Max took me back to that lab semi-frequently at the request of Lucas. I remembered him telling me about his love for studying minds, but I came to find out that the man dealt in performing experiments of… dubious nature to get his results. It also turns out that Max’s “errands” were just her doing paperwork for him and just essentially being his secretary. It also seemed like Beatrice was blackmailing Lucas to pay her or else she would expose his research methods to the police. I still wasn’t quite sure why she was there or needed money when she was literally a spoiled rich girl who could do anything she wanted though.

“Alright, thank you for that,” Lucas nodded, tapping the small vial of blood he took out of my arm with a needle.

“What do you need that for anyway?” I asked. “I thought you studied heads, not blood.”

“Your brain is the center of the body,” he replied, writing a label on the vial. “Any action the body does has to pass through the brain first, and so I believe a mentally abnormal person must also have some physical oddity somewhere in their body.”

“Oh…” I said, laughing at my own lack of understanding. “Well, I hope whatever you may find will help you.”

“If my labors are fruitful, maybe I could even help you.”

“Huh?” I asked, my attention immediately snapping to him. “What do you mean you could help me?”

“Max said I can’t test it on you, but I believe maybe I can find a way to turn you into essentially what I would call a makeshift woman.”

“Makeshift woman?” I frowned, narrowing my eyes. “Are you speaking of witchcraft?”

“No, no,” he reassured. “I think there must be something in the brain that makes a man’s body a man and a woman’s body a woman. It’s my running theory that you are a woman with a brain that might’ve produced the essence of man when you were born by accident.”

“Why would that happen though?”

“It’s not unheard of in nature for some members of species to have random genetic mutations,” Lucas pointed out. “A man named Charles Darwin proposed that these deviations would either surpass the other members of the species or die because of the differences.”

“Oh…”

“It’s just a running theory,” he shrugged, pulling out a thin set of bandages and beginning to wrap it around my arm. “I think if I can find a way to create and inject what I call the essence of woman, it could be a step in correcting your condition.”

“You mean to tell me that you can transform me into a woman?!” I exclaimed.

“I make no promises on results, but I have a few theories about the possibility existing. There’s a mountain of tests to run before that can ever happen though.”

“It just sounds so much like fantasy…” I whispered.

“Every tale seems tall until we prove it true,” Lucas eerily smirked. “Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll be able to engineer and transfer ourselves into perfect bodies.”

“Now I know you’re jesting!”

“I don’t jest about my work,” he declared, finishing fashioning the bandage on my arm. “We’re done here. Leave me and send in that woman in the waiting room.”

When I made it to the front room, I pointed a woman to Lucas’s office, who very eagerly booked her way there.

“She thinks she’s the descendent of a goddess,” Rex sighed, sitting back in one of the chairs.

“Wait, she’s the one?” I asked.

“Just listened to her ramble for a few minutes about it, yeah,” he nodded. “Showed me some dangerously sharp teeth, but that’s it. I think she filed them.”

“Maybe I’m more sane than I thought.”

“Aven, honey, you look positively famished!” Debbie cried from behind me.

“I guess I haven’t had lunch yet,” I laughed. How she always knew what you needed eluded me, but maybe it was the natural mother’s instinct in her.

“I just finished making a pie,” she smiled. “Come on to the kitchen and have some.”

“Why is there a kitchen in this lab anyway?”

“It used to be lived in, but when Lucas came into possession of it, he never got rid of most furniture and appliances.”

“Who used to live here?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know.”

“It used to be owned by his old man,” Rex tiredly sighed. “He told me once.”

“Lucas has a father?” I asked, surprised.

“How else do you think he was born?”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean… What's he like?”

“Never met him,” he shrugged. “Lucas doesn’t talk about him, and we’re probably better off forgetting about questions we’ll never get answers to.”

“Something you can get is a slice of my famous apple pie though,” Debbie chimed. “Now step into the kitchen and taste the divineness.”

“Alright, alright,” I laughed.

“You too, Rex.”

“Meh,” he grumbled. “I’ve got something to do for Lucas.”

“You’ve got something to do for me, and it’s eating me apple pie.”

I just giggled and accompanied them to the kitchen. Everyone there seemed to be part of a big extended family, and it seemed like most of them only had each other. Max and Debbie were a couple of the lucky ones with real family to go home to at night.

*   *   *   *   *

“Lucas, do you think I’m a real woman?” I asked while he took my measurements.

“If you’re looking for counseling, this isn’t the place,” he informed me, putting the tape measure around my waist.

