She asked for a chemistry set; they gave her an Easy-Bake Oven. Instead of action figures, they gave her Barbie dolls. She loved Doctor Who and Blake's 7 and video games, while her mother prayed every night that she would grow out of it, or else she'd “never get a husband”.
She studied, went to college, became a scientist. Her parents were proud of her, but there was an undercurrent of disappointment behind their eyes.
She fought to get as far as she possibly could, knowing that somewhere there were other stubborn, unruly little girls who would go even further.