In the company of the Kellers. In their loud company and handsome and intoxicated company. How dare Alex bring a group of fine twenty-something's into that fortress? The testosterone was overwhelming her. All the first families sent reps. Chess demanded action on New Jersey and he got it. Anyone who was a squad leader in Jersey had arrived. The war room was open. A dark chill hung over the house despite the reunion. A flurry of activity as the boys had leave and were not worrying about any war plans. They boys wanted pussy and alcohol and they were not shy about their demands.
Julia and Chess watched the entourage enter the house from across the sitting area. Julia sat beside him with her feet up.
"God damn it, why am I pregnant?" Julia whined, eyes scanning the next gen-ers.
"I feel some sexual tension here, wifey." Chess said sarcastically.
"Oh, I can still look. Tatia, this is her idea. We want in on Jersey."
"You know how I feel about pussy-"
"It's a distraction, but she needs proper credit for this." She said, smacking his arm.
"And you? What's your angle in this?"
"It's my fucking job."
"Speaking of your job. I was thinking that you could train Tatia for that. When it's time, she could be the next gen rebuilder."
"Um, what about me?"
"You will have a child. Your day is done. You're limited in what you do from now on."
"Oh, we haven't discussed this, Chess. No, you can't do that." Julia argued.
"Later, we have time to recreate your role in our great free state. Come, woman. Get up." He insisted, holding out a hand to hoist her to her feet. "Have you seen our doc yet? That ass feels heavier than yesterday."
"He had a delivery this morning. He'll be here after." Julia told him. "Macy told me this morning."
"I want you in bed."
"Chess, I don't have the energy for that. Please, don't make me climb those stairs again."
"I meant laying down, resting."
"Oh, I see."
"We do need to discuss Macy, too. I made some decisions you may or may not like."
"Like?"
"Later, mommy." He said, guiding her to the group of men that had come through their door.
"Julia?" Alex called, rushing to her. "Hi, Jules. Oh my God, look at you." He said hugging over her too hard and too tight.
"Hi, I missed you so much. I'm glad your here."
"Yeah, I wanna meet this guy." He said, leaving her go.
"He's a good guy. You'll get along."
"Uncle Chess. Women and liquor."
"Where is Care?" Julia asked.
"We broke up again." He answered. "Too many women and too much liquor."
"Too much war, stupid." Julia said, "Where's your brother?"
Julia walked to the door and met with Tavin.
"Red, holy shit." He said, stepping inside. He slid his arms around her and kissed her a little too long. "He said you were big, but damn."
"It's my pressure and-"
"Where's the fucking doc?"
"Tav, I am tired, but I'm fine."
"You're full of water. How high is your pressure?" He asked.
"I'm alright. I get around."
"No, you should be in bed." He ordered, taking her further in the house. "Chess, why she out of bed?"
"She does what she wants."
"The baby is fine, Tavin. She's strong. She's healthy."
"It's not about the baby. It's about you." He corrected her. "How far along are you?"
"32 weeks."
"Jesus Christ."
"It's too early. I know what you're thinking."
"Oh, my God. We'll have to see what the doc says." He said, still holding onto her. "You know better, Red."
"I don't do anything except lay around. I swear it."
"Yeah, she's being honest. She doesn't lift a finger. All her needs are met." She and Tavin turned their heads and looked at him with that statement. "Even in New York. Yes, she had a limited lifestyle. I've been monitoring her."
"Kelly, where is she?"
"Home. I heard there was pussy and liquor." He replied, getting comfortable with her arms around him. Her arms... "True, Chess? Pussy and liquor."
"I'll make it so." He answered. "Hector!" He called. "Hector!" He called again.
"Hector is still alive?" Tavin asked her.
"So is Broom Hilda." Julia added.
"Hey, we had a lot of fucking fun here, Red. Remember?"
"I remember. Being back here just brings it all up."
"Are y'all gonna fuck in the doorway?" Alex asked.
"Boy, watch your mouth." Tavin asked. "I'm holding her up." He laughed, stepping her backwards to close the door. He kissed her again, then left her go.
"Yes, Mister Chess. You call me." Hector arrived via the kitchen corridor in his slow ambling manner.
"Pussy and liquor, Hector!"
"Yes, Mister Chess." He nodded.
"You are welcome to join us, Hector, of course. Call Main and get Mel and her girls on call for us please. Have Main find Trudy for you. On me, Hector!"
"Mister Chess, yes." He replied, turning back toward the kitchen.
"Chess, Trudy gotta be like 50 by now." Tavin smiled, thinking of Trudy.
"What Hector wants, Hector gets." He replied with a grin. "Keep your hands off Trudy, brother." Chess warned.
"That won't be a problem nowadays, I assure you." He said.
Soon the feast began. Broom Hilda and Macy had a spread across the table in the eating area. The boys ate, traded war stories. Dr. Kahn arrived during the meal and she and Antonio walked with him to the birth room/medical. He carried his bag and hurried along as most docs do. When Julia reached the small office, he handed off a gown, told her to change and meet him in the room.
"Are we doing a full pelvic exam?" She asked as he wandered off to give her privacy.
"What's wrong?" Freeman asked.
"I woulda cleaned up a little is all." She grumbled, feeling self conscious about the nudity about to happen. She changed out of her clothes into the gown he'd provided her. He helped her up on the table and stood with her between her spread knees. She heard voices outside in the office. She knew Tavin and Dr. Kahn were discussing her pregnancy and the risks and when to take their baby.
"What?" He asked, looking toward the door.
"It's Tavin. He's a medic." She said, looking past him.
"He sounds smart. I was talking to him."
"He is smart, Freeman. He's worried about me."
"Should we be worried? I don't get the feeling we should be."
"Not about her, about me, Freeman."
"Mrs. Morgan, I would prefer a vaginal delivery. It's safer. The risks go up enormously with surgical intervention." Dr. Kahn sat professional and appeared tired. "I will prepare for both. We will go week to week for now. Your blood pressure is high. I would like you on strict bed rest with bathroom privileges only. Your diet will be modified to accommodate for sodium intake and your fluids will also be restricted."
"Ok. I understand."
"No strenuous physical activity and your sexual relations should be restricted as well."
"Ok, I understand."
"You're 2 centimeters dilated."
"Already."
"Yes. I will see you next Friday. Until then if there is a need, you may have Mr. Morgan contact me."
"Thanks, Doc."
Julia watched the doc leave and clear the office. She laid back on the table. Freeman sat beside her on a stool and held her hand. Neither had anything to say for awhile. She heard what she had expected to hear and was satisfied. Freeman, on the other hand, was still processing the information. Where would he be in 2 weeks? Jersey? It was weighing on him he may miss the birth of Antonia.
"You're going on infantry, Freeman. Just like New York." She said to him. She felt the weight lift off him.
"Who's taking care of you when I leave?" He asked.
"I'll take care of myself, Freeman. I'll be alright. Tatia is here. God forbid, Macy. I got people."
"But-" He quieted. "You're right. You'll be alright. Week to week, Morgan."
"Would you like me to talk to him? I could keep you off infantry, too."
"No." He answered.
"We've been spoiled already, you know. No other grunt gets the girl every night in the house and the time like we got it."
"I'm grateful for that, but I have responsibilities, Morgan."
"I understand that, but I also have some pull when it comes to things like that. You think about it. It's your decision. I knew when I got into this that we'd be separated."
"The timing, though. I'm grateful for infantry. I want to be on infantry."
"Ok, then. You're never too far from me."
She looked at the stirrups sticking off the table in the air. "Hey, if you put my feet up and I scoot down, you're at the perfect angle-"
"He said no sex." Freeman reminded her as he stood up. He lifted a foot up and placed it in the stirrup, then the other.
"Well, we'll consider this an exam, then?" She said, scooting her bottom to the base of the table.
"This is the perfect height for me, Morgan. Why you always ready? You have got to be the horniest girl I ever met." He asked, undoing his pants.
"I shoulda been born a man." She answered.
