on Mandy’s milk-filled breasts.  When Mandy started to climax once again, Traci got a surprise when she tasted the milk that was pouring into her mouth.  She was so into what she was doing that she swallowed, and then sucked a little harder.

For Mandy, this was the biggest orgasm of all.  The feeling of Greg’s cock filling her up over and over, his hands touching and squeezing her thighs and ass was exquisite.  This was combined with the feeling of Traci kissing and licking her upper body was taking her to new heights.  When Greg’s finger trailed across her anus, she tripped over into a climax that made her lose complete control.  Her body was a mass of nerves all firing at once.  She couldn’t take it any longer and fell into unconsciousness.

Greg had shot off in her in the middle of her orgasm.  As soon as Mandy passed out, he pulled out and moved to her side.  Traci went into the bathroom and returned with a washcloth.  She was bathing Mandy’s face and upper chest when the girl regained her senses.  The first thing she focused on was Traci’s smiling face.  Mandy returned the smile and whispered a quiet ‘thank you’.

Greg rose up on his elbow to look down on her.  “We were a little worried about you until we realized that you had just passed out.  You feeling better now?”

“I feel absolutely wonderful.  That was more than I could ever imagine.  It was almost worth having to wait that long for it.”  She giggled a little at that thought.  Then she looked up at Traci.  “Why did you decide to go down on me?  I mean it was fantastic and I loved it, but neither one of us had gone that far with each other.”

Traci just shrugged her shoulders.  “I don’t know really.  It wasn’t like I really thought about it much except that I wanted to show you how much I love you and I wanted to help you to feel good.  It just seemed like the thing to do.  I hope I did alright.”

“Alright?  It was fantastic!  You know how good Greg is.  It was different when you did it.  I can’t explain it, you weren’t better or worse than Greg, and it was just different.  Your touch is softer, and well....  I can’t explain it, but I really enjoyed it and I would like to return the favor sometime.  I really don’t think I’m bi, ‘cause I don’t really think of other girls that way.  But you are special to me..  I - I mean we- both love you and you are a part of us now.”

Greg had remained quiet through their conversation.  He looked up to see a tear in Traci’s eye as she listened to Mandy.  Now he moved his hand from Mandy’s tummy to place it around Traci’s back.  “What she said goes for me too.  I love you as well and want you to know that you are very much a part of us.  I can’t imagine you not being here with us.”

Traci reached over and pulled Greg down close to Mandy then reached across to kiss Greg first then Mandy.  “I know a couple is supposed to mean just two, but I feel like we all make a couple if that is possible.  My family loves me but it isn’t the same as the love I feel from you two.  And I feel the same way about you two as well.”

They all stayed together rubbing and touching until Mandy gave a huge yawn.  Greg told her to go to sleep and he and Traci would get up with Jenni.  She could just doze when she fed the little girl and they would take care of the rest.  Mandy mumbled thanks and closed her eyes, feeling very safe and loved between her two lovers. 

========== ++++++++++ ==========

Mandy had been doing her schoolwork at home prior to the doctor releasing her and the baby.  Since there was only a week before winter break, the principal allowed her to wait until after the break to return to class.  The semester was already over for Traci so she was home and between them, they decided to do the holiday up right.

They made cookies and breads and fudges.  Greg pulled out the few decorations that were at the house, but the women decided that there was nowhere near enough.  This gave them a reason to go out shopping.  When they were through, they had decorated the inside of the house and had even got the Christmas bug into Greg who trimmed the house with outside decorations.  Mandy’s excuse was that it was Jenni’s first Christmas and that was enough to talk Greg into almost anything.

They set up the tree in the corner of the living room.  Traci told them about how her family always made decorations to go with the store-bought ones.  So later that night,  they spent the evening stringing popcorn and cranberries and making shapes from clay.  When they were finished, they were very satisfied with the results.  Jenni was fascinated with the colored lights and would stare and ‘talk’ to them for as long as someone would hold her there.

