The Seeds of Sand

Chapter 2.2 Marie Gemma

It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. My dinner with Diego last night was a huge surprise, but it really got me thinking that perhaps if our world were going to come to an end soon, having a lifetime love would make my life full and complete - beyond Project Gemda.

I got up and picked out a nice pink dress that I had not worn in a long time. I tried it on and looked at myself in the mirror. I combed my shoulder-length hair back and put on some makeup. The warm feelings stirred up inside of me, and I thought of Diego last night with a wine class in his hand and his jet black hair with a trace of white. I am not quite sure what he saw in me. I'm just an average girl who feels passionate about what she does. Perhaps that it was that simple. I was driven and passionate about life.

Diego agreed to take some time off from work as well to spend with me in my three months preparation before the procedure. Dr. Leon, had agreed to supervise everyone who reported to Diego.

It was not such a simple procedure. The Gemda hybrids would actually incubate inside of me for about a month. In essence I would be pregnant for a month with the Gemda Hulant hybrids. I was really eager to get the process going. The first three hybrids were easy, but having hundreds of baby Hulants all at the same time could be tricky. Surgery would happen after a month where the baby Hulants would be removed and the remainder of their gestation would be in Diego and Leon's lab.

"Are you ready to have some fun Marie?" Diego drove up to my apartment and got up out of his white Volkswagen Passat to open the passenger side for me. He was such a gentleman. He had me then and there.

"Diego, any day with you would be fun, but I'm used to seeing us both in lab coats." Diego was dressed in checkered yellow and brown shorts with a blue tee-shirt that said to me we were headed for the Maryland shore or maybe somewhere closer just for the day.

"Yeah, but on a hot day like this I think the lab coats would cramp our style." We both let out a big laugh. Geeky scientist talk!

"You look great in the pink dress Marie. It says summer all over. Marie, today I wanted to take you for a ride to the beach or wherever you would like" said Diego.

"That sounds good Diego. Maybe we'll have time for a boat ride or a dinner cruise." I replied.

"As you wish. These next three months are special. I want you to be relaxed before the procedure. And I want you to tell me if you have any second thoughts. You are important to me Marie. I want to follow your wishes. Don't feel pressured to do this if you don't want to."

"I want this Diego. More than anything else. I've dreamed of something like this my whole life."

And the next three months were relaxed. I had a wonderful time with Diego. The time with him left me wanting to spend more time with him. We spent a long weekend at the Maryland shore eating crab cakes and soaking up the sun. But it was finally time to get down to business. I was sure that after project Gemda there would be more time to spend with him.

I had almost forgotten he had asked me to marry him.

The day of the implanting went well. The surgery was done in our laboratory in an extremely sterile environment. Diego brought a big huge bouquet of roses to the lab from the back of his garden for me. They were gorgeous. The roses were heirloom roses, a strain from England. Deep dark red such that the edges looked almost black. They were velvety smooth to the touch and had a beautiful aroma. When I brushed my hand to touch them some of the pollen rubbed off on my fingers.

"Marie, those roses just opened this week. I brought them in for you to enjoy while you stay here on campus. They are so fragrant and the color is rare. Typically heirloom roses are hard to get in that shade."