Collection of Flash fiction

Year Two Part 2

Our child was born with a frozen heart. It was malformed and stopped as soon as her cord was cut. Machines keep her alive. We haven't named her, as we are ashamed for her imperfections. Yes, I judge myself as being weak and lacking in love. For us both she isn't truly alive. She is still just a dream as she sleeps.  We are waiting for a heart to grow. A replacement formed from her own cells. While we wait our work continues. I'm assigned to feeding the lion cubs. My wife is still working with the millions of embryos of the lost Earth. 

"Today, I will form Koala Bears." Said Sal as she spoon her fruit and yogurt into her mouth. 

"But their gum trees are not fully grown, what will you feed them?"  I said as I sipped my tea. 

"We have to feed them on milk first. I will use my own milk and change it slightly so it can be used for the babies. Modified human milk." 

"You have enough milk?" 

"Yes, our child will not be ready for my milk until the heart is fully formed. The growth rate of the human heart is slow. And I have to keep up my milk so it is there for her to drink in nine months time. "

"But the machines will feed our child."

"Our child will need my closeness, and as you well know the machines can't show love as a mother can for her child. "

"So why do you give your milk to the animals?" 

My wife started to cry, silent sobs. Then she stood up and looked out on our garden of flowers and herbs. She began to sing a lullaby. Rocking from side to side as if she had our babe in her arms.

"Sleep little babe

And don't cry

Daddy will come 

Home neigh on neigh."

She stopped , turned to face me, saying "I've named our child Mireya, and you figure it out what this name means.  For my reason alone, I have called her by this name for she is the first human born to this new home." She turned away  without saying another word. I watched as she left to ready herself for work. I said nothing. 

My mind searched for the meaning of the strange name, which wasn't English but some other forgotten Earth language. I puzzled over my own heart as to why I found our child so hard to accept.  I fed the cubs, and let them out to roam in the newly made enclosed garden. I cleaned out their enclosure. When I was finished I went to check on our child. 

"She is growing, Role."

I looked at the babe attached to the external heart. "Does she dream?" 

"She dreams still of being in the womb." Said the machine.

"My wife has named her, Mireya." 

"Yes, she is a miracle that your wife admires."

"But she isn't perfect how can she be seen as a miracle?" 

"Your heart is frozen so her's also."