Ragden’s classes after lunch went well. His body felt refreshed. His stomach sated. The lectures went well, and the texts were easy to read. Everything made sense, for the first time in a long time. He did catch his mind wandering occasionally, thinking about the experiences during lunch. He was not sure what had happened to Emily. Only that it had been amazing. He wondered if he had broken the floor. He would have to check that later. Ragden did hope he did not have to explain that to Sarah’s parents. That would be a terribly awkward conversation. He tried to imagine explaining it and cringed. Hopefully, that would be something he could avoid.  

As he was approaching his last class, he turned the hall corner and spotted Sarah leaning against the bank of lockers along the right side of the hall. He smiled at her and watched her face light up as she stood and sauntered over to him. Her hips swayed seductively.  

“Hey, lover,” he said softly as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him.  

Sarah hugged Ragden close against her, pressing her firm body tightly against him. She looked up at him, tears in the corners of her eyes.  

“Do you really have to go away for the weekend?” she whispered, pleading.  

Ragden nodded slowly, “’ Fraid so... It’s a family thing. I can’t skip it and it is family only. Sorry”  

Sarah buried her face in his chest, tears leaking out of her eyes. Then she looked up, the pleading look in her eyes even more intense, “Okay... But... I... Can I have your cum in me one more time before you go? Please?”  

Ragden shook his head sadly. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, “Sorry, love, no time. I must get to class. We will have more time when I get back. I promise.”  

Sarah buried her face in his chest again. Her breath hitched. Hot tears trailed down her cheeks. Sarah could not shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen over the weekend. She had just found Ragden and all the amazing experiences she had had in the last couple of days. She did not want it to end. She thought she might die if she could not have those experiences again. She did not know how to convey her fears but wanted desperately not to have this be the end. Ragden patted her back comfortingly.  

“It’s only two days, love. It will be over before you know it,” he said soothingly.  

“It’s too long!” Sarah moaned.  

Ragden gently put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back from him. He smiled at her. Then kissed her softly on the mouth. She smiled back.  

“Two days,” He said softly, “You can wait two days.”  

Sarah nodded slowly, “Okay...”  

She pulled him against her again, hugging him fiercely. Then she stepped back, kissed him on the lips softly, then dashed off to class. Ragden smiled to himself as he headed off to class. Sarah was a bit clingy, but he understood. He would find a way to make it up to her when he got back.  

Ragden’s last class went by in a rush and was over before he knew it. After the bell rang, he headed to his locker to drop off books he would not need over the weekend. He kept his math book so he could look over the most recent assignments. He did have a test on Monday, and it would help to go over everything one more time. He double-checked he had everything he needed, then slung his bag over his shoulder and closed his locker.  

As he headed off campus, he looked around one last time, wondering if he would catch sight of the three women of his life. He ached to see them, to hold them but knew his dad was waiting for him. As he reached the edge of campus, he saw the family car parked at the curb, his dad behind the wheel. Jennifer was sitting in the passenger seat reading something on her phone.  

Michael waved as Ragden approached. Ragden returned the wave and slipped into the back seat. As he got in, he fastened his seatbelt. Michael pulled the car away from the curb.  

“How was school?” Michael asked as he pulled the car into traffic.  

“Good, actually, very good.”  

“Really? Not having any issues with your classes? I know some of them have been a bit hard for you these last couple of years.”  

“Yeah, I know. But... I feel like something... changed. The problems I used to have seem to be... resolving themselves?”  

“That is great news,” Michael beamed from the front seat as they took a turn, making their way to the freeway.  

“It’s like... I don’t know how to explain this. I feel like... uh... the ... experiences with... Emily, Sarah, and Aria... fixed me?”  

Michael laughed in the front seat. Jennifer looked up from her phone and turned to look at Michael, then at Ragden in the back seat. She smiled softly and nodded. Ragden furrowed his brow, confused.  

“That actually makes sense,” Michael said from the front seat.  

“How does that make sense?” Ragden asked, confused.  

“Well... That is something we need to talk about. And now seems like as good a time as any...”  

“Dad. Can I get a straight answer?”  

“Sorry. This is a subject we have been dancing around since you were old enough to talk. Hard to find the right words now. The reason you have a problem with books, and school in general, is because of something you inherited from me. That is the easiest explanation.”  