Julia slept through the pussy and liquor since she couldn't join. She was feeling some type of way, left out and cut off from the fun. She lay in her bed on her left side and cried herself to sleep. She stirred in the middle of the night when Freeman got in bed, he reeked of liquor. Rum?
"Did you get any ass?" She asked as he cuddled up behind her, wrapping his warm arms around her already hot body.
"No." He whispered, his breath heavy with rum. She hated rum, its taste, its odor. His hand caressed her body to between her legs. "Fire pussy, ma." He said, gripping her tight in his hand.
"We fuckin', Freeman?" She asked sleepily, covering his hand with hers.
"Can't. Too much to drink. I'm drunk, Morgan." He said, his voice hiccoughed a couple times.
The table full of next gen-ers was disturbed by the presence of two females in the midst of their plans. Next gen never sought the input of females. "What is this?" One of the boys asked, motioning to Tatia and Julia. "Alexander, is this your idea?" Alex knew well enough to keep his trap shut. He knew that this was serious and if Julia was present, he knew his place. His point of confusion was with Tatia sitting across from him. She sat in her chair, body all jittery with excitement.
"Why would you assume that, Mike?"
"Because she's your sister." He replied. He overlooked Julia's presence. It was understood that she was allowed to be present. Julia could go anywhere in the house she chose. They'd grown up with her and watched her and had learned from her when they were teenagers, some of them younger that that. The youngest at the table was 17, a mere year older than the girl they complained about.
"Speak, Tatia." Julia yelled. "They have a problem with you. Defend yourself."
Tatia was distracted with all the boys surrounding her. She was flanked by them and her hormones were revving high as she sat dreamily taking in each one.
"Um, I'm here because Uncle Chess-"
"Why are you here?" Julia yelled at her.
"I'm going to New Jersey." She answered shyly.
"The fuck you are." Alex interrupted.
"I'm going out with the infantry on Monday."
"The fuck you are." Alex said again.
She looked down at her lap. Julia wished she could stand up without help as she lay on the sofa across from them in the rec area. She wanted to snatch Alex by his shaggy hair and smack him. Why Tatia wasn't was a mystery to her. She was feeling outnumbered and outvoted. Why did it always have to come to this?
"Who says you can do that?"
"Uncle Chess said he would let me. And Julia said I could try."
"You are no Julia." He criticized his sister and complimented Julia.
"How do you know till she tries, Alex?"
"Yeah, Alexander."
"You are no fighter, Tatia. You are not strong or-"
"I've been training."
"With who?"
"With Chess."
"Oh, really? Would you like to fight?"
"No!" Julia screamed. "Please, no. I cannot get involved in a fight."
Alex stood up and crossed the table, knocking Tatia over and her chair. They sprawled onto the floor and he straddled her with his full weight.
"Alex," Tatia yelled as he held her arms down above her head.
"What now?"
"Alex, get off me. You're hurting me."
"What now, Tatia Rose?" He taunted her.
"Uncle Chess never did this to me." She said.
"Savages will. And once they have you like this they will take your clothes off and rape you."
"Tatia, honey. Get him off of you, please."
"I-I can't."
"Throw me off of you." Alex said.
"Alex, get off your sister." Julia sighed, thinking of 10 ways to get Alex off Tatia. She just didn't know.
"Tatia, really. Lift with all you got." He said. "Use your legs, Tati. Fucking roll." He looked at Julia.
"What would you do?"
"Well, since you're holding my arms, I'd open them up as wide as possible, which would bring you down and we'd go from there. Head butt maybe or you'd lose your balance a bit enough to throw you off. It'd hurt, but I'd be out. It's a tough one to get out of, Tatia."
"Would it be smart to let him get me up and go from there?"
"Depends on why he's on top of you to begin with."
Alex left go of her arms, but stayed sitting on top of her. "Now what?"
"Honey, he told you the fight was coming. He gave you warning before he crossed the table. That gave you time to move the hell out of the way."
"I didn't think he'd do it, Julia."
"Why? Cause he's your brother?" Chess asked as he and Tavin came in the room. "You know we cannot have one meal without a fight."
"Get off your sister." Tavin said.
Alex jumped up and reached down to her. "We'll go out this afternoon, Tatia. You and me. We'll work on you." He looked at Chess. "She won't make it a day with infantry."
"Juniors." Chess said.
"Toddlers." Alex snickered.
"Hey." Tatia called him. When he turned to look at her, she hooked him. Hard. On his jaw. He swung with half his strength and his hand open. She blocked him and hit him again as hard as she could.
"That's a start." He smiled.
"Stop." Tavin said firmly. "Let her go do what she wants. It's her life to live and her life to lose."
"Who trained you?" Tatia asked.
"The street trained me. Can we do this, because I could care less about New Jersey?"
"Still doesn't answer our question why she's here?" Mike repeated.
"Tatia is here because this is her plan. She sat down and she thought this up all on her own. No help, no map, no guidance. A 16 year old girl has devised a plan that you fools could not think up with all the knowledge and weapons at your disposal."
"Why's Julia here?"
"She comes in toward the end. As will Tatia. Tatia came up with the plan that you will carry out."
Tatia spoke for five minutes straight with all eyes and ears on her. As Julia listened, she looked around the table and noticed one thing was missing.
"Wait. Stop." Julia said, lifting up on her elbow. They all turned their heads to look at her.
"What?" Chess asked, annoyed.
"Which one of you geniuses is writing this down? Doesn't anyone take notes anymore? You write the plan down on paper, so you read it, fix it, add to it. The first plan is a rough draft of the final plan."
"Oh, well. We have the map at least." Chess laughed.
"Morgan, I can go get a notebook." Freeman suggested. "You got a million of them."
"Yes, you, go." Chess nodded.
"And pass around the sign in sheet for future reference as to who is here, from where, etc..."
"You alright over there, Jules?" Tavin asked.
"I'm fine. I'm tired. I feel nauseated."
Freeman returned with the notebook and Chess had him pass around the book for everyone to sign in. The book made its way back to Freeman.
"Freeman, sign the book." Julia said. "Add my name to the bottom of the list."
"Freeman, write all this down."
"Me, Sir?"
"Yes. You."
Julia fell asleep, listening to Tatia detail her plan.
"We are not going to war with New Jersey." She stated proudly. "We are going to peace with New Jersey."
Next-gen...Julia thought as she drifted out of consciousness.
"She needs a doctor."
"Going to war with New Jersey."
"Going to peace with New Jersey."
"Jules, what the fuck you talking about?"
"Antonio, stay...with...me."
The heat...the cool...the dry mouth...
"Freeman..."
"Who the fuck is Antonio Freeman, Jules?"
"The baby's father, silly." She answered. She could hear his voice. She could sense him near her. His spirit and his energy was strong.
"Morgan-Freeman."
Jayson...so close..."I'm sorry, Jay. I hear you, Jay. Go away, Jay. Get outta my head, Jay. Stay dead, Jay. You can't be here, Jay."
"I'm not leaving you."
"Chess will let you stay. I love you, Freeman."
"Did you call yet? She needs a doctor."
"It's not much longer. It's not much longer. It's not much longer. It's almost over." She could feel his hand on her skin, feel his body against hers. His smell clung to her nose. His lips on her forehead. His hand in hers. His hands on her hands.
"Jules, you're sick."
"I'm pregnant. I'm fine. You shouldn't be here. You can't take my baby. Don't take my baby, Jay."
"I'm not taking the baby, Julia." His body against hers, her body against his.
"Don't take me either." She protested. "Take me back to Freeman."
"I can't."
"Where's Jayla? Where's Caroline? Where's Sam? Why are you here for me without them?"
She felt his hand on her cheek. She opened her eyes and she swore she saw him over her if only for a second. His wide brown eyes. Worry. Fear. She jumped back from him, pulling away sharply, looking around for Jayla, Caroline, Sam...
"You alright, Red?" Tavin asked.
"Where am I?" She asked, adjusting her eyes to the rec room. The boys had cleared out. Tavin sat with Chess and Antonio, reading over the plan at the table.
