The Wedding

It was a beautiful day. The sun was just climbing towards the center of the sky, and the trees rustled in the gentle breeze. The seating area was slowly filling in with people. Amelia smiled, looking out from the changing area. Nothing could make today better.
Everyone was gathering at the local garden outside the city’s museum. It was considered one of the most beautiful places in the country, and Amelia wondered how Veronica booked it. The garden had three flower lined lanes going up to a massive tulip poplar tree. Each lane was also lined with small trees, shading them wonderfully at various times of the day.  The designers had even worked in a small creek that circled around the tree, looking like an omega from above. The pathways themselves were paved with light gray stones, appearing almost white when the sun was overhead.
Despite the day’s events and how wonderful the weather turned out, Amelia still felt bad for Marie. Marie volunteered to stay home with Baldr so the day wouldn’t be ruined by attention to him. She looked into the mirror, and made sure her dress was straight. She took a deep breath, and waited for the music to start.

Veronica was waiting at the altar when the music started. She was wearing a light blue dress, and was extremely nervous. The crowd had turned it’s attention to the start of the aisle, and Veronica’s nerves calmed down when she saw Amelia. She felt even more in love with her today than before.
As Amelia walked down the aisle, Veronica turned red from the sight of her. She felt ugly in comparison. Amelia was wearing a pale yellow dress that seemed to radiate light from her. It fit her perfectly, and Veronica felt she looked shabby. Amelia got to the altar and stood next to Veronica, turning red.
“Nervous?” whispered  Veronica.
Amelia shook her head and replied, “No, just amazed at how beautiful you are.”
Veronica blushed and turned her attention to the person in front of them. Elizabeth went through the droll of how two people should wed when they find themselves truly in love, should be respectful of each other, and loyal until death do them part. Amelia recited her vows first, almost unable to speak at the end out of nerves. Veronica took her time with her vows.
“Amelia, since we met all those years ago, I have never had eyes for anyone else. I have felt that you were worth my full devotion. Whenever you cry, I'll be the one to dry your tears. When you laugh, you will bring music to the room. When you're scared, I will comfort you. I want you to never want, never worry, and never struggle. I will always be yours, and always take care of you. If anyone should ever prove to you to be a better companion than me, I will begrudgingly step down.”
“Y-you won't have to.”
Amelia's words could barely be heard, but one look at her face could tell you how happy she was. Elizabeth had them exchange rings, and they walked down the aisle together. At the end of it, they turned and Veronica reminded them that they would be serving food at their house. She turned to Amelia and kissed her with such passion everyone in the crowd just stared, most of them turning red.

Of Society Today

Disclaimer: This weeks update briefly touches on a darker side of humanity. Do not read if you are against it. I'm sorry, but I felt it showed how society turned into what it did.

“You want to see what I'm wearing to the wedding?”
“Of course!”
Veronica went to grab her clothes and Candice sat there barely able to contain her excitement. There was a month left to the wedding, and both Veronica and Amelia were on edge. Candice took a look around their living room, as though she was there for the first time.
It was a simple room, with a couch and chair wrapped around a center table, and a radio on the wall. The light from the window spilled perfectly over the center of the table, and illuminated the room brilliantly. From there, she could go to their closed in porch or go down the hall to the dining room or bedrooms. Candice thought it was a quaint house, and she'd like one like it one day.
Veronica came out of the hallway with her wedding clothes and showed them to Candice. Candice gave them a thorough look, and smiled. She looked at Veronica.
“Can I try it on?”
Veronica looked aghast, and Candice started laughing. She told Veronica that it looked amazing and she was jealous. Veronica smiled and thanked her. A knocking was heard at the door.
“Is it okay for me to come in?”
“No, we're not decent!”
“Well hurry up!”
Veronica went to put away her wedding clothes, and Candice opened the door. Amelia gave her a playful stern look and walked past her. Marie hugged her, and smiled.
“Mam!”
“Baldr.”
Candice squatted, leveling herself with his eyes. He smiled and hugged her. Candice patted him on the head and picked him up.
“Did you have fun today with mom?”
“Yap!”
Marie blushed at hearing herself called mom. Veronica came back out and told Marie to shut the door already. Baldr looked at Veronica and waved.
“Ka!”
“Hi, Baldr.”
He let out a light giggle at the sound of his name, and started struggling in Candice's arms. Candice let out a noise and put him down. Baldr promptly started running over to Veronica, but fell.
Marie ran over immediately, but he got back up and sat there with an angry look on his face. She asked him if he was okay, but he sat there stubbornly. Veronica walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. Baldr started giggling at this and Marie sighed.

