Ana and Frederick Niehaus were a perfect match. He was one of most in-demand programmers in San Francisco's blossoming tech industry, and she, a brilliant professor in Berkeley's Neuroscience department. The only thing missing from their beautiful home was a child to call their own. It wasn't for lack of trying; surrogates fell through, In-Vitro Fertilization wouldn't take, and adoption lists were miles long. Brilliant as they were, they had reached the end of their rope.
Doctor Leekie of the DYAD institute offered a solution.
"We've tried IVF three times" Ana leafed through the pamphlets. "I don't think I can handle another heartbreak."
"Then, you'll be pleased to hear we've had a nearly 100% success rate with our study" Dr. Leekie smiled. "Our precision fertilization method using flawless donor eggs perfectly configured to the carrier uterus has been nothing short of miraculous."
"What's the catch?" Frederick asked. It sounded too good to be true.
"It is a long-term study, so all we'd need is a few samples once a year. Your child's physician can easily take them at their annual physical. And, of course, you'll let us know if you notice anything out of the ordinary." Dr. Leekie slid the paperwork across the desk.
"So, we'd be his, or her…monitors?" Ana tried to keep her gesticulating hands settled.
"You'd be her parents."
Nine months later, their promised miracle was delivered. "Ten fingers, ten toes, she's perfect." Frederick cradled their newborn bundle of happiness, gently placing her in Ana's waiting arms.
"She's beautiful." Ana stroked their newborn's cheek.
"You guys pick out a name yet?" Their nurse asked.
"Cosima." They replied together.
"But if he's underwater, how does he breathe?" Young Cosima stood on her tiptoes to feed her new pet goldfish. Why, how, what, they were her favorite words. Her thirst for knowledge was insatiable. "See those lines?" Ana rested her finger on the glass. "Those are gills." Her hands started to wander, as they often did when she tried to condense hard science into language fit for a six-year old. "They help fish breathe just like your lungs help you."
"Hella neat." Cosima was enraptured.
"What do you say we do a little science class?" Ana pulled a magnifying glass out of the side table drawer. "Do you think you can find few bugs in the garden?"
"Can we look at them under your microscope?" Cosima bounced with giddiness.
"If you can find them" Ana smiled. She was overjoyed to be raising a child with such a curiosity in the world around her. She'd be lucky to have a student with half of Cosima's excitement. At her age, she could have that fascination without worrying about the minutiae of grant letters and study proposals. She just hoped she could keep up with all of the answers.
As the years passed, Cosima's curiosity only grew. Her teachers wrote glowing reviews of her exemplary work. Trips to museums typically ended with being chased out by tired security guards after hours. Of course, Frederick wasn't surprised to see Cosima sitting at their kitchen table with what used to be the family toaster in a few dozen pieces.
"Whatcha got there, Cos?" Frederick set down his laptop.
"I might've hit a speed bump." She replied, sliding her glasses up her nose as she tried to retrace her steps.
"How's the first week of school?" He started sorting a few parts.
"It's okay." She shrugged. High school was a strange environment. It was only a few days in, but it seemed like the other students cared very little about what was happening in the classroom. She'd never been preoccupied with popularity, but it seemed to be the only thing that mattered amongst her new peers.
"Just okay?" Sure, she'd kept to herself through middle school, but that hadn't stopped her from making friends.
"Classes are cool, everyone else is just a dick." She rested her chin on her hands, watching her father's hands perform the delicate task of repairing what she'd wrecked.
"Sounds about right." He connected a couple of wires. High school was rarely a lifetime pinnacle, but he knew how hard that was to see in the moment.
"So, I'll be stuck dealing with Neanderthals for the next four years?"
"High school's weird for everyone." He explained, testing his last connection. "Everyone's a little bit lost, so they try to fit in the best they can." He slid down the lever. Perfect assembly. "Just remember, Cosima, you're one of a kind. All you have to do is be you."
"Just like that, huh?" She was skeptical, of course, but she thought it was sweet he tried.
"I know, 'show, don't tell'" He smiled. "All in time." He'd grown to wonder if he should've ever taught her the phrase. He turned his attention back to the coding on his laptop.
"More life-changing office suite software?" She teased.
"Just some rudimentary binary, I'm afraid." He tilted the screen her way. "The technology's ancient, but enduring." She scooted her stool closer.
"How's it work?"