{"id":284,"date":"2009-09-05T15:53:44","date_gmt":"2009-09-05T19:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/?p=284"},"modified":"2009-09-05T15:53:44","modified_gmt":"2009-09-05T19:53:44","slug":"chapter-12-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/?p=284","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 12"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat is with<\/em> you and that guy?\u201d asked Van. He and Mabel crossed River Street and cut through an alley between Bumper\u2019s Stuff Shop and Logjam Savings Bank. They waved at Coco Alda who was hauling boxes out to the dumpster behind the store. \u201cI\u2019m getting a little tired of his freaky suggestions,\u201d Van continued. \u201cIn fact, it would probably be easier to just let Mitchell beat me up and be done with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t know, Van,\u201d answered Mabel. \u201cI really haven\u2019t figured out what he wants, but he is right about something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d asked Van.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI have, or had, another set of parents, I mean besides my mom and dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tVan raised a quizzical eyebrow. \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOkay,\u201d said Mabel, \u201cJust listen. But it\u2019s going to sound weird.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n*****<\/p>\n

\n\tA few shortcuts through the woods later, Mabel and Van were on the gravel hill to Halfslips\u2019 Botanical Center.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSo,\u201d asked Van, \u201cdo you think these people, I mean the biological parents, are around somewhere?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel stopped walking, and considered the question. \u201cYes,\u201d she said, surprising herself with her decisiveness. \u201cThey are around. But I don\u2019t know where.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAnd we don\u2019t know why Arbogast cares,\u201d added Van.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOh no!\u201d said Mabel, coming to a halt at the top of the hill. \u201cThat illegal stuff guy is here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tVan motioned to where two more identical black sedans were parked. \u201cAnd some of his friends, too,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\n\tMary Halfslip waved from the front porch of the house. \u201cIvy\u2019s not feeling great today,\u201d she called, \u201cbut she\u2019d like you guys to come in and say hi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy was slouched at the kitchen table. In front of her sat a nearly empty glass of her green nutrition supplement, and she gazed at it despondently.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cStill that bad, huh?\u201d asked Mabel, as she and Van entered the room.<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy looked as pale as Mabel had ever seen her, and tired, as if just staying in the chair required effort. She grimaced at the glass. \u201cI felt stinky before the latest dose. It\u2019s helped a little, but not much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMrs. Halfslip leaned around the doorway. \u201cYou wanted to show Mabel and Van our surprise?\u201d she asked. Although she nodded encouragingly at Ivy, Mabel glimpsed what she took to be apprehension on Mrs. Halfslip\u2019s face as she exited the room.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYour mom\u2019s worried about you,\u201d said Mabel to Ivy. \u201cHave you been to see Dr. Rotter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYeah,\u201d responded Ivy, \u201che\u2019s running some blood tests and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tVan sat down on the table. \u201cYou know,\u201d he said, \u201cDoc Rotter\u2019s one of the smartest guys in the world, but…he doesn\u2019t have a medical license. Have your parents considered getting a second opinion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThey can\u2019t,\u201d answered Ivy. \u201cAnd besides, Doctor Rotter didn\u2019t lose his license for being a bad doctor, it was for taking, you know…spare parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou said they can\u2019t,\u201d said Mabel. \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy swirled her glass and watched the green debris form patterns. \u201cDoctor Rotter\u2019s the only one we can trust,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cIf anyone else examined me, they\u2019d find out, and they might tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cFind out what?\u201d asked Mabel.<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy rocked the glass back and forth on the tabletop, and thought for a few minutes. \u201cYou guys are my best friends,\u201d she said. \u201cMom said it would be okay to show you my baby brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel exchanged glances with Van, and concluded that he was equally confused.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOkay,\u201d said Van, sounding remarkably casual, \u201cI didn\u2019t know you had one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cCome on,\u201d said Ivy, getting to her feet with visible effort. She walked across the kitchen to a hallway which led to the bedroom wing of the house, then turned and looked expectantly at Mabel and Van. They followed.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe hallway was decorated with photographs and posters. Many of Norton Halfslip, piloting a small bi-plane with his future wife walking the wing. Ivy saw Mabel looking. \u201cPop-pop\u2019s proud of those days,\u201d she said as she opened a door at the end of the hall.