The G. M. Os. - 18. Chapter 18 - Gene & Children, Part 1

Chapter 18
Ship Clock 262349
Abner (Abe) 34-793k
Gene & Children, Part 1

 

“Gene! Wake up! You didn’t shut off the alarm,” Abe said. He jostled his husband’s shoulder, but Gene didn’t wake up. “Gene! Wake up!”

But Gene didn’t wake up. Abe went out to the module and sent an emergency message to the clinic down at Commune Center requesting an ambulance. He didn’t know what else to do. He went back and shook Gene’s shoulder, but Gene just lay there in the bed breathing softly. Abe put on some clothes and his cross-trainers and went next door. After knocking on Ben and Peter’s door he waited impatiently. When it opened he didn’t know quite what to say.

“Peter, Gene won’t wake up,” he said.

“What do you mean, he won’t wake up.”

“I shook him, but he didn’t wake up. I called for an ambulance, but I don’t know what to do.”

“Wait for it, Abe. Do you want me to go with you to the clinic?”

“No, you have the kids to worry about. If you leave and we need someone to come down and pick us up, Ben won’t be able to come. But I am going with the ambulance.”

“Let us know if they have to transfer him to the med center in Central City. We’ll make arrangements for someone to come down to pick you up.”

“If they take him there, I’m going with them. I can send a message on a pay-module when I know what time I can come back.”

“You’ve got twins coming next week.”

“I know that, why do you think I’m worried. Wait, I hear a siren.”

“Okay, I’ll put some pants on and wait out here, okay?”

“Sure, thanks.”

The ambulance landed in the parking area and when one of the medics came out, Abe called out and directed him to his residence. He let the medic in and saw the other come out of the ambulance with the medical cases. He led them down to the bedroom and waited outside. He worried that something serious was wrong with Gene, but didn’t know what to do about it. So, he waited and worried.

“We’re going to have to take him directly to Central City. Do you want to go with us,” one of the medics said over his shoulder.

“Definitely, how is Gene?”

“To be honest, not good. He’s too young, but I think he’s had a stroke or hemorrhage. Go out by the ambulance and we’ll show you where to sit.”

At the med center, med-tech bots transferred Gene to one of their stretchers and Abe followed them into the building. They went directly down to the emergency room and told Abe to register Gene into the hospital. There was nothing he could do until the doctors were able to determine what was wrong with Gene. He went into the waiting room and nervously waited.

After an indeterminable time, someone walked over to where Abe was sitting and sat down beside him. Abe tried to smile, but the woman just shook her head.

“I’m afraid Eugenus had a massive cerebral hemorrhage that may be related to his preexisting mutational brain disorder. We won’t know the extent of the damage until the neurosurgeons get inside. I’ll have an escort bot to take you up to the surgery waiting room.”

“Thank you Doctor,” Abe said. Now, he was worried.

Four hours later, as Abe was waiting for news on Gene, an older man came out of the surgical suite and sat beside Abe. He could see the man was trying very hard to smile, but it was very disconcerting because he knew the news wasn’t going to be good.

“I’m Doctor Haraldan. The extent of injury to Eugenus’s brain was more extensive than the brain scan implied. Plus, there were the lesions from his mutational disorder. We installed nano bots to repair the damage and monitor his brain, but we can’t fully speculate on Eugenus’s prognosis at this time. I can say his recovery is going to take quite a long time. We’ll keep him in the ICU until he stabilizes from the surgery and then transfer him up to the surgery floor. From there, well, I speculate we’ll have to send him downstairs to rehab for a while. But all that depends on what occurs when he wakes up.”

“When can I see Gene?” Abe asked.

“I’ll have an escort bot to take you up to the ICU waiting room and when they get him setup you can go in. I would suggest you go home because, like I said, this is going to take a long time and, to be honest, I just don’t know how it’s going to turn out for Eugenus.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Thank you very much for helping Gene.”

Up in the ICU waiting room, Abe impatiently waited to see Gene come up from the recovery room. He was at a loss not knowing what to do. He didn’t want to leave, but knew he should. There wasn’t much he could do until he got news on how Gene was doing. But he knew one thing; he wasn’t going home until Gene woke up. He had to, at the very, know what the doctor was going to say about Gene’s prognosis.

