All for Ben

ALL FOR BEN

His little body twitched, almost imperceptibly, but Cora noticed. How could she not? She’d been at his bedside for hours. She looked away, hoping he wasn’t yet aware enough to have seen the look of guilt flash across her face. She needed to stay calm; showing any emotion could make this whole process unbearable. She had dreamt about this day but suddenly the reality of it all weighed down heavily on her. She could hardly believe it was happening but this was her son’s only chance of a healthy life.

He moved again, more noticeably this time, and any moment Cora would have to engage with him. She hoped her voice wouldn’t falter. She turned back as he sat up, stretched and yawned, giving her a beautiful, boyish smile. Cora knew then how hard this was going to be.

“Hello Mum.”

Cora’s heart melted. She wasn’t expecting his voice to have such an effect on her and quickly dabbed at a runaway tear.

His hand moved to his chest. Cora guessed he was feeling for a scar that wasn’t there and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. How was she going to play this? Everyone had told her to be completely honest, but she knew the truth could only hurt and she had no desire to cause him any pain, not considering what he would do.

Forcing a smile, she touched his hair, smoothing it gently back from his handsome face. He seemed perfect, like a modern miracle, but really he was a gift from science.

“What’s wrong Mum? You look sad when you should look happy. I do not understand. Please explain.”

That made it easier. Her son would never speak like that. They had said his communication skills would be rudimentary, but that wouldn’t matter anyway.

“I’m just tired.” Cora replied, looking away again. She’d never imagined she’d feel this awkward around him and yet there was no need to. Nor was there any need to connect with him and that’s why she could not use his name, would not validate his existence and let him become ‘real’ because he wasn’t, not really. But he was flesh and bone. He looked like her son but he wasn’t him. He was Clone No 5, still not perfect but in Dolly the sheep’s day, she had been No 277. Anyway, time was running out for her son and this version of his clones was now close enough to save her son’s life. The organs her son needed would be harvested, transplanted and Clone No 5 would have served his purpose. He wouldn’t have survived long anyway, human clones simply didn’t, but his sacrifice was worth it. He would give her son a better, longer life, free from the disease which was ravaging his body. And that was what it was all about. That was what the very best therapeutic cloning money could buy for people like Cora and her only child, Ben.

Word count: 497