“I'm home.”
“Welcome home, sweetheart.”
Such dialogues were common not too long ago. We were once called Mankind as a nominative instead of humanity. The male had many physical differences and chemical to the female. Of course, you can learn about this in any biology text book, as all other species kept their male counterparts.
It took a bit for humans to realize something was wrong. By the time we noticed, a male child hadn't been born for 20 years. Every child born was female. Scientists started collecting all kinds of samples to try to find out why. Of course, they found nothing. In the lab, the Y chromosome was being passed on, but never surfaced on the newborn child. Further tests on the child showed that they didn't carry a Y chromosome, suggesting it mutated or got replaced with an X by the body, thinking it to be an error.
As scientists worked around the clock to try to find a way to prolong human extinction, society was undergoing massive checks. Religion was the first thing to disappear. With many of them rooted in the aspect of male dominance, they couldn't continue in an all female world. Many families struggled with the fact that their children were now all “gay”. Gay was a term from the period that defined a same sex coupling.
Wars stopped around the world, as everyone feared the enemy that somehow wiped out their men. No one knew what was happening, but no one wanted to provoke anyone who could be responsible. The world fell into a strange peace, except in the homes of the new generations. Many were lost in those days to abuse, suicide and murder.
It became commonplace for awhile for the girls to be subjected to sexual slaves to many men who didn't understand why there were no more men. They would be kidnapped, brutally assaulted until they succumbed, and raped. It was a very dark time for humanity. It took three more generations before these acts finally stopped.
At this point it has been 15 years since the last man died. Many women do not want to relive the horrors of man's last moments. Music becomes censored, and video is banned. Anything depicting male dominance outside of legend is destroyed. One of the popular phrases of the time was “Men were weak, we are strong.”
The world becomes unified in an attempt to help prolong humanity. Scientists have been able to successfully create sperm cells from stem cells for a long period now, but it wasn't put into practice due to religious ethics. Women everywhere pushed against the revival of men. They didn't want the horrors to be repeated.
Now, I must admit, we may have been wrong to do that. We aren't lords over life. We should have learned that when we almost died out. With the population down to just over several million, we escaped extinction.

Marie put down the paper she had been reading. It was common knowledge that man had been brutal before he died out, but she had no idea. The article was written by the last survivor of that horrible period.
Candice was watching Baldr for Marie, letting her have some time to herself. Marie was sitting on the couch in their apartment, trying to relax. She looked over the back towards their half kitchen, her stomach growling.
She got up and went to the kitchen. It was a simple one, with a range, oven, refrigerator and counter. Nearby was a dishwasher, and plenty of cabinet space. Marie opened the fridge and looked over everything inside. None of it sounded good, so she started rummaging through the cabinets.
She ended up deciding on a BLT sandwich, and sat down with her meal. It had been well over a year since Marie had a night to herself, and she was already bored. She didn’t realize how used to the others she had gotten. The sandwich was finished shortly, and Marie sank into her chair satisfied. She looked around her apartment wondering when Candice would be home.
Their apartment wasn’t very big. It had two bedrooms, but one of them was used for an office. The kitchen, dining table and living room were all technically one room. There was a small hall that led to the bathroom and a closet. Soon, they would have to either move into a bigger place, or lose their office so Baldr had somewhere to sleep.
Marie sipped at her tea, and started to enjoy the silence around her. She finally realized that every day she had to put up with taking care of Baldr. She felt tired, but was thankful for this time. She swore she’d make it up to Candice later. She picked up her paper and continued the article she had been reading.

Before anyone asks, no I was not a victim. I was a lucky one. That doesn’t change a whole lot though. My older sister was one. We found her after everything happened. The police even cited it as suicide. I can’t blame her.
Our new unified “government”, the People’s Council, took the new measures to the data centers of the world as well. Our computers were reset, and the world wide web was heavily censored. Very few people protested against these moves. We wanted to forget and move on.
It took 20 years for us to end this censorship. We decided that it would be better to let the people digest what they want again. The amount of changes required were massive, but it brought us to where we are today. I would like to look forward to seeing how the first male is raised in our new world, but we know I won’t see it. I am the oldest person alive, so it’s not an exaggeration to say I leave him to you.

