The Alchemists

THESE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAPPENED IN 2031     

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The news received by the Schneider family that morning was shocking. Kendrick and Sylvia Chan had a car accident in France while on vacation and died instantly. This made their only child, Terry, an orphan.     

The boy was conceived 15 years ago using the embryos from a fertility clinic in Singapore. Finland was the egg donor and Jean, her best friend, gave his sperm. When Finland was a poor student in dire need of money, the clinic offered her a lot of money for their seeds because they said "Many people would love to have beautiful child from such good looking people like you both."     

Even though Finland was the only one who needed money, they made it a requirement for Jean to also sell his seeds, otherwise hers wouldn't be accepted. She didn't know that their seeds became an embryo and was conceived by a couple in Singapore until 6 years later, when the parents searched for their child's biological relatives to be the bone marrow donor - because Terry had a leukemia.     

"We must go to Singapore and meet the boy..." Finland said with a sad face. No matter what, Terry was her flesh and blood, even though she didn't give birth to the boy herself. Ten years ago she even gave a bone marrow donation when Terry had leukemia to save his life.     

Caspar nodded understandingly. His wife was right. He could imagine the sadness experienced by the 15-year-old boy, suddenly losing both his parents at once. His own parents died in the war when he was 350 years old but his sadness did not subside after decades. That's why Caspar understood.     

"We can leave this afternoon ... I'll ask Kara to prepare everything," Caspar said. He hugged his wife warmly, to share her sadness. "What did Jean say?"     

"Jean will come too. Maybe we will arrive first because we are closer to Singapore."     

At that time the Schneider family was living on their farm in New Zealand. They really liked Wellington and always stayed there at least one month a year. New Zealand in the spring* was very beautiful.     

The trip from Wellington to Singapore only took 8 hours and they can arrive in the morning. Jean who were living in America must fly 20 hours to be able to arrive in Singapore. Although he immediately rushed to the airport after hearing the news about Chan couple, he would still arrive tomorrow evening.     

"Where are we going, Mum?" Aleksis asked, amazed to see her mother pack some of their clothes in a small suitcase. They have only been in Wellington for two weeks and will usually stay there until early October, now it is still early September.     

She bit down on a piece of grass in her mouth in a very nonchalant style and immediately perched on the first step of their house, watching her mother who looked restless went back and forth stuffing and taking things out of their suitcase.     

"We will meet your older brother in Singapore," Finland said hurriedly. She was very unfocused.     

Aleksis frowned and then turned to her father, who only shrugged.     

"Older brother? Aren't I the first child of this family?" A moment later her eyes widened like a saucer and she threw Caspar an accusing gase, "Dad...!!! Do you have a son from other woman?! I know you were a womanizer in the past... but you shouldn't have been embarrassing us like this ..."     

Caspar gasped at his daughter's accusation and turned to Finland, almost facepalming himself. He admitted that he was a terrible womanizer for centuries until he met his wife. In the past, he would date a new woman every month, but he would NEVER make them pregnant.     

"Aleksis thinks Terry is my son ..." he said, frowning.     

Finland sighed and hit his shoulder with exasperation.     

"Ugh ..."     

Caspar laughed at Finland who looked agitated and hurriedly kissed her.     

"There... there, you just tell Aleksis about Terry and let me do the packing and take care of our trip. Under these stressful conditions you will  forget important stuff," he said in a gentle voice. "Aleksis, get a bottle of wine and two glasses from the kitchen. Mummy needs to drink a little to calm down."     

Aleksis obeyed her father's request, though still with a face full of questions.     

Older brother? From where???     

She returned five minutes later with an open bottle of wine and two glasses, then poured the wine and handed a glass to her mother.     

"What happened? What are you two hiding from me?" she asked, looking very curious. Aleksis was only 12 years old but she was very mature for her age and often acted like a friend with her parents. Especially because physically they didn't look like mother and daughter. Both of her parents looked very young. People would think the couple were still in their 20's.     

Finland took a sip of wine and after feeling rather calm, she then told the events of a gazilion years ago when she was a poor student in Singapore who desperately needed money, and how the clinic made her and Jean sell their seeds.     

"OH MY GOD...! So he's your son with Uncle Jean? Jeez ..." Aleksis covered her mouth in surprise after listening to her mother's story. Caspar shrugged with a smile and Finland nodded with a sad face.     

"We cannot leave him alone, somehow we must find a way to help him ... The boy is still very young to live alone," Finland said concerned. "Such a small child cannot live alone without parents ..."     

"We don't know whether his parents have relatives or not," Caspar warned. "He can stay with them."     

"Jean said the child is alone. His parents have no more relatives." Finland sighed sadly, "Jean intends to adopt him if possible."     

"Oh, really? Well, that's a good idea," Caspar said. "Hopefully the process runs smoothly."     

Aleksis looked stunned, still trying to digest the information she received suddenly like this. A moment later her smile cracked wide.     

"Oh my god!!! How awesome is this! I have an older brother!" she shrieked suddenly. "I always wanted to have an older brother."     

She hugged Finland and kissed her cheek.     

"Thank you, Mum. I'm glad that I have an older brother..." she said happily.     

Caspar looked at the scene with a protesting face.     

"Hey ... hey … why are you thanking her? This is unfair! Earlier when I was accused of having a child from another woman, I was said to be embarrassing. Double standard much?"     

Aleksis immediately realized her mistake and hurriedly rushed towards her father and hugged him warmly.     

"Daddy, do you want wine?" she whispered in an adorable voice so that inevitably her father stopped frowning. He received a glass of wine from Aleksis and gulped it down.     

"All right, Finland, just sit down and drink your wine to calm down. Aleksis, call your brothers from the field, they must get ready," Caspar said firmly. Finland and Aleksis nodded.