Chapter 2

Jeff got up at four thirty for his run. As he stepped out the back door, the first of the construction crew was arriving. Seeing Jeff, Henson walked over. "We should be done by three or four tomorrow, even if I have to help with the molding," he said while they shook hands.

"Look," Jeff said, "if you get close, you'll still get your bonus. I don't want anything done half-assed. Take enough time to do it right."

Henson' face flushed. "I don't do anything 'half-assed'. And I sure as hell don't do 'half-assed' work to get a bonus," he finished, indignantly. "Your suite will get done right today, or if we run into problems, it will get done right tomorrow..."

Jeff broke in, "Alright, I apologize. I was out of line. Piss poor choice of words. You did an excellent job with the lab. I had no call to say what I did. No excuse, but I've been a little stressed the last couple of days. I even snapped at my wife for no reason."

Henson looked at him for a moment, then grinned. "Ah, hell. I shouldn't have let a comment like that get to me. I guess we're both stressed. My electrician still isn't back, and last night at midnight my best finish carpenter took his wife to the hospital to have a baby. He's going to take off a couple of weeks to be with her. And I was trying too hard to earn that bonus, and still do a perfect job."

"Okay, let's do it this way," Jeff said, "Plan on finishing up day after tomorrow — not tomorrow. Double check and make sure everything is the way you want it to be. Then worry about starting on the school. We can start our school on time anywhere in the house, then when the classrooms are done, we'll move into them. If it takes a couple of weeks — or a month, it won't make a bit of difference. It's time for both of us to break away from the stress."

Henson sighed, "My biggest problem right now isn't just time, it's that finish carpenter. I've got a lot of crown molding to put up and the guy I've got now just isn't good at it. My regular guy puts in corners with seams that are almost invisible, and he works fast..."

Jeff rubbed his chin and thought a moment. "Okay, improvise, adapt and overcome. Isn't that what they say?" he rhetorically asked. "Why don't you do this? Finish up the suite except for the crown, then when your finish carpenter comes back to work, have him install it. We can certainly live without molding for a couple of weeks. And I have no problem with your bonus if everything else is done."

"Mr. Matthews, I would really appreciate that. We will just move the furniture aside a little and cover it when we put the molding up. That will work, and I'll be able to do the job the way I want it to be done. That guy is an artist when it comes to finish work, and this place is too nice to have sloppy crown molding installed in it. He was really uptight when he had to take off when he did, but neither he nor his wife have any family to help with the new baby, and his wife had some problems with the delivery. He was looking forward to putting up that beautiful wide crown. Shit, the guy I've got now is scared of the job."

Jeff laughed, "I don't blame him. I tried putting some of that stuff up once. Once. Never again. And my corner joints were wide enough to put your finger in," he exaggerated.

Jeff and Henson talked for a few minutes more before the contractor hustled the last of his crew into the house, and Jeff started his ten-mile run.

That day and the next, the household basically revolved around taking care of Helen.

The third day after Helen's heart attack, after his run, Jeff showered and shaved. When he was done, they all met in the "honeymoon suite" to wake Helen. Alone with her, he touched the healer, and stood "listening." Although he couldn't exactly communicate with it, he got the impression, as he had already suspected, that the little machine's job was done, and it began awakening Helen. It seemed to take longer for her to wake this time, but her eyes suddenly popped open, and she stared at the healer.

Ah crap. I expected her to be groggy, but I think she faked me off. She must have waited to open her eyes until she had control of her faculties. She wanted to catch me with the healer in my hand — and she did. I keep forgetting how smart this woman is. Shit.

Quickly turning, he went into the walk-in closet and concealed the healer. When he came back, Doctor Boswell was grinning at him. "What is that thing? Why won't you let me see it properly?"

Ignoring her questions, he said, "I'll get Diana to help you to the bathroom. Then we'll get you some breakfast."

"I don't need any help." Slightly raising the sheet, she looked at herself. "Where are my clothes?" Then apparently remembering, "You carried me to the bathroom before, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did the first time we got you out of bed. I'm sorry I embarrassed you. You were a little too weak to walk at the time."

