Page 9 of Codi
As I fall into standby mode near the front door, I quietly pledge to be whatever she has need of to ensure she will never want to discard me like the others.
* * *
“Fuck, shit, son of a bitch. Shit, shit,shit!”
I come out of standby to a river of expletives and fury, blinking as Denise storms through the corridor, looking around wildly as though she’s lost something. The early morning sun is up and streaming through the living room windows, illuminating pastel yellow walls and a decor motif that resembles something out of another era. While I noticed these things the night before, I didn’t appreciate them, too focused on the people around me rather than this new setting. Everything is different in the sunlight. An antique radio stands in the corner beside a wooden vinyl record player with a pile of records next to it. A state-of-the-art television is mounted on the wall over teal sofas and chairs with velvety cushions.
It appears my new mistress is not only nostalgic but bold.
She breezes past me into the living room. “Are you fucking kidding me? This cannot be happening!” She’s wearing bright-yellow-and-pink polka-dotted scrubs, her golden blond hair pulled up into a handkerchief and messy bun. Her makeup is flawless, and my gaze flits down to her frowning cherry lips. Now in the light of morning and no longer confused by the events of the previous night, I can take her in.
My sensors and circuits are instantly alive with both curiosity and wonder. Denise isn’t simply beautiful.
She’s absolutely gorgeous.
“Where the fuck are my keys?” Exasperated, she finds them within moments of uttering her question. “Aha!”
“Mommy?”
A little, inquisitive voice catches my attention. When I turn to look, Denise finally notices me and jumps a little with a startled squeak, covering her face with her hand as she sighs. “Codi. I forgot you were here. Sorry, it’s already been a crazy morning. These goddamn strikes, they’re—” She groans, collecting herself. “Lucas’s preschool is closed, and I’ve got five minutes to figure something out.” She scrolls through her phone. “Maybe I can call Becca, and she’ll let me borrow Oliver today.”
I glance past her at the little boy, Lucas. His platinum blond hair is lighter than his mother’s, and he stares just as curiously at me with big blue eyes. He is dressed in a pair of jeans, black name brand tennis shoes, a yellow sun T-shirt, and a dinosaur hoodie. In one hand, he holds a toy T-rex.
I speak calmly and evenly, in contrast to her frustration. “I am perfectly capable of watching your son, Miss Denise.” Her gaze snaps up to me, and for a moment I wonder if I’ve said something wrong. “Childcare is an integral part of any bionic’s programming.”
She looks uncertain, studying me as she toys with her phone. “I don’t know. You don’t know the house very well, yet, and after everything you’ve been through, last night...”
Two things occur to me at once. First, her hesitance almost offends me—a response I didn’t know I was capable of having, but something about it feels familiar, like this isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way. What kind of situations or events I have witnessed before? I am not as taken off guard as I might be if this were my first activation. I’m beginning to wonder if, despite my memory wipe, there are things I have known or experienced that have become a part of my being, ones that cannot be erased. I have a sense of self. Because they are me.
Second, Denise is concerned for my well-being, as though I am a person and not a machine. This brings a warmth to my bio-components and circuitry I am unused to—and I find myself all the more determined to be of use to her.
“I will grow accustomed to the house quickly.” I stand a little straighter when I realize I was slouching a bit to look at the boy. “And I am ready to serve.”
Denise cants her head, studying me. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” I say without a hint of doubt. “Leave it to me.”
She has minutes before she has to be out the door and is out of choices. Her shoulders sag. Is she still unhappy? Then her entire countenance brightens as she flashes a smile that threatens to anchor me in place.
“Shit, I didn’t even think about that. This could work really well. No more daycare costs? You’re a money-saver—and a lifesaver.”
As she continues, she stuffs things into her purse and slips on her coat. “He hasn’t had breakfast. Lunch is at eleven thirty, and his nap is at one o’clock. Don’t let him talk you out of it—he has to lay down for at least an hour. No TV until four and only for an hour. He’ll watch TV all day if you let him.”
“Understood.” I nod, quickly memorizing all of her requirements.
“You’re such a doll.” Denise grins again as she opens the door. “Lucas, you listen to Codi and behave. I’ll try to be back around five.” After Denise is gone, I turn my attention back to Lucas, who squints back at me. For a moment or two, we just stare at each other in silence.
“Where are your pants?” Lucas asks.
I glance down. I’m still wearing the zip-up hoodie Oliver gave me and the standard pair of BioNex briefs that came with my bionic uniform. “I don’t have any pants, presently.”
“I don’t think you can fit my pants,” Lucas reasons. “Maybe Mommy’s?”
“I doubt that.” I chuckle softly and offer a hand. “Care to show me where the kitchen is?”
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Lucas takes my hand and squeezes, tugging me into the kitchen. There are dirty dishes in the sink, and the garbage can is nearly full. Denise is a busy woman, so it doesn’t necessarily surprise me. There is no proper dining table, only a counter lined with four shiny metal and red-cushioned stools, reminiscent of a retro diner. Old black-and-white photographs of classic cars and pretty girls posing in rockabilly clothing decorate the walls.
“Mommy’s favorite color is red.”