“Oh?” Ragden cocked an eyebrow at his dad. “That... doesn’t really explain anything.”  

Michael laughed, “No. It does not. I am getting to the part where it does. Bear with me.”  

Ragden sighed and nodded, waiting.  

Michael turned to Jennifer with a soft pleading look on his face. She giggled and shrugged, “You’d think, after all this time, that we would have figured out how to explain this.”  

Jennifer laughed again, softly, her voice like the tinkling of bells. Ragden felt himself smiling along with her, then frowned. This was not helping.  

“Mom?”  

“Yes, dear. Sorry. I met your dad over two thousand years ago, right about the time Jesus Christ was reported to have been born. You know, they never did get the date right. To think, all the calendars we use are based on that. The Chinese calendar was much more accurate.”  

“Wait, what? Did you say you met Dad the year Jesus Christ was born?” Ragden scratched his head.  

“No, what I said was that I met him right about the time it was reported that he was born. Not the same thing. Semantics, but yes.” She laughed again.  

“Is this some kind of joke?” Ragden asked softly, wondering if his head was going to explode.  

“Nope.”  

“You are over two thousand years old?”  

“Yes. But your dad...,” she laughed again, “Michael is older.”  

Ragden scoffed. Surely this was some kind of joke. He looked at Michael driving the car as if nothing had changed. Ragden peered at him.  

“Okay... How old are you, Dad?”  

Michael looked over his shoulder, smiled, then shrugged. “I don’t know.”  

“How can you not know?”  

“Excellent question,” he laughed softly to himself. Then he said, "Well... I have existed since animals first started falling in love with each other. I was not able to take a physical form until humankind started worshipping the Gods of Love, and then I manifested as the form of that god.”  

Michael looked over his shoulder, seeing the astounded look on Ragden’s face, “No, Rag, I am not a god. Never met one. I am... something else. I think the parlance that would make the most sense to you is... Force of Nature. I am Love, given physical form.”  

Ragden scoffed. Michael smiled in the front seat. Then spoke softly, “I know this is hard to believe. I get it. That does not change the truth, though. You are force-born. Which comes with its own special challenges. Mainly reading and writing, and some of the technological stuff will always be hard for you.”  

Ragden mouthed the phrase... force-born. Something about that just... felt right. It made sense in a strange sort of way. He looked up at Michael, nodded, and then spoke softly, “Okay, let’s say I believe you. What does that mean?”  

“Well...,” Michael smiled softly, “When the force-born reach their eighteenth birthday, that is when their abilities start to manifest.”  

“Abilities?” Ragden asked.  

“Yes,” Michael continued, “Each different force tends to manifest different abilities. For you, it would be... well... love and sex. Some enhanced physical strength, especially around those you love. I think you have already discovered some of the sexual benefits.”  

Michael chuckled softly to himself, “When was the last time you remember being sick?”  

Ragden pondered for a moment, trying to recall. He shrugged, “I don’t remember...”  

Michael nodded, “The force-born do not get sick from the kinds of things most people do. You won’t catch diseases or pass them on to others.”  

Ragden thought about it for a moment, then asked, “What about getting someone pregnant? Do I need to worry about that?”  

Michael chuckled, “You haven’t been using protection, have you?”  

Ragden blushed, sighed, and spoke softly, “No.”  

Michael spoke soothingly, “Not something to worry about. I cannot explain why this is the case, but Jennifer and I, we had to make the conscious choice that that was what we wanted. I imagine it will be the same for you. Unless you AND your partner choose it, it will not happen.”  

Ragden sighed, he was not ready to be a father just yet and preventing that had not been something he had even considered with everything that had been going on. He looked out the window and saw the landscape flying by. He ran over the events of the past week in his mind. It all fit. Strangely, it did. Part of him did not want to believe it was true, but in his soul, he knew it to be so.  

“Are there... others? Like me?” Ragden asked quietly.  

Michael nodded, “There are. Few, though. There are also the descendants of the force-born. Those are called force-touched. Jennifer is force-touched. Which complicates things.”  

Jennifer turned and smiled at Ragden, sadness in her eyes. She spoke softly, “Sorry, love.”  

Ragden looked at her, then asked, “If Dad is the embodiment of love, what force are you from, Mom?”  

