Chapter 17

I could see she had been crying, and as soon as the door closed behind Gloria, Jenny practically threw herself around my neck, soaking my shirt with her tears!

"Hey!" I said, as soothingly as I could, "What's all this about?"

"I just didn't know where to go!" she sobbed, "Or who to turn to! You've been so nice, I just... just... !"

Another burst of crying interrupted whatever she was going to say.

I guided her to the sofa that Gloria had insisted on having along one wall of my office. The ostensible reason was that it was to be an informal seating area for guests. The real reason was that it provided a place for me to nap when business pressures cut into my sleep time!

Once I got her seated, I retrieved a bottle of water from the small refrigerator hidden in one of the cabinets, opened it, and let her drink.

When Jenny had calmed some, I sat beside her and asked, "What's going on, Jenny? I can't help if I don't know what's bothering you."

"It's that horrid 'Cruella' Dawson!" she cried, "She came to the house to tell Mom that she'd been having an affair with Dad! Now Mom wants a divorce!"

"She actually came to your house?!" I asked, incredulous, "I wouldn't have guessed that even SHE would go that far!"

The way I said it must have triggered something in the young lady's mind.

"You knew, didn't you?!" she cried.

I wanted to deny it, but I've never been a good liar, so, reluctantly, I replied, "Yes, Jenny, I knew."

"How long?!" she wailed, "Why didn't you tell me!"

"I've known almost since the beginning of your father's attempt to takeover SyncComp." I replied, "I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was any of my business."

"But, but... !" she stammered, "You could have at least clued me in!"

"Really?" I said, "On top of taking away your Father's company, I should have taken away his family, too? I couldn't go that far, Jenny. Acquiring Seer was business. Your father's love life was personal, and not something I felt I should be messing with."

"If it's any consolation," I continued, "my guess is that she seduced him, instead of the other way around. I think your father loves your mother, he just got blinded by his desire to make Seer succeed. When Ms. Dawson came to him with the idea of Seer acquiring SyncComp, she probably made him sleep with her as way to keep tabs on what he was doing."

I didn't want to tell her that the reason I thought Lenny loved his wife was that my threat to expose his affair worked.

"But all he had to do was say 'no'!" she cried, "If he really loved my mother, why did he go along with her?"

"I'm not trying to make excuses for either of them, Jenny." I said, "I'm merely trying to show what his mind-set must have been. I'd bet that he did refuse, at first, but I'd also bet that she threatened to take her idea to someone else, or to fight any effort he made on his own to takeover SyncComp, if he didn't sleep with her."

"That witch!" she exclaimed, "I'll... I'll... !"

"Shhh... Jenny." I said, "I know this is hard on you. I remember my own divorce a few years back. The reasons were much more mundane - we just got tired of each other - but it was still hard on both of us. I remember being thankful that we didn't have kids. Look, Jenny, I can't interfere in your parents' affairs, but anytime you need to talk, please, call or come by. This was bound to come out eventually, even if Luella hadn't decided to spill the beans in person. Now your parents will have to decide what to do with the rest of their lives, and both are probably going to be a little hard to live with, okay?"

"I'll say!" she sobbed, "Dad's moved out, without even saying goodbye, and Mom's hitting the sauce again! Uncle Gary, what am I going to do?"

"Hard as it is, Jenny," I said, "it's not up to you to do anything. They have to make these decisions on their own. You can try talking to them, but remember, it's their responsibility to deal with it, not yours. If your efforts don't keep them together, don't go blaming yourself. If you need a sanctuary or someone to talk to, our door is always open, okay? Felicia hangs out with us to give her mother and stepfather time to cement their relationship. No reason why you can't hang out there too!"

"Thank you, Uncle Gary!" she said, wiping her face with the tissues I gave her. "I'm sorry to be such a pain! I know you must be very busy right now!"

"No problem, Jenny." I grinned, "I could use a break from refereeing my VPs' territorial squabbles!"

