The Milkman: A Freeworld Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

obsessing about. She needed to know that to start. What were the questions. She had no preparation. No storyboards, no script, no notes. She had no idea about anything at all and didn’t deserve to be here.
    “The sex,” the technician answered. “Boy or girl.”
    “I… a…” Sylvia loved and hated surprises. She liked to have everything in her life working with precision, on schedule, but it was nice to have a little excitement? How boring it would be to expect every turn.
    “You can tell?” Sylvia asked. “For certain?”
    “I’ve never been wrong.” The tech smiled.
    “Thanks, Janice.” Doctor Caldwell entered the room. The technician turned. Sylvia saw ‘Janice Vogel’ on her nametag. “I need a moment with Ms. Cho.”
    Surprise. Sylvia could see it on the young woman’s face. Not on the doctor’s. She had beautiful skin, all creased and furrowed, like a bag of coffee beans. It seemed like such a shame. Janice left. The Doctor glanced at a computer monitor Sylvia couldn’t see.
    “Ms. Cho—”
    “Please. I’m half-naked. Call me Sylvia.”
    “Sylvia, it says here that Human Assets has scheduled you for a procedure.”
    “Yes.”
    “Are you ready? Do you have any questions?”
    “Ha. That again. I’ve got more questions than you can handle.”
    “Try me.”
    Sylvia sat up. She looked at the doctor more carefully. Thin, strong, just enough make-up to be pretty without over-powering. Oh she hated women who looked like they were going to an awards dinner everyday. Becoming a doctor took dedication from early on. Companies didn’t invest that much time and money into people who weren’t rocks. And people didn’t put up with the constant grinding and polishing of a med school who didn’t want it. Really want it. For whatever reason. Prestige, money, or — and this one Sylvia always wondered about — or to help others. This Doctor Caldwell, Sylvia had no facts on her. Just what she could take in, right now, with her eyes and ears. What did this character give off? Compassion? Not exactly. Authority? A little bit. Professionalism? Was that a thing? A thing that mattered right now?
    Screw it , Sylvia said to herself. She looks like me .
    “This procedure,” Sylvia started. “Do they ever not take?”
    Surprise. This time she saw it. She smiled, seeing the doctor’s face flatten and smooth, her eyebrows stretching the stern wrinkles flat.
    “What do you mean?”
    “The abortion. Does it ever go wrong?”
    “No.” The doctor shook her head. “This is pretty cut and dry.”
    “What if there were twins? And you didn’t notice the second one?”
    “I’ve never heard of that happening.”
    “Maybe this could be the first time? No one could blame you for just a one-in-a-million mistake?”
    Doctor Caldwell’s expression changed again. The outside corners of her eyes tipped down. Her mouth drooped to match. Sylvia’s eyes filled. Another surprise. Her body knew before the rest of her. The moment slid towards finality. That little creature in its little capsule destined for nothing.
    “I can’t,” Sylvia croaked.
    “It’s your job. It’s both our jobs. I’m so sorry.”
    “What if—”
    “There will be other chances.”
    “What if they never know?”
    “You can’t keep this kind of thing a secret.”
    Two little falls of water streamed down the center of each of Sylvia’s cheeks. She could no longer see the doctor; she couldn’t read her face. All she could do was point her eyes at the woman.
    “I can. I work magic everyday. Making dreams into reality. Making the outlandish plausible. Misdirection and special effects.”
    Doctor Caldwell shook her head. “This is no movie.”
    “No,” Sylvia said. “But it works the same way. Misdirection and special effects. This is a little more important than a movie, don’t you think?”
    * * *
    McCallum said, “Who doesn’t answer a call from the ops?” to no one in particular.
    “I don’t. It just means more work.” Wayne