But whatever the workload and her colleague’s demeanor, Pia knew she was going to find the month fascinating. Even if the fluid bath assignment wasn’t, on the face of it, very exciting in and of itself, it was still vital experience she would be gaining, learning the basic techniques for taking care of newly created organs, a key steppingstone in the journey from studying organogenesis in mice to studying it in people. Most important, the work was in the stem cell arena: the place she believed she really wanted to be.

Pia coughed again, this time into the tissue that she had in her hand. Rothman’s face reappeared around the side of his Mac. His expression was one of surprise that Pia was still there.

“I went to see the mother superior at the convent last night,” she said. “I told her about my not wanting to go to Africa.”

“Good,” Rothman said simply. His face disappeared. The typing recommenced.

“She was nice about it, but I could tell she was not happy.”

“That’s her problem, not yours. You’ll be doing a lot more of God’s work here in my lab than going to any godforsaken part of Africa.”

“She said she did not want to be repaid.”

“Good for her. So don’t.”

“I think I should. Are you still willing to cosign for a fifty-thousand-dollar loan?”

“I am, but I think you’re crazy. She doesn’t want to be repaid, or so she says. Save your money.”

“She used the word ‘betrayal,’ ” Pia said. She knew she was distorting the reason the mother superior had chosen to use the word, but the fact that she had used it at all still bothered Pia.

Rothman gave a short, mocking laugh. “Betrayal! She’s just trying to foist some Catholic guilt on you, Pia. For chrissake, pay her the money if you need to and be done with it. I’ll have Marsha take care of it with my bank. As a fourth-year medical student, I’m sure your credit is adequate. Remember, it’s your life, not the mother superior’s. Now, get out of here and get to work.”

Pia got up and left Rothman to his typing. Passing Marsha, she thought about hitting the library. Her initial plan was to read everything on tissue engineering that she could get her hands on. She had no doubt it was going to be an overwhelming amount of information.

4.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
NEW YORK CITY
MARCH 1, 2011, 1:15 P.M.

Having loaded up on books and printouts from a Google search in the library, Pia spent the morning reading, sitting deep in concentration at a bench area outside her windowless office. She’d been vaguely aware of the maintenance man doing his thing, but she had ignored him until he came up behind her. Disregarding the fact that she had her iPod buds in her ears, he had the nerve to tap her on the shoulder.

“Pia, darling dear. Want to reconsider my pastrami offer? You won’t be disappointed.”