Times Nine by Teyla Branton

Author:Teyla Branton [Branton, Teyla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Historical Romantic Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure
ISBN: 978-1-939203-68-7
Publisher: White Star Press
Published: 2015-11-16T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

MADDY HAD NO HOPE LEFT. In the year since Michael’s birth, she’d aged nine. She saw her older self in the mirror, a daily reminder of her living hell. Each new wrinkle or sag threw her into deeper depression. Biologically, she was now forty-seven, older than Lindon by three years. Next year she would be fifty-six, and in five more she would be a hundred and one—which was the current median life expectancy. Michael would only be seven.

She no longer worked full-time but occupied herself with her children. They played games or watched the vidscreen. They built clay houses, erupted model volcanoes, read books, and traveled the world virtually with 4D programs in the comfort of their living room. The only time she left the house was for their long walks on the beach. She still had to wear her Protect-a-Skin to do that, but her increased metabolism seemed to help alleviate her allergy attacks before they became overwhelming. It was a silver lining that didn’t begin to cover her cloud of despair.

By contrast, Lindon practically lived at his lab, working late each day. Maddy went there every evening to see if he had any new drugs or treatments to try. So far he’d offered many, but each had failed. During the first few months, Maddy had tried not to show him how much it hurt to have her hope destroyed daily, but now that she held no hope, the inevitable failures meant nothing—except perhaps more of the awful loneliness that no one could share.

With Lindon’s constant absence, Maddy’s isolation grew. Not that her friends didn’t try. “Come with us to Portugal this evening,” they would urge. “There’s a cute little ocean-front restaurant you’ve just got to try. It’s out of the way and full of the old Portuguese culture. Men still fish in boats, and every now and then you can see a few of the working class driving automobiles.” Or “We’re going hiking for a month through the Amazon. Can’t you find a babysitter for Michael?”

Their desires seemed petty now with her life’s end looming so near. Each moment had to be lived to its fullness, and being with her boys was all important. Except now Stewart had dropped the bomb that he wanted to go live with his father—permanently.

“I can’t stand another day near Lindon,” Stewart insisted. “It’s his fault. I hate him!”

“He didn’t mean for it to happen,” Maddy protested. “And I need you here. Michael needs you too. That’s why I asked you not to visit your father this summer.”

“It hurts too much, Mom.” Stewart blinked back his tears. “You always being hooked up to that IV, never wanting to leave the house, except for the beach. And every time I look at Michael, I remember he’s the reason you’re going to die. Please, Mom. I just need to get away for a while.”

In the end she let him go, and all that she had left was Michael. He didn’t understand that she was aging or that she would soon leave him forever.

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