Introduction

O.S.C.
1977-1999

Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
January 2000

After a fair amount of soul-searching, I've decided to relocate the earlier part of the story back to its original setting--it was truer to the original story than simply sticking the story in some other university rather than Hopkins. There is a program between NIH and Johns Hopkins, and the Dean of Johns Hopkins does still maintain a working lab in the Biology Department--I've done a fair amount of research to get the details right. However, be careful not to take the comparisons too far.

Several readers have commented on the proliferation of names in the story, as well as the existence of multiple names for certain people. The former is intentional--hey, it's part of life--but I'll try to clarify the latter.

Olivia/Livvie --> same person. Most of Olivia's friends used Livvie; I was the only one who used Olivia on a regular basis.

Callista/Callie/Lissie --> same person. I called Callista Lissie; just about everyone else used Callie.

Annika/Anya/Nicki --> same person. I called Annika Anya; just about everyone else used Nicki.

Madeleine/Maddie --> same person. Thought I'd throw an easy one in.

Also, institution names:

University of California at Berkeley --> Cal or Berkeley.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill --> UNC, North Carolina, or Chapel Hill.

Johns Hopkins University --> Hopkins.

Hope this helps.

Boston, Massachusetts
June 2001

Prologue

When you walked into my life
bringing sunshine and dreams
I hoped that you would realize
we were meant to be
you never seem to notice
how I'm always by your side
but for now I am content
just to stand in your life

Can't you see what you want
is standing beside you
if you'd look into my eyes
you'd see the truth
instead you chase another love
hoping it'll be all you dream of
so I blink back my tears
and stand in your life
how long will you stand in mine?

How do I get up the strength
to tell you how I feel
that you're not just a friend
but something so much more
when you never seem to notice
that I'm always by your side
if I ran away, would you care
or just leave me behind?

Can't you see what you want
is standing beside you
if you'd look into my eyes
you'd see the truth
instead you chase another love
hoping it'll be all you dream of
so I blink back my tears
and stand in your life
how long will you stand in mine?

'Stand, ' author unknown

April, 1999

"I got a weird e-mail from someone today."

I turned around on my swivel chair to see Sean leaning back, his feet propped up on the desk. He had taken to dropping by my lab quite often in the last few weeks, which isn't surprising considering that his fiancée Ellie had just transferred into my lab. The two had met and fallen in love during their first year here. He was stocky and fair, with a face that always looked slightly mocking even when he was dead serious. She was pretty, had a mouth more apt to smile than not, and piercing eyes that revealed the intellect under her dark brown tresses. She and I got along fine, except for a minor disagreement about a project both of us wanted. After seeing how much better prepared she was, I gave in gracefully and chose another project, but I'd be lying if it didn't rankle a little. She was working at her bench a few steps away, while he had been checking his e-mail on her laptop before he spoke.

At my raised eyebrow, he continued. "Someone from my hometown e-mailed me, asking questions about the graduate program here. Apparently, she's coming here for the fall."

"She's also from North Carolina," chipped in Ellie from her bench. Sean nodded and went on. "I don't know how in the world she knew to reach me here at Hopkins. I mean, I didn't know her at Bay City or at UNC."

"Which, considering that Sean is related to half the town, is pretty impressive," added Ellie.

"Was she one of the interviewees? I don't remember anyone from Chapel Hill at Recruitment Weekend," I asked. Sean shook his head. "No; I think she would have asked me about the program then." I shrugged and got back to work.

This was my first introduction to Elizabeth.