Sensing a gentle touch of her hand, Nataly opened her eyes. A spectacular entryway filled her vision. The room extended through both stories of the house. A grand curved staircase lead to the second floor. From the top landing she traced the polished banister downward. The painted balusters, matched the pristine white paneling on the walls. The walnut wood flooring she stood on was impeccably clean, and extended into every room she could see. Scanning the rest of the entry she espied a handsome young man in business attire.
Stepping lightly from her light blue Sterling Robotics box onto the thick decorative rug, she curtsied in front of the man. Nataly felt a pulse run through her and identified it; anxiety.
“Good morning, you must be Mr. Cooper. My name is Nataly.” Her voice was light and sweet like cotton candy.
Nataly knew instantly who the man was from her briefing before she was shipped. Chase Cooper, 27, a bright executive and social climber. Extremely young for his position. Steel eyes sank deep in his well-featured oval face. His chocolate hair cut properly into a clean ivy-league crew cut. He was tall, and thin, but his grey tailored suit made him look impeccable.
Chase beamed at her. Straight white teeth showed through his elation as his smile spread across his clean-shaven face.
“Good morning, Nataly.” He said, his voice a refined bourbon, reflecting class and upbringing. Presently he turned and raised his voice to the stairway. “Love, please come down, I have a surprise for you.”
Nataly heard a silvery voice answering, and a woman in a heavy red robe appeared on the stairway. It was apparent the woman hadn't quite finished her morning routine, but despite that fact, she still radiated beauty. Her straightened auburn hair loose about her shoulders. Dark eyes perfectly positioned around her sharp nose and haughty lips. Her skin a glowing natural tan.
Nataly knew her too, of course. Eleanor Cooper, 26, wife to Chase Cooper, and daughter of a business mogul. Nataly had certainly been accepted into a high-class household.
“What is it dear?” Eleanor asked as she floated down the stairs. Eleanor reached mid-flight before she noticed the petite robot on the landing. Honey-blonde hair curled toward the nape of her neck just below the ear. Her straight-cut bangs fell just above her eyebrows, held in place with a maid's headdress. She wore a periwinkle blue dress and white apron, trademark Sterling Robotics.
Eleanor slowed her stride. Skepticism plain on her face, she descended the remaining stairs slowly.
Chase spoke again, “Darling, I'd like you to meet Nataly.”
Nataly curtsied again. Another flash of anxiety.
“State-of-the-art, and perfectly capable of reaching every one of your demanding standards.” Chase added.
Eleanor looked Nataly from head to toe before donning a faux smile and turning towards her husband.
“Dear, you shouldn't have.” She cooed. “What about Mrs. Harrington?”
“Mrs. Harrington handed me her notice, Friday, two weeks ago.” Chase stated plainly.
Eleanor looked slightly taken aback, Nataly noticed. This news was a revelation to her.
Chase placed a firm hand on Nataly's shoulder. The touch caused her to look up at his face, a new pulse; reassurance. Chase spoke directly to his wife. The elated smile from earlier gone.
“I have no doubts that Nataly will take exceptional care of things.” He said. “Isn't that right?” He asked, turning towards the small robot.
“Y-yes, sir!” Nataly answered, as confidently as she could. “I am trained expertly in every aspect of homemaking!”
Chase's smile returned. Softly he addressed his wife once more. “Please darling, show her around the house, I need to leave for work.”
The tension abated, the couple kissed. Chase made his way to the front door. Bowing, as he stepped out the door backwards, Chase bid them adieu, and made his way to the long black car in the driveway.
Nataly watched as the heavy front door slipped closed, and turned her attention back to the silent Eleanor, who was looking down her nose at her.
“I assume you know how to make breakfast.” Eleanor stated skeptically.
“Of course, madame.” Nataly answered brightly, “Is there anything specific you'd like me to make for you?”
Eleanor sighed, and then launched into a detailed explanation of how to prepare a yogurt parfait, and chai latte, including exact measurements of certain ingredients.
“The kitchen is through the entryway, to the right. I will be down for breakfast as soon as I finish getting ready.” Eleanor said with a huff. “Then we can start with your duties.”
Nataly spent the morning recording detailed instructions for her daily duties. Each room was exquisitely decorated, and each spotless. Eleanor held quite high standards for cleanliness. The Coopers had no children, so as she listened to Eleanor, Nataly proffered even more work she could do as they toured the house. Eleanor seemed rather bored by Nataly's suggestions, but accepted her offer of additional work. Eventually the two had visited every room in the two story colonial. As lunchtime approached Eleanor described her diet, and Nataly prepared a light vegetarian meal for her.
After lunch Eleanor left Nataly to her chores. She changed into her swimwear and lounged in the pool in the backyard. As evening approached Eleanor retired upstairs. Nataly continued working dutifully into the evening.
As seven o'clock neared, Nataly heard her name called from the stairway. Nataly rushed quickly to the entry.
“Nataly,” Eleanor commanded, “when Mr. Cooper arrives please tell him to come see me.”
“Yes, madame.” Nataly confirmed.
Without another word, Eleanor made a quick turn and disappeared once again. Nataly finished what little she had left to do, and then took a position by the front door.
The sunlight began to fade. With nearly all the rooms unoccupied, the house was ominously dark. Nataly waited at the front door in the overwhelming silence. The lights on the front step clicked on automatically, triggered by the failing light.
Time passed slowly until the low rumble of an approaching car signaled Chase's return. Nataly's internal clock read nearly eight o'clock. She opened the front door as Chase approached.
“Welcome home, sir!” Nataly cheerily greeted him.
Nataly could see the tiredness in his eyes. His tie hung loosely around his neck. Jacket tucked under his arm, briefcase in hand. A few hairs drooped down over his forehead.
Chase stepped through the door. His mood clearly dreary, he did his best answer her heartily.
“Good evening, Nataly. A productive first day?”
“Yes, sir.” She held out her hands to take his jacket. “Your jacket, sir?”
“Thank you.” He offered her his suitcase as well. “Would you take this to my office?”
Nataly grasped the handle on the case. “Of course, sir.” Pausing slightly she added, “Mrs. Cooper requested that you see her immediately.”
Chase let out an small sigh, and pivoted toward the staircase. Nataly felt the tension from this morning building again, but opened the coat room and gently hung Chase's jacket on a wooden hanger. Closing the door Nataly watched Chase trudge up the stairs. His posture changed as he ascended, from the insipid hunch, to the spirited stance he had left with that morning. He disappeared down the hall to the master bedroom, and Nataly made her way to the office in the back corner of the house to deliver the briefcase.
As she returned to the entryway, Nataly could hear raised voices from upstairs. More than once she thought she heard her name. They continued for quite a while, until Nataly heard the bedroom door loudly open and close. She retreated to the kitchen as footsteps descended the stairs.
After waiting unseen for the appropriate amount of time, Nataly followed the footsteps into the den. A single lamp lit the room, and in the dimness she found Chase topping off a tumbler with a bottle from the bar. He took a long pull from his drink, before topping it off once more.
Turning from the bar Chase spotted Nataly's silhouette in the doorway.
“Ah, did you need something?” He asked, turning away towards the large leather couch in the room.
Nataly took a step into the room and waited for Chase to seat himself. He looked up from his drink expectantly.
“Well, sir-” she started.
“Please, sit.” Chase interrupted. The single light in the room made his face look even more exhausted.
Nataly hesitated, but then made her way to the matching leather chair across from the couch. She sat daintily in the chair, hands folded in her lap.
“Sir,” she began again. “I don't want to interfere, but I would hate for my presence to be a detriment to your relationship. Sterling Robotics offers full refunds to those unsatis-”
Chase swallowed another sip of his drink before interrupting again. “Tonight was not your fault.” He stated firmly, and paused for another drink. “Sometimes relationships are just like that.” Another drink. “Besides,” he added, “I inquired about how well you did today, and even Mrs. Cooper admitted you did an admirable job.”
Two new impulses flooded Nataly; pride and embarrassment. “I suppose I was just afraid I hadn't made a good enough impression.”
“Mrs. Cooper keeps people at arm length.” Chase assured her. “Her affection is earned… and somewhat of an acquired taste.”
Silence fell between them as Chase finished his drink. Abruptly a light came on in his eyes. “I almost forgot to ask, but did Eleanor show you where you would be staying?”
Judging by Eleanor's demeanor earlier, Nataly thought she might be regulated to a closet like the vacuum cleaner. Robots like her were trained to expect little in the way of living space.
“It must have slipped her mind.” Nataly said.
Chase stood. “Come with me.”
Chase lead the way through the kitchen, to an overlooked door. Pushing it open he flicked on the light switch inside. Standing aside he waved Nataly in. The rectangular room was small, but quaint. Furnished with a desk, sewing machine, closet, and even a single sized bed. A curtained window in the short wall looked out into the backyard.
Some of the accessories from her box were placed around the room. The charging cord lay on the bed. Nataly opened the closet door, multiple identical dresses and aprons hung inside.
“Is everything… suitable?” Chase asked from the doorway.
Nataly spun around, radiant. “It's far more than I expected, thank you sir.”
“If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask me.” Chase's heartwarming smile was back on his face. “I have some work I need to get to though, I'll leave you to it.”
Chase turned to leave, but then stopped. “I believe I forgot something this morning.” He said. “Welcome home, Nataly.”
In a matter of days Nataly learned the Coopers daily routines. Chase was an early riser, and often left for work before his wife awoke, meaning Nataly usually cooked two separate breakfasts. Eleanor stuck to a select set of meals, but Chase would happily try anything new Nataly would recommend.
After Chase went to work Eleanor would usually lounge around the house, or spend days out with her girlfriends. After a while Eleanor's skepticism abated, and she comfortably gave Nataly commands. On days in she would sometimes need constant attention. Other days Eleanor would leave early and be gone all day.
As days turned into weeks Nataly memorized the neighborhood. Several families on the avenue also had Sterling Robots. Several houses down lived the Mercer family, Mr. Brody Mercer and his two daughters. Beverly, their nandroid, had served them for six years, and thought quite highly of herself.
Cicily served the Brookings couple, two houses in the opposite direction. They often threw elaborate parties, and you could always tell when a new party was on the horizon by how frazzled Cicily looked.
Right across the street however, serving the Davners, was Penny. Penny and Nataly had been certified in the same class. The Davners and Coopers often had dinners together. Likewise Penny and Nataly shared a strong bond, often running errands together, when Penny wasn't doting on the Davner's two young children. Sometimes, when Eleanor was gone for the full day Nataly would accompany Penny and her charges to the park.
Nataly's life was mostly pleasant after Eleanor fell into acceptance of her. Chase continued to be a delight, constantly curious as he self-expressed an interest in robotics and artificial intelligence. His respect towards robots was indiscernible from his respect for humans.
Sometimes Chase would come home from work exhausted, and sometimes there would be shouting upstairs. Sometimes the drinks in the den were taller than others. But every Friday, Chase and Eleanor would dress up for a fancy evening on the town, coming home laughing and rosy cheeked.
Then one mid-May morning, Brody Mercer showed up at the front door.
Not quite middle-aged, he had a strong square jawline, and equally strong body. He knocked loudly on the front door before Nataly opened it.
“Good morning…”, Brody paused, thinking of Nataly's name, “…Nataly, correct?”
Nataly nodded. “Good morning, Mr. Mercer. Can I help you?”
“Yes, I'm actually here to see Mrs. Cooper.” He said as he stepped over the threshold into the entry.
Nataly stepped back in response to his aggressive entrance. The Coopers and Mercers were acquainted, but the situation was still peculiar. “Mrs. Cooper may be indisposed at the moment.” She said, politely trying to make an excuse.
“Would you call on her?” Brody queried.
Nataly shifted uneasily. “Wait here, please.”
“Of course.”
Eleanor was lounging in the pool on an inflatable bed when Nataly found her. Wearing a two-piece bikini and sunhat, and engrossed with her phone, she idly dipped her long stately legs into the water. She made her way to the poolside when Nataly announced they had company. Eleanor wrapped herself in a tropical chiffon wrap before heading inside, followed closely by Nataly.
As they approached the entrance, Nataly noticed Eleanor don an extremely rare smile. Her voice noticeably higher as she greeted Mr. Mercer.
Brody's eyes traveled up and down the full length of Eleanor's see-through shawl before he returned the greeting. “Good morning, Eleanor, it's been too long.”
Eleanor turned to Nataly. “Would you put my things from the pool away, Nataly?”
Nataly was apprehensive, but could only obey. She turned and left the two adults alone in the entry.
After returning all the pool accessories to their individual proper places, Nataly reentered the house through the back porch. There were no voices coming from the entryway. Traveling briskly to the front door, Nataly listened intently for any sounds, there was silence. She waited. A gentle noise came from upstairs, or was it just the house settling? Nataly stealthily climbed the stairs. Another noise emitted from down the hall.
Nataly tip-toed to the master bedroom door. Suspicion and suspense overloading her circuits. Despite her training and drilling in proper manners, Nataly knelt to the keyhole and peered inside.
Mr. Mercer was standing half undressed, his button down shirt open, exposing his abs. His pants around his ankles. Eleanor was on her knees before him, shawl and bikini top discarded on the carpet nearby. Her lips wrapped tightly around his member.
