Chapter Four - Plans Aborted

She had held out until she was certain, but now Tamsin knew she was pregnant. She booked an emergency appointment with an intern at the hospital, Dr Ropata. "Calm down", she told herself, "This happens to lots of young women. It's easily fixed." As she opened her door the mailman saw her, dropped his delivery quickly in the box, and sprinted down the hill away from her. She liked him less and less and less each day.

Dr Ropata introduced himself. He was from Niua Simoa, but had moved here for the much better pay and conditions. Apparently doctors didn't like to stick around in the islands, and there was a shortage of medical professionals throughout the Pasimfic. He even apologised for leaving, but explained he had a family to feed. Tamsin, being only interested in eco-politics, smiled and nodded. She wasn't even sure where Niua Simoa was.

"Basically", she said to summon her courage, "I'm pregnant and I need an abortion."

"The father isn't in the picture", she lied. She didn't want Perseus to ever know, if possible. She needed this to be private.

"I'm not in any state to start a family. I have a tiny income. I literally don't have a roof over my head. I live this crazy, impoverished, free-wheeling life, and kids can't fit into it. They just can't right now. Maybe one day in the future, but this one needs to stop before it's anything more than a tiny, mindless cluster of pixels in my womb."

She felt exhausted, having said it. She was a modern girl, with a modern understanding of her body. She hadn't ever expected it to be so difficult. She had always imagined, if she'd needed an abortion, it would be easy. The reality was, now, that she spoke with confused, mixed feelings - certain of what she had to do, but also hurt and afraid of what it meant. There were, after all, risks.

Ropata looked at Tamsin with sympathy and concern. "Do you know anything about abortion law in Sim Nation?", he asked.

- "No."

- "The problem is, abortion hasn't been legal here for several decades now. There isn't anything I can do, as a doctor, except advise you to seek financial support."

- "You don't understand", said Tamsin, "I literally cannot afford this baby."

- "Can you talk to the father about a child support plan?", Ropata persisted.

- "He's not in the picture", she repeated.

- "I do sympathise", said Ropata, "This law is rather draconian. As of two years ago, a woman can't even board a plane from Sim Nation to another country while pregnant, in case she tries to get an abortion overseas."

Ropata grew more animated as he spoke.

- "It's been this way ever since President Alto's cronies took power. I tell you, Supreme Court Justice Crumplebottom is a law unto herself! She outlawed nipples! Nipples! Haven't you ever wondered where they went?", he was beside himself with anger. "It's no bloody wonder nobody breast feeds anymore!"

Tamsin sat throughout his political speech as if she had been slapped. She had simply assumed all her reproductive rights were intact. She didn't care much for politics. She couldn't believe how uninformed she was, for a start. She was also frustrated by the way a man - doctor or not - kept saying he sympathised. Maybe, but he certainly could not empathise. Could he really contemplate the situation she was in right now. Suddenly, she snapped, interrupting his tirade

- "I don't care!", she yelled, "Just tell me what I can do! Isn't there something I can do to stop this pregnancy going ahead? Can't you help me privately, without anyone knowing?"

- "I've told you", said Ropata in his best soothing voice, "I sympathise. But there is nothing I can do that won't put me at risk of jail time, and my family in jeopardy of being deported."

Tamsin left the hospital feeling like she had been physically beaten. She felt sick. Her arms ached. She couldn't begin to describe how numb she was, looking up and down the main street as she mounted her bike. She might have to stop riding her bike as she got bigger... That would be the least of the changes she would face. She felt old. Entering the doctor's office she had felt too young to have children. Now she felt too old.

That night she did the only thing left to do. She called Perseus, told him the truth, and asked him to help her raise the child. He came across as cold. Mid-negotiations he lowered his voice, and insisted that she do something very dangerous to herself in hopes of bringing about a miscarriage.

She hung up the phone without letting him finish his proposal.

She hoped never to see or hear from him again.

++++

Challenge Notes

Depressing, much? I had fun with this, thinking about reproductive issues in The Sims 3 off the back of a twitter conversation with TheSim3Gamer's Amy Tucker. It all fits the story perfectly, and makes it somewhat plausible that an edgy young thing like Tamsin can't have an abortion, as she would if she were a real person in a developed nation. I didn't want to make Perseus into such a bad guy, but the story pushed me that way, so I did. A shame, because I like the guy. It's interesting, when I invent the Sims for neighbourhoods I try to be very vague, because the Sims are only springboards for other people to tell stories. Too much of "me" in them, and they become restrictive. Legacy play invites me to add much more depth to the characters, it's not something that's ever happened to me while playing The Sims 3 before, this level of emotional investment.

At any rate, the challenge is moving forward well. Tamsin is now stuck being a single parent. Her inventing skill is climbing. She needs to change her wardrobe the moment the pregnancy is done, though, or she misses out of her Fashion Diva requirement. Looking forward to rolling for Gen Two.