“Earth.”  

Ragden sighed. That made sense. His mother was always in the garden, her hands in the soil. She smiled at him, seeing the realization dawning in his eyes, and she nodded. Ragden thought about it. Their garden was always lush, the plants always healthy, the flowers always blooming. The grass never needed to be cut or the bushes trimmed.  

“How does that complicate things?” Ragden asked.  

“A long time ago, there were a lot more force-born, and they caused a lot of problems. Unchecked, they caused chaos in the world. The Primal Forces decreed that all force-born must be presented before them. Since powers manifest after their eighteenth birthday, the first presentation is on the spring equinox following your eighteenth birthday. That is this weekend.”  

“Oh,” Ragden stated. “Wait... Primal Forces?”  

“Earth, Fire, Wind and Water.”  

That clicked for Ragden. The ocean. He was going to meet the embodiment of Water. Why did that make him nervous? He felt like his father was not telling him something. He wanted to ask, but he sat quietly, trying to grapple with what he had just learned.  

“Michael, do I still call you that? Or do you prefer Dad? Or... do I call you Love?” Ragden stammered, not sure how to continue.  

Michael laughed, “Dad is fine. Or Michael. I’ve used this name since the day you were born. It has grown on me.”  

He reached over and clasped Jennifer’s hand in his. She smiled and brought his hand up and kissed it softly, then rested it on her thigh, smiling at his touch.  

“You’ve used other names?”  

Michael laughed. Jennifer giggled.  

“I’ve used many names. Some, you may even recognize. The Norse called me Freyja. The Greeks called me Aphrodite. The Romans named me Venus....”  

“Wait... You... You were a woman?”  

Michael laughed, a deep sexual sound that sent a shiver down Ragden’s back, his loins tingled. Jennifer shivered and slapped his hand playfully, “Stop. Not while you are driving.”  

Michael’s laugh suddenly became very female and coy, sending another shiver down Ragden’s back. For a moment, he saw an incredibly beautiful woman driving the car. She was completely naked, with flowing, curled blonde hair that draped over her shoulders. She had large, plump breasts, a flat stomach, her groin shaved, her hips round, and shapely legs tapering to small ankles. Ragden felt his cock throb. He blinked again and saw his father sitting there laughing.  

Jennifer reached over and slapped his hand harder, “I said not in the car! Not while you are driving!!”  

He looked at her apologetically, “Sorry.”  

Michael looked over his shoulder at Ragden, shrugged and winked.  

“I’m... That’s... Wow, okay, that is a LOT to grapple with, Dad.”  

“I’m not apologizing for that. That would be like asking the ocean to apologize for being wet.” Michael laughed softly at the thought. “I am what I am. Regardless of anything else, I love you, and always will.”  

Ragden smiled. Love. Yes. He could accept that. Ragden looked up at Michael, saw the love in his eyes, and felt the car full of it as he realized it had always been there. He smiled at his dad and saw him smile back.  

“I do have... another question...” Ragden started. Michael looked back at the road but nodded to Ragden to continue, “What about the ... energy thing?”  

“Energy thing?” Michael asked. Ragden explained the times energy had surged over the room, the time Emily had seemed to float. Michael listened attentively, then looked at Jennifer.  

She shrugged, “I thought you might know something about that.”  

Michael pulled the car off on the next off-ramp. Found a parking lot and stopped the car. He sat up and turned around to look at Ragden in the back seat.  

“I have seen that before, but it has been a very long time. Emily, she is the one you gave part of your soul to, right?”  

“Wait, what?”  

“The one you thought was dying.”  

“Yes... Wait, I gave her part of my soul?”  

Michael nodded, “Yes.”  

“What does that even mean?”  

“In short, you bound her to you. Do me a favor and close your eyes. Think about Emily, focus on the first image that comes to mind, and...” He shrugged, “It's hard to explain, but... If you focus your heart and mind on her, you will see her, and you can see where she is. Depending on... how much she loves you, how much you gave her, you might be able to feel what she is feeling, hear what she is hearing, be there with her...”  

Ragden’s jaw dropped. Then he snapped it shut. He raised his eyebrows, looking at his dad.  

“I know, it sounds crazy, but try it. I want to see what happens if you will let me.”  