For Greg, this was the first real Christmas he had ever had.  There were always presents, but the feelings of family and closeness were alien to him.  He jumped in with both feet total immersion-style, doing whatever he could to contribute to the season.  He went out and found Christmas carols on CD to help with the mood.  He helped with the baking and decorating.  He went on the Internet and found what other cultures did for Christmas and Yule.  Those things that fit in with the others were incorporated with their celebrations.

Mandy made sure to offer a special invitation to Michelle to spend Christmas day with them.  Traci invited a couple of classmates who couldn’t go home for break.  There were even a few of the women from the shelter where Greg taught self-defense..  They broke down the study center in the dining room and expanded the table to serve all the food.  Their days off were busy but fulfilling.

The all decided that they would have their own celebration on Christmas Eve.  They each had done their shopping alone for each other and then combined to find presents for the others on their lists.  They had pizza for dinner and then sat down near the tree to open gifts.

Of course, Jenni made the biggest haul.  There were toys, clothes, blankets and just about anything else that a baby could ever need.  She was too young to understand anything that was going on but she looked at all the colorful things that passed in front of her.  That is when she wasn’t staring at the sparkling lights on the trees.

Mandy got a new sweater and jeans from Traci that she could wear when she got her figure back.  Along with that was a music box that played “The Rose”, one of Mandy’s favorite songs.  Greg had found a nice easel along with a whole range of oil paints and brushes.  He had also given her a set of diamond earrings.

Traci was given new clothes as well in addition to a set of novels that Mandy had found that were out of print but she loved.  Greg had included a necklace with a blue sapphire in the center.

Both women had made sure that Greg was supplied with new fashion.  Mandy had given him a satellite radio setup that was for the house as well as a car.  Traci had picked up a digital camera so he could take better pictures of Jenni.

With the baby full and sleeping soundly in her carrier and the others situated around the fireplace, Greg brought out the last present for the two women.  They both took the identical blue velvet boxes from his outstretched hands.  They opened them at the same time to reveal a ring that was actually three separate rings that were entwined.  In the center of Mandy’s was a half-carat diamond.  They both turned to look at him, their eyes full of questions.

“We have all said many times how important the others are to us.  Together, we all seem to make a whole.  We cannot seem to be apart without feeling something is missing.  The three bands are meant to symbolize that.  I am asking Mandy to be my wife.  Traci, you belong with us for as long as you want to be.  This ring is to symbolize my - actually our - thoughts about you and how much you mean to us.  You two love each other as much as I do.  I have been thinking on this for a long time and this is the only thing I could come up with.  I hope you both will want to continue to be together as a family.”

Both women sat in shock for a few moments.  Greg was beginning to be afraid that he had completely messed up, but the two women seemed to finally come back to the here and now.  Mandy was the first to speak.  “I would love to be your wife.  I have dreamed about that ever since we were little.  I know that you couldn’t ask me about a ring for Traci without giving up your surprise to me, but I agree with your thoughts.”  Then she turned to face Traci.  “It just wouldn’t be the same without you around.”

Traci finally spoke up.  “You guys have no idea what this means to me.  I may find a guy someday that sweeps me off my feet, but I gotta say that this is very important to me.  I sometimes am afraid that you guys might be tired of me.  But this shows me that isn’t the case.  You guys are my lovers, but more important you are my friends.”

This led to lots of friendly hugs and a few tears of happiness from the women.  Greg admitted that he was very worried that maybe he was messing up their relationship and was relieved that both Mandy and Traci were happy.  “So you two are satisfied with what I got?”

“YES!” was the answer that came out both at the same time.  Then they both laughed, breaking the tension.  “You really need to ask?” was the reply from Mandy.  He then explained that before now, he never really tried to find the perfect gift for someone.  He didn’t know his parents well enough to know just what to get them, so he had always picked up something and made sure to have the receipts so they could take it back.  This had been the first time in years that he really had taken the time to try and find something special for them both.

