In the room alone, Atlas went almost into a stasis to cool his processors. The act was useless, as they flared up again the moment Anna returned, stepping lightly in the room. She reached for the pillows stacked inside and began pulling them to the bed.
“Let me please.” He took the pillows from her and finished placing them. Anything he could do to make her morecomfortable. He stretched his mind. Feeling inadequate. He fidgeted with the ration bar and water on the bedside table.
“Alright. I’ll get some pajamas later.” She sat back on the bed, then stretched out on her left side. Her eyes darted back and forth. A blush ran across her features. “Are you going to stay nearby? Or sit in the dark?”
Atlas tore his gaze away from her face. There was no way he could stay, knowing he’d just applied that, but there was also no way he could leave either. The moment was too raw. “I’ll be nearby. Use the communicator if you need me.”
Chapter thirty-one
Anna
Anna lay back in bed, stretching her arms.Alone at last.The wind from outside came through the window. The AC wasn’t needed, and the breeze was just cool enough. This was wonderful, the first real solitude and peace she’d felt since . . . well, forever.
Absolutely forever.
Outside didn’t have any sounds of fighting, or arguing. Or watching androids. Just silence, interspersed with cows shuffling in the pasture. She rolled on her side, holding her breath while she listened. An insect made a long chirping noise. But as charming as it was, it was loud. And annoying. She would have to ask Atlas tomorrow what kind of bug it was.
Her entire body relaxed. The closest thing this felt like were the nights when Paul was out.He stayed out overnight sometimes, shacking up with various women from the bars. And she had that same feeling now of knowing he’d be gone all night. That same sense of relief and peace. Freedom.
She rested her hands on her belly, body aching underneath. It was hard enough to get comfortable in any position, but right now she was sore from moving boxes too. There had been no more tightening since she lay down, no more contractions, just the stirring of the baby underneath her hands. She pressed in on her sides. “Good. Stay in there, baby girl. I don’t need you coming just yet.”
She fingered at the chip on her neck delicately.I don’t really feel any different at least.Then again, she wasn’t mad about anything at the moment.
In fact . . . Anna grinned. She stretched out on the bed, squirming. Picturing Atlas waiting somewhere nearby . . . her body flushed.
There was still a low light on in the barn next door, barely visible in the window cutout over the warehouse’s door.Is Atlas over there? Charging? He was so nice today.
Atlas, Atlas, Atlas. She really couldn’t stop thinking of him, could she?
Her body flushed again.Nora is right. I do like him.Her hand gripped her side.Is that wrong?It felt wrong.
It felt like it could be dangerous.
Why?Nora had Simon. Did she feel like it was wrong because he’s an android? Because of Paul?She pulled on her hair. Hard.Both?
Atlas was helping her. She blushed, heat ran all over her.He really is, isn’t he?She let herself yearn for him, but then stopped, fingering the chip on the back of her neck again. Only anger wasn’t allowed. Her yearnings should be fine then, but that was one question she didn’t want to ask Atlas directly.I think I like him. And I think I’m going to like him whether I want to or not. Maybe that’s okay.
Which was confusing in and of itself. She sighed aloud. “Is it that bad if I like him?”
None of the chirping insects outside had an answer.
Anna pushed down the blankets. “Alright.Stop thinking.Maybe I should go outside and see what night here looks like.“ Then mumbled, “And see if he is sitting by the door.”
The thought made her almost giddy as she stood up. That and the fact that no one here was going to stop her either.
She opened the door to walk outside. The night sky was hidden under a patchy blanket of clouds. No one was present. No Atlas in sight. She glanced down at the communicator on her neck. “I’m not gonna call him because I’m lonely. We’re fine, just us, right baby girl?”
The night air caressed her face. The insect sounds were louder out here, chirping and buzzing. She stepped barefoot onto the dirt. Even that felt right. Back at home, at the bakery, some nights she used to go outside. Not out front, where the street was unsafe, but in the protected area in the back surrounded by the shops. And she would sit on the same swing Tilly always did back when she visited.
“We’ll need a swing here.” Anna swayed, hand on her belly. “There’s plenty of places for one. Maybe a sandbox too. Would you like that?”
A sandbox. A swing. Some dolls with Tilly. And a large open field to run in.
A safe home. A place where they could all do what they wanted. That used to be a fairy tale.
The night was warm, like the way the desert was after a monsoon rain. But not so humid as to make her sticky. In the dirt underfoot, the ground had grass sticking up by the log. Darkness swallowed up Anna’s voice as she hummed. And her baby, under her hand, kicked like she always did, but under the Martian sky now instead of Earth’s. She sighed. “This is the nicest place I’ve ever been. How lucky you’re gonna be, my baby girl.”
She sat on an overturned box out near the pasture. It was too dark to see the dairy cattle that lived here, but she listened to them shuffle in the distance.