Getting Ready

    “You two go have fun,” said Amelia, almost pushing Candice out the door. Candice thanked them before shutting the door. She looked at Marie and smiled softly.
    “Candice, I...”
    Candice stopped her with a soft kiss. She took Marie's hand and squeezed it. Marie smiled, tears welling up in her eyes again. She pushed herself against Candice, taking her arm. They walked home like that, as the dew soaked ground glimmered.

    “Amelia, you are going to look amazing in that!”
    “Really? What do you think, Baldr?”
    Balder laughed and smiled at her. He had started talking a few weeks ago, and everyone was working to encourage it. Candice even did flash cards with him. Winona had her research department adapt some of the old styles of male clothing to the modern era to help Baldr have something to wear.
    “Melie!”
    “Yes, Baldr?”
    He threw his hands up, begging to be picked up. She bent down and picked him up. The wedding was a month away, and Amelia was extremely nervous. She knew what to expect, but it was still extremely nerve wracking.
    “Marie?”
    “What?”
    “What was it like? Your mother's second wedding?”
    “I don't really remember. It happened.”
    “Oh.”
    This did little to help Amelia's nerves, and she looked horrible. Marie suggested they get something to eat. Amelia nodded, and went to the front of the store to pick up her wedding set.
    Once outside, Amelia put the wedding set in Marie's car. Marie suggested a nearby restaurant, and they headed towards it. It was a beautiful day, and being outside helped clear Amelia's head.
    Baldr started struggling out of Amelia's hand and tried running ahead of them. Marie clapped, and he stopped, looking at her sheepishly. Marie held out her hand and he took it. Amelia thought Marie was strong because she kept her child under control. She started thinking about what it would be like to have a kid of her own.
    The breeze felt good, and the air was crisp. Amelia felt worlds better, and was happy to be with Marie and Baldr. The news was now public that Baldr was being raised by someone in town, but it didn't cause much of a stir. It wouldn't make a big difference until he was old enough to go to school.
    Amelia liked Baldr. He was a rambunctious rascal, and he always made her laugh. She decided to talk to Veronica that night about children. She felt nervous, but knew she wanted one.

    Meanwhile, Candice and Veronica were preparing for the wedding as well. Veronica had called the place they had reserved three times to make sure everything was set. Candice told her to calm down. She checked on the bakery to make sure they had ordered the cake.
    “So how is he doing?”
    “He's doing well. He calls both of us mom now.”
    “Well then, you'll definitely have to get married.”
    Candice choked and started laughing. Veronica started laughing as well. Candice talked about how much her life had changed since Baldr came into it, but she couldn't complain. Veronica wasn't sure if she ever wanted children.

Tea and Tears

“Candice, sweetie, you're doing fine.”
    Amelia put her hand over Candice's, trying to comfort her. Veronica took a drink of her tea and sighed. She twirled her hair around her finger, not knowing what to make of it. They knew Marie had been busy lately,and respected her privacy, but didn't know how to approach this situation.
    Candice had appeared on their porch, soaked in sweat from running. When they invited her in, she immediately broke down, and was unable to move. Veronica went to put on a pot of tea while Amelia escorted Candice to the couch.
    Once Candice calmed down enough, she started talking about all that had been going on at their apartment. She told them about how Marie brought Baldr home without consulting her, about how little attention Marie had been paying her recently, and about the fight this morning. She said when she left the apartment, she just ran, not knowing where to go. When she saw Veronica's house, she stopped and stood there for a good ten minutes before knocking on the door.
    “So, you two are taking care of the first male?”
    “No, she is. I'm just wallpaper.”
    Candice fought back tears again. Amelia looked at Veronica, then stood up. Excusing herself, she went to another room. Veronica sat there, unable to figure out what to say, while Candice clenched her cup of tea. Amelia returned a few minutes later with a towel and washing cloth.
    “Come with me, hun.”
    Amelia helped Candice to her feet, and showed her to the shower. She helped her undress and turned on the water. Candice just stood there like a defeated puppy, and Amelia sighed. She undressed and helped Candice into the shower as well.
    “You're only making this difficult. A shower always helps me relax and clear my thoughts.”
    Candice just shook her head. Amelia started washing Candice's hair, lathering in the shampoo. Candice started humming softly, almost sounding like she was whimpering.
  
