The Guard To My Sanctuary - Chapter 26: Chapter 26
You are reading The Guard To My Sanctuary, Chapter 26: Chapter 26. Read more chapters of The Guard To My Sanctuary.
Marco
I had been avoiding this conversation with Josephson for a while for many reasons. For one Josephson had become a sort of mentor for me in the short months that I had worked there and he was still under the impression that I was going to be staying after November. He was in a way grooming me to become him for whenever decided to retire which was a great honor and one I took seriously. He had been trying to talk me into commissioning but I wasn't interested in the time that would take away from my growing family. He had spent many days coming in early and leaving after the sun had set and I knew the strain it was putting on his home life. Second, I hadn't told him the full truth about the whole impregnating a guy thing and I felt a certain duty, to be honest with him. It was new for me to have a male figure I truthfully looked up to because no man I had met in the past fit the mold I was looking for. The men in my life were all weak minded individuals and Josephson was the antithesis of what I had seen growing up in my shit household and within the foster care system.
I stepped into my Commanders office and he smiled at me while eating a doughnut. His wife was a baker and he always seemed to have pastries on his desk if not on his person. Despite his constant grubbing he seemed to be the polar antonym of what anyone would consider overweight or even chubby.
"Good afternoon Marco, you wanted to talk," he said holding out the box of what looked like maple and bacon doughnuts to me and I gladly grabbed one before sitting down. They made the room smell really nice and inviting.
"Yeah I have some bad, good, and also some odd maybe unbelievable news for you," I said to him and bit into the doughnut that I was sure gave me a sneak peek into heaven.
"Well spill it," He said taking a sip from a bottle of Sprite on his desk which was probably his third of the day. He loved a good soda which probably would catch up to him in a decade or so.
"Okay... well I'm going to have to take that job the FBI has been offering me. I know I told you there was a chance that I might be leaving and well it has changed from a chance to a certainty," I said looking at him to see how he reacted.
"Wow damn, I thought I'd be seeing your face till I retired in six years. I was prepared to recommend you for commissioning and everything. What made you change your mind it had to be something serious since you seemed determined to stay in when we talked about your future. Well, I guess not really if the money is good and you won't have to cut so many corners and save as you do now. Plus if it's clear cut working hours and you don't have to do PT test and other bullshit," he started to ramble like he usually did when we converse.
"Well I'm expecting triplets and what I'm making now won't support that many children so I have to do what's best for my family and move onto something more viable," I said.
"Oh WOW congratulations Marco I'm really happy for you. I couldn't imagine having that many kids but they are a blessing. I can remember how happy I was when my Annabeth was born and I held her in my arms, it was like this unbreakable bond just took over and every move I made now included her well being. She used to cling to my leg as I left for work crying for me to stay and would draw me a picture and have her mom put them in my lunchbox so I could see them when I ate. Now that she's sixteen all she wants from me is money and an occasional shoulder to cry on when she gets into an argument with her friends or boyfriend, but that bond is still there. The more pressing news is what happened between you and Elm, did you guys break up or something," he asked looking at me shocked because he knew just how much I loved Elm.
"No that's where we get to the and odd maybe unbelievable part of my news, he's the one that is pregnant. Elm is having all three of my children pretty soon" I explained with a straight face, I really had no idea as to how he was going to take this news. He looked at me with a straight face that quickly turned into a large smile as he processed the information ahead.
"HAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAA, yeah and I got offered a positioned as the head of the CIA," he laughed at me thinking I was joking. I reached into the side pocket of my pants and fished out the most recent ultrasound and showed him it.
"Wow there are really three of them, but that doesn't prove much of anything," he said marveling at the picture of three tiny humans huddled into one place as they grew into a person.
"Look at the name on top of the picture," I said and pulled out my phone for my next piece of proof.
"What the hell is going on," he tried to choke back.
"Look," I said showing video of Elm getting his ultrasound done. Elm was rounder faced than normal and his eyes were wide with wonder and he was smiling brightly. He took my phone in my hands and looked at the image on my phone in utter disbelief.
