Chapter 48: EB02-Tau, Day 7, continued

To save Ed some embarrassment, Steve took the lead as they explained what they'd discussed in Ed's room. "It seems to Ed and I that some of you have been feeling some unmet needs these last few days, and we've been trying to figure out what we can do to solve that problem. But to do that, we need to get a handle on exactly who has what problem. So we're going to start with the easier ones first.

"If you're happy with your current situation, please get up and move over to that side of the room. If you feel like you need a man in your bed once in a while, but you're not looking for a child out of it, stand over to the right. If you want a child, but you don't really need sex except to get the child, stand over to the left. And if you want both, stand in the middle. And if you don't feel like broadcasting what you want or don't want, just stay in your seat."

Interestingly enough, nobody stayed seated. Camile and Jane both went to stand in the 'already happy' corner, while the 'want baby, not sex' group consisted of Carla, Marilyn, and Sally (though Sally looked a bit wistful.) Phyllis admitted to wanting sex but not a child, as did Jessica. Charlene, Katy, and Cecilia were standing in the 'I want it all' group, looking for both a lover and a baby.

"OK, thanks," said Steve, "everyone take your seat again. Before we continue, I need to tell you something I skipped as irrelevant earlier." Steve recounted the story of the unsuccessful revivals, and how they meant there was a supply of 'fatherhood' that didn't come with an actual man attached to it. "Again, it's not that I was planning on keeping that a secret, but it didn't seem relevant to what we were discussing at the time. We'll have plenty of time to go over the other things we've learned over the next few days."

Steve continued, "Ed has agreed that anyone who finds a way to get pregnant without his involvement is welcome to ask him to serve as a 'uncle-slash-father-figure' for her child, along with as much time as he can spare from helping Camile with their own children.

"For the three of you looking for a child, but not for a man to have sex with, is that something you would be happy with?" He looked around, and got three nods, with Sally's being just that tiny bit reluctant. Steve knew he would have to have a private chat with Sally and Marilyn soon, because he could tell that Marilyn knew how Sally felt, and he didn't want to be responsible for damaging their relationship, or, in the worst case, breaking them up.

"Now, as far as sex partners go, are any of you just looking for a physical release, or do you all want some kind of emotional relationship as well? Hands up if you just want laid." Phyllis raised her hand, as did Charlene.

Phyllis said, "Actually, I'd love to find a guy I could have a relationship with, but Ed's not interested, and frankly you're not all that attractive to me. But you've got a cock, and you're not a total asshole, so you'll do, if you'll have me after I trash-talk you like this."

Katy looked downright pissed at how Phyllis had talked to Steve but he met her eyes and shook his head ever so slightly. She backed down, but was glaring at Phyllis when Steve said, "Not to turn this into a pissing match, but I'm really not that interested in having sex with someone that doesn't at least like me. If my wives sign off on me having sex with those of you that want it, we can try it a few times, but I'm not all that hopeful it will go all that well."

Charlene spoke next, saying, "I can't say that I'm all that attracted to you, Steve, but you act like a guy that will be good in bed, and I'd like a chance to show you that I'm no slouch either. I want to have a clone of the baby I would have had with my husband; but I need some physical love too. I think we can be what the kids have been calling friends-with-benefits, if you can find it in your heart to accept me."

Steve said, "If Ed will forgive me for including Camile in this, I can tell you that all of you are quite attractive physically, and I think on an emotional level I could be friends with any one or all of you. I don't know what it is about me that grates on Phyllis, but she doesn't have the same effect on me. I won't claim that I'm in love with any of you, especially her, but I think we could be pretty good friends, even without any sex.

"Now before I make any commitments here, you need to understand some things. I consider myself a married man, even if I do have four wives. I have sex with the other six women in my household, but it's with my wives' consent, even their blessing. If I'm going to add any more partners, it's going to have to be with their permission. My wives' needs come first, but if you do join the circus, you'll be full members with equal rights compared to the other non-wives.

"Next, if I do start a child with someone, I expect to be actively involved in raising him or her or them, including being consulted in decisions about how they're raised. I'm obviously not going to be as helpful as I would be in a one-man-one-woman marriage, but I'm going to do my damnedest to keep every one of my children aware of who their father is. Ideally, I'd live in the same house as all of my kids, which will lead to some interesting questions we'll get into if the issue comes up.

"Last thing, and it may just put some of you off. Sex gets a little kinky at my house. All of my women like an aggressive, take-charge partner, and some of them actually get off on being dominated. Several of them make a practice of kneeling at my feet, and one of them actually wants to be my sex slave. I'm fighting her on that, but there's a pretty fine line between what I'm denying her and what I'm accepting from her peers. None of them are required to 'submit' and none of you will be either. I strongly tend towards being pushy in bed, but it's ultimately up to my partner what goes on."

Steve stopped, sighed dramatically, and wiped his brow. "OK, any questions?"

Jane was glaring at him, and had been doing so since his comment about kneeling women and sex slaves, but she remained silent. Marilyn didn't look that happy to hear his admission either, but she wasn't hostile, probably because she wasn't planning on having sex with him anyway. Phyllis was frowning, but seemed to still be on the 'only game in town' side of the fence. Ed and Camille were just smiling at him, and the rest of the women were carefully avoiding obvious reaction.

Jessica finally broke the silence and said, "OK, hot-shot, get on the horn and ask your ladies if you can carve some more notches on the bedpost. In fact, once you've brought up the idea, I want to chat with them, Anna in particular." There was a generally favorable murmur from the rest of the women who'd indicated a desire for a sex partner, though nobody else asked to speak to Steve's wives.

When Steve called home from Ed and Camille's bedroom, he asked his wives to gather together for a private chat. When Anna, Lorraine, Priya, and Sarah were alone in a room, he told them what he'd found, and how many women wanted his attention, and what kind of attention they were looking for. He was careful to make it clear that he would only do what they approved of, and that he'd take the heat with the women in Ed's house if his wives decided that six competitors for his attentions was enough.

Happily for the Baker household, he barely finished his speech when Anna spoke up, seconds before Lorraine. Anna told him, "Don't be foolish; of course you may take them into your bed, and into your heart, just as you have taken all of us." Lorraine echoed her sentiments, as Priya and Sarah nodded in the background.

It was Sarah who suggested that the Baker household join the Miller family for a meal to celebrate the solution to Ed's problem, but the other three agreed whole-heartedly. Priya tipped her head to the side in thought, and after a moment, raised an interesting point.

"It occurs to me that those who will be joining us in the bearing of your children will be best served by living with us in our house, and those who will merely be receiving your love without expectations of issue should be close at hand as well, so that your joining may be spontaneous instead of scheduled. This will leave the Bakers and any who remain with them somewhat lonely. Perhaps we should investigate the possibility of altering our living quarters so that they may all live in somewhat closer proximity, without actually merging the households."