Human Code

30 || H U M A N . C O D E

Music. Chatter. Happiness.

The sounds of my large, eccentric family swam through the air as moonlight draped over the neat, freshly cut backyard of my parents' house. Candles and torches lit around tables to keep the bugs away. But the flames couldn't keep them at bay with all the food on display. They returned, full force, and with friends.

That's what parties were for, right? Bringing everyone together, in joy, in endless cheer. And on my parents' thirty-fifth anniversary, even the insects found a place to be welcomed. My mother and father didn't pay them any mind as they danced to the sounds of old school salsa. My aunts and uncles drank and laughed, wishing them good health and long lives.

Even me. They wished me, the android son that beat death not once, but twice, a long, fruitful life. Not once did they bring up the fact that I hadn't aged, hadn't changed; forever frozen in my mid-twenties like a Twilight Zone movie.

And I... relished in the warmth. In the sound.

Taking Wendy's small hands in mine, we danced. I taught her the easy Bachata steps and grinned as she giggled, happily bobbing away to the sounds of an expertly played requinto guitar. I turned her, I guided her, until she stopped and covered her mouth to hide her small squeals.

"Mary's here!" she said into her palm and bounced. "Peter, she's here!"

"She is...?" I looked up and across the yard. Past my many family members, past the tables with their green and blue ribbons, was indeed Mary.

I know we'd forgiven each other and tried to make it work, but honestly... I hadn't thought she'd come by tonight. With all the press and negativity her family went against, I thought... she'd go back into hiding. Even if just for a little while.

But no, she didn't. With a large smile on her face, one that matched the beauty of her red dress, she crossed the green grass. Under the moonlight, she looked angelic. Pure. And every type of firework created by man went off under my skin.

"Little Lost Girl," Mary said, looking down at Wendy once she stood in front of us, "is it all right if I steal Javi for just one dance?"

"Just one?" Wendy scoffed and rolled her eyes. With a small turn, she looked at me in disbelief. "I don't know what you're doing here, Peter, but I think she needs more than one dance."

"I, uh—" For a second, I was stuck. I hadn't been the one to offer a dance. Of course, I would, but Mary had beat me to it.

Catching my awkward expression, Wendy leaned in. "It's okay," she whispered, tugging at the bottom of my black tee. "I'll get her surprise ready. Be back pixie dust fast, okay?"

"Okay?" I stretched my mouth back as I grimaced because... Wendy wasn't good at secrets. And maybe I was wrong for filling her in on it, but come on, she was my kid sister, I sort of... had to.

But as she ran off and into the house, Mary stood in front of me, batting her brown eyes. "A surprise?" she asked.

I laughed, scratching the side of my head. "Oh, you know kids." I took a step towards her, closing the gap between us. "They're... well, everything to them is a surprise."

"Oh." Mary laughed, too, and shook her head. "Well, maybe me coming here was a surprise, but I couldn't miss your parents' anniversary."

I shrugged innocently and watched as she looked over my shoulder, stepping on the tips of her toes. "You could've called them, I'm sure they'd been okay with it," I said.

"No, no, that wouldn't be good enough," Mary said, dropping back down on her feet. "What kind of daughter-in-law would I be if I just called?"

Opening my mouth, I was ready to respond... but realized I couldn't. I had nothing to say but smiles. Lifting my hand to hold her chin between my fingers, I never thought I'd hear her openly admit it to the world. Our love, our relationship, was no longer a secret. And it only took an android onslaught to bring it out in the open.