Something in the Water

I don't know what it is about that one step, but Ben takes it and I explode. "Stop pacing!"

He pauses to look up at me.

"You've been walking back and forth for twenty minutes. Stop it."

The carpeted floor is starting to reveal where his footsteps have marked. He glances around himself before he discovers the chair like mine, waiting behind him. He sits down and stares at me, so I stare back.

Ever since I was young, I'd always thought these rooms were comforting - even though the circumstances are definitely not. The walls are a warm tan, and it flows nicely with all the navy blue. A shiny coffee table sits between us, with a bunch of freshly cut yellow flowers in the center.

Ben starts bouncing his knee now, and I clench my teeth. I'm on the edge of a complete meltdown, and I'm so angry that the tiniest thing can and will set me off.

"My dad will fix it." I'm trying to convince the both of us. "He'll straighten it all out, he knows you better than those -" I catch myself, remembering there may be a camera watching us. That's the catch, there's always the possibility that a hidden camera is on. It depends on which room they put you in on what day. You never know if you're being watched. "He'll fix it."

Ben sighs out loud and drops his face in his hands, rubbing the hair on the back of his head. The Evaluators claim that Ben's actions against the news reporter were violent, possibly a result of his short temper, and should be considered when he's put through his Evaluation.

Ben hasn't spoken since, and I know it's because he's pissed. I am, too. Ben is containing himself better than I am, though. He would be lashing out, but after seeing how carefully he's being watched, he's trying his best to stay out of the radar. I don't care, I want them to know how unfair this is.

The door beeps twice before it slides open, and I can't gather enough relief when I see it's my father.

I jump to my feet. "Dad, Ben didn't do anything wrong. He was only protecting me, and I was -"

"I know, Emma." Dad raises his hand to stop me. "I know."

I'm not satisfied. "So did they clear his name?"

Dad spots the third chair, reserved for the Evaluator, and plants himself in it. "I'm doing the best I can."

"Why can't you just tell them that Ben isn't violent? It's not right to accuse him when he was only protecting me."

Dad is still trying to console me with his hands. "I can't change what is in his record, because I didn't witness anything."

"So they use the Evaluators as witnesses?" I'm ready to pull my hair out. "They don't even know Ben! Why should it matter what they say? They obviously don't know the difference between -"

"They're just doing their job." Dad says, shooting me a look that says to watch my mouth. "And I said I'm doing the best that I can."

I groan and collapse back into my chair.

"It's alright, Em." Ben lifts his head. "It's better that it's me and not you."

I run my tongue over my teeth. "I can't believe they let the guy that grabbed me just walk away."

"Yeah, I'm with you on that one." I see the tightness in Ben's jaw.

"There isn't much I can do about that," Dad says. "But I'll make sure it never happens again. I'll be taking you to school myself from now on."

"They're animals." I tell him. "It's impossible to control them." I remember what it was like last Friday night, a week ago, when we first told my parents. It seemed silly then, and now it's a disaster.

"We'll just have to work around it." Dad's only being calm because he's in his workplace. If we were home, I'm sure he would threaten to pull weapons on the people. He rises from his chair and stretches out his back. "I'll go and get your Evaluator."

Ben's eyes lock with mine. "Who is it?" I ask my father.

I think he's going to ignore me, but turns just before the door opens. "I respect him, and I expect you to do the same."

Dad's halted in the doorway by a man almost exactly the same height. His shoulders might be broader, and his hair a bit more brown, but he's essentially a clone of my father.

Dad steps aside and allows the man inside our room. The doors close over before I can get a last glimpse of encouragement from him.

This man screams Evaluator. His navy blue suit is crisp as a cracker, and his face all-business. He greets us with a weird movement of his lips and offers his hand to me, and does the same to Ben. "My name is Craig Davidson, and I will be Evaluating the two of you."

The statement comes out robotically, like he's said it a million times. Ben just nods in his direction, and I'm afraid to do anything but fake smile.

