Chapter 1: In the Studies

A Chapter by Elizabeth

Enjoy!

RALEIGH, NC
The Thompson household was often calm, quiet and stood normally against the other remaining houses. The lab on the inside, however, contradicted the view from the outside. Nash often forgot that there were others around him and that his family was just under him. But he couldn't help it if, every so often, he got loud with excitement or let out a few curses as he failed to combine two elements together. He didn't mean to go on to his wife, or his son, or his students about scientific discovers and his work. Nash just loved the world of science and all it had to offer.

"Nash," Debra stood at the top of the steps, bending forward to try and see the world her husband had created," Dinner's ready!"

"Be up in a second, dear!"

Nash was focused on his latest project that he had finally gotten the whole weekend to work on. He told all of his colleagues about his lead on a cancer vaccine and how this could be a medical breakthrough. Mr. Thompson filled the syringe with the right amount of the chemical mixture that stood in a glass bottle right beside the Petri dish. He looked down at the dish, at the sample that patiently waited for a trial treatment.

"Focus, Nash," he whispered," Pray that this turns pink and it'll all be okay."

Quickly, he injected the sample and waited patiently. Nash waited for the sample to exude a pink substance. Only then would he know if his vaccine really worked. He decided that watching the sample wasn't going to make the time go faster. He quickly cleaned up his supplies, set an alarm for one minute and tore his gloves off, tossing them into the trash as he ran upstairs. Once he flung through the basement doorway, Nash found himself being stared at by Debra and Roger, who were in the midst of their dinner. But they expected an outburst.

"Did it work, dear?" Mrs Thompson asked politely.

"I don't know yet," Nash admitted," but if it does work, this could be a big breakthrough for our family. For all of mankind!"

"Imagine the money we'd get!" his son declared.

"Oh, it's not really about the money, Roger," Nash admitted," It's about the people. We could save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives! We can be heroes!"

The alarm went off and Nash ran downstairs. He skipped a step and hopped right in front of the desk. He put the light down upon it, which caused his smile to fade.

Yellow. It was yellow. Nash felt his heart drop at the sight of another failure. He knew, deep down, that this wasn't going to work. Another failed experiment for his books. He came upstairs and sat down at the dinner table without a word. Debra and Roger knew it was a failure, but they said nothing as they ate their dinner.

Nash was quiet for the rest of the night. He stared into the bathroom mirror as he was getting ready for bed, feeling as though he was becoming a failure. This was his third attempt at this vaccine. This was his seventh attempt to make any type of vaccine. This was his twentieth science experiment that year. And he was one experiment away from one hundred. And none of them had worked. None.

"Honey," Debra said as she began to settle for the night," I'm sorry the vaccine didn't work out."

"It's alright," Nash sighed as he wandered into the bed, staring at the ceiling," It's just...I need this next experiment to work. None of the experiments have worked in all of the years I've been working on them. I feel like...it's no use."

"You're doing the best you can."

"And that doesn't seem to be enough. I try and I try but I'm a failure."

"Nash, that's not true�""

"Deb, name one experiment that's worked."

He glanced at his wife, who tried quickly to come up with some experiment that had been successful. He waited, but Nash knew the answer.

"Maybe I just wasn't meant to do science," he sighed," Maybe it's best to let this hundredth experiment be the last."

"What?" Debra leaned forward," Nash, this is your life's work. Science is your passion! You've never let these failed experiments get you down! Look, I know how difficult it must feel to have an experiment let you down. But I also know that you're much more than your experiments. You're a scientist and the loveliest man this world has ever seen."

Debra knew she could get Nash to smile when "lovely" was brought up in any conversation. He looked into her eyes, knowing he couldn't give up for his family and for his students. He kissed her warmly, recognizing the power of even her smallest of speeches.

"Thanks Deb," Nash paused,"I think this is gonna be okay. I think...I just gotta find the experiment that clicks, you know?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. Why don't you get some sleep?"

Nash agreed to do so. As the lights went out, Nash could feel the night getting to him. He couldn't sleep at the thought of another failure. He wanted the new topic of his experiment and he wanted it to work. He didn't know how, he didn't know what, but one thing was for certain--Mr. Thompson was going to have his first successful breakthrough.

"-And what happens if we use table salt in the flame?"

Nash watched his students with pride as his students gathered around the tiny flame. He was hoping to show the reactions and impress his students in a matter of seconds. When the flame turned yellow, gasps and laughter came from his high school students. The bell rang out and the students went to grab their belongings as they shuffled for fifth period.

"Don't forget to do your chemical equations and hand those in tomorrow!"

"Will do, Mr. Thompson!"

Satisfied with his students, Nash decided to head to the teacher's lounge for lunch. He grabbed his bag and locked his door. In the halls, many students gave him high fives and were happy to find their favorite teacher roaming the halls. Nash felt highly praised by his students and this was one of the two places where he could be himself.

He entered the room on the second floor, letting the laughter of Mr Ethan Stone (the chorus teacher) and Mrs. Tammy Livings (the junior year English teacher) flow into the hallway. He greeted the other teachers as he sat down next to them.

"How's everyone doing?" Nash asked.

"The choir concert is so fucked," Ethan groaned," I can't get anyone to try out for any of the solos. Do you think Roger would want a solo?"

"Unless it's a Nirvana song, you don't want that. Hey Tammy, how's the baby?"

"Four more months to go," she sighed, placing a hand on her belly," It's been a hassle. Between grading papers and having kids, I desperately need a break. And Joseph isn't helping. I wish he knew what it was like to being carrying around a kid when there's a lot of s**t to do. If men were the ones that had babies, the population would be wiped out."

Nash laughed, then paused. He felt the wheels in his head turning as the day went on. He could take the fall. He could create an environment that would shock the universe. As he drove home with Roger, Nash realized that this was the hundredth experiment. He pulled into the driveway, happy that his wife had come home from work. He made a mad dash for the door and burst through the door. Debra leapt on the couch, looking over to her husband, whom had a huge smile on his face.

"I'm gonna have a baby."