"I remember Diana helping me to the bathroom; although, I can't remember how many times. But I do remember you carrying me." After a rather sick grin. "It is rather humiliating to have a good looking man sit you on a commode."

"As opposed to an ugly man," he teased.

She looked at him, the beginning of a smile twitching her lips. Pushing herself into a sitting position against the headboard while keeping the sheet tucked above her breasts, she said, "I do have to go the bathroom, rather intensely, at that."

"I'll send Diana," he answered, quickly leaving the room.

Diana was ready to come in as soon as he opened the door. Stopping her, he whispered in her ear, "Don't let her go in the closet until I can put the healer away. I've already got enough problems." Diana squeezed his hand, walked in and closed the door.

The girls had laundered Helen's clothes and put them in the closet. Diana brought them out and put them on the vanity just outside the bathroom door. Tapping on the door, she told Helen where the clothes were, then went to sit in the bedroom.

A few minutes later, Doctor Boswell came out fully dressed. "I guess I need to sit down. I'm a little dizzy and weak."

After she had seated herself, they looked at each other a moment. "I guess we owe you an explanation," Diana started.

"Now that," Helen grinned "would probably fall into the infamous category of a slight understatement." Frowning, she continued, "What's going on? Why all the secrecy? Is that thing that Jeff put on me another of his inventions? I know I had a heart attack, yet you people didn't get me to a hospital. Why would you keep me from getting medical attention?"

Before Diana could answer, the door suddenly burst open and all four girls rushed in. Someone bumped Arlene's arm and almost upset the tray of food she was bringing to Doctor Boswell. They all squealed when they saw Boswell sitting in the chair, and descended on her for a hug, deluging her with questions, hugging her repeatedly.

"Girls," Diana finally said, "Don't you think it would be nice if you gave Doctor Boswell her breakfast now."

They all looked stunned for a second, then there was a flurry to set the folding table up and get the tray from the dresser where Arlene had set it.

Diana and Laura glanced at each other, then Diana turned back to Helen. "Laura and I are going to leave you with your students for a little while. After breakfast, if you feel strong enough, we'll have a talk."

Helen nodded at them as Ann poured coffee, and Jennie stirred in creamer and sweetener. "We remembered how you liked it," Jennie said.

Laura and Diana turned and walked out the door, proud of their children/sister wives.

An hour or so later, Diana had just walked out of the living room on the way to the kitchen when she saw Helen walking toward her still surrounded by the girls. Diana stepped back to the living room doorway and motioned for Laura.

As all the women seated themselves in the kitchen, Diana caught each girl's eye.

"Guess it's time for the children to... uumph," Melissa almost got out before she caught an elbow in the ribs.

"They left us with Doctor Boswell. Now it's their time," Arlene sweetly said. "And they know more about this than we do." She started for the door with the rest following.

"You didn't have to crack me in the ribs. I would have figured it out..." Melissa was saying as the door closed.

"Am I seeing a pecking order being established?" Helen asked, a bemused expression on her face.

"I doubt it," Diana responded. "I suspect it came from an incident we had a month or two ago with Arlene. I was going to send her out of the room while the adults talked. I was wrong. That's when our family conferences started. But Arlene, and everyone else, for that matter, knows that Laura and I can tell you more about what happened. And there are reasons that we know a little more than the girls do."

Doctor Boswell interrupted. "I don't mean to be ungrateful for what you have done, but there are some things I have to ask. I have asked the girls, but I'm really not satisfied with their answers." When Diana tried to talk, Helen motioned with her hand for silence, "Please, just tell me why you were so certain that my death was imminent, and why you decided to not get me to professional help."

"Would you like some more coffee?" Laura asked, trying to tone down the situation.

Helen sighed, "Sure," she said. "I apologize. This has been a rather harrowing experience for me. I thought I was in perfect health... Yes, I would like more coffee. And I'll try my absolute best to let you two talk."

