Mattei - A Nation's Father Ch. 01

"Is our government the only government doing this program?" another man asked. "I mean, if only 10,000 babies have been born in the last year, isn't that a worldwide issue?"

Isilde nodded. "Yes, it is. That's why representatives of each government met at a secret meeting several months ago and decided to go with this plan for repopulation. The test group I mentioned was helping us see how viable an option like this would be, and the results were promising."

"Do we have to do this?" Mattei asked. "Are we going to be drafted, like, um, if we say 'no'?"

She let out a laugh. "No. Of course not. We're just really hoping that men like you will be willing to participate. The job does have its perks."

"Like what?"

"For one, you'll get a large stipend. And I do mean large. It's a set amount per month, but if you also take multiple mates and wives, and then have many children, the amount you'll receive each month will increase per child born."

Someone sitting behind Mattei asked, "How much are we talking?" When Isilde replied with a figure, Mattei's heart began to race. The amount was insane! And not in a bad way. It was more money than he'd ever earned in his life. He wasn't sure about having multiple wives and mates though. He'd dated before, and he knew one woman could be a handful. What if jealousy occurred between the women? What if he couldn't please one, and they left, breaking his heart? But then again, what did he have to lose? Anything?

The men sat in silence for a few minutes, and the Isilde got up. "How about we go back downstairs? I'll show you a couple more things, and then I'll answer more of your questions." Mattei barely heard her though. Sure, he got up with the others, and walked back down the hallway, but then he stopped at the nursery they'd been looking at earlier and stared at the little girl he'd noticed earlier.

Isilde noticed that he'd stopped, and after telling the other men to head on back to the room they'd originally gathered in, she came back to talk to him. "You okay, Mattei?"

"I don't know, ma'am."

"What's wrong?"

"She's all alone in this world. No mom, no dad ... I don't want my kids to feel I'm not there for them. That I don't want them." He teared up a little. Both of his parents were gone -- one by death and the other by choice. He wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially not a baby. "What if I do this ... and my kids think that? What if they think I just brought them into this world for the money? That I don't care about their existence?"

Isilde gave him a little smile and patted his back. "You can make it possible to meet them, you know."

He quickly looked at her. "You mean that?"

"Of course. It was one of the things I was going to tell everyone in a little bit. And this little girl's not alone anymore. A friend of mine who can't get pregnant is adopting her. She'll be in a very loving home with a very dutiful mom."

"But no dad," he whispered.

"Yes. No dad. You know how that feels, don't you? To not have a father around?"

Mattei nodded, tears still in his eyes. "I hate that. I swore I'd never leave my kids. Never leave them without someone to have their back."

"You wouldn't be leaving them, Mattei. If you do this, we want you here. At the palace near here. We wouldn't transfer you. You're a relatively local boy. You belong here. You have ties here. We'd only have you go elsewhere if you wanted to. And I'm telling you, I'm sure I'd hear from that employer of yours if we did move you further away. She made us promise that we'd make sure you were well fed and clothed, and that you'd have every chance at happiness that we could give you. She loves you like a son."

That just made more tears form, and he quickly wiped them away. "She said that?"

"Yeah. Protective woman, that Mrs. Foster of yours. Lovely woman. I spoke to her on the phone the day before we came and saw you."

"But why me? Why do you want me?"

"Because, dear boy. You were immune. We don't know why, but you were. That makes you immensely precious to us as well as to all the women who want babies. There are only baby girls right now because none of the male babies conceived with the donor sperm survived."

"They contracted it in the womb?"

"Yeah, and we're not sure how. All we can figure is that their fathers weren't immune. Now, there are some babies conceived naturally whose fathers died towards the end of the outbreak. We don't know how they survived since their father's didn't. Those babies are being tested to see if we can figure out the answer to that. So many things about the plague are beyond our current comprehension. But we hope to have answers soon. Whether you choose to help us or not, I'll be happy to tell you what we find out. Would you like that?"

He nodded. "You're sure she'll go to a good home?"

"Absolutely."

"And the women coming in ... they'll get the help they'll need with childcare, food, clothes, etc?"

"Yes."

He turned to look at her again. "Promise me, on all that is holy? I don't want any of my children going without. And I want to meet any or all of them that want to meet me, at some point. I want them to know that they weren't a mistake, and that if it were up to me, I'd be in their lives forever."

"I promise. We'll make it work."

"Okay," he said with a little sigh. "Then I'll help you. I'll become a breeder. But I'm not doing it for the money, if anyone asks, even though I could do a lot with it. I'm doing it because I want a future for little girls like her."

Isilde gave him a big smile, and then stood on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. That action, of course, made him flush. "You have no idea how many women you've made happy today, Mattei. Myself included."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, looking a little sheepish. "You're not wanting a baby, are you?"

This time it was her that flushed. "Not right now," she admitted. "But someday, yes, I would. There's no way I can tell right now if you would be the best match for me, genetically, but I can tell you one thing. Your kids are going to probably be some of the luckiest in this whole process." When he smiled, she patted his back again, and then tilted her head in the direction of the stairs. "Now, come on. We'll stop by the men's room if you want to take a moment to compose yourself. Then we'll join the others."

He gave her a half smile and then nodded. "Sounds good."

"Good. Now, come on. And walk slowly. My short little legs will need to work overtime to keep up with you."

Mattei couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I am kinda tall. I'll go easy on you. Please lead the way." So she did.

A few hours later, Mattei formally signed up to participate and was directed towards a door he hadn't been through before. He had no idea how wild a ride he was about to go on, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.