“What do you mean see?”  

“If I put my hand on you, I can share your vision.”  

“How does THAT work?”  

Michael laughed, “You are my son. Your soul is connected to mine; I cannot explain it better than that. Just... try.”  

He sighed, then closed his eyes, “Okay, Dad. I’ll try.”  

Ragden focused his thoughts on Emily and tried to reach out to her. In his mind’s eye, he saw a filament of love from the core of his being running away from him. He followed it and felt something coming rushing towards him. He found her. In all her radiant beauty. She was walking through a department store, the ladies section. She was with her mom, looking at bras.  

“Are you sure you need a new bra? We just bought some last week...” Emily’s mother asked, looking over at Emily, furrowing her brow.  

“Yes, Mom, this bra is killing me; I can hardly breathe. Just... Can we try this one?” Emily pulled a bra off the rack. Her mom looked at the bra, aghast.  

“That is a C-cup; you were in A’s last week. How on Earth would that fit you?”  

Emily looked at her pleadingly. Her mother sighed and took the bra, leading them to the changing room. The woman at the counter looked at them questioningly, then handed them a key. Emily grabbed the bra, moved down the hall, and pulled the door open.  

Once inside, she quickly removed her shirt and popped her current bra off. Her chest heaved as she took a deep breath. She looked at her chest in the mirror, gently cupping each breast. Then she pulled the bra off the hanger and slipped it around her chest. She fitted the bra to her chest and sighed in delight. She cupped each breast again and blew a kiss to her reflection.  

Ragden felt himself sigh in pleasure; his cock throbbed in his pants. He could feel the caress of her chest, the fingers cupping her breasts. Ragden felt like he was standing behind her, his head over her shoulder, his hands gently cupping her breasts. He sighed with pleasure. Her face flushed suddenly and she looked at the mirror, straight into his eyes. She felt herself go damp as she mouthed his name. She whirled around in the dressing room, her heart hammering in her chest. Ragden felt himself draw back while Emily spun in the room, searching for him.  

Then she grabbed her shirt, slipped it over her chest, and walked out of the changing room, her face flushed, her heart hammering in her chest. She walked up to her mom and handed her the old bra. Her mother’s eyebrows climbed up her forehead.  

“How... What... It fits?”  

“Perfectly.”  

“That’s... That is insane. Are you pregnant?”  

“What... No!”  

“Look, I know you are a full-grown woman now. An adult. I get it. You have that boyfriend, what is his name, Rag... Ragden?”  

“Yes. That is his name. But I only started sleeping with him this week...”  

“What!?” Emily blushed. Her mother blushed, grabbed Emily by the hand, and dragged her back away from the counter.  

“Did you use protection?”  

Emily blushed even more and shook her head. Her mother scowled.  

“How do you know you aren’t pregnant?”  

“I... I just know. But...”  

“Go get tested.”  

“Fine. But even if I am, it's too early for there to be any physical changes. That takes a month at least... right?”  

“True... Really dear? Unprotected sex? Have I taught you nothing?”  

“I love him, Mom. I really, really love him. Oh, God, I love him so much, my chest hurts. I cannot think straight without him. I... Oh, God, Mom.” Tears sprang to her eyes. Her mom looked shocked and then pulled her into a comforting hug, holding her head against her chest and gently patting her on the back.  

“This still doesn’t make any sense... But fine. We can get you a new set of bras. We’ll get you seven, one for each day. What kind do you think he would like to see you in?”  

“I... I...” Emily blinked back her tears and looked at her mom gratefully, “I have no idea... I think he prefers it when I take them off.”  

Her mother laughed, "Of course he does. But I think we can find some that might be more fun to take off... What do you think of lace? Or silk? Spendy, but they feel amazing...”  

Ragden pulled away and felt himself returning to... himself. He opened his eyes and saw Michael staring at him, smiling. Ragden picked up his hand and flexed his fingers. It felt like his hand. The sensation of cupping her breasts had felt so incredibly real. His heart thundered in his chest.  

“That was... I... Wow.”  

Michael laughed and then spoke softly, “Your connection with her is... Incredibly strong. I have only seen a connection that strong once or twice.”  

