May 2006 "I cannot believe Zoe is graduating high school! I mean, seriously, how is it possible?!!" I say, while greeting Lisa with a hug. We were attending a bash Lenny and Lisa were throwing, at Lisa's house, before tomorrow's ceremony. "I don't know, since I'm only 29." Lisa chuckles. "You look it! How do you do it?" I tease. "Found a younger man, that's how." She smiles. "Have you met Jason yet?" "No, I don't believe I have." I reply, looking around the yard. "But damn, who is your pool boy? You can introduce me to him!" I semi-joke, as I watch a tall, muscular hunk step out of the swimming area.
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"Oh that's him!" Lisa exclaims. "Isn't he gorgeous?" "Him who?! Your boyfriend?!" I shriek, the sip of water I just took spewing out of my mouth like a fountain. "Holy fucking shit! Sorry! Excuse me! I need to refill my drink." I race over to the refreshment table where Mayte is piling her plate high of fruits and vegetables. "Um! I assume you've met Lisa's boyfriend?!" I almost shout. "Oh my god! Yes! I feel bad but the nights after we have been around him at some sort of function or whatever, I give it to Lenny REAL good. I try not to fantasize about him but sometimes it creeps in a little." "Ok well that was TMI, but you're pregnant and horny...and I don't blame you! Just damn!!!! First of all, how old is he?" I ask. "How old is who?" Zoe butts in as she joins us at the table. "Your mom's boy toy?" I blurt out before thinking. "Ewww! And he's 26 I think." Zoe answers. "26?!! He's even younger than us by a long shot!" I say to Mayte as we both giggle. "Well I wouldn't say long shot, but several years." Mayte corrects me. "Yeah well Lisa is several years older than us!" "Isn't Uncle like 20 years older than you?" Zoe innocently asks, however also putting me in my place a little. "Not 20!!! But almost 16, ok, I'll shut up about the age factor. So how do you feel about him possibly becoming your stepfather?" I tease her. "That would be fine with me. He is super nice and makes my mom happy." "Well that's great!" I smile. One of her friends from school approaches and they excuse themselves to go take a dip in the pool. "I would call him daddy for sure if I was her." Mayte says, biting her lip while watching him pull a shirt on over his bare chest. "Me too! I mean look at him. He is like a Greek God or something. Who looks like that?! He could crush Prince with one hand." "Who?!" Prince barks, apparently hearing the last sentence as he walked up to the table. "Nobody has ever or will ever crush me!" "Lisa's boyfriend." Mayte laughs. "I think you could fit in his pocket." "Awe shutup! It's not like Lenny has much going on in the height department either." Prince rolls his eyes, as he grabs a strawberry off Mayte's plate and shoves it in his mouth. "Excuse me! Get your own! Don't be stealing from a pregnant lady." She growls, moving her plate out of his reach. "You look like you're trying to eat for 3 or 4 instead of 2." Prince chuckles. "I bet you would let Jolly Green Giant share your plate. He probably eats enough for a couple people." "Alright you two. Knock it off." I reply, as Mayte takes her plate to go sit down and eat. I look around Prince into the swimming area. "So, what happened to you watching the girls in the pool?" "Oh crap! I knew I was supposed to be doing something!" "Prince!" I panic, and start to rush towards the water. "Get a grip, momma! I have been...." "And then you just walked off?!!" I shriek. "Lenny took over. He needs practice with little ones again anyhow." Prince laughs. "Poor guy he is literally starting all the way over. Zoe's graduating and in a couple months, he will have a newborn. Could you imagine?" "I think it's kinda awesome." I smile. "Think how helpful it would be to have a much older sibling. Like a built in babysitter. Maybe we should wait until Devon's about 16 or so before trying for another baby." I chuckle. "Yeah I'm pretty sure my sperm won't be swimming very far or fast by then. Plus I thought we were going to try before the end of the year." "I would love to, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. I've only been off meds for a few weeks. I lasted about that long last time before I started showing symptoms again. Laura said 6 months, off meds, with zero symptoms before we could even think about attempting." I reminded him for the hundredth time. "I know, I know." He moaned. "I'm just ready. The girls are ready..." "I get it! Everyone's ready but me!!!" I reply. "Maybe Lenny and Mayte's baby can give your baby fever a slight fix." "Come on momma, you know that's not what I meant. I don't have baby fever. I am just excited that we are inching closer to completing our family." Prince explains. "What if we do have another child and it's another girl? Will our family still be complete?" I challenge him. "I don't know. Maybe. I just don't feel like we are finished yet is all I am saying. And Waverly will make such a great big sister. She's WAY more patient and chill than Devon is and was. Speaking of Devon." He quietly says, pulling me over under a tree where there was shade and privacy. "Ok I feel weird saying this but I-um-I-um think I saw her...well I mean earlier today while she was laying down, she..." "Masturbated?" I finished the sentence for him. "Jensen! Oh my god! She's only 4!!" He shrieks. "Ok well she played with her privates then? Is that what you were going to say?" I chuckle. "Yes. And it's not funny! At all! You don't think someone has touched her, do you? Or she's seen something? Maybe us?" His chest heaving faster than