A Day in June, Chapter 13
About two weeks after Dyani's return, Devon's paternity leave ended. He was definitely of two minds about going back to school. While he was eager to be with his students, he would miss his son a lot. He knew the boy would be in good hands with Dyani, but he had loved every minute of bonding with him.
On the morning of his return, he was greeted at the door of his classroom by the smiling face of Tim Jones.
"I heard you have a baby! Do you have any pictures of him?"
"You heard right and, as a new father, my phone if full of poses of the cutest baby in the world," Devon replied as he called up an album and allowed Tim to look through some of them.
"I see there are several with Mr. Matson. May I assume you're raising the kid together?"
"Your assumption is correct. As I recall, you had figured us out around Thanksgiving time, and yes we're making a life together. We consider Jayden to be `our' son, not just mine."
"That's so cool! I know you'll be great dads. You both have a lot of love in your hearts. I hope I can raise a family with another guy someday."
"If you look for a guy with the same maturity level and values that you have, I'll bet it'll work out."
"Are you gonna bring Jayden to school someday so we can see him?"
"I'd like to do that. I can probably have Jade or Dyani bring him to class long enough to show him off on a day when the weather is nice enough."
"Who's this Dyani person?"
"Oh, sorry, that's Jade's grandmother. She has agreed to be our live-in nanny. She treats our baby as her own great-grandson."
"That's awesome!"
"Yes it is."
At lunchtime in the teacher's lounge, Devon voiced the possibility of bringing his son to school for a few minutes someday. Ms. Harmon, who taught the parenting classes, got a big smile on her face.
"Please let me know about it so I can `borrow' him for a few minutes. We have a number of robotic babies for the students to care for, but we'd really love to have a real live infant to be our model. I might demonstrate diaper changing and feeding if things worked out right."
"I'd be happy to let him be the star, but you might have to let his great-grandmother do the honors. She's our nanny and quite possessive!"
"I could do that. I certainly don't want to upset her or the baby. I'd be positively thrilled to give my students a real-life experience."
After clearing it with his principal, Devon arranged for Dyani to bring Jayden to his last class of the day for a short visit on Friday of the following week. After that, Dyani would take the little one to the parenting class where she would allow the teacher to demonstrate diaper changing and feeding with him as the star. She would be watching to make sure everything went okay. She didn't expect to intervene, but she wouldn't let anything happen to him.
On the day for his visit, the weather cooperated well. It was sunny, and unseasonably warm, which Dyani felt was a good omen.
The students in Devon's literature class were enthralled. Tim was the first one in the door, so he got a personal introduction ahead of the rest. He desperately wanted to hold the baby, and Dyani sensed that he would be capable of doing so. She had him sit in Devon's chair, and then placed Jayden in his arms. Devon took a quick picture of the domestic scene before the rest arrived. Tim's face exhibited a look of pure joy and love.
Dyani took Jayden back as the class members assembled. Some of the girls were jealous of Tim because they would have loved to play mommy to Devon's son. A few of them had a crush on him anyway. None of them had a clue about his orientation.
Jayden was a perfect child in the parenting class. When getting his diaper changed, he dutifully peed a stream straight into the air as boy babies are sometimes wont to do. Since the teacher had explained that it might happen, she was ready with a wash cloth to keep him from getting a golden shower. It all played out as if it had been scripted.
The fact that he was uncircumcised was a bonus as far as the teacher was concerned. It opened a discussion into the pros and cons of the procedure. Some of the boys made an inward vow that they wouldn't allow their sons to suffer through it. Most of them had checked out foreskins on the Internet already.
Ms. Harmon then asked Dyani if it was time for Jayden to have a bottle. Dyani said that it was, and reached into his bag and produced a prepared bottle of formula. She explained to the class about warming it to approximately body temperature.
She instructed a volunteer from the class on warming it in the microwave. Then she allowed another student to feed Jayden. There were several who wanted to try, and Dyani allowed each of them a short go at it.
When it came to burping, one boy said he was good at it because he babysat for his older sister's infant. So, Dyani said he should demonstrate. It turned out that he was as good as his word, and Jayden produced a belch worthy of a frat boy. The class thought it was awesome.
When the dismissal bell for the day rang, Devon was surprised to see that Dyani was still at school.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"Everything was perfect! And you'll be proud of me that I didn't obsess," she joked. "That teacher knows exactly what she's doing, so I didn't have to intervene. She was very gracious to let me have some input when it came to preparing his bottle. I let that girl, Kaylee, from your class be one of the students to feed him. I could feel her disappointment when Tim got to hold him and she didn't."
"Dyani, you could be a counselor! You are very sensitive to other people's emotions."
"I do have a bit of the gift of empathy," she smiled. "I think it's in my genes."
"I assumed you'd be long gone by now," Devon commented.
"I would have, but there are a few teachers coming to Ms. Harmon's room who want to see your little prince. So, you'd better take him down there."
