Genetic Attraction Read Free Page A

downstairs carrying her daring-for-her three-inch heels.
    Halfway down, the phone rang, and she rushed the last few steps to glance at the display. With a laugh, she grabbed the cordless. “Hi, Mom.”
    Her mother"s husky voice rumbled in her ear. “Jeez, I never get used to that caller ID thing you have. Makes you seem clairvoyant.”
    “How are you? What"s up?”
    “Called to ask you that. You okay?”
    “Yeah, I"m okay.”
    “How"s the saving-the-world thing going this week?”
    “The research is great. We completed some additional steps in the gene sequencing. And our use of the tests on patients in the clinic is coming out accurately. I think this will save lives.”
    “I don"t doubt it for a minute, honey. You said „we"? You and that adorable boy toy of yours?”

    12
    Tara Lain

    “His name is Jake.” But she still laughed. Funny, she"d never told her mom how she felt about Jake. Too embarrassed. But Shakti was a good guesser.
    “His name is sexy. I looked him up on the university"s Web site. Yum.”
    “C"mon. I"m supposed to be a mature, responsible professor and researcher with no lustful thoughts.”
    Her mother made a rude noise. “That"ll be the day.”
    “Let"s pretend.”
    “Honey, you know nobody on the planet is more proud of you than I am.” Here came the lecture. Her mother, the hippie, loved all living things vociferously. God knows, Em had marched on Washington with her. But Shakti Silvay had other priorities, and Em always got to hear about them. She settled into her phone chair and fiddled with the fringe hanging from the old lampshade as her mom warmed to her subject.
    “When I was your age, you were almost twenty, baby. Now, I"m not suggesting you should stop researching and have kids, but I do want you to find a good man, have great sex, and be happy.”
    Were they really going to have this conversation now? Again? “I have sex.”
    “Oh yeah? Last I heard you were hanging out with some tight-assed professor that doesn"t know his dick from a laser pointer.”
    Had her there. “Henry"s okay. Besides, you never settled with one man.”
    “I"m me, baby. I like a lot of variety. You need more structure and steadiness.
    I"m sure some psycho-shrink would say it"s in reaction to your crazy old mom.”
    “I love my crazy mom, my life is great, and I"m happy. The research fills me up; you know that.”
    There was a pause. Her mom was scarily perceptive. “Really, baby? Are you happy? Is all that work really enough?”
    She sighed. “Yes, Mommy, and when it"s not I"ll change it. I"ll look for more.”
    “Don"t wait too long, baby. Shit happens, and some choices go away.”

    Genetic Attraction

    13

    Em felt that one right in her heart. Jake. Yeah, that one was gone. “I know.”
    “Okay, well I sure as hell didn"t call to lecture you.”
    Em switched the lamp on and off. “Now you tell me.”
    “What"s up this weekend? More work?”
    “No, in fact I"m spending this weekend in Connecticut with Jake and his, uh, lover.”
    “His lover?”
    “Remember I told you he lived with someone?” She was glad she"d never told her mom about her feelings for Jake, so now she didn"t have to endure the sympathy. “Anyway, I expect them any minute. I"m all dressed up for a faculty party. You should see me. Positively Diane Lane.”
    “Always said you look like her if she had red hair, honey.”
    “So I gotta go.”
    “Okay, baby. Just wanted to hear your voice. Try to have way too much fun this weekend.”
    “You"re bad.”
    “Always.”
    “Call you soon. Love you, Mom.”
    “Me too.”
    Em stared at the phone as she strapped on her heels. Her mom never let her get away with much, but she was an equal opportunity confronter. No one escaped.
    Like the time Shakti had driven from the ashram in her old minivan up to Stanford and informed Em"s PhD advisor that her daughter was brilliant but “no pansy-assed intellectual.” Em, she"d said, was going to make a difference in the world, and