The Apotheosis. Darrell Lee
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Название: The Apotheosis
Автор: Darrell Lee
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Историческая фантастика
isbn: 9781946329851
isbn:
One weekend in late April, when Ethan was away on business travel, we saw a movie while holding hands. It sounds so trivial now, but I remember it being a big deal. Out and about like a normal couple, doing normal date things. The times when we were together passed at twice the speed of a normal day. We talked about literature and philosophy and why the world was the way it was and how it could be better and how we would change it. I was not really much of a talker; I think I was a bit too practical to really be chatty. Except when I was around her. She inspired me and opened my mind to different subject matters, and we talked and talked for hours on end without any of it being forced or trite. She simply brought out the best in me. And I believed I did the same for her. We were happy and content and stimulated in each other’s company. And that was all we needed. That night, we ate dinner at a restaurant before rushing back to my apartment. She always had to go too soon, leaving me there with the sweat-dampened sheets and silence.
By mid-June the five expectant monkeys had each given birth to healthy replicas of Petri. It was a time of great excitement, and I spent long hours in the lab studying and observing the mother-infant pairs and performing tests on the infants. By September the newborn monkeys were eating solid food and thriving. They were developing normally and I felt confident I had achieved a 100 percent success rate for embryo implantation.
Things were going well, but that was about to change. At first, I was sure it was for the better, only to find out it was for the worse.
SEPARATION
“Amira, come here.”
Ethan’s command came from the study. Supper baked in the oven. Elona was watching TV in the living room. It was early evening on a Friday. Amira stopped mid-stroke in ironing Elona’s dress. She knew that tone all too well. Whatever Ethan wanted to talk about couldn’t be good. Her hope for a peaceful weekend winked out of existence in an instant. She placed the iron on the counter. Her mind raced. We’ve been very careful. No texts. No emails. I always call him, never the other way around. I always use the prepaid phone. It’s still hidden in the lining of my purse. He hasn’t found that, my purse is in here.
Amira stood in the doorway of the study. Ethan sat at his desk, his laptop in front of him.
“Why is there an email here from Boston Magazine informing you that they have received your resume for a position there?”
“Where’s the email? When did I get it?”
“In your inbox. It just arrived.”
Damn it, of all the luck. I applied only yesterday.
Ethan checking Amira’s email was nothing new. Some battles weren’t worth fighting.
“Elona’s been in school for almost a month now. I thought I’d try to find some part-time work. Like I said, use that journalism degree I have.” And some battles are.
“Why do you insist on disobeying me? We have discussed this idea at least twice before and I told you that you will not work outside this house! I am the husband, I decide how this house is run! I am deleting your email account!”
Delete my account, like I can’t make another? A secret one. But I’m not hiding this from you. I’m not your slave. The ball of anger grew in Amira’s chest. Down the hall, Elona peered around the corner. Amira sensed her and looked to her right. Their eyes met. Amira could see the dread on her child’s face of another argument brewing. If it was about anything else she’d let it go, if only to save Elona from having to hear another one. To save the weekend and next week from having to watch Ethan brood about, silent and sulking. The anger in Ethan’s eyes was as blatant as the sadness and fear in Elona’s. But she was determined to stand her ground over this. Ethan and his threats had gone too far.
“Elona, go to your room and shut the door, please.” Amira’s voice was calm but forced. Elona stood silent and still. She dropped her eyes to the floor. Amira knew what she was contemplating: If I don’t go to my room, the fight won’t happen. “Now! Elona.”
The child ran to her room.
The door shut.
Amira turned to glare at Ethan. The ball grew. How dare you make me have to speak to Elona like that?
John opened the door to Amira, red-eyed, red-nosed, clutching her purse and a tissue.
“It must be bad for you to drive here in the pouring rain. What happened?”
“Ethan took her.” Amira came inside and sat on the couch.
“Elona?”
“Yes.”
“Where?” John sat beside her.
“He didn’t say, but I’d expect to his parents’ apartment in New York. She doesn’t even have a change of clothes.”
“What was this fight over?”
“The job I applied for… and he threatened to delete my email account.” Amira held her head in her hands. “There was a lot of yelling and screaming and him quoting scripture… I told him he could go fuck himself in the ass with that book.”
John smirked.
“I don’t know where that came from… I swore I’d quit talking like that.”
“It’s never too late to start again.”
“It’s not funny. I don’t want every time Elona hears the F-word for it to have come from her mother.”
“Sorry.”
“Oh, God, I hope Elona didn’t hear that… I was just so… so angry.” Amira sighed and sat up straight. “He stormed out of the study to Elona’s room and picked her up and headed for the door. I tried to stop him and he pushed me.”
“He pushed you?”
“Yes… twice. Once inside the apartment and once in the hallway. Elona was crying. I was crying. I tried to stop him from getting on the elevator, and he pushed me to the floor. The neighbors came out. I was so embarrassed. The elevator opened and he was gone with her. I just sat there and cried.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No, just my pride… and dignity. I don’t know how I’ll be able to look my neighbors in the eye again.”
“I wouldn’t worry about them. And if he’s heading to the grandparents’ place, I wouldn’t worry about Elona either. At least not about being clothed, fed, bathed, and teeth brushed. From the stories you tell me, she has both sets of grandparents wrapped around her finger. And she knows it. They’ll get her to feeling better and probably have her call you as soon as they understand what happened.”
“You’re right.”
John wrapped an arm around her. She let out СКАЧАТЬ