"He is Steve’s last gift to your mother. She deserves the chance to decide if she is going to accept him. Maybe it will help. You've had your work, immersing yourself in finishing what Steve started. You finished creating me, even started new projects, so you have had distractions from your grief. Your mother is alone on the Meredith Reynolds except for you. Arranging for your mother to get that puppy on the date of her last appointment was the last thing your stepfather did before dying. You owe it to both of your parents to finish what he started. Maybe now she’ll even understand why he was in Ireland."
Suppressing tears of her own, Lynne reluctantly agreed. "How did you get so smart? You're younger than this puppy. You weren't even "born" until the day Steve died."
"I was programmed that way. ADAM made sure I had all the information I needed, and then even downloaded all of Steve’s archives into my memory. It would be an insult to every one of you if I weren’t this smart. "
Laughing through her tears, Lynne started towards her mother. "You know, I think we programmed too much of Steve into you. You're just as much of a smartass, except ADAM made you even smarter, damn it. At least I could hold my own with him now that I'm an adult. I just wish Mom would let me install a terminal for you in her quarters since you're so much like him. It might make her feel better."
"Not yet, it wouldn't. She doesn't want reminders, she wants him, and no matter how much of him is programmed into me, I would only be a hurtful reminder."
"See, I told you that you were smarter than him. I loved him, but he wouldn't have thought of that." She snorted. "Actually, he would probably have said that you weren’t enough like him. Not his voice, not his image. We did name you Zeus after the king of the gods, though. He would have gotten a kick out of that. That was the first computer program we ever worked on together." Lynne glanced towards the window, only to notice her mother walking away. "Shit! Where is she going?"
"She is meeting with Dr. Graeme for her last treatment. You might want to catch up with her. Oh, and don't let the puppy piddle on the decks. I am pretty sure that would not endear you to anyone, and you would have to clean it up."
"He's not gonna pee on the deck. He's housebroken. Come on, puppy." Lynne shifted him, draping his front paws over her shoulder and just supporting his hindquarters in her arms. "Let's try to catch your new momma before my arms fall off. Thank God you were the runt of your litter! I don't think I could carry you if you weighed as much as the rest of your littermates." Lynne hurried towards medical, complaining to her EI and the puppy the entire way.
Beth entered the medical office on automatic, answering the nurse's questions about her health and going through all the necessary motions of her final appointment. As she entered the inner office which contained the Pod-doc, she was still lost in her thoughts. The gene therapy she was undergoing was a miracle, possible only because of the alien technology that was the Pod-doc, but she honestly didn't care anymore. When she was first approved for the treatment, it had meant the opportunity to spend another lifetime with the love of her life. Now it just meant facing endless days without him. She had only completed the treatment at Lynne's insistence. Steve's death on Earth during the very hours she was receiving her first treatment had destroyed the miracle for her. The irony of losing her reason for living just as she regained the ability to live had come close to killing her.
"Beth? Beth, are you listening to me?"
" Hmmm? Oh, I apologize, Dr. Graeme. I was a million miles away. Could you repeat your question, please? "
"I asked how you were feeling? Have you had any issues since your last session five weeks ago? Any reduction in your energy levels or ability to sleep?"
" I've been having problems sleeping. I fall asleep just fine, I just can't stay asleep. I have nightmares every night. I wake up with panic attacks. But, that has nothing to do with the treatments or even any side effects, it's simply my life right now. So, should I start getting ready? "
"Yes, please. As you know, Beth, this is the last time you will need to come in. This last treatment is to finish cleaning out the junk code, as it were, from your DNA. It will also give you a quick rejuvenation, and install the implants you need to directly communicate with the Meredith Reynolds and the EIs in the different departments. Have you given any thought to what you want to do next?"
"I'm not thinking any farther ahead than the next hour. I am literally taking everything one step at a time."
"I understand. I'll leave you to get ready. Just put your clothes on the chair, and get into the Pod. I’ll be back in a moment."
