Ty, a shift manager with an alcoholic wife, creates a female replicant in a dystopia veering toward full mechanization. For Ty, the surreal drudgery of working in a retail environment is interrupted when robotic interfaces are installed at his job...
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Jennifer was cordially intoxicated, and Ty was relieved.
She didn't care about his unexpected houseguest he claimed was his cousin. All she cared about was seeing Helia, who ran into her drunken mother's arms. Ty's eyes stung. Helia wanted to be with her mother, but her mother wanted to be with Jack Daniels.
In the kitchen, he discovered two liquor bottles in the trash. Samantha noticed them too, and she led Helia out of earshot while Ty and Jennifer played déjà vu: She promised to sober up, and he sighed in relief, hoping she would finally make good on her promise.
A snort of laughter drifted from the living room. Samantha and Helia were reading a book about animals, Helia cuddled in her lap like she'd known her for years instead of just hours.
"Were you listening?" Ty pointed at the kitchen.
It bothered him to that Samantha might have overheard their argument, overheard his weakness.
She looked up from the book. "Don't have to listen."
Helia squirmed in Samantha's lap. "Turn page!"
"Turn the page yourself, like a big girl," she instructed.
Ty told his daughter the same thing whenever they read together. She liked him to turn the pages of the book, but he insisted she do it.
To which she would giggle, "Okie dokie."
Helia tried the same game with Samantha. Usually, the she shied away from strangers and babysitters. Yet, Samantha became Helia's instant pal.
When they finished reading, his clone closed the book.
"All done!" Helia said.
She stood to leave, but not before kissing Samantha on the cheek.
"That's fuckin' weird," Jennifer slurred.
Evidently, she had been watching as well. Inebriated or not, she was familiar with their daughter's fear of strangers.
"Samantha's just good with kids," Ty said.
"She gonna watch Helia from now on?" Jennifer wanted to know, swaying on her feet.
The idea wasn't a bad one, but then Ty remembered the papers Pen had given him.
"No, she's going to work with me at Good Time."
~*~
A/N: Tap the star and vote if you enjoyed the chapter!
Add a new WP friend, QueenieBEE1006. She's an upbeat gal, all about the positive aspects in life. She also believes the world should be bully and discrimination-free, and I'm with her on that one!
