The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides [101]
“I know why,” Phyllida said. “Because Mother knows best.”
“There are a million possible reasons for this asymmetry,” Leonard went on. “We’re testing one possibility, which has to do with the HO gene. It’s complicated, but basically what we’re doing is cutting out the HO gene and putting it in backward so that it can be read from the other DNA strand in the other direction. If this affects the daughter cell’s ability to switch, then that means the HO is what’s controlling the asymmetry.”
“I’m afraid you lost me.”
This was the first time Madeleine had heard Leonard open up about his work. Up until now, all he’d done was complain. He didn’t like Bob Kilimnik, who treated him like hired help. He said that the actual lab work was about as interesting as combing out head lice. But now Leonard seemed genuinely interested in what he was doing. His face was animated as he spoke. Madeleine’s happiness at seeing him coming alive again made her forget the fact that he was overweight, and wearing a bandanna, in front of her mother, and made her listen to what he was saying.
“The reason we study yeast cells is because they’re fundamentally like human cells, only a lot simpler. Haploids resemble gametes, our sex cells. The hope is, what we figure out about yeast cells might apply to human cells. So if we can figure out how and why they bud, we might learn something about arresting that process. There’s some evidence that budding yeast is analogous to the budding of cancer cells.”
“So you’re finding a cure for cancer?” Phyllida said with excitement.
“Not in this study,” Leonard said. “I was just talking in general. What we’re doing here is testing one hypothesis. If Bob is right, this will have big implications. If not, at least we’ve ruled out one possibility. And we can move on from there.” He lowered his voice. “In my opinion, the hypothesis for this study is sort of way out there. But nobody asked my opinion.”
“Leonard, when did you know you wanted to be a scientist?” Phyllida asked.
“In high school. I had this great biology teacher.”
“Do you come from a long line of scientists?”
“Not at all.”
“What do your parents do?”
“My father used to have an antiques store.”
“Really. Where?”
“In Portland. Oregon.”
“And do your parents still live there?”
“My mom does. My father lives in Europe now. They’re divorced.”
“Oh, I see.”
Here Madeleine said, “Mummy, we should go.”
“What?”
“Leonard needs to get back to work.”
“Oh, of course. Well. It’s been so nice meeting you. I’m sorry we have so little time today. We just flew in on a mad whim.”
“Stay longer next time.”
“I’d love to. Maybe I can come back for a visit with Madeleine’s father.”
“That would be great. I’m sorry I’m so busy today.”
“No need to apologize. The march of progress!”
“More like creep,” Leonard said.
As soon as they were outside, Alwyn demanded to be taken to Madeleine’s apartment. “I’m going to start leaking all over the front of my dress.”
“Does that happen?” Madeleine said, wincing.
“Yes. It’s like being a cow.”
Madeleine laughed. She was so relieved the meeting was over that she almost didn’t mind dealing with the family emergency now. She led Alwyn and Phyllida across the parking lot to her building. Alwyn began unbuttoning her blouse before she was even in the door. Once inside, she plopped down on the sofa and took her breast pump out of its bag again. She unfastened the left side of her nursing bra and attached the suction cup to her breast.
“Very low ceilings,” Phyllida said, determinedly looking away.
“I know,” Madeleine said. “Leonard has to hunch.”
“But the view’s lovely.”
“Oh my God,” Alwyn said, sighing with pleasure. “This is such a relief. Supposedly some women have orgasms from breast-feeding.”
“I do love an ocean view.”
“See what you missed from not breast-feeding us, Mummy?”
Closing her eyes, Phyllida said in a commanding tone, “Will you please do that somewhere else?”
“We’re family,” Alwyn said.
“You are in front