How do you make a baby?
Creia: Dear Darling favourite friend on another planet, I’m going to tell you some news, but you have to promise not to be mad, or to make fun of me. Don’t you dare read the rest of this snip before making those promises. And you have to read it, because you will want to know…
.
.
.
Did you promise?
.
.
You better have promised.
Ok
Here it is. I have decided to have my child with Charlie. Yes, your Charlie. Yes, the Charlie that I was so upset that I broke up with. Yes, it is totally insane.
But
Mother was bugging me to make the decision. I’ve been having heavy dates since basically just after you left, well, I had one or two before then but basically I started about then. And you know what they say, have your child before your career. Get your child life settled and then get going with your career. And Mother is going to help with child care once I am done nursing, so that will help too. We will get on different shifts and all that.
But
Anyway
Charlie. He’s just… he’s just so cheerful and, no, it isn’t that I want to get back together with him, well, I sort of do, but even Mother agrees that she thinks that any son or daughter I get from him will be very pleasant to have around.
So
Anyway
He will be coming over for his three week stints starting in a few days and we’ll see how long it takes. And we have both agreed, nothing long term, make the baby and be done.
Sigh
I mean I am so looking forward to having my child but I am so also looking forward to being with Charlie. Oh, you have it so easy! Or, you will, right? You haven’t yet started heavy dating?
But then, of course, you will just have child after child! I can’t imagine! I want my one but I can’t imagine several!
“Mother?” Jellia asked, coming into the hobby room. Ska-drek was out in the backyard, doing something with the various plants, so Jellia thought that this would be a good time to ask her rather embarrassing questions.
“Yes, Darling?” Mother said, looking up from her screens.
“I have a rather embarrassing question.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Leah is going to have her child…”
“Really? With who?”
“With Charlie, actually.”
“Well, that’s too funny. So, what is your question?”
“Well… I suppose you would have been telling me about now if we were back on Ephemera but… how do you make a baby?”
“I thought I explained that when you started your monthlies, Darling.”
“Yes, not that part. She was talking about having Charley come over for ‘three week stints’, and that confused me.”
“My extremely intelligent daughter. Sometimes you don’t think things through. But I will explain it.
“On Ephemera, at least amongst our class, all daughters have their anti-preg put in after their body goes through a few cycles, and long before they are allowed to date.”
“Yes.”
“So, when a daughter decides to have her child, and she determines what son she would like to be the progenitor and she gets his agreement… and there are very few sons that don’t agree… they make an appointment. Which is a few weeks off because she has things to do.
“She goes to her doctor or midwife and they determine where she would be in her cycle and they take out her anti-preg at a good time. Don’t ask me what that is. Then they let her have a monthly and makes sure it goes well. If not then they do a few more. But it usually takes just one.
“Then she goes to the midwife and they put in a pro-preg and let her have one more monthly. After the monthly the son comes over… usually he stays over… and they heavy date for about three weeks… until she starts her monthlies, when he goes away for a week.
“If she doesn’t start her monthlies they date for nine straight weeks and then she goes in for a test. Sometimes she lets him come. It depends on the daughter. If things are going well then they kiss and he is done his job. And they usually don’t date again. It is considered rather gauche.”
Jellia pondered that. “Wow. That sounds like quite a process!”
“Well, it isn’t one you will have to worry about. When we go back to Ephemera you will already have your child.”
“Children, I would think.”
“Don’t remind me. Now off with you, I have to work.”
“I think I’m going to run up and down the stairs.”
Mother laughed, but Jellia really did run up and down the stairs. That conversation seemed to need it. Then she went and started dinner.
Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!
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If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.
Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books include:
The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid
and
Arthur also has a substack, and a website.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Links
Contract marriage is an adult dystopia examining the issues of marriage. Like 1984 and Brave New World, Contract Marriage treats the relations between the sexes as a fundamental aspect of how a society is formed and, thus, how a society can go wrong.
Unlike those dystopias, Contract Marriage isn’t all horrible all of the time. The characters for the most part have a good time and get along in their society. But the issues of sexuality, of marriage or not, monogamy or not, faithfulness or not, and gender roles… keep coming up and causing tension and conflict and joy and pain.
My desire is that my readers would be thinking along with my characters about these issues and perhaps even arrive at the same place (minus the flying cars).
Introduction // Podcast Version
In which I lay out the themes that I intend to explore in this light Dystopia, and ask others to participate.
Trade Master: First Chapter // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra, our heroine’s mother, puts in her application for the job of 'Trade Master’ on the planet Libertas, and finds out that it isn’t that easy.
En-Drek Contract // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra finds out that, on Libertas, everyone must be in an ‘En-drek’ contract… a long-term, live-in, heavy date between a man and a woman for the purpose of producing one child after the other with one date after the other.