When they reached the classroom, it looked deserted. There were no lights on and Devon wondered if Dyani had misunderstood. When she opened the door for him and stepped back, someone switched on the lights and everyone said, "Surprise!"
Devon was taken completely aback. He had never dreamed that anyone would give a baby shower for him. He felt a few tears welling up in his eyes and he surveyed the room. Most of the staff had come. Even the coaches who had after-school practices came long enough to wish him well. It took him a minute to realize that Jade was present too. His face lit up like Christmas when he saw his fiancé.
There were a number of gift certificates to be used for necessities, but one large gift to which the teachers had contributed. It was a stroller with large wheels and adjustable handles so it could be used for jogging. They all knew Devon liked to stay active, and they had checked with Dyani to make sure he didn't already have one.
Just like the thoughtful person she was, Dyani carefully taped each card to the gift it came with so that Devon and Jade could write thank-you notes later.
Every shower has to include food. There were little sandwiches, lemonade and iced tea, plus a cake with Jayden's name on it.
The party lasted until around 3:30 when people began to drift back to their rooms to make final preparations for the coming week. Devon was still in awe of how kind everyone had been.
"Shari, I suspect you were behind this," he said to Ms. Harmon.
"I may have suggested it, but several others pitched in to pull it off. It's small payment for having this delightful little one perform for my class. But, I'm afraid he sent the wrong message to my students. Not all babies are that perfect!"
"I guess I could have Jade make a video of him when he wakes up in the wee hours and demands service," Devon grinned.
"If you would consider that, it would be a kind of reality check."
"I'll work on it. We can't have the kids thinking babies don't require work and patience."
Because Devon and Jade were busy all term, it was flying by quickly. Before they knew it, Easter was nearly upon them and Don and Dale would be there for a visit. To accommodate everyone, the men bought a rollaway bed for Dyani to use in the nursery, and they put Jayden's crib in their bedroom. The grandpas had insisted that they would be fine sleeping on camp cots in the basement, and Dyani was just as adamant that she would be comfortable on the rollaway. In the end, to Jade's surprise, the men got their way.
It was fun to watch the two guests and grandma working in the kitchen together preparing for their big dinner. Don and Dale had brought a large leg of lamb which they thought would be a treat. Dyani prepared some of the dishes to go with it, including her delicious cornbread. Since she had been in contact with them before they came, they had coordinated the menu to be very special.
Jade and Devon were left with nothing to do but play with their son. That was a treat for both of them. It felt like they were on vacation.
Everyone had Easter Monday off, but Don and Dale had to leave after lunch on that day. Although it was a short visit, everyone felt it was a good one. The grandpas remarked as how much Jayden had changed. Not only was he getting bigger, but he was interacting more with the people around him, trying to communicate with babbles and coos. They were especially thrilled that he hugged the soft stuffed bunny they had brought him.
On Tuesday, it was back to the old grind for all concerned. The weather was beginning to show signs of spring. Devon took Jayden out in the stroller after school on good days. The little one loved the experience.
One day when he came back to the house, Dyani asked if she might use the stroller sometimes. Devon, of course, showed her how to adjust the handles to be at a comfortable level for her. She said she would love to get more exercise with the warmer weather coming on.
About a week before Jade's graduation, Dyani received a call from Sheriff Burns. Her heart did a flip-flop when she saw who it was from. Ever since having to shoot her son, she had lived with a feeling that the other shoe might drop when she least expected it. The news was a shock, but not what she had expected.
The sheriff informed her that a teenage girl had anonymously dropped off a newborn baby boy at the hospital with a note which said she had become pregnant after being raped, but she couldn't bring herself to have an abortion. She identified the father as Robert Young Bear, an older man who had befriended her when he found she had run away from home. He had provided food and shelter for her and treated her kindly in the beginning. Then one night, he got drunk and demanded that she pay him back for taking her in. She left as soon as he had fallen to sleep, and never returned.
Sheriff Burns said that after much consideration, he had felt Dyani should know in case anyone in the family wanted to raise the baby. With her permission, someone could use Robert's DNA record to prove or disprove the claim.
Dyani agreed that she would like to know the truth. She said she might relay the information to her grandson and his partner, but she really didn't know what to do.
During the rest of the day, she mulled it all over in her mind. She knew that she was too old to take on the role of a foster parent. Her first obligation was to Jayden anyway. When he started school, she would play a smaller role in his life, and eventually fade into the background.
Of course, if Jade and Devon wanted to raise the infant, it would be almost like having twins. The boys would start school together, and might even be able to share some of the same toys and clothing. But raising a child through college was a very expensive undertaking. Having two children would pretty much double those costs.
They might be able to work out the financial problems. Since the baby was about half Native American, the tribal council would provide a stipend as they did for other members, but there was also the emotional impact to consider. How would Jade feel about caring for his father's child, conceived as the result of a criminal act? Would the baby's presence bring back all the terrible memories of being raped by that same man? Could Jade feel any love for the little one? On the other hand, would he feel guilty if he didn't try to raise his half-brother?
