The next day, Randall began filing in Roz's office. It was a little nerve wracking to be working alongside the grumpy slug woman. He also had to wear a uniform. It did give him a little cover for the baby bump at the moment.
He gave her cards and paperwork that would be handed out to the assistants on the laugh floor. Other monsters thought it was strange for him to be in there too. He kept the files pretty organized.
"Roz?" He asked her when they were alone. "Has Sullivan said why I'm supposed to be in here?"
"I can see why, Boggs. I know your little secret. With it, it's not good for you to be lifting heavy things anymore." Roz said.
"They aren't that heavy."
"They become heavy when you're expecting. And the laugh canisters are bigger than the scare ones were." She said.
Randall went back to work. He didn't know if he could tolerate working with her for the full pregnancy. In time, he would much rather go back to the kitchen. But he wanted to be sure his morning sickness was gone entirely first.
…..
A few long weeks later, at 14 weeks, Randall was really beginning to gain an appetite and the morning sickness was truly gone. He had gained some energy, but he really had to watch his footing so he wouldn't go crashing to the floor.
Randall's stomach was more noticeable now of the baby bump that was there. He knew others noticed it nearly all too easily now. It made him feel nervous.
Even though he had come to terms more or less with the pregnancy, he still worried about Graf or the other males or even the girls coming and getting him again. Surely Graf had told the girls that he had had sex with Randall?
Randall hadn't heard from Sadie in a long time. She had only called him that once. But one night during that week, he got a new phone call from her.
"Hello?" Randall said.
"Hi, Randall. It's Sadie. I know you haven't heard from me in awhile, but I have some news for you." She said.
"Don't tell me. Something went wrong?"
"No. We are all still carrying your children and they are doing well. We've had exams and as it turns out, I have one, Lisa has one, Rhoda and Iona have twins, and Fiona has one." Sadie explained.
"That's a lot of kids for me to be a father to."
"I know, but it's giving you more family."
"I have something to tell you, Sadie. Did Graf ever say anything to you girls that he came to my job and raped me?"
"Why would he do that? No, he didn't."
"Because he thinks he needed revenge on me for something. He doesn't want me near you girls. And what's worse, his raping of me got me pregnant too!" Randall practically yelled into the phone.
Sadie couldn't believe it. Even the father of her child was now carrying a child. She knew that even some male lizards of her kind could be capable of getting pregnant, but she didn't think it was going to happen. She and the girls had wanted kids so badly that they were perfectly happy to have them for him.
"What are you going to do, Randall?" Sadie asked. She hoped he wouldn't harm the child.
"I'm still debating keeping it or adoption." Randall said.
"Look Randall, I know that what Graf did was wrong. What we all did was wrong, but we were wanting your children. But what Graf did most of all was the most wrong to you. But I can tell you right now, if you don't want your baby, we will gladly take it. It should be raised alongside its siblings." Sadie said.
"I had thought of that, but had no way of contacting you about it." He said.
"How many are you having, or do you know?"
"One."
"We are about 19 weeks along now and we are feeling the little darlings move about and it's the most precious feeling in all the world to us. How far along are you?" She asked.
"Fourteen, I think." He replied.
"Wow, so it wasn't long after you were freed that he got you. Sorry. Just saying. Well, anyway, we are attending childbirth classes for lizard monsters. You would be welcome to come if you want to. I can give you the information about it. You still have much to consider." Sadie said.
"I know. Give me the information." He said.
Sadie gladly gave him the info on where to meet and when. But he hoped this wasn't another trap.
"You better not be setting me up again, Sadie." Randall warned her.
"I'm not doing that sort of setting you up, but the kind to help you with your baby." She said. "I swear."
"Alright. I'll be there, but no funny stuff."
"Scout's honor." She said into the phone.
"Fine." Randall said. "I have to go now."
"See you next week." Sadie said, "Good night." Then she hung up.
Randall hung up and hoped he wasn't being set up for something bad again. It wouldn't be good for the baby.
…
Randall did go to the appointed place. He was going to be watching everyone wearily.
Inside, he saw all five of the girls, and they saw him. They all went over to say hi to him. He moved away from them. They saw he was wary of them. There were other lizard women and their mates there too, along with the midwife coach.
He saw how big their bellies had gotten, and indeed, they saw his baby bump too.
Rhoda spoke to him first. "Randall, I'm so sorry for what my brother did to you. I had no idea he would ever sink that low to hurt you. But it makes the child you are having my niece or nephew and the baby I'm having to be its sibling. Strange huh?"
"Yeah. Strange. But I never asked for this. I'm just here to learn of what I need to know to prepare myself for parenthood and to make a decision that will affect my and the baby's future." Randall said.
"What do you mean?"
"He may be giving it up, Rhoda. He doesn't know yet." Sadie came up.
"That's my brother's baby, Randall. If you don't want it, I'll take it when the time is right." Rhoda said sternly.
"You will already have your hands full with twins I heard." Randall said.
"It doesn't matter. I will have my brother's baby." Rhoda said.
"Alright everyone, let's begin class." The lizard midwife said.
They gave each other glares and went to go sit down. Randall sat away from the girls.
The midwife pointed out that there was someone new in the class that night. "What's your name?" She asked.
"Randall Boggs." He said.
"Do you have a partner here, Randall?"
"I'm the father of those five girls' babies over there, and weirdly enough, I'm actually pregnant myself." Randall reluctantly mentioned.
"Oh, this is a special kind of situation."
The other parents to be were all looking at him weirdly, and the girls too, but for the longest time, they had wondered where the father to their babies was. They figured the fathers had been irresponsible and left them to be single mothers. But now they find out that there is a single father.
"So why haven't you been here with them?" One of the males asked.
"I've been in recovery for injuries, both physical and mental." Randall said. He didn't want to go into detail about rape.
"Okay, well, we'll get to know each other as time goes on. Let's begin class now. No need for being uncomfortable here." The midwife said. "Welcome to the class, Randall Boggs."
Randall sat back to listen to the midwife. The other couples went back to focusing on themselves. And because Randall was new, the midwife did explain some things that he had missed thus far.
"How far along are you, Randall?"
"Fourteen weeks." He replied.
She went on to teach of other stuff. Soon it ended.
Randall and the five girls talked to each other a bit more and said that he did need a support system. He shouldn't be alone in his time of need.
He said he was fine with that, but he wasn't going to move in with them. Sadie gave him a piece of paper with a phone number to reach them if needed. Then he went home.
He had learned much his first night at the class. It would help him to feel more prepared for birth and whether he might want to keep his child.
But at home, he remembered Rhoda's words about having her brother's baby. He hoped she wouldn't plan anything stupid.