<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel had visited the small greenhouse room many times, and knew that Mrs. Halfslip tended the plants there with extraordinary care. They entered the small room, embraced by the increase in warmth and humidity.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Vigna, in the corner,\u201d said Ivy, pointing to a sprawling bean plant with enormous leaves. Its clay pot was bathtub sized, and many vines spilled over the edge while others climbed a wooden trellis on the glass wall.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThat\u2019s been there forever,\u201d said Mabel. \u201cI remember helping you water it when we were really little.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt is old,\u201d said Ivy, gently stroking one of several pods growing beneath the shelter of a broad leaf. \u201cWay older than me. Of course it has to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOkay,\u201d said Van, trying to sound very patient, \u201cif it\u2019s older than you, how can it be your baby brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy giggled, though the effort made her wince. \u201cThe Vigna isn\u2019t my brother,\u201d she said. \u201cLook.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tIvy separated several vines, and gently held a cluster of leaves out of the way, then turned her wide hazel eyes to Mabel and Van. \u201cThis is my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel saw what appeared to be an unusually large bean pod growing under the leaves. She blinked and looked again, not quite willing to trust her first glimpse. The bean had kicked.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHoly Geronimo,\u201d whispered Van, \u201cthat bean is moving!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s not a bean,\u201d said Ivy. \u201cIt\u2019s my brother. At least we\u2019re pretty sure it\u2019s a boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSo, Ivy,\u201d said Van, \u201cthat\u2019s not exactly the usual way to get a baby brother. Are there babies growing in all these pods?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNo Van, my father worked with this specific pod only. And, I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t need to tell you this…\u201d Ivy continued, then paused briefly, \u201c…but most vignas don\u2019t have the capacity to carry human genetic material. Dad has done a fair amount of fiddling here. In fact, this vigna\u2019s grafted onto the root system of a Nepenthes spectabilis for durability. They come from places like Sumatra, and can grow in really rough conditions. See, Mom was a little worried about not having a green thumb back then, and she wanted to be sure she wouldn\u2019t kill me by neglect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cKill YOU?\u201d asked Mabel. \u201cAre you saying that this is not the first time a baby has grown on that plant?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI am saying that,\u201d replied Ivy.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cJeesh,\u201d said Van. His gaze alternated between Ivy and the bean plant. \u201cWow. Well, I guess I\u2019m the last person who should question other people\u2019s origins.\u201d Van shrugged. \u201cThat baby really is your brother then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThat\u2019s what I told you,\u201d said Ivy.<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy closed the door to the greenhouse room as the three returned to the kitchen. \u201cMom\u2019s worried about a couple things,\u201d she said. \u201cOne is, that if a regular doctor finds out that part of my DNA is plant-based, they\u2019ll make some kind of freak show out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDNA,\u201d interrupted Mabel. \u201cThat means what you\u2019re made of?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy nodded and continued, \u201cand the other thing she\u2019s afraid of is that somebody, you know, like this DIS guy, would confiscate the vigna and not really understand there\u2019s a baby growing on it. Most people would find that a little odd, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYeah,\u201d said Van, \u201cI know exactly what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIvy looked suddenly very shaky, and Mabel reached to steady her.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI think I\u2019m going to lie down for a while,\u201d said Ivy. \u201cYou guys go ahead and visit Buster and the dogs. Maybe I\u2019ll see you in school tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cDo you think Ivy\u2019s going to be okay?\u201d asked Van as he and Mabel walked across the parking area toward Greenhouse 3.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t know, Van,\u201d answered Mabel, \u201cbut I have this feeling that we need to get her some other kind of help…oh, sorry!” Mabel had opened the greenhouse door right into someone\u2019s trenchcoated bottom. A raven-haired Department of Illegal Substances officer peered at them through her cat-eye glasses.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPlease children,\u201d she said, turning back to the plants in front of her, \u201cI must ask that you stay out of the way while we collect samples.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSamples of what?\u201d asked Van.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d responded the agent, \u201cbut this investigation is classified, and there\u2019s not much I can share with you, if you don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOkay,\u201d said Mabel. She gestured to Van that he should follow her to where Norton was working with the jerfinia ferns.<\/p>\n

