July 20, 2020

The breakfast table was nearly as quiet now as it had been when Aaron lived alone in the house, even though there were currently five people eating there. This wasn’t a peaceful, calm type of quiet, however. Aaron felt tension bubbling in the air, seemingly waiting for a single spark to go up in flames, and nobody wanted to provide that spark.

Shoveling the last bits of his steak and eggs into his mouth, he gathered up his partners’ empty plates. Rinsing them off and loading them into the dishwasher, he spoke over his shoulder. “I’ve got to do my weekly check-in with Henry this morning. Would you two like to join me?”

“Sounds like fun,” said Niamh.

“I’m eager to meet this mysterious benefactor that we’ve heard so little about,” joked Sam. “I have so many questions.”

“Curiosity killed the cat, Sam,” snapped Jenny, “and it’s not a very attractive trait for a person, either. Maybe you should just shut up and appreciate what you have instead of nosing into other peoples’ business.”

Nobody knew how to respond to this outburst, but eventually Mike stepped up. “Jenny, I’m sure she didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh sure, take her side. What a surprise. Fine. I’m going to work. Some of us have important things to do, like saving lives.” Jenny stormed out of the house, leaving her half-eaten breakfast, and her baffled husband, behind.

Mike again broke the tense silence. “She isn’t actually working today. I wonder when she’ll figure that out.”

Deciding that he didn’t want to be around when Jenny made this discovery, Aaron grabbed his laptop and led his partners back to their bedroom to make the video call. Neither Niamh nor Sam seemed to have any desire to sleep in their own bed, so the three of them were sharing his king bed, leaving the attached guest room vacant, aside from the nearly full closet. As he gently closed the bedroom door, he heard the front door burst open as Jenny stomped back into the house.

Aaron put his laptop on the low dresser and initiated the call to Henry. “I’d like you to meet Niamh and Sam. My partners. Team-mates. Whatever we’re calling them.” Aaron stepped back, sitting between the women on the edge of their bed, to allow Henry to see all of them at the same time.

“There must be some mistake, Aaron,” answered Henry, a wide grin splitting his gaunt, cadaverous face. “These women are far too beautiful to be burdened with one such as you. Have they recently sustained a head injury? Have you managed to kidnap and brainwash them? Are you ladies in need of assistance? Blink twice if you want me to send the FBI.”

Aaron laughed uproariously. “The benefits of a virtuous life, my friend. Such splendiferous wonders are clearly my reward for putting up with your grumpy old ass all these years.”

The women in question giggled at the warm banter between two close friends.

“Hello Henry,” they said in unison.

“How do you know Aaron?” asked Sam.

“Is it really OK that we’re all just moving into your house?” chorused Niamh.

“Who is that in the background?”

“What exactly do you do?”

“Is that a real suit of armor?”

“Is that a real coat of arms?”

“Ladies, please. I am an old man. I cannot keep up with one of you, much less both.” Henry chuckled as both women blushed. “If I recall your questions correctly,” he paused for dramatic effect, “That is not my story to tell, yes, my PA Megan, a bit of this and that, yes, and yes.” He chuckled at their stunned confusion.

“I’m so lost,” said Niamh after a pause.

“I’m pretty sure that was the point,” said Sam. “Game recognizes game, and that was well played, sir.”

“I will graciously accept that compliment from such a talented attorney, Ms. Birch,” Henry said, his warm smile reappearing. He smoothly engaged the women in a rambling, free-wheeling conversation, drawing them in with his easy charm. Watching them shift from debating potential benefits of quarantines for smaller towns to discussing the need to consolidate transportation of goods for farming communities in a post-DuoHalo world, and everything in between, Aaron couldn’t help but be impressed by the depth and breadth of his partners’ knowledge.

The conversation eventually wound down, until Henry finally said, “Ladies, I am afraid that we will have to pick this back up some other time. I need to cover several work-related issues with Aaron, now. I will try not to detain him for too much longer.”

