CLONER : a Sci-Fi Novel about Human Cloning (A Captivating Story about Reproduction Outside the Womb and Identical Humans) by Emma Lorant Read Free Book Online Page B

experts at cider making - and sampling.
    ‘You mean you won’t,’ she teased him, telling herself she’d take a couple of gallon jars to Meg’s and have them filled. ‘I’ll get supplies in for you,’ she told him. ‘See you later.’
    She slid the phone back in its charger and turned to Seb. ‘Janus,’ she said. ‘Your little brother’s going to be called Janus.’
    The twenty-month-old looked at her and suddenly spat potato all over the table, at the same time knocking off his mug of apple juice.
    ‘Seb!’ Lisa caught herself shouting, ‘that’s a horrid thing to do.’
    ‘ Another helping? Sure you’re feeling all right?’ Alec asked his wife. ‘You don’t normally eat that much.’
    ‘I’m simply ravenous,’ Lisa explained. ‘The business of eating for two, I suppose.’
    ‘You look rather uncomfortable.’ Alec’s forehead furrowed into deep slits as he peered at Lisa, then poured more cider for Frank. ‘Quite a bit bigger than last time. I could have sworn you’ve billowed out since we started the meal.’ He walked towards his wife and stared at her. ‘You can hardly reach the table. I thought this was supposed to be another tiddler?’
    Though larger than with her first child Lisa had, until recently, remained remarkably trim. The angular look had softened to a gentle roundness, a hint, even, of plumpness. But she was still small and dainty. Fragile wrists gave away a delicate bone-structure and the bump of baby, though evidently there, had been by no means massive. Until two weeks ago. That’s when she’d noticed an extraordinary increase in her appetite, a sort of greed she couldn’t control. She’d eaten constantly, watching herself expand to quite unprecedented proportions.
    ‘The muscles aren’t as tight as the first time,’ Lisa explained. A languorous calm, a feeling of composure, made her sound plausible. ‘I expect it just shows more.’
    Alec looked at her pensively but made no further comment. She smiled, covering the curious sensations now evident in her body by pointing to her husband’s favourite pudding - crème caramel. ‘More for you?’
    He laughed and passed his plate. ‘I suppose you must be OK if you’re up to thinking about feeding me!’
    ‘What about you, Frank?’
    ‘Good grub, that.’ He smiled as he handed her his plate.
    Though the baby wasn’t due for a fortnight Lisa was prepared for an earlier delivery. None of the antenatal checks had shown signs of anything other than a single baby, but Lisa stuck to her original conviction. Twins, she knew, were often premature.
    ‘My carrycot’s a mess,’ she’d insisted to Meg, watching her stack her baby equipment to give to Cancer Relief. ‘Could I possibly use one of yours?’
    ‘Yer can have both on they, if yer want!’ Meg had said, looking at her sharply. ‘Us won’t be having no more. Six be enough young ’uns for anyone. Be yer still thinking about twins?’
    ‘Mr Parslow ruled out any possibility,’ she’d said, annoyed at Meg’s quick interpretation.
    ‘But yer won’t be taking chances,’ Meg had concluded for her. ‘Parslow may be a specialist, but him be a man. And yer be bigger this time. Us can hardly credit it.’
    Everything was going well so far. Seb was safely tucked away in his cot, Alec was crunching figures with Frank, and what she was experiencing might well turn out to be a false alarm. But even if it were not she was determined to hold out until the last minute before calling in the medical profession. If she were to be two weeks early they might be disposed to rush her off to hospital. Lisa’s instincts called for a home delivery, her whole being screamed out for it. Something unusual was going on, she knew there was. And the only way she could remain in charge was to give birth in her own home.
    Lisa felt some further movements in her womb; not really contractions, more like a lively infant turning inside her.
    ‘I’ll leave you two men to it,’ she excused