"Wow, is he transgender or something," Josephson asked with an awestruck face and replayed the video. I knew he was trying to find the most logical solution to what he was seeing.
"No he's part of the subgroup of intersexuals known as 'fruitful intersexuality', he has working male parts but also a uterus and ovaries that as you can see are fully functioning. It's really complicated but that's the gist of the situation," I gave him the simple answer.
"What, why am I just hearing about this now I feel like this would be like on the front pages of some magazine, CNN, some blog," he said scratching his head while looking at the video.
"Well, I thought that at first as well. Not to sound like conspiracy theorists but I doubt the religious factions or the right winged conservatives would like it if men were walking around getting pregnant. You know that would probably derail the homosexuality is unnatural, despite the fact that humans aren't the only species the display homosexual behavior. If we can reproduce that whole argument would be dead. Plus its really hard for people like Elm to get pregnant and it's really dangerous for him to go along with it. In fact, he's only the fifth out of like thirty. Oh and most don't want the public involved in their lives," I answered.
"Hmm, well is he doing alright there has to be a lot going on," Josephson asked looking at me with concern. He really liked Elm when they met each other at a dinner thing we had not too long ago. I wasn't surprised Elm was an easy person to like.
"Yeah, we had a scare a few weeks back where we found out about our little trio and that he has diabetes but everything has been smooth since he got on his diet. Well despite the mood swings but everything else has been smooth sailing," I said.
"Oh, I remember when Contessa was pregnant. One moment she was homicidal the next she couldn't keep her hands off of me. It was stressful but fun at the same time I remember coming home every day and I had no idea what I was coming home to. Are you scared," he asked me.
"Yeah, a little. Actually, I feel scared all of the time. I was prepared for one child but three is a lot of love and time to divide evenly. I don't want them feeling like I had a favorite while they were growing up and I don't want to be like my father but the margin of error with three kids is so small. I couldn't live with myself if I failed at this," I admitted allowing the things I had been pushing deep down to flow out of my mouth.
"That's normal for new parents to feel. For you to even think that deeply about things show how good of a parent you are going to be. Look when they are little they will make you feel like the best person in the world the sun will rise and set on you as far as they are concerned. They will try to be just like you and look to you for every answer to every question they can think of, at the same time they will be giving you this gaze with awe in their eyes at how much they think you know. Now the moment they turn about twelve they become horrible human beings it's inevitable. I personally believe it to be a mix of going through the horrors of puberty and realizing that you can no longer answer every question they have and that you are just as human and almost equally as lost as they are in this world. Around fourteen they become little assholes and you are going to contemplate killing them. They are hell to deal with because they are doing everything you didn't want them to do and going through experiences you warned them about. They don't care about many of the sacrifices that you went through and don't want them you experience because they think they know everything under the sun. This usually leads to you going through a period of time where you will feel like you failed at being a parent and you're a disappointment. At that time you have to realize that as long as you gave them all the love and care and was just present in their life you've done your job. You can't live for them no matter how hard you try. It's a job of trial and error. Parenthood is wonderful and crazy and most of the time you are confused but in the end, if you did what you were supposed to they will come back to you and all of the hard times will be worth it. I'm still waiting on that with Annabeth but I know it will come," he said and reached over to pat me on the shoulder.
"Thanks," I said getting up seeing that my lunch break was nearly over. I enjoyed when he gave advise. He was informative but didn't give firm suggestions on where to go or what to do because he trusted that anyone he was speaking to was adult enough to make a good decision unless they prove otherwise.
"No problem, I'll get you out processing paperwork started early so that when its really time you can go through it smoothly. You already have enough stressing you, but for now, just relax and enjoy having a pregnant loved one at home and watching her... Sorry, him grow and become more beautiful by the day," he said reaching his hand out and I shook it which turned into a hug before I walked back into the classroom where my students were busy working on the assignment I had given them before lunch had begun. He always had a way of helping me see things from a broader perspective and I was going to work to make sure that we kept the bond we had going.
"If I put in the work they will turn out just right," I said allowed and ignored the stared my class gave me before I began explaining the importance of their assignment.