With a final wave to Henry, Niamh stood and pulled Aaron into a deep kiss, eyes smoldering, before sauntering out of the room. Aaron tore his eyes away from her, only to see Sam standing over him with a determined look painted across her face. She aggressively grabbed him by the shirt and devoured his face for half a minute before straightening up, a satisfied smirk tugging at her lips.

“There. Can’t let her get too far ahead.” She turned to leave the bedroom, stopping when Aaron grabbed her by the hand.

“Hey. It’s not a race. It’s not a contest. We’re all just trying to figure everything out, but we have to work together. To be a team. OK?”

She flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry. It’s hard. This whole dynamic is new for me, and it’s not like I’ve gone on a lot of dates recently.” She gestured at her voluptuous figure, frowning. “Long days stuck sitting in an office and a steady diet of crappy takeout haven’t done me any favors here. Who wants to date a whale like me? Former cheerleader or no, I’m not beating them off with a stick these days.”

Stunned at Sam’s lack of self-confidence, Aaron stood and pulled her into a deep embrace, whispering in her ear. “You’re beautiful. If anyone else can’t see that, it’s their loss. And if you don’t think I’m interested in you, attracted to you, then you’re crazy. Sure, I thought you were a cute girl when you were running around with Mike and Jenny in high school. Now you’re a beautiful woman and sexy as hell. So put that worry out of your mind.” He gave her another warm kiss, before letting her turn back towards the door.

Before she could escape his reach, however, he gave her butt a firm smack, leering appreciatively at her as she glanced over her shoulder at him. Seeing his frank appreciation, she smiled broadly and slunk out of the room, giving each step an extra bit of sway.

“That was well handled, Aaron.” The relaxed warmth that had filled Henry’s face throughout his conversation with Sam and Niamh had faded, replaced by sharp focus and a glint of ruthlessness.

“Thanks. It’s early days, but we’re learning how to make it all work. And I assume that this is just the beginning.”

“That seems to be a reasonable assumption.” Seeing Aaron’s skeptical glare, he continued. “Fine. It is not an assumption. The starting point for Operation Breadbasket participants is four partners. And to be clear, that is just the starting point. The Air Force has been hinting that seven will be the minimum safe number sooner rather than later.”

“Jesus Christ. That’s so many women. Too many women, really.” After a moment of quiet contemplation, a small smile blossomed. “Mike is screwed.”

Returning to business, Aaron briefed Henry on the status of the property and the various maintenance issues that he had tackled this week. “Despite Jenny jumping him every couple of hours, Mike did manage to get the last of the winter wheat harvested and delivered to the elevator this week.”

“Excellent. Maximizing yields will be a critical part of the success of Operation Breadbasket. See if Mike has any suggestions for additional measures that we should consider implementing at Elysian Acres moving forward. I am open to any ideas he might have.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“I’ll let him know.”

“How have you handled the increased number of people on the property? Any difficulties?”

“Not bad, so far. That may change if we keep getting more people out here, however. We’ve still got several available bedrooms, though closet space is rapidly running out with all the additional women in the house. I’ve brought more towels, bedding, and general household supplies up from the storeroom. I’ve also increased harvesting of the fruits and vegetables and opened the secondary planting area. Nothing we can’t handle. The site has far more capacity than we’ve been using.”

“Good. We can consider this a gentle stress test of the critical systems. Keep me informed of any issues that arise.”

“Will do.” Briefing done, silence fell as Aaron considered how to broach the uncomfortable subject weighing on his thoughts.

“Speak your mind, Aaron,” said Henry, able to read Aaron’s expression without difficulty. “I promise not to be embarrassed or offended, whatever you say.”

“There’s more going on here than you’ve said. I can tell. I already knew you put your finger on the scale to get Hopewell into Operation Breadbasket. But now you’ve been spying on me. Hiding things from me. You know I don’t try to get involved in your investing private equity thing. I stay in my lane. But now you’re trampling all over my lane. Putting my family, my partners, in danger, maybe. I don’t know. I just know that I don’t like it.” He trailed off, frustration and anger warring on his face.

