Hadrian's Lover

by Patricia-Marie Budd

  “But,” pulling them back to his original argument, Todd insists, “You still have to have a baby. Everybody has to—it’s the one child law.”

  Crystal’s green eyes sparkle. “There are ways around that. Your Papa Mike figured a way around it, didn’t he?”

  “But Papa Mike wants to have his child.”

  “Then why doesn’t he?” Crystal asks.

  Todd cringes. When drunk, Papa Mike will often throw this issue in

  Todd’s face. “Do you see me with my own child? No! And why not, might you ask? Because of you, I’ve no fucking money! Because of you, I’ve no fucking child of my own! You are so fucking needy. New running shoes—new clothes—more food!” Todd no longer points out the fact that it was Papa Mike who drank through all his father’s savings after 6-13.

  Frank, cognizant to the sudden pallor of Todd’s face, shakes his head in dismay. Crystal always manages to ask the wrong questions. Frank leaps in to save him from having to explain. “His Papa applied to pass his responsibility on to others. They use his semen for men with low sperm count.” Watching Todd’s head droop, Frank cringes at now being the one to make Todd wince.

  Papa Mike’s voice roars in Todd’s brain. “I’ve probably got a thousand kids out there I’ll never meet!”

  Crystal’s voice breaks through Todd’s memory, “Why?”

  “For the love of Antinous, Crystal! They’re poor, all right! His Papa can’t afford another kid.” Fearing for Todd’s emotional balance, Frank insists, “Drop it already.”

  “Sorry, Todd.”

  “It’s all right, Crystal.” Todd smiles meekly. “I don’t mind not having a kid brother or sister. Frank and Roger make up for that.”

  Crystal’s smile widens. “You always look at everything in such a positive light, Todd. I so admire you.”

  Todd beams, all discomfort washed away by Crystal’s compliment. Frank seethes with jealousy. Crystal caused Todd pain, I defended him, and one silly compliment on her part and he’s all’s good. Wanting to lash out at Crystal, Frank throws the argument back in her face. “You don’t have poverty as an excuse, not with your Mama! How do you plan to avoid raising your own child?”

  Crystal replies slyly by tapping Todd’s school slate, suggesting the answer lies inside today’s study session. Although still confused and curious as to her meaning, Todd uses Crystal’s gesture to suggest the three of them actually begin preparing themselves for tomorrow’s test. “Do you guys want me to quiz you?”

  Crystal and Frank both roll their eyes. “Goodness gracious me, Todd!” Crystal shoots her next remark Frank’s way. “Is he always so serious?”

  “Yup!”

  “Okay. Let’s begin, but give me the slate. I’ll drill you two. I already know this shit by heart. Mama Elena’s been making me study every night this week.” Rolling her eyes upward to the ceiling, opening her hands into fat jazz fingers, Crystal adds, “She is such an extremist!” After snatching the slate away from Todd, Crystal begins, “Let’s start with an easy one. When was the one child law instigated?”

  Frank answers instantly, “The same year as our founding.”

  “Good.” Crystal is now settled into a studious pose, sitting on her knees, causing her skirt to rise even higher up her thighs. Todd struggles not to stare at the soft brown fuzz she has exposed for him.

  Frank notices Todd fixated on Crystal’s legs—no, not her legs—the space between them. “Hey, peach fuzz.” His annoyance evident, he kicks Crystal’s thigh. “Save it for Lolita.”

  Crystal giggles; blushing, she looks to Todd as if he is a conspirator. “Oops!” Grabbing at the skirt between her inner thighs, she gives it a slight tug, covering what she had previously exposed. Mischievously giving Todd a wink, she says, “It’s a good thing I’m with guys!” Then, as if nothing untoward just happened, Crystal continues their study session. “Todd, you answer this next one.” Todd closes his eyes, a study method he has perfected over the years to help him visualize the answer. He believes his brain works like a computer, and he simply waits for it to show him the answer. Sometimes it works; most of the time, it doesn’t. “Why…” Crystal’s voice sends shivers down Todd’s spine, “since our sexual preference is the perfect form of birth control, did our founding families believe it necessary to instigate such a radical law?”