"Still on the couch over there. Why?"
"I had a dream, Tavin. I woke up, I saw Jayson. He was right here. This close." She said.
"He's not here, hon. I know dreams are-"
"No, he was right fucking here." She argued. "I felt him."
The three men looked around the rec room with her.
"Ok, then. Tell him I said hello." Tavin said, his voice a bit softer.
"Tell him yourself." She snapped, sitting up. She glanced around, reaching out into thin air around her.
"Jules, you still see him?"
"No." She answered, feeling around her. "I felt..." She touched her face, her cheek. "Tav, before the..." She thought a moment. This felt too familiar, like Deja vu. She felt like she had her feet in two different worlds. She'd felt exactly like this before. "I'm in the future." She whispered. "I am pregnant in the future. Holy fucking shit." She laughed, leaning back on the sofa, feeling the soft cushion against her back. She felt her belly. "Tavin. Come here." She said.
"Why? What's up?"
"I'm fucking knocked up." She giggled. "Oh, my, Tav, you gotta feel this shit, man."
"Are you alright?" He asked, rising from the table. He crossed the room to her. He leaned over her and felt her forehead.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, you'll remember. Was I infected before we moved to the reformatory? Like when we lived at home, when I was shacked up in the basement with Jay."
"Yes, Julia."
"Jesus Christ, I am huge." She said, looking down at her swollen body. "I let myself get this fucking fat?"
"You're not fat."
"Fuck you." She laughed, running her hand thru his black, cropped hair.. "Hey, you only get better looking with age. How old are we now?"
"I'm 30, Red. You're 27."
"I lived, huh. I see that ass hole is still hanging in." She looked at Chess. "So which one of you fellas did this to me?" She looked over the new guy, the fine one with the brown skin and the shaggy black hair. "Please, say it's you." Julia smiled, looking at Freeman.
"It's me." Freeman nodded.
Morgan...Freeman. "You're Morgan Freeman."
"No, you're Morgan. I'm Freeman." He replied, standing and heading toward her. He stood next to Tavin. A tall drink of water he was. "Should we call Dr. Kahn?" He asked.
"No. No docs. I'm alright. Really. So you're Freeman. Well, Freeman. Help a girl off this couch and lets get to know each other."
"Chess, give Dr. Kahn a call."
"I'm dreaming aren't I?" She asked, feeling giddy and very pregnant. "Where's the bathroom? This kid's right on top of my bladder." She remarked, taking hold of Freeman's hand, locking her fingers in his. "Yo, before we leave. Jay, where is he?"
"He's gone, Julia." Chess replied, bouncing the pencil on his notebook.
"Oh, so this isn't a problem right here?" She asked, pointing at Freeman.
"Depends on who ya ask." Tavin answered her.
"Freeman, bathroom, then bed. You are just too fuckin' hot for words." She said, looking him over, up and down. "I bet that's all muscle under those fatigues, soldier."
"She sounds drunk." Chess observed as she walked away with Freeman. "She woke up a different person."
"She woke up with more energy for sure. She got a little bounce in her step there." Tavin said watching as she waddled away with her soldier. "I don't know how you put up with her or why you do for her like you do."
"She's my wife."
"She's a fucking bad wife, Chess."
"But when she's a good wife, it all makes up for it. I got another one anyway, so..."
"Just cause you made my brother a fuckin' promise doesn't mean you have to actually do it. When is enough enough?"
"If I am done with her, where do think she'll wind up? Sector One with you. You want that in your bed again? Can you handle that coming between you and Kell again?"
"She is fun. I'll give her that."
"Always has been. That one's different."
"That one shoulda been born a man."
"Oh, my fucking God, Freeman." Julia said excited to be in the same room with such a fine specimen of manhood. "If I wasn't pregnant, I would fuck the fuck outta you."
"You have, Morgan." He said, pulling out of her. "What happened? You woke up a different woman."
"I did, didn't I?" She said, watching him as he moved over and laid beside her. "Do that again, please."
"Alright, ma. Gimme a few minutes." He laughed, placing his hand on her stomach. "You got all this energy all of a sudden."
"I feel good, man. I'm horny as fuck too. Wow, you're dick is amazing."
"Morgan, " He laughed.
"It is. Jesus, you're like totally in love with me aren't you?"
"I am, ma."
"It's nice isn't it? Being in love. It's the finest drug available to take." She smiled. "What a rush. I feel perfect right now."
"I'm glad, Morgan. I like seeing you happy. You been so down lately."
"I feel like a complete whale. That much is true. The rest, who knows?"
"You're not, you're pretty."
"Awe, you know you seem like such a gentleman. How on earth did I wind up with you? You're so sweet and nice and so far, you treat me like a decent person. You remind me of Jayson."
"You said that, yeah."
"Where is he anyway?"
"Right there, Morgan. What is wrong with you?"
Julia sat up in bed. "Where? Right where?" She asked.
"Right where you always have him. On the desk."
Julia hoisted herself off the mattress of her very own bed from that basement. The mattress was different, but that bed had seen a lot of action in its day. She head to the desk, looked at the urn.
"Here." She said, picking it up. "He's really gone. He didn't make it after all. Do you know how he died, Freeman? It's important."
"I-uh-he was shot."
She sighed, knowing full well Jayson was alive and well and holding her hand somewhere. "I need to find out how. Would they know?"
"I guess so."
She threw on some clothes and she took her urn to the table where Chess and Tavin sat. A girl sat with them that looked familiar.
"How did this happen?" Julia asked them, setting the urn on the table. It set with a clunk on the heavy wood.
"Julia, not in front of Tatia."
"Tatia?" Julia looked to the left of Chess. The girl with the brown hair, the features. "My god you look like your mom." She looked back to Chess and Tavin. "I kept all your asses alive. What the hell happened here?" She demanded, sliding Jayson down the table.
"Uh, there was a disagreement."
"Freeman said he was shot. Tell me. I can still stop this."
"Julia, well, you were in a camp."
"Where?"
"In Virginia. It wasn't a free state yet. You and him went to Virginia to help the cause. You were very for the cause. We told you not to go. Let them do it. We didn't let you fight here, but you left one night."
"What happened?" She said, banging her hand on the table. She spied Antonio in the doorway, listening to the conversation.
"You and the man that led the camp were at odds. You had a disagreement. He threatened you. You went to talk to him and from what the reports said, he drew a weapon on you."
"Ok."
"He aimed it at you."
"Ok."
"And he nearly fired that weapon at you."
"Ok."
"Jayson followed you. You know how he was about his girl and-"
"He didn't fucking trust my judgment as usual."
"Yeah. Kind of. The man was disrespectful and very adamant about you and your ideals even though they worked out here for the greater good."
"Ok."
"Words were exchanged and from what was reported you instigated it. You went off and told him the truth about what a coward he was, how anyone that followed him was stupid and he would lead those people to their deaths, which he was going to do."
"Ok."
"He put the gun on Jay."
"And-"
"You called his bluff."
"And-"
"He was shot in the head. He died instantly."
"So I shouldn't go to Virginia."
"Well, I wouldn't say that." Chess shook his head.
"Why?"
"Virginia is a free state. It's what you do. It's your job. You organized and led them and cleared out the nests and Virginia is a free state."
"Free from what exactly?"
"You people cleared it of the dead."
"There is a small statue." Chess said, rolling his eyes. "I do not even have a small statue."
"Bullshit."
"It is life size, of course. That's why it's so small."
"So Jay died and I said, oh, fuck it, let's work."
"Not exactly. For a short time, yes. You put the cause ahead of your grief and you brought him home like this."
"Oh."
"From what was reported, you burned him after he died and you put him in there."
"Why on earth would I do it? That's like insane."
"Well, you were not the most sane individual after that. Not for a long time. You hunted the man down, you tortured him for 48 hours after that, then you fed him to a horde, Julia. You threw his ass into a nest."
"Jay would not have wanted that."
"We would have." Chess corrected her, motioning to her and back to himself. "We talked about this while you were doing it. We were connected-you know- like we do."