    Veronica turned on the radio, and let the soft music fill the room. Amelia was in the kitchen cooking dinner, while Candice sat on the couch, looking better than before. She was wearing a set of Veronica's clothes while her own were in the wash.
    As the jazz music permeated through the room, Veronica sat in a chair and looked at Candice. She hadn't moved since she dressed after the shower, and looked frail as a sickly child. This worried Veronica, as there had been no calls for Candice either.
    “Sweetie, you know that sulking won't help. Listen to me. You can stay here tonight, but tomorrow you should go home and talk to her.”
    Candice didn't respond, instead just sat there looking at her feet. All she could think about was the way Baldr didn't seem to accept her. She didn't like hearing the tone Marie took. Candice quickly wiped tears from her eyes.
  

    Knock, knock, knock, knock. Candice woke with a start at the sound. She went over to the door and opened it. On the other side was Marie, her hand still in the air from knocking. Candice immediately grabbed her, and held her tight. Marie had been crying, and her tears soaked through Candice's shirt.    They stood their in each others arms, neither wanting to break the hold.
    “Glad you came to pick her up.”
    Marie and Candice both jumped and looked at Amelia, their faces turning red. Amelia smiled, adjusting her nightgown so it wouldn't fall down. Veronica came out of the bedroom yawning, and waved at Marie.
    “What took ya?”
    Marie looked down at the ground, and Candice glared at Veronica. Amelia laughed, and invited Marie inside. Marie shook her head, pulling on Candice's sleeve.

Trouble at Home

    Marie's mother smiled at her and said thank you before returning to her meal. Candice pat Marie on her shoulder. Marie stared at her food before deciding she wasn't hungry anymore. She stood up, washed her plate and Baldr's, apologized and took him to his crib before laying down for a nap.

    Marie woke with a start. Baldr was being quiet. He hadn't made a single sound all night, and Marie rushed to his crib to make sure he was alright. She found him calmly sleeping, and breathed a sigh of relief. She stood there watching him sleep, and smiled.
    Marie walked out to the living room and turned on a light. She picked up a book she was slowly reading and sat down on the couch to resume it. She flipped through the pages looking for her bookmark, when it fell out. This caused Marie to swear quietly, but it was still too loud. Baldr started crying and she put her book back down to go take care of him.
    Feeling a strangely inspired, she started singing softly to him.
    “Hush now little one,
    The day has not yet begun.
    Dream of happy sights to see,
    Like mighty knights and majestic kings.
    Or perhaps of racing cars,
    Driving fast and driving far.
    Hush now little one,
    It's too early for the sun,
    Dream of great adventures to have,
    Fighting monsters dark and bad.
    Maybe exploring new lands,
    Seeing new sights would be grand.
    So, hush now little one,
    The day has not yet begun.”
    By the time she finished, Baldr was already deep asleep. Marie smiled and went back to her book. She found a passage that looked familiar and began reading.

    “I hear humming,” thought Marie. She looked up from her book and saw Candice walking out of the bedroom. Candice was buttoning up her blouse as she hummed the same song Marie had been singing. Marie turned red and hid behind her book.
    Candice looked over at her and asked how long she'd been awake. Marie said she didn't know and went back to her book. Candice started heating formula for Baldr, letting Marie have a break. She pulled the formula when she thought it was ready, and Marie took it from her. She immediately put it down and told Candice it was too hot.
    “I let it come to a boil first.”
    “You don't do that. You heat it OVER hot water.”
    “I'm sorry okay?”
    “I'm just glad I noticed.”
    “I was just trying to be helpfu--”
    Candice got cut short by Baldr crying. She didn't realize she had been shouting, and went to the room. She picked him up and tried comforting him. Baldr kept crying and Marie came in the room.
    Marie tried handing a bottle of properly heated formula to Candice. Candice reached for it, but instead Baldr started reaching for Marie. Candice sighed, and held him at arms length. She then handed him over, apologized again, and ran out of the apartment.

Happy Mother's Day!

    “Shhh...”
    Marie tried comforting Baldr as she fed him. Baldr had been gaining weight, and was getting hard for her to hold. Marie wished Candice would help her more with him, but she knew it was hard on Candice to put up with Baldr out of the blue.
    After feeding Baldr, Marie washed his bottle and the pan she heated the formula in. She then called work to do her daily report on Baldr's growth.
    “Well this fits the projected growth rate. We can have him just come in once a month now instead of having you call daily.”
    “Alright. When can I resume my previous position?”
    “You'll have to wait 'til he's in school.”
   