After about an hour, a gurney came down the hall with a patient with a bandaged head and was plumbed and wired to a heart monitor. Abe was gladdened when he saw that it was Gene and he didn’t have a breathing tube down his throat. More waiting until he would be allowed into his husband’s room.

It took a while, but a nurse came out and said that he could go in and see Gene. Abe stood up, but was hesitant about walking in there, not knowing what he was going to see. He took a deep breath and followed the nurse.

Gene looked to be lying comfortably on the bed and his eyes were blinking as if something was wrong. Abe went up and said, “Hi, love, how do you feel?”

“Huh, who are you?”

“Gene, it’s Abe, what’s wrong?”

“Abe? Do I know you?”

“We’re married, Gene. You’re my husband.”

“Oh, okay, I guess. Have you seen my dadi? Is he here?”

“No, Gene, he isn’t.”

“Oh, okay, I guess, but don’t tell him I’m in the hospital, he’ll get mad and whip me.”

“Oh, Gene, what’s wrong with you?”

“I’m going to sleep now. Will you be here when I wake up?”

“Yes, Gene, I’ll be here.”

Abe went out and saw the nurse. He went over and said, “He didn’t remember me. He asked about his father who he hasn’t seen in fifty years. What’s wrong with him?”

“I can’t say, you’ll have to discuss this with Doctor Haraldan.”

“Any ideas?”

“I can’t speculate on Eugenus’s condition. As I said, you have to talk to the doctor and that won’t be until the morning. Do you want to stay here until then?”

“Yes, if I can.”

“Go out in the waiting room and I’ll notify the bots to arrange sleeping quarters.”

In the morning Abe went down to ICU and told the nurse he’d come to see Gene. She told him to sit in the waiting room because the doctor was in with Gene. There wasn’t anything Abe could do but wait.

In a few minutes Doctor Haraldan came out, sat beside Abe, and said, “I talked to Eugenus and he seems to have a degree of memory loss. Who is his dadi?”

“Gene hasn’t seen his father in fifty years. That’s what Gene called him when he was punished for making his father angry. When he came to stay with me he told me that started when his father found out that Gene had a brain disability and was not a genius as everyone assume because his sister is. Gene can read and understand simple things, but he can’t write and gets confused if given complicated instructions. We had a rocky start because I didn’t realize how much Gene wasn’t able to do. After that I’ve done everything I can to try to bring him up closer to his physical age, but I don’t think he’s even close to acting like a normal nineteen-year-old.”

“Yes, I reviewed the record of his mental examination back in 262036. I performed a memory test and he still thinks it’s Fourth Starsday Lagrangeth 262036. He may be able to recover the intervening memories, but I seriously doubt it. You can work with him to bring back the memories since he’s been with you, but that’s all we can hope for at this time. Plus, for the time being, he will have a short term memory deficit. Meaning, he won’t remember you seeing him this morning, but will probably be able to remember that tomorrow. We just can’t be certain because as hard as we try amnesia is still a mystery. You can go in and see him. Just talk as if you know who he is. Tell him you’re married to him. Tell him what’s going to happen in the near future. Tell him about your wedding. We’re just trying to bring back as much of his past as we can. Does any of this make sense?”

“Yes, I’ve been helping Gene for fifty years now and I’ll be helping him for a long time yet. Our children are coming next week so I’m going to have to go home and get the house ready.”

“Well, we’ll be keeping Gene for at least a month, but we’ll let you know when he’ll be coming home and we’ll arrange transport. I understand Bot Security is dealing with him in some way?”

“Yes, Doctor Haraldan, Gene broke a law when he was eleven and then when he was twelve, in 262036, he was sent back to prison for disrespecting the court order he was given to study molecular biology. That was when they found out he had the brain disability. I think he said that was in Lagrangeth.”

“That would explain why he identifies with that date. Well, you’ve got your work to do. It’s okay if you go home today. Do you need transport?”

“Well, I could use it, if you think you can arrange it.”

“I have connections. Go in and visit, the nurse will let you know when the bots will be here to pick you up.”

“Thank you, Doctor Haraldan.”

“Good luck, Abe.”