When they were all seated with coffee in front of them, Diana started, "A few years ago Jeff had started making sufficient money for me to quit my part time jobs. I quickly tired of staying in the house, and with a friend of mine, I started taking a paramedic course. There were reasons why I chose that particular course, but they aren't important right now. Anyway, I got about two-thirds of the way through the course and had to quit because Jeff was going to be gone for several months. Shortly after that, our income went downhill again, and I no longer had the money, or the time to complete the course."

Boswell started to say something, but Diana indicated she should wait. "When you became so upset, then started having the heart attack, the signs were classic. We did, indeed, start to call 911, but out here that would mean thirty minutes for an ambulance just to get here, assuming they found the house on the first try." Everyone grinned a little at that, knowing how hard the house was to find. "Then, there would be the trip to the hospital, which would take even longer."

"However," Diana said, reaching over and taking Helen's hand, then quietly saying, "You didn't have even that first half hour, let alone time for a trip to the hospital. You were minutes, at best, from death." Quickly going on before Helen could say anything, Diana said, "About half of heart attack deaths are sudden cardiac arrests. They result from a blockage in the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. Death occurs within minutes of the first symptom. Many times, the first symptom of heart disease is death. From what I was told in school, the blockage to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) is called the widow maker for that reason.

"Whatever happened, you reached the point where you were just barely gasping for air; your heart had quit beating and started fibrillating — you were dying. It didn't take a paramedic — which I certainly am not, nor a nurse, nor a doctor — to tell you were dying. That you must clearly understand. And understand this Doctor Boswell, this must never, ever, leave our house. I strongly suspect that my — our — husband," she said, defiantly, "risked an awful lot to save you from death. He was violently sick after having fought his conditioning to bring that... machine out and use it on you."

Laura spoke up. "She's absolute right, Helen. I think that,... I know that Jeff has received some type of very strong conditioning. He was violently ill after he used, what he called, the 'healer' on you. Sick enough to scare us silly."

"I pushed him," Diana guiltily said. "He tried to tell me he could not say anything. But I though he just wouldn't because of some military bullshit." Unshed tears threatened, but she held them in check. "I had been pushing him, off and on, for weeks about my apparent youth, and other things, and we think the conditioning kicked in. Maybe one of these days, I'll learn to shut my mouth."

"My husband, uh, our husband, is obviously still in the military in some manner, or is somehow associated with the Federal Government. I don't know how, and Jeff won't, or can't, tell me.

"He assures me that he has the healer legitimately. When he made that statement, it seemed to turn his conditioning on full force. You have no idea what he looked like. Even your face didn't look much grayer than his, and you were dying. I was — we were — very afraid for him. We still are."

"I'm sorry," Helen quietly said, "I had no idea that it cost him so much to use that instrument on me."

"It doesn't seem to be the using of the machine that affects his conditioning, rather that anyone knowing he is using it, or seeing it, or him trying to talk about it." Glancing at Laura for confirmation, "Apparently the conditioning, if that's what it is, is directed toward absolute secrecy of the healer. At least, that's what Laura and I think.

"Okay, enough on that for now. Jeff said you were embarrassed that he had carried you to the bathroom while you were nude. He also commented that you probably felt, shall we say, a little less at ease when you woke up still nude. That was my idea, I guess. You see, you were deeply asleep, unconscious more correctly, at least at first, and we were afraid, well... your bodily functions..."

"I might urinate on myself," Doctor Boswell supplied, a bemused expression on her face.

Diana took a sip of her forgotten coffee. "We had a towel under you, but well, we left the pajamas off after that. Understand though, you were well cared for. Until midnight last night, there was at least one person with you. For the first day, there were two — two alert people sitting within three feet of you. In addition, Jeff checked on you and did whatever he did with the healer, twice a day. Even after the first night, we checked on you every hour. You have been bathed — heck, the girls even washed and dried your hair. Practically every time you moved, or your breathing momentarily changed, they called me or Jeff to look at you.

