The Eve Genome by Joanne Brothwell Read Free Book Online Page A

type?”
                  Adriana’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
                  “Just curious,” I said with a shrug. “I guess, since I’m a genetic mutant, I enjoy finding other people with weird stuff about them.”
                  The suspicious look melted from Adriana’s face and she smiled. “I’ll bet my mutant qualities beat out albino any day.”
                  I chuckled. “Oh?”
                  Adriana glanced around again, as if expecting to see someone taping our conversation. When she appeared satisfied we weren’t being overheard, she whispered, “My blood type doesn’t even exist.”
                  “Oh?” Yes . She officially did have all of the markers.
                  “Oh is right. My sister died three days ago because of it.” Immediately, Adriana’s eyes filled with moisture. The tears turned her eyes an almost preternatural shade of turquoise, the colour of a tropical ocean.
                  My gut tightened. “Oh, man. I’m sorry.”
    Adriana shook her head. “Three days ago, my twin sister, Analiese, was hit by a drunk driver. She died from a blood transfusion.” Two fat teardrops spilled from Adriana’s eyes and made squiggly wet streaks down her cheeks. “And that was the day her jackass boyfriend decided he wanted a piece of the other twin, too.”
                  I swept the tears from her cheekbones with my thumb, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Nobody should have to lose their loved one that way, Adriana. And jackass doesn’t even come close to describing the boyfriend.” I wondered if the boyfriend was that guy she blew off in class, Derek.
                  She looked down, her eyes re-filling with moisture. “I feel so stupid to be telling you this at school. Now I’ll be bawling my head off all day.”
                  “I know this probably won’t help, but…” I watched a huge tear pool at the bottom of her eye, and when it tipped out, I swept it from her cheek. Idiot. Way too intimate . “I’ve heard time heals.”
                  Adriana’s tears came in hot currents now. She lowered her head.
                  All of a sudden, my thumb grew warm and turned into an odd burning sensation. It reminded me of a wound doused in rubbing alcohol. I looked at it. The skin was growing redder by the second.

     
     
     
     
    “I lead the Human Genome Project, which has now revealed all of the 3 billion letters of our own DNA instruction book. I am also a Christian. For me, scientific discovery is also an occasion of worship.”
    - Francis Collins Director, National Human Genome Research Institute
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
    ADRIANA SINCLAIR
     
                  Kalan returned from the bathroom just as my cell phone rang in my pocket. “Just a sec,” I said, pulling the phone from my jeans. I checked the caller ID. Mom. Undoubtedly checking to see if I’d made it through a class without falling apart. I had. I guess I’d passed a hurdle. Maybe I shouldn’t have. “Hi, Mom. Have you found anything?”
                  Kalan watched me with inscrutable eyes as my mother’s voice exploded in my ear. “Nothing yet. I’m going to visit grandma today. Have you told NHGRI you’re not interested? Because if you don’t, they’ll just keep hounding you.”
                  I took a deep breath and smiled at Kalan. “I’m going to go, Mom.”
                  Silence on the other end stretched out, and I wondered if she’d hung up or dropped the phone. I jumped when she finally spoke again. “No,” her voice was a breathy whisper. I knew from years of interactions with my mother that she was fighting back tears, and if they came out, I probably wouldn’t be able to stand up to them. Her tears could crumble my resolve like rain washing away sand. I had to get