********

Abe went into Gene’s room, stood beside the bed, and said, “Good morning, love, how do you feel?”

“Okay, I guess. Do I know you? That man who was in here talked to me. I didn’t recognize him. Is he a friend or should I tell Dadi he’s dangerous. I don’t want to get in trouble and have Dadi whip me. Do I know you?”

“Gene, I’m your husband, Abe. Don’t you remember?”

“Can men marry each other? That doesn’t sound right to me, but you called me love. Why did you do that? I don’t think I even know you. I’m going to tell my Dadi when I see him. Do I know you?”

“Gene, calm down. We got married forty-nine years ago.”

“I can’t remember that. Do I know you?”

“I talked with the doctor and I know you can’t remember when we met and got together, so we have to think about now and the future. I just wish you could remember that we’re married. I wish you could remember that you wanted to come to the commune when you decided you couldn’t live with your parents anymore. You see, Gene, I love you. We’ve been in love for fifty years. That’s why we got married and why we’re adopting two children. Gene, you’re special to me and I want you to remember something about me.”

“You said I left my parents, but I’m only age twelve. I just got out of prison, but you say we’re married. Forty-nine years ago I was age ten and living with Mother and Dadi. But you said we’re married. How old am I?”

“Gene, you’re age nineteen, five hundred sixteen years old.”

“Nineteen? You mean I can’t remember over three hundred years of my life?”

“Yes, Gene, you’ve lost all of that. I hope you can get some of it back. I just wish you can at least remember we’re married.”

“If we’re married that would mean I’m a homosexual. Is that what I am?”

“Yes, Gene, we’re homosexuals and we love each other. That’s why we got married.”

“Do we have sex?”

“Yes, Gene, we have sex with each other.”

“Did you say your name is Abe?”

“Yes, Gene, I’m Abe and I’m your husband.”

“And you say we have sex. Is that because you say we’re married?”

“Yes, Gene, we have sex because we love each other. And that is why we got married because when people love each other they get married.”

“My father and mother are brother and sister. They’re not married. Is that right?”

“Yes, Gene, that’s how it works now here on Hercules III.”

“Oh, and you are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other.”

“Yes, Gene, that is all true.”

“I can’t remember any of that, but I want to believe you. What is today?”

“It’s Second Botsday Launch 262349.”

“Oh, thank you, Abe. Second Botsday Launch 262349. I’ll have to remember that. Second Botsday Launch 262349. Second Botsday Launch 262349. Botsday is a holiday, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Gene, Botsday is a holiday every week, just like Diosday. Unless you’re a farmer, like us.”

“Do we have an orchard? My father and mother have an orchard and also raise vegetables.”

“Gene, we raise ornamental shrubs and trees.”

“Is there money in that?”

“Yes, Gene, there is a lot of money in that market.”

“And your name is Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349. Is all of that correct, Abe?”

“Yes, Gene, my name is Abe, we are married, we are homosexuals, we have sex because we love each other, and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349.”

“You are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349. You are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349. You are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349. You are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349 and I am nineteen years old. You are Abe and we are married and we are homosexuals and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349 and I am age nineteen, five hundred sixteen years old. Yes, I have to remember that. Can you write that down for me?”

“Yes, let me get a piece of paper. I’ll be right back.”

Abe went out to the nurse’s station and got the paper and a pen. He wrote down: My name is Gene, my husband is Abe, we are married, we are gay, we have sex because we love each other, the month is Launch and it is 262349, and I am age nineteen, five hundred sixteen years old. He went back into the room and gave Gene the paper. Gene read the paper and looked up at Abe.

“What is gay? I thought you said we are homosexuals.”

“We refer to ourselves as being gay. A gay man is a homosexual.”

“Oh, okay, I guess. You didn’t put down that today is Second Botsday. Why didn’t you do that?”

“Gene, tomorrow will be Second Titansday. Everyday can’t be Botsday.”

“Oh, yeah, that makes sense, I guess. So, my name is Gene and my husband’s name is Abe and we are married and we are gay and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349 and I am age nineteen and five hundred sixteen years old. My name is Gene and my husband’s name is Abe and we are married and we are gay and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349 and I am age nineteen and five hundred sixteen years old. Yes, I have to remember that. My name is Gene and my husband’s name is Abe and we are married and we are gay and we have sex because we love each other and today is Second Botsday Launch 262349 and I am age nineteen and five hundred sixteen years old.”