"Jeff assured us you would be fine. That cost him too, but he was adamant about it — and we believed him. My husband is an extremely intelligent man. I know you're a genius, a child prodigy..." Diana shushed Boswell when she started to object. Continuing, she said, "Never think that my husband is very far behind you. And for that matter, neither is Laura," she said, smiling at her sister-wife. "I don't have their intellect, but I know my husband."

Laura put her hand on Diana's arm. "Di, the only difference in the two of us as far as intelligence is concerned, is that I have more education. While I was getting mine, you were putting your husband through college. Jeff is determined that you're going to get your chance to get a degree, commencing in the very near future."

Diana smiled at Laura. "Yeah, I'm anxious to get started in college. But, if our intelligence were a baseball team, I would be the bat girl, and you would be the pitcher." Boswell sniggered while the two women hugged.

Laura got up and warmed up their coffee, then rummaged in the refrigerator for some cinnamon rolls. After popping them into the microwave for a few seconds, she put them on the table along with plates, forks and paper napkins. Anticipating Helen's comment, she said, "You've missed quite a few meals, and you certainly don't have any extra weight on you. Jeff says that your heart is perfect, so dig in."

Boswell laughed and took one. "Everybody else around here seems to think he is God's gift to women, I guess I had better start believing everything he says too," she joked.

A look passed between Diana and Laura that instantly sobered Boswell. I would give anything to know what those two just agreed on, Boswell thought to herself. This guy is married, or something, to six beautiful women — four of them teenagers — and they all love him so much you can feel it when he comes into the room.

"Okay, sorry. That was in poor taste at best. You people have done an awful lot for me. I know I had a heart attack — a bad one. I kept waking up with that blue light shining on me. I first though I was in an operating room. The whole experience just seems visceral.

"I was so excited about my new job. The girls are fabulous. I've always wanted to teach a small class of truly gifted students. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case with the county's 'gifted' classes.

"I got a lot of things done that I needed to accomplish for our new school, plus I got in touch with a friend at the state level who said he would walk the paperwork through.

"The real estate agent said she had someone looking for a condo to rent. She seemed enthusiastic about the chances of them renting my place. My day went so well, that I went to bed early, then got up early, drove up here, and just burst in here with my mind on all the exciting things that I was going to do during the day. Then I saw the rings, not to mention the looks on everyone's faces. Everything just fell into place.

"Martha, John and I used to have a love like that," she quietly said. "I guess I made an absolute idiot out of myself for breaking down the way I did."

"You certainly did not," Laura denied. "I suspect we were the catalyst that started the reaction that was going to come about some time or other, probably sooner rather than later."

"Well, anyway, Doctor Adams and his wife have taken me out to eat a couple of times. They were worried about me. He cautioned me to not try to keep all the hurt inside me, but at the time I wasn't sure what he meant. I just felt numb, as if I were an observer in my own body. When I saw, and began to realize what you people have, I felt my loss as if it had just happened. It was as if they had just died; I felt like my world had ended. All I could see was John lying in that casket. When I tried to get my mind off him, I saw Martha in hers, remembered their voices as they kissed me, said for me to be careful and that they would see me later that day. But I never saw them alive again — and I never will," she finished as tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

Helen dabbed at her face with her napkin while Diana and Laura hastily got up and hugged her. "Easy girl," Laura gently admonished.

"Oh, I'm not going to do that again," Helen managed, fighting to not sob. "Besides," she tried to joke, though her voice broke, "you said my heart was fine."

Helen's face took on a look of contemplation as the two women eventually returned to their seats. Trying to get her mind off her loss, she tried to change the subject. "Diana, you mentioned your youth, saying you had 'pushed' your husband about it. That... whatever it is that he used on me, is the reason you look so young, isn't it?"

Diana sighed, "I really don't know. I didn't even know he had the 'healer, ' as he called it, until he got it when you were dy... uh, very sick," she finished a little sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep doing that. It's got to be hard to hear someone saying that about you."

"You're certain that I was dying, aren't you?"

Both just looked at her and nodded.