"So you going to Virginia. It wasn't a complete waste of time."
"Would it have been cleared without me?"
"At what cost? How many more men, women and children would have died? You said it yourself, the loss of one versus the loss of many."
"You used our plan for sector one and two and worked the entire state with a skeleton crew in less time. You should be and deserved to be the sector leader for the entire state of Virginia."
"Why aren't I?"
"You tortured and killed that man and fed him to a horde, Julia. He wasn't the only one. In your state of mind, you killed whoever went against you. You are lucky you were not lynched down there. You were mentally unstable."
"You know this. You have calmed down considerably."
"Holy fuckin' shit." She said, sitting at the table. "It's time to bury the kid. He's home now. He'd like to be buried here." She said, looking at the urn. "Take care of that please."
"Sure. I will." Chess nodded. "Any particular place you have in mind?"
"With the horses. Near the stable. He liked the horses." Julia rose from the table. She looked lost in thought. She wondered when she'd be drawn back home, from the future to the past.
"Where ya going, Red?"
"With Freeman. Where else?" She answered flatly.
She made Chess keep Freeman in the fortress, offended he'd even suggest sending her new boyfriend away from her when she could give birth at any moment. He stayed on call for any incidents, but Julia kept him and his fine body beside hers at all times. The 4 weeks that had passed, she got used to the fortress, got used to Freeman's doting attention, his gentle way with her. She declined to make any future plans beyond day to day because she never knew what the future would hold. She knew her 27 year old self chose a decent man. She grew to see what 27 year old Julia saw in him from the day she met him.
Chess made one pass at her during those four weeks and she about had a fit. "Chess Morgan, are you out of your mind?" She yelled at him.
"Julia, have you lost yours? I want my wife." He urged her, taking hold of her waist from behind.
"If you wanna fuck a wife, go pound Macy, Chess? I am pregnant with another man's child. Have some fucking respect."
"Woman-"
"Do not condescend to me. Do not tell me what to do. I am not your property. Fuck off."
Julia held out to 36 weeks. Having too much fun with Freeman in the elevator, her water broke and left a puddle all over the elevator floor. A flurry of activity ensued and contractions had started by the time Dr. Kahn had arrived with his kit and his equipment. Epidurals were a thing of the past and Julia was knocked out under general anesthesia and awoke approximately 2 hours later in a daze with a flatter tummy and a brand new baby girl named Antonia Morgan Freeman. A healthy, brown skinned, black haired girl that weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and measured 22 inches long. She awoke from a pain free birth with an ugly incision, and saw Freeman holding their daughter in a chair sitting next to the table she lay on.
"Hey, ma." He said softly, repositioning himself so she could see Antonia better.
"Hey, da." She laughed.
Dr. Kahn assessed her, looked over her vitals. "You're doing well, Julia."
"Thanks."
"There were some complications. You had begun to bleed, which I could not stop. A vaginal birth was not possible. I performed an emergent cesarean section and a hysterectomy, it was necessary and it had to be removed."
"Ok. When can I go back to my room?"
"Shortly." He answered. "Your pressure is much better. All this fluid should come off in the next few days."
"Ok."
Dr. Kahn stepped away from the table and Julia reached to touch Antonia. Her small hands curled up, eyes closed, a hat on her head. "She's amazing." Julia said, looking at her, studying her, memorizing her features.
"She is. Just like her mom." Freeman said.
Two weeks later, Julia sat in her room in the fortress. She sat in the darkness, the moonlight shining through the window. She rocked Antonia, worrying and waiting as Freeman had been summoned for a call. He was already tired doing double duty at work and then with Antonia. He pitched right in with the girl. He wanted to. Julia felt good, although sleepy. Her weight had leveled out, her blood pressure was normal. She was skinny again, but not thin like before she got pregnant. Her bleeding was resolved thanks to the hysterectomy and the only recovery necessary was that from her surgery. Compared to Macy, she was having it easy. As soon as Julia had cleared out of the medical room, Macy went in and labored only a couple hours before squeezing out Chess's second daughter, Kyra Bella Morgan.
"You alright, wifey?" Chess asked, watching her from the doorway.
"Oh," She jumped a bit. "You scared me."
"You're alone in here. You ok?"
"Yeah, Chess. I have done this before." She replied. "Come in." She invited him into the darkness. He sat on the edge of her bed.
"You've done a lot of stuff before. But she is yours. Are you alright with her?"
"I am, yes." She answered. "You want her?"
Chess lifted Antonia off her chest, leaving Julia's breast exposed. She'd fed and left her there since she seemed comfortable and quiet. Chess loved babies and he loved holding them.
"She's so pretty, Julia." He whispered.
"She is. She looks like her dad. She's a good baby. Quiet, no trouble."
"You feeling good?"
"Yeah. I feel normal again."
He held her a while longer. Then set her in her bassinette next to Julia's bed.
"Lay down. She'll be up soon." He said.
Julia got up and lay on her bed, stretching out on the soft mattress and realized that she could move and take up a lot less space. "Would you like to stay a while, Chess?"
"I would." He replied, moving across her room. He closed her door.
"Talk to me and tell me what I want to hear, my Chess." She said, taking advantage of the time in the future where she could lay with her husband in peace and not fear that she was cheating and not feel that it was wrong.
"Like?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something." Julia said, removing her clothes as he removed his.
"Can I taste your milk?" He said, cupping her small breast in his hand
"Um, sure." She answered as he lifted her tee. Milk hadn't been the words she was hoping to hear from him. "You know, my Chess. I need to apologize to you. I've been difficult and you have done so much for me. You do it without even being told or asked and I-"
"I love you. It's that simple. I also made a promise and I keep my promises." He replied, laying on his side. "You are an easy promise to keep."
"I made some promises, too, I think."
"Yes, you did. I have given you some lee-way there because of your condition. You were going a little mental."
"Remind me of my promises, please." She said, sliding down in the bed to face him.
"You wanna go there, my Julia."
"Take me there, my Chess. You know how to make me feel."
"I didn't bring the ring." He said, moving closer to her, pressing against her.
"My ring? You don't need my ring for this. It's your words, baby. It's always been your words." She pressed her fingers against his lips.
"How deep you wanna go? I can't be here all night."
"You can be here all night. I have a feeling that you do what you choose when you choose."
"You're giving yourself to me. Now?"
She hesitated. That must mean something new between them. "I guess with the baby, doing that is not a good idea at this time."
"No, it is not. Due to the time constraints, we do not have time to play surrender. I would love to."
Play surrender? She wondered what sick, twisted ideas they'd come up with over the years. Having taken a good look around, there still was not much to do in the way of adult activities. "That is what I want, your surrender, but my Julia, physically you can not handle it. It's too soon."
"Let's not then right now." She back peddled. "What would you do to me, though?"
"Everything. Plus I don't have the necessary drugs. I could plan this out for the future, but you need to heal. Cocaine doesn't grow on trees here, my Queen."
Cocaine? He lets me do coke? "You're my King."
"I give and I take away, my love. I am your everything, your provider, your ruler, your judge and jury, your lover."
"You come before any man."
"Yes. I love when you say it."
"I love my husband. I miss my husband." She admitted to him, kissing him softly. "I regret the mistakes I have made with you. I am sorry for the way I am."
"Shhh, don't do this."
"I need to say things to you, Chess. I need to say them, so you can hear them."
"Or so you can hear them?"
"So I can hear myself say them to you. My Chess we have loved each other so much and I-"
"My Julia, I understand." He assured her.
"Will I ever get it right?"
"We are right. This is how we choose to live. I have the girl in the bed every night, the woman who does for me, who bears my children, who lays on her back and is faithful. The woman who tolerates all my shit. I have the woman who gives me no trouble, who lives her life for me and our family. Her name is Macy."
"Oh."
"That is not what we are. I would never expect that tired and boring life from you. You are the unexpected. You are the danger and the anger and the rage. You understand that and you accept that and you absorb that from me. Where there is love, there is hate and pain. We share that. We understand that."
