Chapter 29: A Pregnant Pause and a Supermodel

Six weeks later, Monica came in one day after work and sat in Jim's lap. She smiled at him in a devilish way, and he looked at her, momentarily unsure of the surprise physical attention.

Suddenly, he broke into a smile, "Are you?"

She whispered in his ear, "I am! I'm so happy I could just about burst."

"Who else knows?"

"Just you."

"What about Matt and Bob?"

"Not yet, but I'll tell them in a minute. It's definitely one of you three, but I sort of feel it's you. I'd like for you to be the official daddy even though you're listed as Marshall's daddy too."

"I'm honored. I'll go with whatever you decide."

They kissed and made out for a minute and then Monica got up, and went to find Bob or Matt.

Three days later Tina came to Jim with a very serious look on her face.

Jim asked, "Why the long face?"

Tina said, "I think I'm in trouble, only I don't want to have to leave The Circle."

"Why would you think you have to leave The Circle?"

"Because I got pregnant."

"Oh, Baby. That's great news." Jim hopped up out of his chair and wrapped his arms about the diminutive and sexy woman. He rained down a hundred kisses on her, totally disarming her from her concern.

Jim finally asked, "How do you know?"

"I've missed two periods and I just did an EPT and got the little plus sign in the window where I'd peed."

Matt was walking by and noted the special care going on. He looked over, and Jim gestured. He pointed at Tina and said, "Preggers."

Matt grinned and he showered lots of kisses and congratulations on Tina.

Tina got tears in her eyes, "You mean you're not going to be angry with me?"

"Why on earth would we do that? We love you? You're carrying one of our children, and that's wonderful."

"But I didn't ask permission."

Both men went 'Pfffft.' Matt said, "If anybody gives you any shit, you tell them that I gave you permission and even aided and abetted in the process."

Jim added, "And me too."

Monica was walking by, "Me too, what?"

Jim winked at Monica, "Me too, as in a mommy way too."

Monica smiled at Tina, "Oh, we are going to have so much fun being pregnant together."

Tina looked in surprise, "You're pregnant too?"

Monica said, "Yeah, I'm keeping it low key for another month to be sure everything 'takes' as it should. A lot of women in my family had miscarriages early in their pregnancies, so I worry. The doctor just put me on a massive dose of vitamins."

Tina said, "I think there's one more of us too – maybe more."

The three of them looked at Tina. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I found another positive EPT test in the waste basket in the bathroom I used when I did my test an hour ago."

"Hmmmmm."

Matt said, "The field is pretty narrow. I think we can eliminate Michelle and Lynn from consideration. Zoey and Tracy have been definite about having a plan for when they want a child, and it's no time soon. That leaves Ellie, Lolly, Sandy, Marlene, and Willow and Alice with number twos."

Jim said, "Should we say anything, or just watch and wait?"

Matt said, "Let's have some fun. Let's slide by each of them, love them up a little, and say 'You have that special glow' or 'I think I know a secret' or something like that. Don't give away any more information. Let them all wonder what we know. See who tips their hand."

A half-hour later, Willow was the first to get some special treatment. Matt slid by her and commented about how she glowed after stopping to kiss her goodbye as he headed off to work.

Jim caught Lolly and then Marlene, telling them both he knew their secret. They both gave him a puzzled expression, and he ducked having to answer 'What secret?' from both of them.

That evening, Matt was welcomed home by Sandy as he came into the house. After some beautiful kisses, he told her she had that he'd keep her secret quiet. Sandy looked worried and ran off to talk to Brad. Alice was next and she looked surprised with the comment.

Jim sat next to Ellie at dinner. He leaned over and whispered, "I love how you just glow when you're the way you are."

Ellie almost burst into tears, surged up from the table, and ran off. Zoey was sitting across the table. She glared at Jim, "Well, you have a great knack for words. Go and comfort her." She gestured for him to leave.

Jim went after Ellie and found her in her room sitting on the edge of the bed and crying.

She looked up at him as her lips trembled and said, "How did you know?"

"I guessed. You left a trail behind. You're not alone. There are two others."

Ellie said, "I haven't even seen a doctor yet. I have an appointment for next week."

Jim hugged her. He whispered, "I love pregnant women."

"Who are the two others?"

"Tina and Monica. They'll probably say something soon, but I think word has already spread to most of us. Why didn't you say something?"

"I was afraid someone would get mad," Ellie said cautiously.

