Promised by Caragh M. O'brien

they began a lap around the balcony. Gaia glanced back to see the guard discretely following them.
    â€œWhat if you change your mind?” Gaia said. “What if you don’t want to give up your baby?”
    â€œIt isn’t my baby,” Emily clarified. “It doesn’t matter if we’ve been implanted with a blastocyst or inseminated with sperm. When we signed on, we agreed to give up any rights to the babies.”
    â€œYou lost me. What’s a blastocyst?”
    â€œSorry. It’s a little package of cells that forms about a week after fertilization,” Emily said. “It has everything you need to develop into a human embryo, so if it attaches well in the woman’s womb, it can eventually grow into a baby.”
    Gaia glanced down to where two women leaned over a large book, and one laughed. They made a picture of health and peacefulness, and she couldn’t help contrasting it to what she knew of life back outside the wall.
    â€œDo you actually sign a contract or something?” Gaia asked.
    â€œWe get this.” Emily held out her left wrist, where her bracelet shimmered around her skin. It was made of some material Gaia had never seen before, both delicate and strong, elastic enough that Emily could push the band comfortably up her arm yet snug enough that she couldn’t slide it off over her hand. A golden clasp attached the ends together, and fine strands of gold laced a filigree on the surface. Most unusual was the soft, blue glow.
    â€œIt’s beautiful,” Gaia said.
    â€œThis is the contract,” Emily said. “It’s a matter of honor. When you agree to join the Vessel Institute, you agree to stay until your promised baby is born. You keep this on until the birth ceremony, when the parents receive their child and cut the bracelet. Until then, it emits a signal so the Protectorat always knows where you are. The parents know, too, anytime they want to check on you. They find it reassuring.”
    â€œSo it’s a security device?” Gaia asked.
    Emily looked at her oddly. “If you want to be cynical.”
    â€œI’m just trying to understand. Are you saying you’re not captives?”
    â€œOf course not,” Emily clarified. “One girl has already broken her promise and left. Do you remember Sasha? From back home? She left.”
    â€œSasha was in on this?” Gaia rarely thought about their other girlhood friend.
    â€œShe isn’t anymore. You can cut off your bracelet any time you like,” Emily continued, “but if you do, the contract is null and void. You won’t be paid and you won’t receive any more medical care. You’ll prove yourself a liar. Worst of all, you’ll give unspeakable grief to the disappointed couple that trusted you and paid for your care all this time. You’ll be stealing their child.”
    Gaia was increasingly uncomfortable with Emily’s use of “you.”
    â€œBut, Emily,” Gaia protested. “How can you possibly carry a baby in you all those months, knowing you have to give it up? How could you do that? You’ve had your boys.”
    â€œI still have my boys,” Emily said. “I’m staying with them here forever. I’m doing this for them.”
    Gaia stared at her, shocked. “So you’ll give away their sibling ?”
    Emily closed her eyes and took a deep, visible breath. Gaia suddenly realized that she’d crossed a line. When Emily opened her eyes again, she had herself firmly in control.
    â€œOf course we grow attached to the babies,” Emily said. “That’s a natural part of it, and if you ask me, babies need to feel they’re loved and wanted long before they’re ever born. But that’s why being a vessel mother is such an amazing, sensitive job. It takes a special person to do this, Gaia. A completely selfless, generous woman. But it’s worth it. Have you ever met a couple that