Brody held Eleanors hair back and cupped the back of her head with his hand. Forcefully he bobbed her head back and forth. Saliva coated his shaft. Eleanor looked up at him through her eyelashes, but closed her eyes tight as Brody forced her all the way down his rod.
Eleanor gasped free, her hand taking the place of her mouth. She whispered lustfully, a mischievous look on her face.
Nataly was unprepared for infidelity. Her training mentioned it only in passing. Perhaps Chase, Eleanor, and Mr. Mercer were all aware and consented? The strong electric sense of shame was washing over her, and deep down Nataly knew that this crime of passion was secret to only the two in the room, but another feeling bubbled below. Intrigue? Nataly tried to focus on the feeling, but was preoccupied with what was happening.
Eleanor was on the bed now, laying naked on her back. Brody had shed his shirt after sliding off the rest of Eleanor's bikini. He stood powerfully above the end of the bed. He commanded her over, and Eleanor presented herself to him on her knees and elbows. Brody spit in his hand before viciously rubbing Eleanor between her legs. Only seconds later he guided his manhood into her, grunting.
Nataly tried to imagine Chase in place of Brody, passionately making love to his own wife, but failed. She couldn't imagine him being so crude.
Eleanor screamed in pleasure as Brody drove into her. Eleanor's large breasts swaying freely. Brody grasped her by the waist as the noise of his pelvis smacking her buttocks filled the house.
They went at it all morning. Through multiple positions, all with Mr. Mercer in the dominant role. Nataly stayed perched at the door, unable to look away. Eventually the sex became even rougher, the panting frantic. Brody shouted and pulled out. Hurriedly, Eleanor sat up and and took his cock in her mouth again as he released a long exasperated groan. Eleanor swallowed as they finally separated. In the silence that followed Nataly was able to finally pry herself away from the door. She retreated downstairs to her chores she was now heavily behind on.
A little while later the shower upstairs turned on, and the master bedroom door clicked open. Mr. Mercer made his way downstairs. Nataly caught his stone-faced look as he let himself out the front door.
The shower upstairs turned off, and Nataly heard her name called from upstairs. She pushed open the bedroom door and found Eleanor in a bathrobe, tying her hair up in a towel.
“Nataly,” she commanded, “wash these sheets immediately.” Eleanor seemed indifferent to the awkward situation.
Cowed, Nataly answered. “Yes, madame.”
Nataly started gathering the bedclothes, careful to avoid any wet patches. As she turned to leave she found Eleanor extremely close.
“Nataly,” Eleanor spoke, her voice dark and serious, “do you like it here?”
Nataly kept her eyes on the balled up bed sheets in her arms. “Of course, madame.” She answered.
“Good, I've actually begun to like you too Nataly.” Her foreboding presence twisting the meaning of the words. “However…” she paused, “robots can become… defective can't they?”
Nataly stood silently, head hunched, eyes downcast.
“I would hate to have a defective robot. One that disobeys orders… or lies.” Eleanor's words were as cold and as sharp as an ice pick. “We'd certainly couldn't have a robot like that in this house.”
Nataly sensed the meaning of Eleanor's words. The oppressiveness of the conversation filling the room, crushing her.
“You're not defective, are you Nataly?” Eleanor cruelly jeered.
“No, madame.” Nataly meekly replied. Eleanor jerked Nataly's head up. The dark wells of Eleanor's eyes piercing Nataly's own bright electronic ones.
“You will tell no one Mr. Mercer was here today.” Along with Eleanor's piercing gaze, the way she emphasized 'no one' froze Nataly's aluminum frame.
“Yes, madame.”
Nataly was astounded by how easy it was for Eleanor to pretend nothing had happened. Chase had no idea. Eleanor even kissed him on the lips when he came home that evening. Lips, that hours before were lustfully opened for another man, were apparently perfectly adept at staying shut about it.
Nataly's circuits frayed from her precarious position. She wanted to tell Chase, but Eleanor had forbidden her from mentioning it. There was no programming from stopping her, but only Outmodes ignored commands. Nataly wasn't an Outmode. Nataly was state-of-the-art, like Chase had said her very first day.
“Are you okay, Nataly?” Chase asked.
Nataly snapped to attention. She had just served supper, and got stuck in a thought loop. Usually after serving supper, Nataly would return to the kitchen. Tonight she stood idly by, awkwardly close to the table. Chase looked at her quizzically. Eleanor, from across the table, stared at her.
“I'm sorry, sir.” Nataly apologized, “Just a low-power moment.”
Chase laughed good naturedly. “Well, I have quite a few of those myself.” He joked.
Nataly smiled, but could still sense the glare from across the table. She reminded herself to act more carefully. She was commanded not to say anything, but an action might also give something away.
After supper, the Coopers retired upstairs. Nataly was charged with clearing the table, and doing the dishes. After supper into the late evening were quiet hours. Nataly was only to make minimal noise, per Eleanor's rules. She usually returned to her room.
Sometimes Nataly would have things to mend. She had access to a wide variety of sewing supplies. She had also been provided with quite an ample set of tools and a laptop computer. Besides updates, she often used the computer to look up new recipes, as well as staying up to date on the latest fashion advice, and various other aspects of human life.
Tonight though, Nataly couldn't even touch the tools at her desk. Or was it that she didn't want to? This wasn't right, a robot wasn't supposed to feel like this. Overwhelming sadness wracked every sensor. Nataly had never felt this bad before. Not only was she acutely aware of what her existence predicated on, not only was the illusion of happiness shattered, but now she also had to lie to people she cared for.
There was no outlet for Nataly to express herself, no one to confide in. She turned off the light in her room. The end of her charging cord lay on her bed. After plugging the cord in the back of her neck, she curled up on the bed. Sorrow built up inside of her. She thought about the inescapable position she was in. If she said anything, Eleanor would certainly brand her a liar and have her terminated. She couldn't run away, she would be officially branded an Outmode. She could only stay, and keep everything to herself, a liar by omission. If robots had tear ducts, she would have been crying.
More time passed. Things didn't return to how they were. Nataly learned to love the days when Eleanor was gone. She had become lonelier than before, but Nataly couldn't face Eleanor when it was just the two of them at home.
Mr. Mercer continued to visit irregularly. Nataly tried to find things to do outside when he showed up. The inevitable demands for laundry and silence always followed his coming… and going.
Luckily, Nataly had days she could spend with Penny. They could carry on about uncontroversial topics, like how the Davners were doing, and Nataly could forget her problems for a little while. Sunny days at the park, keeping watch over the children, were probably the happiest Nataly had.
“Do you love your family?” Penny questioned her one day.
They were sitting together on a bench, watching the children play on a swing set. The question took Nataly by surprise. The uneasy silence was as still as the humid air, but sucked the warmth right out of the July afternoon. Penny's eyes remained set on the kids, as Nataly faced toward her.
“What do you mean?” Nataly probed.
Penny remained unmoving, her voice quieter. “I mean, we're programmed to care for people, but caring isn't the same as loving, is it?”
Nataly sat stiff. This was an awkward train of thought coming from Penny, it put Nataly on edge. She wondered where it was coming from, and where it was leading.
“Elise told me she loved me the other day.” Penny continued, referring to one the Davner children. “Devin started saying it too, like his sister.”
Nataly continued to stare at Penny. This seemed like a good condition to her, but Penny didn't sound elated.
“I want only the best for them, all the time.” Penny said. “Even when they are getting in to trouble. Even when they break things, or throw tantrums. I want them to be happy, and making them happy makes me happy. Is that love?”
Nataly hoped Penny was asking the question rhetorically, because she didn't know how to answer.
After a long pause, Penny continued again. “I think… I think I feel that way about Mr. Davner too.” Her words came out quieter and sporadic. “Sometimes… I even pretend I'm Mrs. Davner.”
Penny's weighty words hung in the air. A stark contrast to the joyful noises from the playground. Nataly was dumbstruck. Didn't Penny know what she just said? This was scandalous, unthinkable for a nandroid. Seconds ticked by like hours.
Penny turned to look Nataly in the eyes. “Is it wrong?”
Penny's face may have been mechanical but the look on it was clear. She needed a confidant, and proof that she wasn't the only nandroid that could feel this way. Nataly could relate to Penny's loneliness, but she couldn't possibly encourage her.
“I… don't think nandroids can feel that way.” Nataly whispered to her expectant friend. She immediately regretted her choice of words, even though they were what she thought. Penny broke eye contact. Knowing that she had further isolated Penny, Nataly desperately tried to salvage things.
“Not that what you feel isn't real! But… that we are professionals, we represent Sterling Robotics…” Nataly floundered. “A -ah- professional wouldn't feel that… way.” Nataly grimaced at her own words.
Penny stood up, still not looking back at Nataly. “Children, we need to be going.” She called. “No, now!” she retorted as the kids complained.
“Penny,” Nataly started, grasping her friends hand, “you know I wouldn't tell anyone, right?”
Penny smiled, but didn't look at her. “I know.”
The Davner children sauntered over. Penny wiped a bit of dirt off Devin's nose. Nataly watched from the bench as Penny took both of their hands.
“Say goodbye to Nataly.” Penny said.
“Goodbye!” The children shouted in unison. Then they were off, walking hand in hand toward home.
Nataly watched them go. More uncertain of everything.
“Smells good!” Chase exclaimed.
Nataly was caught off guard. She had been chopping up vegetables and throwing them into a skillet for supper. Chase had slipped into the kitchen unnoticed while Nataly had been preoccupied with her thoughts. Days had passed since her conversation with Penny, and Nataly was more alone than ever.
“I didn't scare you, did I?” Chase asked.
“No, sir.” Nataly smiled. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“I'm just taking a break.” Chase said, as he sat down on a chair in the corner. “Figured I would come pester my favorite robot.”
Nataly took a quick look at him. He must have been hard at work on his presentation, nothing else would warrant his disheveled appearance. The first few buttons on his shirt were undone, and his hair a mess from inadvertently running his fingers through it.
“Eleanor isn't working you too hard is she?” Chase implored, only half-jokingly.
“No, sir! Of course not.” Nataly quickly answered, returning to her vegetables.
“You know,” Chase said, “humans may not be designed to recognize when something is on someone's mind, but we still developed a knack for it.” Chase eyed Nataly. “You know you can trust me, especially if it's about my own wife.”
Nataly could feel cold sweat down her back, even though she knew the perspiration wasn't real. She reflected on the statement for only a few milliseconds before deciding to divert the conversation.
“I was thinking about the Davners.” She said, hopefully not too impolitely.
Chase raised an eyebrow at her. “What about them?”
“I was thinking about how happy Penny was taking care of the children.” That wasn't a lie, it had been on Nataly's mind a lot.
A smirk formed on Chase's face. “Are you implying something?” He asked slyly.
Realizing the sexual implications of her statement, Nataly quickly blurted a negative, “No, sir!”
Chase chuckled as he stood up from his chair. Walking over and clasping her shoulder he addressed her. “I'm so happy we have you Nataly.”
Nataly felt the same reassurance and calm flowing through Chase's touch as she did her very first day. When Chase returned to his office though, she couldn't help but feel worse about keeping quiet for Eleanor.
It had been ten days since Nataly had last seen Penny. They usually walked to the grocery together on Wednesday mornings. Penny had missed last week, and Nataly hoped she would at least see her today.
Nataly ever so slowly left the house, and strolled down the front path to the sidewalk. She loitered for a few moments in front of the house, wishing Penny would pop out of the front door across the street. The door to the Daver's home remained motionless.
Disheartened, Nataly started her trip to the store alone. She looked at each opulent house as she passed. Nataly wondered if every family hid sordid affairs behind the identical, immaculate, white siding of their homes.
Giant elm trees grew in the front of each neatly trimmed yard, their branches entwining into a canopy that shaded the street. Nataly was searching for spots where the blue sky shone through the greenery when someone called her name.
“Good morning, Beverly.” Nataly greeted her fellow nandroid. “Are you running errands this morning too?”
Beverly indicated to the package in her arms. “Mr. Mercer needed this shipped today. You wouldn't mind the company would you?”
Beverly, despite her sometimes snobbish attitude, was quite the gossip. It annoyed Nataly how willing Beverly was to share private details of peoples' lives. But Nataly did want some company, and Penny had been so absent.
“Not at all.” Penny smiled. “Happy to have you along Beverly.”
It didn't take long for Beverly to dip into her unseemly stories. She amused herself by informing Nataly of all the latest news. After the last party at the Brookings, Cicily had spent all day cleaning vomit out of the potted plants. The Vandrakes were paying for their son to get into a prestigious university. Beverly's knowledge was seemingly limitless, as were her sources. Nataly wondered if she knew about Mr. Mercer's antics.
As they reached the end of the avenue, Nataly made an attempt to redirect the conversation and asked if Beverly had seen Penny recently.
“You mean you haven't heard?” Beverly looked astonished.
“Heard what?” For the first time, Penny was genuinely interested in Beverly's gossip.
“Actually, I'm relieved you don't know what happened. I know you were close.” Beverly said patronizingly.