\n\tNorton grinned broadly, then glanced toward the front of the greenhouse as if to make sure he wasn\u2019t being watched. Then he tapped on his shirt pocket, and Buster\u2019s little walnut head peeked out. <\/p>\n

\n\tBuster craned his neck to see the DIS agent across the room, then shook his head. \u201cNo lady, lady, lady,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIs he learning English?\u201d asked Mabel with surprise.<\/p>\n

\n\tNorton nodded and continued to fertilize the jerfinias. Suddenly he paused, and reached deeply into his trousers pocket, pulling something out. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLook,\u201d said Buster, as Norton opened his hand to show Mabel what he was holding. Several tiny spherical seeds, the color of earth, rolled about on Norton\u2019s palm.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThey\u2019re jerfinia spores, aren\u2019t they?\u201d asked Mabel, rolling her finger across the little balls. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHave one, plant one,\u201d chirped Buster, pointing first at the spores, and then at Mabel.<\/p>\n

\n\tNorton nodded, and extended his hand toward Mabel. Gingerly, she grasped a tiny sphere and dropped it into the watch-pocket of her jeans.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cStop that animal!\u201d yelled a voice from the front of the greenhouse.<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel and Van turned to see Sparkle, her head and tail proudly erect, trotting briskly toward them with something black clenched in her teeth. Directly behind her was Sig, struggling to keep up with his mother without falling over front paws he hadn\u2019t yet grown into.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThat dog has my cell phone!\u201d shouted Reynolds Manderley, beginning to run after Sparkle.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSparkle!\u201d chided Mabel. \u201cGive the man his phone back.\u201d Sparkle spit the phone into Mabel\u2019s hand as if it was distasteful.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cTastes like Old Spice,\u201d said Sparkle, although Mabel was certain she was the only one who had heard. \u201cThe coat people are trouble-causers. Just thought I\u2019d give them a little trouble back,\u201d Sparkle added.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSorry Mister, here you go,\u201d said Mabel, handing the phone to Agent Manderley. He nodded his thanks and wiped it off with a handkerchief. \u201cVan and I will take the dogs outside,\u201d said Mabel.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNotice Sig\u2019s beautiful coat,\u201d instructed Sparkle, as she and the puppy followed Mabel and Van out of the greenhouse. Mabel stopped in the grass by Sparkle\u2019s shed to admire Sig who was growing fluffier and more inquisitive by the day.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLook how handsome he is, Van,\u201d said Mabel as she stroked the puppy\u2019s fur.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThose are some funny zigzags,\u201d said Van, running his fingers through Sig\u2019s coat. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like a lightning bolt, the way these white stripes run together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWith a star,\u201d added Mabel, pointing out the distinctive marking beside the lightning-like pattern.<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel and Van were startled by a throat being abruptly cleared.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPardon me,\u201d said a short, bald DIS agent. \u201cDid you see which way Agent Manderley went?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHe\u2019s in there, cleaning his phone,\u201d responded Van, pointing toward Greenhouse 3. The agent took off at a trot.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMabel,\u201d said Van, \u201cwhat if that trouble Arbogast was talking about has something to do with these trenchcoat goons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHe was talking about our parents, Van, yours and mine,\u201d responded Mabel. \u201cSo far whatever this is has only involved the Halfslips. Besides, my Dad says it\u2019s nothing to worry about. They haven\u2019t done anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cBut I\u2019m starting to worry.\u201d said a quiet voice. \u201cI don\u2019t like the way things are going.\u201d Mrs. Halfslip had appeared behind them suddenly, and was crouching in the grass scratching Sparkle behind the ears. The fear Mabel saw in Mary Halfslip\u2019s brown eyes made her heart sink.<\/p>\n

\n\tMrs. Halfslip continued. \u201cI don\u2019t know why I\u2019m telling you this, Mabel, but I feel that I must. Whatever happens, Ivy must not see a doctor, other than Doctor Rotter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019ll help any way I can,\u201d said Mabel, trying to sound reassuring, but not feeling at all big enough for the job, whatever it might be.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe gravel on the hillside crunched, and a bicycle crested the hill. Patience coasted to a stop and set the kickstand in place. Her face was flushed and invigorated from the ride, and she waved at the small group visiting Sparkle and Sig. \u201cI\u2019m running an errand for Sonja,\u201d she said. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she had on white linen overalls over a baby blue t-shirt. \u201cShe\u2019s run out of mint leaves,\u201d Patience continued, \u201cand I said there\u2019s nothing I\u2019d like more than to ride home with the essence of mint wafting through the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHelp yourself,\u201d said Mrs. Halfslip. \u201cMabel, could you and Van show Patience where the herbs are, in the back of Greenhouse 2? Just follow the DIS crew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMabel looked to see that Agent Manderley was striding purposefully into the second greenhouse followed by his team.<\/p>\n

\n\tPatience followed Van and Mabel, and her eyes were everywhere. \u201cDo you think they\u2019d mind if I set up my easel here? What a breathtaking array of colors and textures…Oh, and scents…only it\u2019s such a shame that beautiful aromas can\u2019t be captured on canvas…perhaps I could portray them in an abstract manner…\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIf you kids don\u2019t mind,\u201d interrupted the agent in cat-eye glasses, \u201cwe\u2019re having an important conference here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThree trenchcoated agents were huddled around Agent Manderley who was gesturing, in a no-nonsense way, at notes posted on his clipboard.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou won\u2019t mind if we snip some fresh mint before we go?\u201d asked Patience. \u201cWe\u2019ll only be a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tReynolds Manderley looked up from his clip-board. \u201cDon\u2019t you people grasp the gravity of this invest…\u201d Suddenly, his expression, authoritative and serious, thawed a notch. His blue eyes looked confused, then softened into gentle little pools. His mustache twitched and he tried to smile. \u201cI\u2019m sorry…\u201d he said, \u201cyou want some…mint?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe cat-eye agent and the bald agent looked at Manderley, then at each other, as if thoroughly confused.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYes, please, if you don\u2019t…mind,\u201d responded Patience. An angelic smile suddenly lit her exquisitely scarred face. Moments before she had gazed about the greenhouse as if to absorb every detail. Now her sparkling brown eyes were riveted to one place. Agent Manderley\u2019s blue eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat is with you and that guy?\u201d asked Van. He and Mabel crossed River Street and cut through an alley between Bumper\u2019s Stuff Shop and Logjam Savings Bank. They waved at Coco Alda who was hauling boxes out to the dumpster behind the store. \u201cI\u2019m getting a little tired of his freaky suggestions,\u201d Van continued. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=284"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":285,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284\/revisions\/285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}