“No, closer than that—siblings.”
“Is this you and your sibling we’re talking about?”
Jordan explained and then listened to a lecture on genetics and genomes and probability. Then he made an appointment for Jamie and himself to be tested. The following Wednesday afternoon, when they had no classes, Jamie was expecting some hot sex but Jordan turned away from their cottage. He explained where they were going and why. They each left a vial of blood and went home to enjoy themselves. Two weeks later they returned to meet with Dr. Adler. Jamie was surprised that he was so accepting of their relationship; he told them it was not his place to judge people.
He also told them that their genomes—their genetic make-ups were sufficiently different that there was little chance a child of theirs would have a mental or physical problem– only a 1 in 2000 chance. The chance of two random people would be only slightly lower. “You see,” he told them, “there are twenty-three chromosomes plus one of the sex chromosomes—the X or Y—in human gametes. Oh, excuse me, the sperm or the egg. That means there are almost 8.4 million combinations when gametes join to form an embryo, and that’s just for the chromosomes.
Each chromosome may have a hundred or more genes which give literally billions of possible combinations. Neither of you carries any genes known to cause birth defects. Had you been the children of an incestuous relationship there might be a significant problem but that isn’t the case. So, I wish you well.” Jamie and Jordan were shocked—they could have children! They left to make their plans—right after celebratory sex. Jamie went off the pill that very day.
They took off the entire Thanksgiving week, missing two days of classes. They traveled all day Sunday, stopping just outside Richmond, Virginia. Early Monday morning they walked into the local Town Hall and applied for a marriage license. They answered a few simple questions, showing their driver’s licenses for identification. Ten minutes later they had their license. All they had to do now was wait for the Magistrate to marry them. They continued to fuck every day but now Jamie wanted Missionary exclusively, holding her legs in the air for fifteen minutes after every coupling so as not to spill even a drop of Jordan’s precious baby making cream.
In mid-December Jordan graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Computer Engineering, intending to start graduate school in the spring semester. His parents and Jenna came from Denver for the ceremony, extremely proud of their son, and their daughter, too. Jordan also accepted a position with a leading software development company with a starting salary that would enable him and Jamie to live extremely comfortably. He was the subject of a bidding war with several Fortune 500 companies bidding furiously for his services. Things only got better when Jamie told Jordan that she was pregnant. All they had to do now was tell their father.
Before they all returned home for the Christmas holiday Jordan decided to break the news. They were in their parents’ hotel suite. Just after putting Jenna to bed Jordan told his parents he had something to tell them. He and Jamie sat together closely on the couch. “Dad…Mom, we need to speak with you and it’s really important. You raised us to love and respect each other and you did a really good job. Jamie and I do love each other.
In fact, we are in love with each other. We have been for years and we intend to spend our lives together. We were recently married. We had to lie a little on the license application, pretending to be first cousins, but we are legally married. We know it’s not quote-unquote normal or right, but it is both normal and right for us. We know you have the option of accepting or rejecting us, but either way we will be together. I know I speak for both of us when I say we hope it’s acceptance because we’re still the same people we were only minutes ago. And…we’d like you to know your grandchild and we’d like him or her to know you.”
Jakob and Jessie sat there silent and thinking for several minutes. It was something Jakob had learned from his father. Eventually, he spoke, “Aren’t you taking a terrible chance having a child? Suppose….”
While he hesitated Jordan interrupted, “Dad, we had the same concerns. That’s why we had genetic testing and counseling. They have a great genetics department at the medical school. We met with the head of the department and he assured us the chances of having a ‘problem’ child are only minimally greater than two random people. Jamie went off the pill before we were married and became pregnant right away.”
“When are you due, Jamie?” asked her mother anxiously.
“In August, Mom, about three months after graduation.”
“Well, Jordan, you’ve given your mother and me a great deal to think about. This comes as quite a shock to us and right now I don’t know which way we’ll decide. If you’ll excuse us I think we want to retire now.”
“We understand,” said Jordan and Jamie almost simultaneously. They kissed their parents and left. When they were alone, Jakob asked Jessie if she wanted a drink. “I don’t know about you but I could really use one. Do you remember my asking you about their relationship some years ago?“ He went to make the drinks as Jessie replied, “Yes, I do remember that and if I remember correctly it was during some sensational sex. I have to tell you I’ve had suspicions over the past few years, finding semen on Jamie’s underwear, but I couldn’t prove anything so what could I do? You’re not thinking of throwing them out? I don’t know how I could live without them.”
“Of course not, but I’m willing to make them sweat a bit. Now, what do you say—ready for some fun, Grandma?”
“I’m always ready for you, Grandpa. God, it’s going to take me awhile to get used to being a grandmother.”
Jakob led her by the hand to the bedroom. “Yeah—about thirty seconds,” he laughed just before engaging her in a torrid kiss, a sure prelude to some searing sex.