    It was lunch time when Candice came in. She walked over and kissed Marie on the cheek. Baldr laughed and waved at Candice.
    “We have a visitor.”
    Marie dropped her fork and looked at Candice, horrified. Candice put her hand over Marie's and smiled, trying to reassure her. A voice was heard from the door.
`    “Is it okay for me to come in?”
    Marie immediately brightened at the sound of her mother's voice. She jumped up and ran over to her hugging her. Her mother smiled and hugged her close.
    “How's my little pumpkin?”
    “I'm doing fine, Mom.”
    Baldr started making loud noises, and Marie's mother looked at her. Marie frowned, looked away, and walked back to where they were eating. Baldr was bashing his fork on the high chair table.
    “Marie Daisy Burgess! When did you have a child?”
    “MOTHER! I DIDN'T! I'm only doing my job!”
    “You're a babysitter now?”
    “Not with my salary,” Marie thought. She replied, “Sort of… I can't really tell you anything yet, but I promise I will tell you it all soon.”
    “Would you like anything to eat Missus Burgess?”
    “Thank you, Candice.”
    Candice made a plate of food for her, and looked at Marie. Arie just looked at her, then back at her food. Candice took a seat and sat there quietly. Marie took a bite of her food.
    “So is this the infamous Baldr?”
    Marie choked and forced her food down her throat before getting a drink. While drinking, she flashed a dirty look at Candice.
    “She didn't tell me.”
    “What?”
 “Marie, while many people most likely can't tell the difference at this age, this child came from nowhere, and is larger than most females.”
    Marie just stared at her mother.
    “You're still forgetting something, pumpkin.”
    Candice nudged Marie, mouthing something at her. Marie stared at her blankly, not registering. Marie's mother sat there eating her food, waiting. Marie just looked at Baldr, and wiped his face off.
    “Well, I miss my mother.”
    “That's right… it's been a few years now hasn't it?”
    Candice nodded,and Marie's mother pat her on the shoulder. Candice looked at Marie, who was busy feeding Baldr. She coughed, and Marie looked up. Candice gestured her head at Marie's mother. It suddenly dawned on Marie.
    “OH MY GOODNESS! MOM, I'M SORRY! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!”

A New Life

    Marie sat on the bus, uncomfortable at the stares she was getting. It was uncommon to see a Mother outside with a child so young. She shifted nervously in her seat, and looked down at Baldr. He looked at her and cooed. Marie smiled before turning her attention out the window.
    She didn't know why she accepted this task. She didn't know what to do. Then, there was no one more qualified or less qualified than her to raise a male child in this society.
    “What's her name?”
    Someone addressed Marie. Marie made up a female name on the spot, not wanting too much unwarranted attention. The bus stopped a block from Marie's apartment. She quickly exited and went to her building.
    Once she entered her apartment, Marie put Baldr down, with some blocks the lab had given her for him to play with. She hurried to the phone to tell Candice the news. Candice freaked out on the phone, but kept from getting too loud and letting those around her know of the child.
    “How long?”
    “Until he's of age, or a little older.”
    There was a knock on the door. Marie apologized then told Candice goodbye and that she loved her before hanging up. She hurried to the door and opened it to find some women outside. One announced that they had a delivery, and Marie nodded showing them where to place everything.

    “WuaaaAAAAaahhhh!!!”
    Baldr was crying again. Marie got out of bed to check on him. She walked over to his crib, and started humming a song to help calm him. She checked to see if he needed changed, but he was clean.
    Baldr stopped crying and stared at her. He smiled weakly, and kicked his feet. Marie then noticed his blanket had tangled around his legs, and helped readjust it. She kept humming to him as she pet his head.
    Marie turned to go back to bed, only to see it empty. She looked around, and saw a light coming from the kitchen. She stepped out to see Candice brewing some coffee.
    “You know what time it is?”
    She sounded upset. She had the right to be anyway. Marie shook her head, and Candice pointed at the clock. It was six in the morning. It was time to get up anyway.
    “Is everything okay?”
    Marie looked at Candice. “Yes, he's back to sleep for the moment.”
    Candice nodded. She poured her coffee, and took a drink. It had been two weeks since Marie had brought Baldr home. Marie hasn't left the apartment in that time except to go for small walks, and Candice didn't know what to tell Amelia and Veronica. It wasn't uncommon for a Mother to be out of wedlock anymore, but this was different.
    Marie started heating some formula for Baldr. She felt tired, but she hadn't been getting a full nights sleep recently. She napped when Baldr would, but she wasn't feeling satisfied. As she started pouring the formula into a bottle, Baldr started crying, as though on cue.

