“So, in essence, if your new enzyme can strip the antigens off the A and B blood group, we can make the O blood type the only universal donor!” Stephen remarked in awe.
“Yes, it will help people with any blood type who needs it. It can also help in trauma situations like car accidents or getting the blood for surgeries,” Shelly said enthusiastically.
Stephen reflected a moment. “Still, I see challenges emerging from this new technology.”
“Oh? Like what?”
“A person’s blood type has been used by attorneys for paternity claims and not to mention crime scenes.”
“Meaning?”
Stephen bit his lip. “If everyone is given the serum and then everyone had only the O type of blood, it would be much more difficult to prove someone murdered someone if everyone had the same blood type without any other viable evidence. And it would be a little more challenging to determine who is the rightful parent.”
“True, the ethical and legal repercussions will be problematic, but I like to believe we are helping those with afflicted disorders, or those in accidents, those who have had trauma and need for blood, as I’ve stated earlier.”
“This reminds me of our very first conversation last year,” Stephen said as he took his gloved hand into hers.
Shelly nodded enthusiastically. “I remember. You were new and looked out of place, so I invited you out for drinks.”
“Yup, although I don’t know how we got on the subject of blood.”
Shelly smiled. “You put your hand on the table and moved it to get your beer. A thick splinter ended up being embedded in your finger. You bled some before I managed to get a bandage from my purse. It was then I asked you what blood type you were. After all, you were assigned to my lab.”
“And I asked why you wanted to know my blood type because I didn’t even know.”
“And the rest of the story culminates right here and now,” Shelly said as she looked into Stephen’s eyes.
She had fallen hopelessly in love with him. She had told him a couple of months ago. They agreed after the serum was perfected, they would move in together. Right now, Shelly needed her time at home to think.
“Shall we begin, my love?” Stephen asked.
Shelly nodded as she came out of her daydream. She withdrew her hands from Stephen’s, put on another pair of sterile gloves. She took several Petri dishes that contained the A & B blood types, along with an AB positive and negative, and placed them side by side.
She made sure the marking was in front of her, so she knew which blood type the newly created enzyme was going in was correct.
Shelly took a pipette and immersed it in the beaker that contained her new enzyme. She extracted the substance until the pipette was full and then carefully placed her patent-pending material in each of the Petri dishes that housed the different A and B blood types.
“Now we wait,” Shelly said with excitement. “The A positives and A negatives should convert to O negative.”
“What about the AB negative and the AB positive blood types? They haven’t changed yet.” Stephen asked.
“In theory, they should change too. They seem a little more resilient.”
“What generation is this enzyme?” Stephen asked as he peered into one of the Petri dishes.
“I have replicated it and spliced it to its current form over three hundred and seventy-seven generations.”
After a short time, Stephen was looking at one of the Petri dishes under the powerful microscope and was amazed. “Wow! The process of stripping away the antigen on the A blood is working!”
“Yes, it is working on the B type as well!” Shelly shouted in excitement.
They waited until all of the Petri dishes had changed to O negative.
“Success!” Stephen shouted. He jumped up and hugged her. “I love you!”
Shelly looked into the eyes of her soulmate and smiled. “My life’s work is complete! Now, in time, anyone can get a transfusion and not worry about the blood supply!” Shelly exclaimed proudly. “And eventually, maybe in the next twenty or thirty years, everyone will become O type of blood!”
“That process may take longer, but that’s in the future,” Stephen said as he took her into his arms. Stephen looked at Shelly and smiled. He gave her a warm, passionate kiss. “So, how much enzyme did you create?”
“A boatload! So much that we can talk to the board of directors who will apply my serum to the Food and Drug Administration for approval and not worry about creating more!”
“I’m so proud of you, Shelly, for the work you’ve accomplished!”
“You’re undying support, love, and belief in me helped me through the rough patches, Stephen.”
“That is because I love you so much!” Stephen grew serious. He looked around the vast lab. “We better keep the serum under lock and key. Where did you put all of the enzymes?”
Shelly stood up. “Follow me!” she said with excitement.
They walked hand in hand to the end of the aisle from where they were sitting and came to an enormous refrigerator. There were eight shelves filled with hundreds of small, thin beakers.
Shelly’s green eyes glittered, and her pupils dilated. She spread her hand up and down.
“All of these beakers?” Stephen asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Shelly beamed at him. “This is the culmination of my life’s work!” She gazed into Stephen’s eyes. “With this much at our disposal, we won’t have to worry about our competitors. We’re so far ahead of them!”
Stephen looked at the abundant amount of beakers one more time then turned to Shelly. “Okay, let's make sure there weren’t any complications in the Petri dishes!”
“Of course, my love!”
They walked back to their station. Stephen moved the chair back so Shelly could sit down.
“You’re such a gentleman! I’m such a lucky woman to have a man like you in my life!”
“No, I am the lucky one who has such an attractive and brilliant woman by my side,” Stephen said as he sat down.
Shelly blushed and looked at Stephen. Her attention turned