Less than two months later, it happened.

It was a bright, and for once, cloudless summer day as I made my way northward on 280, coming home early for a change. I kept the radio tuned to KCBS for the periodic traffic reports, but was paying little attention to it. When the announcement came on, I did a double-take and reached for the volume control.

"Local entrepreneur Leonard 'Lenny' Erikson was killed today when his private plane crashed into a hillside. Also killed in the crash was local businesswoman Luella Dawson, former CEO of SyncComp Corporation. Mr. Erikson was recently divorced from his wife of twenty-two years. The divorce came in the aftermath of the takeover of the company Erikson founded, Seer Corporation, by rival Collins Industries. Observers close to Mr. Erikson's family say he was despondent over the loss of his company and the breakup of his marriage. Witnesses to the crash said it looked as though the plane was flying under control and there was no sign of engine trouble. Federal aviation officials are investigating the crash."

What was Luella Dawson doing in the plane with him? Oh shit! Jenny! What the hell was going to become of her? According to her, her mother had been drinking heavily since Luella announced her affair with Erikson, so SHE wasn't likely to be any help!

I gave the Mercedes' V12 engine a workout that day, for the first time since Patricia gave me the Benz. I was thankful for the scarcity of Highway Patrol, because I made it home in record time! It was Friday, and usually on Fridays Felicia came to stay with us so her mom could have some quiet time with her new husband. That usually meant Jenny would be with her.

Sure enough, Edgar greeted me with an even more mournful expression than he usually wore.

"They are in the library, sir. Miss Erikson is with them." he said, telling me more than his words conveyed. I don't know if that's something they teach in butler school, but I was grateful that he didn't have to spell it out.

I knocked softly before entering the library. Patricia and Felicia looked up from their unsuccessful efforts to comfort Jenny, who sat sobbing between them on the sofa. I appreciated their choice of the library for this. It was a room that simply oozed stability and comfort. It was set up for casual reading or studying with plenty of comfortable seating balanced by a number of work desks and tables. This had been Patricia and Carmen's favorite room when they were growing up in this house, and had become mine in the time since I moved in.

"Oh, Uncle Gary!" Jenny sobbed, "What am I gonna do!?"

I knelt in front of her and took her hand. "I won't lie to you Jenny." I said, sincerely, "You will hurt for a while. How long is pretty much up to you. After a time, though, things will gradually get better. In a shorter time than you think, you'll be laughing again, but he'll always be with you. Through the pain, and after it fades, your father's memory will stay with you."

"But I don't have anywhere to go!" she cried, "Mom's a lush, and doesn't want me around any more! She keeps sending me over here, and now that Dad's... gone... I just... I don't have anyone!"

"Look around you, dear," Patricia said softly, "there are three people in this room who care very much about you. You shall move in tomorrow and stay with us as long as you like."

Jenny stared at her in wonder. "You mean it? You're not just saying that?"

"She never 'just says' anything, Jenny" I smiled gratefully at my wife, "If it came out of her mouth, she meant it, and I second the motion."

"But how?" she asked, "Why? After my father tried to ruin you, how can you be so nice to me?"

"Were you the one who tried to ruin us, dear?" Patricia asked, "I don't think so. You're more a victim in all this than a villain, and since we are at least partly responsible for the events that led up to this sorry state of affairs, the least we can do is try to minimize the impact on you."

"We can't fill the void that your father's death and your mother's alcohol dependency leave in your heart," I added, "but we can provide you a safe place with people who care about you while you're dealing with your grief."

Jenny could not reply, as she broke down sobbing again. When she had cried herself to sleep, we put her in one of the guest rooms, leaving a small light on so she wouldn't awaken in the dark in a strange place.

Felicia stayed with her until we had her tucked in, though I ducked out while the ladies removed enough of her clothing to make sleeping more comfortable.

As we got ourselves ready for bed, Felicia knocked tentatively at our door.

