Unwanted 9/10
Feb. 21st, 2011 05:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hemrageReturn to Part Eight
PART NINE
The baby – Dean, he had to remember to use his name – wasn’t really all that bad. But saying it out loud was a really stupid thing to do. At least Jensen thought it was. Because now everyone was acting as if things were great, as if Jensen had finally come to his senses and accepted his life the way it was.
‘Not bad’ didn’t mean that Jensen was alright with everything that’s happened over the last year, didn’t mean that he was alright with everything the future held in store for him. Not more pregnancies, more babies. ‘Not bad’ didn’t mean any of those things, but people weren’t fucking listening.
And then his dad had to go and see him sitting in front of the Human Resources office and even his one little bid for freedom could ultimately result in a dead end.
His dad sat at his desk, looking at the job application Jensen had sent in under an assumed name. At first it was because he wanted to know he could still get a job, that he still had some worth other than brood mare. He didn’t want to get the job because he was the boss’ son, and he didn’t want to be dismissed out of hand because of his status as a breeder. He knew the laws governing the employment of breeders was strict, so he’d hedged round the truth. Before he’d even sent the application in though it’d become less about seeing if he could get a job, and more about the job itself. The freedom a job would provide ...
He just wanted a life outside the house – well more specifically, outside the nursery and the bedroom.
“You can’t deny I’m capable of doing the job, dad. I was told at the interview I was the best candidate.”
His father looked up and frowned, “And what would’ve happened when they decided to check on your references only to discover Jason Michaels didn’t exist? What were you thinking, Jensen?”
Jensen slumped into his seat. “I was thinking I really wanted a job, and given what I am, where else could I get one? I could work here because you’re here.”
His dad interlaced his fingers, leant forward and lowered his voice, “What about Dean? Don’t you think you should wait until he’s older?”
“How exactly am I supposed to do that? By the time everyone thinks Dean’s old enough I’ll be expected to get pregnant again.”
Jensen watched his father look away, his voice less irritated and more compassionate even though he wasn’t looking at Jensen when he continued to speak. “What does Jared say?”
Jensen looked at the back of his father’s head, as the older man looked out of his office window. “Jared doesn’t know. Couldn’t see the point in bringing it up until I knew whether I could get employment.”
“Maybe he’ll offer you work in his office?”
Jensen climbed out of his seat, “I guess I got your answer.”
Alan turned to look at him, “It’s not forever, son.”
Resigned, Jensen made his way out the door without even saying goodbye. ‘Not forever’. Right. Jensen would just have to produce a few more kids before he could even begin to have a life of his own.
Not for the first time he came to the conclusion that life just wasn’t fair.
Lunch was strained and Jensen seemed to be the only person who noticed.
Jared’s dad and Jensen’s mom sat on Jensen’s left, Jared’s mom and Jensen’s dad sat on his right. Jared was opposite him and, though Jared’s brother was there – completely engrossed in the food set before him - Jensen’s was absent. Apparently there was a girl he was pretty serious about and, though Jensen had yet to meet her, he was happy for him – but for some reason his parents were less than enthusiastic and changed the subject whenever it was brought up.
“Seriously, Alan. I’ve not got a problem with Jensen working for you, as long as the department agrees it’s a suitable role I’m sure you’d be more than acceptable as chaperone.”
Jensen watched the conversation move between Jared and his dad. He’d surprised himself when he brought the subject of a job, up. Was sure Jared would shoot him down, but instead he’d asked about what he wanted to do. It wasn’t as if he had many choices, he could hardly do what he’d trained for. Breeders weren’t trusted out there, in the outside world, without a chaperone. Weren’t trusted not to get close to colleagues – become more than close. They weren’t allowed to find someone they liked the company of, someone they might fall in love with or want to spread their legs for. Not when they were assigned mates by the state. The party line, though, wasn’t that breeders were promiscuous, whores, but more that they were too enticing. Too much of a temptation … and, oh yes, they were also too stupid to say, ‘No.’
His dad smiled, “That’s great. I felt awful having to say no, but I’d kind of blotted my record by being involved in the fight to keep Jensen away from you, so I really didn’t think they’d accept me.”
It wasn’t news that Jensen’s family had backed him in his battle to remain a free man – but it was news, until recently, that they’d suffered repercussions for their support.
“Can’t see why they won’t. Not now. Jensen’s fulfilling his obligations and I’ve no objection. I admit I’d like him working with me, but I can see why he might want a break.” Jared’s laugh was light hearted and Jensen relaxed, refusing to get angry about the fact that they were talking about him as if he wasn’t there. It wasn’t that big a deal, not when he had a job he could escape to. And okay, he was only allowed to work one, three hour shift, four times a week, but it was so much better than nothing. Hell, working for his dad would probably mean the job would be kept open for him when the inevitable happened.
Dean’s cries could be heard from the basinet that’d been placed in the corner of the room. Jensen didn’t mind so much when Jared insisted he be kept close, anymore. He could feel moisture at his chest and didn’t think twice before he went to feed his son. He may as well, it was easier than getting what he needed from the kitchen and his chest was aching like a bitch anyway.
As soon as Jensen had left the room Jared turned to his in-laws with a frown on his face. “Okay, so tell me what you couldn’t say in front of Jensen. What is wrong with Joshua’s new girlfriend?”
Donna winced and looked to her husband for guidance before she spoke, “She’s a lovely girl. Lovely, but… We told Joshua it was a bad idea, but he insists that it wasn’t planned, by either of them and he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
Alan grasped her hand and finished for her. “Joshua’s dating Hannah.”
“Jensen’s Hannah?”
Alan nodded.
“Damn.” How the hell was Jensen going to react to that?
