CHAPTER 214: CONNECTING THROUGH CRISIS

Benjamin was getting ready to leave along with the baby. The only thing he was waiting on was Madison. Cole had been a little fussy, but not nearly as fussy as the oldest set of twins. Bailey and Bryant had been at each other’s throats all day long. If one wasn’t crying about something, the other one was complaining about something else—they were just being a royal pain in the ass, plus they had grown 3 inches over the last week.

Benjamin was just getting ready to walk out with Cole to wait on the front porch when he realized what was going on with his two younger brothers. They were getting ready for transition. Being only nine months younger than him, he had failed to realize all of the signs. It’s not as if his life wasn’t already in turmoil—a relationship, a new baby, and now his two younger brothers’ transition time. The house was going to be turned upside down.

Benjamin turned around to his brothers and barked out a set of orders. "I’m going to be busy this afternoon, but first thing in the morning you two are going to be scrubbed and cleaned. You’re going to the clinic—I’m tired of this bullshit between the two of you. Lex is going to examine you from head to toe and tell me just exactly how long it’s going to be before you two change."

Bailey and Bryant looked at each other, dumbfounded at their older brother’s sudden attack.

"All you had to do was tell us that’s enough, quiet down, and we would have. You didn’t have to bite our heads off. And what do you mean by change?" Bailey responded.

"Bailey, when I get back, Bryant, myself, and Madison are going to sit down and we’re going to have a talk about growing up Genmen style. Until then, please keep it quiet—I’m at my last nerve, and when I snap, I will snap your head off across the room." Both boys looked at their older brother with wide eyes. Benjamin didn’t threaten; it was a promise of what was to come if they didn’t settle down. Benjamin took both of the babies and went out to the swing on the front porch and took a seat for solitude.

Madison popped his head in. "Will you two older boys watch your younger brothers? Find something in the refrigerator to eat because it’s going to be a little while, and I promise we will sit down and explain everything to you—what’s happened and what will be happening. Your brother said there are more things that he needs to go over with you, so please boys, try not to tear down the house before we get back. I would love to have a roof over my head tonight when I sleep."

Madison and Benjamin, along with the two babies, took off in the speeder and drove over to Homer’s house. There were a couple of people on the front porch—Mr. Zack, Ms. Celeste, Homer, and the baby. Benjamin walked up and asked if it was okay if he went in by himself for a little while.

"You’re just what he needs—he’s lost." Homer smiled.

Upon entering the house, Benjamin found Clayton sitting on the sofa covered up with a blanket. The young man was terrified, and it showed in his face.

"Clayton, do you remember me? Benjamin? We sat next to each other during the coming home ceremonies." Clayton looked up and remembered him, and smiled.

"Well young man, you look quite a bit different since the last time I saw you. Gone is the baby bump and those adolescent looks. You have a lot of your father in you, and you are a young hunk. Homer’s son had better be careful with you, or every good-looking stud is going to want to hook up with you so he can have a baby with you."

A sudden flash of fear spread across Clayton’s face. "You mean other Genmen are going to want to get on top of me and make a baby inside me?"

"Not if he knows what’s good for him—Homer will keep you safe." Benjamin chuckled. "Now let’s talk about what you’re feeling. I can tell you after having Cole, my mood swings have been off the charts. One minute I want to hold him, the next minute I can’t stand him. I don’t want anybody near me or even touching me. Then all I want is Madison to hold me tight and keep me safe. I laugh when I’m not supposed to, I cry when I’m not supposed to. Lex is trying to help out by giving me hormone supplements and vitamins. They have helped me a lot, but Madison is my rock. When I don’t feel like feeding the boys, he steps in and does the job for me. One night I was so horrible, so mean and bitchy to him that he stripped off all of his clothing and got in bed next to me. Then he did something that I would’ve never thought possible. He turned himself so that his vent faced me and told me if I wanted it I could have it—if that’s what it took to make me happy, he would have the next child. It blew my mind. I broke out in tears—here was a man that loves me so much he was willing to sacrifice himself to me just to make me feel better."

Benjamin paused, his voice softening. "We ended up cuddling all night. He told me that if and when we got ready to have another child, it would only be when we both agreed it was time. But right now I needed less stress and help with the existing children. Today I discovered that the twins Bailey and Bryant are getting ready to transition. I had been so tied up in my own pity party that I was overlooking the ones that I have to take care of. So when I get through here, I’ve got to go back home and talk to them about the big changes in their body and what to expect. But after seeing what you did to the center, there’s no way that they’re changing at the house—they will be in seclusion at the center when Lex says it’s time. Number one, I’m not going to endanger them or any of the other children at the house, and I definitely don’t want one of them breaking loose and getting into trouble out on their own like I did during my transition."

"What kind of trouble could a big guy like you get into during transition?" Clayton looked at Benjamin.

Benjamin took a deep breath. "Plenty. I broke loose and I got out of the house. I ended up in the area on the backside of the ranch we used to live on—there were a lot of single Genmen and less than desirable ones. I started my cycle during my transition, and when they did the test on me, at least six different DNA types showed up in the swab samples of my vent. I had a new body, a busted vent, and I was carrying my first child the next morning. I don’t want that to happen to anyone. I don’t regret Cole, but I wish I could’ve waited for a little while to have him. I got lucky—I met the best man that I could’ve ever met when Madison came driving up with Mr. Zack."

His voice grew tender with the memory. "Here I was with a week-old baby brother, me huge with child, a total of five siblings to care for, and I had just lost my dad. Mr. Zack showed up and told me it would be okay—that I was to come to the Z1 where my father lived. Madison took little Zachary and put him in a child seat, he made sure all my brothers were safe and buckled in. I sat between him and Mr. Zack in the front during the ride. I got tired and he let me lean on his chest—he wrapped his arm around me and kissed my forehead and told me everything was going to be okay because he would watch after me from now on. And he hasn’t left us. We got really close before Cole was born and we got along so well that we ended up in bed. I let him take me, and unknown to us—because he’s old earth and Goran—he could convert my child to his offspring until I was almost 8 and a half months along. I’m not ashamed that it happened because my child has a father. And you, Clayton, are so lucky to have a man like Homer. He cares for you and he adores your child as if it was his own. And I pity the fool who gets out of line and tries to harm you or that child, because he will show them no mercy."

"Yeah, I vaguely remember the first day that I showed up here—there was a not-too-bright fellow. He was good-looking but not terribly bright. He made a comment and Homer didn’t even look at him, just swung his arm back behind him and slapped him so hard he almost knocked his teeth out. And this was all done in my defense." Clayton smiled.

"You do know that Homer can help feed Roman, but why don’t you try this—it’s worked for me a lot. Madison will lay the baby Cole on my chest naked with my glands exposed, and I’m in a lying down position where I’m partially elevated. He lets him search around for my nipple glands and he’ll latch on and gently nurse. It makes it very easy for my body to recognize my son and it relaxes me. At first it will take some getting comfortable with this, but it will. I can come by and help—Celeste is here to help, Homer can help you when he’s here and not working. But if you give it time, your body will accept your child and your mind will clear. Not all memories will come back because of the way Genmen work during transition—our body chemistry protects our minds, especially in trauma or high stress."

Benjamin stood up, preparing to leave. "Now I’m going to go ahead and leave you alone, but remember I’m just a communicator away. I can walk over here very easily to help, plus I’m going to visit a lot with my two younger brothers going into transition—I will need someplace to escape the hell."

Both of the young men started to laugh. He patted Clayton on the hand and bid him goodbye, then walked out the front door.