by Amelia June
"My fellow Americans," the President said, "in my hand I hold a blood test performed on my beloved wife, Nina. This test was performed by the best doctors in the country, and analyzed by Reprotech Labs. These good men of science tell me I have wonderful news to share with you. I am going to be a father."
At that, the House chamber erupted in gasps and shouts, and Abby's jaw dropped in shock. She reached the podium just in time to see Edan helping Nina Jones to the microphone. Holy shit. She's pregnant? But, how? Before she could ruminate further, the President continued his speech.
"That's right. I know what you are thinking--how could I conceive a child with my wife when the rest of the country has been laid barren by The Reaper? I can give you the answer you've been longing for, the secret to reclaiming our fertility. I have done nothing special, nothing different, and neither has Nina. The reason God has granted us this miracle is clear. He is rewarding us. I have been faithful to His word; I have guided the country and you, the people, toward a brighter future. Thanks to my efforts, God has rewarded me with this blessed event."
Given that she is standing right here with us, I somehow doubt God had much to do with this. At least, not in the way he thinks. Abby chuckled to herself, and let Edan position her on the left of the First Lady, who was looking very nervous.
The President went on but it was time for Jordan to work his magic. Edan stepped up to the podium, nodded briefly in his husband's direction, then looked straight at the camera with all the charm and wisdom he could muster. Jordan activated the elaborate hack he had designed, and sure enough, Edan's face appeared in place of the President's on the screen before him. Abby saw Jordan do a little happy dance, then hit his stopwatch. He had five minutes before his feed could be traced and shut down.
Across America, people watching the President's speech appeared startled to see someone else appear on their televisions. Even on the large screens within the House chamber, the President's face was replaced by Edan's. A hush fell over the audience, and everyone seemed frozen in time as Edan began to speak
"Hello, America. My name is Edan Jameson, and I am an activist here in Washington. I'm standing here on the steps of the Capitol building, forced to steal air time from the President himself in order to get the truth to you, the American people. I want to tell each of you that what the President claims is entirely false. There is solid scientific evidence that reproduction is no longer possible between two people any longer.
"I know this may be upsetting to hear, and I know you may have heard this rumor before. I want to say now that this is no rumor, this is a scientific fact. I have evidence from two former employees of Reprotech Labs that proves it takes two men to fertilize one egg. But that is not all. I have acquired a report from the Centers for Disease Control. This report was delivered to the President of the United States no less than six months ago. In this report, the nation's top scientists have come to the same conclusions about fertility. The President knew about this long ago, and chose to cover up the information in a corrupt attempt to spread his own religious agenda. Both of these documents can be found at the website now being shown on your screen."
Abby saw Jordan double check the feed to make sure the website was added to the bottom. Silence dominated both the House chamber and the steps outside. No one made a sound or a movement. Inside the House chamber, Abby could hear nothing at first, then the President said, "I want that criminal arrested this instant. Get him off the air now." Abby whispered this to Franklin, and he nodded reassuringly. Edan continued his speech.
"That is not all I have to tell you tonight, and I don't have much time left before they shut us down. I want to introduce you to Nina Jones, the President's wife." Edan stepped back and put his arm around the First Lady, who looked terrified but somehow fierce, resolute. "I know the President just told you that Mrs. Jones is pregnant with his child. That was not a lie, she is indeed pregnant, and the President is the father. But that is not the entire truth. Mrs. Jones?" Edan stepped just to her side, allowing her the stage but remaining near her for support. She blinked, dazed by the crowd and the camera lights, but then nodded once to herself and began to speak.
"Thank you, Mr. Jameson. I only have one thing to add here. I am pregnant, and the President is the father. But he is not the only father. I have known the truth behind conception only a short time. As soon as I discovered there was a way to become pregnant, I knew I had to try. I've wanted nothing more than a child of my own, just as many of you have been longing for a baby to nurture. So, I made it happen. I went behind my husband's back and had an affair within hours of being with him. I had to know if it would work. My child has two fathers, and now any of you that want to have a child can do so. No prayer is necessary, no miracles required. Simply find two willing, loving men and one woman, and make life. That is the true miracle here, and I believe God has granted us this knowledge. I hope for each of you the joy I have found in my own pregnancy. Thank you." Her clear voice rang out to a crowed stunned to silence.