"She's really a nice girl," she said, for once not being bubbly, "and I really appreciate what you're doing for her!"

"It's the least we can do, Felicia." Patricia said, "I think she'll be all right, but she needs a support system that she can't get at home right now, and our house is at least somewhat familiar surroundings. How about you? Didn't you have a date with that engineering student you've been all googly-eyed about?"

"I called him and apologized." she said, "He took it well. Anyway, I'm not going to stress over it. If there's one thing I've learned from you two, it's that I need to worry about what I have control over and let the rest take care of itself. If he loves me, he'll understand. If he doesn't, then it's best that I know that about him now."

"I'm glad you feel that way, sweetheart," I said, "and I hope your engineer knows how lucky he is!"

For the first time in a very long time, Missy and Atea left us alone as Patricia and I made sweet, unhurried love with each other. I slept dreamlessly that night, with the old familiar feeling of my beautiful lover's soft, warm cock lodged in my rectum. In the morning, Patricia woke me by starting all over again. I reveled in the feeling of her lengthening, hardening inside me, and when she rolled me onto my stomach, I went willingly, giving her every access as she plundered my fundament! Later, in the shower, she washed her cum from my backside with the enema nozzle, while suctioning my own fluids from my erection with her mouth!

By the time we dressed and prepared for the day, we both wore Cheshire Cat smiles. We walked arm in arm down the hall to check on our guest. Knocking lightly, we peeked in to see how Jenny was doing, just in case she was still asleep. To her mortification, she had just gotten out of bed, and from the top of her panties peeked what could only be the tip of a long, slender, erect penis!

"Get out!" she cried in panic, scrambling to cover herself "I don't want anyone to see me like this!"

Instead, Patricia and I continued through the door, closing it behind us.

"So that's why a pretty girl like you doesn't date." my wife said gently, putting her arms around the trembling girl. "You and your secret are safe with us, dear. In fact, it's hard to imagine a place where you would be safer."

"How can I be safe with anyone!" she cried, "I'm a freak, a mutant! Who would want to be with somebody that's both a boy and a girl?!"

"Well, I, for one, would." I said softly. "In fact, I married just such a lucky person!"

"What do you mean?" she asked, "Your first wife? Was that why you divorced her?!"

"No," I replied, "my current wife. The love of my life."

"Your..." she turned to stare at Patricia, "YOU?"

Patricia nodded, "Would you like to see?"

Jenny nodded dumbly.

My lovely wife slipped off her trousers and panties together. Her long, flaccid cock hung beautifully before her shapely thighs.

"Oh my god!" Jenny breathed, "I'm not the only one! All this time, I thought... !"

Huge sobs racked her body as she cried with relief and mourned her lot in life at the same time. For several long minutes, we could do nothing but hold her and try to comfort her.

As her sobs gradually subsided, she said, "You just don't know! I thought I was, like, the only one in the world like this! How do you LIVE with something like that? I've been so afraid to show anyone! Mom and Dad told me to keep it to myself! Right! Like I was going to show people what a freak I am? They even wanted me to have surgery to make me into a girl! Sometimes I wish I had!"

"I, for one," Patricia said, "am glad you didn't! It IS a challenge sometimes, and there ARE people who will react badly when they discover this about you, but my husband is proof that there are people out there who can love people like us."

"But, I get these fantasies, you know?" Jenny cried, "I'm NOT just a girl! I have this thing and I really want to use it, don't you?"

"I DO use it, dear!" Patricia laughed, "In fact, I used it just this morning, and enjoyed it very much!"

Jenny turned wide eyes to my smiling face.

"You mean, you... ?" she asked.

"I enjoyed it, too!" I said. "It's really a matter of finding someone who's mind isn't cluttered up with 'what ought to be'! I fell in love with this beautiful lady before I knew how really special she was. When I found out, I was totally enraptured!"

Jenny sat speechless for a while. The bedclothes with which she had sought to cover herself slipped off, unnoticed by the young redhead.

