Chapter 37

A Week Later

Nexus Ranch

Harborton Washington

Ben could hear the peal of a little girl’s laughter coming in through the open window. He glanced around the living room quickly. Maria, his current minder, was sleeping soundly on the couch and the other women were in town or working out at the Fae encampment. Softly, he eased his recliner forward and leveraged himself upright with his crutch. As stealthily as possible he stumped forward into the kitchen and grabbed some carrots out of the vegetable bin. Hopefully, Consuela wouldn’t smack him for invading her kitchen.

He was supposed to be resting, but surely a little walk out the back door couldn’t hurt could it?

He eased the back door open with the tip of his crutch and stumped out into the sunshine following the sound of laughter toward the pasture gate.

“Hey, Tom how goes it?” Ben said with a laugh as he caught sight of his fierce warrior friend bedecked in flowers and a lace doll cap sitting on top of a fence post surrounded by a gaggle of giggling girls.

To one side he could see Awhoo and the kittens playing some sort of elaborate tag game with another set of children.

“Aye, it goes Cap’n. Do you fancy a ride yer’ ownself?” replied Tom.

“Haha maybe but it looks like the fearsome steed is occupied at the moment,” said Ben as he watched Joe, scarred but alive, as he gingerly walked a circle with two gleeful girls sharing a ride on his broad back and a dozen more waiting their turn.

“How are you feeling today Joe?” asked Ben as Joe got closer to the fence.

“Better every day Boss! Hey wait a minute, aren’t you supposed to be resting inside?” replied Joe.

“I thought a little sunshine would do me some good,” said Ben.

“Well last time Maria gave me hel ... heck for not letting her know you had been out here!” said Joe indignantly.

Ben never quite understood why Joe never cursed, even when Ben and Tom were the only ones around who could ‘hear him’. He thought it was because of the children present and that was just one more thing that Ben loved about his friend and battle buddy.

“Oh so you don’t want some of these?” Ben said as brought the carrots out from around his back.

“Wellllll, I guess I won’t tell if you won’t,” said Joe as he attempted a wink while walking toward the fence.

Ben knew his girls meant well by trying to keep him off of his feet but it did his heart good to see Joe out and about again. It had taken the Fae patrol well into the next day to find Joe struggling several miles down the river trying to make his way back to the ranch, barely alive, bleeding from uncountable wounds, but unwilling to quit.

Joe had nearly lost an eye and an ear and his once beautiful coat was a mass of scars along his back and sides, but with help from Kelly, he was going to make a full recovery. She worked with Ben and Joe a couple of times a day to help the healing process. Even Gunny Jean’s broken leg was nearly 100% already. Joe didn’t seem to care about his wounds or his scars much. As long as he could still take his youthful friends on rides, play dress up and wander around the countryside occasionally to see his many friends, he seemed content.

Looking at Joe in moments like this it was difficult to see the fearless, unstoppable warrior that he was at heart, but Ben knew that should it be needed, that warrior would surface in an instant.

A Few days Later

Nexus Ranch

Harborton Washington

As Kelly watched Ben walk off towards the woods after his treatment, she could feel that something was bothering him but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She respected that Ben sometimes needed a little space and time to himself. It couldn’t always be easy for the long-time bachelor to get used to having all of them in his life. But this was different. As she looked up, Mei caught her glance and nodded. She could feel it as well. Kelly returned her nod and they both headed out after Ben.

“Let’s go see what daddy’s thinking about peanut,” Kelly said with a hand gently stroking her midsection.

She always talked to the child she was carrying now. Ben’s child. The precious gift they had given to each other. She knew Mei did the same, speaking both Mandarin and English to her child to be sure that he or she would be born of both worlds. They weren’t really showing yet, maybe just a slight bump in her previously perfectly flat stomach, but Kelly knew that both she and Mei glowed unmistakably now with the life they held inside.