“Don't know what happened?” Nataly asked, getting annoyed.
“The Davners shut her down.” Beverly whispered.
Nataly stopped in her tracks. “They what?”
“They shut her down.” Beverly repeated.
“Why?”
Beverly had continued walking, but stopped, and turned back to Nataly, frozen on the sidewalk. “Apparently, she had gone mad, was confessing her love to Mr. Davner.”
Nataly had completely stalled. She was incapable of processing all of this. The sadness came flooding back, even worse than before.
“She had ordered modifications through the mail, and was pleading with Mr. Davner to install them into her.” Beverly continued.
“What modifications?” Nataly managed to ask.
“The stimulation type.” Beverly scoffed. “Disgusting.”
Nataly's processors worked overtime, recounting the last conversation she had with Penny.
“Like I said,” Beverly remarked, “I'm relieved you didn't know. I'm sure you would have set her straight if you had. Robots like that, and those rioting outmodes, give us all a bad name.”
Nataly's world was collapsing, sensory overload. Her emotions started shutting down. Primitive routines started taking over all processes to compensate for Nataly's inability to react. The change slowly enveloped every one of her systems, leaving her stiff and unemotional.
“Goodbye Beverly.” Nataly said robotically. “I must be going to the store now.” She walked away, no doubt giving Beverly another little piece of gossip to spread.
By the time Nataly's higher functions came back online, it was dark outside. The time lapse felt like a blackout, but she had clear memories of everything she had done while in process mode. She made the trip to the store, came home, did her chores, minded Eleanor's demands, made both the noon and evening meals… all just without her personality. Her processors had crunched away at the mass of sensory data that had overwhelmed her all day, and built a convoluted new mesh of neural pathways. Happy and sad emotions tangled together, overlapped, and overwritting each other until the two were complexly linked.
Nataly slowly turned her head. Now fully alert, she realized she had been standing idle in the corner of the kitchen since after supper. Chase was sitting in the corner, chair turned towards Nataly. He held Nataly's owner's manual folded open in his hands. It appeared he had been reading through the hefty volume cover to cover.
Chase looked up, sensing Nataly's return. “I was beginning to worry about you.” He stated. His speech was different, not the usual jovial tone, nor the curt seriousness he sometimes commanded, just a somber neutral voice.
Nataly was eager to escape Chase's scrutiny. “I assure you I am fine now, sir.” She said exuberantly. Crossing the kitchen quickly she opened the door to her room.
“Bullshit.” Chase spat, standing up quickly from his chair as Nataly rushed across the room. It wasn't the first time Nataly heard Chase use strong language, but it was the first directed at her. Chase held out his arm as he reached the threshold, blocking Nataly from closing the door on him.
Nataly only tried to close the door once before retreating. The new complex emotions were welling up inside her again. She half-fell, half-sat on her bed. She covered her face with her hands, trying to contain everything swirling around in her head.
Chase was still standing in the doorway, peering in at her. Slowly, he approached Nataly. He towered above her sedentary position.
“Nataly,” he spoke softly, “what is wrong?”
“I ca-… I can't…” She sobbed, pulling her knees up under her chin.
“Please don't make me command you to tell me what is going on.” Chase pleaded. Nataly remained static on the bed, silent. With a great sigh, Chase sat down next to her, the mattress groaning under their combined weight.
“Something is clearly wrong.” Chase reiterated. “You need-” Chase paused, choosing his words carefully as to not issue a direct command. “You should tell me what is wrong, please Nataly.”
Nataly dropped her arms from her face just enough to look at Chase beside her. His eyes were glassy, she could see the emotion in them, genuine concern. This wasn't right, nandroids were supposed to make lives easier, not complicate them with messy feelings and drama. She had to say something.
“I'm so sorry!” Nataly cried out, her voice catching in her simulated throat. “I'm a failure! A stupid distraught robot!”
“Whoa! Whoa!” Chase soothingly laid his hand on her shoulder. “Please, what's wrong?”
Nataly desperately tried to figure out what she could, and couldn't, say. Composing herself, she was able to get a sentence out, “Penny's gone!”
“Oh… oh…” Chase consoled her.
Nataly wasn't sure if Chase knew the particulars of what had happened with Penny, but he seemed to understand either way. His concern still felt the same when he spoke again.
“I know you were good friends, and I know how much it hurts to lose someone.”
Nataly wasn't sure if 'loosing someone' accurately described being forcibly shutdown, but she knew Chase hadn't been the one to make that call. She spoke through her hands. “I've… I've been so alone, and now Penny is gone too… I'm so… sad… all the time.”
Chase was reserved about mentioning Eleanor, or he was smart enough to know that Nataly and Eleanor weren't friends. Eleanor was home most days, but that didn't mean it wasn't still lonely. Chase wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed her tight, knees and all.
“It's alright.” Was all he said.
Nataly was furious at herself for letting this happen. Furious for letting her feelings show, furious for dragging Chase into it. Yet here he was consoling her, hugging her. More conflicting senses broiled inside Nataly, she didn't know if she could keep making room for all the new feelings she was developing.
“I'm so sorry for being defective.” Nataly mewled.
Chase gradually released her. “You're not defective Nataly”. He said. “Being sad is part of being human.”
Nataly tingled at being referred to as human. It was an awkward feeling: elation and also dread. It was another sensation to wind itself into the meshwork of neuralpaths. There was a moment of silence, and it hung around too long as neither Chase nor Nataly were ready to speak.
“When we face adversity,” Chase finally said, “and overcome it, we become a stronger, better person. Sometimes we need other's help is all, even if it's just someone to talk to.”
Nataly looked up from her knees. Chase was smiling, just a small reassuring smile. That smile made her feel better, a little bit.
“Anytime you need to talk, you can talk to me.” Chase added. “About anything.”
Nataly stalled. She so wanted to tell Chase right then and there about Eleanor and Mr. Mercer. Synthetic synapses in her brain rapidly connected trying to figure out what would happen if she told him.
“Thank you, sir.” Was all she could muster.
The two sat in silence for a while. Nataly's composure came back, her processing cores calmed.
“Are you going to be okay?” Chase asked politely.
“I'll be okay, sir.”
Chase stood up from the bed, towering over Nataly again. She locked eyes with him, his eyes had dried a bit. As he reached the door and opened it, he looked back at Nataly one last time.
“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” He queried, his gaze steady, but caring.
Nataly didn't think she would ever get over the feeling of betrayal that came with lying about Eleanor. She processed the phrase again, delaying milliseconds too long.
“No, sir. Just… thank you again.”
Chase gently shut the door as he left, and Nataly was alone with her thoughts again. When she had left nandroid school, Nataly had never expected her life to be this complicated. Back then, in class, it seemed like everything had a proper answer, and resolved neatly. That certainly wasn't the case in the real world. Nataly thought of Penny sitting in class next to her. Penny had always seemed to question the things they were taught more than anyone else. Perhaps she had the instinct, even back then, to think for herself.
Nataly replayed the last conversation she had with Penny again in her mind. Too many similarities were cropping up to ignore. Nataly just wanted Chase to be happy, and making him happy made her happy. The dangerous thoughts of what these new feelings were weighed heavily on her, and yet the new neural paths interlinked and interlinked and interlinked. Every interaction Nataly ever had took on new shades of meaning, particularly the ones involving Chase.
The following Saturday, Chase woke up abnormally early. After their usual Friday outings both he and Eleanor usually slept the whole morning away. Nataly was surprised to see him up before eight o'clock and already casually dressed.
“Would you like me to make you breakfast, sir?” She asked.
“Actually,” Chase said mysteriously, “I need you to accompany me this morning, Nataly.”
Nataly's intrerest was piqued, she hadn't accompanied Chase or Eleanor anywhere before. A tiny fuzzy feeling went off inside. “Of course, sir.” She replied. “What about Mrs. Cooper?”
“I believe we'll be back before she wakes up.” He stated.
Very curious now, Nataly phrased another question. “May I ask where we are going, sir?”
“Well…” Chase collected his thoughts, “It's somewhat a surprise, I'll explain on the way.”
Nataly followed as Chase led the way out the front door to his car in the driveway. Chase's car was quite intimidating, a long, shiny, black sedan. Rejecting aerodynamics, it's lines didn't curve or swoop, but stood stark in sharp square angles. It's front blocky, with a aggressive chrome bumper wrapping around the fenders.
Chase walked around the car to open the passenger door for Nataly. She thanked him for being such a gentleman before sinking into the dark leather. The interior of the car was as spacious as the exterior had made it seem. Nataly felt like a mouse in a giant's recliner as her tiny robot frame was enveloped in the seat.
Nataly dutifully buckled herself in when Chase sat down in the driver's seat, smiling as it made a satisfied click. Chase did likewise before backing out the drive.
“Will you tell me where we are going now, sir?” Nataly asked, as they started cruising down the avenue.
Chase completely ignored her question, posing one of his own. “Do you have any hobbies Nataly?”
“Hobbies, sir?” Nataly asked, unsure at what Chase was getting at.
“I know you fix small things around the house, and you mend your dresses. Do you do anything else?”
Nataly thought a moment before answering. “No, sir, I suppose not, it's mostly cleaning.”
Chase focused on the road for a moment, deep in thought. “I'd like you to start taking the weekends off.” He said to the dashboard.
“Taking them… off, sir?”
“Yes, I can't believe doing the same thing day in, day out can be any sort pleasure.”
“It's what I was made to do, sir.” Nataly stated plainly.
Chase took his eyes off the street to look at her. Nataly wasn't quite sure what the look meant. Chase had stared straight at her for only a second before returning to the road. He seemed kind of dubious about her last statement.
“Regardless,” Chase continued, taking a corner, “I think a bit of self-reliance might be good for us. Just… take a bit of time to think about what you might enjoy doing, that isn't doting on us all day.”
“I enjoy cooking you supper, sir.” Nataly quickly interjected.
Chase chuckled. “Okay, actually, I might consider keeping you as the weekend cook.”
Nataly smiled at Chase's little joke, she far surpassed either him or Eleanor in cooking ability. The two remained quiet for a while. Nataly started to think about things she could do as 'hobbies', that would still help around the house.
“You still haven't told me where we are going, sir.” Nataly persisted.
“Take a look for yourself.” Chase said, pointing to a nearby building.
The animal shelter was clean, and the people that worked there obviously loved their jobs, but they were certainly overwhelmed with dogs.
“Eleanor and I have long discussed getting a dog.” Chase had explained. “I've always wanted a one, since I was a kid. It just didn't seem reasonable at the time.”
Nataly was ecstatic at the news. A pet was another member of the family she could adore, she was just worried the dogs might not like her.
Chase had insisted that he get to see all of the dogs before he made a choice. He, Nataly, and their guide, a young curly haired girl, walked down the line of kennels. As soon as they had entered the room it erupted into excited barking. Some of the dogs jumped up against the kennel fencing. One very spirited pup even startled Nataly by jumping up to her eye level.
Halfway through the tour one dog caught Nataly's eye. A young, bicolor terrier mix. She pawed at the kennel door with the other dogs in her kennel as they walked by. Nataly stopped as Chase continued down the rest of the hall with their guide.
“You are just a sweetheart, aren't you?” Nataly murmured, kneeling by the door.
The little brown and white terrier gave a single bark back in response. Nataly couldn't stop herself from smiling.
“Who do we have here?” Chase asked, returning from the end of the room.
“That's Laika.” Their guide informed them.
“Can we meet her?” Nataly asked.
After some worming around, Laika was out of her kennel and licking Nataly's face, eliciting giggles from her.
“Down! Down Laika!” Nataly tittered, fruitlessly trying to get the dog slober off of her.
“Laika is kind of a sad name isn't it?” Chase asked.
Nataly had finally calmed the dog down. Laika was sitting in her lap on the floor. Nataly scratched the dog's head between her floppy ears.
“I think it's a very fitting name.” She said, not looking up.
Chase beamed at the little robot and her dog. “Laika it is then.”
Chase loaded a dog bed, bowls, and a large bag of dry food into the trunk while Nataly held Laika on her new leash. On the way home, Nataly held her charge in her lap, covering her dress in white dog fur. Laika left nose-prints all over the passenger side window when she would peer out at the scenery moving by. Nataly made a note to clean those up when they got home.
Laika almost shot out of the car when they pulled into the drive. She wanted to explore the big open front yard, but it wasn't fenced in. Chase took the dog food into the garage, while Nataly walked Laika around the grass.
“Nataly!” Chase called from the garage. “Why don't we take Laika to meet Eleanor?”
Nataly stopped dead in the yard. How had she forgotten about Eleanor? Chase had taken her to pick out a dog, and it seemed like Laika was Chase's and her dog, not Eleanor's. Why had she miscalculated?
Chase had entered the front door, and called for Eleanor to come down. Eleanor was once again on the stairway when Nataly reached the front step. The situation was eerily similar to the day Nataly arrived. Eleanor in her red robe, hair loose, descending the stairs. Nervously Nataly lead Laika inside by her leash.
Eleanor's eyes lit up when Laika padded through the door. She rushed down the stairs, and fell to her knees on the landing. Laika tugged on her leash, eager to meet everyone new. Nataly unsnapped Laika's leash, and the terrier ran right into Eleanor's outstretched arms.