An oppressive silence fell across the room, pained regret casting deep shadows across Henry’s face. “Aaron.” He paused again, unsure how to proceed. “I do not know what to say to all that. I hope you will allow me to explain everything before casting judgment.” Aaron nodded. “Why do you think I am spying on you?”

Aaron glared at him again. “I’m not an idiot. You clearly checked into Sam before today. I’ve never told you anything about her before, not even that she is my second partner, but somehow you knew she was a lawyer.”

“Ah.”

“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got? ‘Ah?’”

Henry leaned forward, intense focus sharpening his features. “Aaron, I hope you know by now that I value you as more than simply an employee. You are honestly my dearest friend. Did you really think that I would let momentous, earth shattering, life-changing things happen to my friend without keeping an eye on things? That I would not do everything possible to make sure my friend was safe, healthy, and happy? Do you truly think so little of me? I have simply ensured that any partner who might be assigned to you gets a swift, but thorough, background check. I only wish to protect you.”

Blushing at Henry’s diatribe, Aaron simply nodded to concede the point, too choked up to respond immediately. After collecting himself, he asked, “What about the inclusion of Hopewell in Operation Breadbasket? Captain Palmer said that you had something to do with that.”

“I may have helped push the balance your way, but you had several factors in your favor already. Senator Giancola has a lot of support from both sides of the aisle, so Kansas was always going to be heavily involved in getting the Operation off the ground. As far as choosing Hopewell specifically as a first-round site, well, you guys were pretty high on the list without my help. Your unusually low mortality rate was already making waves. I just made things a bit more…definite.”

“I guess we should be thanking Father Dominic and his brigade of Militant Church Ladies then. Please tell me that you didn’t have to do anything too…unsavory to tip the balance.”

“Hardly.” Henry theatrically waved away his concerns. “A few donations to help get some quarantine communities off the ground was all it took. I have done far more distasteful things in the past to get a business deal to go through.”

“You know, comments like that are why people think you’re sketchy as hell.”

“Aaron, I have done some ‘sketchy as hell’ things in the past, and I am sure I will do more in the future. I did not have much use for a strong moral compass in my years building the Satisfaction Fund into the top dog in the private equity game. Being a corporate raider is a cutthroat business. Or at least, it has been for me.” The hawkish gaze of Henry’s piratical namesake flashed across his face, swiftly replaced by the return of his previous relaxed expression.

“Enough with the heavy or depressing subjects,” Henry said. “Tell me truthfully, how have you been handling your situation? I know that you have not dated much recently, so this must be a particularly big change for you.”

“Spying on me again, Henry?” asked Aaron, glaring balefully.

“Hardly, my dear boy,” Henry laughed, unoffended by Aaron’s latest accusation. “You told Megan about it last time we stayed out there. She simply mentioned that she was worried about you. She is rather protective of you, after all.”

“Ah. Sorry about that. Still a little grumpy, apparently. Anyway, things have been going about as well as I could realistically hope for. There is some conflict and tension at times, but everyone seems to be doing their best.” Aaron rubbed at the back of his head as he thought back over the events of the past week.

“Please, allow me to do whatever I can to assist you with ensuring domestic tranquility. Why not use me as a sounding board? I can help you to think through potential problems or concerns and we can devise appropriate strategies to address them. Shall we begin at the beginning? What do you believe is Niamh’s largest concern?”

Aaron took another moment to gather his thoughts before responding. “I think she’s worried that she can’t fit in out here. Too much of a city girl to hack it on a farm, even one as luxurious as this. The fact that Sam grew up around here makes that worse, probably.”

Henry nodded. “That would be consistent with my understanding of her background. And how will you help her to overcome these concerns?”

“I’ve been trying to help her slow down and relax a little. Just giving her lots of love and reassurance as she tries to acclimate. I don’t know what else to do.”

“That is likely all you can do. Support her and show her what life out there can be. She seems like a lovely young woman, and a good match for you, I dare say.”

“Agreed.” Aaron smiled unconsciously, recalling her bubbly laugh over dinner the night before. “She’s worth the work.”

“And Samantha?”

