Chapter 2 - The Arrival & Departure of Joy

- 18 years before Singularity.

After a limousine ride of indulging her father in listening to the oldies he grew up on, Nirvana & Pearl Jam; she was looking forward to the quiet lab & meeting the people her father works with.

"I'd like to introduce you to Argus, Augustus, Anthony, & Antoinette de Bergerac." said Nathan McTaggart "This is my daughter Genevieve."

"Your father speaks very fondly of you. It's nice to finally meet you." Antoinette says as she extends her arm, giving Genevieve a firm handshake. Her brothers all do the same. The 3 men were all the same, Genevieve thought to herself. No. Wait. She saw the difference. While each of them had square, metal rimmed glasses. They were each made by a different company. She giggled out loud & looked to Antoinette, who wore contacts. "Did they do that on purpose?" Genevieve inquired to her. Both of the females in the room began to laugh together. "No, they each went separately." Antoinette answered, as they laughed even harder at the deBergerac men in the room, who were all looking at each other & to Nathan, who seemed equally confused.

"Alright ladies, let's settle down now." he placed a hand on his daughters shoulder, "We have important business to discuss. Don't we?" Genevieve quieted & began to almost glow in excitement. He continued. "One of the perks of owning the business is that I get to have say in the direction we take. Now I know you all have your projects you are working on & I'd like to assure you of those projects continuance. However, I want you to make my daughters project your number one priority. She came to me this morning, with a new idea I'd like to eventually market. I want you to teach her how to do her own work, with your supervision and tutelage. I've always thought you 4 were artists, & now, I bring you an apprentice, with aspirations. Help her learn everything you know & bring her ideas to life. The floor is yours, Miss. McTaggart." Nathan finished as the Quartet nodded their understanding. Genevieve unfolded the picture she created earlier of her "equation" and showed it to them all by twisting her body back & forth in excitement. Antoinette let a small part of her normal stoicism slip into a smile. Even with as serious of a scientist a she has always been, this brought out a gleam of joy to her eyes. Nathan noticed it, she had always seemed so cold to him. However, while she thought about this, she was alive in a way Nathan had never seen her. He didn't expect this, but it made him smile, and Antoinette blushed at his smile. Soon everyone in the room was smiling.

"Now, I've already spoken to Genevieve about how it will take some time to find the genetic material needed for this project, which should give you all ample time to finish your personal projects. However, each day, after school, she'll be coming here to the lab to study & practice the fundamentals of what she'll need to know." Nathan implored. "You will not do any of the work for her. Make her one of you. I know this may take some getting use to. No offense Genevieve, but while you will be in charge of the overall project, they will be in charge of your lessons. & they will not make it easy for you." Looking to the team, "I expect Genevieve to likely receive a few honorary degrees from local universities by the time this project is completed, or at least well on her way to a doctorate in genetic sciences. Maybe by the time she reaches high school?" Turning back to his daughter & looking her in the eyes, "This will not be easy for you."

"But it will be worth it!" Antoinette smiled at her and Genevieve smiled back.

"Any questions?" Nathan asked the quartet.

The men shook their heads in unison. While Antoinette smiled again, picked up her bundle of a/r files & asked Nathan, "So are we all expected to meet here again tomorrow, with lesson plans, at 4pm?"

"Don't ask me. I'm not the one in charge here." nodding to Genevieve, who looks to her father & then to the team & says with pride, at her first decision, as leader of the McTaggart's Quartet, "Yes Antoinette, that sounds great."

***

Joy McTaggart awoke in the hospital feeling nauseous. "Where am I? What happened to me?" Checking her vitals, the nurse answers "The Bishop said you slipped on the hardwood floor as you were leaving his office. You hit your head pretty hard. You have a concussion & so need to stay calm & rest. Your family has been notified as well. Your husband & daughter are on their way, but I overheard one of the doctors coming on shift a few minutes ago, that there was a lot of traffic from an accident nearby. So it will likely be a few more minutes for them to get here." Joy could hardly think. The ringing in her head was unbearable and she began to weep from the pain. "We need you to stay awake, Joy. Do you understand?" Joy nodded, & her head ached all the more. "Tell me about your husband, Joy? Where did you meet?" Straining to think, she answered, "My friend Alice. She brought her brother Frederick to church one day, & he dragged his best friend from college along to have someone to goof off with."and the nurse replied, "Go on?"Joy continued, "We all went to a movie & for ice cream afterwards." Joy's last few words were mumbly. "Joy, what movie did you see? Stay awake Joy, tell me all about it?" the nurse nearly yelled to keep her awake. "I'm not sure, some superhero film. We got kicked out for making too much noise & the boys were throwing popcorn at each other." Joy smiled for a second, before another wave of pain from her head trauma sent her face contorting. "How are Alice & her brother doing these days?" asked the nurse. "Both married, 2 children each. Frederick's son was baptized last month. His wife is a bitch though." Joy laughed, & the laughing once again made her head rage with pain & dizziness.