Mom?

Marie fixed her suit, and walked into the building. She was early, but it didn't matter. After the news her boss put out the night before, she was worried about fighting through a press mob.
“Marie, can you come with me?”
Marie jumped, not expecting her boss to be waiting at the door. She nodded, and fell into step behind her.
“Ma'am?”
“Marie, I constantly tell you to call me Winona. We have a new assignment for you.”
They arrived outside a set of doors, and Winona swiped her ID badge, opening them. Inside, the faint noise of giggling could be heard. Winona gestured for Marie to keep following her and continued on.
The giggling stopped, and was followed by crying. Winona paused, and looked at Marie. She nodded at her, and opened the door they had stopped next to. Marie looked through and saw him.
She froze, not sure what to do. It was the first time she had seen a male, but then, only the people on the project could have said they had either. It had been 150 years, and here he was.
“Winona…”
“Yes, Marie?”
“Wha-what am I doing here?”
Winona smiled and put her hand on Marie's shoulder. She motioned after you, and let Marie step into the room. Baldr stopped crying and looked at her carefully. Marie cautiously smiled and waved.
“He is actually 6 months old now.”
“What?”
“Yeah, we wanted to wait to see if he would survive before making any announcements.”
Marie nodded. It sounded like good judgment. She put her hand on Baldr's head and he smiled raising his hands up to her.
“He likes you, that's good.”
Marie smiled and crouched down in front of him, making her eyes level with his. She covered her eyes and then uncovered them saying boo. Baldr started laughing again.
“You are to be his caretaker.”
Marie almost fell over. She looked at Winona wide eyed.
“We need someone to take him into the world and raise him as their own, but he won't smile at anyone else. We can make him giggle, but not smile. Will you do it Marie?”
“I-I don't know.”
She didn't know how to raise a boy. No one did. Marie never considered applying to be a mother anyway. She looked at Baldr again, who immediately started smiling and grabbing at the air with his hands.
“Can I have a few minutes to think it over?”
“Of course.”
Winona stepped out leaving Marie alone with Baldr. She picked him up.
“Wow, you are heavy!”
Baldr laid his head on Marie's chest and closed his eyes. Marie smiled and looked around. She then frowned, because she didn't want to wake him back up, but needed to get Winona.
She carefully inched her way to the door, and opened it carefully. Winona looked at her, and Marie nodded. Winona smiled and whispered that she could take the rest of the day off to get accustomed to Baldr. She then gave Marie a company card, and told her any expenses for Baldr would be taken care of.

All Hell Breaks Loose

 An hour later, the girls were outside a bar waiting to go in. Candice ran up to them, Marie in tow. Veronica waved at them.
 “Sorry we took so long, Marie couldn't decide on what to wear.”
 “It's just a bar.”
 “I still wanted to look nice, it's a celebration,” Marie responded.
 “Ms. March?”
 Elizabeth extended her hand to shake. Candice took it, a puzzled look on her face.
 “She heard me propose to Amelia, and wanted to help us celebrate. Meet your new boss.”
 Candice's jaw dropped, and Marie started laughing. Amelia patted Candice on the back. Veronica walked over to Marie.
 “Careful tonight, you look scrumptious,” she whispered in Marie's ear, tilting her head towards Veronica.
 Marie blushed, then asked if they should go in. Candice shook her head and walked to the door. Always courteous, she held it open for everyone. Inside, the saw everyone crowded around the television.
 “What's going on?”
 Veronica looked at the bar tender. She didn't reply, and everyone directed their attention to the television. Someone turned up the volume after the commercial ended.
 “We now return to our top story of the night. Sprite Logistics has announced they have successfully borne the first male in 150 years. We currently have no idea if he? will be fertile, and will update as we get more information. We now turn to Gina, on site.”
 “Thank you Terrie. Now, I have here Winona Peterson. Ms. Peterson, can you tell us how this came about?”
 “Well Gina, as you know, if it weren't for our delightful competitors at Redfield, we wouldn't even be here to share this accomplishment. It took many years of research to find out how to recreate the Y chromosome after it mysteriously vanished. We worked hard, but we won't know the true fruits of our labor until many years from now when he has fully developed.”
 “That sounds amazing. So, have you decided on a name?”
 “Well, we had to dig out an old archive of baby names to choose one, but after much deliberation, we decided on Baldr, after an ancient Norse deity. It roughly means Lord of Men.”
 “And if he develops to be fertile, so he shall be. Even if he doesn't, you won't give up on your research, will you?”
 “No we won't Gina.”
 Elizabeth slammed her fist on the counter. Amelia looked over at her. Immediately, someone called for a round of drinks on them, seeing it as a reason to celebrate.
 “So girls, how does it feel to get engaged on the same day as the first man to be born?”
 Veronica laughed and put her hand on Candice's shoulder. She leaned in and whispered that she'll find out when she asks Marie. Candice turned bright red and quickly turned to her drink.
 “Where's Elizabeth?”
 Marie looked around, but she was gone. Veronica took a sip of her drink, while Candice gushed over Amelia's ring. Veronica commented that Elizabeth most likely had to return to work because of the news. Marie nodded and went back to talking to them about their engagement.