“Her self-confidence is shot,” he answered immediately. “You saw it earlier. On top of that, I’d put some serious money on her being totally burnt out. A decade busting her ass in a big law firm, far from friends and family, living in a small crappy apartment because she was too busy to find a new place. She already said she was going to be quitting that job, rather than try to work remote.” Leaning back slightly, Aaron continued. “I’m hoping she takes some time to rest and relax before looking for a new job. Less stress and a more active lifestyle here on the farm should also help her feel better and healthier, which will hopefully boost her confidence. Also, the fact that I’m just as attracted to her as I am to Niamh should help too. I’ll just have to sex her into positivity,” he joked, bouncing slightly on the bed.

“That is…a novel approach to confidence issues. I suppose it might work in this situation. The vaccine’s impact on women’s libido is quite profound, or so I am told.”

Aaron’s head whipped up, all traces of amusement vanishing from his face. “Wait. What do you mean by that? Don’t you have a partner or three by now? Don’t tell me that they won’t let you into one of these vaccine programs. With your cash and connections, it must be a no-brainer.”

“Do not worry about me, Aaron. I am staying safe and taking every precaution here. As you know, I have sufficient supplies to last as long as we need. I will not jump ahead of some other man who is younger, poorer, and more at risk. I may be a shark, but I do have some scruples.”

“I don’t know whether to be proud or appalled,” Aaron said after a moment. “Probably both. Keep yourself safe, you crusty bastard.”

“Why Aaron, I had no idea that you cared so much.”

“I don’t. I’m just worried about Megan. Wouldn’t want her to go down with your old-ass ship.” The men both laughed, relieved that their warm rapport had survived the fraught confrontations.

As their conversation wound down, Megan appeared on screen, handing Henry a small slip of paper. After reading it, he frowned momentarily before meeting Aaron’s inquisitive eyes.

“Apropos of nothing, how are Mike and Jenny handling things? I know that they have not received another partner, but I am certain that they must be having some feelings on the subject.”

“I…don’t really know. Jenny swings from angry to horny to sad to distracted. With no warning, usually. Or maybe I just can’t read her moods. I don’t know. The part of me that’s still angry about the way I was treated growing up thinks it’s great. The Golden Boy, the perfect couple, finally getting a dose of reality. But the rest of me is worried. The isolation was hard enough on them, but this whole vaccine thing just adds several layers of stress on top of it all.”

Seeing that Henry wasn’t judging him for his less-than-kind thoughts, he continued. “I hoped that having Sam around might help her adjust. She’s both an old friend and a member of a multi-partner relationship, after all. But that’s clearly not working. Sometimes it seems like she’s madder at Sam than she is at Mike. I’m hoping that whenever they get another partner things will smooth out. Hopefully. Maybe. This might be a disaster. Probably.”

Aaron trailed off and a contemplative silence fell over the pair as Henry again stared at the slip of paper in his hands. “I will let you go now, Aaron,” he finally said. “It appears that Mike and Jenny are going to need your help. Remember, they are your family. You need to pull together now, more than ever.”

Disoriented by the sudden conclusion of their conversation, the background noise finally seeped into Aaron’s consciousness. A Humvee was, once again, rumbling its way up the driveway. Henry’s words ringing in his ear, Aaron stepped into the great room and spotted everyone else gathered by the front door. Niamh and Sam were chatting quietly, an easy rapport and camaraderie already developing between them. Jenny and Mike, on the other hand, stood silently, lost in thought. Aaron hoped that the small, though noticeable gap between them, wasn’t indicative of a larger problem.

Opening the door, Aaron led the group outside to greet their new housemate. Before Corporal Smith could open her door, the rear door to the Humvee sprang open and a lithe, muscular brunette sprang out, immediately settling a black cowboy hat on her head. Her shiny brown boots audibly clicked as she walked to the back of the vehicle and pulled out a large duffel emblazoned with the image of a pair of mountains separated by a large letter E. Slinging the bag over her shoulder and tucking a strand of shoulder-length dark brown hair behind her ear, she strode towards the porch. A warm smile split her tanned and weathered face as she approached, waving over her shoulder at the Corporal before turning back to the silent observers.

“Howdy, y’all.”