“Do I really have to get this done?”

“Yes, Ash,” Regan said from the driver’s seat. “Starting next year, the tracking implant will be required for all men. So you’re just getting a head start.”

“Can’t we wait until next year?” I asked from the back car seat, searching for any way to avoid the inevitable. I hated shots.

“Luna,” Regan said.

“She’s right Ash. It really is safer this way.”

Sitting in the back of the Camry with me, Luna reached over and placed her enormous hand on my right thigh. I still couldn’t get over her new size. At ten foot eleven, she matched Addison’s height, not particularly tall for an Ascended woman. But she was my wife, previously the smallest woman I knew, and she couldn’t even use a car seat anymore.

I grabbed her forefinger and she smiled over at me. Her cataract-free eyes shone with a deep happiness, quelling my apprehension and reminding me that we’d made the right decision regarding her Ascension. Even though she’d acted weird this morning, avoiding a kiss I’d aimed at her lips, she’d made up for it by cooking a delicious breakfast and cleaning the entire kitchen.

“Sorry, honey.” I massaged her palm, the fleshy area under her thumb. “I don’t know why I’m complaining about my procedure when yours is more important.”

“Please don’t worry about me. I’m just getting a scan, and I’m confident they won’t find any traces of the tumor.”

“I’m sure you’re right. You look so healthy; you’re glowing.”

“I feel healthy. Ash, I wish I could share this feeling with you. You have no idea what it’s like. I have so much energy, and it’s easier to think. I read the entire Guardian’s Handbook before you woke up this morning.”

Great. Why did she have to read that book? She needed to read it eventually, but why so early? 

As if reading my thoughts, she leaned over and whispered into my ear. “Don’t worry. After your procedure, we’ll go get as much ice cream as you want.”

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her head, causing her to giggle. Our relationship had changed, but she was still the same Luna, and I had no reason to be concerned.

She pulled away, but her hand returned to me. Sliding behind my head and down the nape of my neck, her powerful digits massaged my tense muscles and forced a lazy exhalation from my lungs. Unlike other women, she knew exactly where to apply pressure for maximum relief.

“If you two insist on getting ice cream, Luna’s going to have to learn how to drive using the pedals,” Regan said, apparently overhearing our conspiracy.

“No she doesn’t. I can drive just fine.”

“That’s absurd. I’ve never heard of a man driving when a Guardian is present. You have a single car, and when we get home, we’re removing driver’s side car seat.”

“Regan, that car belongs to Ash. His mother bought it for him.”

“Honey, everything that’s mine is yours. If Regan says —”

“No. It’s not fair. You’re freedom shouldn’t be limited just because I’m your Guardian now. I don’t care how the rest of the world works. I’m not taking away your right to drive.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Regan huffed.

Luna continued her delightful ministrations on my neck, coaxing a well of joy from the depths of my belly. I’d feared her Ascension would mean the end of our ideological alliance in this world, but that wasn’t the case. Overcome by her touch and by her defense of my freedom, I blinked back tears of gratitude. Although I couldn’t speak, my face revealed my feelings.

“Oh, Ash.” She undid the harness and lifted me onto her lap, then hugged me against her chest.

“And that’s illegal.” Regan sighed. “If Addison were here, she’d throw a fit.”

“We’re almost there. It’ll be fine.” Luna rubbed my back and cradled my head as I melted into her. I couldn’t wrap my arms around her, but it didn’t stop me from trying.

I loved this woman with all my heart, and every day, her actions reminded me why.

***

After pulling into the parking lot of Pleks Hospital, Luna opened the door and allowed me to exit. When she climbed out, her sundress brushed my shoulder and drew my attention to her long legs. In spite of the morning chill, she didn’t need pants and I didn’t mind the view.

“You’re not going to carry him?” Regan asked as she rounded the back of the car and joined us.

“He likes to walk.” Luna led the way toward the hospital’s outpatient entrance, walking slowly so that I could keep pace.

“You know you want to.” Wearing a sly smile, Regan sauntered up alongside Luna.

Luna looked down, allowing me to see the blush on her cheeks. She still embarrassed easily, an adorable quality that thankfully hadn’t disappeared.

“She can carry me whenever she wants,” I said, eager to defend. “Unlike some people, she doesn’t feel the need to snatch me off the ground at every opportunity.”

“Oh, you mean like me?” Regan veered behind Luna and swept me into the air, depositing me unceremoniously onto her hip. Then, she kissed me on the forehead.

“Hey!” I squirmed, but no no avail. She stifled my movements with her other arm.

Luna giggled, then swung to the other side of Regan. “You can’t blame her, Ash.”

“Why not?” I ended my struggles, curious as to why my wife had abandoned me in my moment of need.

“You’re just too cute.” She swallowed my small hand in hers and I felt instantly better.

I reached my arms out to Luna’s neck; if I had to be carried, I’d rather it be by my wife.