He reached over and patted Jennifer on the thigh, squeezing her softly. She smiled happily, leaned over, and kissed him on the lips. Michael beamed at her, then turned back to Ragden.  

“My connection with Jennifer is like that, but we have lived together for...”  

Ragden laughed, “Two thousand years? Yes, that makes sense.”  

Michael nodded, smiling. “That you have a connection that strong after such a brief time speaks to a couple of different possibilities. One, you gave you more of your soul than you realized. Two, she is force-touched herself and does not realize it. Three, something else entirely.”  

Michael scratched his chin, deep in thought for a moment, then continued, “I have seen someone do that once before... Conjure energy and pass it to someone else like that. Though, not during sex. They had given a portion of their soul to someone and managed to conjure their life force and pass it between them. The results were... spectacular. I would encourage you to exercise caution while doing this. From the sounds of it, you just conjured some incredible sex, which is fine. Just... be mindful that energy can be used for... other things too.”  

“What about her... physical changes?” Ragden asked, blushing slightly.  

“Oh, totally your fault.” Michael laughed. He patted Jennifer’s thigh. Then looked back at Ragden, “I will explain. As the physical embodiment of love, when I manifest a physical form, it is always the idealized form of beauty for the current culture I am in. If we were in Africa, my skin complexion would match theirs. If we were in China, I would look Chinese. However, we are in America. And Americans like their women with small waists, big breasts, and nice butts. I will not complain; it is one of the reasons why we live here. “  

He laughed again, a rich, warm sound. Jennifer giggled, and Ragden found himself chuckling along with him. Then he looked at Ragden again: “You gave her part of your soul, so her body is changing to reflect your ideal of perfection, along with societies. You can override it, but that would take concentration. It's not worth it. Just enjoy it. I am sure she is.”  

Michael smiled wolfishly, “Haven’t you noticed your physical changes since your birthday? You were a scrawny fellow; now, you have gained almost 30 pounds of muscle. Look in the mirror when we get to the house. Really look. You can still see the old you if you concentrate, but again, why.”  

Ragden raised an eyebrow. He had noticed that he felt different, but he had not really looked at himself. He looked down at his body, his arms felt ... larger? His shoulders did seem broader than he recalled. He looked back at his dad.  

“Is this... cosmetic? Will it change back to how it was?”  

“Only if you want it to. Now, Emily’s changes could... if she were away from you long enough. Not a couple of days. It would take years and would be so gradual she would not even notice right away. Now, I would not be surprised if you caused physical changes in Sarah and Aria as well. Though, it sounds like you fucked Sarah more than Aria. I would expect her to be more affected.”  

Ragden blushed. Then spoke softly, “Sarah really likes... swallowing my cum.”  

Michael laughed, nodding. “Yeah, that will affect her. Though, not as fast as Emily’s changes.”  

Ragden blinked, not sure how to take that. He looked up at Michael and raised an eyebrow, “Would it be better to stop her...”  

“Oh, hell no...” Michael laughed, “She enjoys it, you enjoy it. Just... don’t worry about it.”  

Jennifer giggled from her seat. She looked at Ragden, reached over, and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. She spoke softly, her voice sensual and carrying in the quiet car, “It’s just sex, dear. Sex with amazing rewards for those who choose to partake of it. It is a gift; one you give with your love. If they are willing to accept, then never, ever regret giving it.”  

Ragden smiled, a tear slipping down his cheek, “Thanks, mom.”  

Michael smiled and climbed back into his seat, “Shall we head to the beach house now? I am hungry. Or... I can sense both of you are hungry...”  

Ragden nodded, paused, “Wait... You don’t get hungry?”  

Michael laughed, “Nope. This physical form is a manifestation of love. I don’t need food. I eat because I enjoy the sensation and the look on Jennifer’s face when she serves a delicious meal.”  

Jennifer blushed and squeezed his hand.  

Ragden pondered for a moment, then asked, “Does that mean I don’t...”  

“NO!” Both Jennifer and Michael answered at once, in unison.  

Ragden looked shocked at their sudden passion and blinked from one to the other. Michael looked back at him, then pulled the car back onto the road, heading for the freeway again.  

“Sorry. You are only force-born. You are still very mortal. Your body does things that no normal person can. You need more fuel than the normal person does to continue doing those things.”  