They cleaned up the paper and ribbons then headed up to bed.  Traci started toward her room thinking to let them celebrate their engagement in private, but Mandy and Greg both insisted that she join them.  The couple did enjoy a celebratory coupling with Traci just looking on, but she was soon pulled into the bed to be cuddled and assured that she was wanted.

The alarm woke them all up the next morning after only a few hours sleep.  Their engagement celebration went on longer than they had figured and it was into the early hours of loving talk before they got to sleep.  Now Traci and Greg stumbled bleary-eyed into the bathroom.  Jenni was due to be fed soon so Mandy decided to wait until after the little girl finished her breakfast.  Traci hit the shower while Greg shaved and brushed his teeth then he entered the shower as Traci was finishing up.  By the time Traci was finished and dressed, Jenni was done eating so Traci burped and changed her while Mandy started her routine.  This was a drill that they had become used to doing and it went very smoothly.

By the time they all had a quick breakfast, it was time to start cooking for the mid-afternoon feast.  The women had all the different dishes divided up between them and they moved like a well-oiled machine, only occasionally bumping into each other.

Greg found himself in charge of the drinkables and Jenni.  He set up everything he thought they would need then contented himself with the latter job.  Jenni was a wonderful child who didn’t cry very much and loved to smile when she saw a friendly face or heard a familiar voice.  Her dark blue eyes always sparkled and she would work her little mouth around the most outrageous contortions.  He never got tired of just sitting with her on his lap.

Around eleven, the doorbell signaled the arrival of the first of the guests.  Greg, with Jenni on his shoulder opened the door to let his mother in.  Her face was flushed from the cold that had gripped the area for the last few days and she hurried into the entryway to keep the temperature from affecting Jenni.  She quickly shed her coat and handed it to her son taking Jenni and fawning over her.  Since the baby was born, Heather had been true to her word and been taking a real interest in the family.  She was often stopping by just to play with Jenni, or to see if they needed anything.  Greg was happy to see this happening since it had brought him and his mother closer than they had ever been.

Greg offered her a glass of her favorite wine and she took over with Jenni while the rest of the guests arrived.  Within an hour, everyone had gathered.  Some of the women from the shelter had prepared special dishes to add to the feast and even the coeds had managed to put together appetizers for everyone.

The house was filled with people.  Everyone was getting acquainted and chatting easily.  Other than Greg, there were only a few other males in attendance.  One of the ladies from the shelter brought her twelve-year-old son and another had a ten year-old. One of the coed’s brothers who was sixteen was staying with her over the holiday while their parents were celebrating a second honeymoon.  Greg showed the younger two where the video game system was and they were both engaged in one of the games.  He and Charlie, the girl’s brother settled down to watch some ESPN and talk.

Charlie was enjoyable company for Greg.  It was good to have someone near his age to just discuss subjects that the male half of the species found interesting.  As they talked back and forth, Greg found that he really liked Charlie. He had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh.  Greg was almost falling off the couch when Charlie was explaining that he felt like he had been in heaven for the past week.  He was sleeping in his sister’s room, but there were three other girls staying over in the house and they were running around in various states of undress.  “By the time I get home, I’m going to have such a case of blue balls that it will take a month for them to go down.  Every time I feel a hard-on coming on I try to think of my Aunt Edith.  Now even that isn’t working, I just see Aunt Edith’s face on that girls body and all I want to do is find a paper bag to cover her head.”

He did let slip that one of the girls had offered to help him get some relief later that night.  “I’m afraid that I’m so horny that I won’t even be able to get my pants off before I shoot.”

About that time, some of the women came in so they didn’t get to talk any more.  For the rest of the day, Greg watched as Charlie almost drooled every time one of the women passed.  He was trying his best not to stare, but for a young man in his condition he just couldn’t help himself.  Some of the women there noticed, but since he was trying so hard not to be obvious that they just ignored it.

