CHAPTER 213: MATERNAL INSTINCT

Celeste walked into the center and tapped on the glass. Lex came out and the two had a discussion. Lex returned to the room and ushered everyone but Clayton out. Celeste walked in and up to Clayton. As soon as he looked up, he broke out in tears—a 6’4" massive Genman bawling like a newborn baby as he held onto the barely 5-foot Celeste Pirillo for comfort. She stroked his hair and the two sat on the bed as he gently laid his head in her lap. She slowly rocked Clayton and gently told him that it would be okay.

"I’ll be there with you and we’ll work out this thing together," she whispered soothingly.

After about an hour, Celeste had Clayton lay down and she placed a sheet over his body to rest. She returned when he was ready to go home.

Celeste, Lex, Zack, and Homer, along with baby Roman, went to the conference room so they could talk. Celeste was holding young Roman, rocking him and teasing him and playing with him as she spoke.

"In our human world, we have a situation where a mother sometimes will go through a roller coaster of hormones where she rejects, forgets, or doesn’t even take care of her own child, so something like this is not uncommon. But I’m here and I’m here to stay until young Clayton accepts Roman and Homer back into his life."

She looked directly at Homer. "Now Homer, don’t pursue anything with Clayton. If he starts, let him be the aggressor. He has to realize that he has a new role in life as a partner and a birthing dad with child. If he is pushed too fast, he may revert totally and walk away from everyone, including his own child. This must be done at his own pace—I would gently guide him and prompt, but not push."

Zack wholly understood what Celeste was talking about. Sometimes when a first-time transition genman is bred, he will reject the child upon birth. Sometimes it can be worked through; sometimes the child has to be raised by surrogate parents. This was the exact reason he always told his charges to skip the first couple of cycles to refrain from conceiving, but it didn’t always work. He tried to get them to use condoms to prevent pregnancy, but you can only guide one—you can’t make one.

Everyone understood and agreed to follow Celeste’s rules that were set down.

Celeste entered back into the room where Clayton was laying resting. She smiled at him.

"Honey, I think you may want to pump a little bit because it looks like you’re getting a little bit full and that’s going to be uncomfortable. But if you’d prefer, I can always bring Roman in here and he’ll nurse you down. But we need to do it my way so that you don’t feel rushed, because those old pumps hurt—nothing like a real young one at the tip to make you feel better."

Clayton agreed to let Celeste try with Roman first before he went to the machine.

Celeste came back in the room carrying Roman in her arms.

"As you’re laying back, uncover your glands and I’ll place the child skin to skin on your body so that you can have a bonding experience as the young man searches for his nourishment," she instructed gently.

To Clayton, it felt strange and kind of weird when Roman’s naked body touched his. Celeste placed the baby in the direction of the glands, and in just a second Roman hit pay dirt and latched onto the right nipple.

Clayton was startled and a little surprised by the sensation of this child nursing at his right nipple, but it was also relieving because of the pressure that had built up. It felt familiar yet strange at the same time, and in a couple of minutes Roman turned loose and went to the other side and latched on to the left nipple. Clayton was definitely starting to relax as the pressure in his body was relieved by his son. Out of instinct, Clayton wrapped his arms around the child and coddled him as he nursed. Roman let out a loud belch and settled in his dad’s arms, lightly snoozing within seconds after nursing.

Celeste was sitting on the bed beside Clayton with her arm draped around his head, gently stroking his cheek.

"There’s nothing that a loving child can’t cure, and this will be your saving grace," she murmured.

Clayton looked up at her. "Mama, to have a baby so early—from what I can remember, Genmen don’t have babies before they transition. They transition, then they come into cycle and get pregnant, not the other way around."

"We have plenty of time to go over that and you’ll learn the whole truth after you get home. But first, I understand there’s a gentleman here that would like to meet you. You’ve seen each other before in daily life and in passing, but now that you’ve transitioned, you definitely need to meet each other for the first time as father and son." Celeste smiled.

The door opened and Zach walked in followed by Ronnie. He was about two shades of white to learn not only had one of his sons from a random breeding returned to the Z1, but exactly who it was—Clayton. And to see the young man now, it looked like he was looking at a mirror image of himself when he was at that age. Damn, he had some good Genmen genetics.

Clayton didn’t have any idea who he was, much less that he was his father from a random breeding. As Clayton held the child against his chest, the two spoke and got to know each other as father, son, and grandson. Luther already knew and was okay with it, but telling young Willie was a different deal since he was pregnant. It’s just one of the things that happened when you’re a genman—sometimes past breedings come back to visit their biological parent. But with Clayton it was different because of the way he was raised in the corporate machine.

Lex came into the room and asked Clayton if he was ready to go home to the house that he shared with his son and his partner. Celeste would be there during the first week or so and she would pop in and out to check on them if everything went as smoothly as they hoped it would.

Clayton blushed. "I don’t have any clothing to wear."

"I’ve got a few things that I brought you that I’ve outgrown. I’m sure they will fit you just fine because we’re almost the same size." Ronnie smiled. Clayton thanked his father for the clothing and asked to be left alone so he could dress.

Lex stayed behind to help him in case he needed anything. Zach, Ronnie, Homer, and Celeste, along with the baby, left the room.

"Clayton, someone else here has had a lot of problems since he gave birth. He conceived the night that he transformed. He did not have an easy pregnancy by any means—he was helping his dad raise your brothers plus the newborn that he was stuck with when his dad died in a transport accident. Had it not been for the love of a very special young man, he would not be making it now. After you get home, expect a couple of visitors, and I want you to sit down with Benjamin and you two really talk. You and him could help each other. And Madison can help Homer with the baby—he’s had to take on a lot of responsibility because of Benjamin’s inability to cope with his swinging hormones. It just shows you what two people in love can do for each other and also for others around them. Celeste will be there to help you during your daily chores, to watch and guide you, but your time with Benjamin will help heal your mind as well as his." Lex explained thoughtfully.

Clayton thanked Lex as he helped him button the last buttons on the shirt. It was out of style and dated, but he thanked his father for lending the clothing to him. He hugged Lex and started for the door, heading out for his new life with a man that he didn’t know and a child he didn’t know if he wanted to be near.