Chapter 5 - Hester's laments and an abduction

The Genester home was very quiet after the death of Abhijeet and the departure of Genesis, Robi and Soressa. A house designed to house a large family seems pretty empty with only four.



Hester surveyed her home with quiet pride as she thought about the things she had accomplished in nearly 60 years on this planet. She was nearly 80 now and had slowed down a lot in the romance department. She still thought about it all the time and spent a lot of time on the phone with various male acquaintances but physically she was slowing down. Only two new lovers in the years since Abhijeet died, bringing her total to 12. A long way from her youthful dream of 20 lovers but still a sizeable accomplishment.

Hester's lovers and her age when she acquired them

She was quite satisfied with her latest. She had always considered her sons-in-law off limits, no matter how attractive they were, as she valued her relationships with her daughters more highly than any particular dalliance. But she had had a hard time keeping her hands off Robi Charvat all those years he lived in the house. He was so darn handsome. But once Genesis and Robi separated, she had considered him fair game. It didn't take much persuasion to get him to pose for a painting and from there to the hot tub didn't take so very long. Now he was a fairly frequent visitor.


And she wasn't dead yet. There was still time to get in a few more. But it did seem like all that was left in the neighborhood anymore was boys. Well at her age most of them SEEMED like boys regardless of what their actual age was. (Ah well, she sighed and went back to her painting.)

Hester had been more interested lately in cementing her ties with her descendents and had all her children over for dinner at various times. She wanted to get to know her grandchildren better also. She had 18 of them now and likely to be a few more. With three babies in her house Estarr said she wasn't about to have any more, but Genesis and Pendillis were still fertile and Opalessa was only 25 and still single so there were lots of opportunities yet. Then there were her three great-grandchildren and another very special one on the way. She looked forward to that next birth with great anticipation. It would be Kester's third child and it would be unique.

Hester and first great-grandchild Prester

Kester (gen3-knowledge-age 24) had finished medical school and completed his internship in record time and was poised to complete his residency as quickly. But fate intervened. Every day on arriving home from work, Kester made sure he spent a little time playing with and teaching Prester. The little fellow was so smart, he seemed to absorb learning like a sponge.

Kester plays with Prester while Kaylynn waits despairingly for attention.

Kester had not wanted to have another child until Prester was older but finally gave in to Kaylynn's pleading. He hoped that another baby might snap her out of the depression she has been in since Prester's birth. At least she would not have to compete with his mother for time with the baby.

Kaylynn gets pregnant

But Kaylynn just didn't seem to understand that with his work, studies and responsibility of being a father that he just couldn't spend as much time dancing attendence on her as she wanted. There were just not enough hours in the day. Kester had pretty much given up sleep as it was, using the Energizer to keep him going. He knew it could be addictive and that if he used it too much he might crash and burn but he had to get more time some way. He had been working and studying during the day and had taken up stargazing at night since Robi left his big telescope at the house. The very first night that he used the telescope he saw the fabled two moons and a host of shooting stars.


That was quite exciting and encouraged Kester to continue. Every night after had been a marvel of enlightenment. So many stars, so much beauty.


Kaylynn meanwhile, pregnant again, was much more content. She didn't mind his absence from their bed as much as she got bigger and bigger. She really rested better when she was in bed alone.
Kester had to miss a night of stargazing for Prester's second birthday but the special time with his son was worth it. After the transition they had fun playing indoor golf together.


Then later Kester tucked Prester into bed thinking how quickly he was growing up. He was glad now that he had given in to Kaylynn's pleading for another child. It would be nice having another baby.


Then three nights later, the unbelievable happened. At 9:55, while engrossed in his gazing he heard a strange, high-pitched humming. When he looked up, he saw a huge, terrifying shape looming above him.


Then a beam of light flashed from the shape and focused on him and he felt himself being lifted from the floor. He grabbed hold of the telescope which was bolted down and hung on for dear life ....


but the beam kept pulling him harder and harder until he felt his arms would be pulled from their sockets and he had to let go. As he flashed upwards his last sight was of his wife and son standing on the deck below. They too had heard the strange sound and run upstairs to see what was happening. They reached the observation deck just in time to hear his screams of terror and see him disappear into the maw of a strange flying object.


Hester, awakened from sleep by the noise, missed the sight. Her old legs could just not get her up the stairs in time. After crying for a while, Prester had to go to bed, exhausted from all the excitement. Hester and Kaylynn kept vigil, wandering from room to room, occasionally going outside to look at the sky, wondering if they would ever see Kester again. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, they heard the humming sound again.