Celebration

     Elizabeth put the phone down. She turned in her seat and looked out the window over the city. She knew something was about to happen, but she wasn't sure what.

“Ma'am?”

She looked over at her phone and pressed a button. The door to her office opened and a spindly lady walked in, looking like she was going to trip over her feet.

“I have your mail here.”

Elizabeth gestured for her to put it on the desk and went back to looking over the city. Redfield had been the pioneer in chemical and bio engineering, and was the sole reason humanity had continued it's existence.

After the door shut behind her, Elizabeth looked at the envelopes on her desk. She saw a manila envelope with the return address to Candice March. She immediately opened it.

“Attn: Ms. Gurren,

I would like to thank you for considering me for a position at Redfield Studios. I would like to tour the premises if that is okay, before making a decision. 

Enclosed is a photo collection of my works, and my current resumé.

Truly,

Candice March”

Elizabeth looked over the resumé and  put it down. She stood up and walked out of her office. She told her secretary good night and went out to the street. With her hands in her pockets, she walked aimlessly, not sure where to go tonight.

Even if she was CEO of the world's largest company, she still had trouble deciding what to do most of the time. She was just a figurehead, with as much power as a manager in a fast food restaurant.

Seeing a decent looking diner ahead, she decided to duck in for a bite. She sat in a booth, and asked for a cup of tea.

“Hot or cold?”

“Hot, no sugar.”

The waitress went to get the tea for her. Elizabeth pulled a pad of paper out of her pocket and a pen, and looked it over. She started marking things off a list when she heard a loud scream. She looked up and saw two women hugging each other and smiled. She called the waitress over and asked what the good news was.

“She said yes.”

“Then tonight, their meal is on me.”

Elizabeth was never one for dating, but she loved to celebrate. The waitress informed them that their food was paid for and one of them came over.

“Thanks.”

“It's nothing.”

“I'm Amelia.”

“Elizabeth. Whose your lovely fiancée?”

“I'm Veronica. It's a pleasure.”

Elizabeth smiled and sipped her tea the waitress left her. She invited them to sit with her. The waitress came back and brought Veronica and Elizabeth their food.

“So, how long have you two known each other?”

“Five years, though we've been dating for four years.”

Amelia wrapped her hand around Veronica's and smiled. Elizabeth took a bite of her food while Amelia talked about her and Veronica.

“I can't wait to tell Candice the good news.”

Elizabeth almost choked on her food. Veronica looked at her strangely, wondering why.

“Candice? As in Ms. March?”

The Proposal

 “Candice.”
“Yes?”
Marie wrapped her arms around Candice, and leaned in.
“Mail for you.”
Candice pushed Marie lightly and took the letter. It was from the college. She nervously opened it, and almost dropped it. The letter was succinct informing her that the envelope contained her final grades.
Candice put it down smiling. She picked up a second letter that had arrived the day before, this one about a job offer.

“Dear Mlle Candice,

We have seen your work in the field of chemical arts, and would love to have you come work for us. Here at Redfield Studios, we are always looking for the innovative ideas that you exhibit.

If you wish to come visit and discuss a future with us, please contact us soon. Our business card is attached.

Regards,
Elizabeth Gurren
CEO”

She felt arms around her and put her hand over them. She smiled and turned her head looking at Marie. Marie smiled and let go.
“I'll make dinner, okay?”


