thought, draining his glass. It shamed him to admit he had no idea.
Gwen was an intensely private person. For years now—her whole adult life—she'd spurned any conversation about her health. Questions were met with stony silence. And estrogen was more than a health question; it was a sex question. Frank was no prude. He'd always—well, until recently—enjoyed a healthy sex life. But he froze at the idea of discussing sexual matters with his daughter, who was a prude. She was possibly as uptight as her mother, a prude of worldclass proportions.
"She won't discuss it," he said. "To be honest, I have no idea if she's taking it or not."
Neil frowned. "Frank, you know the arguments. Bone density.
Early cardiovascular disease."
"It's her decision. She's not a kid anymore."
"All the more reason she should understand the ramifications."
"I'm sure she does," Frank said, a bit sharply. She's short, not retarded , he wanted to add. She's an intelligent girl.
"'Nuff said, then." Neil slurped at his glass."How's your science, amigo?"
Frank signaled the bartender. Clearly another martini was in order.
"Nothing to report just yet, but things are moving forward. Yourself ?"
Neil grinned."You saw the paper, right?"
"What paper?" Frank said smoothly.
"Oh, it's in a little journal called Nature. Ever heard of it?" Neil chuckled."I can't take all the credit, of course. I've got a terrific postdoc. I believe you know him. Kevin Cho."
Frank's heart quickened."Hmm. Can't say I do."
Instantly he realized his mistake. Neil stared at him with interest. "Oh, really? He says he interviewed with you a couple years ago.
Smart Korean kid. Looks about twelve."
"Oh, Cho ," Frank said miserably."Sure. I remember Cho."
"Well, you did me a huge favor by not hiring him. I should thank you, my friend. He's turning out to be my secret weapon."
What's mine is yours, buddy , Frank thought. Kevin Cho, Protogenix.
Do I have anything else you might want?
Neil made another dive for the peanuts. "How's your apoptosis girl working out? Any luck?" He chewed loudly."I've heard rumblings that Radler is getting close."
Frank blinked. He knew, of course, that Cristina wasn't the only one studying XIAP. Her old lab at Baylor had the gene construct; so did Fritz Radler's team at the University of Chicago. Either group might beat them to the finish line, as Neil well knew.
"Oh, Cristina's a real go-getter." Frank lowered his voice. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but we're getting positive signals from Science about our paper."
"No kidding," said Neil."Has it gone out for review?"
"Out and back." The lie burned in his throat like whiskey, part pleasure, part pain. "We're revising now, but the changes are minor. I can't imagine it won't go through."
"Frank, that's fantastic. Mazel tov, my friend."
"The girl has turned out to be quite a find. A force to be reckoned with."
A fresh martini was placed on the bar. Frank reached for it gladly.
"Of course, you've had a hell of a year yourself," he continued.
"The Academy and all." Smiling had begun to hurt him. His jaw ached all the way back to his ears. "Congratulations on that too, by the way."
"Frank, you're a mensch. I don't mind telling you, if things were reversed, my guts would be in a knot." Neil grinned broadly. "That's the value of sports. Builds character. I've tried to get my kid into soccer, but no luck. He takes after his dad."
Frank guzzled his drink. Neil had married late, a vivacious Israeli woman ten years younger. He'd been fifty when his son was born. His wife, a paleontologist, had pulled some strings at the Stott Museum to get Gwen an internship. Ten years later, his daughter still worked there.
It was the only job she'd ever had.
"How's Tova?" Frank asked, reaching for a new subject.
"Nuts," Neil said happily."Did I tell you she's keeping us kosher?
Since I got to Boston I've eaten three cheeseburgers. It feels like adultery." He reached for his wallet. "Seriously, she's
Gwen was an intensely private person. For years now—her whole adult life—she'd spurned any conversation about her health. Questions were met with stony silence. And estrogen was more than a health question; it was a sex question. Frank was no prude. He'd always—well, until recently—enjoyed a healthy sex life. But he froze at the idea of discussing sexual matters with his daughter, who was a prude. She was possibly as uptight as her mother, a prude of worldclass proportions.
"She won't discuss it," he said. "To be honest, I have no idea if she's taking it or not."
Neil frowned. "Frank, you know the arguments. Bone density.
Early cardiovascular disease."
"It's her decision. She's not a kid anymore."
"All the more reason she should understand the ramifications."
"I'm sure she does," Frank said, a bit sharply. She's short, not retarded , he wanted to add. She's an intelligent girl.
"'Nuff said, then." Neil slurped at his glass."How's your science, amigo?"
Frank signaled the bartender. Clearly another martini was in order.
"Nothing to report just yet, but things are moving forward. Yourself ?"
Neil grinned."You saw the paper, right?"
"What paper?" Frank said smoothly.
"Oh, it's in a little journal called Nature. Ever heard of it?" Neil chuckled."I can't take all the credit, of course. I've got a terrific postdoc. I believe you know him. Kevin Cho."
Frank's heart quickened."Hmm. Can't say I do."
Instantly he realized his mistake. Neil stared at him with interest. "Oh, really? He says he interviewed with you a couple years ago.
Smart Korean kid. Looks about twelve."
"Oh, Cho ," Frank said miserably."Sure. I remember Cho."
"Well, you did me a huge favor by not hiring him. I should thank you, my friend. He's turning out to be my secret weapon."
What's mine is yours, buddy , Frank thought. Kevin Cho, Protogenix.
Do I have anything else you might want?
Neil made another dive for the peanuts. "How's your apoptosis girl working out? Any luck?" He chewed loudly."I've heard rumblings that Radler is getting close."
Frank blinked. He knew, of course, that Cristina wasn't the only one studying XIAP. Her old lab at Baylor had the gene construct; so did Fritz Radler's team at the University of Chicago. Either group might beat them to the finish line, as Neil well knew.
"Oh, Cristina's a real go-getter." Frank lowered his voice. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but we're getting positive signals from Science about our paper."
"No kidding," said Neil."Has it gone out for review?"
"Out and back." The lie burned in his throat like whiskey, part pleasure, part pain. "We're revising now, but the changes are minor. I can't imagine it won't go through."
"Frank, that's fantastic. Mazel tov, my friend."
"The girl has turned out to be quite a find. A force to be reckoned with."
A fresh martini was placed on the bar. Frank reached for it gladly.
"Of course, you've had a hell of a year yourself," he continued.
"The Academy and all." Smiling had begun to hurt him. His jaw ached all the way back to his ears. "Congratulations on that too, by the way."
"Frank, you're a mensch. I don't mind telling you, if things were reversed, my guts would be in a knot." Neil grinned broadly. "That's the value of sports. Builds character. I've tried to get my kid into soccer, but no luck. He takes after his dad."
Frank guzzled his drink. Neil had married late, a vivacious Israeli woman ten years younger. He'd been fifty when his son was born. His wife, a paleontologist, had pulled some strings at the Stott Museum to get Gwen an internship. Ten years later, his daughter still worked there.
It was the only job she'd ever had.
"How's Tova?" Frank asked, reaching for a new subject.
"Nuts," Neil said happily."Did I tell you she's keeping us kosher?
Since I got to Boston I've eaten three cheeseburgers. It feels like adultery." He reached for his wallet. "Seriously, she's
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