Mei reached out a hand and Kelly took it as they walked together into the woods behind the pole barn. There they found Ben sitting on his ‘thinking stump’.

“Hey Ben, sorry to intrude, we were a little worried about you,” said Mei.

“You could never intrude, Love, you either Kel. I”m just thinking things over,” replied Ben.

“What you thinking about Dear Heart?” asked Kelly.

She could tell Ben was reluctant to say when he paused before continuing. Part of their bond meant Ben could never lie to them but he obviously was worried about sharing what was on his mind. Ben was not outwardly emotional about most things, but he demonstrated how he felt about each of them in his actions every single day. For him to withdraw like this, it must really be bothering him.

“Um, well it’s just me. You know how I worry,” said Ben finally.

“Talk to us Ben, maybe we can help,” said Mei as she touched his cheek as softly as a falling leaf...

“Okay, I guess I just don’t think I’m going to be a very good dad. I don’t know how to do this and I never had my own dad as an example,” said Ben.

Kelly exchanged looks with Mei. They had talked about this happening. Ben in a fight was cool, calm, confident, and inspiring. But give her gentle smart man time enough to think about emotional, people issues and he would overthink them every time.

“Ben I need to share my goddess vision with you, I feel this is the time. It’s how I came to know who you are and it’s why I made the choice to leave my world for yours. It’s the reason I had started to fall in love with you even before I met you,” said Mei with a bright, but secret smile.

Kelly had never heard any part of Mei’s goddess story. The girls, except Maria, had all had theirs and had shared parts of them but these were intensely personal stories, not easily given.

“My goddess Nyx placed me back in time, in the orphanage I was raised in, freezing, starving, beaten, unloved, and alone. She showed me two worlds. In one world I was rich and successful. I had the best clothes, and other beautiful men and women surrounded me. I ate only the best food. I was respected and powerful,” Mei paused as her ring started glowing slightly.

“In the other world, I saw a simple man, in working clothes, playing in the earth with dozens of children of all ages and types. A little girl even had what looked like tiny wings! They had dirty little faces and were all laughing and rolling around in the grass with the man with the warmest brown eyes I had ever seen. There was so much love present that I could feel it radiating in warm waves. Those children were endlessly loved and they knew it. I knew that that man would move mountains to ensure that those children would have everything that my childhood self had never had, and much, much more. That wonderful man was you, Ben. I made my choice then, and even though I didn’t realize it, even though I fought it, I chose you, my love. At that time I knew I couldn’t have children of my own, and when I thought that I needed to die to protect you from my former employers, I was more than willing to do so, so that you could be with your future children and my now sisters,” Mei paused to bend and give Ben a sweet gentle kiss on his mouth.

Kelly had not known any of this, but she had always thought that there was much more to Mei’s story about switching sides than they suspected.

“Ben, dear, you are a very intelligent man, but sometimes you can’t see the things right in front of you. You don’t seriously think that my goddess would show me you and our future children so that I could make a bad choice do you?” Mei said with an elegantly arched eyebrow.

Ben had a surprised look on his face and Kelly knew that he hadn’t heard the full story either! He started to speak and Kelly laid a finger on his lips to stop him.

“I agree with Mei. Enough words. I think that we need to show you what we really think of you as our baby daddy,” said Kelly with a laugh and a loving glance at her sister.

Kelly slowly undid the top button of her blouse as Mei kicked off her cowboy boots and started shimmying her long legs out of her blue jeans.

The Next Day

Nexus Ranch

Harborton Washington

Ben could feel an imminent disturbance in the force as he talked to his girls about his time with Dana the goddess mother of the Fae. His normally kind, sweet Kelly was getting very annoyed.

“She asked for what?” said Kelly sharply.

“Um, just a t-shirt. Don’t ask, I have no idea why. Maybe goddesses don’t have Walmarts where they live?” replied Ben.

