Chapter 12: A Meeting of the Minds

“My goodness, that came out of nowhere fast,” Belinda McMahon exclaimed.

“Yeah it did,” Mike O’Dell said. “I wonder where that did come from.”

“Can we talk to you kids?” Erin asked quietly from the living room entrance.

“Yeah Mom,” Mike said.

“Come on in, Erin,” Belinda added.

“All of us?” Erin asked.

“Yes, please do.”

I followed my three wives into the living room and just before I entered the room, I glanced over to see the three McMahon kids walking down to the basement and the ongoing Scrabble game. Mike and Belinda were still on the couch but were now bracketed by Erin and Lynn. Blossom had taken a place on the love seat and patted the cushion next to her. I sat there and waited until Erin spoke.

“I heard that last question and I want you to know that it is a common question that comes up between me and my spouses. In truth, we don’t even wonder about it anymore. Our kids will come up with a statement that is crawling with insight and seem to be way above their maturity level. When Phillip said that the three of them would become a part of Mike’s family, I recognized the importance of the question right away.”

“When he said that, it sounded so out of character from the son I’d raised with Boomer. He’s never had that kind of ... wisdom ... I guess is the word.”

“I understand. The first time Taylor Erin said a phrase like Phillip’s I was totally taken aback. Then the other kids began to do the same thing. When I asked Taylor Erin about it, she said that the Babies had taught her how to ask those questions. I’m wondering if the Babies have begun working on your three like they work on ours.”

“Is that possible?” Belinda asked.

“Really?” Lynn said. “After everything we’ve been through with the Babies, I’m not going to doubt anything they may be capable of. I just wonder how the kids have been included.”

“Well, Mike is my son. You are my wives. The kids are our kids. Mike has accepted Boomer and Belinda’s kids as his own. They seem to have accepted him as their father, or better, their dad.”

“This is just too freaky,” Mike said.

“As the newest of the wives,” Blossom said, “I can tell you that I was totally freaked out when the Babies first did things that impacted my life. Then the dreams and the predictions and the forewarnings. I’m gonna agree with my wife, as far as the Babies are concerned nothing is out of the realm of possibility.”

“So what do we do now, Dad?” Mike asked.

“Wait. Listen to what the kids have to say. Listen to the way they say it. Then ask questions and listen again. If the Babies are involved, the questions will be well thought out and the answer should be the same way.”

“OK, but excuse me if this seems creepy,” Belinda said.

“Belinda, you’re excused,” Blossom said. “But if you think this is creepy, wait until they come to you and tell you that your pregnant before you even know.”

“Shit!”

“Yup,” my three wives said in unison, before they all broke out in giggles.

“Well, the pizza’s gone and I’m still hungry,” Mike said. “I’m thinking of making a run to Taco Bell.”

“Mike, if you think that the RV smelled bad from White Castle, wait until the kids are loaded with bean burritos,” Erin said.

“Or Erin!” Blossom added, with another of her giggles.

“Well thank you, Mrs. O’Dell.”

“You are most welcome, Mrs. O’Dell.”

“Paul, you live with this every day?”

“Yeah, ain’t it great?” I chuckled at my twisted luck. “But all the crazy has led to more blessings than I can count or that I ever believed was possible. If your life is moving in that direction, I would say just go with the flow.”

“Paul, I don’t know that I want to have a wife and a husband,” Belinda said, with real concern in her voice.

“And I wouldn’t advise you to go that route either. All I’m saying is that if the Babies make themselves known to you, don’t run away from them.”

“But what about my stomach talking to me?” Mike complained.

“Said the bottomless pit,” Belinda chuckled.

“Should we order some more pizza?” Blossom asked.

“How about some chicken wings?” Belinda offered.

“Yeah, that would hit the spot. Dad, let’s head over to Wild Wings.”

“I’ve got an app on the phone. We can order ahead.”

“OK!” Mike said and stood up. I stood with him and went around the room kissing my wives and asking if they wanted any wings and if so what sauce on them.

Mike stopped in his tracks and went to Belinda.

“Sorry, Bel. Would you like some wings?”

Belinda looked at the man she loved more each day and was concerned.

“No thanks, Mike. Are you OK? You never forget to ask me if I need something.”

“I guess my brain is locked up. All this is just getting to me.”

Belinda stood and took him in her arms, holding him tightly and kissing his cheek several times.

“Mike, we got through Boomers death. We got through your PTSD. We got through the kids anger over their father’s suicide. We’ll get through this stuff too. As I think about it, this is minor compared to the recent months.”