"I see."
"I would like nothing more than to live a perfect happy life with you. We are not perfect and we are not happy. I would have it no other way. You are whatever I need from you. And vice versa."
"That is true."
"With you, it's open. If you want women, we do women. If you want drugs, we do drugs. If you want to play on the range outside, that's what we do. We don't do boring. We don't do the typical. We never did."
"We do us. We have our own rules."
"Yes, so what do you need from me now?"
"I wanna make love to my husband."
"Well, we will do that. We do us, my Julia. We've had this conversation a million times. Why do I have to keep going over it for you?"
"I think I got it this time, Chess. Damn."
Julia watched as Tatia crawled on hands and knees through the door. Filthy dirty, covered in mud and muck and her hair matted and knotted. She looked as though she'd crawled out of a horror movie. Her black cap sideways on he head and her black uniform barely visible beneath the mud. The things she did to be near cute boys.
"They said if I was male they would have stripped me down and hosed me off on the grass." She cried. She dropped to the floor inside the closed door and wept on the floor.
"Honey, why are you doing this to yourself?" Julia asked, pacing the floor with Antonia who seemed very cranky this particular afternoon.
"Because it's fun." She cried.
8 weeks into her adventure with the junior infantry and she was about to break.
"You realize that when you reach your weakest moment in life, it either makes you stronger or you give in and quit." Julia sighed, pacing away from the smelly teenager. She reeked an awful odor.
She continued to cry. "You aren't out there weeping with them are you?"
"No." she wailed, getting on her hands and knees again. She turned and opened the door from all fours and crawled back outside.
Julia followed her, standing in the doorway. April warmth enveloped her and the baby as they stepped into the courtyard.
"May I ask why you are crawling?" Julia said, trying to be sympathetic yet trying not to laugh at the dirty spectacle before her eyes.
"This is me staying down."
"For how long?"
"Till I am told otherwise."
"Get up, Tatia."
"Civilians do not give me orders." She stated, creeping along the ground toward the end of the brick building. She heard the voices, the males talking around the other side of the building.
"Oh, I see." Julia said, shifting Antonia to her other arm. "FYI, junior. We don't crawl in the field. They will pounce you." Julia continued her slow walk with Tatia at her side. "You do realize you will go to New Jersey, but you'll go with me not them."
"I will go my way."
"You gonna crawl there, Tatia? Have some self respect, girl."
"I'm doing the best I can."
"Women cannot go through the front door. You must go through the back door." Julia advised her, stopping by the fence as Tatia carried on. "Find another way." Tatia stopped crawling, looked back over her shoulder at Julia by the fence. "You are a woman. Use it to your advantage."
"There is no difference." She yelled back to Julia, getting off her hands and knees, switching to a crouched stance.
"There is, Tatia. Be a man, but use the woman inside to your advantage."
Julia stayed in the yard and walked along the fence until she could see the group of boys in the junior infantry. Their day had ended, the hose was out and they'd stripped down to pants and hosed off the mud and the sweat and the stress to send the female crawling back feeling s.defeated. Feeling...damn feelings. Julia could turn the feelings on and off. Chess was a master at that. He'd molded it into her too. Problem being when the feelings turned back on, it turned out to be too much, too heavy, too much of a hassle to deal with them.
"You're back. At ease, junior." The instructor said, releasing her of her crawl. She was permitted to rise and stand, but did not. Tatia relaxed, sitting back on folded legs. She waited, thinking of what Julia had said, be a man and use the woman. As the juniors fanned out around her, cool and half dressed she remained relaxed and kneeling on the ground. She scanned their faces, scanned their bodies, scanned their character. Which one had what it took to be the next Chester Morgan? The next Tavin Keller? Jayson Keller? There had to be one with the strength of their predecessors, but also one that had to see the truth...that a girl could measure up. Which one would treat her like a brother, a comrade? There had to be a respectful and commonly decent male in the crowd. As the instructors called it a day and left the campus, she'd nearly given up, nearly retreated.
"Keller," A boy addressed her, moving toward her. "Get up, Keller."
A hand out was all it took. That was what she waited for and rather than be stubborn and mean and fight the urge to let someone give her a hand up, she accepted that hand and let him pull her to her feet.
"Thank you, Mayers." She said. No smile, no inflection, no indication that he'd made all the difference in the world to a girl on her knees. Why'd he wait till the instructor left? Jody Mayers, the last person she'd expected to give her a hand up. The first person she'd expect to spray her down with the hose as she shivered from the cold stream of water that doused her. He's the one I need to keep up with. He's the one I need to follow. He's the one that will write the script with me. He's the one that will...spray me with this fucking cold water... she thought.
From that afternoon on, Tatia followed the leader. She watched him, the second year junior as he ran the courses, trained to fight. She studied him as he punched, swayed, ducked and took hits. She observed his stride as he ran, his muscled torso as he leaped. She stayed low like he did, she absorbed his attitude, his thought process. She saw how easy it came to him. He was natural, smart, tough, cocky. At night she thought about dreamy brown eyes and his cut jaw line. His full lips and how they'd feel against hers, her neckline. She'd started taking classes with them in the morning before afternoon calisthenics. He was a strong student too. Was there anything he couldn't do? Was there any weakness? Any area he couldn't succeed?
She'd found it. It may have taken time, but when the day came to get out on the firing range she was in her element. She'd been firing guns since she was 10. Usually for fun, but this day she was tested. She passed. He missed half his targets and he failed. Half her class had failed.
"You need glasses." Tatia suggested to him as she observed the target at which he aimed lacking holes. He ignored her, but she had his attention. "Relax your stance. Aim. Pull the trigger." He fired, hit the target, a wide shot. Mayers had skills with his hands in a ring, but holding a weapon he was wasting bullets.
"Who taught you, Keller?" He asked.
"My brother." She replied, thinking of her days spent outside with Jayson.
"Go get him, please. I could use his help." He said, thinking she was referring to Alex.
"He's dead. You got the next best thing." She replied sounding as cocky as she could. She stepped away from the wall toward him. "Jayson taught us how to shoot." She slid her lanky body against his. "May I?" She asked softly.
"Sure." He nodded, relaxing his arm as she stretched hers out against his.
"Hold it in your hand, it has to feel good in your hand, like it belongs there." She said, looking down the length of his arm. "Where you aiming? Move me. Show me." Mayers aimed, she raised his arm a little and moved to the left a little. "Fire." She said, her hand grasping his wrist lightly. "It feels good." She said to him, watching the hole rip through the head on the paper target. "Try again." Mayers adjusted his aim and fired, wide shot again, but it hit the body on the target. "You feel all tight, loosen that up." She urged, adjusting his arm, his aim again.
"Keller, back off." He said, lowering the pistol. He handed her the gun. "Here. Hurry up."
"Hurry up and what?" She asked.
"Shoot the target. Empty the gun."
Tatia looked at him oddly. "You know that's cheating." She reminded him as she looked to the right and unloaded the gun as he'd requested.
"Damn, Keller." He said as the bullets ripped the head on the target to shreds. A paper hole remained. She handed the gun over to him. "You owe me now, Mayers."
"Fine. What do you want?" He asked, setting the weapon on the wooden table in front of him as the instructor approached. He observed the target, looked at Mayers suspiciously. "Pass." He said, taking the weapon from the table.
Tatia turned and walked away from the range. "Keller," He called. "What do you want?"
"You have nothing that I want." She led him around the range and on toward the school building-dorm area. Honestly, he had nothing to provide her and she only wanted respect. He could not just hand that over to her. She'd been working on earning it. "Yet." She added when he stopped the pursuit.
"You fucking with me, Keller?" He asked, gazing as she walked away.
"You would know if I was." She replied, continuing across the grass, adding sway to her wide hips. "Jody." She added for flavor.
"Keller," He called, catching up to her as she reached the school. "Where you heading?"
She smiled, thinking this was easier than she'd originally thought it would be. It had to be the hips, the walk. She turned her body to face him, closed the personal space a little, not leaving such a gap between them. Dreamy brown eyes, Tatia thought, bridging the gap between day and night. "Inside. We got some free time, right?"