The nurse came into the room and said, “Sir, the bots are here to take you back to your residence. I’ve called an escort bot to take you down to the landing dock.”

“Thank you, I’ll be out in a moment. Gene, I have to go home now to get our home ready for the children. I’ll try to come back when I get the children settled. You have your paper so you can remember. Can I have a kiss goodbye?”

“Oh, yes,” Gene said. He leaned his head back and Abe kissed him on his lips. “We must be married because you wouldn’t have kissed me like that if we weren’t. I have my paper so I can remember who you are and who I am. I’ll see you next time, okay?”

“See you next time, Gene.”

********

Eight adults and six children watched as a six place high speed cruiser landed in the parking area of the five residences and, after the cover retracted and the ladder was extended, a young woman and two children came out. The bot driver brought out the children’s luggage and returned to the vehicle. The woman approached Abe and said, “Hello, I am Reni, are you Abner 34-793k or Eugenus 54-721c?”

“I’m Abe.”

“Good, but I was told Eugenus 54-721c would also be here to receive the children.”

“He’s in the med center in Central City. He should be home in a month. So these are our children?”

“Yes, do you have the certificate of adoption?”

“Here.”

“Yes, this is in order,” the woman said as she signed the paper. She took the yellow copy and handed Abe the certificate and took the receipt. She signed it and took the pink copy. “Well, the children are now yours. Good luck and I hope they give you lots of love and happiness in the future. May I ask what Eugenus’s problem is?”

“A week ago he had a massive cerebral hemorrhage. He is okay physically, but can’t remember much of his recent past. He was certified for the adoption and I received a notification this morning that they have recertified him. He will have some restrictions, but we have lots of support here in the neighborhood so everything will work out.”

“Yes, we delivered a lot of children here at Eden Commune and you have a very good facility. If you do have any questions or problems with the children, please message us at the address on the receipt. Oh, I must tell you Donaldus does have a brain deficiency. He will never be at a mental age comparable to his physical age. It’s not too noticeable now, but the difference will increase as he ages. A psychologist has your address and will be contacting you about his condition.”

“Thank you, but I must tell you that Gene also has a similar brain deficiency, but everyone here has been helping him deal with it. He’s close to his physical age, but still has problems. The bots don’t see any problem arising from his hemorrhage.”

“Okay, thanks for telling me. Well, I’ll be going now. Children, please be good to your new stepfather.”

She returned to the cruiser and after a few moments it powered up and flew away.

“Well, children, I’m Abe and you are?” He asked as he squatted down in front of the children. His daughter looked him straight in the eye, but Donaldus looked down at the ground.

“I’m Donalda 00-893n and this is my dumb brother Donaldus 00-893m. He has a speech impediment and can’t say “t”. Are you a homosexual like we were told at the rearing center?”

“I’m gay and your other father Gene is also gay. Do you have a problem being with gay men?”

“Oh, no, I just wanted to be sure. Sometimes the workers at the center told us lies about things. I’m smart so I could see through their stories. They said homosexuals, or gays as you call yourselves, were bad men and that you would do naughty things to us. But I knew they were lying. Men who do naughty things to children are pedophiles. They are not homosexual men or women. Are those men over there gay, too?”

“Yes, that’s Peter and his husband Ben. Their children with them are Dec and Deci.”

“Oh, okay, and those women are they lesbians?”

“Why yes they are. How do you know about lesbians?”

“Oh, I read it in a book. It was a mystery novel by a writer named Megana. I’ve read lots of her books on the modules at the center. They’re really good. I like the Organa mysteries best. Will I be able to use our module to read more of those books? They caught me doing that at the center and restricted my access.”

“Megan, you have a fan here,” Abe said.

“Megan? Is that woman really Megana?”

“I certainly am,” Megan said when she came up and squatted down in front of Donalda. “You know Donalda is a very difficult name. How about if we call you Dona? Do you think that would be alright?”

“Hey, that sounds neat. Then that would make Donaldus, Donaldi.”