PART NINE
The baby – Dean, he had to remember to use his name – wasn’t really all that bad. But saying it out loud was a really stupid thing to do. At least Jensen thought it was. Because now everyone was acting as if things were great, as if Jensen had finally come to his senses and accepted his life the way it was.
‘Not bad’ didn’t mean that Jensen was alright with everything that’s happened over the last year, didn’t mean that he was alright with everything the future held in store for him. Not more pregnancies, more babies. ‘Not bad’ didn’t mean any of those things, but people weren’t fucking listening.
And then his dad had to go and see him sitting in front of the Human Resources office and even his one little bid for freedom could ultimately result in a dead end.
His dad sat at his desk, looking at the job application Jensen had sent in under an assumed name. At first it was because he wanted to know he could still get a job, that he still had some worth other than brood mare. He didn’t want to get the job because he was the boss’ son, and he didn’t want to be dismissed out of hand because of his status as a breeder. He knew the laws governing the employment of breeders was strict, so he’d hedged round the truth. Before he’d even sent the application in though it’d become less about seeing if he could get a job, and more about the job itself. The freedom a job would provide ...
He just wanted a life outside the house – well more specifically, outside the nursery and the bedroom.
“You can’t deny I’m capable of doing the job, dad. I was told at the interview I was the best candidate.”
His father looked up and frowned, “And what would’ve happened when they decided to check on your references only to discover Jason Michaels didn’t exist? What were you thinking, Jensen?”
Jensen slumped into his seat. “I was thinking I really wanted a job, and given what I am, where else could I get one? I could work here because you’re here.”
His dad interlaced his fingers, leant forward and lowered his voice, “What about Dean? Don’t you think you should wait until he’s older?”
“How exactly am I supposed to do that? By the time everyone thinks Dean’s old enough I’ll be expected to get pregnant again.”
Jensen watched his father look away, his voice less irritated and more compassionate even though he wasn’t looking at Jensen when he continued to speak. “What does Jared say?”
Jensen looked at the back of his father’s head, as the older man looked out of his office window. “Jared doesn’t know. Couldn’t see the point in bringing it up until I knew whether I could get employment.”
“Maybe he’ll offer you work in his office?”
Jensen climbed out of his seat, “I guess I got your answer.”
Alan turned to look at him, “It’s not forever, son.”
Resigned, Jensen made his way out the door without even saying goodbye. ‘Not forever’. Right. Jensen would just have to produce a few more kids before he could even begin to have a life of his own.
Not for the first time he came to the conclusion that life just wasn’t fair.
Lunch was strained and Jensen seemed to be the only person who noticed.
Jared’s dad and Jensen’s mom sat on Jensen’s left, Jared’s mom and Jensen’s dad sat on his right. Jared was opposite him and, though Jared’s brother was there – completely engrossed in the food set before him - Jensen’s was absent. Apparently there was a girl he was pretty serious about and, though Jensen had yet to meet her, he was happy for him – but for some reason his parents were less than enthusiastic and changed the subject whenever it was brought up.
“Seriously, Alan. I’ve not got a problem with Jensen working for you, as long as the department agrees it’s a suitable role I’m sure you’d be more than acceptable as chaperone.”
Jensen watched the conversation move between Jared and his dad. He’d surprised himself when he brought the subject of a job, up. Was sure Jared would shoot him down, but instead he’d asked about what he wanted to do. It wasn’t as if he had many choices, he could hardly do what he’d trained for. Breeders weren’t trusted out there, in the outside world, without a chaperone. Weren’t trusted not to get close to colleagues – become more than close. They weren’t allowed to find someone they liked the company of, someone they might fall in love with or want to spread their legs for. Not when they were assigned mates by the state. The party line, though, wasn’t that breeders were promiscuous, whores, but more that they were too enticing. Too much of a temptation … and, oh yes, they were also too stupid to say, ‘No.’
His dad smiled, “That’s great. I felt awful having to say no, but I’d kind of blotted my record by being involved in the fight to keep Jensen away from you, so I really didn’t think they’d accept me.”
It wasn’t news that Jensen’s family had backed him in his battle to remain a free man – but it was news, until recently, that they’d suffered repercussions for their support.
“Can’t see why they won’t. Not now. Jensen’s fulfilling his obligations and I’ve no objection. I admit I’d like him working with me, but I can see why he might want a break.” Jared’s laugh was light hearted and Jensen relaxed, refusing to get angry about the fact that they were talking about him as if he wasn’t there. It wasn’t that big a deal, not when he had a job he could escape to. And okay, he was only allowed to work one, three hour shift, four times a week, but it was so much better than nothing. Hell, working for his dad would probably mean the job would be kept open for him when the inevitable happened.
Dean’s cries could be heard from the basinet that’d been placed in the corner of the room. Jensen didn’t mind so much when Jared insisted he be kept close, anymore. He could feel moisture at his chest and didn’t think twice before he went to feed his son. He may as well, it was easier than getting what he needed from the kitchen and his chest was aching like a bitch anyway.
As soon as Jensen had left the room Jared turned to his in-laws with a frown on his face. “Okay, so tell me what you couldn’t say in front of Jensen. What is wrong with Joshua’s new girlfriend?”
Donna winced and looked to her husband for guidance before she spoke, “She’s a lovely girl. Lovely, but… We told Joshua it was a bad idea, but he insists that it wasn’t planned, by either of them and he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
Alan grasped her hand and finished for her. “Joshua’s dating Hannah.”
“Jensen’s Hannah?”
Alan nodded.
“Damn.” How the hell was Jensen going to react to that?
Return to Part Eight ~o~ Go to Part Ten
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Date: 2011-05-28 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-07 12:00 am (UTC): )