As Beth started to undress, she heard the door click behind her. Assuming it was Dr. Graeme leaving to give her privacy she ignored it, lost in her thoughts.
Lynne shoved the door of the doctor's office aside with her shoulder, saw the empty room, and sighed. "Am I too late, Dr. Graeme? I would have been here sooner, except we had to stop and sniff every new thing on the way." She gave the puppy an exasperated look as he licked her nose. " Can I put him down somewhere? He is really heavy. "
"Of course. The floor is tile, so he can’t hurt it. Do you mind if I ask exactly why you are carrying around a puppy?"
Lynne bent down to put the puppy on the office floor and then addressed the doctor. "Steve bought him for Mom. He picked him out the day he went to the surface; that’s why he went down there in the first place. The breeder called today. Meredith patched the call to me, and I went and got him. He was supposed to be a congratulations gift for finishing the treatments. That and an emotional support animal. I personally don't think she's ready, but Zeus is being a butthead and insisting I let Mom decide."
Dr. Graeme smirked. "I know you don't want to hear this, Lynne, but I actually agree. Your mom is lonely. I'm not a therapist, but I think that maybe having the puppy would help her. Give her someone and something to care for and talk to."
"That's what I said! "
Lynne gave her tablet a dirty look. "Nobody asked for comments from the peanut gallery, Zeus. Just hush." She chuckled. "I should never have programmed him with Steve's quirks. It seemed like a good idea when Dad was the one who would be dealing with him, but now that it’s me, he loves pushing my buttons."
"Well, he is male, and you did have an interesting relationship with your dad. It makes sense that you would have an interesting relationship with his brainchild. Anyway, your mom was getting ready to go into the Pod-doc, so let me go get her settled. This last treatment should only take a few hours if you want to wait for her."
Dr. Graeme pushed open the door to the inner office. "Beth, are you ready? "
"I am. Let's get this over with. You keep your office freezing!"
"Go ahead and settle in. You know the drill. I will program your final treatment, and when you wake up, the last of your health issues will be cured."
Beth stepped into the Pod-doc and settled herself. This was the third time she had done this, so she did know how it worked. Soon, she would drift off to sleep, and then the changes to her DNA would be made. As she settled back and started drifting, she felt something warm and wet wrap around her ankle.
She just had time to think, "What the..." before everything faded to black.
The doctor watched the Pod-doc seal closed and turned to the control panel to finalize the program. As she was entering the treatment parameters, she could hear the sounds of furniture shifting around in the reception room, and Lynne's voice calling in a sing-song tone.
"Puppy? Where are you, you little monster? I know you're in here somewhere Liam. Dr. Graeme, have you seen the puppy?"
"No, I haven't. Let me look around in here.” Dr. Graeme scanned the inner office, glancing at the Pod as she passed. “Uhm, Lynne? Could you come in here a minute? I found the puppy, but we have a slight...issue."
Lynne rushed in. "What is it? Is my mom ok?"
“Oh, she's fine, but I think that her accepting Liam is now a moot point. Look inside."
Lynne saw her mom reclining, the puppy curled
around her legs with his head on her feet.
"Well, crap. Can we get him out of there?"
"No. We can't interrupt this final phase of the treatment. The puppy isn't going to interfere, but he is going to be enhanced and linked to your mom. I just need to make some tweaks to make sure he isn’t hurt by the treatment. His genes don’t need the same rewriting your mom’s do."
"Wait a minute, enhanced? You mean like Ashur? Bigger, smarter, stronger, et cetera?"
"Yes."
"Oh, shit! We are all so screwed. Do you have any idea what kind of puppy that is? An Irish Wolfhound. Unenhanced, a full-grown male is over three feet tall at the shoulder. If that puppy is enhanced anywhere near the extent Ashur was, he is going to be a small horse. Think a Shetland pony with teeth and claws and puppyish enthusiasm." She collapsed on a nearby stool and put her head in her hands. "This should be interesting, to say the least. So, when are they going to be done? I don't guess that it's still only going to be a few hours?"