“Oh, okay. That makes sense. I guess.”  

Ragden sat back and looked out the window. The sun had slipped under the horizon, and the world was full of flashing lights and the blur of buildings going by. His mind drifted, trying to puzzle over all the things they had discussed. He felt like there were things that they were not telling him. It had been a lot, and he felt he needed time to come to grips with it all.  

Ragden sat quietly, his thoughts wandering from one subject to the next. Then he thought about school and his math test on Monday. He pulled out his math book and started flipping through it until he found the chapter they were working on. He read the pages, going over the equations in his mind.  

“Oh,” Michael said into the quiet of the car, “I forgot to mention. George and Stacy will be renting the house next to ours. Do you remember them?”  

Ragden looked up from his book and thought for a minute. “Has it been five years since we last saw them?”  

Michael nodded, “Sounds about right. We will have dinner with them on Saturday night. They are arriving sometime around noon tomorrow.”  

“Are they here for the equinox too?”  

“Oh, no. They are normal.” Ragden paused for a moment, realizing his entire world was now pushing people into three categories. Force-born, Force-touched, and normal. He shook his head; that was going to take some getting used to.  

“Do you remember their daughter?” Michael asked quietly. Ragden thought for a moment. He vaguely recalled they had a daughter several years older than him. She had been a little taller than him, with dark hair, and green eyes.  

“Barely,” Ragden answered.  

“I am not sure if she will be joining us. She went off to college, and George did not say if she would be joining them or not.” Michael shrugged.  

“Anything I need to be concerned about?” Ragden asked.  

“Oh. No. Not at all. Just thought you would want to know.”  

“Oh, okay. Dad... why did no one try to stop me during that day in school? No teachers ever came. The whole thing just... played out.”  

Michael chuckled in the front seat. “That is not unusual. Most mortals simply will not notice such a blatant use of your gifts in public. It is like some kind of glamour. You could have sex in the middle of Times Square, and hardly anyone would notice. That is not to say that I would recommend doing that. Since there are sometimes ones who will. There are rules against such public displays of gifts like that for a good reason.”  

“Oh, and... the black cloud I sometimes sense?”  

“That... is the dark side of our gifts. Sex without love. All-consuming lust. The selfish desire for self-gratification. It can consume you and destroy those around you. You must always remember the ones you are with. Never embrace the darkness.”  

“Yeah, that sounds bad.”  

They pulled off the freeway and started making their way through the back roads toward the beach community they were staying in. Another half-hour in, they stopped at a small restaurant and ate dinner. Michael ate sparingly, but Ragden found himself ravenously hungry. Michael shared his leftovers, smiling the whole time. Their server was a young twenty-something with a pretty figure. She flirted with both Ragden and Michael the whole time. Ragden found himself watching her walk away. Jennifer giggled at them.  

Ragden looked at Jennifer, “Mom, don’t you get jealous of Dad flirting with other women?”  

Jennifer shook her head. “I came to terms with him a long, long time ago. I love him for who he is and what he does. I would not get upset if he fucked that poor waitress's brains out in the back. I know he is thinking about it; I can feel it.”  

Michael grinned wolfishly as Jennifer squeezed his leg affectionately. “What do you say, Ragden? Shall we go two-man her? I know you’d like to see what she looks like without those clothes on.”  

Ragden blushed and shook his head. “Not sure I’m ready for that.”  

Michael smiled softly, “I understand.” He reached over and patted his hand reassuringly. As the waitress came by again, he flashed a huge smile. Watching her cheeks flush at his attention, he leaned over and whispered to her, “Check, please?”  

She blushed as if he had said something else entirely and scurried off to get their check. Ragden chuckled to himself as Jennifer giggled. When she returned with the check, Michael handed her a credit card, and she grabbed it, her hand lingering in his for a moment. He gently squeezed her fingers. She almost swooned, looking like her knees were going to give out. She caught herself, took his card, and scrambled off again.  

The waitress came back moments later and handed back the card along with a receipt. Michael smiled at her pleasantly, as she stood there waiting, her hands clasped lightly in front of her. Michael stood and stepped up to her. The poor woman’s eyes got big as saucers as he leaned into her and gently whispered, “Thank you.” in her ear. He placed a hand on her waist as she started to fall backward. He kept her standing and softly kissed her on the cheek. She blinked, tears in her eyes, her breath coming fast, her cheeks flushed.  

