Transition Plan Chapter 131 - School Days Part 7

August 1926

"There! It's done," Jack announced proudly and stood back on the branches of the huge oak, surveying his work.

It had been a project Jack and Jeanne been working on all summer together, but Jeanne let him do the finishing touches – conceding his request that it was 'a man's job'.

Seated on a log on the ground staring up at the construction project, wearing a matching riding outfit and boots to Jack's clothing, Jeanne praised, "My husband: Scottish carpenter extraordinaire."

He bowed deeply to his bride in mock formal gratitude, and she applauded for him, but a gust of wind jostled the tree and he nearly fell off the branch. He hurriedly caught his balance, eliciting a giggle from Jeanne.

"It's beautiful, Jack, dear."

She stood, threw one of the bags they'd packed over her shoulder, removed her riding hat and let her hair fall around her which was bunched and tied in a simple pony tail to calf length, kicked off her boots and hose so she was barefoot, grabbed a vine, and shimmied up to where Jack was: in a brand new treehouse in the Scottish wilderness on the Clan Clayton estate.

It was a very simple compared to the Mangani jungle 'arboreal mansion' that Grandpa Porter constructed for Tarzan and Jane, but it was positioned perfectly to create a breathtaking view of their special lake with the mountains of the estate in the background. It was meant to be an open-air platform to be occupied the spring and summer months, but had two rooms and a good solid roof for all weather habitation, with doors and windows that could be closed from the porch for protection and security when they were not there.

She kissed and hugged Jack, and as she looked out at the Currier and Ives postcard-perfect landscape in front of them, she praised, "Nice work, husband. It's a wonderful view. Just like we planned."

"I already have a perfect view without the treehouse," Jack mused, gazing only at her.

"Goodness me, Jack!" she thrilled and broke out in goosebumps.

His romantic little comments even four years into their marriage always gave her a rush. She'd only had her freedom for half of the time she'd been kidnapped, and there were still those rare moments like now that small acts of kindness and love by a man surprised her. But Jack was her man, and that's what he did.

The new treehouse in Scotland was a little 'getaway place' for them when they went into the Greystoke forest alone, and it gave a little more permanence to 'their pond'. Someday they hoped to build a house on the lake there, where they could be close to their parents' Castle, but raise a family of their own with a little distance between them and live a little more simply in the deep woods. They refused to think to the inevitable time ahead that the Castle would be their home and not Tarzan and Jane's home.

But until that happened, the treehouse was their 'civilized' nest. She carefully laid out the bedclothes for the small bed they'd hoisted into the most protected part of the treehouse, including a blanket. It was always a little chilly in the highlands. August meant the end of summer in northern Scotland.

August also meant back to school, and this was the last week before going back, which also included their birthdays and anniversary. They were going into their third year at the University, and because of the extra academic load and summer school, graduation was in sight. So was something else. Their promise to raise a family together. They were more committed to that than ever before after seeing their cousins in America who already had children.

"We aren't getting any younger," Jeanne mentioned a few weeks before when they excitedly discussed the matter with their parents, during which both sets of parents – all in their forties - thought was amusing being said by a young woman just barely into her twenties. They totally supported the young pair's decision, and they knew that by sending both to the University, they had interrupted their children's family plans.

So this last foray into the forest before going back to school was the start of that desire. Jack had already raised another bag, with a couple of picnic-style meals for them that Jane and the Castle cooks had especially prepared for them as the 'housewarming' gift. Their horses roamed and grazed along the edges of the lake. They heard a happy whinny from Redemption, noticed the equine pair near the pond, saw Samson's position on his mate, and just smiled. It was the first mating season for them too…

Sundown came early as the two dined and a spectacular moon rose over the mountains and their pond. She shivered and snuggled closer to her husband, and wrapped a blanket her mother had knitted closer around them.

"Wow. Mom went all out for us with this," Jack savored their meal.

"She's the best Jack. I can't believe summer came and went so fast," she reflected, comforted by Jack's arm squeeze.

"I can't believe our time at the University came and went so fast. We'll graduate next May. We're really adults now, with every adult responsibility. From now on, it's tending the family business with my parents."

"I'll miss our friends and all our time with them," she reflected sadly.

"We'll always be friends with them. We can call or write or visit," Jack encouraged.

