The Fourth Law

Chapter 16, Part 2

"...who are these people...?"

"...how's she here and there...?"

Cementing Lily's appreciation of him, the President spoke again, "Thank you for answering that question, Ai. I'd allow you've a very cute family."

That got a polite round of applause from everyone. From the screen, through the sound system, Ai spoke.

"We are machine civilization." She made a slight bow. "Please, let us love one another!"

"Thaad's handing out information to the news agencies now," Ai said in Lily's room. Her image yawned hugely. "I think that went well!" Back in Austin, the questions were still flying. With a click, Lily closed that feed.

"So, I'll see you – you know what I mean – tomorrow?"

Ai pointed her hands at the screen like two pistols. "You betcha!"

Lily poked at the screen where the tips of her fingers were.

"Goodnight, my friend!"

"Bye-ee!"

Carol was already at her desk when Lily came slowly down the steps. "Morning, Mrs. Lanning!" she called.

She put her tea down. Lily stopped in her tracks; that was significant.

"That was quite a show last night," she said. "The news from Austin."

"Oh, yeah." She really didn't know what to say.

"And I knew that I'd best get in early after what your friend said at the very end of the press conference."

Lily smiled at that. Right before she'd walked off the stage with the President, Ai had used the live microphone to announce that "St. Edward's Home for Children in Waxahachie is always accepting donations of food and clothing!"

"Busy, I hope?" Lily asked.

"I think the children will be too fat by winter to wear all the coats," she said with only the ghost of a smile. "Thank her for me, would you?"

"Of course. But," she said on the way out, "she'll be here later this afternoon!"

The children, too, were abuzz with what had happened last night. The older ones were curious about what Ai and her family were ("They're people!" Lily kept saying) while the younger ones just happy that cute Miss Ai was on TV.

It was just after breakfast when Marienne, Karl, and Pedro approached her.

"She's coming back today, right?" Karl had asked.

"Yes," she replied. "It's going to be in the evening. Ai sent me a text just a bit ago that some last-minute items came up. Why do you ask?"

"We want to make a big party for her!" Pedro said. "All of us!"

"I think..." She said, watching Emily carry some dishes into the kitchen, "that's a wonderful thing to do for her!"

The three cheered. "On one condition, of course..."

Their faces fell. What chores would they have to do?

Lily pointed at Emily. "I want Emily to sing."

Not being a part of the conversation until now, Emily froze and turned slowly, her face beet red.

"How... how did you know about that, Miss Barrett?"