"No way. We love you. This is something to celebrate, not get angry about. Come on back downstairs. You can say something or not, or if you want I'll help you."

Ellie cleaned up her sniffles and tears, and then walked back downstairs holding Jim's hand. As they came into the dining room, all eyes shifted to the pair. Jim escorted Ellie to her chair and held her chair, but Ellie continued to stand and face the table.

The silence could be cut with a knife.

Ellie shyly admitted, "I'm pregnant."

Everyone at the table applauded and Ellie blushed a nice scarlet hue that looked cute against her blond hair and fair skin. She dropped into her chair.

Jim said, "Any others want to say anything?"

Matt said, "Congratulations."

Tina stood at the other end of the table and confessed, "Me too. I'm pregnant too."

All eyes shifted to that end of the table, and another round of clapping took place.

In the middle, Monica remained seated but said, "And some of you know, I am too."

There was a rapid-fire discussion about due dates. Monica and Tina were due within a week of each other. Ellie had no idea but knew it had to be early since she'd only missed one period.

After the buzz settled down, Jim walked down the table and knelt beside Matt and Bob. They had a brief discussion, and then he went back to finish his meal. A few minutes later, Bob stood in front of The Circle members before they left dinner that night. Everyone was there except Alex who was away on business travel for a meeting that would start early the next day.

He said, "I want to address something that concerns Jim, Matt, and me, and maybe a few others." Everyone leaned forward. "Two of our moms-to-be thought we'd be angry at them for getting pregnant. One and maybe both thought we might ask them to leave."

Heads were shaking, and a few low volume comments were made.

Bob went on, "If any of us lent any credence to that rumor, we want to apologize, and I want to set the record straight and in public. There is nothing further from the truth about how Jim, Matt, and I feel about our new moms or anyone else who wants to have a baby. I don't want anyone to be angry about this situation; these pregnancies are something we celebrate with increased love and attention."

"The broader issue is about how we feel about each other. I don't want any of us to fear someone else's anger or hostility or even angst because of something they do. We know that what we do affects everybody else; we are a family and that's what happens in families. There should also be more love and tolerance in this family because it is intentional."

"We all chose to be here. We looked around at who else was here and said, 'I want to be with those people through thick and thin. I want to love that group and help them grow and evolve to be even better, and I know they'll love and help me.' Please, let's keep this spirit in our family and not get complacent about each other, or get intolerant of each other's actions, thoughts, or deeds."

Bob paused, "I'm sorry if I sound intolerant about this." He laughed, "I guess I'm intolerant of other people being intolerant." The statement provoked a few chuckles.

Bob thought a moment and added, "Actually, I do have one more thing to say. I've been using the wrong word. I hope our interactions are not about being tolerant of each other; I hope they are about constantly, minute-by-minute, celebrating each other."

As Bob sat, he gestured next to him, "Matt also had something to share."

Matt stood so he could face the twenty-five people in the room. "I just want to let you know some more good news besides out impending births. Amy is getting married in June. Ellie and I will see them then, and we offered them a room here if they can ever come and stay."

He paused and added, "To deflect any questions, I have not met Mont, but I talked with him on Skype for a few minutes. He was nice, and you women will love him to pieces. He's a hunk. They are unsure when they'll be out this way, but when we go to the wedding we'll get some more information."

The others buzzed with glee about seeing Amy again. She'd been a Circle member for several years, but because she lived in California she only saw people in The Circle a few times a year.

The beautiful blond model wore a black and gold, floor-length A-line evening gown that hugged her waist, but had a sexy curved pleat in the front through which one could see a lot of her shapely legs and some of the sexiest shoes ever made. Above the waist, the gown hugged her body and her breasts. By some feat that defied physics, the gown was backless, yet the gossamer fabric clung to her full breasts before tapering to her waist around her sides. The dress was sexy, debonair, demure, and one of the prettiest gowns Bob had seen anywhere.

The backdrop was a mockup of a Greek temple. In the background, a mural of a painted waterfront decorated the wall next to a huge tapestry. All around her marble accessories added to the beauty of the scene she posed in. The props put the focus on the model, and only complemented the landscape.

A photographer's assistant held a huge white reflector near the model, but out of the camera's range. Other lights and strobes dotted the area.

The photographer coached her. "Chin up. That's it. Look ... oh, perfect. A couple with a subtle smile. Good. Turn towards me slightly. Another smile or sorts. Now, give me a dramatic look." He turned to a woman standing well behind the camera, "Gwen, can you get in there and raise the color on her cheeks a little." The incessant sounds of the camera's shutter ceased for a minute.