The meal turned out to be great and the conversations were interesting.  They served buffet style with everyone either finding a place to sit or standing at the kitchen island.  Everyone ate all they could hold and enjoyed themselves.  Heather was surprised to learn just how popular her son was with the classes he taught at the shelter.  Many of these women had been abused both physically and mentally and Greg was an important part of building their self-esteem back up.  After hearing their stories, she made a note to talk with the public relations director at the office about a sponsorship for the shelter.

Mandy’s latest artwork was brought out and praised.  She had been making a good bit of money from the prints sold by the gallery.  Her newest works included several with the theme of a newborn, of course.

Jenni was not neglected at all.  She wasn’t allowed to be in her carrier all day.  The women all wanted to hold her and she didn’t complain except when she got hungry.  Mandy would then disappear into the bedroom to feed her.  Once finished, it was back to the party.  She slept soundly being carried by someone and didn’t even stir when she was handed off to the next person who wanted to cuddle her.

However, the biggest announcement of the day was Greg and Mandy’s engagement.  Congratulations were given all around and all the women examined Mandy’s unique ring closely.  Heather had spotted Traci’s matching ring earlier but kept her own counsel.. When they were quizzed, Mandy explained that they were planning an engagement that would last until they were well past high school and into college.  One of Traci’s friends had also seen her ring and asked about it..  Rather than to try to hide their relationship, the coed glanced to her friends for confirmation.  “What it means is that while Mandy is to be Greg’s wife, they both love and care for me to consider me part of their family as well.  And I love them enough to want the same thing.”

Greg spoke up then.  “Our arrangements are private and as long as it doesn’t interfere with anyone else, it is none of their business.  Traci has been part of our lives and we would be lost without her here with us.”

There were immediate objections from most of the people there, but the trio dismissed those.  Even though most of the guests were doubtful, they had to admit that the arrangement was well thought out.  The only objection with any merit was what others would say if they found out.  

Mandy answered for them on that point.  “To start with, it ain’t none of their business.  We are doing nothing illegal.  Greg isn’t trying to marry both of us.  As far as they are concerned, Traci is just living here.  Any other arrangements are private and not open for discussion.  Now will it work out?  We think it will.  And Jenni would do a lot worse than having someone as caring as Traci around to help raise her.”

Even Greg was surprised at the way she had formed her arguments.  He whispered to her about it and she answered that she had been really trying to learn to be clear in her arguments since she wanted to be on the debate team at school.  This had been the first time she had a chance to try it.

By the time most of the guests had left, they agreed that even though they would not like the arrangement, the trio had shown that it might be right for them.  Traci had summed it up the best when she said, “Look at it this way.  Greg loves us both, and Mandy and I love each other and him.  We are not jealous of each other.  Why should we be miserable when there is really no reason for it?”

The party continued until after dark. When the last of the guests had left, after giving their good wishes, Heather asked if they could discuss this a little more.  They all gathered around the island so the women could clean up while they talked.

“I must say that I’m still not sure about this arrangement.”  Heather started.  “You three seem alright with it, but the pressure from outside will be rough.”

“Mom, we have thought of that.  Society embraces serial monogamy through serial marriage and divorce.  What is the difference between some guy having a wife and a lover and what we have?  The biggest difference is that Mandy knows about Traci and she approves.”

“Okay, I can see that.  And I can’t say too much since I am still married to your father and we both have lovers.  But another question, are you two girls bisexual?”

Mandy gave Traci a loving look before answering.  “For my part, only with Traci.  I have no desire to sleep with any other woman.  You have to understand, that when Traci and I are together, it is when Greg is there as well.  And I don’t think of her as another woman, but just someone who I love and enjoy being with.”  Traci nodded her head in agreement with what Mandy has said.

