The Line Read Online Free

looked back down at Rachel.
    “You said ‘not anymore.’ Like she used to be different.” Rachel thought about that. “My mother used to be different, before.”
    “Before what?”
    “Before my father died.”
    Jonathan cocked his head at her. “How do you know, dear? You’ve been here since you were tiny. How would you remember she was different?”
    “We have digims of him,” Rachel said. “When she looks at them . . . she shines. That’s how she must have been before.” Rachel searched Jonathan’s eyes, certain he wouldn’t know what she meant. She was surprised when he nodded.
    “It takes something—important—away,” Jonathan said. He looked thoughtful.
    “What does?” Rachel wasn’t certain what he meant.
    “Losing love.” Jonathan smiled, but he didn’t look happy. “Especially that kind of love.”
    “Do you know about that?” Rachel looked away as soon as she said it. It was a very personal thing to ask, and she thought she had a better chance of getting an answer if she wasn’t watching Jonathan’s face. She kept her eyes on the notebook Ms. Moore had given her.
    Jonathan said nothing for a time. Rachel was certain he wasn’t going to reply, when he finally did.
    “I think we all know a bit about that, here on The Property. All of us but you, my dear. And I hope you never learn.” He cleared his throat, as though something was stuck in it. “Let’s get started with the misting, shall we? I know how to do most of the regular chores the flowers need done, though I’m sure she might not agree. The rest you’re to learn from those notes.” Jonathan patted her shoulder and began to show her the morning routine.
     
     
    THREE HOURS LATER the misting and feeding were done, and Jonathan had left her to go take care of some of his own work. Rachel was sitting on a stool in front of one of the workbenches, staring at a particularly beautiful, garnet-colored bloom without seeing it. She had been thinking about what Jonathan had said about love. About how losing it took something away.
    She was glad she didn’t have to worry about it. A few times lately, Vivian had tried to talk with her about “adult” love. Rachel giggled, thinking of it. That was what she had called it— adult love . Vivian couldn’t figure out why Rachel giggled so much every time she brought it up. Rachel didn’t tell her there was a stream show called Adult Love . She had accidentally seen a brief glimpse of a scene before clicking away from it out of sheer embarrassment. She was pretty certain what she had seen was not the same thing Vivian meant. Vivian never got too far with whatever it was that she did mean, because Rachel just scoffed.
    “Mom,” she had said. “Look around. Do you see any people besides you and me and Ms. Moore and Jonathan? Who exactly am I in danger of falling in love with? Besides, I’m just not interested.”
    “Someday you will be, Rachel.” Vivian had looked worried.
    Rachel had just shrugged. “Well, we can talk about it then, okay?”
     
     
    RACHEL STUDIED THE printouts Ms. Moore had given her every evening after her regular schoolwork was done, and quickly became captivated by what she was learning. Of course, she had always appreciated the orchids’ strange beauty. She was mesmerized by the butterfly blooms of the phalaenopsis, the spray of delicate wings arching skyward. She was drawn in every time by the heavy, spicy richness of the cattleya, with its drooping, jewel-toned petals. Even the odd, almost ugly flowers of some of the catasetum fascinated her.
    But orchids had secrets, too, and Rachel was learning them. As she studied each evening, she found herself fascinated by their oddities. Some orchids could live in almost any circumstances, while others required such particular conditions in order to propagate, it seemed impossible that they survived at all. Some fed from the very air; others trapped their food or fooled insects into pollinating them. Many were