She wished that she hadn't answered the phone. But, that wouldn't have changed anything in the long run. She said a quick prayer and took Jayden for a ride in the stroller.
Having ridden together, Devon and Jade came home at the same time. Jade's old faithful was in the shop being resurrected enough to give it a new lease on life for the time being.
Both men sensed from Dyani's demeanor that something important was on her mind the minute they saw her.
"Okay Grandma, what's going on?"
"I think your father lived longer than he should have! I got a call from Sheriff Burns today, and he had committed a serious crime about four months before I shot him. It's one which has lasting consequences."
Through her tears, Dyani proceeded to relay the message she had received. She didn't mention that the sheriff had asked if they wanted to raise the child. She was rather surprised with the reaction from both men.
"Is there any way we could take him?" Jade asked, glancing from his grandmother to his lover.
"If you want to, I'm in favor of it." Devon responded. "Would you be comfortable raising your little brother, or would there be too many ghosts?"
"If you're okay with it, I would be," Jade responded. "We could give him the love and support that he would never have gotten from my father. It would be like giving him the kind of childhood I should have had. The only problem is that it will place another burden on our finances. I already owe you so much for all you've done for me."
"We're a team, Jade. Next month we'll be a married couple. We can do this. You already have an assistantship which will be an additional help toward grad school. I'm getting a substantial raise next year because of earning hours beyond my master's degree. We'll make it."
"I know the baby would receive money from the casino revenue," Dyani interjected. "I'm not trying to influence your decision, but I wanted to remind you of that resource."
"Congratulations on becoming a new dad," Devon said as he kissed Jade on the cheek.
"Hey, he'll be your son too," Jade insisted. "I think we both deserve best wishes."
"Let's celebrate by going out for Chinese, unless Grandma has something started," Devon suggested.
"Grandma has been in such a state that she didn't even plan for dinner," Dyani said. "I've been agonizing over this for several hours. At first I didn't know if I should even tell you boys, but after taking Jayden out for a stroll on the bike trail to clear my head, I figured I needed to simply let you know the story and let you take it from there. I never expected for you to make such a quick decision."
The family enjoyed eating at the Lotus Blossom because the staff was accommodating. They always offered to warm Jayden's baby food without being prompted.
Jayden did justice to his food, and also tasted a little of the Chinese cuisine. He had quickly become an adventurous eater. Tonight, he sampled the egg-drop soup, and gummed on a bit of eggroll.
Devon told Dyani that he hoped she wouldn't be faced with nasty diapers the next day due to the introduction of new foods. She assured him that she was up to the job.
Her appetite for dinner was good too, and she knew she would sleep well that night. The relief she felt after stressing all day was unbelievable.
"Make love to me," Jade whispered after Devon and he settled down for the night.
"Of course; I read your mood when you suggested we take a shower," Devon grinned.
"Really? I thought maybe the bulge in my pants tipped you off."
"Um, that too. Do you want to breed me or the other way around?"
"The other way around, please. I love the feeling of being filled with your seed."
They didn't rush toward their goal. Neither felt pressured. Jade's school work, including finals, had all been completed that day. Tomorrow was Saturday, and they could sleep in a little perhaps. Jayden had recently started sleeping through the night, and they could catch a nap later in the morning when he took his.
Devon had become quite adept at stimulating all of Jade's sensitive areas. He took Jade to the point of begging to be taken before he greased his pole and entered. After that, he started using a long, gentle stroke which made the embers burst into a five-alarm fire. Jade thrust against him to maximize the experience. Feeling Jade's engorged cock swell to its greatest size, Devon increased the speed. He was rewarded by rhythmic moans that helped them reach their destination at almost the exact same time.
They lay together, still connected for several minutes in the afterglow. Then Devon slurped up Jade's copious offering and shared it with him in a deep kiss.
Being too relaxed to move, they pulled up the covers and fell to sleep.
Author's notes: A big mea culpa to those whose names I inadvertently left off the list last time. The ones I have for this week may not be right either. Please know that I'm not trying to slight any of my dear readers. I heard from: Harry T, Mike D, Jim L, Walt S, Tony F, Ott H, Paul R, Paul F, Jim W, Jim G, Greg S, Wayne, Tony W, Douglas and Lawrence, Bill K, Tom A, Scott M, Joe W, Nick S, Trish R, Jim S, Rich L, Mendy D, Zero, and Jeremy R. There were several awaiting me when I got home last night from the Caribbean.
There are probably two chapters left of this story. I have several starts simmering on the back burners and hope to post one of them in a few weeks. I may take a break before I do.
If you aren't already on my notification list and wish to be, I will be happy to add you so that you'll know when a new chapter of story is being posted.
Stay well and out of major trouble...
David