"We do." He said, looking into her eyes. "You fucking with me, Keller?" He asked again.
"Would you like me to fuck with you?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh," He said surprised. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" She repeated, stepping a bit closer. "Maybe you should come up with a better answer."
"Where we going, Keller?"
"In the fuckin' house." She replied, stepping away and walking toward the main house.
"The main house? Your house?" He asked, having never been inside the main house. He never thought he'd be allowed inside of the main house.
"Yeah, it's where I live. Come." She waited for him to step beside her and she led him through the gate into the court yard. The boys played in the play area, in sand, on swings, sliding.
"Tia, who's that?" The eldest asked.
"My friend. Say hi."
"Hi." He said.
"Hey, kid." Mayers replied, keeping up with her as they passed through the courtyard.
He'd only heard rumors of what the inside of the main house looked like. He knew that the main house used to be another branch of the school, but once the states became free, the Morgan's had made the old offices and main building their home. It looked like a nice house from the front door. He'd imagined armed guards or something more gothic, crypt like. It was much the opposite. In fact it was rather empty. A large, rectangular table in the main room with seats around it. A wrap around sofa and baby stuff. A lot of baby stuff. There were two new babies inside the main house.
Back door...she thought, leading him through the corridor to the left instead of to the right and the elevator. They passed medical and entered the stairwell to the second floor. Once in the second floor hall, the squawk of Kyra crying was audible. They heard Macy hushing her, talking to her, cooing at her as she changed the girl. She emerged from her room, turning right, bouncing the baby as she head toward the elevator. When Macy got in and went downstairs, Tatia felt safe walking freely on the second level.
She head to Julia's room before she went inside her own. Mayers walked the hall quietly, peeking into the rooms through their open doors. Each kid's room and the master suite that Macy had emerged from.
"Hey, Julia. You awake?"
"I am." She answered, laying in the bed with Antonia on her breast. "What's up? How was the range?"
"I passed." She replied quickly, standing awkwardly in her door.
"You better have. Your brother would be proud."
"Hey, listen, I -uh- brought someone home." She said.
"Up here? To the rooms? You know Chess won't like that." She said.
"Jules, work with me here."
Julia laughed. "Fine. Whatever. Go in the play room."
"We are not children." Tatia whined. She looked at Jody, standing off to the side. She waved him over to the doorway. "Um, this is Jody." She said to Julia. "This is Julia."
"Well, hello." Julia grinned.
"Hello." He said over Tatia's shoulder. He watched as Antonia sucked from her breast.
"Tatia, you owe me for this one." She said, admiring Jody's fine features. The dreamy eyes Tatia had spoken of.
"What do you want?" She asked.
Julia looked over Jody, wishing she was a 16 year old girl again.
"I want a night with-" She paused. "no interruptions. You babysit."
"Antonio is on duty." She reminded her.
"Tonight, Antonia."
"Fine. I love you."
Babysitting, the last thing she wished to do any night of the week. She was grateful she slept through the night. She took Jody to her room and she closed the door.
"Nice room." He said, looking at the queen sized bed, the stuff, books, a desk, the space, a yoga mat, a carpet. "Wow, I got a bunk in a dorm and a roommate." He looked at her pretty curtains , the bedding that matched those curtains. The room looked and smelled feminine.
"I got a house full of roommates." She said, closing the gap between them. "Have you been with a girl before?" Tatia asked.
"I have." He answered as she placed her hands on his waist. She kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "You're safe in here. Julia has us. Relax." She told him, sensing he thought the door was about to kicked in. They'd all been told she was off limits. She started pulling his tee from his pants, untucking the shirt and pulling it over his head.
"Keller,"
"Yeah, this is against the rules. Blah, blah, blah." She said annoyed, kissing him on his mouth, tasting the lips she'd longed to taste. "We could go to the dorm and then the risk is mine."
"It's all mine no matter where we stand." He said, placing his arms around her waist. "You do this a lot?"
"No. You'd be the first." She answered.
"Yeah, ok, Keller. Whatever you say." He laughed, shimmying her tee up. His hands ran up under her shirt, unhooking her bra as she pulled the shirt over her head. She left the bra fall to the floor. "Nice, Keller." He said, kissing her, touching her breasts.
"Tia. Here, call me Tia."
"Whatever you want, Tia." He smiled, backing her to the bed. He sat her down and started undoing his boots, gazing at her while she did the same. "You're not shy at all are you?"
"No. Why? Should I be?"
"No." He answered, kicking off his loose boots. She looked at his crotch. A bulge pushed against his pants. "Take your pants off." He told her.
"Yeah, sure." She smiled, undoing her belt, the button, the zipper. She stood and slid the pants over her hips. She sat back on the bed and slid up toward the middle, watching as he undid his own pants. He dropped them and kicked them off, then met her where she sat on her mattress. "Can I touch you?" She asked, looking at him. It stood erect off his body.
"Do whatever you want." He said as he stood on his knees in front of her.
"It's big." She said, taking him in her palm. She moved her hand over him.
"No, it's not really." He laughed, taking her hand off him and flipping it over. He gripped her hand tighter and got her moving her grip on his shaft. "Like that, Tia." He said, enjoying her hand.
"It feels good."
"Yes." He said, his voice had deepened. "Your mouth, T." He said, leaning back a little.
"What about it?" She asked innocently.
"Use it. Put it on me."
"Why?" She asked, confused.
"It'll feel better."
Tatia leaned over and placed him in her mouth. "Tia, Tia, teeth, T." He said, pulling out. "Ok. Never mind. Another time, T. Lay back."
She followed direction and lay back on her bed, "Are you going to touch me?" She asked as he opened her legs. He stayed on his knees, reaching between her legs.
"Better than that." He grinned, bending over her. His hands went under her, one on each ass cheek. He lifted her body and dipped his mouth in between her legs.
"Oh, my God." She gasped as she felt the first flick of his tongue on her clit. "Oh my God." She repeated as he did it some more.
"Told you, Tia." He said. "Open up." He didn't have to ask twice as she flung her legs open for him.
His mouth, tongue, fingers and hands invaded and explored her territory. Tatia melted in his hands as he made her body tremble with the power of his tongue. When he finished, she swore she couldn't feel her legs. Her body tingled from head to foot. An electricity coursed through her and she couldn't breathe.
"No, no, no. Jody. More." She gasped, reaching for his head.
"Tia, it gets better."
"No way. Nothing is better than that. I could do that all day."
"Liked it, Keller?"
"Oh, my God, Jody." She smiled, "More, please."
He lay on top of her, situating himself between her long legs that spread before him. "More." He said, kissing her neck. "Wrap those long legs around me, Tia."
"Ok," She agreed eagerly. She felt him, entering her. "Jody, I never did this before."
"Oh, I couldn't tell." He laughed, looking down at her. "It's ok, Tia." He said. "You trust me, T?"
She nodded, looking into his eyes, not knowing what to expect. "There's no wrong way."
"K." She said. "I wanna. You've done this before."
"Uh, yeah. You could say that, Tia." He smiled. "Hey, what day are you on?"
"Um, what?"
"What day?" He repeated.
"It's Friday." She moaned, excited as she felt the head pressing in her.
"On your calendar, Tia. What the fuck?"
"It's Friday, Jody. I don't understand."
"It's alright. Never mind." He said, pushing inside her. He heard the "Aaaaahhh" as he penetrated her. He took her slow at first, then picked up the pace as she became more comfortable, loosening those long legs around his waist. "Move, Tia." He urged her.
"Move how?"
"Them hips, move them. Sway them. Like you were when you were walking. You know how." He said, placing an arm under her, a hand on the small of her back. He moved her. "Like that." He said. She kept moving as he'd showed her. "When I slow down, you slow down and when I speed up, you speed up. Ok?"
"I'm sorry, Jody."
"Never say sorry, T. You feel good." He said, bowing his head to her chest. "Better than good. These tits, T."