“No, I think I’m going to call him Don,” Abe said. “Is that alright with you Donaldus?”

“Uh, are you thalking tho me? I don’th listhen very well because I’m dumb.”

“Okay, children, first rule of our home; no one will refer to Don as being dumb, especially you, Don.”

“Buth, I am,” Don said as he began to weep.

Abe pulled the boy against him and hugged him tightly. The boy continued to weep.

“What are you doing to him?” Dona asked.

“Giving him a hug to show him I love him. Come here Dona, I have big enough arms to hug both of you at the same time.”

“You know, I think Abe is going to be a great father,” Dorcas said to no one in particular. “Okay, everyone, and that includes all of the children, no one will use the “D” word around here when talking about Don. And, that includes the “S” word, too.”

“What is the “S” word, Momi,” Petra asked.

“I’ll tell you later, honey,” Dorcas said.

“Momi, is Don retarded?” Leon asked.

“No, and we don’t use that word either,” Willy said.

“Then what’s wrong with him?”

“Darling, he’s just not as smart as other children.”

“Oh, he’s like Uncle Gene, then.”

“Yes, he’s like your Uncle Gene.”

“Oh, okay. That makes sense. Don, do you want to come play with us boys?”

“Uh, okay, buth you’re bigger than me.”

“That’s okay, we’ll like you anyway. Come on, guys, let’s go show Don the beefalos.”

All the boys, including Don ran up toward the barns. Leaving the adults and the girls wondering what they were going to do next. Deci broke the ice and said, “Come on Dona, we can go into my room and play a game. Come on, girls; let’s go away from these old people. So, Dona just how smart are you?”

“I have an IQ of over one hundred forty,” she said as she ran away.

“Oh, damn, just like Gene’s sister,” Abe said. “She gets the smarts and Don is left in the shadow. I can see it’s going to be hard being happy Dona is very intelligent while Don is on the other end of the scale. I wish Gene was here to be with Don.”

“Abe, Gene will be home soon,” Megan said. “Do you think you could get Eugeni to come down for another visit? Maybe, she could be of assistance with you and Dona.”

“You know, that’s a good idea.”

********

There was the traditional welcoming barbecue for the new children, but all the children stayed to themselves, letting the adults talk about the future, Gene’s condition, and what to do about Abe needing to go visit Gene at the med center. In the end, the general consensus was that Dona would stay with Megan and Don would stay with Freddy and Marcy, as no one else had an extra room available. Having the children room with the other families was suggested, but no one was anxious to have an extra child in their home, even if they would be bunking with one of theirs. Plus, there was the problem of getting them settled in daycare or in Dona’s case, probably straight into the early childhood education program. They just didn’t know what to do with her. Finally, Abe decided that he would message Eugeni and get her input on what to do with Dona.

After about an hour, Don came wandering down from Abe’s residence looking rather dejected. Since there wasn’t a chair outside on Peter and Ben’s patio, he sat cross-legged on the lawn, which he seemed to be staring at. Abe went over, sat down beside him, and asked, “What’s wrong Don? Won’t the other boys play with you?”

“They said I was thoo young tho play with them. Pethr said I was slow and wasn’th as smarth as all the other boys. Am I slow?”

“No, Don, you’re not, but you’ll just have to get used to the fact that you’ll never be as smart as all the other children. But you have to understand that right now you and Dona are the youngest children here at Eden Commune. All the other children at daycare will be older than you. Do you think that’s okay?”

“No, buth I guess I have tho accepth thath I’m noth as smarth as other children. Is Dadi Gene like me?”

“Yes, Don, your Dadi Gene is just like you and when he comes back from the med center he might be a little worse than you. So, you’re going to have to help him by trying not to be naughty, okay?”

“Oh, okay, I can do thath. Thank you, Dadi Abe. Can I go in our home and use the module tho read a book?”

“I’d rather you stay here and not go to our home by yourself. I tell you what; tonight I’ll let you read a book. How about that? We’ll also have popcorn and watch a movie before bedtime.”

“Oh, okay, we can do thath. Whath’s popcorn?”

“Trust me, you’ll like it.”

Marcy walked over, sat down on the other side of Don, and said, “So, Don is everything okay? Or, are those older boys not being nice?”