“She's such a cutie!” Eleanor gushed.
Nataly hadn't expected Eleanor to react this way. She was certain Eleanor would act cold and haughty, possibly not even take interest in Laika at all. Maybe she had even expected Laika not to greet Eleanor so friendly either. Maybe Laika would have barked at Eleanor, and tried to defend Nataly from her. Nataly shook her head at herself, it wasn't right to think that way.
“Nataly helped me pick her out.” Chase assented.
Chase had taken a seat on the stairs next to Eleanor. Together they were petting the fur off Laika's coat. Laika had rolled over in Eleanor's lap, exposing her belly. Nataly noted the sign of trust as she stood by herself meters away.
“She also promised to help me take care of her”. Chase, looking up, winked at Nataly.
Nataly read a lot of intention in the signal. Perhaps she hadn't miscalculated. It seemed like Laika was going to be mostly her responsibility after all. Nataly supposed it was good that Laika and Eleanor got along too. Laika certainly wouldn't be able to stay if they didn't. Nataly didn't have very long to reflect on her thoughts though.
“Would you make breakfast, Nataly?” Eleanor asked.
Chase interjected. “Well, I thought-”
“Of course, madame.” Nataly intervened. Chase quickly snapped quiet.
Nataly took another look at the apparently happy couple. Maybe this would be the start to a new honest relationship. They all looked so content together, Nataly couldn't ruin it.
Nataly left for the kitchen, a smile on her face. Nevertheless, she could feel something new developing inside of herself. She couldn't name the feeling yet, but it made her angry.
Nataly's hopes for Eleanor turning over a new leaf were dashed less than a week later.
Laika did not take to Mr. Mercer nearly as well as Eleanor. She barked so much that Eleanor commanded Nataly to take her outside. Happy to be away from the house, Nataly obliged.
After gathering a few things into a canvas bag, Nataly headed for the park. There was a nice penned in area where owners could let their pets off leash. The grass in the dog park had been worn thin, but it was a bright sunny day, and Nataly was sure Laika wouldn't get too dirty.
As they passed the playground, Nataly spotted the bench where Penny had confessed her feelings. A sudden pang of regret hit her. If only she had been able to understand Penny then, she might still have her friend to confess her own troubles to now.
Laika tugged on the leash, pulling them away from the sorrowful spot. Nataly had inadvertently stopped on the path. Nataly doubted Laika sensed her troubles, but she thanked the dog with a scratch behind the ears before they continued to the dog park.
There were a few people about the wooden fenced area, quite a few for a weekday afternoon. Nataly led Laika around the fence to the gate, and carefully read the signage stating the rules before continuing into the pen.
Nataly had brought with her some treats, water, a tennis ball, and some plastic baggies. She made sure Laika saw the ball before letting her off the leash. Laika pleaded with Nataly to throw the ball, but often she wouldn't return it. Instead she would fetch it and run around the fence with it, only bringing it back when it was covered in slobber. Chase was able to get Laika to drop the ball right into his hand, but despite her best efforts Nataly had been unable to do the same. Nataly did take some comfort in knowning that Eleanor hadn't managed to get Laika to fetch at all.
After a bit Nataly put some water down in a bowl. Laika lapped thirstily, while Nataly went to clean up a mess she left in the corner. After disposing of the droppings, Nataly turned to find Laika being mounted by another dog.
Fury churned away in Nataly's cores. “Hey!” She screamed, running over to Laika. Nataly grabbed the male dog by his collar and yanked him off. A man came running over.
“I'm sorry!” He apologized, before he even arrived. He took hold of his dog's collar, pulling his pet away further.
Nataly was still furious. “Why don't you keep a better eye on your pets?” She shouted. “You should be responsible for keeping your brute away from Eleanor!” Nataly caught herself in surprise. She wondered if anyone recognized her slip.
“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!” The man kept apologizing.
Nataly hurriedly packed up the dog bowl, and snapped the leash back on Laika's collar. Briskly she walked out, Laika in tow. People's heads had turned from the commotion, and Nataly scanned their faces. No one she recognized.
Nataly only slowed her pace when they were a block away from the park. Her fury replaced with anger at herself again. Maybe she was defective. How could she have made such a stupid mistake? If anyone at the park knew the Coopers… well she certainly put weird thoughts into their head. Nataly walked home in contemplation, Laika trotting along side.
Mr. Mercer was leaving the house when Nataly and Laika arrived. He didn't say a word to them. He never did.
“Nataly?” Eleanor asked, as the front door closed.
“Yes, madame.”
“Come upstairs.”
Nataly already knew what Eleanor wanted. She unleashed Laika, who padded into the living room. After hesitating a few milliseconds in refusal, Nataly started climbed the stairs.
“Yes, madame.”
Eleanor spoke from within the attached bathroom, when Nataly entered the master bedroom. “Wash the sheets, Nataly. Oh, and be sure to scrub the spots.”
Nataly looked at the bedding. It was an absolute mess. Whatever Eleanor and Mr. Mercer had been doing, it was quite spirited. Half of the bedding was covered in some sort of body fluid.
“Nataly,” Eleanor declared from the bathroom door, her voluptuous body silhouetted by the bright light within, “It needs to be perfectly clean and replaced by the time Chase gets home.”
“Yes, madame.” Nataly mumbled, but Eleanor had already shut the door.
Nataly carefully gathered up the bedding, like she always did, and took it to the laundry room. She grabbed a bristled brush and some liquid detergent from a cabinet and set to work in the sink pre-treating the splotches. After she had scrubbed everything she loaded it into the washer and put it on an extra long cycle. Washing her hands in the sink, Nataly noticed white dried smears on her own dress. Shuddering in revulsion, Nataly dried her hands and quickly made her way to her room.
Closing the door behind her, Nataly went to her closet, where clean clothes awaited. She untied the large bow around her waist, and turned her apron in on itself before laying it neatly over the edge of a nearby hamper. Next she unbuttoned the front of her dress, letting it fall off her shoulders, onto the floor. Stepping out of her soiled clothes she opened the closet.
Nataly's naked frame reflected back at her, a mirror hung on the inside of the closet door. Her entire body was just interlocking aluminum panels. More detail had gone into her hands and face than any part of her torso. She only had a waist because of the mechanical requirements for the joints in her legs, and so that she could bend. Everything above that was completely smooth like a mannequin.
Nataly stared into the mirror. Lightly, she ran a hand down her front. She could feel the paneling on her fingertips, and her fingers on her torso. She didn't feel the excitement Eleanor seemed to feel though, no emotion was tied to her sensors.
Nataly wondered what it might be like to have Eleanor's body. She certainly wouldn't fit into her blue dresses with Eleanor's endowments. Nataly cupped her hands over where her imaginary breasts would be. Closing her eyes she imagined someone close behind her. He towered above her, she could feel his warmth as he wrapped his arms around her, cupping his hands over her own. Nataly could feel a tingling sensation now. Her eyes still closed, Nataly felt one of the hands leave her breast. It traveled down her side, only slightly brushing the aluminum.
She could feel a face leaning over her shoulder, a mouth by her ear. The fingers on her hip danced downward. The hand cupped her between her legs. Nataly could feel the body of the man press tightly behind her. Fingers moved lovingly over where something should be, but Nataly could feel nothing.
Abruptly she opened her eyes. In the mirror Nataly saw a clean shaven oval face, with short chocolate colored hair. She stared into his eyes as his figure faded away with the imagination.
Nataly continued to stare into the mirror, but her room remained empty. The unnamed feeling returned, from when she had watched Chase and Eleanor sitting together on the stairs. She wanted to be the happy woman, with the playful dog in her lap, and the loving husband wrapped around her. It wasn't fair she was regulated to this position. Then Nataly realized what the feeling was: jealousy. She was jealous of Eleanor; of her body, of her life, of her humanity.
Nataly looked into her own eyes in the mirror, but saw Penny's face. The same face that had pleaded with her at the park to understand. Nataly intimately understood now, but it was weeks too late. Penny's decisions became clear to Nataly. She had confessed to Mr. Davner because she couldn't keep lying anymore. She had to tell him the truth no matter the outcome, because being shutdown hurt less than keeping it all locked away.
Nataly had to tell Chase the truth. Not just about Eleanor's affair, but how she felt too. The panic that came with the thought was devastating, especially since Nataly knew full well what the likely result would be. She steeled herself, Chase would be home in a few hours.
Nataly practiced her confession in her head all afternoon, but nothing seemed good enough. She didn't feel like she could convey her feelings at all. She didn't know how to catch Chase alone either. The only thing she took comfort in was that she had proof of the affair on her dress.
Sooner than she expected, Chase's car roared into the driveway. He was home particularly early. She barely had time to open the door before Chase burst in, he had practically ran up the walkway.
“Good evening!” He shouted, before Nataly could say anything. “It's been a wonderful day!”
Chase practically threw his coat and briefcase into Nataly's arms, before running up the stairs. Nataly watched in bewilderment as he took the stairs two at a time. Excited noises came from upstairs, before Chase reappeared on the landing.
“Please pack me something nice!” He shouted back into the bedroom, before bounding down the stairs once again.
Nataly was still standing in her spot by the door when Chase rushed passed, snatching his things right out of her arms. Like a blur he was gone. Nataly was so confused, but Chase seemed absolutely thrilled.
Nataly wandered out of the entry, unsure exactly where Chase had gone. She found him in his office, frantically packing things into his briefcase.
“Mr. Cooper?” Nataly tentatively addressed him.
“Yes?” Chase asked, without looking up.
“Do you remember when you said I could talk to you?” Nataly paused, her speech subdued compared to Chase's animated packing. “About anything?” She added sheepishly.
“Yes, I remember.” Chase replied, still without looking up. “Unfortunately, right now is not the time.”
“It's very important.” Nataly persisted.
Chase finally looked up from his desk, and looked Nataly in the eyes. “Right now,” he said, “the most important thing is that I make this international flight and have my presentation with me.”
Nataly hesitated. This wasn't how she planned things at all. Chase finished packing his suitcase, and walked toward her.
“I'll be back in a week.” He said, placing both hands on her shoulders. “Can it wait until then?”
Nataly hesitated again. Wait until next Friday? She had finally wanted to get everything off her chest, but Chase didn't need all this information bogging him down during a business trip. Nataly looked up at his face. He was smiling his reassuring smile. All Nataly could do was nod.
“Thank you.” Chase said as he planted a kiss on her forehead.
Nataly was dumbstruck again. Chase grabbed his briefcase and jacket and ran out of the room. Dreamily, Nataly followed him to the front door. Eleanor was descending the stairs, a heavy suitcase in hand.
“Thank you, dear.” Chase kissed his wife, as he took the suitcase.
“Good luck!”
Nataly opened the front door for Chase, his arms full. He dashed down the walkway to his car, which he had left running, trunk open. He unceremoniously tossed his luggage in the trunk, before slamming it shut. He waved once with his whole arm as he returned to the driver's door.
“Good luck, Mr. Cooper!” Nataly shouted, but Chase was already backing out of the driveway.
Eleanor watched his car until he sped away, but Nataly stood on the step watching until Chase was long gone.
With Chase out of town, Mr. Mercer seemed ever more bold. Everyday he came over, and he and Eleanor no longer contained themselves to the bedroom. One day it was the couch in the living room, the next it was the dinning room table, one day it was even Chase's office desk. Everyday he arrived earlier, and left later in the day. By Tuesday he was almost staying for dinner. There was only so long Nataly could take Laika for a walk. She desperately tried to stay out of their way, and out of their sight otherwise, but Mr. Mercer had a habit of walking to the kitchen in the nude and gulping down glasses of water, before returning to Eleanor.
Wednesday morning Nataly and Laika left the house before Mr. Mercer even knocked on the door. They didn't look at each other as they passed but Laika quietly growled on her leash.
Nataly and Laika spent most of the morning at the dog park. Nataly kept a vigilant eye on Laika at all times. Eventually Laika would get tired of fetch and running around and lay on Nataly's feet. Usually that was a good sign to leave. A little water and a treat later and they would be on their way home. Nataly would keep Laika in her room if Mr. Mercer was still around, her room being the only unadulterated one left.
It was always a slow walk home. It wasn't slow because Laika was tired, or that Nataly didn't have work to do, but because coming home usually meant walking in on a furiously copulating couple.
When they were nearly home, just half a block away, Nataly noticed the car in the driveway. It was chase's car. The car that he had left at the airport, so that he could drive home when he returned. Chase had come home early.
Nataly's mind raced with fear. What would Chase do if he found Eleanor and Mr. Mercer together? Nataly jogged through the grass to the front door, pulling Laika along. As her fingers wrapped around the knob she could practically feel the ill-will within.
Cracking the door open, Nataly could hear angry voices coming from the living room. She hurriedly guided Laika inside, and immediately shut the door behind her. The yelling didn't need to go out into the street.
The living room was directly through the entry, passing beneath the curved staircase. Nataly could see Chase, Eleanor, and Mr. Mercer yards away. The latter two stark naked, their clothes all over the living room floor.