normal. "No. I don't think any of that has happened. She's hardly ever around anyone without us and I don't think she's seen us do anything like that. Even if she had, it wouldn't make her touch herself." I explain. "So maybe she has a yeast infection or something and it itches. Can little girls get those?" "They can and it's possible she does, but she's been doing it for awhile now. You just noticed today?" "Yes! Oh my God! How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me?" "A few months I guess. I didn't tell you because I never thought about it. It's not a big deal...." "It's not a big deal! Our 4 year old daughter is pleasuring herself and it's not a big deal?!!" He looks like he's about to blow a gasket. "Ok, Prince, it's not like your Darling Nikki shit. It's not sexual at this age. Most little kids play with their privates at some point, especially before going to sleep. It's a soothing thing...." "Well I didn't say or do anything today because I was in pure shock, but next time I see it, I'm putting a stop to it...." "No! That's the last thing you want to do. Do NOT make her feel ashamed. That could have damaging effects as she grows older. We just need to talk to her about boundaries and privacy while doing it." I explain. "Are you fucking kidding me?! We are going to give our child permission to masturbate? That doesn't sound right. What are you going to give her permission to bang her boyfriends as long as the door is closed?!" The vein in his neck looking like it would pop at any moment. "Well first of all if she wants to bang her boyfriend one day, it's not like we can stop her. Just like we can't, and shouldn't, stop her from doing this. You just give some ground rules, but banning things never works...." "Oh my god! So you would let her have sex in our house?!!" "No!!! But I would try to be realistic about it and at least know it probably will happen and educate her on being smart and safe about it. For now, we just need to tell her that what she is doing is ok, but that it's something that can only be done in private when nobody is around...." "Damn right! I don't want Waverly seeing her..." "I'm sure she already has. It's not going to make her start or stop her from doing it anyway. When did you become the paranoid parent?" I laugh. "I can't believe you, of all people, are getting so bent out of shape about this. Did you not jack off as a kid?" "Not THAT young! Did you?" "Yeah I was probably about Devon's age when I discovered it too. It was just kinda like a tickle..." "I've heard enough. My heart can't handle it! We better have a boy next time. These girls are going to send me to an early grave!" "Newborn boys get boners...." "Oh my god!!!! It just ain't right Jensen...." "I think you just need to jump into the pool and calm down. Plus I'm sure Lenny doesn't want to spend his daughter's whole party watching our girls." "You take over for awhile. I can't even look at them right now without getting a little creeped out. I'm going to go steal some more food from Mayte. She barely left anything for the rest of us." He darts off towards her table. I remove my bathing suit cover and make my way over to Lenny and the girls in the water. "I appreciate you watching them, but I can take over now." I say, as I take Waverly from his arms. "Thanks. I must be getting old. I'm a little worn out!" He chuckles. "But your girls are a little wild, Devon definitely is a clone of Zoe. I don't know if I could have done two this close together." "Oh, sure you could have. And you never know, Mayte and you could have another one right after this one..." "Bite your tongue! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy! Very happy! And getting a boy! But that will give me a girl and a boy. I think that's all I need in my life." He laughs. "I don't know. Once little Silas gets here, you will remember how fun having a baby is..." "You mean how exhausting!" "What do men really know about exhaustion? Mayte will take the brunt of it and you know it." I tease. "I plan on helping, at least more than I did with Zoe. I was just so young myself then, and self absorbed. Music and touring were consuming me so I know I wasn't a huge help. But not this go round. I've got nothing but time, just not quite the energy." He sighs. "You women don't know yet. It all goes downhill at 40." "You just turned 42 a couple days ago, Lenny. Prince will be 48 next week! He still has energy with the kids. You'll be fine." I assure him. "Prince has always been a little ball of energy. I've never been like that." Lenny responds. "I hope you aren't this mopey around Mayte. You really bring the whole excitement of it all way down. I thought you were happy and wanted another child?" "I am, I do! I'm just nervous. I don't want Mayte to regret finally getting to have a baby and it's with this old guy who can't keep up or something. She's waited so long. I want it to be perfect for her. She's had enough heartbreak in the baby department. I want her to finally have everything she's always desired. A child, and a husband who adores them both." "Well then you better get to work on becoming the husband." I joke. "I would do it tomorrow. But she doesn't want to get married while she is 'fat.' At least that's what she says. I think a little bit of her thinks I only proposed because she is pregnant. But it's not. I already had the ring before we even found out. But then dad got so sick and I just couldn't find a good time." He explained while helping me towel off the girls. "Honestly I think she just wants to feel good on her wedding day. Every woman does. Just give her some time