Heather gave a sigh.  “It may take me a while to get my head around this.  I had figured that I would have a daughter-in-law someday.  When I got to know Mandy, I had hoped she would be that daughter-in-law.  Now I will have two, at least in a way.  Traci, I don’t know you as well as I do Mandy, but I would like to.  If you three think you can do this, then I think you will.  And I wish you all three the best.”

Jenni started to wake up, so Mandy took her upstairs to change and feed her.  As soon as she was done, she handed her over to Heather so she could play with her a little while before she left.

In bed that night, the three of them discussed all the objections that had been brought up during the day.  When all was said and done, they decided that no matter what anyone else said, it was their lives and they would live how they wanted.  Then they all enjoyed some ‘quality time’ together that left them all tired and very sated.

==========++++++++++==========

School started back up a few days after New Years with Mandy going back to class and Jenni ensconced in the nursery at the school.  Each new mother was excused to go and feed their child, but otherwise they were to continue their classes.  Any study hall periods were usually spent in the nursery.

The charter school contained special classes designed for single mothers as well as the normal classes.  The obvious ones like Childcare were supplemented with classes designed to help them to live on their own.  Employment, dealing with prejudices in the outside world, and getting help when needed were all part of their studies.  Greg commented that many of these courses would be a big help in the public school system as well.

In one of the classes, the teacher held a discussion every week to allow the students to tell of difficulties that they were experiencing with either being pregnant or being a single mother.  Then the students would work together and try to solve the problem the person was having.  The teacher, Mrs. Tomkins, stayed out of the discussion unless asked or there were points that they didn’t think of.  It was during one of these discussions that Kenisha, a sophomore who was six months along brought up the prejudices that she had encountered during a political rally downtown.

She was walking past the park downtown while a speaker was railing about the welfare system causing the rise in teen pregnancy.  She suddenly found herself being stared at as an example of what he was talking about.  She was scared and humiliated and literally ran from the area.  “Why do people like that pick on us and make us the bad guy when they don’t know anything about us?” she said through the tears that threatened to take over.

This was one of the subjects that kept coming up more and more often.  Janice, another student, kind of summed it up for them all.  “The public has the view of all of us as either sluts that were careless or just want to be on the public dole.  That is what they think because that is all they hear.  They don’t know us and the people who feel that way don’t want to know the truth.”

There were calls of agreement from the group.  “But what can we do to change their outlook?”, one of the other girls ventured forth.

Mandy had been quiet until now. She was thinking about what she and Greg had talked about months before. “Why can’t we form a group of our own to counteract what they are saying?  We should speak up.  I learned the hard way about not standing up for yourself. What do you say about forming a...  what do you call it... advocacy group to counteract the lies?”

There were several of the group that felt it was a good idea.  Mrs. Tomkins said she would sponsor a club through the school.  That would give them access to the equipment and resources that would let them get their word out.  They were all in agreement on this and Mrs. Tomkins said she would get the ball rolling for them.

Mandy came home that afternoon still charged up about the idea.  She explained it first to Greg and then Traci when she came in later.  Both of them shared her enthusiasm and promised to help with whatever they could do.  Mandy gave them a grin.  “Glad to hear you say that since I invited the rest of the group over tomorrow to start planning.”

The three of them held a brainstorming session throughout the evening.  When the ideas started to flow, Mandy grabbed a pad and paper and wrote them down.  By the time the other women showed up the next morning, they had several ideas that seemed good to three of them.

When the meeting started, there were ten girls there along with some of their family members and interested friends.  Greg was glad to see some other males there since he was feeling vastly outnumbered.  To the surprise of all, Mrs. Tomkins showed up along with her husband.  Larry Tomkins was a distinguished looking gentleman in his early forties with salt and pepper hair and beard.  Traci recognized him as one of her political science professors.  He greeted her with a hearty laugh and a smile before meeting her housemates.