Boswell sighed and gave a sardonic smile. "Do you suppose I'm suddenly going to become young again?"

They just looked at her.

"Di. Remember your ankle? You were talking about that the other day. Could Jeff have used the healer then? Now that I think about it, that's about the time that I noticed that you were really looking good. If he used the healer to treat your ankle, maybe it healed other things, too. Isn't ageing really the inability of our cells to perfectly reproduce? Maybe yours now do." Smiling at the astonished Diana, Laura kidded, "Better be careful. If you get stopped for speeding, the cop is liable to wonder whose picture that is on your driver's license."

"Oh crap." Diana responded. "I know you're kidding, but I haven't gotten my Colorado license yet. And I sure don't look like that picture on my Georgia license anymore."

Helen and Laura laughed at her expense. "Most women would gladly accept those problems," Helen observed. "Myself included."

When Diana didn't look convinced, Helen laughed, "Just carry your birth certificate, and thank them if they say you don't look like your picture."

"Tell them your plastic surgeon would appreciate the compliment," Laura quipped.

They all laughed, then Diana sobered. "Helen. We've all been under a lot of stress since you noticed our rings." She chuckled a little at her own statement. "We had at first, very logically decided that our teacher would use the front entrance, ride the elevator to the second floor, and be tactfully informed that our personal living space was on the first floor. Oh, we had it all planned out. Then we met you and everything changed — changed more than we intended. Oh, don't take that to mean anything more than I just said. We've overjoyed with our new teacher, and friend, I hope."

Helen interrupted with, "You saved my life. I certainly hope I'm your friend, and I'm sure we'll all become much closer as time goes on. Besides," she grinned, "that thing sure beats my state insurance plan. It would be stupidity in the extreme to cause you people problems — I might break my ankle, or get cancer."

Everyone chuckled. "Well, I hope those things don't happen to you, joke or not, and I certainly hope our friendship grows, but we have no choice but to trust you. If word got out about the healer, there's no telling what would happen. I'm scared to even think what Jeff's reaction would be — not to say anything about our relationships. Our daughter, as you well know, is wearing one of these," she said holding her hand up, showing the gold band.

"Diana, you're worrying needlessly. Incest isn't nearly as rare as some people think. I've been certain of it many times in my career. Most of the time it is between brother and sister — at least I think that's right — but father and daughter become involved from time to time as well. It's something that is hard to prove, even if you know it is true. And who is going to complain. Certainly not me! Arlene is the epitome of a well adjusted, vibrant young woman.

"And as far as the multiple wives are concerned, to be gross — been there, done that." Her eyes instantly misted as she said, "I wish I still could," obviously referring to John and Martha.

Laura looked at Diana for a second. "Helen we've got enough to talk about to keep us going for a long time, but you have been in bed for the better part of three days. I know you must still be weak. Would you like to lie down for a while, maybe take a nap?"

"A little later, perhaps, but I'm okay for now. I guess what I really need to do is take a little walk, at least get up and move around some. I'm actually feeling quite good, just still a little weak. I would like to talk to... your husband. I need to properly thank him for what he has done for me."

As she spoke, they had all gotten up. Helen fiercely hugged each woman and thanked them for what they had done.

Laura looked at Helen with a teasing grin on her face. "Well now, I don't know whether we can let you properly thank our husband or not. Maybe a big hug and a 'thank you' would be okay, though."

When Helen caught on and started to blush, Diana added a little more fuel. "Around here," she quipped, "a real thank you is at least a blowjob, and a 'proper' thank you... well, that goes way beyond."

"I'll, uh, just stick with the hug," Helen stammered, in spit of herself.

"Let's go see Jeff," Diana said, still laughing.

When they turned left and walked past the living room, Helen looked puzzled. "Did he tell you where he would be?" she asked. Nothing had been said about where Jeff was, but both women were purposely headed down the hall.

"Oh, he's in the..." Diana started, then she and Laura said in unison, "weight room."