The makeup girl scurried to the model, and with a palate of makeup dusted the angular cheekbones until the photographer nodded. "Great. Thanks, Gwen." She returned to her position behind the camera.

Another fifty or so pictures were taken, sometimes the shutter clicked three times a second, and other times the photographer moved about searching for just the right angle and light, and then there'd be only one shot.

He said, "One more minute for this set. Turn to me, look right into the camera. Oh, great. So good. Move your arm back. Bust out a little. Good. How about one with erect nipples?"

The model nudged down the front of her dress baring her breasts to the large room and everyone standing about. Overall, people paid her scant attention as they focused on their own jobs. She rubbed her breasts and pulled on her nipples. Looking down she finally decided she was content with what had been asked for. She reset the front of the dress, and checked with the photographer and Gwen for verification that all was well.

"Good. Same sequence as last time. Turn a little so I can get some shadow on your breasts and those nips. Great. Oh, wow. Perfect." Another hundred or so shots went by, the strobes in the room continuously blinking out their near blinding light.

Finally, after shooting a sequence of shots from the floor, the photographer stood. He checked a list containing reminders on the various shots he wanted to take. Finally, he said, "OK everybody, that's a wrap. We can all go home after we pack up." He went up to the model and thanked her. He also informed her that she could keep the dress. He guessed that there wasn't another person in the country who could wear that dress and do it justice.

Bob stood well behind the set for the photographs. He'd been there an hour and watched with fascination how the commercial photographer had worked with the model to create perfect shot after perfect shot. He knew Matt would have been in his element, but then he would have had a million questions and been in the way.

The woman flowed across the space between them and into Bob's arms. The kiss reflected an intensity and passion that made others in the room stop and look at the couple. The kiss was hotter than the surface of the sun, and if you didn't understand what love and romance were about before you watched the couple, you had no doubt afterwards.

She whispered to him, "God, I love you so much. I've just never known any man who could turn me on as much as you do."

Bob smiled, "I love you, Renee. What about Jeremy?"

"Pfffft." She waved her hand in the air dismissively.

"You are so beautiful, and you do things for that dress ... Wow!"

Renee smiled, "I get to keep the dress. It was custom fit to me anyway. I have a sexy thin body and oversized breasts for my physique."

"What are the photographs for?"

"Terani Couture. It's a big deal apparently. I think they already have some celebrity wearing one like it to the Oscars, and they want to be ready to follow it up with a few others for sale at some outrageous price. This will probably appear in Vogue and some specialty magazines."

She took his arm. "Come with me while I change into civilian clothes." She walked him into her dressing room; a room that a movie star would find comfort in.

Renee turned and peeled the dress from her body, making sure that Bob watched every second of her strip. She wore no underwear and no bra; either would have done a disservice to the dress and certainly to Renee's beautiful body that filled it.

Renee came and draped her nude body over Bob, kissing him again. He allowed his hands to work up from her hips until he could slide his thumbs across her nipples. Renee moaned, "Oh, fuck. You'll make me cum if you keep doing that."

He whispered, "I think that's the idea."

Bob kept his left hand stroking her breast, but dropped his right hand to her shaved pubes. His middle finger stroked into her slit, and then two fingers penetrated her. Neither of them moved much, but Renee climaxed and sank deeper into his arms, counting on him for support. Her move pushed his fingers deeper into her quim; just what she wanted.

"Oh, fuck. I want you inside me."

"Later. This is a little too public," bob sighed.

Renee sighed as well and pulled away from him, but only after another passionate kiss. As she pulled on a thong, some beautiful slacks, and a silk blouse, she told Bob, "You make me just want to have your cock in me from dawn to dusk to dawn."

Bob said, "You worry me."

"Why?" Renee stepped into some beautiful three-inch black heels that reinforced the image of her beauty.

"You're so intense in your feelings. I worry that they'll burn away, leaving nothing but a cinder of ash and you'll be gone. It's been three months since we met and you burn hotter and hotter. Oh, and what about Jeremy?"

Renee kissed me again, but just a peck to signal 'Don't worry.' "Jeremy is taking care of Jeremy. I was his trophy wife, but it was short lived. He was using me to convince the world that he was something other than what he was – gay. I'm not supposed to talk about it with anyone."