Disappointment and Meditation // Podcast Version
In which Jellia, the daughter and our heroine, finds out about her mother’s job opportunity, including its difficulties, and commits herself to meditating on the situation. (And internally commits herself to encouraging her mother to take the job.)
Decision Reached // Podcast Version
Jellia tells her mother that she thinks she should take the job, and so her mother puts in her application… and gets the job!
First School // Podcast Version
Jellia goes to school and gets to tell everyone about her new adventure.
First Work // Podcast Version
Fenestra goes to work, and tells her coworker about her new opportunity.
Writing Class: Podcast Version
Jellia writes a poem (a limerick) and tells her classmates more about her new adventure.
Trader Galloway: Podcast Version
In which a man comes over for a ‘date’ (Ie to sleep over with her mother) and to tell them all about his time as Trade Master for their company on Libertas. And as how he was almost executed for asking a woman out on a date.
Shopping: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother go shopping for the last time, and we explore some of the nature of the planet she is leaving.
Language: Podcast Version
In which Jellia starts using some new words at school, and everyone gathers round to find out what they mean.
Kesh-i Cooking Class: Podcast Version
In which Jellia finds out that children (Kesh-i) on Libertas are expected to cook.
Trade Master Training: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra begins her training for her new role, with an old enemy.
Two Week Date: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra and Alex decide to date for the next two weeks.
The Facts of Life: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra brings Alex home, and Jellia isn’t impressed. Although she is interested in how dating works for boys.
Snips: Podcast Version
In which Jellia spends time snipping with a boy, and brings him home.
Kissing: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother both have a sexual ‘last fling’ before they leave, and Jellia practices the new kisses she will need for her new planet.
Off Ephemera // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother arrive at the shuttle port, go through some annoying formalities, and take off!
And Fly! // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother board their spaceship, and Jellia starts doing her homework.
Abstinate // Podcast Version
In which Jellia gets bored, rejects an older gentleman, and rejects her mother’s idea of dating.
Older Kesh-u // Podcast Version
In which Jellia learns more about what Kesh-u (children) are allowed to do on Libertas.
Fertility // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother are taken off birth control by an odd doctor.
New Girl // Podcast Version
-Added out of order- Jellia meets a new girl on the shuttle, from a strange culture!
Decon // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother arrive on their new planet, go through an awful decontamination, get sent to a briefing, and receive their first kiss/greeting!
Briefing // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother are warned that the laws on Libertas can be very serious.
En-drek File
Fenestra reads up on her new ‘en-drek’.
Justicia // Podcast Version
Jellia rejoices in the new planet!
The House // Podcast Version
Jellia explores her new house.
Shopping and Greeting // Podcast Version
Jellia uses her new ‘kesh liberty’ and runs off to do some shopping. And has to kiss everyone all the way home.
Ska Illoh Kiladi // Podcast Version
Jellia meets her new Ska, who has business with her mother.
Ooops // Podcast Version
Jellia makes a mistake, gets chastised, and hates it here!
Neighbours // Podcast Version
In which Jellia goes off the cry, and meets neighbours.
Breakfast // Podcast Version
Jellia wakes up, makes breakfast, and runs off for a new day!
Kesh Liberty // Podcast Version
Jellia takes off for town with two younger kesh in tow, and has a fun time shopping!
Dinner // Podcast Version
Jellia comes home from her day in town, raced to unpack her new noodle machine, and cooks dinner!
Testing // Podcast Version
Jellia shows up at her new school, has to check herself it, gets tested for math, art, engineering… and whether she’s mature enough for a live in date.
Great Room // Podcast Version
Fenestra was finally Trade Master, and finally by herself, and finally got to start her new work! Sitting in her new living room in her PJs!
Great Hopes // Podcast Version
Iloh Kiladi shows up at work and gets grilled on how his new relationship is going.
Physio // Podcast Version
Jellia has to do ‘Physio’ at school… which involves running and climbing and getting sweaty.
Engineering // Podcast Version
Jellia finds out that what her engineering teacher cares about is that she learn, not that she come to class.
Basic Bio // Podcast Version
Can there be anything more embarrassing than being at a new school and having all the other girls discuss where you are in puberty?
Pastels and Colic // Podcast Version
Jellia’s next was with pastels, and they had a nursing mother and her baby for a study! Until the baby started crying.
Physio // Podcast Version
PE by any other name would be as annoying.
Report // Podcast Version
School is done for the day, and Ska-drek picks her up… and quizzes her on how it went!
Second Day // Podcast Version
Jellia begins her second day in school all excited, and much less nervous.