Mustard and Love 15

This is what happened to Fernando so long ago.

Fernando couldn’t believe his own eyes. In the empty chem lab, he stared through the microscope and blinked. Could it be that this little plant held the long looked-for secret to quick and painless weight loss? He rechecked. The enzyme, derived from that never before categorized mustard-like plant in the deep jungles of Costa Rica, was doing something no enzyme should do, something with unbelievable potential.

Fernando turned off the microscope, removed the enzyme particles derived from the plant, and added them to the original plant in the envelope. He sat at a desk, carefully recorded his findings, and rose. If this panned out at all, he and Isabella could be married, their money troubles over. Isabella could stay home with little Tony, and do what she loved to do most, be a mother and create new culinary delights. Not that she didn’t delight him endlessly, even without her skill at cooking. And he could finally afford a car.

He locked the lab after him, the last one to leave. As he left the campus grounds, a familiar voice hailed him. “Hey Fernando! What’re you up to these days?”

Brett, his old roommate caught up to him.

Fernando grinned. “Oh Hi! Long time no see. How are you?”

“I’m doing great. I’ve started working for Mamie’s All Foods Company. If I do well, I’ll have a great future with them. And how are you and Isabella?”

“We’re great. We just had a baby, Tony. I’m planning to propose to her when she comes home from the hospital.”

 “That’s exciting news. I thought you wanted to wait to marry until you’ve got your degree and a job.”

“Well, things have changed.”

“Oh?” Brett pointed over to the parking lot. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride and you can tell me all about it.”

Fernando followed Brett to his Toyota and got in.

Brett started the car. “Okay, now what changed your mind about waiting to get married?”

For a fleeting moment, Fernando though that maybe he should keep this to himself. But Brett was his friend, and he didn’t have to go into details. “I think I found something really interesting. If this works out, wow, I don’t know what could happen.”

Brett turned at a light and glanced at Fernando. “Does this have anything to do with those new plants you found in Costa Rica?”

Fernando couldn’t believe it. Brett had always had a knack for figuring things out. “How did you know?”

“Just a hunch. Must be something big.”

“Maybe the biggest thing in food science since… Well, it’s way too early to talk about this. I’ll let you know when I know more.”

Brett stopped in front of Fernando’s apartment. “But you could let me know the general direction, couldn’t you?”

Fernando opened the door. “Thanks for the ride. It has something to do with weight control. I need to go. I’ll see you later.”