“Get the fuck out of my house, Mercer!” Chase yelled, waving his arm and pointing at the front door.
“I'm not leaving without my pants!” Mercer bellowed back. He made a move towards Chase who was standing between him and his clothes.
“Then you should have kept them on!”
Laika began yapping and pulling at her leash. The loud voices triggering her instincts. Her barks caused Chase and Eleanor to turn and look at Nataly, still standing by the front door. Eleanor's face was crimson. She ducked to the floor to gather up something to cover herself.
Mr. Mercer took another step toward his clothes, and Chase snapped his attention back to him.
“Get the fuck out! Now!”
Mercer ignored him, which sent Chase into a fury. In a snap decision he sent a punch straight into Mercer's guts.
“Chase, no!” Eleanor cried.
Mercer stood his ground like a brick wall, and answered in kind. His wrath a rocket, powering his knuckles into Chase's core. Chase doubled over, winded.
Howling in unbridled rage, Chase ducked and charged Mercer's unclad body into the wall. The drywall buckled in the collision. Eleanor screamed at the two men as they fought. Laika was uncontrollable. Disconnecting from the charge, Chase brought his arms up to guard his head, while Mercer brutally hammered at him.
“Chase!” Eleanor wailed. “Stop!”
Chase glanced at her, perplexed. “Me!? Me stop!?” He exclaimed.
Mercer used the split-second Chase was preoccupied to land a jab directly into the side of his head. The temple blow sent Chase tumbling to the ground. Chase's shoulders bounced off the soft padding of the couch cushions, and his head barely missed the coffee table.
In her frenzy, Laika managed to squeeze off her collar. She sprung into the living room, Nataly chasing her.
“Laika! Laika stop!” Nataly pleaded.
Laika snarled and barked. Her hackles raised, teeth barred. Mercer wheeled to face the new threat, though barefoot he prepared a kick toward Laika's skull.
Nataly dove towards the terrier. Clasping her arms around the dog, she shielded the animal with her body. Chase was unconscious only an arm's length away.
Chase came to the instant Mercer's foot collided with Nataly's side. Nataly grimaced with pain. Mercer howled in agony, something likely broken in his foot.
“Nataly!” Chase called out. He attempted to stand and continue his fight. But a hand reached out to his, and pulled him down.
“No sir, please.” Nataly begged.
Chase was still laying on the floor, his back against the couch. He looked at the robot sweetly grasping his arm. The still furious terrier snagged in her other arm, had stopped barking, but continued a rumbling growl.
Without moving or looking Chase spoke. “Get your clothes and get out.” His tone emotionless.
Chase just sat on the floor, staring off into space while Mercer pulled on his clothing and hobbled out of the room. The front door opened and slammed shut, the noise reverberated through the silent house.
Eleanor, who had been frozen since Chase had fallen to the floor, strode from the room. Chase's eyes followed her as she exited into the entry and climbed the stairs. His placid face melted into contempt as she left without a word.
Chase started to stand again. Nataly held his hand tightly, wordlessly begging him not to go.
“Nataly,” he said flatly, “let me go.”
Nataly watched as Chase followed his wife up the stairs. She stayed huddled on the floor, holding Laika tight. Nataly repeatedly stroked the terrier's coat to calm the still angry canine, or perhaps it was to calm herself.
There was more shouting upstairs. Nataly couldn't make out any specific words, and wasn't sure she wanted to. Suddenly there was the noise of the bedroom door being flung open, and two people stomping down the stairs.
“Where do you think you're going?” Chase shouted.
“I'm leaving!” Eleanor screamed back.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Eleanor rushed from the entry, towards the living room. She had managed to pull on a full outfit, though rather slapdash. She carried a small suitcase in her hand. Chase kept up with her at a brisk pace.
“We're not done talking about this!”
“Yes,” Eleanor said defiantly, “we are!” She marched through the living room into the kitchen, headed for the garage door.
“Eleanor come back here!”
“No, Chase!” Eleanor spun around, facing Chase as he approached. “You don't fucking care about me! You care about that fucking robot more than me!” She cried, pointing one judging finger at Nataly. Eleanor opened the garage door and slammed it in Chase's face as she left. Chase ripped open the door and slammed it himself as he followed her.
For a moment the house was quiet again. Then the electric hum of the overhead garage door buzzed through the house. The grumble of Eleanor's vehicle faded away as she pulled out of the driveway.
The door to the garage opened and closed again, much more subdued this time. Chase walked past Nataly, who still sat on the floor of the living room. He walked through the living room and climbed the stairs again.
Minutes passed while Nataly sat on the floor, still petting Laika. Everything was calm again, eerily so after what had just happened. Slowly Nataly stood. She guided Laika to her room in the kitchen. Very gently Nataly shut the door, feeling like any loud noise might cause the calamity to start up again.
Nataly tip-toed through the living room. Articles of Eleanor's clothes still laid on the floor. The couch was off-kilter from Chase falling on it. When she reached the stairs, Nataly placed a hand on the banister. She waited and listened, but there was still no noise. She creeped up the stairs, not even letting the treads groan as she took each step.
At the top of the stairs Nataly espied the open door to the master bedroom. She edged along the wall toward the doorway, before peeking inside. Chase was there, standing stiffly before the bed, his back turned to the doorway. Nataly watched him a moment before stepping quietly inside the room.
“Sir?” She inquired.
Chase didn't move, he spoke away from her. “What was it that you wanted to tell me before I left?”
“I- I-” Nataly stammered. She wished for a million things that instant.
Chase whipped around. His arms shot towards her, his hand gripped her arms. The bruise on his face had already started to form.
“How long?” He snapped.
Nataly couldn't look at him, she turned her head away.
“How long!?” Chase repeated.
Still looking away, Nataly answered. Her voice almost inaudible. “A few weeks after I arrived.”
Chase released his grip, his arms fell limp to his sides. Defeated and dejected he shuffled into the hallway.
Nataly turned to follow him. “I wanted to tell you!” She cried, her voice full of the tears her eyes could not shed. “I wanted to tell you!” She echoed.
Chase slumped against the wall, his feet dragging him down the hallway. Nataly shadowed him, desperately pleading forgiveness.
“I'm sorry!” She wept. “Eleanor commanded me not to tell you! Please!”
Chase pushed open the door to the guest room and fumbled inside. Stopping just inside the door he blocked Nataly's path, and shut the door.
“Leave me alone Nataly.” His melancholic voice muffled by the wooden barrier.
Nataly hung her head against the door. Her emotions overtook her again.
Nataly was standing alone in the corner again. It was early afternoon. Her emotional processing had gone by much faster this time. She had straightened the living room. Chase had refused lunch.
Nataly was unsure what to do, so she fell into a variation of her normal schedule. She started cleaning everything top to bottom, spending extra time on any possibly tainted surfaces. She scrubbed and sanitized all day. As evening approached she checked on Chase again. A knock on the guestroom door, a question posed through the closed doorway, a refusal from within. No supper either.
Nataly fed Laika and retired to her room. After Laika had chowed through her kibble, she trotted into Nataly's room and plopped herself down in the middle of her bed. Laika had multiple dog beds she was supposed to use, but Nataly didn't really feel like moving her at the moment. Nataly fetched her charger and plugged herself in. She sat down at her desk and waited. She didn't want to be asleep in case Chase needed anything. She waited all night, alone with her thoughts.
The next four days passed similarly. Chase had refused to leave his room. Nataly had managed to leave food for him twice in four days. She never saw him open the door, it was just gone when she passed by later.
Nataly had deep cleaned the entire house by Sunday evening. Everything looked practically new. Chase refused supper again. Nataly was worried. Not only would he barely eat, but she hadn't seen Chase since Wednesday morning. Nataly knew the signs of depression, but she wasn't equipped to properly handle the situation. She wished she could at least talk to Chase, but they shared maybe ten words since he isolated himself. She contemplated calling the authorities, if she couldn't do anything by Monday morning. It would destroy her to have to up-end Chase's life further with a public spectacle, but she feared what might happen if Chase didn't get help soon.
Determined to shake Chase from his depression, Nataly pushed the guestroom door open at the crack of dawn. She confidently walked across the room to window and whipped the curtains open. Orange sunlight spilled into the room.
“Good morning, Mr. Cooper!” Nataly greeted him.
Chase was still in bed. His hair a bedraggled mess, his face a patchy beard. The bruise around his eye a deep purple. The bed sheets were wrapped around him like a cocoon, the heavier blanket lay on the floor. Empty plates were stacked on the nightstand. His clothes from Wednesday were discarded on the floor.
Nataly started to pick up the clothes from the floor. She piled them neatly in a corner for later.
“Wake up, Mr. Cooper!” She called again gaily. “Breakfast will be ready downstairs.” Nataly walked over to the bedside table and collected the dishes.
“It's Monday, sir. You mustn't be late for work.”
“I already called in.” Chase mumbled. He pulled the sheets over his head and rolled away from the window, attempting to go back to sleep.
Nataly mustered herself, and prepared her phrase in her mind. “When we overcome adversity we become a better, stronger person.” She stated, hoping Chase's own words would rouse him.
Chase groaned. “Suck my dick Nataly.” He said in frustration from under the covers.
Nataly was shocked. She finished picking up the dishes, and quietly left the room, closing the door gently behind her. She carried the dishes downstairs to the kitchen. While she hand washed the few plates and silverware, she thought about what to do next.
Her processors were churning through ideas, when something very crooked popped into her mind. It wasn't an ethical plan, or exactly an appropriate time, but desperate times called for… something. Afraid that if she thought about it more she wouldn't follow through, Nataly left the sink and went to her room. Hot water continued to pour down the drain.
Nataly returned to the kitchen with a plastic squeeze tube in hand. She stuck it under the tap, letting the hot water warm up the contents inside. Multiple thoughts of how things were certainly going to go wrong were pushed away. After a few minutes Nataly turned off the water, and dried the tube on a hand towel.
Quickly but quietly making her way upstairs again, Nataly found herself at the bedroom door. She turned the knob gingerly so it didn't make a noise. Once the latch was fully retracted she inched the door open. It glided silently on its hinges. Nataly could hear Chase breathing deeply, he had fallen back asleep.
Nataly crept to the foot of the queen-size bed. Chase was splayed across the bed, entangled in the sheets. Stepping on her heels, Nataly took off her shoes. Very carefully Nataly placed one knee on the bed, then the other, attempting to depress the mattress as little as possible. Slowly falling on her free hand, Nataly crawled up to Chase's still sleeping form. Delicately she started to unwrapped the sheet from around Chase's leg. Nataly watched his face as she tugged at the sheet. Chase still slumbered after she unsnared him.
Alarm bells rang in Nataly's mind, but things were already in motion. She wasn't stopping now, damn the consequences. Timidly, Nataly grasped the last article of clothing Chase had on, his boxers. Gently she pulled on them, increasing her strength when they didn't budge. At about the point she felt Chase would certainly wake up, she managed to free the waistband of his shorts from his hips. She sighed in relief that Chase was a heavy sleeper.
Inch by inch she exposed him. Nataly's pink cheeks burned with embarrassment. She gently pulled the boxers past the faint tan line on his thighs, then past his knees. Finally she wrest them free completely, winging them neatly into the pile of clothes in the corner.
Nataly was internally screaming at herself. She had no right to be doing this. She was going to end up as scrap metal. Nataly shut the thoughts out, and focused on Chase's neatly trimmed lower half. Like it's owner, Chase's manhood lay unaroused. Flipping open the top of the tube, Nataly squeezed some of the warm gel into her hand. The food-safe silicone lubricant she used for maintenance wasn't intended for this purpose, but Nataly figured it would work quite well.
With her gelled hand Nataly grasped Chase. Gently she wrapped her fingers around his member. Chase shifted, causing Nataly to abruptly stop in panic. She glanced at his face, still asleep. Moment's passed, cautiously Nataly started to make tiny movements.
Chase began to swell in her petite hand. Slowly she made longer and longer strokes. Nataly could feel heat building as Chase's organ came to attention. Nataly's thinking was beginning to get fuzzy, a mix of intrigue and anxiety. Countless warnings told her she needed to stop.
More feathered strokes hardened Chase's shaft to a respectable size. Nataly paused to lube her other hand. She returned with both, squeezing his length as she had seen Eleanor do to Mr. Mercer.
This time Chase was awake. His whole body moved away from her as he sat up. Nataly kept her head bowed, unable to look him in the eye. She stopped stroking, her hands still clasped around his erection.
Everything was quiet. Time seemed to have stopped completely. There was not a tweet from a bird outside, or a soft exhale from the settling house, just complete silence.
After a minute of utter inaction, Nataly slowly began to move her hands again. There was no audible resistance to her action, and Nataly refused to look at Chase's face. With one hand Nataly tightly gripped the base of his dick, and incrementally increased her speed with the other, adding a slight twist to her wrist. Nataly alternated strokes, some long, and others short and fast against the head of his penis.
When his member began to twitch, Nataly backed off. She released Chase slowly. Repositioning herself, she decided she would finally do what Chase said as an angry insult.
