Executive Admin Gary Weinerspiegel sat across from Miss Jelli Blount, the woman whose strumpet of a Creature had somehow managed to be impregnated by his own Creature. He found her a plain woman, not just because her Creatured status allowed her to dress in muted, mismatched tones without feeling embarrassment, but also because he knew that poverty limited her wardrobe. He decided she was probably intimidated by his appearance. He didn't care about fashion any more than she did, but in his line of work, it paid to look like you were in the middle of a magazine photo shoot. He had the expensive "businessman's haircut" made by dying and enameling the hair until it looked like mahogany, then shaping it in alternating waves laid on top of one another. He had chosen the off-center wave, which looked like wooden pancakes laid in a stack off the side of the head, and was becoming very fashionable according to trend-watchers. His tasteful polka dot tie was accompanied by a blue bowtie, called "the noose of success" in some circles. The floor to ceiling windows behind him gave Jelli a view of downtown, the skyscrapers reaching upward in a grid of power and opportunity that people like her could only dream of.

"You should have at least brought a picture of your Creature," said Weinerspiegel.

"She isn't around much," said Jelli. "I have submitted veterinary reports proving impregnation and lineage."

"But I wanted a picture."

"Forgive me."

Both were expressionless, their voices flat, each speaking in monotone response to the other. People who had their Creatures pulled out sometimes mimicked those who were still controlled by their emotions, but with only the two of them together, there was no need for acting.

"I suppose you will want financial compensation," said Weinerspiegel.

"Of course. That, and recognition of my Creature as the mother of your child."

Weinerspiegel sighed. This whole affair was very annoying. One of the reasons he'd had his Creature pulled out of him was so that he could secure a marriage with someone of equal - or greater - social standing than himself, but without being distracted from his career. He had done everything he possibly could to get his Creature acquainted with the Creature of Ariana Porquetuist-Pimperneal, heiress of the Porquetuist fortune as well as the Pimperneal fortune. But now… now…

"You do realize this puts me in a difficult position."

"Don't imagine that this is easy for me," said Jelli. "If I may be frank for a moment: People like you imagine that your wealth makes you noteworthy. You think yourself legendary because the poor people who bring you your meals are afraid of you. Mister Weinerspiegel, you must understand that among my circle of family and friends, you are not known, and you are of no interest. I do not mean to insult you, but that is the truth."

Gary Weinerspiegel found it difficult to respond. His stomach seized up, and he wondered if he was going to be sick. He looked at the woman's little smudge of a nose, her thick eyebrows that nearly joined in the middle, her narrow shoulders and boyish frame, and decided that life would be much, much easier if she were simply dead.

"Thank you, Miss Blount," he said. "We'll go into the details of child care at a later date."

"Please, call me Jelli."