Dr Jew

hoped nothing. I expected nothing."
    " That's not my wife," said Sergio. "You are the worst kind of man."
    " Sergio, I knew you wouldn't be fooled. There was no way around it. You may not believe me, but I really did my best to save your wife. I know I cannot convince you of that. In your eyes I am a failure, but I never had deception in mind. When I could not save Lise, I did the next best thing. She is not the Lise you knew, and will become less so with each passing year as she gains new experience, but she carries memories and I like to think she carries love that can be transmitted to you, her children, and all who knew her."
    "You 've handed me a lie," said Sergio. "You should have let her die in peace. This twisted replica is a disgrace. May God damn you."
    He left , and Adam gave me a blank look. "Wait!" he said, and ran after Sergio like a lapdog.
    I gave Lise 's body a last look and pulled the sheet over it.
    "I did my best," I whispered. "I really did."

XLVI.

    It was dinnertime, and in spite of his wealth and fondness for the best, greatness, Sergio Simpatico preferred intimate meals with his family in the small dining room, reserving the large one with its Hearst-esque stretch of table for impressing guests from the film world. This is where he came to retreat from the world and be with those he loved most: his wife and two daughters.
    The meal was lasagna, a favorite of Sergio 's, no doubt meant to lighten the mood of recent events and the pounding of his latest creation at the box office.
    "Dad," said Erin, "When can we see Swine Trek ?"
    "I told you, sweety, it 's a little too adult for you guys. You'll have to wait a few years this time."
    "Come on, Dad," said Gretel. "We already downloaded a shitty cam version – we just don't want to watch it at such poor quality."
    "I told you kids to stop downloading movies. That's like stealing from a store."
    The girls laughed. "Sure it is, Dad."
    Jesus wept . Sergio sighed.
    "It would make me look bad, girls , if people knew you downloaded movies illegally."
    "W e don't even want to download it. Just take us to the theater so we can see it in IMAX."
    And perhaps he should. Four more tickets. The film could use all the help it could get.
    "What about you, Lise?" he said.
    "What about me?" said Lise.
    "Do you want to see the film?"
    They had been so busy since her return and he didn 't want to be around the film or even think about it. Discussing it with her or subjecting her to it seemed like picking a scab – he supposed she was sick of the experience of Swine-AIDS. Let others see it.
    In the light of his newfound information from Dr. Jew, he suddenly didn 't care about any of this.
    "Of course I want to see your film," said Lise. "We can go tomorrow if you'd like."
    "And it won 't bother you?" he said. "Seeing all that stuff about Swine-AIDS?"
    "It 's fine. A couple hours won't hurt, now that I'm over it."
    " Four and a half hours. But I find it strange that it won't disturb you. After all, the Swine-AIDS experience must have been horrible."
    "I suppose. It's over now."
    "You 're not sure if it was horrible? How could you forget something like that?"
    "I 'm trying to forget."
    "It sounds more like you don 't even remember."
    "Dad, are you guys fighting?" said Gretel.
    "No, Pretzel," said Sergio. "Lise, what exactly do you recall about your treatment – about Dr. Jew?"
    Pi cking the scab. This robot was not his wife, could not feel pain in her robot body, only a clever simulation.
    "Dr.… Jew. I… don't remember much. I think I received treatment from so many doctors. I was sick. It was confusing."
    "No. Only one doctor. Dr. Jew."
    "Honey, why are you asking me this? Does it matter?"
    His Lise would care, inquire. But not this phony Lise.
    But in the intimate confines of that room with the untouched lasagna growing cold and Erin and Gretel looking on frightened with no experience of their parents talking this way to each other, Sergio felt twice removed from himself. Why not let it be? Don't make waves. It's all you have. Don't look back in anger. Move on. Grateful what you have. Count your chicks. Nail that sticks out is hammered. A fist in the hand is worth – wait.
    He stood.
    "I'm going for a walk," he said.
    "You 're not going to eat?" said Lise. "Sergio, please."
    "I 've got to. I'll be back."
    And why did he even have to say? Leave and return. Why would it be otherwise? Be back. I'll be back. Sometime. Be back.
    When he 'd departed the children