I had been avoiding this conversation with Josephson for a while for many reasons. For one Josephson had become a sort of mentor for me in the short months that I had worked there and he was still under the impression that I was going to be staying after November. He was in a way grooming me to become him for whenever decided to retire which was a great honor and one I took seriously. He had been trying to talk me into commissioning but I wasn't interested in the time that would take away from my growing family. He had spent many days coming in early and leaving after the sun had set and I knew the strain it was putting on his home life. Second, I hadn't told him the full truth about the whole impregnating a guy thing and I felt a certain duty, to be honest with him. It was new for me to have a male figure I truthfully looked up to because no man I had met in the past fit the mold I was looking for. The men in my life were all weak minded individuals and Josephson was the antithesis of what I had seen growing up in my shit household and within the foster care system.
I stepped into my Commanders office and he smiled at me while eating a doughnut. His wife was a baker and he always seemed to have pastries on his desk if not on his person. Despite his constant grubbing he seemed to be the polar antonym of what anyone would consider overweight or even chubby.
"Good afternoon Marco, you wanted to talk," he said holding out the box of what looked like maple and bacon doughnuts to me and I gladly grabbed one before sitting down. They made the room smell really nice and inviting.
"Yeah I have some bad, good, and also some odd maybe unbelievable news for you," I said to him and bit into the doughnut that I was sure gave me a sneak peek into heaven.
"Well spill it," He said taking a sip from a bottle of Sprite on his desk which was probably his third of the day. He loved a good soda which probably would catch up to him in a decade or so.
"Okay... well I'm going to have to take that job the FBI has been offering me. I know I told you there was a chance that I might be leaving and well it has changed from a chance to a certainty," I said looking at him to see how he reacted.
"Wow damn, I thought I'd be seeing your face till I retired in six years. I was prepared to recommend you for commissioning and everything. What made you change your mind it had to be something serious since you seemed determined to stay in when we talked about your future. Well, I guess not really if the money is good and you won't have to cut so many corners and save as you do now. Plus if it's clear cut working hours and you don't have to do PT test and other bullshit," he started to ramble like he usually did when we converse.
"Well I'm expecting triplets and what I'm making now won't support that many children so I have to do what's best for my family and move onto something more viable," I said.
"Oh WOW congratulations Marco I'm really happy for you. I couldn't imagine having that many kids but they are a blessing. I can remember how happy I was when my Annabeth was born and I held her in my arms, it was like this unbreakable bond just took over and every move I made now included her well being. She used to cling to my leg as I left for work crying for me to stay and would draw me a picture and have her mom put them in my lunchbox so I could see them when I ate. Now that she's sixteen all she wants from me is money and an occasional shoulder to cry on when she gets into an argument with her friends or boyfriend, but that bond is still there. The more pressing news is what happened between you and Elm, did you guys break up or something," he asked looking at me shocked because he knew just how much I loved Elm.
"No that's where we get to the and odd maybe unbelievable part of my news, he's the one that is pregnant. Elm is having all three of my children pretty soon" I explained with a straight face, I really had no idea as to how he was going to take this news. He looked at me with a straight face that quickly turned into a large smile as he processed the information ahead.
"HAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAA, yeah and I got offered a positioned as the head of the CIA," he laughed at me thinking I was joking. I reached into the side pocket of my pants and fished out the most recent ultrasound and showed him it.
"Wow there are really three of them, but that doesn't prove much of anything," he said marveling at the picture of three tiny humans huddled into one place as they grew into a person.
"Look at the name on top of the picture," I said and pulled out my phone for my next piece of proof.
"What the hell is going on," he tried to choke back.
"Look," I said showing video of Elm getting his ultrasound done. Elm was rounder faced than normal and his eyes were wide with wonder and he was smiling brightly. He took my phone in my hands and looked at the image on my phone in utter disbelief.
"Wow, is he transgender or something," Josephson asked with an awestruck face and replayed the video. I knew he was trying to find the most logical solution to what he was seeing.
