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.