He's not happy about it, but he'll roll with it.

After Joan explained the situation to Michael, he admitted that he had also suspected the ring could cause pregnancy. "Man wondered if this might happen. When Man triggered the ring, he was thinking of making Woman pregnant and thought maybe the other males did the same thing. I was hoping for quadruplets, though. Woman sure it's not quadruplets?"

"Woman sure," Joan replied. "It's all your DNA combined into one. I felt it. More importantly, I know it happened that way because I'm only ready for one baby. The ring responds to my feelings too."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Joan blew a raspberry into the phone. "Anyway, since I'm definitely pregnant, can we let the other guys ditch the condoms?"

"I don't give a fuck anymore. Those rich boys always get what they want anyway, so just go fuck them and bring home the bacon."

"And Marc?"

"I said I don't give a fuck."

"Male OK? He sound a bit angry."

Mokuba stroked Joan's hand in the back seat of Tamara's Prius, leaning away from her phone out of respect for her privacy but unable to avoid hearing the tension in her voice.

"Male having a hard time digesting this. Male been with Woman longer than the rich jerks, but he feel Woman give them too much too fast."

Joan thought about this for a moment. "It's been a long time since I busted out the Bible on anyone, but do you remember the parable of the prodigal son?"

"Oh God no. No, don't start with that shit," Michael said.

"Just listen. Mokuba and Seto found love a lot later in life than you and me, but that doesn't make them any less worthy of it."

Michael groaned. "Male don't care what some guy said two thousand years ago. You're making this worse."

"How am I making it worse?"

"Carefully."

"OK, give me a real answer."

"You're rubbing my face in it."

"Rubbing your face in it? I asked you an important question."

"Yeah, and I said fine, but then you had to go on and on about it."

"Woman went on and on because Male didn't sound fine with it."

"Male will be. Male know Woman do what she want, but Male need some time to warm up to it. I feel you've been drifting away and you're making me feel like a third wheel in the relationship. I get that you're letting things develop naturally with them, but it's hard for me without being involved in it. I miss spending time with you."

"We should be able to spend more time together after Marc builds the poly house. I won't have to waste hours traveling to see you all. And if we get Linda in there too, Linda won't have to waste hours traveling to see Male."

"Male have to make sure Linda OK with it, but Male like that idea. He getting tired of shitty apartment with shitty ventilation and no AC. He be much happier in fancy mansion."

"Good Male. Woman hope Male all warm and fuzzy by the time we move in with Marc and Mokuba. Speaking of which, you guys should do some male bonding while I'm in Japan. Play Monsters of the Duel or whatever."

"Male's open to it. Male been rubbed the wrong way by people too many times and he's slow to trust, but since these are people in your life, they're people in my life."

"Thanky, Male!"

"OK pretty lady, I love you bye-bye!"

"Love you too, Male!" Joan ended the call.

Having heard only Joan's half of the conversation and not being entirely sure what to make of it, Mokuba said, "So . . .?"

"So you still have Michael's number, right?"

"Right."

"Text him and see if you can set up a playdate."

"Uh . . . do you mean hanky-panky playtime or just video games?"