Before anyone could react, Van Sant arrived at the protest with a cadre of security officers and police. They waded in the crowd, intent on arresting Edan and shutting down the broadcast. The crowd responded almost immediately, forming a blockade and preventing the men from moving through. Soon, fighting broke out between the crowd and security. Secret servicemen were pushing and shoving people out of their way, and the crowd, incensed by the news that their government had been lying to them, fought back.
Jordan and Edan locked eyes over the mayhem, and in an instant read each other's thoughts. They had to protect Abby. Jordan left the camera on, focused only on protecting his wife and unborn child from harm. Edan turned and pulled Abby away from the throng of people and Jordan tried to find the quickest way through the chaos to get to them. Abby and Edan watched him fight his way through, and Abby's grip on Edan's arm tightened with fear.
"Jordan, look out," she screamed, useless in the insane noise of the crowd. A secret serviceman raised his baton, poised to strike the back of Jordan's head. Jordan somehow sensed him, or perhaps Abby's warning, and turned just in time to duck the blow. Around him, people were falling to the ground while others were grappling with each other. A few kind souls were trying to get the injured away to keep them from getting trampled. Abby saw more blood than she expected, and realized that the police were using batons everywhere, violently attacking anyone blocking their way to the podium. Abby shook her head in shock--what happened to the peaceful protest they had planned?
As she stood, transfixed with the horror before her, she heard an unearthly scream from behind her, then a gunshot. She turned to see Cal Franklin facedown in a widening pool of blood, and President Jones standing at the podium, holding a gun to his wife's head.
"Blasphemer! Whore! Lustful, sinful woman!" The President shouted into the microphone, causing the entire scene to freeze. Every person there turned to face the podium. Jones was raving mad, his eyes wild and darting from person to person, gun held firmly at his wife's temple. Nina looked terror stricken, all color drained from her face. She had gone limp. Security forces eyed each other, then dropped their batons and released the people they were holding. Edan grabbed Abby and pulled her tight against the wall of the Capitol building, but she pulled her arm free.
Moving as surreptitiously as possible to Franklin, ignoring Edan's pull on her arm, she knelt to assess the damage. She could vaguely hear the President's ravings, but her focus had shifted to the man before her. She felt for a pulse and got nothing. She turned him over, discovering a massive exit wound in his chest. He was dead, likely before he even hit the ground. Whatever else the President was, he was a murderer. Abby began to shake, suddenly aware that she was in close proximity to a lunatic, someone who would not hesitate to kill her. She felt a shadow fall over her, and looked up to see that Jordan had managed to get to her with the distraction. He leaned down and whispered to her, "Abby, go, there's nothing else you can do for him." She stood slowly, not wanting
to attract Jones' attention, but somehow he noticed the activity in the background and swung around, holding his wife but pointing the gun at her and Jordan.
The crowd gasped as one entity, and the secret service began to cautiously move toward the President, intent on taking him down. Edan saw the President's attention shift to his wife and husband, and broke out in a sprint until he was between them and Jones. Jones, who had been shouting incoherently at his wife suddenly went silent, and brought the gun level with Edan's chest.
"Jameson. You have done this. You have corrupted my wife, poisoned her mind with your lies and wicked libidinous ways. She has joined with you in Satan's depravity. Yes, yes, Lord, I hear you! I will follow your commandment. Did you hear Him, Jameson? No, a fag like you would not hear the word of the Lord. Nina, though, Nina heard. You are not so far gone, my wife. Rejoice, for the Lord has shown us how to bring you back to the light! Rejoice!"
