Chapter 15

Bob blinked. His mouth opened, and then closed. It looked to Bob like both women leaned forward half an inch, but he might have been mistaken. He tried to think of the best way to respond.

"I'm not sorry," he said on impulse. That covered how he felt, but then he worried that Jill might be sorry, and that it would put her under pressure. "That doesn't mean I expect you to be happy about it," he added. He looked at Mandy, who had cocked her head and was biting her lower lip, studying him.

"I want to have the baby," said Jill.

Bob felt something loosen inside his chest. He wanted to smile, but didn't.

"I'm glad to hear you say that," he said, keeping his face straight.

"It's your baby," said Mandy, suddenly. She blushed immediately and looked away.

"I know that," said Bob.

"What are we going to do?" asked Jill who, for the first time, sounded uncertain.

"Sounds like we're going to have a baby, a boy I hope. I need somebody to will my boat to some day."

"What about me?" asked Mandy indignantly, suddenly no longer unsettled.

"What about you?" he asked calmly.

"I'm the first mate." Her mother's head snapped toward her and Mandy's eyes went round. "I didn't mean it that way," she said.

Jill suddenly flopped back against the back of the couch and sighed heavily. "That you even know what I was thinking just blows me away. What happened to my little girl?" Mandy took a breath and Jill held her hand up to stop her from speaking. "I know what happened. I don't need to hear about it again."

Mandy just sat, looking nervous.

Jill looked back at Bob. "My daughter has this insane idea that you can be shared, and that she's old enough to be the one I share you with. Though she denies it, I am convinced you didn't help in trying to avoid what happened."

"I should have been able to stop it," said Bob.

"Yes," said Jill heavily. "You should have." She looked up at the ceiling. It was quiet for a long time and then she spoke again. "But I know you, Bob, and I know how easy it is to push your buttons. Goodness knows I've pushed them often enough." She transferred her gaze to her daughter, but continued speaking to Bob. "And I know how helpless I am to resist you, so I shouldn't be surprised that another Masters woman has the same problem. I've seen how you look at each other. I just thought it was puppy love on her part, and lecherousness on yours."

Bob's mind fluttered to the third time last night, when he'd shown Mandy what doggy style was like. The image of her looking over her shoulder at him and going "Arf arf" and then laughing almost brought a smile to his face. But this was serious, so he controlled it.

"I guess I can't resist either of you," he admitted. "I don't know what to do about that except go somewhere else and stay away from you both."

"Well that's not happening," said Jill firmly, as Mandy sat bolt upright and opened her mouth to complain. Her mother cut her off. "I'm going to need you. This baby is going to need his father. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Mandy is going to need you too."

Mandy's head whipped around, her mouth open and hope in her eyes.

Jill held up her hand again. "There are going to have to be some rules, though."

"Okay!" said Mandy immediately.

Jill rolled her eyes. "You're going on the pill."

"Okay," said Mandy immediately.

"And you are going to wear a rubber," she said, pointing at Bob.

"Until she graduates," he said. Both women goggled at him. He went on. "I told you I'm not sorry about the baby. I put it in those terms because I wanted to leave you as much room to have your own feelings about it. But the truth is I'm elated. The only reason I'm not dancing around is that there's this other thing, and it's serious and I know that. But the fact is, I've wanted to get you pregnant for years."

Jill was breathing deeper and her face was beginning to flush. He couldn't tell if she was angry or ... something else.

"I'm not going to lie about it," he said. "Not now that Mandy knows about us. If I could marry you I would, because I love you. I've always loved you and I always will, and I've never looked for another woman because I didn't want one. I'm proud to be the father of your baby and I can't wait until he's born."

Jill's face was still flushed, but had lost the wild-eyed look that had been creeping over it.

"You have two women now, Bob," she said, putting her arm around her daughter. "As crazy fucked up as that is, it's true. I know how you feel, because I felt the same way all these years. And if Mandy is anything like me, she's going to lean in the same direction. I remember what it was like to learn about sex with you. I wish it hadn't happened to my daughter, but it did happen and now we have to deal with that."

Bob stood up. "I love her too. That's why I think another rule is that she has to go out on dates. I won't do anything with her unless she's going on dates, and meeting lots of boys and getting to know them. I want her to have the chance to meet a man to fall in love with."

"Then what's this nonsense about not wearing a rubber after she graduates?" asked Jill, her voice frustrated.

"Because I want her to go to college," said Bob. "And she might do that if she knows I'm trying to get her pregnant like I got you pregnant."

"Would you?" asked Mandy suddenly. "Try to do that, I mean?"

"Oh yes," said Bob, suddenly sounding dangerous somehow. "I'll be thinking about that every day from now on. I told you this was serious business."

"You did," she said softly. "Okay, I can live with that."

"So, you're going on the pill, and dating lots of boys and going to college," said Jill.

"I'm definitely going on the pill and dating lots of boys," said Mandy. "I'm not promising anything about College. I like working the boat, and Uncle Bob needs a full time mate." She didn't blush this time. "We might even expand the business some day."

"We'll see," said Bob, who wasn't too worried about it. He was pretty sure Mandy would get the wanderlust that most kids got, and want to leave home and see the big, wide world. And when she did she'd lose interest in him and his boat. That was probably a good thing, considering how things were turning out. He might be able to be a father to Jill's children without raising too many eyebrows, but if Mandy started having his babies too, somebody would surely notice.

It was quiet again. Things still seemed up in the air.

"So what now?" he finally asked.

"I've been without the father of my baby for a week," said Jill. "I went to the doctor Monday, and he called me back Thursday. I had nobody to share my joy with. Now I don't know how to feel."

"I've had him for a week," said Mandy. "You can have him for the next week."

"That is just insane," moaned Jill. "I'm negotiating with my daughter over the man I love!"

Mandy shrugged. "If you don't want him, I'll take him."

Jill looked like she'd been slapped in the face and she leaned forward to stand up. Mandy giggled. "I take it you're more sure about how you feel now?"

Jill froze, and frowned. Then she stood up slowly.

"I guess I am," she said, her voice peculiar. She approached Bob and hugged him, tentatively at first, and then turned her face up. "Bastard," she whispered softly, but without rancor.

"It's your fault," he said back. "She's just like you were back then. I couldn't resist you then, and I can't resist her now."

He kissed her, and she hugged him fiercely as the kiss heated up. When she pulled her lips away, she left her body plastered against his.

"Oh Bob, you got me pregnant."

He grinned. "I know. I'm fit to bust with pride."

"Really?"

He got serious. "I couldn't be happier ... as long as you're okay with it."

"I don't have a choice," she said. "I can't get un-pregnant."

"You want to talk about adoption?"

They both heard Mandy's hissing intake of air, and knew she was listening.

"No," said Jill. "I just need to get used to the idea." She smiled tentatively. "At least it's going to be easier than it was with Mandy. I love this baby's father."

"I think I'm going to leave you two alone," said Mandy, getting up. "I'm going to go to bed early. Uncle Bob worked me half to death this week."

She left.

"Worked her ass off is more likely," muttered Jill.

Bob grinned, but wiped it off his face as she looked up at him again.

"If it was anybody but her I'd be cutting your balls off," said his sister. She blinked. "I can't believe I said that. This is just too weird."