Jennifer slipped out of the booth as Ragden stood. Michael turned the waitress and gently pushed her down onto the seat. Her legs shook as she sat down, looking up at him adoringly. He kissed her softly on the lips. She moaned in pleasure and fell backward across the seat. Michael held her hand gently, easing her down. Then he smiled at Ragden and pressed a finger to his lips, making a shushing motion. Ragden looked down at the sleeping waitress and shook his head; then, he followed his parents out of the diner.  

Once they were back in the car, Ragden looked from Jennifer to Michael. Jennifer looked at Michael and laughed.  

“Okay, what was that?” Ragden asked.  

Michael chucked from behind the wheel. “Okay. I will explain. I can feel people in love, or in need of love. In her case, she needed love. That poor girl, Amelia, was dumped by her girlfriend last month. Her dog died two weeks ago. One of her cats ran away. Just a bad string of luck. She works hours on end at that Diner, taking on extra shifts because she would rather work than think about her home life.  

“Since you did not want to partake, I gave her a dream. A dream filled with love. She will wake up in a bit, feeling happy for the first time in months. Will it last? I have no idea. She left her number on the receipt. Not that I would need it to find her again.”  

Jennifer smiled happily in the seat next to him. “I love you, Michael; that was so kind.”  

Michael smiled at her and blew her a kiss, whispered huskily back to her, “I love you more...”  

Michael looked into the mirror and saw confusion on Ragden’s face and chuckled. “It is part of what I am. I often find myself drawn to couples who are deeply in love with one another. I will just hang out in their vicinity, basking in their love. Other times I find women, or men, like Amelia who just need a little love to get through their lives. Sometimes a dream is all they need. Sometimes they need mind-blowing sex. Other times they just need to hear a kind word from a stranger and a little love. Or sometimes a lot of love.”  

Michael winked at Ragden, then he spoke softly, “In fact, Rag, I bet that is what happened with Aria, Sarah, and Emily. That is what you found so attractive about them. They needed your love, and you gave it to them without reservation or condition. It changed their lives and who they were. That is the gift we can give to those willing to receive it and do not be surprised if you find it happening with other women or even men. Love is unconditional, and everyone finds that they need a little love from time to time.”  

Ragden pondered this in silence for a bit, then he looked up at Michael, “Dad... How did you know all those things about the waitress, Amelia?”  

Michael smiled, “The closer I got to her, the more I learned of her life. People who really, truly need love, you will learn why, either by proximity or by touch. My advice is to trust your gut when that happens. Do not fight it; just do what feels right.”  

Ragden sat back in silence, pondering this. They drove for another hour, before pulling up at the beach house. Ragden got out and looked over the area. He remembered this place, but it had been so long since he had been there. In the dark, it looked familiar, but he could not remember from when.  

“Dad, when was the last time we were here?”  

“The year you were born.”  

“What? Why?”  

“To present you before Mother Ocean, of course.”  

“Oh. Of course...” Ragden answered, then, “Wait, what?”  

“Same reason. All force-born are presented before Mother Ocean on the equinox following their birth, then again on the year of their eighteenth birthday.”  

“Oh. Okay.”  

They headed into the house. Michael pointed out his bedroom down the hall. They walked through the large house, which looked to be built for a family of eight. There was a game room, a theatre, a massive kitchen, a living room, and a dining area on the top floor. Ragden’s room was not overly large and had a double bed. His parents got the largest room with a king-sized bed. Ragden looked at his room and sighed. The last two nights he had not slept alone and was not relishing the idea.  

As he settled in, Michael stuck his head in the doorway and smiled. “I know it is not what you want, but get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”  

“Okay, Dad. Thanks... thanks for explaining everything.”  

“Of course. I have been looking forward to this since you were born. Rest well son.”  

“Thanks.”  

Michael closed the door and Ragden heard his footsteps heading upstairs. He could hear Michael’s voice and his mother’s musical laughter. He stripped down and crawled into the bed. Ragden lay there staring at the ceiling. His mind ran in circles trying to wrap his head around all the things that had been revealed to him. Eventually, his eyelids grew heavy, and he slipped off into sleep...