I gave Patricia a look intended to convey the question, 'Should we invite this one into our bed?'. To my surprise, she shook her head.

We talked for a while longer, with Jenny apologetically asking some very personal questions about our sex lives, a few of which we politely declined to answer because they might have revealed someone else's secrets. Most, however, we were quite open about.

"Come on, dear!" Patricia said briskly, "You're among friends here! Why don't you get dressed and join us for breakfast?"

Jenny looked down, noticing, for the first time, how the nipples of her pert little breasts poked out the front of her singlet.

"That sounds good." she said, self-consciously, "Is there, um, someplace where I can shower?"

"Right across the hall, dear." Patricia said, "There should be a robe in the closet, and I'll have Mary lend you some clothes. I think she's closer to your size than Felicia is. We'll get your things today, when you're ready. By the way, what did you say your mother's name is?"

"Huh?" Jenny replied, "Oh, it's, uh, Megan."

"Oh yes, Megan." Patricia mused, "Does she have brown hair?"

"Oh no!" Jenny answered, "It's red, like mine. She's really beautiful when she's not drinking!"

"Right!" my wife said, "Okay, Jenny. We'll see you at breakfast. We'll eat in the small dining room at the far end of the sitting room."

"Okay," the little redhead said. "See you in a few!"

As we got out of earshot of Jenny's room, I could wait no longer.

"Okay, what was that all about?" I asked, "Why wouldn't you want to let Jenny join us in sex? I would think it would be really good for her! And what does it matter what color her mother's hair is?"

Before she could answer, some of the pieces fell into place and my pattern recognition skills kicked in.

"Wait!" I said, "You think she's maybe a love child of yours from a former lover?"

"Close!" she smiled, "I think she may be Carmen's daughter. She had a torrid affair with a married woman in college, whose name, if I'm not mistaken, was Megan. A redhead, like Jenny. It ended rather badly for both of them, if memory serves."

"Ah!" I said, "It WOULD be a little TOO coincidental for another dual-sexed person who wasn't related to you to show up in our lives at random, wouldn't it? Hell, this is pretty hard to believe as it is!"

Felicia emerged from the room that had become 'hers' for her frequent visits, and greeted us cheerily.

"Good morning!" she said, "I missed sleeping in that big ol' bed with you guys last night! How's Jenny?"

"As I recall, you didn't do much sleeping in that big ol' bed, sweetie! There's been a new development." I said, kissing her in greeting, "But I think we should wait until Jenny joins us to tell you, so she won't think we've betrayed her trust."

"A new development?" Felicia looked worried, "She's not, like, sick or something, is she?"

"No, dear." Patricia said, also giving her a kiss, "nothing like that. She's very fragile, emotionally, right now, though, and we want to be careful about how we deal with her for a little while. You two go ahead and get started with breakfast. I need to see if I can get in touch with my sister."

Felicia and I chatted about school and her boyfriend, and whatever else came to mind as we nibbled at the food Gwen had prepared. Patricia came in with her arm around Jenny, who seemed to have recovered somewhat.

"Now, we can, of course, keep this between us," she was saying, "but Felicia has known about my special attributes for some time, and to the best of my knowledge, hasn't breathed a word to anyone. Do you mind if we let her in on your secret?"

"I-I guess it would be okay." Jenny said glancing at Felicia, then quickly looking away.

"It will be, dear." Patricia said, guiding her to an empty place at the table.

"Hi, Jenny." Felicia greeted her, "Are you okay? What's this about a secret?"

"Yeah," her friend replied, "a little overwhelmed, I guess, but okay..."

She looked at Patricia for help.

"Felicia," Patricia said, "We've discovered something this morning. Two things, actually. Jenny, you see, is like me. She has sex organs for both sexes."

"You do?!" Felicia squealed, "You been holding out on me, girl! That is so COOL!"

