by Terrence Aym

Created on: September 29, 2009   Last Updated: October 13, 2009

Zero Point

"You have a beautiful baby boy, Josephine," the maternity nurse said. "We don't often see babies here; it's a big occasion for our facility."

She handed the infant to Josephine.

"I've been instructed by the administrator to schedule a consultation session with you. We'll conduct the session within the next several hours. In the meantime you can hold little - what did you name him?"

"His name is Anson."

"Oh yes, Anson. Well, you can hold Anson for awhile, but we will put him back in the nursery during your consultation session."

"I understand," Josephine replied. She smiled down at the new little life in her arms that was such a divine part of her.

Several hours later she sat in a wheelchair at one end of a long conference table. At the other end sat the maternity nurse, a bald-headed, heavyset man and a matronly woman with a pinched face and gray hair twisted back into a severe bun.

"Josephine," the pinched face woman began. "My name is Ms. Ratkov. I take it you are aware of the nature of this session?"

"Yes ma'am, I am."

"Good." She opened a file that lay before her on the table and consulted it briefly. "Now, when you allowed yourself to become pregnant you entered stage one of the process. After electing to forgo the automatic State abortion, you were placed into stage two. As is customary, the State offered you elective, free abortion four times during your pregnancy and postpartum abortion which is also customary. You chose not to avail yourself of any of those procedures. Is that accurate?"

"That is accurate, ma'am."

"Therefore you have now been categorized as a stage three. Do you understand the ramifications of stage three under the State's Zero Population Growth statutes of 2156?

"Yes ma'am, I do."

"Very well," Ms. Ratkov sighed, a slight hint of disgust shadowing her severe features. She turned to face the heavyset man. "Mr. Blanders, would you introduce yourself to Josephine and explain the legalities a postpartum woman faces under stage three?"

"I'll be happy to, Ms. Ratkov." Mr. Blanders cleared his throat, folded his hands on the table and addressed Josephine.

"Josephine, I'm Mr. Blanders. I am a State licensed psychologist and also an attorney conversant in the laws regarding zero population. I have reviewed your file and that of your husband, Bradford -

"My husband's name is Bradley, sir."

"Ahem, yes of course, Bradley." Mr. Blanders opened the thick file before him and shuffled some papers. "Josephine, we try to keep these sessions

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