Nathan & Genevieve arrive. The nurse gives them the run down while Genevieve holds her mother's hand. Their arrival made her feel better, or maybe it was the prescription drugs finally kicking in. Either way, she was thankful to be feeling better. The nurse explained to them all how lucky she was, that the Bishop was there to help her, & how he was down the hall, filling out what he could of the paperwork. "I think he could use you taking over that job though."

"I'm sure he does. I'd also like to thank him for being there for her." said Nathan McTaggart "Genevieve, be a good girl & comfort mommy while I take care of a few things, would you?"

Genevieve answers "Of course daddy."

Nathan walked down the hall to the waiting room where the Bishop & his aid awaited him with a clipboard of paperwork. "Thank you, your Eminence, I can take those. What happened?"

"Well Nathan, we had just concluded a discussion on some rather important church business. I had just asked that she join me in Rome while I get used to my new appointment. She then left, I presume, to go & tell you about my request. Almost as soon as she left the room, I'd heard her stumble. Lord forgive me I almost chuckled, at the sound, but stifled it to see that she was ok first. When she didn't respond to my yelling 'Are you alright?'I went to check on her & found her laying outside my office. Once I saw she was breathing, I quickly called for an ambulance. Last week we had the floors buffed & I can only guess they must have done an exceptional job for once." the bishop offered. As Nathan was filling out the paper there was little eye contact between them.

"We haven't seen eye to eye lately." Nathan admitted, "Maybe absence will make the heart grow fonder?"

"If you feel, as her husband, that she should stay home now, I would understand." the bishop stated.

"No, your Eminence, if she already agreed to go, I wouldn't be able to hold her back even if I wanted to. She'll likely be looking to leave as soon as she's able to travel. How long did she plan to stay at the Vatican?" Nathan wondered.

Lying, Bishop Rothschild explained "I don't presume to speak for her, & knowing your daughter has a governess, the position we discussed was that she could train a replacement, after my first year as Cardinal. And you would always be welcome to visit, of course."

"Of course." he locked eyes with the bishop. "Thank you again for helping her, your Eminence."

"I didn't know missing that dinner the other week was so important for her." Nathan mumbled to himself as he finished the digital insurance paperwork on the hospital data pad. "Nathan, I know this isn't the right time to speak about your work...." McTaggart looked him in the eyes & cut him off, "You're right, it's not." McTaggart turns & walks away to the nurses station & handed in the paperwork.

The bishop took out his old pomegranate 3, & found the directions to the Chinese food restaurant 2 blocks away.

***6 days later***

Joy exclaimed "You've completely turned her against me with this new "pet" project! Were I to take her to Rome now, she'd hate me."

"Don't get excited, your concussion ...." She cut Nathan off "Is almost a week old. I'm fine now. Bishop Rothschild is to be ordained Cardinal this Sunday & here I am, on Friday, still in London." she threw her brush on her vanity desk in frustration. "What are you doing now?" She stared at him in the mirror as he used his Google/Corning's to make travel arrangements for her, in augmented reality. "I've just booked you on a flight to Rome & am now...." he puts his right hand to his ear. The mic ring on his pinky, index finger beside his ear. Mimicking the use of an old phone, digitally represented into his view from the contacts, "Brian, bring the other car around & take Mrs. McTaggart to Heathrow, please. ...No, it's alright, I'll have James pick her up from school. Thank you." He makes the motions to hang up. "There, you'll be at the Vatican by dawn. Satisfied?"

"Not at all, if I can't even say goodbye to my daughter." she yelled, hurt & angry.

Renewing his motions. "Brian. Swing past the school after all. That's right, drive them wherever they want to go for dinner, but make sure Mrs. McTaggart makes her flight. Then just take Genevieve to the lab. James & I will pick her up later, so you can knock off early. ....You're welcome Brian." Nathan makes a hanging up motion.

"You can't get rid of me fast enough can you?" Joy asked her husband.

"It's not like that at all. Can't you see I'm doing everything I can to help....." she cut him off again, "You have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"I remember when you used to love me for that." Nathan said as he left the room with a sigh.

*********************

"But Mom! A whole year?" Genevieve questioned passionately, with a quivering lip.

"I'm doing this for you, dear." she replied appallingly. "I'm doing the Lord's work, & making a better world; for you. Don't you see that? Your father has a lot of work planned for you also, the time will pass very quickly, you'll see. Your father has also made arrangements for us to be together during the holidays. I assure you, these things happen in life & you will be just fine, deer. Please Genevieve, stop making this harder than it has to be & let's just enjoy our last lunch together?"

"Don't you love me?" Genevieve questioned with tears rolling down her chin.