Tatia held his shoulders and watched as he sucked on her chest, her nipples, sending little shivers through her body. He removed a hand from his shoulder and drew it over her chest and abdomen to her crotch. She pulled back. "Touch yourself, princess." He demanded as he licked her nipple.
"I don't do that." She said.
"Today you do. Touch yourself." He said, lifting up on strong arms, looking down at her hand between her legs. "I'm going to watch you. Go on." He urged, still moving his waist. "See that?" He said, looking between her legs.
"Oh, wow." She said softly. "It's in me. It feels good."
"It feels good to watch."
Tatia's fingers slipped between her own moist flesh, feeling around the bump he'd flicked with his tongue. It felt hot, a heat as she rubbed herself. "Jody," She moaned, watching her hand and his dick. "Jody..." She moaned, laying back as she moved her fingers in a circle around her own clit. He started moving faster as she moved her hips, lifting to meet him as he thrust inside her those last few times.
"In or out, princess."
"In." She groaned as she felt the heat release between her legs. "Jody, I think it's happening." She said.
"Keep moving." He urged. "It's happening here too." Tatia kept moving, after he had finished she still moved, "You can stop now." He laughed.
"Just making sure." She laughed, letting him pull out and lay next to her.
"You don't get out much, huh?" He asked as his hand roamed over her body.
"No, just stuck here." She replied. "Only so many places I'm allowed to go."
"So you can't leave?"
"No. Never." She answered. "I am told I have everything I need here."
"There's life outside these walls, Princess."
"I've heard there is. I long to get out and into the world. See it for myself. That's why I joined junior infantry. I want to go to Jersey."
"You have to really be top dog for Jersey." He informed her. "You think you got that in you?"
"Do you?"
"I'm pretty sure, yes." He said confidently.
"Need to learn how to handle your pistol." Tatia suggested. "Not being mean or anything, of course."
"I didn't hear any complaints about my pistol." He said, placing his hand between her legs again.
She giggled, laying her head against his chest. "Tia." He said, lifting her chin to look at him.
"Yeah."
"What do you expect here? Between us?"
"I haven't thought about it." She said.
"Good. Don't." He advised her, sitting up. "Let's keep it simple."
"Simple." She repeated. "Yes, definitely." She looked at him, losing her enthusiasm suddenly. "It wasn't good. I wasn't. You didn't like it."
"Oh, I loved every minute of it." He corrected her. "I could get used to it."
"Oh, so what's the problem?"
"I paid my debt."
"What?"
"You said I owed you and I paid you."
"That's not- I didn't mean that was-oh, no. I didn't use you, Jody."
"Sure felt like what I was doing, Tia."
"Oh, Jody. I-"
"Acting like you never did that before. There's a lot you haven't done obviously, but you and Leo."
"What about Leo? I didn't do anything like that with Leo." She protested.
"He fucked you in the gym, Tia."
"No, he did not, Jody." She argued. "I said I was a virgin and I meant that. I-"
"So he didn't fuck you in the gym?"
"No. He put his hand in my pants and I put my hand on his-" Tatia paused. "Is he saying he made love to me?"
"He's saying he straight fucked you. No making love about it."
Tatia flushed with anger. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure." Jody answered.
"What did we just do?" She asked innocently.
"I know you don't have much experience, but do I really need to explain that?"
"Fuck you. Did you make love to me or straight fuck me?"
"Tia, this is not keeping it simple."
"Answer the question."
"Shit, both. A little bit of both."
Tatia crawled off the bed. She pulled her tee on.
"Where you going?"
"I'm gonna find Leo and kill his lying ass." She snapped at him.
"Hold up. Calm down."
"I'm going to snap his neck." She snapped.
"Tia, wait."
"What?" She snapped at him, her skin flushed red with anger. The Irish in her. "I'm going to fuck that motherfucker up. I am gonna knock his fuckin' teeth out."
"Hold that thought, Princess." He smiled.
"Hold this. Lying ass little fuck." She mumbled. "What, Jody?"
"That right there."
"What?"
"That. That mood. That fight. That rage."
"What about it?"
"That is what I wanna see out there everyday."
She pulled on her panties.
"Yo, Princess." He called, snapping his fingers at her. "Come here."
She crossed her room. "What?" She asked, standing in front of him as he sat on the edge of her bed.
"I'm gonna pull those panties open and fuck you."
"Ya think." She grinned.
He spun her around and bent her over her desk. It shook and books fell, scattering across the floor. He pulled her hair down, gripping her at her scalp. "Feel good?"
"Uh, yes," She answered.
"You want it?"
"You said keep this simple. Is this simple?"
"This right here," He said, slipping her panties aside like he said he would do. "- is gonna get my ass in trouble. You ready?" He yanked on her hair, making her back arch.
"Tatia Rose, you are cutting it close. Get him outta here before Chess gets back home." Julia called through the door.
Tatia glanced at Jody. "Five minutes." He said.
"Five minutes." Tatia called. "Really, that's all? Five minutes?"
"I gave it to you all afternoon, Keller. Geeze."
"Move your ass, kids. I can only distract him so long before he'll think something's up." Julia walked away from the door.
"You heard her." Tatia said. "Move."
As Julia distracted Chess, getting on the elevator with him to the second floor, Tatia and Jody were heading outside through the door. She'd succeeded in putting that anger on hold till he'd finished with her, five minutes turning into 15.
"Princess, I can take care of him."
"No, it's personal." She said, going around the school to the main entrance.
"I can see it's personal, but-"
"Back off me." She warned him, pulling the door open.
"What do you plan on doing?"
"Defending my virginity dammit."
She head inside and scanned the game room till she found him at the dart board.
"You!" She screamed at him.
Jody's persona switched to Mayers' persona as soon as they head inside the school.
Leo looked at her. "Me?"
"Yeah, you. Are you running your mouth about me?" She asked, crossing the room with a quickness.
"Tia, I don't know what you heard."
"I heard plenty. Have you been telling lies about me? Saying I fucked you in the gym?"
"Tia, you know what happened in the gym." He told her, standing cocky in the midst of a handful of males. He could feel as confident as he chose.
"I know what didn't happen." She yelled. "You ass. Tell the truth."
"What are you gonna do? Nothing." He said, looking down at her. Tatia used the female in her and she started crying, taking the back door into the beating this kid was about to face.
"You know what you meant to me, Leo." She said softly, looking deep into his eyes. The tears were real. He'd violated her trust. He had meant something at one point. He did her dirty. She was getting just as dirty. He relaxed. Felt comfortable, felt he'd had the upper hand. "Please tell the truth." She asked nicely once. She knew she'd have to get him good once, maybe twice, before all hell broke loose. She'd watched Mayers do this a hundred times. She had studied his form and developed a form of her own.
She punched him with her right straight in his mouth with all the pent up rage she'd put on the back burner. She lit the fire. He swung back on her, which she'd ducked while snatching the dart from his hand with her left. She hit him again with her right, same force, straight in his mouth, palming the dart in her left hand. She ducked the next swing and came up with her right again into his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. Focus, Tia...she told herself. She hit him with her right another swift punch to the face before he finally caught on that the right hand was coming and blocked her. Her left flew to his throat, the point of the dart pressed against his neck. The fight stopped. He saw the sharp object, the light reflected off it.
"Are your lies worth dying for?" she screamed. She kicked him hard in the knee with the flat of her foot and he screamed in agony, buckling and falling to the ground. She threw the dart at his head and it stuck in the wood floor. "Are your lies worth dying for, you fucker?" She kicked him in the gut.
"Keller, enough."
"I told you to back the fuck off me." she screamed at Mayers.
He held his hands up, standing near her though, stopping the approach.
"Do any of you have a problem with me? Get it out now. While we're all here and while I'm angry."
No one said a word. Leo was not their weakest junior and he wasn't their strongest. As angry as she was no one felt the need to step forward.
"Get your pussy ass off the floor." She said, spitting on him.
"That went too far, Keller." Mayers spoke up. "He needs medical."