Mike pulled back from her a bit and looked at her. “You’re right, Bel, on all counts and in all measures.”

I’d walked into the kitchen and then down to the basement to check on the Herd. They were all hunkered down around three Scrabble boards and were talking among themselves. Phillip was at the board with Margaret Erin and Penelope Erin and Genevieve Lynn.

Kayleigh was at the board with Paula Erin, Gwenyth Blossom, and Erin Lynn. The third board had Diana and the other kids in teams and really using the game as a tool to be silly. They were spending more time goofing around than playing the game, but they were having fun and not arguing. All in all it was a very orderly bunch.

I went back upstairs to find Mike sitting at the kitchen table with a small tablet of paper. He’d made notes on the wing order.

“Dad, do you have some favorites?”

“Yeah, but Wild Wings doesn’t make it.”

“What flavor? One of those insanely hot ones?”

“Actually it would be the peanut butter and jelly wings from DD’s in Charleston.”

“Oh damn, I forgot about those. The raspberry ones were the best.”

“I liked the grape ones. But the Thai peanut sauce is what made it. The heat added to the sweetness of the jam was great.”

“Well they don’t have PB&J wings so what’s your preference?”

“How about traditional wings, five each of Asian Zing, Spicy Garlic, and the dry Desert Heat.”

“Ranch or Bleu Cheese?”

“Son, did I not teach you anything? Why in the hell would I order a flavored wing and then make it taste like ranch dressing? Just extra celery please.”

Mike wrote down the order and then asked for my phone to do the order. I opened the app and handed it to my son. He did the order and then before he could input his credit card number, I snatched the phone and hit pay now.

“Dad! It was my idea, I should pay.”

“Son, I don’t know when I’m going to see you again after the wedding. Let me do this.”

He looked at me like I used to look at my mother when she told me, “I’m not going to be around much longer”, and I understood. But I still bought, and of course there were the points!

After eating the wings, and having yawning, sleepy, little kids come walking slowly up the stairs, we decided to call it a night. The Scrabble boards were left in the basement for use in the morning and after good night kisses all around, Blossom led the Herd out to the bus. We got everyone cleaned up and ready for a good night’s sleep.

“Daddy, Phillip is worried about our brother marrying Belinda.”

“I know Margaret Erin. I meant to ask you, have the Babies been talking to you kids again?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“That means that your mother is going to have more babies.”

“I know. Lynn Mom too.”

“Really? That’s wonderful. Do you know if the Babies have been dreaming to Phillip or his sisters?”

Margaret Erin got quiet and furrowed her little brow for a few seconds.

“I don’t know. Phillip was asking questions like the Babies taught us to ask.”

“Well, let me ask you something else, how would you feel if you had to change your last name. Would it make you feel like you were abandoning your family?”

“I don’t know, Daddy,” she completed her answer with the expression that said she had nothing else to say.

I made the rounds, right behind my wives, kissing everyone good night and making sure they were all snuggled in. When that most wonderful chore was done, I followed my wives to our room in the back of the expanded RV. It took no time for us to strip and then take turns washing in the bathroom. I was the last to finish my duties and crawled into bed between Erin and Lynn. Blossom was snuggled to Erin’s back.

“I found out some good news today.”

“Is it about Erin and I having another round of babies?”

“Well there goes that surprise.”

“The daddy is always the last to know, Lover.”

“Well then I guess that’s good to know. That means that I’m the daddy, right?”

Between the tickles and pillows hitting me, I felt duly chastised for my crass remark.

“Have the Babies started talking to you again?”

“Yes,” Lynn said.

“Have they told you the sex or how many this time?”

“Yes, but since you never like to know the sex beforehand, all I’ll tell you is that Erin is having another set of twins and so am I.”

“When do you need to let James know?”

“We’ll wait until we get home. It’s only been a few days that we’ve been knocked up.”

“Blossom, are you going to be OK with these two being pregnant and you not?”

“Yeah, I’ll deal with it. Besides after the last one, the Babies dreamt to me and told me that it would be very dangerous for me to have another baby.”

“I thought it was James that told you that?”

“It was, but night before last, they dreamed to me again and told me that Erin and Lynn had caught and that I shouldn’t be unhappy, because I would be around for a long time to be able to enjoy all the children. So, I’ll just stand by and help you apply the lotion and then when they go into labor at the same time, one of our wives can cuss at me instead of everyone getting after you.”

“Come here, Baby.”

I took Blossom by the hand and kissed her and then brought her with me between our big blonde wives legs. She parted the right labia and I parted the left.