“I’m just asking for your opinion.”

“My opinion is that you make a fine woman,” he shrugged, writing down some numbers in his notebook. “You’ll probably get happily married, be a fine housewife, and make that fiancé of yours happy.”

“That’s the-” I paused for just a moment, thinking about something. “Wait, how did you know I’m engaged?”

“Max is a talker. The only secrets safe with her are her own.”

“Noted,” I grumbled. “Why do you need so many tests and measurements of me anyway? I’m sure you could write a book about me with how much you’ve documented.”

“Not yet,” he noted, as if he had considered the possibility before. “I can’t say my thesis is correct until I’ve dissected your brain and compared it to a normal female woman’s of your age and ethnicity.”

“Oh… So you’re just waiting until I die?”

“Don’t worry, I’m still gathering mounds of data on you for research until then.”

There’s a reason that “reassuring” isn’t on the list of words I’d describe Lucas as. I truly couldn’t tell whether he was completely heartless or just putting on a square front. Maybe Rex or Max could tell me what his deal is, but I didn't see myself figuring it out anytime soon. I’m not exactly a mind reader.

“Lucas, do you have a wife?”

“I’m sorry to say there will be no Mrs. DuCarmont coming from my branch of the family tree anytime soon,” Lucas cynically chuckled. “Nor any juniors.”

“Are you unable to give children too?” I prodded. “Like Max?”

“I can also assure you there’s nothing wrong with my reproductive capabilities. There’s just no reason to. Too much research to do, and not enough time to do it. A family would only keep me away from my work.”

“Did your parents want-”

“I’ll stop you right there,” he coldly interjected. “Don’t bother asking me about them. You won’t get any answers.”

“But-”

“Oh Lucas~” Max interrupted, barging into his office. “It’s time for my physical. You care about my health, don’t you?”

“Aven, please, if you could leave us?” Lucas sighed, rolling up his tape measurer. “We can resume the measuring later.”

“Alright…”

I left the room just in time for Max to hastily close the door behind me. I feel like she only acted more suspicious since I began coming to her workplace. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous that Max still thinks she can’t trust me.

“Help!”

A desperate high pitched little voice called out from the kitchen, leading me to find Bailey trying to climb up on the counter to grab a glass from the cupboard. I was convinced with every fiber of my body that she could not be an adult woman. She still looked like 15! Did they have a fountain of youth in Ireland or did she just have some secret? If she does, then share up.

“Do you need some help getting that?” I offered.

“Le do thoil!”

I was going to take that as a yes. Bailey was from across the ocean and was still perfecting her English. Apparently her parents had never taught her English despite Ireland being right next to England? Don’t ask me how that works. I reached for a glass and handed it to her, but she wouldn’t take the cup.

“She won’t touch any of the glasses,” Debbie said, walking in and pointing to one of the drawers. “Bailey needs one of the wool sleeves.”

“Huh? Sleeves?”

It turns out that the drawer had some of these weird knitted things that covered the sides of the glasses. I poured some watered and handed it to Bailey, who happily took it and scurried away to probably do more work.

“What’s with the glass covers?” I asked.

“Poor thing can’t touch glass without feeling set off, I’m afraid,” Debbie sighed. “Another oddity for Lucas to study, I suppose. I try to accommodate her as much as I can.”

“Can’t touch glass? That… that is odd. But I guess that’s me talking.”

“You know, Lucas paid for her to come here. Bailey was so excited about studying psychology, and one of Lucas’ advertisements made it all the way to Ireland!”

“It still baffles me how Lucas managed to spread them everywhere,” I admired. “I mean, they even reached those twins in Asia.”

“It is quite miraculous,” she agreed. “Hats off to him.”

“Hats… Oh, I’m so forgetful,” I groaned. “I left my sun hat in Lucas’s office. I’ll be right back after I grab it.”

I slinked my way back to Lucas’ office door. I know he was in the middle of giving Max some test, but I was just going to be in and out anyway. I finally gathered up my courage to 

“Lucas, I know you’re working with Max, but-”

And that was the exact moment that I couldn’t look at Max the same way again. I don't have any interest in remembering the scene that I witnessed, but Lucas was giving Max a much more thorough examination than I ever wanted to bear witness to. I froze in utter shock and abstract horror while Lucas let go of Max, who was quick to cover herself up.

“Aven!” she exclaimed. “I-”

“Later,” I insisted, my face turning beet-red. I turned away and tried flushing the image out of my mind. “Just… put on your clothes first.”

