"Be careful Annika...not to tight...she's just a baby" he said cautiously. The little girl had found a fledgling robin in the grass and now held the chirping baby in her hands. She was chattering excitedly, "Pa Pa look what I found...a baby bird!" The man smiled patiently. "Maybe we should put her in the bushes so her mommy can find her. She's probably looking for her right now" he urged. They walked over to some nearby lilac bushes and the little girl gently placed the small bird on a low branch. They then quietly backed away. "Will she be alright Pa Pa? Will her mother find her?”...she asked with concern. "She'll be fine" the man reassured... "Her mother will come for her soon". The child skipped off across the grass and began to pick dandelions that had sprung up in the spring sun. The man watched her protectively. She had just turned five years old. She was their oldest with another girl of three and a baby brother of 11 months. So much had happened in these last five years. His Uncle Dimitri had passed away not many months after the birth of Annika. He felt such gratitude for his Uncle. Without his love and guidance, he wondered where his life might be now. The birth of their daughter had brought Dimitri so much joy. He reflected on the story that Dimitri had told him about his dreams and being involved with the "Millennial Comrades" and what it had cost him in his life. He recalled how troubled Dimitri was when he related his experience with the Unity Department. At that time, the "Council of the Consecrated Ones" had not made any allowances for young couples seeking a "Unity Certificate" nor was there any "new light" that made their plight less difficult. He and Larisa were so convinced that a "new order" of world government would soon be established, that they had willingly submitted to the procedures for obtaining a "certificate of sterility". They saw it as a test of their faith and of loyalty to their beliefs. He reflected on that conversation that he and Dimitri had so many years ago in the diner. Now it was clear to him why his uncle and Larisa had never had children of their own. He saw how pained Dimitri became when he related the stories about their monthly visits to the clinic. The injections of Leuprolide acetate that both he and Larisa were required to submit to. How it made their joints hurt so, the dizziness, the fatigue, the vomiting, and of course being unable to enjoy intimacy as a healthy young couple. But they were convinced that their trial would be short and a beautiful new world would soon be realized, a world where they could have as many children as they dreamed. But that new world never came. Year after year went by until one day they received a notice. The authorities at the "Unity Department" informed them that they would no longer be required to possess a "sterility certificate". They were both in their early fifties by then. Research that the "department" had conducted over time showed that conception was virtually impossible after being in the program for three decades.

Boris looked at his watch and realized it was time to leave. "Annika, come on, we have to go now". She skipped towards him, her red curls waving in the breeze. "Look what I picked for you papa", she said excitedly. In her outstretched hand she held a bouquet of bright yellow dandelions. "Those are so beautiful Annika. We can give them to mommy. Would you like that? " "Yes papa" she giggled.

On their way out of the park they passed an old man sitting in a wheelchair. Boris recognized him as a "Millennial Comrade". On a small table by his side set a holographic projector. The image of an elderly white man in a nice suit and flashy watch was being projected as if he were standing there on the sidewalk. Boris paused briefly as they passed, long enough to hear the image say, "A better life...soon!" The old man sat mutely in his chair, his watery eyes looking off into the distance. Boris held Annika's hand a little tighter as they walked away.

..the end

thanks for reading