Chet ran his hand through his thinning hair. “We need those pills.”

  Harv stood behind the pharmacy counter and crossed his arms. “You and Barb’s Compatibility Index is 67. The government’s restricted Eronol to couples with indexes of 60 and below.”

  “That’s just seven points.”

  “And five to ten in the slammer.”

  “Please, Harv. It’s not like I was asking you to cover for me on a background check. That’s good for ten to fifteen.”

  “I cosigned your home loan. That debt’s long paid.”

  Chet saw motion at the corner of his vision and looked to his left. Irene, Harv’s clerk, was bent over the clearance table placing a 50% off sign on the Valentine candy. She was so attractive, so--

  Chet tore his eyes away and looked at Harv. “We’ve been out of Eronol for a week and had our first fight last night. Please: We want to stay in love.”

  “Look: The rationing is just until they rebuild the plant. You can make it until then. Try the emergency guidelines. Have a romantic dinner. Spend the weekend at the beach. Share quiet moments together.”

  “The restaurants and resorts are booked solid. We have eight kids. Jason’s a toddler. There’s no such thing as a quiet moment.”

  “Chet--”

  “Bobby and Melissa are teenagers.”

  “Chet--”

  “Bobby’s Polkadilly band practices in the garage.”

  Harv winced.

  Irene walked past and Chet’s eyes were drawn to her. He forced himself to look back at Harv.

  Harv shook his head and sighed. “Wait here.” He disappeared into the back.

  Chet blinked. Harv wasn’t usually a pushover. He drummed his fingers on the counter and tried not to look at Irene. After a few moments he checked his watch and glanced at the door, wondering if Harv had called the cops.

  Harv came from the back and motioned to Chet. He pressed a bottle into Chet’s hand.

  “This is only because we’re friends and you helped me get my pharmacist’s license,” Harv whispered.

  Chet glanced at the bottle. The pills were red and shaped like tiny disks. “These don’t look like–-“

  “Shh! Keep your voice down. Do you want us to go to jail? It’s experimental, for CI 30 and below.

  Chet raised his eyebrows. “CI 30? I didn’t know they made pairings that low.”

  “The government’s still worried about population decline. Now: You and Barb follow the instructions exactly, and I mean to the ‘T.’ You’re going to be using quarter portions so get the pill splitter on aisle six.”

  “Quarter portions?”

  “This is powerful stuff. You don’t want to risk intoxication.”

  “You mean like that couple who took too much Eronol and did it in public?”

  “Worse.”

  Chet squeezed the bottle. “How much?”

  Harv paused. “I don’t want a data trail. This is on me, just to tide you over.”

  Chet was about to say something when the door chimed, and a customer walked in.

  “Just follow the instructions,” Harv said.

  Chet nodded. He picked up the pill splitter and headed to the check-out.

  Irene glanced at the pills and Chet held his breath. But Irene took his debit card without comment. She smiled as she handed him his bag. “Have a good day.”

  “Thank you.” He quickly slipped the pills into his pocket.

  Chet came home to find Bobby’s band rattling the walls of the garage. Melissa was stretched out on the sofa, talking on her phone. Ike and Nick had their friends over and were playing ninja in the family room. Mike was upstairs, yelling that he was trying to study for his 20th Century Television test. Chet made sure no one was swinging from the lights or bleeding, then ducked into the kitchen.

  Barb was making dinner while Amy and Connie helped. Jason had found a couple of pots and was banging away with a spoon.

  “Ah, another musician,” Chet said.

  Barb gave Chet a quick kiss, then sent the children to the dining room.

  “Did you get them?” Barb said.

  Chet nodded. He put the pills on the counter.

  Barb picked up the bottle. “They don’t look like Eronol.”

  “Harv says they’re experimental. We only take quarter portions.

  Barb’s face sagged. “Quarter portions? What good will that do?”

  “Harv say’s it’s powerful. He said to follow his directions exactly.”

  Barb read the label. “A quarter portion once a day? I don’t know.”

  “We’re lucky to get them. Harv’s sticking his neck out for us.”

  Barb sighed. “The net says they think the Free Love Liberation Front set fire to the plant. It could be down an extra month while they complete the investigation. Maybe longer.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Chet felt numb. He thought about how good Irene looked. He’d never noticed that before. At least, not that way.

  “...And when the repairman came by,” Barb was saying, “I... Chet, I want so much to love you.”

