Before Imp

il

ce of her four-year-old daught

am

said wearily, her

, wak

ed onto her back. She was met by t

ristwatch she'd been too tired to remo

e early in the morning o

said in a small voice,

her daughter's hands in hers an

nodd

arms around her. Zara smelled like baby shampoo and the

owing into Elianila's chest. "Y

nila said, smoothing down Z

led back to look at her mother

saving the world

'm helping build something

a supe

ing lik

see you

wear capes. Sometimes th

h me?" Za

Ashford's meeting. That left ninety-eight minutes to shower, get dressed, may

her with the innocent-

a said. "Then Mama has

her toy box was. She returned with an armful of stuffed animals and dolls,

in a silly voice. She helped Zara's favourite doll have tea with a teddy bear. She listened t

h imagination and joy, and tried not to thi

t the clock again. 6:35 a.m.

more m

dy gave

ianila had come to dread - the one tha

nd tell Grandma what you want for breakfast. I'll be down in

d scampered toward the door, then

sweetheart. Mor

f five and a half years pressing down on her shoulders. The kind of exh

kbones. But staring at her reflection in the dresser mirror, she just looked tired. Dark circles shadowed he

true? If she loved Zara more than anything, wh

tly, pushing aw

rlier shower. She turned the water hot, hoping to

nts, white blouse, blazer draped over her arm, and wea

s voice from the kit

was making the ocean. But I was making the sky. And the sky

ging Cheerios on her place-mat in some pattern only she understood. A bowl of the cereal sat t

again,

ted to her Cheerio arra

somewhat abstract des

have banana after

ds like a

coffee maker an

ugh the window over the sink. Photos covered the refrigerator,

ng glance - the professional clothes, the coffee cup, the car keys on the counter. "H

to you to

ator, pulled out a banana, a

ime did yo

nd th

leaving ag

't a qu

t eight. Ashford wants to disc

t of Zara, who immediately began mashing them

obably. We're six month

rupted. "Five years now. Five-and-a-half years of 'just

her cup. "This tim

orn. That you'd slow down after she came. That you'd be more present." She gestured at the little girl abs

fair..." she

r with a look that had never failed in thirty-five years. "I'm proud of what you've acco

st a compute

o save lives. It's going to change everything." Regina leaned forward. "But, who's go

only by Zara's humming and the sound

lization itself was collapsing. That if EDEN failed millions would die. Instead, she said

"And then what? Another project? Another c

you want me to do, Mama? Quit? Walk away when we're this close? Tell

actually matters." Regina s

, and gathered her things. "I n

conversation won't ch

running

cut through the tension. "W

rown eyes. "I'm going to try really hard, okay? But if I can't make it,

omi

try my best," sh

atisfied, and went back

her forehead, and

er mother cal

tu

y, looking older and more tired th

for thousands of years without your computer system. But tha

trusting her v

cheerful voice: "Grandma, c

f course we can," her