Jeanne tried to be positive too, reminding Jack, "And you know Bruce is being hired by your dad's research center in Glasgow after he and Edith graduate. They won't that far by train or especially by our family plane."

"True. Besides, we still have this year ahead with them, and since they're married now, they'll be just a floor below us in the married student apartments."

"Pity them below us…" Jeanne smirked.

"OK, Meriem, we'll just have to keep it down," Jack retorted.

Jeanne responded instantly, "Oh? Do you really think we will? They'll just have to get used to us…"

Both laughed heartily.

Edith's and Bruce's marriage in July had been truly a celebration to remember, and everyone thought Jeanne catered the best party ever for her best female friend and her groom as well both of them being in the bridal party. Their normally mild mannered engineer friend partied so far into the night with his bride that Jack and Jeanne forced the couple to leave for their honeymoon suite to just celebrate alone.

Jack replied, "I know, right? I'm glad we have one more year with them and our other friends. It just won't be the same. The University was our own little world. Sometimes it's hard to grow up…"

"Jack, dear… you know that you and I will never really grow up when we're alone like this."

They looked with deep affection for each other, and there was just a silent romantic moment between them.

"This is weird, Jack," she said lovingly, entwined tightly as they faced each other lying underneath the brand new covers skin-against-skin.

"How so, cherie?" he inquired.

"I'm much more nervous now than our first time. We're trying to start a family, not avoid one. I'd normally ask you to hold back now."

Jack teased, "My least favorite time of the month, I might add."

She answered, "Well now, jungle boy, you can have me anytime and anyplace, especially tonight."

He gave her a Mangani male's happy grunt in the exact response to a female giving her consent to mate.

She smiled at that, took one of his hands, and gentled placed it so it covered her bare lower stomach, and informed him in the language of the apes, "This should be the best time for me right now."

He suggested softly and romantically in Mangani, "That will be wonderful. Well then, how about now, and in this place? To give our new little treehouse a proper 'housewarming'."

She reminded both of their plans, "If it happens tonight, we'll have our child soon after graduation. When we go to be with the Mangani. That way we'll be with all our family and friends when it happens. I promised them all our children would be 'of the jungle'."

"Being a brand new Daddy for a Mangani child is about the best graduation present I can think of, Jeannie."

"You're sweet, Jack."

Jack asked for reassurance, "And you are absolutely sure you want to be pregnant your last year in college?"

Confidently, she answered, "I can handle it, jungle boy. We've waited long enough. Don't forget we were going to raise a family right after our African cruise with the family. Until your parents gave us this wonderful college education gift. The Chancellor said it was fine with him and that he had some new ideas on how to take care of pregnant students and students with babies."

"Isn't it amazing how he has turned around on this whole thing?" Jack reflected.

"Well I think that 'Mrs. Chancellor' had a big influence on him," Jeanne kidded and Jack laughed in total agreement.

So far, the only pregnancies that had happened at the University in the past two years were after the upperclassmen married students graduated. All the married couples who were underclassmen vowed to be really careful like Jack and Jeanne had been doing while still in school. The first set of married students was a very unique group that had banded together to set the standard and tone for those after them. It was like a sacred trust. The Chancellor and Board of Regents were quite impressed.

"How true that is. Jeannie, you're amazing. I think you can handle just about anything, Mangani girl."

There were no more words to be said as Jack ended his point with a deep, long kiss with Jeanne that quickly progressed to this night's special intimacy.

The couple's sexuality varied between wild, urgent physicality in unrestrained animal desire for each other to the soft, tender nights when true romance prevailed. Tonight's coupling was one of those gentler nights, as if tenderness would make conception easier and more likely. They cherished being totally alone in the wilderness together, which to them was a remembrance of their year alone in the eastern African jungle. Tarzan and Jane and her parents encouraged them to be apart from the family in their special alone time together to start a family.

But that first time of trying to conceive in the treehouse was only the beginning. The morning after, they returned to the Castle to pack for the University and celebrate their 21st birthdays and their wedding anniversary with the family. Until they paused for what normally would be her time of the as they left for the University, they took every opportunity to conceive in their Castle bed, the spring-fed bath, a secret night in the library when everyone else slept, and in the ancient Scottish bedroom in the catacombs. They continued to try to become pregnant in the bed in their flat at school day and night and sometimes in the afternoon.

