Fenestra picked Trisha up and put her to the breast. “I don’t think I am going to nurse this one very long,” she said. “I find it very hard to work while nursing.”
“I think,” Ben’nin said, “That I will overrule that decision. You will let her nurse as long as she wishes to.”
He left and went into the kitchen, leaving Fenestra staring after him. She opened her mouth to make a rather strong retort, but snapped it closed. It was possible that he did not know his code and custom and that he did not have the authority to say what he just said… but it was unlikely. And it was rather likely that if she challenged him and was wrong she would pay for her mistake. So better to keep silent and do her research, at the very least.
A few minutes research left her glowering. He had no authority at all to determine how long she breastfed his baby, but as this baby was not his, and as finishing nursing it would not end the contract, he was perfectly within his rights. Indeed, duties. He was to judge, for the good of the family, how long the nursing would go on.
This planet was barbaric!
Ben’nin left for the hobby room, where he did a lot of his work. Oh, he drove her crazy!
She made a few more calls and then watched her daughter come in, race up the stairs and into her room. Seconds later she heard her singing in the fresher. She certainly seemed to be enjoying herself here.
“How are you doing, Mother?” she asked when she made it back down, coming in the living room and kissing her. She looked down at Trisha. “I can’t tell how indescribably beautiful that is. We got to draw a Leah and her infant today and everyone really enjoyed it.”
“Well, you will have plenty of time to draw Trisha nursing, apparently. Ben’nin has decided that she will be nursing as long as she wants.”
“Oh. Well, that is nice. I’m sure she will like that.”
“Well, I won’t. I was planning on quitting much sooner than that.”
“Oh, well, I’m actually looking forward to nursing mine as long as he wishes. Although I’m sure I will have to sit as a model again and again as he gets older!”
She went off to the kitchen and Fenestra glowered at her back as she went. Argh!
Gregory came in a few minutes later and looked at the kitchen but came dutifully over to her and kissed her and Trisha. “How is she doing?” he asked.
“Eating busily,” she said. “And apparently will for a long time yet to come. Ben’nin has ordered me to keep nursing as long as Trisha wishes.”
“But nursing… oh, yes, that is right. It is not his child. You had wished to quit earlier?”
“My wishes do not matter, do they?”
He stared at her but did not respond, but instead went off to the kitchen where, seconds later, she heard her daughter squeal. Argh!
Just then her comp dinged and she looked. She had gotten the order! She had seen that this fishery had had a particularly good haul and had made a bid on their extra and she had gotten it. She sent a snip to her warehouse manager to get a team over to the fishery to pick it up and get it back to status. That would be a fantastic shipment!
She shifted Trisha to the other breast. Well, everything that she had ever read said that it was better for infants to nurse longer, so it wasn’t like she could object on the basis of health. Not that her Ben’nin was big on objections even when she had reasons. He wanted her to just listen and do. Almost like she treated her employees.
Contract Marriage
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).
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!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!
Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.
If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!
If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von