Commission: Milk Girl - Preview 1

Whoo! Gettin' work done. And due to new methods of sharing previews with clients it even got a small edit beforehand. And then Matty took a moment to point to the title for this teaser and say, "You just know Nora's gonna end up a Milk Girl."

"It was a beautiful morning, the sounds of morning traffic, city birds, and of course the tender sizzle of lab grown peameal bacon filling Nora and Ben's little apartment. The twenty some odd couple were just old enough to have remembered the time before lab grown really took off, but honestly, like most of the world, they grew to prefer it. It lacked the same fat content as classic farmed alternatives, so to a few it lacked flavour, but it made lab grown healthier overall. Not to mention the benefits of cheaper costs, environmental sustainability, and of course clearer conscience.

The whole thing had been part of a push to wean humanity off unsustainable livestock; basically, any food that it took more resources to raise than you got out of it. Over the now eighteen-year campaign, governments and companies had managed to replace pork entirely. There was still a little bit of contest with chicken and lamb, what with the synthesis for eggs still being a little spotty, and cotton and synthetic fibers still had enough issues with allergies that wool couldn’t be completely phased out just yet. By and large the biggest problem of them all though was cows.

Beef was one of the first meats they perfected the process for, since cows were the main problem concern. They needed huge farm space, ate like black holes, and produced waste that over time had severe greenhouse effects. No matter how great they made fatless lab beef taste however, there was another reason people needed the real deal animals; milk.

With a population of over ten billion, the dependency on milk and its adjacent products was staggering. It was a part of everyone’s life, whether they really acknowledged it or not: the milk on their cereal; the cream in their tea; even the cheese on their lunchtime sandwich, all were vitally dependent on bovine produce farming. Even right now, as Ben mulled over the morning news, one hand was idly stirring the white gold into his morning coffee. There was an alternative in the works however.

“So that 'Milk Girl' project from Humane Production is starting to get underway,” the man offered, adjusting his squared glasses up his nose as he read the article from his phone.

His fiancé paused, making sure the food was at a point she could leave it a few seconds before replying. “Wasn’t that approved like, a few months back?” she asked, turning her navy eyes over towards him.

“Yeah,” he answered, setting the device down and running his fingers through his sandy brown hair, “but I mean, the proposal was using human milk as an alternative to standard dairy. Even if the government gave it a pass, people weren’t just gonna agree to people as livestock. I mean,” he drew up their small milk pitcher, giving it a shake to emphasize his point, “could you imagine if this was some girl's? Tell me that wouldn’t weird you out hun.”

She couldn’t help a small giggle, sending her pudgy curves jiggling. Nora wasn’t large by any means. A tad on the shorter side, packing a few extra pounds that gave her a thickset bottom and a plump chest, but far from what anyone would consider overweight. Still, given the chance, she wouldn’t mind dropping a few pounds off her tummy area.

“You sound like my dad did when they first announced the swap to cultured meat,” she teased, carefully plating both their breakfasts and making her way to the table. “I do kinda agree though; it’s a little weird to think about.”

Placing his plate down in front of him, she stole a quick kiss on his soft cheek before settling down into her seat next to him to enjoy their meal. For the past year they'd lived together, ever since Ben popped her the question, and every day the blonde made sure they got to share, even a meager meal, before he had to head off to work for the day. It wasn’t easy keeping them both supported on a single income, especially in the big city; she knew her fiancé worked his ass off for them, so she promised always to be there and do everything she could for him in return.

Despite the hot food before him, his chocolate eyes stared at her, a wry smirk on his lips. “Like your dad huh? Should I consider that a good thing or a bad thing?” he inquired as he drank her in.

A light blush tinted her cherubic cheeks, as she tried to keep her eyes on her plate. “What do you think mister office job?” she countered as she sunk her knife into the slab of bacon adorning her dish.

“I think,” he began, reaching over and resting his hand on hers to grab her attention, “that I'm the luckiest man alive to have you for a fiancé, Nora.”

Her blush deepened to a beet red, and she playfully swat his hand away. “That doesn’t even answer your own question,” she chastised him, but the flirty grin on her lips betrayed her enjoyment.

Slipping a small piece of meat between her lips, the chubby blonde's lover was quick to make his way in and kiss the smallest drop of grease from her lips.

She recoiled shyly, chortling at her lover's boldness; just one of the many things she adored about him. With a smooch of her own she rewarded him, letting it linger long enough for them both to savour the moment. “Alright, now finish your breakfast before you have to go!” the cushioned blonde gave him a tap on the nose to drive the order through; as much as she would have liked to continue revelling in his company.

Piling his plate onto a piece of toast Ben obliged, polishing it all off with a smile on his face, as she was still cutting off her small bites. A quick dab of his mouth, a wash of his hands, and a straightening of his glasses and tie and he was ready to go. Well, there was one last order of business.

Collecting up his briefcase he returned to give his fiancé one last peck on the cheek. “Thanks for another lovely breakfast hun. I'll see you tonight,” he promised.

“See you then,” Nora replied with a bubbly grin, as her love slipped out the door for the day." - "Milk Girl" by Madam Materia