“Nope.” Regan sidestepped, increasing the distance between Luna and myself. “She’s heading to a different waiting room. Besides, she’s married to you and I don’t get to spend enough time with you.”

We entered the hospital and Luna stopped at the elevator. She gave my hair one last ruffle. “Bye Ash. I’ll come as soon as I get done. Be strong.”

“You too, honey.”

She kissed me on the cheek and we went off on our separate ways.

***

The waiting room for male outpatient procedures was entirely different than the one for females, both in terms of relative security and occupancy. Unlike women, men couldn’t benefit from the services of a Healer. Therefore, they visited hospitals on a more regular basis. And where men congregated, security increased.

Wearing khaki uniforms and dark blue berets, two security guards, upright and unflinching, flanked the front desk. Curved swords in black scabbards hung from their belts, close at hand, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice.

Half a dozen men, each with at least one Guardian, sat in maroon armchairs. Most appeared to be in their late sixties or older, judging from their lined faces and gray hair. As Regan walked to the front and signed in, their eyes followed me like magnets, perhaps contemplating the appearance of someone as young as myself. Most men received the tracking implant in an outpatient clinic. We would have done the same, if not for Luna’s coinciding appointment at the hospital.

Regan selected a seat next to the youngest of the bunch, a balding man with a thick mustache and plump features, an indication that he’d probably spent more of his life being carried than using his own two legs. A brief wheeze accompanied his close-mouthed exhale, shuffling the hairs on his mustache. Like all of the men in the room, he sat on his wife’s lap and stared at me as if I were an alien.

“Hi,” I said as Regan set me on her lap, facing the man.

His wife, at least I assumed she was his wife, frowned, her magnified eyes piercing me through thick-rimmed spectacles. She wore a ring on every finger except her thumbs, and gaudy bracelets decorated her wrists. By and large, heterosexual couples had more money, and many flaunted their wealth — this woman being one such example.

“My name’s Ash.”

I rarely met anyone close to my own age. I was born several years after the Consent Enforcement Edict of 1986, but before the Procreation Edict of 1995. The former abolished male rape; the latter mandated marriage of all males, established the Healer Draft, and permitted polygamy within limits.

As a result, due to the scarcity of heterosexual intercourse during those years, very few men were born. Artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation sustained the world’s female population (1.7 billion and counting), but never produced males; nor did those techniques impart any of the other benefits provided by a Healer or a husband.

“I’m just here to get the tracking —”

“Do you always let your husband say whatever he wants?” The woman removed her ruby-encrusted glasses and arched her black eyebrows, her attention directed at Regan.

“Excuse me?” Regan turned to face the woman. “First of all, he’s not my husband. Secondly, why do you care if he wants to have a conversation with your man?”

“Harold isn’t allowed to speak unless I permit it.” She rested her right hand on his shoulder, long fingers dangling over his torso. Manicured fingernails, each painted crimson as if they’d been dipped in blood, tapped against his button-down shirt. “Isn’t that right, Harold?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What did I ask you to call me when we’re in public?” She squeezed his shoulder, causing him to wince.

“Sorry, M — Madame Fara.”

“That’s better.” She relaxed her grip. “You see, if you keep your man under control, he won’t get into trouble. Of course, you wouldn’t know any of this, seeing as how you’re not married.”

“For your information, I am married — to a beautiful woman. We treat each other as equals, just like Ash’s wife treats him. You may think you’re keeping your man under control, but it’s clear you don’t know the first thing about love.”

“That’s nonsense. Harold and I have been in love since the day we met. Out of eighty candidates, he picked me, and he hasn’t regretted a day since. Isn’t that right?” She squeezed again, making me wonder if the doctor would notice any bruising. Male abuse, if detected and proven, allowed for divorce even without the wife’s consent.

“Yes, Madame Fara.”

“Harold, is she hurting you?” Regan asked, concern evident in her tone.

Harold craned his neck, looking up at Fara for direction. I felt sorry for the guy. He, like many men, had been forced into a life of acquiescence, one which consisted of little more than eating, sleeping, and sex. After so many years of such treatment, his obedience had become willful, second nature, as if no other option existed.

“Go ahead, Harold. Answer the lady.”

“Madame Fara isn’t hurting me.”

“See there.” Fara swished a lock of long, black hair over her shoulder. “If I didn’t love him, I wouldn’t be taking him to the hospital, now would I?”

“Are you sick?” I asked. Though Harold didn’t appear to be in the greatest health, he wasn’t coughing and lacked any obvious sign of injury.

“My Harold suffers from ED. I assume you know what that is. I can assure you it has nothing to do with his love for me, which is stronger than ever. He’s just not as young and virile as he used to be. Right, Harold?”

“Yes, Madame Fara.”

“He used to be a Healer?” Regan asked.

“Yes, but that has nothing to do with it.” Fara snapped.

Regan shrugged.