  Todd’s eyes stay closed. The answer has appeared for him. “In order to ensure a stable population that neither declines or increases, it was determined that each man and woman be responsible for bringing in another life to replace his or her own. This way, we could maintain a stable population of ten million and…and—”

  Crystal, never noted for her patience, doesn’t give Todd any thinking time. “And?”

  “And,” Frank continues for him, “we have the outside world as our example of what happens when there is no government control over human procreation.”

  “I know that,” says Todd, opening his eyes and looking Frank’s way. “Just let me finish, will you?”

  “Okay. Finish.” Frank isn’t offended. Crystal notes how fondly he looks down on his friend.

  Todd’s eyes squeeze tight. “What Frank said and…um…” He lifts his hands up, turns them into fists, and begins pumping (Frank and Crystal try very hard not to laugh at him). “To ensure the future of humanity…” Here, Todd claps his hands together, opens his eyes, and points directly at Crystal, “As well as to keep mankind from ever again overwhelming the earth with its presence.” Satisfied with his answer, Todd releases a contented sigh.

  “Very good, Toddie.” Crystal pats him on the back.

  Annoyed, Todd responds, “My name is Todd!”

  “Sor-ry!” She extends each syllable to dramatically ridiculous proportions. Then looking to Frank, she says, “Doesn’t like pet names, eh? Whatever are you going to call him?”

  “Actually, I call him ‘Ki—’”

  Before Frank can call him “Kitschy,” Todd butts in. He is clearly infuriated, “He calls me what he always calls me—by my name!”

  Frank laughs a little uneasily. “Just don’t call him ‘Toddie.’”

  In order to lighten the discomfort she’s created, Crystal pipes up, “You guys hear what happened to Millicent at school?”

  “No.” Franks leans forward in his chair, hoping the gossip is malicious enough for Crystal to have to whisper. Todd too leans forward, his face precariously close to her breasts. His heart quickens.

  Crystal, sensing the collective desire for dirt, embellishes the story with facial expressions, elongated vowels, and crisp consonants. “She got caught cheating using her vocal contact lens.”

  “No!” Both Todd and Frank utter in dismay.

  “Yeah. Lolita voc’d me today. Millicent is in major hot water. Her mothers grounded her, and she has a week’s worth of detention at school!”

  “Yikes!” Frank exclaims.

  “That’s gotta hurt,” Todd adds sympathetically.

  “That’s not the worst of it. Apparently, the school is banning the use of vocs during school hours.”

  Shaking his head, Frank scoffs, “That is so strai!”

  “I know,” Crystal agrees.

  “There is no way they can do that,” Frank adds. “You can’t even see the thing, let alone determine if someone’s using it.”

  “People move their mouths a lot,” Todd responds. Not having a vocal contact, he has noticed how stupid everyone looks, talking or whispering to the air. “It looks like you’re talking to yourself.”

  “So?” both Crystal and Frank say, offended.

  Crystal carries on with the harangue. “You can always claim to be reading to yourself.”

  “Yeah,” Frank agrees. “Some people read better when they mouth the words.”

  “But that’s not how they’re going to stop us,” Crystal says.

  “How are they going to catch you guys?” Todd asks. This situation doesn’t affect him since he can’t afford the vocal contact lens, but as his friends are
clearly upset, he feigns interest.

  “I guess they’ve got some kind of blocker and can stop voc signals.”

  Todd smiles and shows off his cell phone. “The three of us can still text.”

  “That’s right!” Frank exclaims happily. He and Frank slap hands and grip fingers. Then Frank and Crystal do the same. Crystal raises her hand for Todd, who pretends not to notice by picking some lint off his sock. He really wants to slap hands with Crystal, but he is petrified of making physical contact with her.

  Looking up, trying to appear jovial, Todd exclaims, “Thank Hadrian for old school!”