"No, they'll be out in two days. The treatment is going to be slowed down considerably since the Pod-doc will be almost rebuilding them both while keeping them separate. I strongly suggest that you come back then. I am not going to be the one who explains this to your mom. "
"No, I wouldn't expect you to be. I'll be back in two days. Don't let them out until I get here."
Lynne wandered out of the office, muttering to herself and her EI about monster-proofing her mom's quarters.
Two days later when Lynne arrived at the doctor's office, she was surprised to see a large crowd gathered, including a tall man in a Guardian’s uniform.
"Uhm, is there something going on? What is everyone doing here?"
Dr. Graeme hustled over to her. "Lynne, don't worry. Most of these people are here because they are nosy. They want to see how big the puppy gets. Jay, the Guardian, is here to assist if things get out of control."
"I’m glad he is here, but honestly I'm actually concerned about my mom's reaction. She had the option of accepting my dad's gift before this happened, but now she is tied to that puppy. If what I have heard about the bond between the Queen and Ashur is accurate, my mom has no choice in the matter."
"She still has options, Lynne. The bond isn't life or death. Neither of them will die if they don’t stay together."
"No, I know it isn't life or death, but they'll be able to feel each other's emotions right?"
" Well, yes, but... "
"No buts. You'll see what I mean. My mom is not going to handle this well. Now, can we get all of these people out of here except Jay? He can stay outside the door until I'm sure we don't need him. My mom may not be body-shy, but she isn't going to want all these people around when that Pod opens."
She stopped and looked around, then started trying to herd the crowd out of the room. Once it was clear, she turned back to the doctor. "I think we are ready. I really hope this goes better than I'm expecting it to."
"Ok, here we go. Fingers crossed." Dr. Graeme approached the Pod-doc and released the cover. She had no sooner stepped back when it surged open, and the puppy leaped out. Any doubt about the effect the enhancement would have on his size were put to rest, since his head now came up to the doctor's waist. The puppy propped his front paws on Beth's lap and started licking her face.
Beth surfaced slowly from her induced sleep. Something warm and wet was washing her face, and there was a substantial weight on her thighs.
Momma, Momma, come on! Wake up!
What?
Momma, you have to wake up and take me to sniff stuff. Sissy is here too, and she is waiting for you.
Beth sat straight up, shoving the weight off her lap. When she opened her eyes, she saw an oversized wolfhound puppy grinning at her feet, tongue flopped out and eyes smiling.
"What the hell?" She scrambled out of the Pod and away from the puppy, who tried to follow."No! You stay there! Somebody tell me what the hell is going on here. Where did that puppy come from, and why is he talking in my head?" Beth's voice increased in level with every word until she stood screaming in the corner farthest away from them all. The puppy jerked away from the noise in fear, knocking into Lynne and sending her to the floor. He wound up cowering in her lap, staring up at all of them. The door crashed open as Jay came rushing in. It closed behind him as he paused, seeing no danger.
Lynne murmured to the puppy for a minute, soothing him, before glancing up at her mother. "Mom, just calm down. I'll explain everything, but you need to get a grip. Why don’t you get dressed? You'll feel better when you aren't naked." Lynne stayed on the floor, stroking the puppy overflowing her lap and waiting for her mother to finish dressing and sit down.
While her mom was dressing, Lynne started explaining. "Ok, so this beautiful boy is Liam. He is, well, was, a gift from Steve to celebrate the end of your therapy. He paid for him and picked him out the day he died. One of the breeders in Ireland had a litter that was about two weeks old, and they had more puppies than were spoken for. He explained to them that you were going through therapy and that we were all going to be leaving Earth with the Queen eventually. When he told them about all of your experience raising large dogs as well as rehabilitating rescue animals, they agreed to sell him the puppy." Lynne half-laughed, "I think they were kind of excited to possibly have one of their dogs be the first 'hound in space.’"
"No, Lynne, I can't. It's too much! Damn it! Just, no! How can I take care of a puppy? It’s too much! I can't be responsible...You can't expect me to..."