  Chet hugged Barb. “I want to love you, too.” He kissed her on the forehead.

  Barb lay her head against his chest. “I’m scared.”

  “Me too.”

  Chet turned off the grill and took the ribeye steaks to the patio table. Barb set down a couple of salads. The candle flames quivered in the breeze.

  Thank goodness for dates, sleepovers, and grandparents. Chet took the potatoes out of the foil. The quiet was oppressive. He selected soft music as Barb poured the wine. He pulled back her chair for her and Barb smiled her thanks.

  Chet watched Barb as they talked. So, she wasn’t as pretty as Irene, but she was okay for a woman her age. He was acutely aware of his receding hairline and middle-age spread. What did she think when she looked at him? He wished she hadn’t told him about the repairman.

  Chet politely nodded without paying attention to what Barb said. Had they noticed each other before their pairing? He couldn’t remember. Part of that was the Eronol: The first dose, taken together in the civil ceremony, crowded out thoughts of all others. Chet vaguely remembered a crush on someone but couldn’t remember of her name.

  Would they have married if there weren’t government mandated pairings? Chet put that thought out of his mind. Pairings and Eronol had saved civilization. He remembered his great-grandfather’s stories, of how families unraveled and society with them. Population fell and the world plunged toward anarchy. Chet suppressed a shudder. Whatever might have been, he and Barb were together and that was all that mattered.

  They talked about the kids, smiled at each other, and held hands for a time. Then Chet took out the bottle and the pill splitter.

  “Ready?”

  Barb nodded.

  Chet carefully split the pill into quarters. He and Barb each picked up a section.

  “To love,” Chet said.

  “To love.”

  They took their doses. The pill had a spicy taste and a sensation of heat flashed across Chet’s tongue. He washed the pill down with wine.

  They waited a few moments.

  “Feel anything?” Barb said.

  Chet hesitated. There was no flushing, no euphoria. “Maybe it works differently than Eronol. Maybe it’s like an anti-depressant.”

  “Maybe a quarter dose is too small. Maybe we should raise it to half a pill.”

  “But if Harv’s right, we’d give the neighbors something to gossip about.”

  Barb tittered.

  The moon had risen over the backyard, reflecting against the pool. Chet clasped Barb’s hand. “Shall we take a walk on the beach my dear?”

  “I’d be delighted.” Barb giggled. Chet wondered if it was from the wine or the pill.

  The moon painted the backyard in silvery tones as they walked beside the pool. A bobwhite sang with an accompaniment of crickets. Barb lay her head on Chet’s shoulder. Chet slipped his arm around her.

  “This is nice,” Barb said.

  Chet stopped and looked at Barb. In the moonlight her skin took on an intoxicating sheen. It reminded him of how she looked when they walked the beach that night on their honeymoon.

  Barb pulled back. “What’s wrong?”

  “I was just thinking how lovely you are.”

  Barb smiled. They kissed beside the pool shed. Barb’s perfume mingling with the scent of the honeysuckles growing next door, creating a heady aroma.

  Barb nestled against him. “I think the pill’s kicking in.”

  “So do I.”

  Chet and Barb were cuddled on the sofa when Bobby and Melissa walked in.

  Melissa’s face turned crimson. “Mom, Dad! The drapes are open.”

  “So?” Chet and Barb kissed deeply.

  “I think I’m going to hurl.” Melissa ran to her room.

  “The guys are coming over and you’re acting like, like Free Lovers,” Bobby said.

  Barb looked at him. “We could be fighting. There’s a lot of that going around.”

  “But Mom,” Bobby said.

  “Ok, ok,” Chet said, “We’ll promise to cool it. For now.”

  Bobby rolled his eyes and went to the garage.

  Chet looked at Barb. “It’s official: The pills work.”

  Barb giggled, “I think we already knew that.” She snuggled against him. “That reminds me. Mrs. Fletcher called.”

  “What about?”

  “She saw us holding hands in church last Sunday and wondered if we’d teach the young married class this coming year. She said we were an inspiration, what with Eronol rationing.”

  Chet drew away. “Did you tell her about the pills?”

  “Of course not. I told her we’d pray about it.”

  “I don’t like this. It’s like, I don’t know, like we’re frauds or something. Rich caught me talking to you on company time and thought I was having an affair.”

  Barb laughed.