"No he's part of the subgroup of intersexuals known as 'fruitful intersexuality', he has working male parts but also a uterus and ovaries that as you can see are fully functioning. It's really complicated but that's the gist of the situation," I gave him the simple answer.
"What, why am I just hearing about this now I feel like this would be like on the front pages of some magazine, CNN, some blog," he said scratching his head while looking at the video.
"Well, I thought that at first as well. Not to sound like conspiracy theorists but I doubt the religious factions or the right winged conservatives would like it if men were walking around getting pregnant. You know that would probably derail the homosexuality is unnatural, despite the fact that humans aren't the only species the display homosexual behavior. If we can reproduce that whole argument would be dead. Plus its really hard for people like Elm to get pregnant and it's really dangerous for him to go along with it. In fact, he's only the fifth out of like thirty. Oh and most don't want the public involved in their lives," I answered.
"Hmm, well is he doing alright there has to be a lot going on," Josephson asked looking at me with concern. He really liked Elm when they met each other at a dinner thing we had not too long ago. I wasn't surprised Elm was an easy person to like.
"Yeah, we had a scare a few weeks back where we found out about our little trio and that he has diabetes but everything has been smooth since he got on his diet. Well despite the mood swings but everything else has been smooth sailing," I said.
"Oh, I remember when Contessa was pregnant. One moment she was homicidal the next she couldn't keep her hands off of me. It was stressful but fun at the same time I remember coming home every day and I had no idea what I was coming home to. Are you scared," he asked me.
"Yeah, a little. Actually, I feel scared all of the time. I was prepared for one child but three is a lot of love and time to divide evenly. I don't want them feeling like I had a favorite while they were growing up and I don't want to be like my father but the margin of error with three kids is so small. I couldn't live with myself if I failed at this," I admitted allowing the things I had been pushing deep down to flow out of my mouth.
"That's normal for new parents to feel. For you to even think that deeply about things show how good of a parent you are going to be. Look when they are little they will make you feel like the best person in the world the sun will rise and set on you as far as they are concerned. They will try to be just like you and look to you for every answer to every question they can think of, at the same time they will be giving you this gaze with awe in their eyes at how much they think you know. Now the moment they turn about twelve they become horrible human beings it's inevitable. I personally believe it to be a mix of going through the horrors of puberty and realizing that you can no longer answer every question they have and that you are just as human and almost equally as lost as they are in this world. Around fourteen they become little assholes and you are going to contemplate killing them. They are hell to deal with because they are doing everything you didn't want them to do and going through experiences you warned them about. They don't care about many of the sacrifices that you went through and don't want them you experience because they think they know everything under the sun. This usually leads to you going through a period of time where you will feel like you failed at being a parent and you're a disappointment. At that time you have to realize that as long as you gave them all the love and care and was just present in their life you've done your job. You can't live for them no matter how hard you try. It's a job of trial and error. Parenthood is wonderful and crazy and most of the time you are confused but in the end, if you did what you were supposed to they will come back to you and all of the hard times will be worth it. I'm still waiting on that with Annabeth but I know it will come," he said and reached over to pat me on the shoulder.
"Thanks," I said getting up seeing that my lunch break was nearly over. I enjoyed when he gave advise. He was informative but didn't give firm suggestions on where to go or what to do because he trusted that anyone he was speaking to was adult enough to make a good decision unless they prove otherwise.
"No problem, I'll get you out processing paperwork started early so that when its really time you can go through it smoothly. You already have enough stressing you, but for now, just relax and enjoy having a pregnant loved one at home and watching her... Sorry, him grow and become more beautiful by the day," he said reaching his hand out and I shook it which turned into a hug before I walked back into the classroom where my students were busy working on the assignment I had given them before lunch had begun. He always had a way of helping me see things from a broader perspective and I was going to work to make sure that we kept the bond we had going.
"If I put in the work they will turn out just right," I said allowed and ignored the stared my class gave me before I began explaining the importance of their assignment.
End of The Guard To My Sanctuary Chapter 26. Continue reading Chapter 27 or return to The Guard To My Sanctuary book page.