Amelia poked at her food. She wasn't really hungry, but the fact that her date was late wasn't helping. She looked out the diner window, watching people pass by. The waitress walked over, and refilled her drink.
Amelia sighed, and turned back to the food on the table. She took a bite when someone patted her on the shoulder. The action made her jump and she almost choked on her food.
“Sorry I'm late, sweetie.”
Amelia glared at her. Swallowing the rest of her bite, she got a drink. She then took another bite of food, glaring at her date the whole time.
“I see you're in a mood today. To think, I even went through the trouble of getting something for you.”
“Veronica, why were you late to--”
Amelia froze as she looked over at Veronica on one knee. In her hands was an emerald ring. Tears welled up in her eyes and she flung her arms around her. 


Veronica stood there tapping her fingers on the counter at the jewelry store. She had spent months saving up for this ring, and it had finally arrived. She looked at her watch.
“Crap, I'm running late.”
The attendant finally came back to the counter and held the ring out for Veronica to inspect. Veronica took it and checked the engraving before smiling and thanking the attendant.
As she walked down the street towards the diner, her heart was pounding. She had been dating Amelia for about 4 years now, and felt it was time to move up. When she was in view of the diner, she froze, seeing Amelia looking outside.
“I am in so much trouble,” she thought.
Veronica shook her head, and walked into the diner. When she came to Amelia, she put her hand on her shoulder.

“I love you.”
“I love you too, Amelia. Your mother almost kicked me out when I asked her.”
Amelia laughed, knowing her mother didn't care for Veronica. Her mother probably only gave her blessing because Veronica actually asked. Amelia smiled, and was thankful her mother did.

Candice

     Hi everyone. This part right here is an introduction. I am working on this small side project. Depending on how it goes it may go longer, but it's planned for a 3 month period with weekly updates. Every week will be ~500 words posted. I hope you enjoy. Everything posted will be CC-A.

 It was a circle. That's how she saw it. Marie looked at Candice and smiled.
 "Do you really think this will work?"
 Candice shrugged, taking the canvas. If it didn't work, Candice wouldn't get her degree. Marie frowned, then shrugged. They both looked at the clock at the same time.
 "We need to go."
 Outside, Marie helped Candice board the shuttle bus. Marie was three years older than Candice. They had been friends since Candice was in grade school.
 "Hey, girls!"
 Candice and Marie both waved to Amelia. Marie sat down and looked up at Candice, who took hold of a handle.
 "Not going to sit today?"
 Candice shook her head. She looked forward out the front window. The sky loomed in front of the shuttle bus as it lurched forward, a deep crimson. The sun was slowly rising and another day began.

 "Ladies, your attention please."
 The announcer addressed the auditorium. Pressing her suit down, she took a deep breath.
 "Today, we look at the submissions for our gallery as the final projects of our graduate arts program. As you know, this is not up to a public vote. This is merely to show what you learned and how you view the world around you."
 "As the world changes, so do we as humans. Therefore it is necessary to express yourself each generation. Without further ado, let's begin."
 Candice nervously stirred in her seat. She looked around the auditorium, looking for a familiar face and found none.
 Time passed slowly for Candice, as she waited her turn to present her project. She saw Amelia take the stage and looked at her sculpture. It resembled a woman in a grotesque form, a look of pleasure on the face. Candice shuddered looking at it.
 “Candice March.”
 Candice stood and walked to the stage to do her presentation. Her canvas was brought forward and uncovered. Candice looked over the audience and smiled.
 “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your class. You ladies have all been amazing friends, great classmates, and good critics.”
 She paused and waited. The audience gasped audibly and she resumed.
 “As you can tell, I have attempted to pursue a time based art piece. I was honestly worried that I had messed this up, but it's working to plan. I used nonradioactive chemicals to paint a landscape that would slowly draw itself as time passes.”
 She looked at her canvas, taking a deep breath.
 “The painting itself is currently halfway done, but of course with this composition, it won't last more than a year when it's finished. Miss Redmond, thank you for your teaching.”
 Candice bowed, and left the stage. Taking her seat again, she sighed a breath of relief. She watched the remaining students do their presentations with mild interest and applauded at the end.
 When Candice left the auditorium, there was Marie waiting for her with some flowers. Candice nodded and smiled. Marie took Candice's hands, leaned in and gave her a kiss.