One night immediately after their latest session, Jeanne exclaimed breathlessly as she was sprawled completely across the bed on her back, "Jack. I love this, sweetheart, but I'm exhausted…"

Jack suggested, even though he didn't really want to, "Well I can stop anytime you want."

She quickly replied, "No! I'm not that exhausted."

"Thank you, Meriem…" he snickered. They had long since concluded that trying to get pregnant had produced some of the best sex between them they had so far had as married adults.

She gave him 'that look' and chided, "I hate you, Jonathan Robert Clayton IV."

He feigned ignorance and responded 'innocently', "But I thought…?"

"Shut up, dear," and she just smirked and rolled on top of him to begin again.

They were diligent because they thought it might be hard to get pregnant, based on his parents' difficulties in conceiving him, but the human female body is an amazing thing and it was designed for procreation. Something was happening to her that they never suspected after just a week back in classes.

Jack was wrenched awake with the unpleasant sound of Jeanne bent over their toilet retching. It wasn't the first time in the past couple of days, and she'd been queasy on the train all the way there.

She was so sick she was pale, and it startled Jack, prompting him to quickly get out of bed and attend to her. He asked urgently, "Are you all right, cherie?"

"I'm so sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to wake you. You don't need to see me do this."

He noted, "For better or for worse, dear. This is unusual for you. Are you sick? There's been a mild flu going around."

"No Jack. I think it's something else," she smiled quietly, "Take me to the clinic in the morning, please."

Jack raised an eyebrow and figured it out immediately, "So soon? I didn't know it could happen that fast. We just started."

She was nearly in tears with worry, "Thank you dear, and you're right, Mama says it can't. And that would also be a problem. We'd still be students. And parents. Right before graduation. We'd be so preoccupied then. Projects due. Exams to take. I'd be such a burden to you with me and a baby."

Seeing her true concern on top of being ill, he embraced her and said unequivocally, "I'll be right here for you, sweetheart. Even if I have to carry you to class at nine months. And go to class with you with a baby in your arms."

"You are such a sweetheart. Oh, dear. This will be such a distraction. I… I don't know how our timing got off… I don't remember missing a period. I know my body clock."

"Never mind that. Our baby will be such a wonderful miracle that we've made together with God's help. Besides, I know you. You'll get all your studies done. You know my mom will be here for you to help share the load so you can keeping studying. And nothing will keep your mom away from helping. She and my mom have been ready to be grandmas since we got married."

"I know, I know. And I could have smacked my sister when I found out she and Elisabeth and Lily were placing bets we'd come back from our honeymoon pregnant."

Jack chuckled, "That's way too much family fun at our expense."

"So true!" she snickered, feeling much better about herself and the situation. Her best friend in life could always do that for her and she adored him.

Carefully she dressed and they made their way to the student clinic together, with Jack helping her.

...

The doors to the clinic were only feet away. They looked at each other and squeezed hands.

"Well. We're here, Jack."

"Let's go find out, sweetheart!"

…

She emerged from the doctor's office and told Jack, "The doctor said we'll know in a few days."

"I'm famished. Can you handle some lunch?" Jack asked, noticing a pub and grill just across the street. In all the excitement and concern, they'd skipped breakfast.

She gave him a weak smile, "Just saltines and cheese for me, dear. I don't think I can hold anything else down."

A few days later

Jack made his daily rendezvous with Jeanne at the café after class. Greenly was at Table 17 alone and she instructed, "Jeanne wants you to go straight home. It's urgent."

Jack instantly got a weird sort of happy, sort of worried look. Greenly didn't know what to make of that, although she had her suspicions, but didn't want to pry.

"Thanks Greenly," he said in a rush and a quick hug.

Jack was on a dead run all the way back to the apartment complex. He flew up the stairs and cautiously entered their flat. The door was already cracked open, with a handwritten 'Welcome home Jack" sign tacked to it.

The lighting in the flat was subdued. Some romantic music played from the Victrola. It was their favorite love song. There were signs directing him further into the flat with big arrows, and each sign was decorated with hand-drawn smiley faces and frilly writing, and several had big red hearts and Jeanne's real red kiss lip imprints. He was in a déjà vu moment.

The last sign pointed him to the bathroom. His interest was already rising.

