Chapter Nine

Miriam unlocked the door of the laboratory she'd rented, and hung her briefcase and her purse on the hook by the door. Then she locked and double-locked the door behind her. She smiled to herself as she replayed the phone conversation she had just had with Rona while driving to the lab. Rona was convinced that Miriam had a secret lover and that was why she had been acting "so mysterious" lately. Certainly, Miriam's behavior had probably raised a few red flags with those who knew her well. After all, whenever she immersed herself in a new project, she had the tendency to become obsessive about it. Since Rona knew that Miriam was retired from her medical career, she assumed that Miriam must be seeing someone. Miriam decided that it was fun to have a secret. Besides, Rona and the girls would absolutely have her committed if they knew what she was really up to.


There was an odd scent in the air leftover from the previous renters. Perhaps it was formaldehyde, but Miriam couldn't be sure. The odor didn't bother her. On the contrary, she actually enjoyed the smell of chemicals; it was bodily odors that had always felt like an assault to her senses. When the girls were in diapers, she'd turned stinky diaper changes over to Granny Sue or Phil. "My nose is too sensitive," she'd say. Here in the lab, among the smells and equipment that had been such an integral part of her life for so long, Miriam felt herself come to life again. She was back in her element. This was probably the greatest challenge she'd ever undergone and it completely captivated her. The secrecy surrounding it added significantly to her enjoyment. 


She sat down on a metal stool at the counter and tried to determine which traits of Saul's were most important to her to replicate. Fleetingly, the God-like nature of her task startled her, but she dismissed her doubts as swiftly as one might shoo away a pesky mosquito. Miriam was not a woman who was accustomed to second-guessing herself. Even when others convinced her that she was wrong, she had a hard time admitting it. 


Once, when she was a young girl, she had seen a dog in the alley behind her house running with something in his mouth. A tall man ran behind him and yelled what Miriam assumed must have been the dog's name. "Badger! Badger!" he screamed. Miriam watched the scene unfold as if she were transfixed. When the man finally reached the dog, he yanked on a chain around the dog's neck  and Miriam could see that the dog had a small baby clenched between his very sharp teeth. Most little girls would have been horrified by the scene, but Miriam was merely fascinated. As Miriam walked closer to get a better look, she realized that the baby was a very lifelike rag doll. At that point, Miriam became quite a bit less enthralled, but she stayed to watch the outcome nevertheless. 


The man's first approach was aggressive; he tried to use his strength to pull the doll away from the dog, but that just made Badger dig in deeper. Then, he took something out of his pocket as if he was going to offer it up as a trade, but the dog seemed completely disinterested. Finally, he tried to outsmart the dog. The man walked away as if he had given up, as if Badger had won. Miriam thought she even heard him mutter, "she's all yours, you damn mutt!" Suddenly, he turned around and grabbed the doll again, clearly hoping that Badger's grip would have lessened, that the dog would have let down his guard. It didn't work and the man went home empty-handed, presumably to explain to his young daughter that he would have to buy her another doll. That scene made an indelible mark on Miriam's brain. Most girls would have sympathized with the doll owner. They would have feared the dog's aggression and tenacity. But Miriam was never like most girls. She decided from that day on to be Badger. She would be fearless and unyielding. Nothing would ever be taken from her grip until she was done with it. She believed that these Badger-like qualities had served her well. After all, hadn't she kept Phil around twenty-three years longer than his doctors had predicted?


Now, she was trying to make sure that her beloved cat would have another chance at life. She thought that cloning was especially fitting for felines since they were already supposed to have nine lives. Miriam took out a pen and yellow legal pad from her briefcase and started to make a list of the supplies she would need. When her cell phone rang, it took her a few minutes to track down where she'd put it. She found it on the counter nearest the door just before the last ring. 


"Mom!" Sarah said. "Where have you been? I've tried you for the last twenty minutes."
"I don't know how that could be," Miriam said. "The phone's been here with me all along." Miriam assumed that she had been so immersed in the flow of her project that she'd completely ignored the phone's ringing.
"Where is here?"
Miriam truly disliked lying, but her policy of "Necessary Honesty" sometimes required that she get creative with the truth. "I'm out and about."
"Mother, you are acting so odd. Odder than usual. Rona called me. She's really worried that you're up to something. She thinks that you're dating someone and you're trying to protect us from him or maybe you're protecting him from us." Sarah paused and laughed at herself. 
"I'm sorry, Mom. Honestly, I didn't mean for that to sound like the Inquisition.  I hope you are dating. I hope you've met someone wonderful. I mean it."
Miriam was both touched by her daughter's concern and tickled by how off-the-mark she was. 
"I am not in the market for a new man, thank you very much. If I find a great guy, I will be sure to send him your way, my dear."
Sarah sighed audibly and realized that, once again, Miriam had escaped the hot seat by focusing the attention back on Sarah. 
"Not cool, Mother! My love life is not open for discussion."
"Have you seen Jeff lately?"
"Subtle, Mom. Actually, he stopped by the store yesterday to sample some new dessert options for the restaurant. He had his daughters with him. It seems that Kate is a bit interested in baking. I showed her all around the kitchen and she seemed genuinely fascinated. I told her that she could come apprentice one summer when she gets a little older. She seemed thrilled. Her twin sister Kelly, on the other hand, didn't seem one speck interested in anything to do with food. Jeff told me that she is actually a very accomplished equestrian who has racked up an impressive array of  medals at horse shows. I told her about my unfortunate attempt to ride a horse when I was at summer camp."
"You've ridden a horse since then haven't you? That was a million years ago!"
"Not quite a million, Mother. And no, I did not abide by common wisdom and get right back on the horse, so I'm still pretty terrified."
"How on earth did I raise such a fearful daughter?"
"Just lucky, I guess. Anyway, I'd love to dissect my flaws once again with you but I actually called you for a reason. I've made a decision about something and I know it will surprise you, but I need to let you know what I'm going to do."
"That sounds awfully ominous," said Miriam.
"Not really, but I do need to tell you in person so let's have dinner tomorrow night. Where would you like to go?"
"Let's meet at Urban Appetite at 7pm."
"Mom, you just want to go there to push me in Jeff's face."
"You're being ridiculous, Sarah. I simply have a craving for his crab cakes."
"Fine. Whatever. Shall I pick you up at 645?"
"No, lets meet there. I have some errands to run tomorrow afternoon."
After the call ended, Miriam gazed at the list she'd been writing, but her eyes weren't focusing on any of the supplies. Instead, she was trying to figure out what Sarah's secret might be. Funny, Miriam thought, I'm not the only one who is acting mysterious!