The Future Of Love (book 1)

complication

I lie with my head at the foot of the black sheeted bed as Patrick had his head at the head of the bed covered by the dark sheets. every thing that had just happened was horrible, and painful for both of us. but with Patrick's gentleness and care it was the least worst and hurtful thing that has happened to me today. I just wanted to go home, right now I would probably be eating dinner with mom, dad, Eric, and Maggie.

"do you wish you were home?" I asked Patrick.

"yeah, with my mother. I was the youngest of four children so I can't even go see her now that she's an elder." Patrick said sadly.

"what happened to your father?" I asked.

"he died repairing the wall, that was his job" Patrick said. and I briefly wondered what job Patrick would be assigned to after our first child was born. "what about your parents?" he asked.

"their very normal. My father works as a farmer, and my mother was a very good mother." I said "do you believe in the middle world?" I asked him abruptly.

"no, not at all. those are just stories kids tell each other. my father told me when I was little that its just a barren waste land out there, nothing survived the war, not even a tree." he said.

"they say The Middle world is full of color and the greenist grass you've ever seen, and tall tall trees." I smiled to myself trying to imagine all of it. Patrick chuckled at me from across the bed.

"you seem like a dreamer" he said and In the dark I could tell he was smiling even in the dark bedroom.

"I am, I think I got it from my brother Ben. he use to tell me stories when I was little all the time, he wasn't scared of anything. I never saw him again after he got married, I herd they moved him across the New World." I said.

"that happened to my older sister, the crest came back to visit, but not her." Patrick said. "she was a lot like you, you know."

"what was her name?" I asked him.

"Lucy." he replied. there was a long since for a moment.

"can we go visit your family tomorrow?" he asked making me sit up in excitement.

"really?!" I said hearing him laugh again.

"of course. we have to show them what a great match we are... or you know, pretend to be." he said.

"if you got to choose you match, who would you of chose?" I asked. Patrick thought for a moment before he spoke.

"I don't know, I've never thought about it." he said. "what about you?" he asked.

"maybe my friend Pete, he was always in my class growing up." I said not knowing who else to pick.

we both fell asleep soon in the dark room.

----------

I woke up, got dressed and made Patrick breakfast, just as I should, men were not taught to cook and women were not taught to work, we had our places.

"good morning." he said cheerfully fully clothed but still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and a hand through his messy hair.

"morning Patrick." I replied giving him a smile and set the toast and eggs down in front of him.

"how do you think it turned out last night?" he asked me.

"they will probably be here soon with the answer, but I'd say it went well." I said sitting down across the table from him reminding me of yesterday when we became matches. it wasn't all that bad, really. I don't even know why I was so upset about it, it happens to all people.

we finished breakfast and I was doing the dishes when there was a knock at the door.

"that's probably a head" Patrick said referring to a person from our government as he answered the door. that's what everyone called them, heads.

Patrick answer end the door for a lady with short brown hair, bright smile wearing a black suit, the shiny metal buttons on the black blazer were the only accent to the outfit. she had an object in her hand which I recognized instantly.

"good morning Stumps" she said making my new last name unpurpousfully sound funny. I quit my dishes for now and went over and took a seat on the couch before Patrick shook her hand and they both had a seat on the white couch with me.

"how was your first night?" she asked us.

"everything went well, were both happy as each others match" Patrick said.

"I'm glad to hear that. well, without further delay..." she said and placed the silver object over my clothes onto my stomach as Patrick smiled big and took my hand.

suddenly a pout appeared on the head's face.

"I'm sorry to tell you that it didn't seem to work." she said.

"w-what do you mean?" Patrick asked confused. "it had to of, she took the pill and everything." Patrick protested. the head reached into her blazer pocket and produced another tiny pill, which she watched me take.

"for some couples, it just takes a few tries." she smiled. "do you have any questions or concerns.

"no, thank you" he said as they stood up and shook hands again, "I'll be back in the morning." she said and Patrick and I both nodded before she left. I waited for a bit until after she was gone to cry.

"what's wrong Bethany?" Patrick asked as I felt the couch sink in beside me letting me know he was right there.

"what's wrong with me?" I cried. not being able to have a child was looked down upon, it made you feel and look useless, I was worried about being shunned and alone from rumors I herd about women who couldn't have children.

"its okay, like the head said, it may take a couple tries." he said trying to make me feel better.

"what if I can't" I said. he gently put his hand under my chin and raised my head to look at him.

"it will happen." he said gently before he dropped his hand. "we should go visit your parents now, it will make you feel better." he smiled lifting my spirits once again.

Patrick and I smiled at my mother as she opened the door for us with a surprised look on her face then tears in her eyes as she hugged me tightly.

"I'm so glad to see you" she said then released me and took a look at Patrick then hugged him too.

"I'm glad you brought her to see me" she said into their hug and snifled then released him. "come in kids" the smile had returned to her face as she spoke. I knew dad was at work and the kids were at school but at least I got to see her. I took a seat at the kitchen table with mom and Patrick did the same.

"well you got a good looking match." my mom laughed making Patrick go red in the face. "so, I've been dying to know. out with it, what gender is the first?" my mother said with a huge smile on her face only for Patrick to hang his head.

"mom, it didn't work. we have to try again." I said sort of grimly breaking the news to her. she tilted her head as if she didn't understand.

"I've herd for some couples it takes a few times, nothing to worry about." she said patting my arm very motherly. "you, are you sure you're doing everything right?" my mother asked Patrick making his face burn a brighter red.

"yes." he said clearly embarrassed.

"I'm just worried, I guess I don't want anything to happen..." my mother trailed off thoughtlessly with a worried look on her face.

"like what?" Patrick asked.

"I mean it rarely does happen, but sometimes the heads take some sort of extra measure to make sure you have your four. I'm not too sure what it is, but I do know no one wants it." my mother said breaking out into sort of a whisper.

I had a feeling I didn't want to know either.