Since Mandy was the official host, she took over the meeting and called it to order.  She asked for ideas that would get the message out that they were just like everyone else.  Some of the ideas were not possible but for the most part, they were very down to earth concepts.  The ideas that were doable were discussed in greater detail and then they tried to poke holes in those.  Mrs. Tomkins played the devil’s advocate in trying to come up with reasons something would not work.  The ones that survived were written down.

After a break for a snack and a drink, Mr. Tomkins asked if he could speak.  This surprised the group, but they appreciated him doing so.  “Ladies, as Traci can tell you, I am a professor of Political Science at the college.  As such, I may have some insight on the ramifications of any actions that you may wish to enact.  I will volunteer my time and expertise to your cause.”  He saw the younger girls looking at him strangely and realized that he was in his ‘lecture mode’ as he called it.  “What I mean is that I will help you get things together to get your cause off the ground.   If you want to consider this, let me know.

“The next thing would be to name your organization and choose a name for your campaign.   You all may be young, but you have the drive.  You are the next generation that will be running the country.  If you learn about the processes now, you will be better able to get your views across.”

Mr. Tomkins returned to his seat leaving the girls with plenty to think about but also feeling very empowered.  The idea that a bunch of single mothers, still in high school could do anything was farfetched, but in their minds, they were able.

Talk continued until late in the afternoon.  By the time they left there was an organization called Single Mothers For Equality.  It was decided to stay small for a while, but as their numbers grew, the option to go big was there.  The purpose of their group would be to provide emotional support for teen mothers and a voice for them when discriminated against.

They talked about fundraising and about manning a booth at some of the local events that would be coming up.  Traci agreed to talk to a friend who was a graphic design whiz about coming up with promotional materials.  There were many details that needed to be worked out and explored and every person there, including the guys, were given a job.  The group dispersed feeling much better than they had when they showed up.

Greg had been given the job of writing the text for their materials.  With the help from the others in the group, he designed a pamphlet called “Teen Pregnancy is not a disease” along with posters and testimonials that were put on poster boards.  One of the girls had a boyfriend that offered to print things up for them.

Their group also started growing.  Mandy had placed a notice on the school bulletin board and the second meeting had twice as many people.  They ended up having to use a room at the school from then on.

The group decided to put up a booth at the town’s Founder’s Day Celebration.  They all put in for the entry fee and then went to work on how to set it up and man it.  They would have information leaflets about teen pregnancy along with their own literature.  Balloons and candy to entice the public.  Greg volunteered to donate the bag of condoms that the clinic had given them.  It was meant as a joke, but soon they had decided that it just might be a good idea.  Since they would be set up next to Planned Parenthood, it might even be a great idea.  Mandy said she would donate a couple of prints from the gallery if Mr. Harrington was agreeable for a silent auction.  They would have a sign up sheet for anyone who wanted to work the booth answering questions.  That way, everyone could enjoy the fair as well as work the booth.

They made up some posters to distribute for advertising.  They wanted to try and get the word out who they were and what they wanted to accomplish.  They would be distributed to doctors’ offices, and other places where teen mothers would see them.

Greg ran into some resistance at his school when he asked to post a notice on the community board.  One of the counselors advised him that the subject of teen pregnancy was not one that was in the best interest of the student body.  After hearing this, he made an appointment with the principal.

The meeting was to be that afternoon after school.  Greg called Mandy on her cell and she said she would be there.  To his surprise, Mrs. Tomkins showed up as well.  “I thought you might need some support from the ‘official’ school sponsor”, she told him.

They all three went into the principal’s office where the principal, vice principal, and the counselor were already seated.  Principal Martin opened the meeting.  “Mr. Tolkin, since you requested this meeting, would you please state your purpose.”

“Thank you Mr. Martin.  I asked to meet with you because when I asked to place a notice on the community bulletin board, I was refused.  The notice was for a meeting of a club that was started in my fiancée’s school to educate other students about the problems that come with teen pregnancy and being a single mother.  I was told by Mr. Smith that it was not in the interest of the student body to see this notice and apparently to talk about teen pregnancy.”