They rushed out the front door in time to see the flying object whir lower and lower. A hole gaped open in the side of the machine and a bright light appeared, thrusting a body onto the ground. It was Kester who lay there unmoving.


As the women ran toward him he began to rise shakily to his feet, hurting in every part of his body.


He looked back over his shoulder at the ship above him as its humming sound reached a crescendo.


Kester managed to stand erect and watch as the ship zipped into oblivion.


Kaylynn reached Kester and threw her arms around him, sobbing with relief. As she helped Kester make his unsteady way into the house Hester stayed behind to stare at the sky where the ship had disappeared. She had never expected to see one of those again since one brought her here so many years before. She stood there for a long time then burst out laughing, then finally went back into the house and to bed.


Meanwhile Kester and Kaylynn had both gone to bed exhausted also. They were all still sleeping when Prester awoke. The first thing Prester thought of was his father and he ran to his parents' bedroom. He was so relieved to see his father there asleep. He had thought he would never see Dad again. He was so happy that he got himself ready for school and on the bus without waking anyone else up.

A couple of hours later the adults were up too and going about the business of the day when Kaylynn went into labor. With only Hester, Kester and the gardener and repairman to welcome the new baby into the world it was a big difference from the hoard of people present when Prester was born.


This baby too proved to be a boy. They decided on the name Brewster for him. He had Kester's red hair and Kaylynn's green eyes.


Kester had no sooner greeted his new son than he had to flee the room due to an overwhelming urge to vomit. He spent some time hanging over the toilet wondering what could have caused this. Could he have been infected with some disease while on that ship? His memories of the experience were very hazy. He didn't really know what all they did to him other than some of it was very painful while others were very pleasurable.


He didn't want to infect the family with some alien disease so he went down into the basement and turned on the Biotech lab. He made up and consumed several batches of medicine until he thought he had covered any possible infections.
The next weeks went more or less normally. Although Kester continued to feel strange and sometimes queasy at times he was able to begin his residency. Kester was a little fearful of doing any more stargazing although he had a sneaking desire to see the aliens again. And he found that he usually didn't feel well enough to use the energizer anyway. So most nights he went to bed early which made Kaylynn happy too since she was no longer uncomfortable with pregnancy.

One night Kester was awakened by strange sensations in his belly. It felt like something was moving in there!! And his abdomen had begun to swell! It almost looked like he was pregnant! Omigosh!


He had heard of such things but thought that was all tabloid fiction. What was he to do? First he got on the internet and researched everything he could find on male pregnancies. Yep, his symptoms matched. When Kaylynn and Hester awoke he discussed his predicament with them, then called the hospital and talked with the Chief of Staff. The CoS put him on "maternity" leave on condition that he submit himself for study. This would be the first male pregnancy in the Heritage area and the scientists and doctors all wanted to study him. Well, all for the good of increasing knowledge.


Hester was secretly quite gleeful. She had known when Kester returned from the alien ship what the likely outcome would be. After all, that was the kind of work she used to be engaged in. But she kept her knowledge to herself for the time being. Now though she was able to quietly give Kester some needed reassurance and counseling.

Kaylynn on the other hand was quite disturbed at the news. She was still depressed even after the birth of Brewster and was already wanting to have another child herself. It wasn't that she really wanted another child right now but she was already 42 and her clock was ticking. She didn't have much time left to have the large family she had always wanted. But that wasn't her real problem. What she wanted mostly was more time with Kester. They hardly ever talked because he was always so busy with some research project or another. And teaching Prester. He never wanted to spend time dancing or watching tv or playing with her. He was ardent enough in bed although he didn't often take the time. Though things were better in that area since the abduction.


Kaylynn had broached the subject of a third child with Kester and was surprised when he readily acquiesed.


But she found that having her husband pregnant with an alien child was a bit of a turnoff. She tried pretending that he was just getting fat and never went so far as to turn away from him but she did stop soliciting his attentions like she had been doing ever since they married. She began having nightmares about the alien creature growing within him and found herself having very strange thoughts and fantasies when awake. She felt as though she were walking along the edge of some deep abyss in fog so thick she could not see the ground in front of her. Could she pass through this fog safely or would she plunge into the abyss?

Will Kaylynn plunge into the abyss? Will the alien child be as special as Hester envisions it to be? Will Kester ever see aliens again? Will he manage to complete his residency or will he give up medicine and become an astronomer? Stay tuned for more drama among All My SimChildren.

Next episode: Pendillis finds new love.