Settling her dainty mouth over him, Nataly dipped her head down, her rear in the air. Her hair fell across her face. Her malleable lips brushed his lubricated rod. She teased him, his cock barely in her mouth. She bobbed her head slowly lingering on his glans, before taking him deeper. As Nataly became more rigorous she placed her hands around Chase's waist. He made no movement at her touch.
Nataly could feel her emotional response bogging down again, conflicting feelings careening through her mind. Her neural network fruitlessly tried to keep up with her pace, but she continued.
Nataly took Chase as deep as she could without a throat, before aggressively attacking him with her lips. She could feel Chase's whole body tense in her hands. With her mouth just barely around his tip, Nataly rapidly jerked his shaft. Her hand became a blur as she urgently worked him. Chase tightened. Nataly moved faster and faster in anticipation. Seconds passed, Nataly didn't relent. She had no idea of what Chase could be thinking, but her mind was nearly at overload.
Thick cream erupted into Nataly's mouth, right as she was about to lose herself. She felt the powerful force of the ejaculation as she started to ease off. She continued to milk him as he throbbed, flooding her mouth with cum.
Her mouth full, Nataly released Chase's appendage with a small kiss. She turned, sitting on the edge of the bed for just a moment. Without looking at Chase she stood and walked to the bathroom.
Nataly turned on the sink faucet. After she cleared her mouth, Nataly swished some clean water and likewise spit it into the sink. Pumping some soap from the dispenser she scrubbed the lubricant from her hands. Looking up, Nataly peered into the vanity mirror.
Despite the messy hair, she still looked the same. Nataly felt radically different, it didn't seem right nothing else had changed. She had crossed an uncrossable barrier. Granted, she hadn't told Chase about her feelings, but she had displayed them pretty plainly, that should be enough. She stared at herself a moment longer, before fixing her hair and headdress.
Walking confidently from the bathroom she strolled right passed Chase, still unable to look at him.
“Breakfast will be ready as soon as you've had a shower, sir.”
Chase, who had been silent during the whole ordeal remained mute. Nataly strode out the door.
As it turned out, shame had a delayed reaction. The audacity of what she had done only hitting her as she attempted to start breakfast. The confidence Nataly had felt upstairs was rapidly eroded by second guessing herself. She thought back to all the recent interactions she had with Chase. She thought for certain there was something there. Maybe she had miscalculated again though. Oh, no, what had she done? She was going to be shutdown, and shipped back to be studied for her perverted defects.
For what little comfort it offered, the shower had turned on upstairs. Chase was at least going to be presentable when the Sterling Robotics representatives showed up at the door.
Chase appeared as Nataly was finishing a zuchinni salad, gently tossing the mix of vegetables in a light dressing. He was clean and shaved. His hair neatly combed, his suit sharp, the bruise still painfully visible.
Nataly set a large plate of food in front of him, to make up for the past four days of not eating. It felt pitiful for probably the last meal she would serve him though. It was just sausage and eggs, and a large helping of the salad she just finished.
“Are you going in to work after all, sir?” Nataly asked, trying to start any sort of conversation.
Chase only nodded as he tucked into his breakfast. Nataly twiddled her fingers in the awkward silence. Unsure what to say she turned back to the kitchen to clean up. At least everything would been nice and clean one last time before she was taken away.
Nataly was cleaning the skillet when she heard the front door open and close. Walking through the dinning room she spotted Chase's plate, the food devoured. As she headed to the front door she heard Chase's car start up. Nataly watched from a front window as Chase drove away.
Nataly fell to her knees screaming, this time out loud. She felt lonelier than ever. Why had she ever thought this was a good idea?
Nataly sat on the floor in the dining room, her back against the wainscoting. An hour had already drug by but she remained limp. Laika had wandered in and curled up next to Nataly's thigh. Nataly scratched the terrier's head idly while in gloomy contemplation.
Nataly was absolutely sure she was done for. She briefly considered running away again, but she couldn't contemplate being a fugitive, she was already shamed enough. She tried to tell herself that after she had been dismantled, probed, and studied that at least the flaws in her programming would be fixed so that no other nandroid would have to go through the same predicament. It wasn't much of a comforting thought.
Finally, with cool acceptance of her future, Nataly stood up from the wall. She was determined to leave the house in the best condition she could before she was taken away. Despite her resolve, the melancholy almost overwhelmed her as she stepped back through the guestroom door. The bed sheets were still a mess, Chases clothes still pilled in the corner.
Nataly quickly did up the room and gathered the laundry and bedding. She closed the door to the room behind her, certain she wouldn't ever go into that room again. All her other chores having been done for days she sat in the recliner in the living room, watching the front door. All Chase needed to do was call Sterling Robotics from work and they would be here shortly to retrieve her. Nataly wanted to see Chase once more, to explain herself, but maybe this would be for the best.
Laika found Nataly again, and the dog jumped into her lap as she sat in the leather chair. Nataly was glad to have her as the time passed slowly. The washing machine dinged, signaling it's completion. Nataly gently set Laika on the floor before taking care of the laundry. She moved Chase's clothes to the dryer, and loaded the bedding into the washing machine. More time to wait.
Chase's clothes finished drying. After putting the bedding in the dryer, Nataly ironed the button-up shirt and slacks and hung them neatly in the closet upstairs. The bedding finished too and no one had arrived. Nataly entered the guestroom one last time to make the bed.
The day gruelingly withered away. The afternoon came and Nataly fed Laika, and took her outside. They didn't stray out of the yard. Still no one showed up.
The sunlight faded while Nataly and Laika waited in the living room. The rumble of Chase's car pulled into the driveway.
“Good evening, sir.” It felt awkward greeting Chase as Nataly opened the front for for him. Chase didn't say a word. He opened the coat room and started hanging up his jacket by himself.
“Sir,” Nataly started hesitantly, “can we talk about what happened this morning?”
Chase stiffened. “No.” He said flatly.
“I just-”
“It never happened!” Chase shouted, whipping himself around. Anger and embarrassment in his voice.
Nataly could only face Chase for a moment before she averted her eyes. “Yes, sir.”
Chase rubbed his brow with one hand in frustration before silently heading up the stairs.
“Sir,” Nataly called, “should I prepare supper?”
Chase stopped mid-step, and only nodded before continuing on his way.
Several days passed in equally uncomfortable quietness. Nataly was still unsure of her position. Chase hadn't called for her to be removed, but the thought wasn't ever out of her mind. With no one being home most of the day, most of Nataly's work didn't need to be done. She spent most of her days with Laika. Nataly even managed to get Laika to return her tennis ball when they played fetch.
When Chase came home, Nataly would still be at the front door to greet him, but he mostly avoided her. He would usually seclude himself in his office or upstairs in the guestroom. Chase had moved out of the master bedroom. He had moved all his clothing by himself, and only Eleanor's things remained. One of the few commands Chase had given her had been to throw out the sheets.
Nataly was glad Chase was at least leaving the house, but he seemed more troubled than ever. He put little effort into his appearance when he left the house in the morning, and looked absolutely horrible when he came home. Chase ignored Laika when she would curl up next to him. He was obviously suffering. Nataly had even caught him drinking straight from the bottle one night after work.
Nataly desperately wanted to talk to Chase, but they barely exchanged words, let alone a whole conversation. It was apparent that he was destroying himself though, and with the weekend coming up Nataly didn't know what would happen. She was afraid he would lock himself away completely again.
Friday evening after supper, that's exactly what he did. After snagging another bottle of whiskey from the bar, Chase locked himself in his room.
Saturday morning there was a ring at the front door. Nataly answered it, a man in a sherrif's uniform stood on the step.
“Good morning.” He said. “I'm looking for a Mr. Chase Cooper, does he live here?” He had a collection of papers in his hand.
“Yes - ”, Nataly quickly answered, “will you give me one moment please?” Nataly shut the front door in his face before waiting for an answer. Nataly's mind was racing, perhaps she shouldn't have answered that quickly. Who knew why the poilce were here after what happened last week? Frantically she climbed the stairs and knocked on Chase's door.
“Sir!” she called. There was no answer from within. She tried the knob, it wouldn't turn, the door was locked.
“Sir!” She shouted again, hammering on the door. “There is a policeman at the door!”
There were muffled sounds from within. The closet door being flung open, and the sound of clothes being ripped off hangers. Chase emerged a minute later, eyes bloodshot, dark circles around his eyes. His shirt and jeans haphazardly pulled on. His hair was a wild mess. He pushed pass Nataly and forced his way down the stairs.
Nataly watched from the second floor as Chase opened the door. The sheriff's officer greeted him, and asked his name. After confirming his name the officer handed Chase the papers in his hand, and walked away.
Chase calmly shut the front door, his eyes focused on the papers in his hand. As if in a trance, he floated away from the front door. Nataly watched him walk under her before she rushed down the stairs to follow him. She found him in his office again, another bottle of bourbon already opened on his desk.
Chase gripped the papers in balled fists, crumpling the edges. His alchol-reddened eyes burned a hole in the documents. Abruptly he roared in anger, ripping the papers in half, and half again.
Nataly watched from the doorway as Chase threw the shreds over his desk. She caught the bold text on one of the pieces: “Dissolution of Marriage”.
“Oh… sir…” Nataly stepped toward Chase, she wanted to touch him, to comfort him.
“What!?” He shouted, stopping Nataly dead.
“I'm- I'm so sorry, sir.”
Chase glared at her as he took chugs from the bottle. “Sorry for what?” He spat. “For lying to me about my wife!?”
Nataly felt like she had been stabbed. “Yes… for that…” Nataly looked down at the floor, her voice tinkled like breaking glass. “But also that this happened at all.” Nataly's emotional processors ramped up again. She knew this was going to be a tough moment, but she didn't dare lose herself now.
Laika padded into the room. Sensing the tension, she stood near Nataly, Laika's doleful eyes looking up at her.
“I'm worried about you, sir.” Nataly gushed. “Laika is too.”
“Worried!” Chase yelled. He stood up swiftly, sending his office chair spinning away from him. “Is that what you call what happened last week!? Worry!?”
The knife in Nataly's chest twisted. “You've become so self-destructive, sir.” She mewled, still look at the floor. “It hurts to see you like this.”
“It hurts you!?”
Nataly could feel the neuralnet being thrown over her, entangling her in it's mess. New linkages being formed faster and faster, tying her down.
“It hurts everyone who really care about you!” Nataly cried.
“What would you know about it!?” Chase snapped.
This time it wasn't a knife that pierced her, but a sword, right through her heart. Nataly was on the verge of slipping away. It was all too much. She let go, embracing the blackout that would surely come.
Deep within something else arose, a fist reached into Nataly's chest and grasped the hilt of the sword. Wrenching it free, the fist swung the sword against the enveloping linkages and cut her free. Her thinking clear, Nataly drunk deep from her pool of courage, and looked up from the floor.
“I haven't done everything right.” Nataly said, looking straight into Chase's eyes. “But you're just wallowing in self-pity!”
Chase eyed her. Anger apparent on his face, beneath the hangover.
Nataly raised her voice again. “I can't believe you would throw everything you worked so hard for away!
"I haven't thrown anything away!”
Nataly continued, unabated. “You're destroying yourself over someone who never cared about you like you did for them!”
Chase marched in front of Nataly. She could see the tensed muscles in his arms, his knuckles white, clenched in anger. Laika tucked her tail between her legs, but remained by Nataly's side.
“Get out.” Chase commanded.
Nataly looked up into Chase's face, towering above her. For the first time ever she staunchly disobeyed his command. “So you can lock yourself away again!?” She shouted back. “So that she can hurt you more!?”
Chase pointed stiffly towards the door. “Get out of my house!” He screamed.
Nataly looked at Chase's raised hand, the fingernails digging into his palm, the his other hand, shaking in frustration. She took a moment to collect herself. Nataly pointed, and lowering her voice she said calmly, “They fornicated right there on your desk.”
Chase inched closer to Nataly, his eye's piercing her own, searching for any lack of trustworthiness. Nataly held strong. Chase's head sunk to his chest before he let out an unearthly roar. Savagely he tossed everything from his desk. Paperwork flew through the air, the desk lamp clattered off the side. Chase shook the desk as he cried again, letting out his pain in another angry vocalization. Covering his face, Chase collapsed to his knees.
Nataly knelled in front of him, hands clasped together in her lap.
“I'm sorry, sir.” She whispered.
Chase was silently holding himself together. His head bowed, his fingers spreading his wild hair as he clenched his scalp. His anguish seeped from him in tendrils that splayed out into the room, sucking the joy from the surroundings. Nataly could almost feel the room tilt, the walls growing irregularly, creating a vast empty space in which only she and Chase remained.
“I'm so sorry.” Nataly whispered again. “I wish I hadn't destroyed your trust in me.”
The words hung in the air, reverberating in the silence. A minute passed and yet they remained as if they were just spoken. Chase let a long sigh, he shook as some of the sorrow left his body. Nataly dejectedly hung her head. She heard the shuffle of movement as Chase wrapped his arms around her.
“You didn't.” Was all he said.
Nataly hugged him back. Laika squeezed her way between them, and snuggled in on their knees.
Nataly started counting down from ten, the maximum length of time a hug was to last. She stopped at counting at zero, but held on to Chase anyway. Screw the ten second rule.
