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“You are going through with this, aren’t you?” Rober accused Drew.
Drew ran around the kitchen doing last minute preparations; he couldn’t believe Rober had cut his business trip short to revisit the argument he thought settled two months ago. He wouldn’t have started the down this path if he didn’t believe he had Rober’s full support. “It’s the only way with the new laws.”
“Damn politicians need to get out of the bedroom.”
“It’s not the bedroom that is the issue, it’s the nursery.” Drew pulled out the chicken breasts to lay a couple slices of Swiss cheese on them and pour a splash of wine before returning the entrée to the oven. “And society has the responsibility to regulate the care and training of its future members.”
“The only reason to restrict artificial insemination to married couples it to keep gays from making babies.” Rober growled. He bit back several curses about republicans and conservative values, knowing Drew’s adamant support of tradition, even after a decade under the military’s don’t ask-don’t tell. Or was that especially after serving an institution that specialized in hating homosexual and brainwashing its members?
“True. And in a couple years it will tumble because of the discrimination. Already single women everywhere are fighting the law.”
“Then wait … or go to Canada. Or Europe.” Rober begged.
Drew shook his head as he carried the salad to the formally set table. “No, I want our child to be an American.”
“It’s not our child!” Rober grabbed the smaller, but stronger man by the shoulders. “We can’t have children. It will be you and this slut.”
Drew broke away. “Brie is not a slut.”
“Prostitute, then. She will be having sex for money.”
“Because it is the only way!”
“No, it’s not.” Rober countered. “We could adopt.”
“I want at least one my own child, not someone else’s.” Drew said firmly, adding some bread to the oven for final warming. “We can adopt a couple more later, but I want one of mine now.”
“Hypocrite. You talk about overpopulation but are just adding to the problem when thousands of children are looking for dads.”
“And you know how hard it is for a single person to adopt. I’ve been trying ever since I left the Navy. Somehow I never qualify.” Drew’s sarcastic tone admitted he knew why he didn’t qualify even after serving two tours in the Mid-East.
“So you are just going to pay a woman to have sex and carry your kid.” Rober threw up his hands. “That is just sick and obsessive.”
The doorbell rang as they stared daggers at each other.
“Guess that is your whore. Have fun tonight.”
Rober popped the collar of his sweater and stalked out the glass doors leading to their deck and down to the bench. He didn’t look back.
(474 words – originally appearing at Breathless Press 10/21/13 for the 8/5/12 Sunday Fun and published on Erin Penn’s First Base blog on 11/3/2013. Republished under the new format for 1/10/2016.)\