"Please Genevieve," she said loudly, then quickly began to whisper, "we are in public! Either the drama & the water-works end, or this meal is over & I leave, without having a chance to say a real goodbye." Genevieve sniffled & quieted herself.

She'd never felt so rejected by her mother before. She took a sip of water. Then asked, "Do you think you'll get to meet the pope?" trying to be good for her.

"Yes, eventually. I'll be working for a cardinal soon, so at some point I'm sure that will happen." Joy replied confidently, as the waiter brought her the check. "Will that be all ladies?"

"Yes, the meal was wonderful, thank you." she said signing the receipt, giving a 340% tip. Genevieve didn't know that it was more to spite her husband, then for good service. Knowing how rich her mother's family was she saw it as one of her mothers many lessons in generosity. The young lady took the box with her hardly eaten dessert out to the limo. She was walking ahead of her mother's umbrella & jumped into a puddle before getting into the back seat leaving wet foot prints on her mother's seat. "Genevieve." her mother scolded, when she sat down on the wet spot.

The weather was as miserable as their moods as they sat silently in traffic. As they approached the airport, Joy reached out to Genevieve & held her hand. They looked into each other's eyes. Genevieve's eyes were pleading for her mother to stay. Joy's were pleading for her daughter to be mature & understanding. Joy gave her a kiss on the forehead, as the limo driver hopped out of the front. "I love you, dear, I'll see you in a few months. Just you wait & see, Christmas will be lovely, when we're all back together again." Joy stepped out of the car to where Dave was waiting with an umbrella to keep her dry. Save for the wet spot on her bottom, in the form of Genevieve's footprint, Joy stayed dry going into the airport as Dave walked with her to the overhang & opened the door for her. Joy nodded to him and thanked him for his services. Genevieve was scared, she thought she would never see her mother again, & she never even looked back when she got out of the car. As the driver got back in the car, Genevieve started to cry, alone, in the back of the limo, all the way to her father's lab.

****************************

Argus, Augustus, Anthony, & Antoinette de Bergerac were wearing their finest, in the waiting room of Genevieve McTaggart's new office. Each of the Quartet were using their secure channels on G/C.A/R's to monitor their personal experiments, when "the girl with the plan", walked in, wet & crying. Antoinette was the first to shut down her G/C.A/R of the 4 of them and stood up. Genevieve ran to her & hugged her, tears streaming down her face into Antoinette's lab coat. Antoinette looked at her brothers, not knowing what to do. The men in the room looked at each other, not really knowing what to do either. Using his G/C.A/R, Anthony opened a text message screen to Nathan for advice & explained how upset she was. In a few seconds Nathan replied he was on his way, but was at a dress shop, across the city, & it would take him a few minutes to get there. Anthony put a hand on the girl's shoulder, who looked up to him through red eyes. "Your father will be here shortly. Are you alright Genevieve? Did someone hurt you? Do you need an ambulance?" Genevieve was emotionally scarred & shook her head, at the last question. "No, it's not like that.... but someone did hurt me." she said through tears looking up at Anthony, finally letting go of his sister. Genevieve looked at the wet spot on Antoinette's dress, which just reminded Genevieve of her mother & how the last thing she did to her mother, was upset her by wetting her skirt. Then she looked up to Antoinette's eyes. "I'm sorry....." Genevieve ran out of the waiting room, into her office and locked the door. The four of them sighed, in unison.

***************************

Nathan McTaggart, in his tux, finally arrived about half an hour after speaking to Anthony, with a large box in his arms. He nods to the quartet, & walks between them to the locked door of his daughters office. Using his G/C.A/R he opens the lock & enters, Genevieve looks up at him through her red eyes. He instinctively puts down the box & reaches out to hug her. They embrace for over a minute, before she finally lets go of him. "Listen honey, I wanted to surprise you, but now, I don't want to push this on you if you're not up for it." Genevieve questioned, "What are you talking about?"

He looked at her & explained, "There is a very important gala I need to attend & I was hoping you'd be my date for the evening since your mother wasn't in town?" she choked back her tears. "There will be a lot of very important people there & I had a surprise for you too."

"For me?" her inquisitiveness was uncontrollable. Nathan reached for the box, picked it up & handed it to her. As she took the bows off of it, she could feel that there was some kind of clothing inside. When she saw the dress, the one she'd been wanting since the day after her birthday, her face lit up. She couldn't help but smile & get excited. "I'll be waiting outside while you change, ok?"

"OK!"

Mr. McTaggart left the room & engaged in some small talk with the quartet. After a few moments, Genevieve stepped out of her office wearing her new dress. The outer layer was a laser-cut Lycra, with DNA helices diagonally running across it. Just under that was a thin, see through, layer, softening the light from the changing colors of the layer under that. Finally, a silk under dress for the layer closest to her body. The dress was so beautiful, she twirled in it, to show it off. Nathan smiled, and put out his hand. As she took it, they headed out of the waiting-room, with the well dressed quartet.

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