Abby saw Nina groping for words, but none came. Edan stood fast, despite the gun pointed at him, protecting his family from this evil man. Jones took aim and screamed, "Back to Hell, sinner!" and fired at Edan. As he fired, his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed, taking his wife down with him. Edan fell, the impact of the bullet knocking him back into Jordan's arms. Abby shrieked and time stood still as she realized her beloved had been shot.
* * * *
Jones began to seize, his body shaking wildly, and Nina ducked out from under him and ran until a secret serviceman grabbed her and shielded her. Jones fell off the steps and into the crowd. Like a living thing the crowd first moved back, then in on Jones, until he was swarmed with people. When his seizure ended he looked up into the stars, thanking God for the chance to redeem his wife, and he began to rise. The sky was suddenly obliterated by what appeared to be thousands of faces, the faces of fags and sinners. The last thing Jones saw was these people closing in on him, intent on sending him to wherever God intended him to go.
* * * *
8:00 p.m.
At some point ambulances were called, the crowd was subdued by the teams of police who arrived ten minutes too late, and the camera feed was shut off. Abby watched it all in a daze. All she could think about was Edan. He lay in Jordan's lap, awake but drowsing. He was bleeding from the gunshot wound in his leg, and Abby had done the best she could to tie a tourniquet. Soon the paramedics were taking him to the local hospital, Abby and Jordan close by his side. They did not see the medical examiner declare Cal Franklin dead, or see them collect the ruined remains of President Michael Jones. The crowd was questioned by police then sent home. The huge crowd of journalists and lawmakers were cleared to leave the House chamber, having watched the entire scene from inside. The television crews began to interview congressmen and cabinet members about the incident for the evening news. The reporters, suddenly freed of their obligation to conceal the truth, began asking the hard questions, reporting the whole truth for the first time in months.
Later in the hospital, a detective came by to interview Jordan and Abby, and they told the truth about their plans.
"Well, I don't see as how any arrests can be made. The scene is such a mess, with the President and all, that I don't know what kind of charges could even be brought. Hell, some would argue the entire rally was self defense." Abby could tell he was sympathetic to their cause, and she let out a sigh of relief.
"But what about Mrs. Jones?" she asked. "She risked everything, including her life, to speak on our behalf. Is she all right--is her baby all right?"
"I'm afraid I can't give you any information--but I can say that yes, she and the baby seem to be fine."
"Oh good. What about the President? What will happen to him now?"
"Once the smoke cleared and we got people out of the way, we discovered that the President was dead." Abby and Jordan's jaws dropped--dead?
"Oh my God. How?"
"This is public information, so I can share it with you. As far as anyone can tell, he suffered a grand mal seizure and suffered irreversible brain damage. The people at the scene tried CPR--even after watching him shoot two people, the protesters helped him--but he didn't make it."
After the detective left, the reality of where she was hit Abby again. My husband was shot. My God. As she prayed, she noted the irony of praying to a God who supposedly wanted her husband dead in the first place. She shuddered at the thought, but pushed it aside.
Jordan tried to get her to sleep, but she would not abandon her vigil for Edan, so together they waited, leaning on each other in the hard plastic chairs until the doctor came out to speak to them.
Epilogue
February 25th, 2009
"Push, honey, push!"
The voice seemed to come from another world as her entire world focused on her body, on opening wide enough and pushing hard enough to expel the tiny life inside her. Someone lifted each of her legs until it felt like her knees were behind her ears.
"You need to push now, sweetheart," said someone else, the nurse, she thought vaguely.
She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air and pushed, pushed hard. She felt something inside her rip apart as the head of her little one emerged into the world. She let her breath out in a whoosh and heard the doctor tell her to stop as they suctioned the baby's mouth. Another contraction tore through her and she felt her body push, almost against her will, and the baby flowed out of her in one mad rush of blood and fluid. Soon after she heard a tiny cry, then a gusty wail. She laughed, tears pouring down her cheeks, as her baby protested the abrupt lack of warmth and darkness.