The bathroom was aglow, but not with the electric lights. Around their bathtub next to the shower there were scores of lighted candles. A bottle of sparkling cider and a couple of wine glasses sat atop the towel cabinet. It wasn't champagne like she preferred, and it gave him a hint. As if he didn't have enough hints.

There was a naked young woman he recognized reclining with her back against the end of the tub in the midst of the bubbly water with her arms draped over the sides. She looked very relaxed and very inviting.

"Hi there, jungle boy," Jeanne said seductively, with widely-outstretched arms and hands, wiggling her fingers invitingly at him, "come join me."

Everything he wore dropped into a pile at his feet in record time, drawing a giggle from Jeanne, and he slipped into the bathtub with her. She moved up to him and sat in his lap with a lot of friction, achieving the response she wanted quickly.

"What?" he asked innocently, since she was playing a fun guessing game with him.

"Shhhh. Not yet…" she put a wet sudsy finger on his lips that he kissed.

They were silent until they adjusted their positions so that they were joined. It felt wonderful.

"Mmmm…" she hummed satisfyingly with her eyes closed as they coupled, she kissed him, and her eyes flashed open and glowed as she whispered, "I heard today."

Very anxiously, Jack asked, "I thought so. And?"

Jeanne could not restrain her excitement, "And… I'm pregnant Jack. Almost two months."

He squeezed her tightly with the amazing news, and they kissed a long time before they broke.

He was grinning at his bride with an enormous smile that she would remember forever, "Wonderful, Jeannie! But two months? How did that happen? I thought… uh… when we were in the new treehouse… that was the night…"

She interrupted, "I thought so too, but it was the last time we did this in the hotel after Edith's and Bruce's wedding."

"Oh… That hotel," he remembered fondly. They were indeed involved in another candlelit tub encounter. In defiance of all the fire rules.

"You know we took a chance," she joked and her eyes gleamed at him.

"Well… we were really in the mood after the wedding reception," he sighed fondly as he remembered the reckless abandon of their lovemaking that night, fueled by too many glasses of wedding reception champagne shared between them.

Jeanne remembered just as vividly, and to accentuate that memory, she settled a little deeper into his lap, causing a gasp and a shudder from her husband. And her.

She mused with her arms draped loosely around his neck and shoulders, kissing him gently between sentences, "Apparently one of your 'little guys' was very persistent. Or I was early last month. It doesn't really matter. 'Jack and Jeanne' are going to be 'Dad and Mom' in May."

Jack was happily reeling with the news, "Wow, dear. That's incredible! I still can't believe this is happening. We're pregnant!"

She took great joy in Jack declaring: 'we're pregnant'. To her, his reaction was as innocent and excited as a little boy getting a brand new toy. They'd planned and chatted about this for weeks and talked about wanting and having kids for years, but the fact of it actually happening was so joyful for them.

They put their foreheads together and just smiled at each other, which caused them to embrace and kiss again. Eventually they did come up for air.

She invited her husband, "Time to celebrate, Jack."

Jack was instantly cautious and protective, which delighted her, "Are you sure, dear? Will we hurt the baby?"

She assured him and asked candidly, "No of course not. Besides it's a little late to ask – we're already together. Didn't your parents continue when Mom C was pregnant with your sister and brothers?"

Jack just shrugged, "Well… yes. That was not something I really paid much attention to, Jeannie, just like all our jungle friends. It was just part of daily life there in the jungle for all the adult animals and all us 'kids' of every species just accepted it."

They laughed and Jeanne noted, "I guess you're right dear."

He grinned at her and gestured around to all her decoration, "But since this is all about 'us', and you did all this to celebrate, tonight will be especially great."

She smiled that he noticed and asked, "Why, Jack? The candles? The music? Just like at the hotel?"

He raised an eyebrow and teased, "Nope. Because we can just relax now. You can't get a pregnant woman pregnant."

"You big jungle jerk!" Jeanne exclaimed, but pressed her lips hard against his before he could make another joke.

They began their rhythm together, and it built inexorably.

After their feelings soared to one of the most satisfying peaks ever, she laid against him in the nice warm bath water. It was very relaxing, which was exactly the point. Jack reached over and cracked open the sparkling cider and they toasted their pregnancy, their unborn child, and a new phase of life ahead.

When the bottle was drained, she whispered, "Well Jack, we should sleep. We have classes tomorrow."