  “It’s not funny. There’s already been two at the district office. It’s worse than the Bad Years. Rich couldn’t believe I was talking to you. I had to show him my last number dialed.”

  Barb took his hand. “Is this really so bad?”

  “No, but have you thought about what we’re going to do when they end Eronol rationing?”

  Barb sighed. “I suppose Harv won’t give us any more pills.”

  Chet shook his head. “I doubt it. He said that bottle should last us until the plant’s rebuilt. Quarter doses gives us about six more months. But after that...” He gazed into Barb’s eyes. “Eronol is nothing like this.”

  “Then I guess we need to take advantage of it while we can.”

  Chet smiled and slipped back into her arms.

  Chet was on his way to work when Barb called. “Jason found the pills. I don’t know how he opened them. I’m taking him to the emergency room.”

  Chet felt like someone had kneed him in the stomach. “How many?”

  “All but three.”

  Chet would have wrecked if the car hadn’t been on autopilot. “Is he--”

  “He acts okay. I made him throw up, but they looked like they were dissolved.”

  “Hold on,” He covered the phone. “Ridge Memorial,” he said to the car. He uncovered the phone. “I’ll meet you there.”

  “Chet, I’m scared.”

  “He’ll be all right.” His hands trembled.

  “Love you,” Barb said.

  “Love you, too.”

  They arrived at the emergency room at the same time. Chet scooped up Jason out of Barb’s car and ran to the entrance.

  A doctor passing through the waiting room saw them. “What’s wrong?”

  “He found some pills,” Chet said. “He’s thrown up, but–-“

  “Set him here.”

  Chet put Jason down in a chair in the lobby. The doctor shined a point light into Jason’s eyes.

  “Pupils are normal.” The doctor took Jason’s pulse. Jason squirmed and Barb put her hand on his shoulder.

  The doctor smelled Jason’s breath. “What kind of pills were they?”

  Chet looked at Barb. Barb took a deep breath and handed the doctor the bottle. She had torn away the label.

  “We’re not sure,” Barb said. “He took all but three.”

  The doctor removed the cap and peered inside. “Hmm...” He removed one and held it up, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. He sniffed it. “You say these are the pills?”

  “Yes,” Barb said. She squeezed Chet’s hand so hard he thought his bones would crack.

  The doctor tasted the pill and smiled. “He’s going to be fine.”

  “But the bottle was half full,” Chet said.

  The doctor popped the pill into his mouth and chewed. “Doesn’t matter. It’s a cinnamon imperial.”

  “A what?” Barb said.

  The doctor grinned. “Candy. He shouldn’t have anything worse than a sugar rush.”

  Jason bounced on the chair.

  “You have older kids, right?” the doctor said. “Tell them not to put candy in pill bottles. It’s dangerous: Young kids can’t tell the difference between candy and the real thing.”

  Chet and Barb stared at each other.

  Chet slammed the bottle onto the kitchen counter. “When I see Harv, I’m going to-”

  “Thank him for both of us,” Barb said.

  “I’ll do no such thing. He told me this was something more powerful than Eronol.”

  “I wondered about that,” Barb said. “If this was an experimental drug, he would have to account for every pill. He couldn’t just give them away. And he never charged us for them.”

  Chet stared at the bottle. “Placebos.”

  Barb put her arms around him. “I’d say it worked.”

  “They’re just candy,” Chet said.

  “Do you love me?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “You don’t just want to love me?”

  Chet turned to Barb. When had they started saying that? He turned toward her and kissed her. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” Barb said. “Without Eronol.”

  “We sound like Free Lovers.”

  “Who cares?”

  Jason opened the cabinets and started banging on a couple of pots.

  Chet’s phone chirped. “Hello?”

  “Chet, this is Harv. I was just letting you know they’re lifting Eronol rationing.”

  Chet looked at Barb. “They are?”

  “They were able to gear up for production at another plant. They kept it secret because of the Free Lovers. I’ll have a shipment in a couple of days.”

  Chet looked up at Barb. She really was beautiful. How could he have never noticed that? “Thanks, but we’ll be okay.”

  “What?”

  “We’ve found something better.”

  Barb smiled at him.

  “Chet, you need to know something about those pills.”

  “We already know. Bye.”

  Chet and Barb put their arms around each other and kissed.

  “I need to go to work.” Chet struggled to tear himself away.

  He didn’t struggle very hard.