The Evaluators address eachother by their last names, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate when you're being Evaluated. I'll just have to see what he expects from us first.

Davidson makes himself comfortable in my father's chair, leaning back and crossing his leg over the other. He sets up his handheld computer, the one that contains all of our background information. He probably knows it by heart, seeing that an Evaluator needs to study his clients' histories before he meets with them. As he's swiping his finger over the screen, he starts asking general questions. "How long have you known eachother?"

I'm sitting on the edge of my chair, fidgeting with the bottom hem of my shirt. Ben seems to be staring at Davidson's shiny shoes. "S-seven years." I stutter.

"And you've considered yourself a couple for how long?"

I remember the day Ben asked me to be his girlfriend. It was freshman year, and he needed someone to go to the homecoming dance with, but he didn't have a girlfriend. I instantly offered myself to him, and my gullible fourteen-year-old mind let him convince me that you could only take someone to the dance if you were their boyfriend or girlfriend. I was only supposed to be his girlfriend for one night, and look where we are now.

"Three years..." Ben says uncertainly, looking to me for help.

"Two and a half." I decide, not counting this year and this summer.

Davidson nods to himself. "A serious relationship for young people, no?"

Ben covers his mouth with the back of his hand, and I don't realize he's laughing until he rolls his lips to discourage it. A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. It's like we're in relationship counseling, or something.

"You could say that." Ben struggles to hide his snickering.

Davidson suddenly straightens up in his chair. "I know that you're young, but this is to be taken seriously. I won't tolerate anything less than maturity, understand?" He peers at us like we're toddlers.

My stomach knots, and I nod. "Yes, sir."

He relaxes again. "Alright. I've decided that since your situation is unique, your Evaluation should be the same." He sets his computer on the coffee table. "Concerning your background check, neither of you have completed high school, so neither of you have a high school diploma. A diploma is required, but I can't judge you based on what you don't have."

I'd forgotten about the things we didn't get to accomplish yet. Like school.

"I've traced back your entire schooling careers and I've determined that you will both be recieving diplomas in your near future, unless there's a drop in work ethic. You'll be sure this doesn't happen?"

"Of course." I check Ben, and remember his late assignments.

"As for medical records, Mr. Fletcher has been recently issued prescription drugs for an allergic reaction?"

Ben blinks a few times, suddenly put on the spot. "Yes, sir. I - I had a reaction to the dye they used at the hospital..."

In an Evaluator's opinion, if you've ever been issued medical drugs, you've abused them until proven innocent. It's ridiculous, but necessary. Especially if you have abused them.

"I'll need you to drop off your medication sometime this week, alright?" Davidson makes note of it on his computer.

Ben gulps. "Okay." I know Ben wouldn't do anything like that, but that's how they prove he's innocent. They determine the dose he was supposed to take and how long he took it, and measure it with what medication is left. If it doesn't come out even, you fail - no questions asked.

Davidson nods to himself again. "As for your police records..."

I freeze, and my heart races. Does he know about Ben? What he did today?

He grins, and it catches me off guard. "There aren't any."

I half smile, but I'm mostly relieved. Whatever Dad did, he fixed it.

"However, your Occupation category is also blank. But I have a way to fill the space, as well as prepare you in the most efficient way possible. Ben, you will be working here for a few hours a day - the job is much more interesting than it sounds. And Emma," He turns to me. "I've arranged for you to help out over at the hospital, in the Nursery. One of the nurses there will direct you on how to care for the newborns, which will ultimately help you."

I remember when we passed the Nursery, all the babies lined up in pink and blue. That was before I knew for sure. "How long do we have to work?"

"As long as need be. You'll arrive at your jobs no later than four-thirty each day after school, is that clear?"

I sort of cringe at the thought of going back to the hospital alone, but I agree anyway. Maybe being around babies will make me more comfortable.