Jack noted that the clock chimed midnight, and grinned, "Good thing we didn't have homework due."

With that as a prompt, they separated even though they didn't want to, he cradled her gently in his arms, raised her out of the water, stepped out, and gently toweled both of them off.

"My goodness Jack, you're spoiling me again!"

"Well, dear, you're a mother-to-be now. I have to take care of you even better now. Dad took good care of Mom when she was pregnant. I do remember that, and I won't forget what he taught me."

She gave him a happy grin and sighed, "I don't deserve you. Or your sweet family."

He half-scolded, "You know better."

"Well jungle boy, that may be true, but just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'll break."

He gave her a crooked smirk and ordered his wife, "Just shut up and let me pamper you, French tomboy…"

He hadn't used that term in a long time.

She really blushed at that, and simply whispered, "OK."

Once they were dry, he carried her to bed, and they curled up together and slept soundly.

…

Greenly, Edith, Bruce and Hazel knew something was different when they all gathered at Table 17 in the café the next day. They were waiting for the couple to confront them about their strange, secretive behavior.

"Hi guys," said Jeanne who seated herself as if nothing was different. She felt better today, at least right now.

They all gave her an icy cold stare.

"What?" she puzzled.

Greenly spoke for all three friends, "Jeannie, dear, it's you. Or him. Or both of you. You are both an aggravating bunch of secrets right now. You stopped by yesterday for two minutes and insisted on stranding me and demanding that I stay and tell Jack to go home in a hurry. You should have seen him run. I thought he was going to flatten the poor waitresses."

He hadn't told her that. She chuckled.

Jeanne was adamant, but in a teasing tone stated, "I'm not telling. Wait for my husband to join us."

They made friendly but tense small talk until he arrived.

Jack looked exasperated as he plunked down at the table with the others and apologized, "Sorry, ladies. It was a long quiz and I was… um… a little distracted. I barely got done in time."

"Why? That's your easiest class," Bruce puzzled, having joined them all moments before.

"Well… uh…" Jack stumbled, looking for some kind of sign from Jeanne on what to say or do. He really could have used some direct telepathy with Jeanne, but he didn't even have the benefit of the regular connection. They hadn't discussed what and when to tell their friends.

Jeanne smiled, held all her friends' hands, and Jack's, and simply said, "It's all right Jack. Everyone. We have an announcement to make."

She hesitated but smiled.

Hazel demanded, "Jeannie! Tell us before we explode."

She bounced in her seat and exclaimed loud enough for the whole café to overhear, "We're pregnant!"

The three girls squealed in delight, hugged Jeanne and made a big fuss over her, and other friends came over and congratulated them. Jack and Bruce exchanged a good solid back slapping man hug.

When things finally settled down, Edith was in still in total shock, "Ohmigosh. you're… you're really…"

Jeanne was beside herself with excitement, "Pregnant? Yep. I am. Preg-nant. PG. With child. Expecting. I have a 'bun in the oven'. Preggers. In a family way. The rabbit died…"

Their squeals continued from all three girls. It actually was kind of shrill for Jack's sensitive hearing.

"When?" Edith had to know.

"Well… we got a little ahead of ourselves. May."

Greenly did the math, "But that means…"

Jeanne rolled her eyes, "Right before graduation. I know."

Hazel observed, "Well at least your mothers will be here I'm sure."

"That's for certain. We'd never keep them away. Jack's mom is an expert midwife and my mother is a nurse. I specifically want them to do the delivery."

"Wow… Graduation and a baby."

…

Their pregnancy made the Campus news – "Co-Presidents of the MSA are pregnant!" - the headlines blared in a very uplifting report, though all the attention sort of embarrassed them.

Many of the young women on campus, especially the married women, rallied around and truly supported Jeanne like a big sister. They all knew Jack and Jeanne were a few years older than them.

Their fellow students made them feel like the baby was going to be everyone's baby brother or sister. It made them feel wonderful.

And of course both families were utterly joyful when they got the news, especially Jane and Josephine.

The bigger shock came at the end of the first trimester check up.

...

Author's Notes: Well we face yet another 'transition' for Jack and Jeanne, and I'm happy to tell you we'll wrap this all up with the next chapter. The end game was already described in the "Searching for Jeanne" epilogue Chapter 120 so there are no real surprises, but will take you through their fun and challenges to that point.