Mr. Smith interrupted.  “We have no pregnant teens in this school.  And if we allow discussion on this, you can bet we will get sued by some of the conservative parents.”

Greg turned to the counselor.  “The reason we don’t have any students here that are pregnant, at least as far as you know, is because the school transfers them out as soon as their condition is found out.”

Principal Martin responded, “We have no facilities to allow single mothers to bring in their children.   And the ones that are pregnant are transferred to keep them from being harassed by the other students.”

“Mr. Martin, we wouldn’t have the problems with harassment if the other students were to learn about what these girls have to go through.  What the real problem is, and it comes from the school board on down, is that they can’t come to grips that the ‘just say no’ sex education we have doesn’t work and the students don’t know enough when they have sex.  I’ll bet if you did an honest poll of the senior class, you would find very few virgins.  Even among those, most have had experience in some other kind of sex.  What this club is trying to do is dispel the idea that these girls are not horrible people just because they got pregnant.”

“You have a strong position and I happen to agree with you”, said Principal Martin, “but don’t quote me on that.  It is the position of the administration that anything that refers to the sexual side of the students is to be forbidden because it might make them think about having sex.  If I allow you to place that on the board, there would be such an uproar that it wouldn’t calm down for the rest of the year.”

Greg knew that they couldn’t get past this rule.  Principal Martin then continued.  “That is not to say you can’t advertise by word of mouth and hand out leaflets between classes.  As long as the school isn’t involved officially, you can do what you feel is needed.”

They decided this would be the best compromise they were likely to get.  At least they were able to get the word out for their booth at the fair.  Greg was still upset, but Mandy gave him a bit of advice.  “Sometimes sweetheart, you just have to take what you can get and count that as a victory.  When I lived at home, I considered any relaxing of the rules as a big victory.  You learn to appreciate anything you can get and then to work around in those rules.”

He knew she was right.  He swallowed his bruised pride and they ended the meeting.  That night, Greg printed up some leaflets on the computer giving information on what the group was about and contact numbers if someone had more questions or needed help.  He printed up enough to pass out at school the next day and then gave one to Mandy so she could get it to Don whose father owned the printing shop.

The next day, Greg caught his friend Connie before they went into the building.  She was more than happy to pass out the flyers to friends and others in their class.  She did give him a hard time about not telling her about the group, and offered her help to them.  “I may not be pregnant, but I can still care.  And I really like Mandy.”

“Well if you and Andy are not doing anything Friday night, why don’t you come over for dinner and we can discuss it.”

“I’ll talk to Andy, but I don’t think we had much planned other than doing a little snoogling in the back seat of his car.”

Greg gave her an evil grin.  “So that is what you are calling it now?”

Connie blushed and slapped him on the shoulder.  Then she laughed as she went on in the direction of her locker.

When lunchtime came around, he found Olivia sitting at their usual table.  This year she had matured both physically and mentally.  Her figure had filled out and she had become a very pretty girl.  She now had a boyfriend, but she still preferred to eat with Greg most days.  Her posse was there as usual.

He sat down and after greeting them all, he dug into his lunch.  The conversation picked up as they finished their food and Greg asked the younger girl if she would do him a favor.

 “Sure, Greg.  What do you need?”

“Well, Mandy is involved in this group that is trying to help teens that are sexually active or are pregnant.  You know, give them information on how to get help if they need it, and also to get the word out that pregnant teens are not some kind of lepers.  I have some sheets here that have the info about a booth that they are going to have at the Founder’s Days fair.  If you wouldn’t mind passing them out to anyone who might be interested, it would be a big help.”

“That’s no problem.  We don’t mind, do we girls?”  She received nods from the others at the table.  They took most of the flyers he had left and distributed them between the girls.  Greg glanced over to see Lucy, a petite Asian girl reading the paper very carefully.  He wondered if they might be getting a call from her.

==========++++++++++==========