This brought a round of snickers from all of his women and a mutter from Kelly that sounded something like ‘thirsty slut’. It seemed that with two of them pregnant he knew even less about what was going on with his girls. Geesh! women were complicated, it was so much simpler fighting demons and Hellhounds.

“Kelly, she did help bring him back to us,” said Lizzy gently with a touch on her sister’s arm.

“Fine, but not that one. If we’re going to do this, let’s give her one that will let her know what she’s missing,’ said Kelly with an evil grin, as she waved dismissively at the nearly new t-shirt that Ben had picked out.

“Ah! I know just the one!” said Maria as she raced up the stairs returning momentarily from the hamper with the sweat and sex-soaked Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt that he had been wearing yesterday when both Mei and Kelly had ambushed him behind the barn. Just bringing it down the staircase caused a bloom of blushes to spring up and suddenly all the girls seemed a little antsy.

“Really? That one? Isn’t it kinda smelly to give a goddess?” asked Ben.

This netted him yet another ‘Look’ from all the girls.

‘It’s so good to see you up and about Ben!” said Jess as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on his cheek.”

Ben was flanked on either side by Mei and Kelly with Sarah Lizzy and Maria standing slightly behind them. As ambassador, Siofra stood at her right hand. Jess could sense that something was up beyond the ordinary.

“Thank you, I’m sorry it took so long for me to get out here,” said Ben.

“Nonsense! You nearly died Ben! I could have come to see you instead, you know,” said Jess with a sunny smile.

She had, in fact, visited Ben nearly every day of his recovery. But he had been either unconscious or woozy for most of her visits.

“I know, but I think I needed to come here for this, Queen Rhiannon,” said Ben.

Jess was now a little intrigued. Ben was not usually so formal with her.

“I first wanted to express our undying gratitude for all that you and your people did for us. We could not have survived without their courage and skill,” said Ben.

“Of course! We could never do less than give our all for you and your people Ben. You saved us as well!” replied Queen Rhiannon.

“I also was tasked with giving you, directly, a message from your goddess Dana. I thought it best to deliver this in person, so I apologize for the delay,” said Ben.

“A message? She doesn’t speak to me very often, but she sometimes does. I wonder why she wanted you to deliver it?” asked Queen Rhiannon.

“I’m not sure either, she didn’t say,” said Ben.

Jess was now intensely curious. What on earth could Mother Dana want to say to her through Ben, of all people?

“Ayhem ... she said, ‘tell Jess that her boon has been granted and she will be fruitful’,” said Ben.

Jess couldn’t believe what she was hearing! She nearly fainted but instead threw herself against Ben and plastered a searing kiss on him. She prayed to the Fae goddess for her people daily. She prayed for protection and guidance and to give thanks, but she had only ever asked for one thing for herself. It had not been granted, until today!

Jess stood back and laughed a little at Ben’s expression, he looked a little like a stunned ox. She hadn’t even thought about what the girls would think about her kissing Ben. She was just so happy! Thankfully, they just laughed and surrounded her with hugs and smiles. She knew now that she could count on their support. Off to her side, she could see Siofra looking on with a very intense expression. Jess could see the wheels start to spin in her ambassador’s head. Very interesting!

“Um, Jess, what exactly does that message mean? Dana didn’t explain anything to me. Do you need to start planting an orchard or something?” asked Ben.

“Is he always like this? It’s adorable,” asked Jess looking at the girls.

“Yep, and we love him for it,” said Sarah with a grin.

Later the Same Day

The Dispensary

Harborton Washington

“Hey Skipper, what can I get for yah?” said Doc as Ben stumped into ‘The Dispensary’ later that afternoon.

The girls had stayed behind at Fae camp to do some ‘planning’ for an undisclosed project they were working on with Jess and some of the other Fae women. Ben thought they were probably just having a hen party.

Ben didn’t begrudge them that. After all they had been through, they deserved a little fun. The level of estrogen was entirely too high for him though. Ben had to leave before he decided to take up knitting or cross stitch or something.