"It's a boy," said the doctor, and she nodded. She had known all along, even before he was conceived, that she was to have a son. Her friend Sarah, holding her left leg, smiled down at her and wiped her face gently with a cloth. Jeff, the baby's father, gathered the child up in his arms as soon as the nurses allowed. He brought her boy to her, and Nina pulled him to her breast, folding back the cloth to admire the life she had helped to create.
Now warm and snug, the baby gazed up at her with beautiful blue eyes. She returned his gaze and they connected, mother and child, for the first time. Soon he grew tired of staring and began to root around, looking for food. She laughed, proud to have a healthy boy, and the nurse helped her latch the baby on her breast.
"What's his name?" asked Sarah, crying herself as she watched her husband's son nurse eagerly.
"Gabriel," said Nina proudly, exhaustion starting to creep into her voice. "Gabriel Calvin Montez." Sarah's eyes lit up at the last. Nina had chosen to give the baby Tom's last name, rather than her own. She wanted his life, from the very beginning, to be filled with love and hope. She did not want him to have any artifact of the pain and tragedy that brought about his creation. She thought for a fleeting moment about Michael, wondering if he was in a better place now. She felt a chill creep up her spine, a familiar feeling of fear and hurt. The baby started to fuss, a tiny cry. She looked down to see him looking up at her again. He held her gaze for a moment, then went back to the breast. She took a breath, and felt the love of her son begin to heal the hurt of her past. She lost herself in him, and all thoughts of her husband fled her mind, leaving behind only peace.
* * * *
June 15th, 2009
The day was beautiful, if quite warm. Tucson was usually scorching hot this time of year, but God had granted them a slight reprieve in an early summer storm. Abby stepped out on to the balcony of their hotel room and looked out at the desert. Everything was in bloom, cactus flowers sprouted everywhere she looked. They had missed wildflower season but the cactus plants were all sprouting colorful blooms giving a cheerful look to the harsh landscape. Jordan joined her, holding two glasses of juice. She leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, and together they spent a quiet moment simply with each other. Quiet moments were few and far between since their daughter had arrived a little over five months ago, and they cherished their time together. Soon they heard a wail from inside the room, and seconds later Edan eme
rged with little Sandra in his arms.
"I think she's hungry, Mama," he said, handing the baby over to Abby for nursing.
"What else is new?" said Abby, sitting down to nurse her daughter in the open air. She smiled down at the little girl, amazed still at the life they had created. She was a dynamo, already trying to sit up and getting frustrated when she couldn't move herself from place to place as she wanted to. Before long she would be crawling. The three of them gazed down at their daughter as they often did, caught up in the joys and trials of new parenthood.
This day was special, though. When the baby was done eating, they all went inside. Each of them bustled around, getting ready. Time passed quickly as they showered, dressed and played with the baby, taking a moment here and there for a quick hug or gentle kiss. All of them had waited for this day for a long time, especially Edan, who had spent his entire career working toward the very thing he was about to do.
* * * *
Abby was resplendent in her gown as she walked down the aisle toward her two beloveds. They stood on either side of the aisle, and off to one side Edan's sister held the baby in her arms. When Abby arrived, Jordan and Edan each slipped an arm through hers and they faced the officiant together.
"Today, we gather here before friends and family of these three people, asking you to bear witness to their union. Soon, they will join their lives in marriage, though their lives have been joined by love and the bond of parenthood already." The officiant went through the ceremony the three of them had written themselves, and in the end, they each exchanged vows and held hands once more in a circle.
"By the power vested in me by the state of Arizona, I now pronounce you married, in the eyes of all gathered here and the eyes of the law. You may kiss each other!" A cheer rose from the crowd of friends who had made the trek to Tucson to witness one of the first legal poly marriages in the country. Abby, Edan and Jordan, while thrilled, cared nothing for politics at that moment, and leaned forward to kiss each other for the first time as legal spouses. Abby took Sandra and the four of them stood together, in a circle of love that could not be broken.