Chapter 7 #2
“Each woman earns $5,000 upon successfully completing the program whether or not they give birth. Those who do have a baby and choose to keep it will be compensated more by being moved into one of our government run neighborhoods where they’ll have all the support they need, including childcare at the neighborhood facility, regular house calls from the doctor assigned to the neighborhood, as well as neighbors who have all been through the same program and understand what they’ve gone through.
It’s not only the government’s way of thanking you for your service, but also a way to ensure you don’t feel alone or abandoned, and that your child, who is the hope of the future, has every advantage available to them. ”
She sounded like a commercial.
“You also have the potential to earn more money by participating in the program again. Each year you participate after the initial three, you will be given another $5,000, and each baby you give birth to after that earns you even more bonuses.”
She set a piece of paper in front of me, which held a chart outlining how much money I could earn if I continued in the program.
Second baby, ten thousand. Third baby, fifteen thousand.
Fourth baby, twenty thousand. On and on it went, the number reaching a ridiculous crescendo at ten babies and fifty thousand dollars.
Was this taking multiples into account, or did some women really take it that far? I couldn’t imagine.
“Pretty great, right?” Hilary said in a much too chipper voice.
I pushed the paper away. “I’m sure it seems amazing to some women.”
She frowned, opened her mouth as if to say something, then shut it.
After she’d composed herself, she started again. “It seems you’ve already made up your mind, but I’m still required to go over this.”
“Go for it.” I sat back and crossed my arms.
Hilary sighed to let me know how displeased she was. As if I cared.
“After your initial commitment is up, you’re entitled to participate in the program as much as you desire, health permitting, but only until you reach the age of thirty-five.
Studies indicate there is a much higher risk of birth defects and other issues at that point, and we want to do everything we can to make sure we bring healthy babies into the world. ”
She kept reading, but I tuned her out. Like she had with the consequences, she rehashed the same points over and over, and I wasn’t interested.
I didn’t even want the five thousand I’d get from my required participation.
It was blood money. A way to mask what they were doing to us, and it disgusted me.
I planned to donate it to some humanitarian cause.
Widows and orphans, or maybe even the Association for the Abolishment of The Fertility Act.
Since the AAFA was considered anti-government, the donation wouldn’t be tax deductible, but I didn’t give a shit about that.
It would be even better if I could figure out how to give it to the underground working to hide pregnant teenage girls.
Now, that was a cause I could get on board with.
Hilary cleared her throat when she finished, obviously noticing I’d once again drifted off, and slid the final papers over for me to sign. I did it without comment, the dread in my stomach making me feel like I was signing away my soul rather than my body.
I knew Hilary was done when she passed me another stack of papers, which I signed and initialed without even glancing at the notes she’d taken. Once I’d handed them back, Hilary added them to the ones I’d already signed, formed a neat stack, and put them all in her briefcase.
“We’ll email you a copy of these and a hard copy will be on file here,” she said, not looking at me, “but the originals will be sent to the Department of Fertility in Washington DC.”
Of course, they would.
“Is that all?” I asked.
She frowned. “Yes. For now. You’ll need to stop at the front desk on your way out to pick up a list of things you’re supposed to get done before the first of the month, as well as a list of pertinent phone numbers and dates. Be sure to get everything checked off in a timely manner.”
“I will.” I got to my feet.
Hilary scrambled to get up as well, the plastic smile back on her face as she held out her hand. “It was lovely to meet you, Ara, and I look forward to helping you through this process.”
I was tempted to ignore the outstretched hand, but since I might have to deal with this woman for the next three years, chose to take it. Her grip was firm, but mine slack and uninterested, and when she released it after two quick pumps, I dropped my arm to my side.
“See you in ten days,” I said, then turned to leave.
I did as I’d been instructed, and stopped at the front desk where Department of Fertility Barbie handed me a packet that had all the things Hilary had said it would plus several other brochures.
Before leaving, I flipped through the papers, reading over a list of approved brands of prenatal vitamins and folic acid, as well as a list of foods I should avoid.
Soft cheese. Deli meat. Certain fish. Raw or undercooked meat.
Caffeine. Alcohol. I would eat and drink all of it tomorrow.
Would gorge myself on the soon to be off-limits things, would eat until I felt like throwing up.
Maybe I would just so I could eat more. Why not?
Starting June first, my life wouldn’t be my own, so I might as well do whatever I wanted until then.
Including getting trashed.
I pulled my phone from my purse as I headed for the elevator, typing a quick text to Trevor.
FINISHED WITH MEETING FROM HELL
His response came two seconds later.
WHEN DO YOU START THE MADNESS?
JUNE 1st
GUESS I’M GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON MAKING SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN
I snorted as I typed my response.
AND GET ME NICE AND DRUNK
CONSIDER IT DONE. WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW? MY PLACE OR DO YOU WANT TO GO OUT?
I thought about it as I stepped into the elevator.
YOUR PLACE
I’LL TURN THE POOL HEATER ALL THE WAY UP.
I teared up as the elevator came to a stop and the door slid open, my fingers flying across the screen.
YOU’RE THE BEST
LOVE YOU, GIRL. DON’T FORGET IT
LOVE YOU