New Orbit Magazine Online: Issue 03, June 2018

The following data are in no way
definitive. Clients are advised that
variations may occur due to environmental
and other factors. Infogen accepts no
responsibility for specific outcomes.
“They always say that. It’s standard,” says
Chance.
Joy isn’t worried. To date Infogen’s results
demonstrate 92% accuracy. They are simply
the best in their field. She and Chance have
done their homework.
“Cute!”
Perching her elbows on tanned bony
knees, Kayla leans in toward her niece.
“Between you, me and the gatepost honey,
you’re in big trouble. This is a disaster. Trust
me. This child will dump her toys on the
floor, scribble on the walls, eat peanutbutter
straight from the jar, and afterwards
she’ll look at you all innocence with her
cutesy little dimples and you’ll be utterly
helpless!”
“You know, we never had any of this gene
expression technology,” says Kayla, one-time
mother of four unruly little boys, Joy’s
cousins, now grown men.
“In my day they gave you an ultrasound,
told you whether to buy your layette in pink
or blue, and sent you off with your midriff
slathered in gunk.”
“We bought everything in blue and lucky
for us it did all four,” quips Jayden, and they
laugh.
“Okay, let’s meet our little girl then, shall
we?” says Chance. ‘I’ll go through it all in
order, if that’s all right with everyone.
Physical, mental, social, medical.’ It’s just
like Chance to be methodical. He’s an
internet archivist.
“Physical attributes… She’ll have dark
brown hair. Straight. And hazel green eyes.
20/20.”
“Just like her daddy!” coos Kayla.
“Ears?”
“Flat, thank God. And her hearing’s fine,
too. Good muscularity, no particular bone
irregularities…”
“And dimples!” exclaims Jayden who has
already skimmed the list of attributes
displayed on the big screen.
Joy grins. She knows Kayla’s just teasing.
All Kayla’s boys had dimples. Joy’s daughter
April will be a tiny, dark-haired, green-eyed
dimpled miracle. Joy can hardly wait to hold
her in her arms, to smell the caramel baby
smell of her, to feel her smooth baby skin.
“Hey look,” says Chance, who can’t help
racing forward. “She’s going to be smart,
too. Left brain orientation and a strong
tendency for up-regulation of the resilience
gene IR16fxx. You know what this means,
don’t you? We could be looking at the most
successful Paulson ever born. Given the
right environment, of course.”
For a moment, Joy thinks about a boy she
once knew. A fair fine-boned boy with long
limbs and graceful pianist’s