"Poor fucking baby." She snapped at him.
"Keller. Cool out."
Tatia pushed past him and walked out of the rec area. The anger flushed through her. She didn't feel better, she only felt more angry. She crossed the court yard and head inside the main house, stomping through the house till she got to the second floor.
"Uncle Chess!" She screamed. "Uncle Chess!"
"Yes, what's wrong?" He called, popping his head out of the master suite. He stepped into the hall, holding Kyra.
"Can we talk a minute?" She asked.
"Can it wait?"
"I have done something." She said, looking away shyly and trying like hell to calm down.
"What have you done, Tatia Rose?"
"I need to tell you before they do. Cause they are going to-"
"What have you done, Tatia Rose Keller?"
"I got in a fight."
"So-"
"I may have used a weapon. I may have threatened to kill someone. I may have busted a knee and he needs medical."
"Lord, who started the fight?"
"Oh, I did."
"What was this about? Who?"
"Leo. He spread rumors about me that he fucked me in the gym under the bleachers."
"Did you fuck the boy under the bleachers in the gym?"
"No, Uncle Chess."
"Tatia, really. You are a horny little twat lately."
"Thanks a lot."
"Is this how junior infantry works out problems nowadays?"
"This predates junior infantry, Uncle Chess. Got nothing to do with infantry."
"Is this how a junior works out his problems?" Chess raised his voice.
"It is how a junior works out her problems."
"You must follow the same rules the boys do."
"I did. If this was two boys slugging it out, none of this would matter."
"Then why are you telling me, Tatia Rose?"
"Because I figured you'd find out and come after me anyway."
"Are you injured?"
"No, Sir."
"What weapon? There are no weapons available to you people. Did you remove one from this home? Please say you didn't do that."
"Oh, it was a dart."
"A game dart?"
"Why, yes, Sir."
"Who won the fight?"
"Oh, I did."
"Was it a fair fight?"
"I think so, yes."
"Witnesses?"
"Yes, Sir. When I was done with him, I challenged the rest of them."
"All of them?"
"Well, one at a time, of course. I am not crazy."
"Any takers?
"No."
"Go to the foyer and wait for me."
Chess glanced into the bedroom. Macy lay sleeping on the bed. He walked the hall to Julia's room. She lay sleeping on the bed with Antonia. He held cranky Kyra and cradled her against him as he met Tatia in the foyer.
"It appears no one is awake in this house." He stepped outside into the courtyard, passing the boys in the play area.
"Daddy!"
"I will be back, children, then we will play." He told them. Tatia held the gate for him and they walked the grounds to the main entrance. She held that door open and they entered the rec area. The house master stood over Leo who had gotten to his feet and was sitting on a stool by the pool table.
"Miller." Chess nodded.
"Sir." He nodded. "It appears the boys have been in a fight in my absence. I believe he needs medical treatment."
"Yes, did you call?"
"I have not. I will now."
"Who witnessed this?" Chess asked quietly, rocking Kyra as she stirred. "Step forward."
10 boys stepped forward. Mayers snatched Tatia's arm and pulled her into line with the rest of them.
"20 laps." Chess said.
"Uncle Chess, it's my fault." She spoke up.
Chess glared at her. "What did you say, Keller?" He asked, raising his voice. Kyra started to fuss. "What did you say to me?" He repeated, lowering his voice, swinging Kyra in his arms to soothe her.
"Sir, it is my fault. Sir."
"You do thirty then." He snapped.
Chess looked to Leo when the room cleared of witnesses. "Have you learned your lesson?" Chess asked him. He was in visible pain. His leg injury may have put him out of the infantry. He slid onto the stool across from Leo. "I would like to hear about the fight."
Chess listened as Leo detailed what Tatia had done to him. From the moment she entered the rec area till the moment she departed. Their stories seemed to line up.
"You do not kiss and tell. I urge you to make this right."
"Sir, yes sir."
"I only expect the truth. Nothing more and nothing less."
He slid off the stool as the headmaster returned to the rec room. Medical had been dispatched. His parents had been called. "Should they have any questions, I will speak with them directly."
"Yes, Chess."
"I wish I could have witnessed this myself, Miller. I haven't seen a chick fight in a minute." Chess stated.
"I do too. You realize this sounds like the wife."
"I do. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Thank you, Miller." Chess stated.
Tatia ran 20 laps, listening to every insult the boys could think to lob her way. They were not pleased to be running laps because of her on a Friday afternoon. A handful of boys shoved her as they passed, but she kept it moving.
She started lap 21, slowing to a jog, her legs were burning.
"Why are you still out here, Mayers?" She asked as he continued to jog at her side.
'Technically, we're not supposed to leave you." He said. "But they're pissed."
"Oh, ok. You ain't mad?"
"Yeah, I'm mad. But you never put that bra back on and your tits are glorious in that tee shirt."
"Could we keep that between us, Jody? Please." She asked, thinking about the fight.
"Sure, Tia."
"I'd hate to come after you next." She said.
"You better come with more than a dart, Princess." He laughed. "Come on. Pick up the pace."
"No, I'm serious. I'd like to do that again, Jody. I'm still feeling it."
"I paid my debt." He teased her, sprinting off ahead of her.
"Hey, Chess." Julia said, stepping into the courtyard. She'd heard him playing with the kids. She found him standing at the fence. "What's doing, Chess?" He pointed to the far grounds where Tatia ran the last couple laps with the boy running beside her.
"He only had to run 20. He's hanging in the last 10 with her."
"That's Jody with the dreamy eyes." Julia said squinting through the fence. "Oh, he took the shirt off."
"Jody Mayers. He's top in the class."
"She's latched onto him."
"I see."
"We need to talk about our girl, Chess."
"She's not my girl, Julia. I have two."
"She's old enough to have a boyfriend."
"She may have one." He shrugged.
"They spent the afternoon in bed together." Julia said.
"He's a lucky boy. She's a beautiful girl."
"Did you hear me?"
"I heard you." He replied. "What were you doing at her age?"
"What were you?" She retorted.
"Same shit." He looked at Julia. "You need to take care of her. Make sure she knows the risks."
"I haven't mentioned the risks. Has Macy?"
"Fucking deal with your kid. Before she's putting out children like her mom."
"I will talk with her." Julia assured him.
"We cannot have next-gen females spitting out babies. It will ruin her future."
"Have we had a change of heart about the female infantry?"
"One female versus the many incapable. Lets not jump ahead. She has the advantage having been with us. There's not many that could be thrown into second year and still pass."
"Why is she running 30 laps anyway?" Julia asked.
"Assaulted another student." Chess stated. "Again, talk to her. Every boy that she lays with won't keep his mouth shut. She can't assault them all."
"She didn't fuck Leo."
He was silent.
"It was a hand job, Chess."
He was silent.
"This one though." Julia pointed through the fence. "This kid's gonna put her through it. First love, Chess, remember? When you first get it in and then from that second on it's all you think about and want and-"
"Yes, Julia."
"Before all this extra. Before all the bullshit. When you're just a kid and you got absolutely nothing else but your boyfriend. Nothing else matters or is as important. Before you start with the hard feelings and it's just the light ones."
"Yes, Julia."
"When it's just a basement and a movie and the rest of the world stops moving around you."
"Julia, must we take this walk down memory lane?"
"Sometimes it's necessary to remember where we came from, Chess. So when our kids say we don't understand, we can say we do."
"I wonder how Hayley is. I haven't talked to her in so long."
"At least you can talk to her."
"It would be a two hour conversation about nonsense." He remarked.
"Know what I'd give to have a two hour conversation about nonsense?" She asked, leaning against him. "Just a conversation, Chess, something so simple."
He put his arm over her shoulder. "You go ahead, Julia. Let it out. You're allowed to miss him."
"I'll see him again." She said, letting Chess hold her, letting the hot tears slide over her cheeks. "Thanks for taking care of me."
"I will always take care of you, Julia."
ORIGINAL 6/22/2015. EDITED AND DIVIDED 8/17/2021
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