“He’s dead. They’re both dead.”

“Who? Rothman? Yamamoto?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Pia, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” George laid his hand on Pia’s shoulder. “Pia, I don’t know what to say. God, this is really a tragedy. From what you’ve told me, they were on the verge of something huge. What a setback for regenerative medicine, probably years, maybe even a decade. There’s no one to fill their shoes.”

Pia was silent. George removed his hand. She turned to look up at him. Her face no longer looked blank, just angry.

“Right now, I don’t give a flying fuck about the future of regenerative medicine. Jesus!”

Pia sprang up from the bed and stormed out of the room. George followed her, tucking in his shirt. At first he couldn’t see her but heard footfalls receding down the stairs.

“Pia, wait up!”

George ran down the street after Pia, who was speed-walking toward the dean’s office. He caught up with her and jogged alongside.

“Pia!”

Pia waved her hand, dismissing George.

“Look, I’m sorry.”

She stopped dead in her tracks, clenched her fists with her arms by her sides, and let out a low scream in exasperation. She turned and looked George right in the eye.

“George, don’t tell me you’re sorry. Please just shut up!”

With that she walked off and left George standing in the street like a just-dumped lover. George’s shoulders fell. Condolences clearly weren’t his strong suit although he hardly thought he deserved such a brush-off. He thought back to his long night of self-examination. If this woman needed him, especially now, she sure had a funny way of showing it.

Chapter 30.

30.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
NEW YORK CITY
MARCH 24, 2011, 7:00 A.M.

Pia and George arrived separately at the suite of offices of the dean of students. They were each buzzed in by the dean herself as the secretary, due in at eight, had yet to arrive. They sat at either end of the leather couch outside the office proper, avoiding eye contact, not saying anything. For Pia, such silences came naturally, while for George, who’d happily talk to anyone, it was a strain not to communicate. At the same time he had no wish to be told to shut up again by Pia, which was what he was certain would happen since all he wanted to do was apologize, again, for inadvertently upsetting her. It was part of his nature to feel responsible.

A few minutes after the hour, Helen Bourse emerged from her office.