“They said I was thoo lithle tho play with them anymore. Pethr said I was slow. Do you know whath thath means?”

“Do you?”

“Yes, ith means I’m noth as smarth as them. Dadi Abe? Don’th geth mad, buth Dec said I was dumb and Leon said he was wrong tho think I was smarth because I’m really sthupid. They don’th like me anymore.”

He looked at the grass and started to weep. Abe pulled him over and hugged him tightly. Marcy got up and went over to the other adults. Dorcas came over and asked, “Don, what’s wrong?”

“Well, it’s like this Dorcas: Petr said Don was slow, Dec said he was dumb, Leon said his was stupid, and I guess they all told him he couldn’t play with them anymore.”

“Don’th say anything, please. They said they’d beath me up if I said anything,” Don said. He buried his head back into Abe’s chest and continued to weep harder.

“Okay, that’s it, we’re going to put a stop to this right now,” Dorcas said.

“But, Dorcas, what about what Don said?” Abe asked.

“They wouldn’t dare!” She turned around and went back to the others and said, “Okay, parents, we’ve got a little problem with the older boys. Seems they used the “D” word, the “S” word, and the other “S” word, plus they said they’d beat up Don if he said anything. Personally, I know a little boy who’s going home right now and stay in his room without supper. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

She went back over to where Don and Abe were sitting and asked, “Don, where are the boys?”

“Do I have tho say?”

“Do you want them to keep calling you names?”

“No, buth they said they will beath me up. I know whath thath is because a lithle boy did thath tho me ath the rearing centher. They’re in Pethr’s room.”

Dorcas turned and said, “Guys, the boys are in Petr’s room. They’ll be coming over here a few minutes.”

She left the party, quickly followed by Ben and Lee. Dona came around the corner and stood in front of Abe. She looked down at her brother, then went around behind him, sat down and hugged him, too. Abe sat there thinking what a sad little family he had. He knew life was going to be difficult for Don here at the commune with all the farm children. He knew many of them had parents who were close to being macho and were indoctrinating their children into hating everyone who was different. Luckily, Freddy knew what was happening and had reported the situation to Bot Security. Abe knew that some of the farmers would be leaving Eden Commune to find a future somewhere on the ship or, quite likely they would find themselves in bot custody for being potential machos. Dark days were ahead for Eden Commune.

That night, after the children read their books and watched a funny movie, Abe gave them baths, put their pajamas on, and put them to bed. After a short time, Dona was slipping off into the blissful sleep of children. But when Abe went into Don’s room the boy was sitting on his bed. Abe went over, sat down beside his son, and asked, “So, what’s up?”

“I’m scared, can I sleep with you?” Don asked.

“Okay, but you’re going to have to learn to sleep in your own bed.”

“Okay, I guess.”

In his bedroom Abe was presented with a problem. He and Gene normally slept nude, but should he do that with the boy? He wasn’t certain and kept running the situation through his mind.

“Whath’s wrong Dadi?” Don asked.

“Well, Don, you see, I normally don’t wear anything when I go to bed.”

“Oh, okay, I guess. Do you wanth me tho thake off my pajamas?”

“No, Don, you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, ith’s okay. You’re my dadi and I know you won’th do anything tho hurth me.”

“Well, thank you son, I appreciate your honesty,” Abe said. He pulled back the covers and lay down in the middle of the bed. “Here you can lie down right beside me.”

Abe pulled the covers back and was somewhat surprised when Don snuggled up close to him and laid his arm across his chest. Abe put his arm under Don’s head and down the boy’s back. He looked up and saw the nano bot sending data to Bot Security, but shut his eyes and concentrated on going to sleep.

Sometime later, Abe was startled awake by the sound of screaming. He extricated himself from Don’s embrace, got up and went down the hall to Dona’s room. When he turned on the light he saw her sitting up in bed with tears streaming down her cheeks. He sat down, pulled against him, and said, “Hush, I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid.”

After a while she quieted down and whispered, “You don’t have anything pajamas on. Why is that?”

“I sleep in the nude.”

“Oh, okay, can I go to bed with you?”

“Sure, your brother is already in there.”