Davidson clears a few more things up with us and then exits the room, reminding Ben to bring in his medication after school on Monday. When we're alone again, I drag my hand up to rest on my tummy.

I've almost forgotten about my own baby, with the chaos that's been consuming my life. I've barely aknowledged his existence, and it breaks my heart. To think that I could forget he was there, after he's the one causing all of this, makes me feel so guilty.

"So, is that it?"

Ben's voice brings me out of my baby stupor. "Huh?"

He stands up and moves his seat to the edge of the coffee table, infront of me. "Is he finished the Evaluation?"

It's a good question. "I don't know...he said ours was unique. I don't know what that means." I circle my finger around my belly button. "Maybe we'll have to meet with him again."

Ben watches my finger. "That should be fun, taking care of all the babies. You'll like it."

I laugh once. "A convenient job description."

"Just like I'll be conveniently under the Evaluators' roof half the day."

I lean forward to rub his cheek. "You have nothing to worry about, what they think about you is wrong, and it will come back and bite them."

Ben laughs now. "Not unless I bite them first."

I grab his chin and shake it a little. "No biting, mister."

Dad returns out of nowhere, and immediately scolds Ben. "Don't sit on that table."

Ben jumps up. "Sorry."

Dad waves it off. "You both need to leave, we need this room."

Ben holds my hand to help me up. "What's the hurry?" I ask.

"Someone is waiting. Let's go." He's in a rush, but it doesn't worry me. The Evaluation Center is always busy.

When we step outside the room, Dad is sidetracked by another Evaluator asking for help with his handheld. We stand to the side, allowing people to walk by. They are normal couples, at least twenty years old and freshly married. They're the ones supposed to be having the baby, and they give us strange looks as they walk by.

Dad is still fiddling with the handheld, and I consider asking if we can go on without him. Another Evaluator is leading a man and woman behind him, and he stops at the room we were in. They are an older couple, maybe early to middle thirties.

The woman spots us waiting, and also staring at her. It's hard not to stare, with her wild red hair and piercing blue eyes. The frown seems permanent on her mouth, and there are lines on her cheeks to prove it.

"You should be ashamed." Her voice is like a growl, coated with ashes from smoking too many cigarettes.

I can't blink, because I know she's talking to me. Dad glances up at Ben and I, and follows our eyes to the woman.

"Mary, please." The man holds loosely onto her arm, a striking look of fear in his eyes. He's showing sympathy for us, but I sympathize for him.

Mary continues anyway, a cold stare accompanying the growl. "You think you're better than the rest of us? Why should you be allowed to be a mother? What makes you so special?"

"Mary, there's no need for this." The man squeezes her arm, but she shoves him away.

Ben curls me into his shoulder, and the woman's Evaluator tries to intervene. She pushes him away as well.

"I have been through this hell hole nine times, sweetheart. Nine damn times! And they won't let me be a mother. Why should you be allowed to have a baby when you haven't been through a single minute of what I have? You should be ashamed!"

Dad abandons the handheld and physically puts himself between the two of us. The other Evaluator finally opens the door to the room, and both manage to shovel the couple inside without letting another one of the woman's taunts escape.

Dad sighs heavily after the doors are closed, and looks at us angrily. "Let's go, please." He grumbles, threatening to shovel us in the same manner. "I wanted you out of here before that woman made another appearance, but nobody listens to me anymore."

We walk quickly, because a fast walk is barely enough to get me out of here. Her gruffy words echo constantly in my ears, and they almost drown out Ben's voice.

"Don't listen to a word she says. She's crazy."

You should be ashamed.

"She's not meant to have a baby, and she has no right to take it out on you."

Why should you be allowed to be a mother? What makes you so special?

"Emma, are you listening to me?"

I'm mostly honesty with him. "No." He notices I'm not as upset as I should be, so he doesn't speak. He waits for me to keep talking. "I have to listen to her. It's the only way I can prove her wrong."