  “Yeah, but,” Crystal adds, a little miffed by Todd’s rejection, “old school tech can never replace a voc.” With vocal contact lenses, one can contact a friend anytime by simply blinking an eye and saying his name. By searching for the right icon and blinking it open, a visor scans out from the eyes to form a nearly invisible screen, allowing for virtual face-to-face contact. One can watch vids, movies, and concerts, play games—a person can do just about anything using the voc. For the more flamboyant, microphones and speakers come in nicely camouflaged jewelry, often worn as an earring. For the artistically bent, there are options like tactile tattoos or, for the more modest individuals, a small implant that can be easily installed behind one earlobe.

  Franks muses over the situation a little and declares, “The ban won’t last long anyway.”

  “Why not?” Crystal looks on inquisitively.

  “All the teachers have contacts now, even Mr. Gavin!” Mr. Gavin is Pride High’s principal. “It won’t be long before they’ll want access again.”

  “So true,” Crystal agrees. “Nobody wants to be unhooked from their voc.”

  “At most,” Frank figures, “this ban will last two or three days.”

  “Can we get back to studying?” Todd asks, weary of a discussion that has nothing to do with him.

  “Okay.” Crystal recaps what they’ve covered. “Hadrian maintains ten million. We’ve reviewed the rationale for the one child law, and now, Frank, it’s your turn. How many children can a registered couple apply for?”

  “Easy. Two.”

  “Nope.” Looking Todd’s way, Crystal asks, “Do you know?”

  Clearly confused, Todd defends Frank’s answer. “How could it be anything but two?”

  “Come on, you guys,” Crystal is clearly disgusted. “That was a trick question. You know Mr. Reiner loves trick questions.” They both look stunned, neither knowing the answer. Crystal sighs, answering for them. “A registered couple can apply for as many children as they want.” Smiling now, enjoying the boys’ confusion, Crystal explains, “The majority of couples only get approved for two babies, BUT it is possible even today, mostly due to 6-13, that some couples get approved for a third child. It’s like slots on a roulette wheel. The majority say two children, two or three slots say three children, and one slot even says four.” She accents the number by wiggling four fingers.

  Frank is intrigued; he would love to have a lot of children. “You mean to say there are registered couples out there with four children?” The size of the family seems incomprehensible.

  “Yes,” Crystal replies triumphantly. “Since 6-13—”

  “You said that already,” Todd remonstrates. He is trying not to feel any remorse, but so much emphasis on this one date is beginning to bother him.

  Frank gives Crystal a daunting stare and mouths the words, “His father.”

  “I’m so sorry, Todd.” Leaning forward, she places a hand on his knee. “But,” she adds gently, “this will be on the test.”

  Todd closes his eyes briefly to summon up his inner strength, “I know. You’re right. We have to study it. I’ll be okay.” Looking now to Frank, the one he knows is truly worried, he states, “I will…I am…I’ll be…I’m fine.”

  Crystal, sensing the need to move past this part of their review as quickly as possible, pushes on. “So, since…that date…the government put together a lottery for which only registered couples can apply. And they get hundreds of thousands of applications!” Crystal is quite exclamatory. “Every year since…five hundred registered couples’ names are drawn and awarded the privilege of having a third child. These couples are given extra tax credit for raising a third, and in the odd case, a fourth child. The need to rebuild our population, to maintain a population of ten million as established in our constitution, requires a little levity with the one child law. And, remember, this opportunity is only for registered couples.” Giving both boys a stern look, she adds, “I guarantee you this will be on the test. It was part of our required reading.” When Todd and Frank flush with shame, Crystal rightly surmises that neither boy bothered to download the text assigned them by their teacher. Sounding more like a parent now than a friend, Crystal lectures the two young men, “You had better take the time to read through that material tonight.” Switching smoothly, too smoothly, from lecture mode to teasing, Crystal’s green eyes begin to gleam. She has been looking forward to this next topic of study. “So, which of you boys can tell me how a woman might avoid having to raise a child of her own?”

  “Easy,” Frank chimes. His eyebrows rise and he smirks Crystal’s way, pleased at being able to return taunt for taunt. “Expose yourself.” Enjoying the moment, he adds, “One of the first things they do to a strai at re-ed is sterilization.” Any youth exposed as straight either has her tubes tied or, for a young man, a vasectomy. The DNA of an exposed individual is deemed tainted and not worthy of future Hadrian citizens. Clapping his hands triumphantly, Frank rubs them together before shooting an index finger into Crystal’s face. “You’d never have to have a baby then!”