Beth's voice got increasingly louder, the puppy cringing farther and farther down in Lynne's lap with every word until she finally interrupted, "Mom! Stop it! You are terrifying and hurting Liam!"
"What do you mean, I'm hurting him? I haven't gotten near him!"
"He's bonded to you, Mom! That means he can tell what you’re feeling! He is thousands of miles away from his mother, his littermates, and the only home he has ever known, and you are rejecting him. He hears and understands you saying you don't want him. He loves you unconditionally, and you are telling him—showing him—that he isn't worth loving. If you would calm down for one fucking minute and pay attention to how you are really feeling and not just your knee-jerk reaction, you would feel how much he loves you."
Lynne paused to wipe tears from her eyes. "I get it, Mom. You lost the love of your life, your reason for existing, just when you were starting to feel good again. You feel guilty that you were sick for so long, you are angry at him for dying, and you feel guilty about being angry. You feel alone, and you know I would take that away if I could. There isn't a day that passes that I don't wish it was me instead, because at least you would have him to help you through it, but that wasn’t what happened." Lynne was on her knees now, facing her mother.
"I can't fix your loneliness, Mom, but Liam can. He loves you. You can actually feel how much he loves you, and he can talk to you. He is smart, and he is going to get even smarter as he grows up. You can talk to him. He will always be willing to cuddle, to play, to go on an adventure, or simply have a quiet time at home as long as he is with you. Most importantly, Mom, Liam was Steve's—was Dad's—last gift to you."
"Nobody expected things to work out the way they have, but this is what we have, and we have to deal with it! Just give Liam a chance. He is a sweetie, and we can all see that he already loves you so much!"
As Lynne was speaking, Beth had been sliding slowly down the wall. Now she was huddled in the corner, crying. Seeing her in tears, Liam left Lynne's side to tentatively approach Beth, and he carefully started licking away her tears.
Don't cry, Momma. I understand if you don't want me. I can stay with Sissy. She’ll take care of me. Please don't cry. I love you, but you don't have to love me too.
With every word Liam projected Beth cried harder, and the puppy frantically licked away her tears, trying to stay ahead of the flow, pressing his body against her knees. Finally, Beth uncurled enough to put her arms around his neck, until she was half draped across
him, crying into his fur.
Momma? You are getting my fur wet. Do you want me to go away with Sissy now? His ears and tail drooped as he started to pull away, looking dejected. Beth unconsciously tightened her grip on his fur, and he yelped. She let go with a start.
"Oh, Liam, I am so sorry, puppy. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know..." she spluttered. Liam licked her face and wagged his tail slowly.
I'm okay, Momma. You didn't hurt me. Do you want me to stay?
"Yes, sweetie, I want you to stay. Maybe you can help me not be sad. I'm probably going to cry a lot, though. I lost somebody I loved, and I really miss him."
It's ok, Momma. I'll dry. Sissy told me you lost Daddy. I sort of remember him. I never saw him since my eyes were closed, but I remember he smelled really good, like fried chicken and sausages, and he had strong hands when he picked me up.
"Fried chicken and sausages, huh? He must have had lunch before he picked you out. But that’s right, sweetie, I lost my husband, and I am sad. But you can help me, maybe. Now, I need you to go with Lynne—"
You said I could stay with you! Why do I have to go with her? I’ll be good.
"You are good, baby, I just need her to take care of you while I buy what we need for you to stay with me."
Lynne interrupted her mother, "Actually, Mom, I already bought everything you’ll need. I’ve had a lot of time the last few days."
" How did you know I would keep him? "
"Are you kidding me? I know you! During my entire childhood, your pets ate better than we did. You love animals, and you have wanted a wolfhound for over a decade. One who could talk to you and understand English, who could actually tell you he loved you? I was pretty sure that if you could get past all of your made up reasons not to let him, he would be staying with you.”
Tales from the Kurtherian Universe: Fans Write For The Fans: Book 3 Page 4