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Authors: Melissa F Miller
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Naya.
“About the need to get a dementia drug to market as quickly as possible. You don’t understand what something like that could mean to people.” Her voice quavered.
Naya’s mom. Of course.
It hadn’t even dawned on her that visiting Golden Village would exact an emotional toll on Naya. “Naya, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. That had to have been hard to sit through.” Sasha’s cheeks burned with shame. Some friend she was. Naya had watched her mother deteriorate slowly over several years, her mind ravaged by Alzheimer’s, caring for her around the clock until her death a few years back.
“Don’t be sorry. You were doing your job, and so was I.” Naya’s eyes flashed a warning—sympathy wasn’t what she was looking for.
Sasha closed her notebook and walked around the desk to join Naya at the door.
“Right, we were doing our jobs. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have feelings.” She placed a light hand on Naya’s shoulder, half expecting her to brush it off.
But she didn’t. Instead, she took a long, shaky breath. “This isn’t about my feelings. My mama’s gone. But there are other families out there—families who would give anything to get their parents back.”
“No doubt. But there are also families out there who feel betrayed that their parents’ final wishes weren’t considered or, worse, were disregarded. No one’s saying Dr. Allstrom’s research isn’t important or necessary, because it is. She just needs to follow the rules.” Sasha was careful to keep her voice even and devoid of emotion.
All the same, Caroline slowed her pace as she passed by on her way to the supply closet, as if she could tell trouble was brewing.
“The rules? You mean the rule that she has to ask dead people to consent to her using their tissue and blood samples? That’s not even required by the letter of the law.” Naya’s narrow shoulders shook and her chin jutted forward.
Sasha took her time forming an answer. While she was still thinking, Caroline returned with her box of pens and paused behind Naya.
“This sounds like that Henrietta Lacks situation,” the secretary remarked.
Naya and Sasha turned and looked at her.
“Who?” Sasha asked.
“Henrietta Lacks. She died of ovarian cancer years ago, but researchers used her cells to create the HeLa cell line without letting the family know. It really affected her children to know that pieces of her were just out there … floating around. Some journalist wrote a bestseller about it.” Caroline gave her head a small, sad shake. “My book club read it last month.”
“I remember hearing about that,” Naya said slowly. She chewed on her lower lip. “I understand what you two are saying, but this research Dr. Allstrom’s doing could change people’s lives.”
“It’s a slippery slope, though. The law requires informed consent for good reasons. You may be right that Dr. Allstrom’s actions comply with the letter of the law, but they definitely violate the spirit of the law.” Sasha paused and considered what she was about to say. “All that being said, if you feel like you can’t work on this case, I’ll understand.”
Naya stiffened, and Caroline hurried away, out of the danger zone.
“I didn’t ask to get off the case.” Her tone was measured but her jaw was clenched.
“I know you didn’t. I’m offering.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She locked eyes with Sasha. “I think a lot of people could end up suffering needlessly if Allstrom’s work gets bogged down in red tape because of us.”
Naya turned and walked away.
She’d said ‘because of us,’ but Sasha knew what she’d really meant was ‘because of you .’
----
S asha eyed her husband over the top of her wineglass. Something was going on with him. He’d been jittering his right leg under the table since they’d sat down for dinner. And now he was squaring
“About the need to get a dementia drug to market as quickly as possible. You don’t understand what something like that could mean to people.” Her voice quavered.
Naya’s mom. Of course.
It hadn’t even dawned on her that visiting Golden Village would exact an emotional toll on Naya. “Naya, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. That had to have been hard to sit through.” Sasha’s cheeks burned with shame. Some friend she was. Naya had watched her mother deteriorate slowly over several years, her mind ravaged by Alzheimer’s, caring for her around the clock until her death a few years back.
“Don’t be sorry. You were doing your job, and so was I.” Naya’s eyes flashed a warning—sympathy wasn’t what she was looking for.
Sasha closed her notebook and walked around the desk to join Naya at the door.
“Right, we were doing our jobs. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have feelings.” She placed a light hand on Naya’s shoulder, half expecting her to brush it off.
But she didn’t. Instead, she took a long, shaky breath. “This isn’t about my feelings. My mama’s gone. But there are other families out there—families who would give anything to get their parents back.”
“No doubt. But there are also families out there who feel betrayed that their parents’ final wishes weren’t considered or, worse, were disregarded. No one’s saying Dr. Allstrom’s research isn’t important or necessary, because it is. She just needs to follow the rules.” Sasha was careful to keep her voice even and devoid of emotion.
All the same, Caroline slowed her pace as she passed by on her way to the supply closet, as if she could tell trouble was brewing.
“The rules? You mean the rule that she has to ask dead people to consent to her using their tissue and blood samples? That’s not even required by the letter of the law.” Naya’s narrow shoulders shook and her chin jutted forward.
Sasha took her time forming an answer. While she was still thinking, Caroline returned with her box of pens and paused behind Naya.
“This sounds like that Henrietta Lacks situation,” the secretary remarked.
Naya and Sasha turned and looked at her.
“Who?” Sasha asked.
“Henrietta Lacks. She died of ovarian cancer years ago, but researchers used her cells to create the HeLa cell line without letting the family know. It really affected her children to know that pieces of her were just out there … floating around. Some journalist wrote a bestseller about it.” Caroline gave her head a small, sad shake. “My book club read it last month.”
“I remember hearing about that,” Naya said slowly. She chewed on her lower lip. “I understand what you two are saying, but this research Dr. Allstrom’s doing could change people’s lives.”
“It’s a slippery slope, though. The law requires informed consent for good reasons. You may be right that Dr. Allstrom’s actions comply with the letter of the law, but they definitely violate the spirit of the law.” Sasha paused and considered what she was about to say. “All that being said, if you feel like you can’t work on this case, I’ll understand.”
Naya stiffened, and Caroline hurried away, out of the danger zone.
“I didn’t ask to get off the case.” Her tone was measured but her jaw was clenched.
“I know you didn’t. I’m offering.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She locked eyes with Sasha. “I think a lot of people could end up suffering needlessly if Allstrom’s work gets bogged down in red tape because of us.”
Naya turned and walked away.
She’d said ‘because of us,’ but Sasha knew what she’d really meant was ‘because of you .’
----
S asha eyed her husband over the top of her wineglass. Something was going on with him. He’d been jittering his right leg under the table since they’d sat down for dinner. And now he was squaring
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