He sat down in the garden on a rickety green stool in front of the open cellar door, poured himself a glass of Irsai Olivér, and observed the lively hum of spring. His thoughts wandered to the large cherry tree standing alone on the distant property opposite, which seemed to be pollinated by millions of bees.
— We're sorry, Steve. You are genetically unfit for this position.
— Genetically?
— Yes. At the start of the application process, you accepted and signed the consent form for genetic testing. During the occupational health exam, we took a blood sample, and from that we determined that you are missing the F-1 (Future-1) gene. Possession of this...
I saw every feature of her face clearly and vividly — her beautiful smile, the taste of her kiss, the scent of her hair, the softness of her skin. Every gesture, every movement resurfaced. That moment when she said with doubt in her voice: "You're just playing with me." It was impossible to convince her otherwise — that she might...