“Oh, okay, but do I have to wear my pajamas?”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“It’s okay, you’re my dadi and I know you won’t do anything naughty to me.”

They returned to Abe’s room where he lay down back in the middle, put his left arm back around Don, welcomed Dona up against him, pulled the covers up, and stared up at the nano bot sending its data. One happy family he thought; one happy family all together for the night. He wondered how Gene was going to react when he was going to be told all about their children.

********

The following week Abe parked his speeder on the landing dock at the med center in Central City. A bot came out a door, trundled over to Abe, and asked, “May I help you, sir?”

“I’m Abner 34-793k. I’ve come to see my husband Eugenus 54-721c.”

The bot’s eyes darkened, then brightened, “He is in Room 1501-36h on the surgical floor. He is still recovering from his operation. He is doing well. He has been asking for you. An escort bot is coming down to take you up to the floor. I will park your vehicle. You may wait over by that door.”

Abe walked over to the door the bot was pointing at and saw the words “Please Wait Here” painted inside a rectangle on the concrete. There was nothing to do except wait for the escort bot. His mind wandered back to the past week and the problem Don had at daycare. On the second day an age six boy and girl beat him badly just because he wasn’t as smart as the other children. He was taken to the commune’s clinic and then transferred to the clinic in town where he stayed two nights. The result was a very scared little boy who was afraid of going back to daycare. Megan kept him close to her while the other workers made certain the other children didn’t bother him, which wasn’t really necessary because Megan conducted a class on how to treat other children who weren’t as smart as you. She hoped it would do some good and after a couple days she let Don go back into the crowd of children.

The children who beat up Don were taken by Bot Security, as were their parents. The following day Freddy was notified that that farm was open for a new farmer as that family was not coming back. To Abe that meant only one thing. The bots had interrogated the parents and found macho tendencies. They were probably executed in a horrible way and the children were sent to a bot facility where they would have brain erasures and counseling. Not surprisingly, the Bot Security came back and removed three other families from their farms, plus seven residents of the dormitories were removed. Once again, Eden Commune was cleaned of the macho menace.

The escort bot came and Abe followed it into the med center. It seemed like an awfully long trip because of all the halls and elevators, but after about ten minutes he was finally shown into Gene’s room, where Abe saw Gene looking at a piece of paper.

“Hi, love, how are you doing?”

“My name is Gene, not love.”

“Okay, Gene, I can live with that. What’s written on the paper?”

“My name is Gene and my husband’s name is Abe and we are married and we are gay and we have sex because we love each other and today is Third Carlosday Launch 262349 and I am age nineteen and five hundred sixteen years old. Is that right?”

“Yes, Gene, it is.”

“Are you Abe, my husband, the man I have sex with, the man I love?”

“Yes, Gene, that correct.”

“Good, I thought I might have forgotten you, but you look like the man I love. Guess what? I can remember our wedding.”

“You can?”

“Yes and I can remember something else, too.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“When I first came to live with you, you were bad to me, but then you apologized and I grew to love you. Is that right?”

“Yes, Gene, that’s what happened.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I was under the influence of when I lived with the bots at that testing facility and from what Roger taught me about how to love another man by dominating him. You see, Gene, I have an anger buried deep inside of me that was influenced by another man who wanted to be treated as a slave, be punished when he did something I thought was wrong, and not to have orgasms unless I let him. He thought it was very sexually exciting to be treated that way and I couldn’t help myself when you came into my home until you broke under the pressure. I saw that I’d gone too far and that you couldn’t understand it was only a game. I’ve been sorry I did that to you ever since.”

“I forgive you, Abe. We love each other and we will continue to love each other in all the years ahead.”

“Thank you, Gene, thank you very much,” Abe said and then bent over and kissed his husband. “Do you want me to tell you about our children?”

“We have children? Are they good and smart and like to play? What are their names?”

“The boy is Donaldus, but his nickname is Don. The girl is Donalda, but her nickname in Dona.”

“Write that down for me on the back of this paper so I can remember it. Oh, wait, I don’t have a pen. Go out to the nurse’s station and get one.”

“Give me the paper and I’ll write it down out there. Okay?”

“Sure, hurry back or I’ll forget you are here.”