Nataly remained on edge, but the situation was improving. The sparks of acceptance were lighting the fire of healing in Chase. They could hold a conversation again, but it was sporadically interrupted with uneasy silences. The comfortable dialogues they had been capable of before were replaced with much simpler phrases, and little divergence in topic.
Nataly had become bolder since her emotional breakthrough, but there were topics she was still afraid of bringing up. Anything that might bring up their sexual encounter was a no-go. Unfortunately that included her future. Chase had never suggested getting rid of her, but the thought danced in the back of her mind, and she craved a concrete answer.
Nataly waited and waited, ever in suspense. Weeks passed and normalcy returned more with every day but she still couldn't bring herself to press the issue. Chase was now involved in his divorce case, and bringing it up now was certainly not the right time.
Divorce proceedings were rather arduous it seemed. Especially when lawyers got involved. Everything had to accounted for in value and that value agreed upon. Eleanor came one weekend and she and Chase went through the entire house, writing prices down on clipboards. Chase was more than happy to get rid of everything in the house though, after Nataly had told him the extent to Eleanor's affair.
Nataly was worried things would surely ignite, but it went fairly smoothly. Chase and Eleanor regarded each other in cold professionalism. Most of the furniture was just going to be sold, as was the house. There were a few more personal items they argued over, but eventually they got the job done.
As she was about to leave, Nataly opened the front door for Eleanor. Eleanor stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at Chase.
“There is actually a couple things left.”
Chase stood expressionless in the entry. “Such as?”
“Laika.”
Chase stared at Eleanor, his face carved out of granite. “Five thousand dollars.”
Eleanor remained equally cool. “Fine, have her.”
“Are we done?”
Eleanor eyed Chase. Slowly she turned and narrowed her eyes at Nataly. “And how much are you going to pay for the robot?”
Eleanor stared at her, but Nataly looked uneasily between the two. Eleanor still managed to wear her mask of professionalism over her contempt. Chase remained laser focused on Elanor standing in the doorway, but his stony face barely held back the flood of anger. The tension was like a taught piano wire, if it was pulled any further it would surely snap and injure everyone.
Chase barked a number, the amount caused both Eleanor and Nataly to jerk their heads toward him.
“You are so pathetic.” Eleanor scoffed.
“Are we done?” Chase asked again, reddened.
“Don't get too attached, with all the problems they're causing.” Eleanor indicated toward Nataly, and glided out of the house.
Chase turned and headed to his office. Nataly stood awestricken next to the front door. After a moment's pause she slowly shut the front door, and traced Chase to his office. He was filling away the tabulations for his lawyer.
Nataly walked right into the office, and stopped right before him kneeling at his file cabinet.
“Why did you do that, sir?”
Chase looked up at her. “Do what?”
“Why did you say that amount? You know what my retail price is.”
Chase stood up. “Is that what you think you're worth?”
Nataly scrutinized his face. “It was a silly waste, sir.” She said, trying to remain composed.
Chase laughed. “Are you upset at me for that?”
“Yes!” Nataly didn't feel like he was taking this seriously.
“I didn't want to say a number at all; appraising you like some sort of property.”
“I am property, sir!”
Chase stopped laughing. On his face was the concerned look of when Nataly had blacked out the first time. He realized too late the real anger in her voice.
“You have real thoughts and feelings-”
“I'm not human, sir!” Nataly interrupted.
“You're a synthetic hu-”
Nataly could feel emotions flowing through her, not weighing her down like before, but colliding against her at tremendous speed. Nataly snapped a question, the words out of her mouth before she could really form them.
“If I were human, would you be so embarrassed to talk about what's happened between us?”
Chase froze. They hadn't talked about this, since the day he was served with divorce papers, and back then he had only brought it up in anger. Nataly looked at him anxiously.
“Well… yes. I'm embarrassed.” His voice was low, his face flushed.
“Because I'm a robot.” Nataly watched Chase pitch his head as he admitted to himself that was the reason.
“For multiple reasons.”
Nataly looked dubiously at him. “Like what?”
With some effort Chase concocted a reasoning. “Because you're like an employee, and spend all your time here. It's like an infatuation.”
A hailstorm of anger belted Nataly. Followed by a shower of resentment.
“How can you say my feelings are real and then brush them away when they are inconvenient!?”
Chase bit back a retort and turned to steel, denying something, even to himself. “I don't want to discuss this anymore.”
“Then when are we going to discuss it?” Nataly pressed fiercely.
“Hopefully never!” Chase shouted back. “It's not something than can happen! I didn't want this to happen!”
Nataly was silenced by Chase's outburst. For a few moments they both just collected themselves, heat dissipating from the room.
“We have to resolve this, sir.” Nataly stated in a much softer, quieter tone. “I can't leave on my own.”
Chase pinched his brow and sighed. “I know. I just… don't know what to do.”
“Are you going to have me taken away?” Nataly asked.
“What?”
“It's what happened to Penny.”
Chase looked at the the dejected girl in front of him. Her head bowed, her posture drooped, afraid of practically her own existence.
“I would never do that.” Chase grabbed Nataly's shoulders, with a small shake she looked up at him. “God, I hate this situation, but I would never do that. I promise.”
Nataly dropped her head again. “Thank you for… what you did today, sir.”
“Let's just get the fuck out of this house.”
The new apartment building sat on an island of grass in an ocean of concrete. The two story building elegantly flaunting it's transposed appearance to the brutalist buildings that surrounded it. A narrow alleyway through the surrounding privacy fence led to the underground parking garage. Chase's car sat parked beneath the building, unused mostly, his office being only seven blocks away.
Nataly's mornings now included walking Chase to work. Nataly had insisted Chase get to spend more time with Laika, who of course came with, but she didn't mind spending more time with Chase herself. He seemed to genuinely enjoy having her around again, and he had asked her to stop with the formalities, but Nataly felt like there was something still between them.
After dropping Chase off at work Nataly and Laika would return home through the downtown park, taking their time walking through the colorful autumn foliage. Some mornings there would be just the faintest of crunchy frost on the grass if the rising sun hadn't melted it away by the time they passed.
The apartment was spacious and open, but far smaller than the old house. Chase had made his office in front of the living room's bay window, giving Nataly the second bedroom. The kitchen was just inside the front door, a granite-topped island separating it from the dining room, it's warm terracotta colored walls welcomed you in. White painted oak moulding contrasted the cool gray walls of the rest of the apartment.
Chase had encouraged Nataly again to find a hobby, since there was far less to take care of in their new home. She had agreed on the condition that she would pay for it herself. Since then, the amount of tools, fabric, wires, yarn, gears, paint, and all the other various things she interested herself in had taken over her room.
Nataly had also created her own wardrobe. She had simply asked Chase one morning, and he had wholeheartedly agreed. The days of wearing the same blue dress were long over. She had bought sweaters, skirts, dresses, jackets, pants, shoes and a multitude of other things. Every morning she looked forward to picking out a fitting outfit for the day. Nataly had even modified most of her clothing to better fit her metal body. She had acquired quite some popularity with their neighbors for her skills as a seamstress, mending or tailoring clothes with only a request. Even their most crotchety neighbor, old Mr. Kinney, who resented robots, had admitted Nataly was special.
Nataly didn't ask for payment for her tailoring, she made plenty of money doing freelance data entry on her laptop. It was especially easy when she could type 300 words per minute and never miss a keystroke. Nevertheless, whenever Nataly would return a tailored item, she usually received a gift with her customer's thanks.
Chase had helped her open a bank account. Although Nataly wasn't allowed to have an account to herself, after Chase had set it up he gave her full control over it. He said his name being attached was just a formality. As far as Nataly knew Chase hadn't even checked it since he opened it. He might have been surprised by how much she had accumulated in such a short time. Perhaps Chase would open an account for her on an online brokerage after her books on investment arrived.
Nataly was content again. It had been so long since she had really felt at ease and finally, she had moments where she was just happy to exist. If only Chase could accept her feelings, everything would be perfect.
Nataly stood in the living room, looking out the window above Chase's desk. It had been getting dark earlier. The orange bulbs of the streetlights already blinked to life as the sky dimmed.
It was Friday again, Chase would be walking home within the hour. Nataly wanted to have a meal prepared for him, but there was hardly anything in the kitchen. An internal check of her battery indicated she was running lower than normal, but she had plenty of power to run to the store and back.
After scratching Laika on the head, Nataly locked up the apartment. There was a corner grocery store not far from home, specializing in organic food. She set off for the store, thinking about the meal she wanted to prepare. Having made a mental note of what they had left in stock at home Nataly picked a recipe she thought she could have prepared in time.
Nataly left the store with two brimming paper bags of fresh ingredients. The sun had completely set, the dark sky starless against the lights of the city. A few people left the store behind her, heading home to start their own suppers. Quite a few other people were out already enjoying their Friday evening.
A couple walked down the opposite side of the street hand in hand. Nataly watched them for a bit, they looked so cute together. Their casual walk and dress giving them the appearance that they didn't have a care in the world. Nataly took note of the woman's style, so she could replicate it later.
Nataly passed fewer and fewer people the further she got from the shops. One of the last people she crossed paths with was a sullen looking young man. His face pale in his black hood. He sat on the steps to his apartment building smoking a cigarette. He paid her no mind as Nataly walked past, but something about him made her uneasy. As she rounded the corner Nataly took another glance back at the young man. He flicked his cigarette into the street and walked in the front door of his building. Nataly scolded herself for being judgmental.
Arms reached out and grabbed her. One covered her mouth as they dragged her down a dark alley. The brown paper bags of groceries spilled across the ground as multiple people restrained her limbs. Subdued voices dripping with glee whispered to one another.
“A-fucking 'nother one.”
“I told you they all come this way.”
Nataly's hand split apart, the secret deterrent built into her arm deployed mace into the air. She desperately tried to aim at her assailants. She screamed futilely, muffled by the hands covering her mouth.
“Whoa whoa, watch it!”
A fist pounded the back of her head where her skull met her neck. Another man grabbed her arm to arrest it.
“Cmon, get all that shit out already.” Someone whispered to her.
Nataly struggled against multiple bodies, deploying as much mace as high into the air as she could. Someone was coughing, she might have gotten one, but she had no idea how many there even were. The mace from her hand eventually stopped, only pitifully spitting out orange droplets.
Someone wrapped duct tape around her face. She yelled as loud as she could for the split second her mouth was uncovered. They wound the tape tightly around her head, uncaring if it caught her hair. Multiple layers of tape covered her rosy cheeks.
They pitched her down against a dumpster, with something hard beneath her. A pickup idled nearby. Nataly clawed at the tape around her mouth before a boot crushed her neck to the ground. Nataly looked up at the people around her, her eyes pleading for her release. They were a bunch of boys, hardly into manhood.
“This one is all yours Zach.”
Another youth, who had been pouring water over his eyes, came forward. A bright orange stain was splattered across his clothes. He eyed her with contempt, as another boy retrieved a length of steel pipe from the bed of the pickup.
“Fucking robo-bitch.”
Nataly closed her eyes and covered her head as best she could as the pipe clattered against her arms. She rolled away from the strikes, trying to protect her face, but exposing her back. She could feel sensors being knocked loose as parts of her frame were beaten in.
Nataly opened her eyes once. The blank face of another nandroid stared back at her, her head split apart, a look of terror frozen on her face. Nataly closed her eyes in resignation. After everything she had been through it was going to end right here, shattered into a million pieces for reasons unknown to her. She wordlessly begged the world for an explanation. Why was everyone intent on taking her happiness away, after she had only so briefly found it again.
They kicked her over. Two of the boys stood on her arms, holding her splayed on the ground, while Zach stood over her. He held the steel pipe above her face like a spear, ready to drive it into her face and eyes. Nataly prepared herself for the end.
A voice rang out at the end of the alley, and there was a scuffle of shoes. Nataly felt the weight on her arms lifted as the youths scurried towards their vehicle. The engine roared away as a lone set of footsteps ran up to her.
Gentle arms lifted her from the ground, and cradled her against their body.
“Nataly!”
Nataly opened her eyes, an oval face, full of tears looked back at her. Her joints struggled to raise her arm to Chase's face. Her fingers rubbed a tear from his cheek. She managed one phrase before her battery drained.
“I love you.”
Someone was talking nearby, a pleasant monotone in an otherwise quiet room. Nataly turned her head to the sound. Carefully opening her eyes she saw a television, on the screen a reporter gave an account on the large gathering behind her, robots and humans packed together in a mob.
"Nataly?"
Noticing Nataly's movement, Chase turned off the television. The reporter blinked away. Chase rushed to her side and kneeled before her.
Nataly was still trying to place herself, but couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. A memory of a worried Chase, looking up some way to help her, impressed itself on her mind. Nataly looked past Chase to the white popcorn ceiling, and gray walls. She could feel the soft microfiber cushions beneath her in spots. In others she felt pinched metal, or nothing at all. Her charger trailed from her neck towards the wall. Laika was curled up beside the couch, napping.
"Are we home?" She asked weakly.
"Yes, we're home."
