Marlena Eats for Two

There was a commercial ad running on the screen.  The ad showed the bare torso of a pregnant model turning in warm light.  The torso slowed to a profile shot of the round belly. Gradually the growing infant was visible inside the belly.  The increasing heartbeat and warm flowing sounds suggested how the baby was pulling in massive amounts of nutrients from the mother's body.  The voice-over for the commercial was saying as much.

"When eating for two, it is essential that you remember that only Vegetables of the Sea brand fruits and vegetables contain the oil-producing genes necessary to ensure your growing baby receives the recommended daily allowance of Omega-3 fish oils without the risk of heavy-metal contamination."

Frank moved the remote above the clutter of the table and switched off the screen.  "Shit," he said.

Frank didn't want to hear anything about oceans and pregnancy right now.  Frank was sure that if the oceanic dead zones expanded as fast and as far as they did last year, there wouldn't be sufficient oxygen in the atmosphere by November for the pregnancy to complete successfully.   Frank was sure they would expand too, during the heat of high summer. Frank was also sure his insurance wouldn't cover the cost of the oxygen until his wife Marlena was actually in labor at the hospital, so he would need to get a second job.

Dammit, Frank thought.  He hated the idea of another job.

As luck would have it, the oceanic dead zones expanded so far that summer that Frank didn't have to worry about a second job.  In fact, they expanded so far that Frank didn't have to worry about anything at all.