She jumped up from the table to give her surprised friend a hug.

"I sure hope you like girls!" Felicia gushed, "'Cause I WANT me some of THIS!"

Jenny, not quite sure what to make of her friend, just giggled.

"Hey, give her some air!" I laughed, "You two will have all the time in the world to get better acquainted, but how about some breakfast first. You said, 'two things', Patricia?"

"Yes, I just got off the phone with my sister. Thank god she had the satellite phone charged!" she smiled, "Samo'akane wasn't too happy about the timing of the call until he found out it was me. I think he was getting a good reaming at the time, from the sound of it!"

She turned to smile at Jenny.

"You just might be my niece, dear," she said, "and Lenny may not have been your biological father."

"What?!" Jenny cried, "Not my father?! How can that be?"

Patricia took her hand and said, "I know this is a lot to absorb in such a short time, Jenny. I wish there was an easier way to break it to you. My sister, Carmen, is also dual-sexed. She had an affair with a married woman when she was in college. We think your mother may have been that woman."

"But... !" Jenny started to say, then, "Oh my God! You may be right! Mom said some pretty hateful things to dad when she found out about him sleeping with that woman. I just thought she wanted to hurt him, especially when she something about me not being his daughter!"

She stared off into space for a long time, and we left her to her thoughts. Patricia finally broke into her cogitation to remind her to eat.

"Get some food in you, young lady." she said gently, "You've had a lot dropped on you in the last twenty four hours and you'll need your strength to deal with it."

Perhaps surprisingly, Jenny ate with good appetite, though she didn't talk much.

The four of us piled into the Mercedes to go collect Jenny's things from her house. Her mom, though a little bleary eyed, was sober and reasonably well groomed when we arrived. I wasn't sure what to expect, especially when Jenny told her she would be staying with us for a while.

Megan, still pretty under the care lines worn into her face, and the ravages of too much alcohol, scrutinized Patricia and I for a long moment before saying anything.

"This has been a very bad time for Jennifer." she said solemnly, "I'm afraid I haven't been much help. It's very kind of you to take her in like this."

She paused, staring at Patricia.

"You're Patricia Travis, aren't you?" she asked, "Formerly Patricia Collins? Do you have a sister named Carmen?"

Jenny was watching the interchange intently.

"Mom?" she asked, "I've really got to know. Was Carmen, you know, like me? Was she my real father?"

Megan burst into tears before she could answer, and it took several minutes for her to calm enough for a reply.

Finally, she said, "What have I done to you, baby? Maybe I should have gone with Carmen when she asked. I was young and foolish! I thought the money your fath... Lenny was making was more important! I didn't find out until years later that Carmen could have provided for us as well as Lenny did, and SHE, at least, would have loved us! Lenny... Lenny, I guess, loved us in his own way, but he never knew how to show it. H-he was unable to father children, Jenny. He knew it, and he knew he wasn't your real father."

"You mean... All this time?" Jenny said, "He KNEW I wasn't his daughter? Is that why he spent so much time at work?"

Megan shook her head, "No, dear, he would have done that even if you WERE his. Work was his life. He thought of it as providing for us, but he never realized how much we missed having him around! No, sweetie, in his own way, he loved you as if you were his own daughter. He just loved his work more. I guess, after all that, it was unfair of me to ask for a divorce when that Luella person told me about their affair. It was just... I mean, how do you accept the knowledge that even your relationship is currency in your husband's business dealings?!"

There was silence for a long moment, nobody quite knowing what to say. Finally, Megan spoke up again.

"I - I have a confession to make, Jenny." she said softly, "I thought Mrs. Travis was Carmen's sister, and that she was like you. Carmen told me about her sister when we were together. When you told me about how nice they were to you, well, I hoped they would provide a safer, more understanding environment for you than we've been able to. That's why I encouraged you to keep seeing them. I don't want to lose you, baby, but there are some things you need that I can't provide, even with all of Lenny's money!"