*   *   *   *   *

“So you’re cheating?” I frowned. “I’m guessing this is the thing Beatrice is leveraging against you?”

“Yeah…” she admitted. “Lucas and I… have history. We were old lovers before I ever met Reginald. I know there’s no excuse for it at all…”

“I love you Max, but this is kind of gross,” I said honestly. “And now you’re asking me to not tell Reginald and pretend I never saw it. So now I feel too complicit in your affair to be guilt free.”

“Aven, I know it’s unfair to ask you, but please don’t tell him,” Max begged. “It’s more complicated than that. I love Reginald and Lucas.”

“But you only took a vow to Reginald,” I pointed out.

“I know…”

“Listen, I’m not going to tell him,” I promised. “But only because I shouldn’t be the one to let him know. One day you’re going to tell him and explain all of this. 

“I… Ok…” she sighed in defeat. I didn’t enjoy holding Max like this, but now I already felt dirty just knowing about it. I was going to need time to recover from that, so God knows what Reginald would feel.

“Aven,” Lucas coughed from the hallway. “I’d like to finish doing our measurements from earlier, if you would.”

“That’s fine,” I mumbled, following him back to his office, where he got the measuring tape. “Lucas, do you love Max?”

“I’d prefer you not bring up what you saw earlier.”

“Understandable,” I responded awkwardly. “Are all your employees like family to you? Debbie told me how you paid for Bailey to come here yourself.”

“Everyone who works under me is valued,” he said elusively. “And everyone who walks through that door as a volunteer is a valuable specimen.”

“What am I?”

“You’re…” I could see him think for just a second before shaking his head and writing some data in his notebook. “You’re a one in a million phenomena that serves as a treasure trove of data.”

“Oh…” I sighed, looking down.

“Don’t look so down. Not many people can say they’ve made as significant contributions to a budding science as you already have.”

“It’s something, I guess,” I shrugged.

“On that note, could I take some more blood from you? I think I’m close to getting a breakthrough.”

“Before or after you drain me dry?” I grumbled, pulling up my dress sleeve and waiting for another puncture wound.

*   *   *   *   *

“Aven, could you get that?” Reginald asked, hearing a sudden knock at the door. “I’ll help Max plate the food.”

“Sure, just don’t take it all for yourself,” his wife sassed.

I chuckled and went to the door. I also wondered who would be knocking so late. Shouldn’t people be eating dinner right about now? I cracked the door open before it was forced all the way, and I barely had time to process who the mystery guest was before I was swept right off my feet. Reginald and Max just chuckled from across the room while James carried me into the house with a hearty laugh.

“Surprise!”

“James! You didn’t tell me you were coming!” I exclaimed. My head turned back to Max and Reginald. “Did you two know?!”

“He insisted we kept it secret,” Reginald shrugged with a smug smile. “He didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“I’ll be staying with family for a few weeks,” James smiled. “Officially, I’m here for my brother’s birthday in a few days, but I’m deciding to stay the rest of the month just for my future wife. For a little while, we won’t have to communicate by letter.”

“Oh, James…” I’m not going to lie, hearing him say that made my heart flutter. “We’re going to make the most of it!”

“I’m also rather ashamed that my work of all things made me propose by letter, but I do mean to keep a promise I made to you.”

James got down on one knee, and I started to shake. I knew exactly what this was. He wrote to me once that he felt ashamed that his work kept him in Virginia too much to come to New York and give me an engagement ring, so he promised that the next time we met face to face he would sweep me off of my feet and get down on his knees. I thought it was just super sweet flattery, but…

“Aven Murphy, by promising me your hand in marriage, you would make me the happiest man alive,” James said, emotion pouring out. “Every mile separated feels like a thousand. Every night longing for you feels like a lifetime. So would you let me take you for my wife, and I as your husband?”

To round it all off, he took out this beautiful ring with a bright orange stone embedded in the front. I was far from being a jewelry snob, but that sure wasn’t a diamond. I think It still took my breath away though. I warmly smiled and grasped his hand.

“Of course the answer is yes!”

“Then let our lives be forever united,” he grinned, slipping the ring onto my finger. I couldn’t even process how I felt. Reginald and Max were smiling like crazy while James looked like he just inherited a million dollars.

“What manner of gem is this?” I asked in awe, rubbing the small fiery orange stone.

“The man I bought it from said it’s from Norway,” James explained with a smile. “Apparently it’s called a sunstone. Supposedly it sparkles when you hold it to the sun, even on overcast days. So now even on the darkest days, you can always hold it up and be reminded how our love shines.”