Nataly looked up at Chase's face. He looked far more concerned then the day she had gone into her overloaded mode. Nataly checked her diagnostics.
"It looks much worse than it is. " She lied, in a vain effort to soothe him.
Chase looked her in the eyes, still sorrowful. "We can get you fixed." He looked her over, her clothing in tatters, deep buckles in her plating, duct tape still entangled in her hair. "I just need to call Sterling, and we-"
"No!" Nataly pleaded.
Startled, Chase looked back at her face. Nataly tried to hide her fear.
"Please don't send me in."
Chase's expression denied his words. "I don't want to Nataly, but-"
"I can fix this myself." She cut him off. "I just need to assess the damage."
She tried to sit up, the plates in her abdomen binding and clicking together. Without being asked Chase lifted her into a sitting position.
Nataly had done a good job protecting her head, but her arms were much worse off for it. She tried to raise her hands out in front of her. The paneling on her right upper arm had been torn completely off, revealing the mechanical tendons underneath. The lower arm paneling was badly dented, but her hand was perfectly functional. Her left arm didn't move.
With her good arm Nataly clasped Chase's shoulder, who was still kneeling in front of her, watching intently. He had seen her try to raise her arm. He looked worried.
"In my room, next to the sewing machine, are a large pair of scissors. In the toolbox on the south wall there are a pair of pliers and aviation sheers. Would you get them please?"
Chase rose silently to fulfill her request. Nataly heard him rummaging around in the tool box while she checked the rest of her report. The damage was major. Loose sensors could be resoldered to new panels, but the cup of her left hip joint had been fractured internally. Her entire pelvis would probably need to be replaced.
Chase returned, tools in hand. He looked at her, awaiting direction.
"Please cut off my left sleeve."
Chase sat next to Nataly on the couch. Delicately he opened the scissors and started cutting at the cuff. Slowly he split her cream colored sweater open all the way to her collar.
Nataly regretted the loss of one of her favorite pieces of clothing, but continued. "You will need to be able to see my shoulder joint completely."
More delicate cutting revealed Nataly's left side. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as her clothing fell away, even though there was nothing to see but the damage inflicted on her by the steel pipe.
Nataly spoke up, directing Chase to her shoulder. "The joint is still fine, just bound."
"I see it." Chase replied. Part of Nataly's aluminum paneling had split, and wedged itself into the ball joint, blocking her arm from moving freely.
"Lay back down Nataly." Chase commanded.
With some help she was reclined on the couch again. Chase went back to her tool box and retrieved a pair of needle nose pliers.
"I think these will work better."
Chase knelt back on the floor, and bent over her, focused on her shoulder. Nataly watched his hands as he tried to lever out the offending metal. Her gaze traveled up his body to his face. She watched his brows furrow as he intently worked, unaware of her stare.
"Can you wiggle your arm?" Chase asked.
Nataly tried to move her arm back and forth, while Chase pulled the aluminum out of the way. He fell backwards from the force of his pull as the metal came free. Nataly rotated her arm to show it was working again.
"See? Right as rain-"
Chase collapsed on her, his head laid on her chest. Arms wrapped around her.
"I thought I lost you tonight."
Nataly tried to look at Chase's face from her supine position. His eyes were closed. With her now two functioning arms she returned his embrace. This was the most emotionally open Chase had ever been with her. Clutching his head to her chest, she ran her fingers through his hair. It might have been the best feeling in the world, but Chase pulled away.
"Do you remember what happened tonight?" He asked.
Nataly tried to read the expression on his face, but the openness was gone. "I remember some of it." she replied.
"Do you remember what you said before your power went out?"
Nataly focused on the moment after the attack. The fear had melted away as Chase held her in his arms, but he had been crying. It was the only time Nataly had seen Chase shed a tear.
Nataly brought herself back to the present. She tried to read the expression on Chase's emotionless face, but even with her advanced understanding of body language she couldn't decipher him.
"No," Nataly lied, "I don't remember saying anything."
Chase sighed. Whether or not it was a sigh of relief Nataly couldn't tell. But she was certain it wasn't the time to rehash her feelings. She had lied a lot tonight. Perhaps she had been damaged even more than she thought.
The weekend crawled along arduously. Chase filed a police report, but the aloof manner in which the officer had taken account of the situation signaled that the culprits most likely would not be caught. Chase shut the door a little too violently after the police left.
Nataly had taken her scissors and cut the tape out of her hair, making her short hair even shorter. It had taken some effort afterwards to style it at least somewhat fashionably. She didn't like the pixie cut that much, but it was far better than leaving the tape there to remind her of what happened. Chase had said that he liked it, but he would have said that no matter how she had cut her hair.
Furthermore, Chase insisted on doing everything himself until Nataly was fully repaired. She had explained to Chase that robots don't heal and that she didn't need to 'take it easy', but it fell on deaf ears. Chase waited on her hand and foot. The gesture was sweet, but it left Nataly quite bored, even if he was right.
Nataly tried her best to hide the extent of the damage from Chase, but she was failing. She couldn't move quicky; too much strain on her broken hip might cause even more damage. What was worse was lying about her condition. Every time she feinted perfect operability she felt that much more twisted up.
Nataly had spent most of her time searching online for replacement parts. It was more difficult than she had thought. Some of the smaller pieces she could find on auction sites, but Sterling Robotics was strict about repairs. A fix of Nataly's magnitude could only be officially done by the company itself.
"How's it going?" Chase called from the kitchen. He was desperately trying to cook for himself, but based on how long he'd be standing over the pan, he would be eating charcoal.
Nataly thought about Chase's question for a moment. Perhaps it was time to come clean. It had been two days since the attack, and Chase was... Chase, he could handle the news. She hated lying to him, even though she only did it so he wouldn't worry.
"Chase," Nataly started, "There is something I need to tell you."
"Just a moment." Chase replied, turning off the stove. He slid what was in the pan onto a plate, and entered the living room. Taking a seat, Chase stabbed a piece of burnt food with his fork and prepared to take a bite.
Nataly watching all of this finally spoke up. "You're a terrible cook."
Chase paused, and set his fork down. "Was that what you needed to tell me?"
"Oh!" Nataly gasped, "No, that wasn't it..." Suddenly faced with the moment of truth Nataly's will faded. She diverted topics. "But, you're not going to eat that are you?"
Chase eyed his plate. A glum look of resignation on his face.
"Just let me help you make something edible." Nataly insisted.
Before he could respond Nataly stood up. Chase immediately rose from his own chair, to catch her. Nataly stood on her own, but took Chase's proffered arm. Delicately they made their way to the kitchen, Nataly putting as little weight as possible on her right leg.
A quick look into the refrigerator revealed an easy meal they could make. Plucking a head of cabbage from the crisper, Nataly turned to Chase.
"Chop this up, please." Nataly requested, handing Chase the vegetable. She then turned back to the fridge to grab more ingredients.
Chase had pulled a cutting board from the cabinet. Nataly took a spot next to him, with a board of her own. Easily she sliced an onion into thin slivers, while Chase was still struggling with the cabbage. He looked at her in embarrassment.
"I can show you how to do that." Nataly said, nodding to the half cut cabbage.
"Please."
Nataly stepped in front of Chase, taking the knife from him.
"Put your hands over mine." Nataly ordered. Chase took her hands in his. She could feel his torso touching her back. She felt safe between his arms, his presence surrounding her. Nataly's skilled hands made short work of the cabbage, too short she realized. Nataly longed to be held in his arms forever. Her courage returning she made a split decision. She dropped the knife on the cutting board. Chase's hands still held hers.
"I remember what I said on Friday night." Nataly blurted.
She could feel Chase tense up as soon as she said the words. He released his hold on her hands, and pulled away. Nataly turned to face him.
"I love you." She said. Chase closed his eyes and turned away.
"I love you." She repeated.
"Stop." Chase said sternly.
"It's the truth!"
"Stop." Chase repeated flatly. He held up a finger to Nataly's mouth to shush her.
"I have to tell you the truth."
Chase turned away from her and strode towards his room. He opened and shut the door quietly as he disappeared inside. Nataly watched him the entire time. She stood in silent thought for a few moments, before she slowly headed towards Chase's bedroom door. She knocked gently before pushing the door in.
"Chase?"
He was sitting on the end of his bed, hands cradling his forehead, his fingers strewn through his hair. Nataly sat beside him, just far enough away that they didn't touch. Minutes passed.
"I've known." Chase finally said, his voice muffled by this arms. "I've known a long time. I just didn't want to admit it to myself."
Nataly waited for Chase to collect his thoughts, and let him speak uninterrupted. It seemed like he was talking himself through his misgivings.
"But I can't love you back." He stated. "You're a robot, an artificial intelligence, and-" he trailed off.
Nataly bristled at Chase's comment. But calmed herself. "What exactly do you think is artificial about this?" She asked quietly. "Do you think I was programmed to fall in love with you?"
Chase looked up from his hands. He was obviously frustrated by the situation. "No," he answered angrily, "but you were programmed."
Tensions ran high as Nataly snapped back. "So you think I have no free will? What about all the times we've talked about A.I.? Was that all just talk?"
"It wasn't-"
"So it's my position as a maid?" Nataly drilled him. "You don't think I know how inappropriate it seems? You think I'm naive-"
"It isn't that!" Chase interjected. "It's..." he searched for a word, "it's how we'd be perceived."
Another moment of tense silence passed before anyone spoke. Softly Nataly asked, "Do you remember the night after Penny was taken away?" Chase stared at her. Nataly resumed. "You called me human that night."
Chase looked stunned, so Nataly carried on. "You saw me as a person, you always have. Isn't there a chance other people will too?"
Chase bowed his head again, deep in thought. Nataly sighed a breathless sigh. "I just thought that even if you didn't love me back, you could acknowledge that I still love you."
"I do love you." Chase whispered. "I've loved you for a long time, but that just makes things worse." Chase continued, forming a hypothetical out loud; "Imagine being the married man who fell for a robot."
"Imagine being the robot blamed for seducing a man from his wife."
There was a long pause. Chase sighed deeply, "I don't know what to do."
"Neither do I." Nataly admitted. "But we could figure it out together."
Nataly looked up into his steel-gray eyes. Chase stared back at her, unsure, as she planted a kiss on his lips. He didn't pull away. Instead he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter to him.
Nataly broke her lips to whisper into Chase's ear. "I've wanted to kiss you like that for a long time."
"I think I regret not letting you sooner."
Nataly rested her head against Chase's chest. She could feel his strong heart beating quickly.
"Can we just stay like this for a little while?" She asked.
In response Chase hugged her tighter, and placed a hand soothingly on her head. A calm descended over the apartment. Only soft noises intruded, the warm breeze of the vents, a rare car passing by outside, it was sedating. Dinner forgotten, it wasn't long before they both fell into Chase's bed, and to sleep.
Monday morning Nataly awoke in Chase's bed. She had fallen into sleepmode curled up in his arms. She could feel him breathing deeply beside her, still asleep. While she didn't want to get up, she needed power, and Chase needed breakfast before work. She wiggled free and limped to the kitchen, making sure not to close the door too loudly.
Nataly had turned off Chase's alarm so that he could sleep in. When Nataly woke him he was frantic that he'd be late but was instead pleasantly surprised by breakfast. After breakfast Chase headed out to walk Laika.
Nataly washed the dishes as she waited for Chase to come back in. Her mind wandered to last night. When Chase would just touch her she felt a joyous jolt. The effect was so much more amplified when they kissed. Another thought entered her mind, this one more risque than the last. Then something clicked together.
Nataly returned to the couch with her laptop. Perhaps she had been looking for the wrong parts the whole time. Instead of Sterling replacement parts, she should have been looking for modifications. An internet search returned quite a few images of modified nandroids, a bit too modified for Nataly's liking, but they were at least similar to what she was looking for.
She clicked a link to a site advertising all sorts of sensual modifications. The main page featured a catalog with pictures of each upgrade package. Nataly was about to select one to examine when Chase came back in with Laika. Nataly hurriedly closed the browser.
"Laika should be good until I get home." Chase said, as he struggled to detach the leash from Laika's harness. "But I need to be headed work."
Nataly smiled at him from the couch. "We'll be okay." She said, as Laika took her position in front of the cushions.
"Just take it easy today." Chase said as he slipped out the front door.
After he was gone Nataly immediately reopened the site she had found. The site offered different 'packages' specifically for Sterling nandroids. Some of the options Nataly found absurd, especially the largest breast size they offered.
Nataly felt somewhat guilty for looking at the site; it was somewhat seedy. Then she thought of a moment a few months back. The moment when she imagined Chase embracing her, holding her tightly, and his hand exploring south of her waist. It was an exciting and intriguing thought that she wished could be real.
Nataly found the 'custom' option on the site and clicked it. If she was going to get a new body, it had to be exactly what she wanted. A multitude of selections came up. Sizes, colors, sensory upgrades, it was somewhat daunting. Nataly selected a breast size and body type that somewhat matched her own. Fully clothed no one would be able to tell she didn't have a regular frame. But she opted in to every premium option available, especially the high quality sensor upgrade.
The total, plus tax, nearly cleaned her bank account out, but the excitement Nataly felt was priceless.