"Karen Traviss - Orchids" - читать интересную книгу автора (Traviss Karen)

ORCHIDS
by Karen Traviss
© 1998 - All Rights Reserved


[ When our publisher found this beautiful and heart-rending hard sf tale in the queue at the
Critters Workshop, he immediately offered to buy it from resident Critter Karen Traviss. You'll be
glad he did. ]


An expensive, embossed card, cattleya orchids picked out in the palest pink. "To my special girl,
with love from your Dad. Happy Birthday. We are what we’re meant to be."

"Oh, Dad, I miss you so much."

Simon scrambled up the attic ladder. "Who’re you talking to. Mum?"

"Just remembering my Dad, love," Vicky said. She put the card back in a manila envelope that was
sueded with age and frequent handling. Her life was in those carefully-kept cards. "I like to remember
sometimes."

#

"Congratulations. It’s going to be a boy."

Bob looked up at the doctor and wanted to tell him that he bloody well expected it to be for the money
he’d paid. Instead, he smiled his best paternal smile and squeezed Gina’s hand.

It was clenched tight. He squeezed it anyway.

"It might be premature to tell everyone just yet," the doctor said. "Implantation’s been successful, and
there’s no reason to suppose Gina won’t carry to term. But let’s be cautious."

"I feel like I did the last time." Gina looked determined rather than elated. "It’s going to be okay."

"Of course it will." The doctor ushered them towards the receptionist. "Let’s make some appointments
for you, shall we?"

Bob had no intention of announcing their pregnancy to the world. It was something he was hoping to
avoid for as long as possible. He didn’t want to lie. But he didn’t want to admit to anyone, especially
Gina’s mother, that they had paid for IVF treatment and genetic manipulation.

"We’ll have to tell her it’s a boy sooner or later," Gina said. "Or we’ll slip up and call it ‘he’ sooner or
later. Yes, when we do tell her we’ll have to say she’s going to have another grandson."

#

Ten weeks.

"Yes, mum. . .yes, that’s right, I’m pregnant. . . no, I didn’t tell you. . .no, I didn’t want to get everyone’s