  “True!” More than irked, Crystal’s answer is clipped. “If my question were in reference to the re-ed class, you’d be right, but it wasn’t, so you’re wrong!” Barging on now to keep Frank from interjecting, she explains, “I’m talking about normal lesbians.” Smiling with superiority, she states, “There is a way for a lesbian to avoid raising her own child if she so chooses.”

  A little irked at Crystal’s superior attitude, Frank becomes demanding. “Quit beating around the bush, then. How do you plan to avoid raising a child?”

  “The surrogate goddess is free to exempt herself from raising her own child.”

  “Why?” Todd asks, confused.

  “Since a surrogate is asked to give up all but one infant at birth, and psychological studies found it too hard on a woman’s psyche to keep one child and give up the rest, a surrogate goddess has the option of not keeping any of the babies she births. Apparently,” she explains, “once you’ve raised a child you have given birth to, it becomes exceedingly difficult for a woman to give up the other children she births for men.”

  “Makes sense,” Todd says.

  Although miffed at having to agree with Crystal’s reasoning, Frank adds, “That’s why most surrogates quit after they birth their own child.”

  “Meaning she has to be an elder parent! But enough of this,” Wanting to avoid having it out again with Frank, Crystal decides it is time to move on. “Next topic.” Looking to Todd, her strongest ally in the room, she asks, “What does it mean for a country to be entrapped?”

  Leaning back, Todd cradles one knee inside his hands before remarking, “You know, I heard on Salve! that nearly two-thirds of the world’s remaining countries are entrapped. Eagleton says it won’t be long before Hadrian is the only country left that is able to sustain itself.”

  “That’s good, Todd; it shows you understand the concept, but you haven’t defined what it means.” Looking up, she says, “Frank, you define it.”

  Frank looks at Todd, trying to remember what he said, lifting the meaning out of context. “It must mean trapped somehow.” Looking at Crystal, he says, “Trapped inside their borders, maybe?” Stopping her before she can give him the answer, he adds, “Wait, no. Todd said something about Hadrian being self-sustaining.” Looking into Todd’s eyes, the answer comes to him. “Maybe a coun
try that is entrapped can’t sustain its own people. Too many people and not enough natural resources to keep everyone alive.”

  “Good, Frank!” Crystal slaps his hand and they grip fingers. They are actually friendly again in this moment.

  Looking back into Todd’s eyes, Frank asks, “Did you say two-thirds of the world’s countries are entrapped?”

  “According to Mama Elena, they all are.” Crystal once again leaps in with the correct answer. “If what Mama Elena says is right, Hadrian is the only self-sustaining country left on the planet.”

  “Are you serious?” Todd is shocked.

  Crystal adds to the tension. “What’s left of Canada can’t hold its own, far less the rest of the world. Most countries have collapsed; the world economy is completely shattered.” Breathing a sigh of relief, she adds, “Thank all that is gay and glorious we finally cut ourselves off from the rest of the world!” The events of 6-13 created so much fear in Hadrian’s citizens that the government cut off all but the most important trade. Although Hadrian continues to export much needed fresh water and grain to the outside world, importation has been radically reduced.

  “I know,” Todd adds, “There is so little usable land left; most of the soil out there is depleted as a result of overuse and erosion.”

  “That’s exactly what Mama Elena said, Todd.” Then turning to Frank with conviction, Crystal says, “You see, Frank, that is why our wall has to be defended, at all cost. If Mama Elena is right and Hadrian is the only sustainable country left, the threat from the outside world is only going to get worse.” This sobering thought causes the three to sit in silence, considering what their tour of duty on the wall will be like two short years from now if scholarships are not forthcoming. Even Crystal (who plans to make the military her career) knows their lives will be in danger as long as they remain in the service. Once again, Crystal diverts their attention. “But we digress. Tomorrow’s test will be on Hadrian’s Procreation Laws and—”