to feel 'normal' and like herself again. I mean y'all are basically married anyway just without the paper to prove it." I respond confidently. "So are y'all still going to spend the majority of the time in the Bahamas once the baby is born?" "At least half the time. We love it out there. And I'm working on a studier home. But we don't want him going to two different schools, so once he starts, we will have to figure out how to manage that. Shoot as much time as y'all have spent in LA lately, will Devon be going to school here or in Minnesota?" "Definitely Chanhassen! Well I say that anyway! Who knows where we may be in another year. I can't believe she will be in Kindergarten in barely over a year from now. It's scares me, even more than most parents I think, because of her deafness...." "Shit this girl ain't got nothing to worry about! I don't even remember she's deaf most of the time. She's smarter than any other four year old I know and she would kick anyone who may bully her in the ass. She will be fine anywhere." Lenny reassures me. "You're probably right." I chuckle. "Well since we've been out here most of the winter and spring, Prince has been talking to more LA folks than normal. I think they've about convinced him to do some shows in Vegas..." "What like a residency? Damn he is getting old." Lenny laughs. "Yeah I guess so. They are talking about the Rio Hotel starting in November and going through April. I've even heard some whispers of doing the Super Bowl." "That would be dope. Actually both of it would be pretty killer. I mean you would basically get to 'tour' without having to go anywhere. Perfect for a young family." "That's what I've thought too. Even though I don't know how I feel about living in Vegas. But it would get me out of another Minnesota winter." I say excitedly. "Hey so, you and I haven't really gotten a chance to talk in private since that night my dad died. About what he was saying. It's kinda been bothering me. I wanted to get your take on it." Lenny abruptly changes the subject as I let the girls run around in the yard with some bubbles. "Oh gosh! I had almost forgotten. It was really bizarre, right? I went home that night and told Prince about it. He thinks Sy may have been able to communicate with my parents and they were wanting to tell me how much they love the girls. It's a really comforting thought, even if it's not accurate. But then he started talking about a boy. Prince thinks we will be having a son next. I think he may have been talking about Mayte since y'all are having a boy." "Yeah that's what scares me. He was very adamant about not having it. So at first I thought maybe she was going to lose the baby or there was going to be something wrong. I mean Mayte was on pins and needles for the first half of the pregnancy and has had multiple ultrasounds to make sure there isn't anything wrong. And there's not. Perfectly healthy..." "Yeah Prince was the same way with Devon. What they went through with Ahmir was so traumatic I think neither one of them ever wants to experience anything like that again. We were so happy to know Devon didn't have any abnormalities...well until we found out she was deaf. Which Prince didn't handle well at all at first. Anyway, have you told Mayte what Sy said?" "Hell no! I didn't want to worry her anymore than she made herself worry. But I just can't figure out what it could have meant. Everything seems to be going so well...." "Well, I mean, technically Sy was saying for ME not to have a baby with you. I think he was just getting super confused at that point." I clarify. "Yeah, I hope so. I mean I hope we don't do something stupid one day..." "What? Like have an affair?" I ask. "Yeah. I just hope that wasn't some sort of warning...." "Maybe it was. Maybe it's a warning to be careful and not to screw up our lives by being unfaithful. But we won't. We have moved way passed that anyway. We are both happy with other people..." "Even happy people mess up sometimes, Jen." "That's true. So what do you suggest? We just never have contact or something to avoid the possibility that we will have a moment of weakness and sleep together?" I slightly chuckle. "No, I don't want that. The four of us have gotten back to such a good place..." "I agree. I don't want to lose your and Mayte's friendship again. Plus what would we say to her and Prince? So we have decided to stay away from each other because we don't want to accidentally have sex and me get pregnant...that sounds utterly ridiculous. Anyway, I think if it was meant for us to have children together, we would have years ago when we were so relentlessly trying. I mean don't you think it wasn't in God's plans? We have had no trouble having children with other people but couldn't together no matter how hard we tried. That has to mean something." I reply. "Yeah, you're probably right. Forget I said anything. And don't mention it to Mayte please. Let's just chalk it up to Dad was not coherent." "Absolutely!" I smile. "Enough of the heavy stuff. Life is great! Zoe is graduating, Mayte and you are in the home stretch of having a little bundle of joy, and I haven't gone crazy again....yet. Let's celebrate!" I grin, holding my palm up for a high five. Before Lenny could reach my hand, my focus turned to Jason who was getting back in the pool. Since I wasn't paying attention, Lenny nearly knocked me over with his smack. "Whoa! Sorry! What happened?" Lenny asked, following my gaze which hadn't veered from the stud of a man. "Oh lord! Am I going to have to help wipe up the drool around you like I do when Mayte sees him?! You girls are pathetic!"
