swung open; Emmy held her breath.
The intruder turned on the porch light and Emmy exhaled while a huge smile spread across her face.
“Mom.” Emmy rushed to hug her mother.
“My love,” Dr. Whitewood said as she lunged into the hug with her only daughter. “Oh, I missed you so much.”
Emmy pulled away from the hug and said, "That's so funny. I was just thinking about you when you showed up.”
“You must have sensed I was coming.”
They embraced again, both of them with their eyes closed, smiling.
“You look so beautiful,” Dr. Whitewood said. “An adult. A woman.”
“I'm not officially an adult for two more weeks,” Emmy said as she stopped hugging her mother so she could make eye contact. “Which was when I was expecting you. I thought you were busy right up until my birthday?”
“You know I try to make it whenever I can. Plus, it’s kind of a holiday in the Blue Moon tonight. It’s the nineteenth anniversary of Comet H coming here. I gave everyone the night off. What’s the use of being the boss if you don’t use your power for fun every now and again? We have some tough work coming up, so I thought they could use the break.”
“Tough work coming up? What is it?”
Dr. Whitewood’s eyes darted. “Same old, same old. Just a bunch of mines and holes being dug throughout the interior cave.”
Emmy decided to give her mother a break from having to evade and lie about her important job. She changed the subject and said, “Does this mean you’re going to be too busy to come in two weeks? That’s fine, we can celebrate my birthday another time.”
Dr. Whitewood's smile drained from her face and a serious countenance took over. “About your birthday, my love.”
Emmy's silver eyebrows pushed up in surprise. She recognized the face her mother was wearing as the one that gives answers instead of avoiding them. Emmy knew to be apprehensive when her mother looked like this.
“What is it? You can't make it?”
“Well, it’s not exactly that. Let's go inside and sit down.”
They moved into the kitchen. Dr. Whitewood hung her coat on the back of her chair and put her backpack on the floor beside her.
Emmy noticed and asked, “You’re not spending the night?”
“I’m sorry my love. It’s a short visit. I need to leave when my ride to the spaceport gets back here.”
Emmy nodded and said, “It’s ok if you can’t make it for my birthday.” She sat down at the kitchen table. “Celebrating on the exact day doesn’t matter.”
“You're wrong about that. The exact day does matter. I won’t be here in two weeks. But, as far as your birthday is concerned, I will be here.” Dr. Whitewood paused before adding, “I am here.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been keeping something from you. Something you need to know, and it’s time I told you.”
Emmy looked puzzled. “Tell me what?”
“Your birthday is not in two weeks. The day you think is your birthday is a lie.” Dr. Whitewood paused again.
Emmy remained stunned, but managed to ask, “How is that possible?”
“The date I told you was your birthday was really just the date I got the license to create you. It wasn’t the date you were really created on.”
“When was I created?”
“Two weeks earlier. Without any permission, no license.”
“What? I don't understand.”
“I broke into my own lab. I created you nineteen years ago, tonight. It’s your birthday tonight at midnight.”
“Tonight?”
Dr. Whitewood nodded. “I created you the night Comet H came, the night St. John’s got the Blue Moon.”
Emmy stared at the table. Dr. Whitewood remained silent as she allowed her daughter the chance to process the news.
“Why didn't you tell me any of this before?”
“The St. John's Constitution. All of our laws. The prohibition against unauthorized human creation is strict. The worst would’ve happened if anyone found out the truth. I wasn't interested in anyone knowing but myself. It was a
The intruder turned on the porch light and Emmy exhaled while a huge smile spread across her face.
“Mom.” Emmy rushed to hug her mother.
“My love,” Dr. Whitewood said as she lunged into the hug with her only daughter. “Oh, I missed you so much.”
Emmy pulled away from the hug and said, "That's so funny. I was just thinking about you when you showed up.”
“You must have sensed I was coming.”
They embraced again, both of them with their eyes closed, smiling.
“You look so beautiful,” Dr. Whitewood said. “An adult. A woman.”
“I'm not officially an adult for two more weeks,” Emmy said as she stopped hugging her mother so she could make eye contact. “Which was when I was expecting you. I thought you were busy right up until my birthday?”
“You know I try to make it whenever I can. Plus, it’s kind of a holiday in the Blue Moon tonight. It’s the nineteenth anniversary of Comet H coming here. I gave everyone the night off. What’s the use of being the boss if you don’t use your power for fun every now and again? We have some tough work coming up, so I thought they could use the break.”
“Tough work coming up? What is it?”
Dr. Whitewood’s eyes darted. “Same old, same old. Just a bunch of mines and holes being dug throughout the interior cave.”
Emmy decided to give her mother a break from having to evade and lie about her important job. She changed the subject and said, “Does this mean you’re going to be too busy to come in two weeks? That’s fine, we can celebrate my birthday another time.”
Dr. Whitewood's smile drained from her face and a serious countenance took over. “About your birthday, my love.”
Emmy's silver eyebrows pushed up in surprise. She recognized the face her mother was wearing as the one that gives answers instead of avoiding them. Emmy knew to be apprehensive when her mother looked like this.
“What is it? You can't make it?”
“Well, it’s not exactly that. Let's go inside and sit down.”
They moved into the kitchen. Dr. Whitewood hung her coat on the back of her chair and put her backpack on the floor beside her.
Emmy noticed and asked, “You’re not spending the night?”
“I’m sorry my love. It’s a short visit. I need to leave when my ride to the spaceport gets back here.”
Emmy nodded and said, “It’s ok if you can’t make it for my birthday.” She sat down at the kitchen table. “Celebrating on the exact day doesn’t matter.”
“You're wrong about that. The exact day does matter. I won’t be here in two weeks. But, as far as your birthday is concerned, I will be here.” Dr. Whitewood paused before adding, “I am here.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been keeping something from you. Something you need to know, and it’s time I told you.”
Emmy looked puzzled. “Tell me what?”
“Your birthday is not in two weeks. The day you think is your birthday is a lie.” Dr. Whitewood paused again.
Emmy remained stunned, but managed to ask, “How is that possible?”
“The date I told you was your birthday was really just the date I got the license to create you. It wasn’t the date you were really created on.”
“When was I created?”
“Two weeks earlier. Without any permission, no license.”
“What? I don't understand.”
“I broke into my own lab. I created you nineteen years ago, tonight. It’s your birthday tonight at midnight.”
“Tonight?”
Dr. Whitewood nodded. “I created you the night Comet H came, the night St. John’s got the Blue Moon.”
Emmy stared at the table. Dr. Whitewood remained silent as she allowed her daughter the chance to process the news.
“Why didn't you tell me any of this before?”
“The St. John's Constitution. All of our laws. The prohibition against unauthorized human creation is strict. The worst would’ve happened if anyone found out the truth. I wasn't interested in anyone knowing but myself. It was a
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