"To try to answer your question, no he didn't tell us where he was going to be. We just know." When Helen stared at her, Laura again glanced at Diana, then continued, "We don't always know exactly where he is, but we can always point in the direction he is. Right now, I know that he's not on this floor, but in that direction," she said, pointing. "That would have to be the weight room."

"Is this because of that machine?" Helen asked as they again started moving down the hall.

Diana glanced at Helen, "I don't think so. Arlene and I have been able to do it for years, much to my husband's consternation at times. But since we moved out here, everyone has learned to do it. When you were first... sick, we had him call, or had someone call for him, to tell the sitters the extension where he would be, but that was because we wanted to be able to get him on the intercom instantly in case you went bad. If we want to go where he is, we just go there, just like we're doing right now," she finished, holding the stairway door open for Doctor Boswell.

Boswell shook her head. "If so much hadn't already happened, I would think that you were trying to trick me for some reason. Maybe just playing a practical joke, but scary as the thought is, I'm beginning to believe you. If you don't mind, we'll test it sometime. After all, I am a teacher and a scientist — at least on paper," she joked."

"So long as the information never leaves these walls," Diana said, emphatically.

A couple of minutes later, they walked into the weight room. Jeff was doing presses, his body glistening with sweat. He was wearing a tight tee-shirt, and speedos that left little to the imagination. Helen, having seen it in the flesh, knew the bulge wasn't a rolled up sock. Ann and Jennie were spotting for him. As he finished his set, they helped guide the bar back into its cradle.

As the women walked closer, Jennie handed Jeff a towel as he stood. He wiped his face as Ann and Jennie wiped his back and legs. Both girls were obviously braless and their nipples were hard little knobs poking against the front of their tight workout tops.

Then it hit Boswell — the smell of man sweat and something else. Oh my. I felt my nipples pop. I know he's going to see them, even though I have a bra on.

Jeff wiped his neck as he straighten up. "Well Doctor, you certainly look a lot better."

I saw his eyes go to my nipples for a second, then he dropped an entendre — or was it?

Mentally shaking herself: "Thanks, uh, Jeff. Thanks for everything," she said, determined to hug him. She opened her arms and hugged the protesting male — a real frontal, full hug.

"Helen, I'm covered with sweat, I, uh," then he gave up and hugged her back.

She had not touched a man, other than to shake hands, a rare event, since her husband died. Jeff's scent and his hard, pumped muscles almost overwhelmed her. "Thank you for saving my life. Your wives told me how hard it was on you, and I am so sorry for that."

Jeff didn't say anything, just continued the hug. After awhile, she pushed back from him, her face almost crimson. I don't think it has ever been proven that people put out pheromones like animals do. But proof or not, I now know he does.

Jeff was the first man she had sexually responded to since her husband died. Somehow, she felt like she was cheating on John, that her body was defying her. Turning to Diana, Boswell forced her voice to be calm. "I think I'll take you up on that nap now."

Jeff raised an eyebrow to Diana where Helen could not see.

As Helen, Diana and Laura left, Laura turned back for a second and mouthed "Alpha Male," grinned, then turned back to continue on with the other two women.

Jeff seemed perplexed, but lost his train of thought as Jennie jerked his speedos down to his ankles and knelt in front of him.

The Escalade was raised on a lift and Jeff was standing under it. As he put the oil plug back in and tightened it, Boswell said, a tone of amusement in her voice, "There seems to be something wrong with this picture — the owner of a Cadillac changing his own oil."

Jeff put the wrench back in the toolbox, wiped the oil from his hands and pushed the large catch pan back against the wall of the garage. Releasing the safety and making sure Helen knew what he was about to do, he hit the button to lower the vehicle. The electric lift whined as it slowly set the SUV back on the floor.

With the Escalade down, Jeff walked around to her. "Yeah, I guess it does appear a bit dumb. But, hey, I had no choice but to change my own oil for so many years — we had to save every dime we could. I guess it just got to be a habit. Oh, I don't mean saving the money, not now, but it just seems right for me to do this myself. Besides, it isn't as if there is a quick oil change a couple of blocks away," he finished, grinning at her.