Abe went out thinking about what Gene just said. So, his short-term was affected by the hemorrhage. Well, that meant only one thing. Gene was going to require extra care around the home or maybe that would get better. He went to the nurse’s station, borrowed a pen, and wrote: “My son’s name is Don and my daughter’s name is Dona.” Back in the room, he handed the paper to Gene who looked up with questioning eyes.

“Thank you for the paper, uh, uh, don’t tell me, uh, Abe!”

“That’s right, Gene, you remembered.”

“Doctor Haraldan said I am getting better. Let’s see this; my son’s name is Don and my daughter’s name is Dona. Those are very nice names. Tell me about them.”

“Well, Gene, I don’t know if you’re going to like this, but Don and Dona are like you and Eugeni. Dona is a super genius who has already caught the attention of the bots. I messaged Eugeni and she’s coming down when you come home. She said that she will talk to Dona about her gift and help her understand what her future may look like. Don is kind of like you, but maybe a little worse. I talked with a psychologist who will be working with Don in the future. From what he said, Don will probably be with us until we die. Plus, he has a speech impediment. I haven’t been able to talk to a doctor about it, but hope it can be fixed. It might be related to his mutation. Both of them are anxious for your return to our home.”

“Wow, not again, I though me and Eugeni were unique, but I guess we’re not. I think I can help Don a lot by explaining I know how it is when you’re not as smart as other people. That kind of makes me feel sad, but you said he might be worse than me?”

“Yes.”

“That does make me feel sad.”

“Oh, hi, you two, what’s happening?” Doctor Haraldan asked when he walked into the room.

“Abe has been telling me about our children,” Gene said. “He said that our daughter Dona is like my sister.”

“Oh, how is that?”

“My sister is a genius and works in the bot dark matter lab developing possible new propulsion systems.”

“Gene, you remember that?”

“You know, I just did. It just came to me and I said it. Is that how it’s going to be Doctor Haraldan?”

“Yes, that’s how it’s going to be. The memories that can come back, will, and those that you’ve lost forever, well they’re gone and you’ll just have to make new memories. So, how about your son.”

“Well, Abe said Don is like me, not as smart as other people, and maybe worse. Abe said there is a psychologist who will be working with Don. I’m kind of sad about that. Plus, Abe said Don has a speech impediment. Do you know if that can be repaired?”

“Well, I wouldn’t know unless he was examined by a speech-language pathologist. If it’s related to his mutation, well, that might take neurological intervention. That’s a terrible burden for a young child, especially when they realize they’re different. You two will have to be extra supportive of him in the future because if there’s a psychologist involved this early, Don probably does have a serious deficit. Well, Gene, I’ve got good news. I’ll be releasing you to go home in two weeks unless physical therapy finds out if there was physical damage from this episode. You’ve made great progress and your mental deficits seem to be resolving themselves. It must be that the nano bots inside your brain doing a very good job at repairing the damage. We’ll extract them before you leave because if we leave them in there too long they might start destroying good tissue without knowing they are doing harm. Well, I’ll leave you two to talk. Oh, Abe, will you be going home today or tomorrow?”

“Well, I have to go home today. I’m sorry Gene, but now that we have children I need to be with them. I know you’ll miss me, but it looks like you’re getting good care here and I’ll look forward to your return. Thank you Doctor Haraldan for all you’ve done for Gene.”

“My pleasure, I hope you two have a good life. Oh, and Abe, we’ll arrange for a bot transport to take Gene home.”

“Thank you, Doctor Haraldan,” Gene said.

The doctor left and Gene looked at Abe with sad eyes. He looked down as a tear trickled down his cheek. “I’m going to miss you Abe, but I’m happy I’m coming home. Please go now because I’m going to cry.”

Abe leaned down, raised Gene’s chin and kissed his husband. He said with a sad voice, “I’ll try to come back before you come home.”

“No, Abe, don’t do that, it will only make me sadder. Go home to the children and tell them I look forward to being home with them. Give each of them a kiss for me, please,”

Gene’s body slumped and the heart monitor started to scream. A nurse came in and told Abe to go out to the nurse’s station and wait. He stood out there as people ran passed and into Gene’s room. Soon, Doctor Haraldan hurried by, followed by another doctor and an unidentifiable bot.