Eutopia (Lloyd Hansen AU)

14

"Well?" Lloyd asked as Autumn emerged from the bathroom one morning a couple of weeks later. "Did you do it?" She nodded and then showed him the test. He exhaled deeply with some disappointment.  He'd have hoped she'd have been fertile enough to fall pregnant straight away, unlike some of the other disappointments in town who still hadn't produced a child for their husband's, but these things always took their damn time - and he was an impatient man.

"It doesn't happen straight away. We know this".  Autumn now said, not wondering whether she should feel relief that nothing had happened yet, or fear that it would never.

"Obviously". He said, chucking the test into the bin and then turning to Autumn. "But have you been taking all your vitamins Auty? All the pills Doctor Emerson gave you?" He had to ensure that she was being a good girl, a good wife.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I have! You really think I'm not?"

Autumn had toyed with the idea of not taking anything that Emerson gave her at all, but Lloyd would only suspect something, and would most likely end up force feeding them to her all at once. Perhaps even worse. It was no secret that some of the wives had suffered in various ways when they had disappointed their husband's. Even Eva bore scars as a result.

But Lloyd?

Lloyd could potentially do worse than that and choose to make a real example of her. Of what would happen of a wife failed in her duty.

He now hung his head and then looked back up at her. "I know you are".

She frowned. "Have you been counting my pills..."

"I have to keep track as to whether you're taking them Auty, I'm not about to let you off that easily". He snapped, "You can't afford to miss a pill, okay?"

"Is there ever a moment where you're not constantly watching every move I make?" She now questioned, knowing full well what his answer was.

He stared at her darkly. "No".

"If we're to have somewhat of a happy and calm marriage then how the fuck do you expect us to do that if you can't trust me?"

"Yet". He corrected her. "Can't trust you yet". The emphasis was on that one word alone.

"And will you ever?" Autumn became irritable as she now walked downstairs and into the kitchen, beginning to make a start of breakfast. "Because you can't just not trust me, Lloyd. I'm here, I married you, I'm trying to help conceive a damn kid so as your crazy project can grow!" She didn't care if she raised her voice, she was annoyed and as a result he would probably try and choke her or something drastic as punishment - but if it got her point across then she didn't care.

His hand now gripped her wrist hard and pulled her away from the counter, her back now connecting hard with the wall. "Don't you try and fucking lecture me about happy marriages, pickle" He hissed as he pinned her there. "You've been such a good girl Auty, why do you have to spoil it now?"

"By just wanting a perfectly happy marriage? How am I spoiling things!"

"By talking your smart ass back at me!" Lloyd pushed her against the wall a little more. "Don't you ever talk back or question my choices, Autumn. Do you understand?"

Autumn nodded silently and Lloyd let her go. He was frustrated, she knew that. He'd been expecting good news and yet she'd not been able to give it to him this time. But he needed to see that they had to be realistic.

She went back to cooking breakfast without another word, whilst he sat at the dining table with a whiskey, looking over some files of some targets that he was going to be eliminating sooner rather than later.

Autumn placed his plate in front of him before sitting herself in the chair next to his. The silence being a little unbearable.

He had noticed it too.

"Auty..." she looked up and saw him still looking at the files, eyes now flickering up from the pages to meet her own. "I don't wanna hurt you, but the way you're going? Do you want the other wives to see the marks I'll leave? You're their influence - don't make me do something I don't wanna".

Autumn didn't look at him. "Nobody's ever perfect Lloyd - even me. Punish me for all I care, but all I can say is that I just want to feel...safe here".

"We are fucking safe! It's what I've been telling you since you arrived".

"But no woman is really is she? Because if she disobeys or puts one foot out of line, she's punished. How are we supposed to feel any safety or respect if that happens?"

"You respect your husband and be thankful for being here - that's the bottom line". He chucked the files onto the table and downed his whiskey, slamming the glass down. "And if you're not pregnant by the end of the year? Well...I then need to reconsider my choice of a wife".

He pushed his chair back and got up, taking the files and heading out the front door. Autumn now flinched at the hard slam it made.

Being Lloyd Hansens wife may have had everyone thinking she was privileged, when really she was anything but that.

And now the clock would be ticking...