Erectile dysfunction plagued Healers more than anyone else. Something about having sex with eight women a day, five days a week, reduced the male libido. Fortunately, Healers earned nearly twice as much as the average physician, enabling early retirement and extended periods of rest if desired. Last year, I’d been forced to serve as a Healer. In that single week, I’d earned more than what I made in a month as a software developer. Significantly more.

I’d also developed a distaste for the profession, and dreaded the draft more than shots.

***

“Alright, Ash. Hold still. This will only hurt for a second.”

The white-coated doctor loomed over me, holding a mechanical tube with a large needle at one end. I lay on the cold examination table, jeans removed, head turned as far as possible to watch as she lowered the menacing device toward my legs.

“Wait! Where are you going to inject it?”

She paused. “Right behind your knee joint. The tracking node will embed into your calf muscle.”

“Will I be able to walk afterwards?”

“You’ll be sore for a few days, so try to take it easy.”

“He doesn’t need to walk.” Regan sat in a small office chair straight across from me, her arms folded, an indication of her irritation with my questions.

“Can’t we just wait until next year?” I pleaded, my heart thumping in my chest.

“Absolutely not.” Regan scowled. “Ash, we’re already here. You’re getting the implant. No further questions.”

I rolled over and sat up. “I refuse. You’re not my Guardian anymore. Luna is. She wouldn’t make me do this.”

Regan jumped to her feet. “Now hold on a second. Luna wants you to get the implant, and you know it. Stop being a baby and take it like a woman.”

“Why don’t you get one first?” I shot back. “Tell me how it feels to have a needle the size of a finger stuck into your skin.”

“It’s not that big —”

“Maybe not to you, but to me it is.”

“I don’t need the implant because I’m not in danger of getting abducted. You, on the other hand, are. It’s a miracle we’ve managed to keep you safe this long. Besides, if you refuse to get it, you’re not getting any ice cream.”

“I don’t care about the ice cream.” I lied, but at this point, I just wanted to escape this sterile office and run as far from the oversized needle as possible.

“Ash,” Dr. Boyd placed a caring hand on my leg, but it did nothing to calm me. “She’s right. The implant is for your own protection, especially given your age. I only treat men, and this year, I’ve seen very few in their early twenties. Your value to women in your age range is dangerously high.”

“That’s their problem, not mine.” I swatted her hand away. “I’m married and I’m not a Healer and I just want to live my life in peace. Is that too much to ask?”

“Ash, that’s exactly why we’re doing this procedure.” Regan rubbed my back, softening her tone. She must have sensed my anxiety and tension.

The door opened and a young nurse peeked into the office. “Dr. Boyd, Mrs. Rose is in the waiting room asking if she can come back.”

“Yes, send her in. Thanks, Aubrey.”

A few seconds later, Luna entered the room and hurried toward me. She bent down and hugged my head against her chest.

“It’s ok, Ash. I’m here now.” She repeated the latter phrase until the quaking in my limbs abated. Then, she pulled away and caressed my cheek.

“I don’t want it.”

“He’s acting like a baby.” Regan snorted.

“Am not.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, fear still present in my mind.

“Oh ya?” Regan bent down and looked me in the eyes. “Your wife gets back from her cancer screening and all you can think about is yourself. That’s childish behavior.”

Horrified, my mouth dropped open and my breath caught in my lungs. She was right. How could I be so negligent? “I’m sorry, Luna. How —”

“It’s ok.” She smiled, her breath sweet against my nose. “You’re just frightened and not thinking straight. I’m cancer-free, thanks to you, Ash.”

I gulped and she let me hug her head. I had been concerned about her health, and her news washed over me like a tsunami of relief. Unfortunately, it did little to reduce my disappointment. Why did I forget to ask her earlier? I didn’t deserve someone like her.

When she pulled away this time, her hair dangled from the corner of my mouth until I wiped it away, causing us both to grin. Then, she spoke with more conviction that I’d ever heard her use. “If he doesn’t want the shot, he’s not getting it.”

My heart soared. Once again, she’d defended me. The baffled expression on Regan’s face was priceless.

After regaining her composure, Regan said, “Luna, you’re his Guardian now. It’s your decision to make, not his.”

“And my decision is to honor his desire.”

“But —”

“That’s the end of it, Regan. He’s not getting the shot.”

Regan looked as if she was about to cry. “A — all I ever wanted was for you two to be safe.” She swallowed. “I tried so hard. Addison and I both tried so hard. You probably hate me Ash, but we really —”

“I don’t hate you. I know you try. I just...I guess I am acting a little selfish.”

Luna hugged Regan. “Neither of us hate you. We love you, and Ash reminded me of how much you love us last night. Please don’t cry.”

My wife had enough strength for everyone. She’d changed in that regard. In the past, she’d been the one to receive consolation more often than not.

“I don’t know.” Indecision crept back into my mind. “Honey, what do you think. Should I get it?”

Luna released Regan and turned back to me. “It’s up to you, Ash. But if you ask me, I’d like for you to have it. I get worried sometimes…”

I released a nervous sigh, then flipped onto my stomach.

“Ok. Let’s do it.”