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Niro tilts his head and stares at my face. I expect fear or maybe disgust, but instead, I get curiosity and…awe. It's like he's fascinated by the way I look.
"You're a robot," he declares.
"He is not. Niro—"
"It's alright, Lillith. Let him speak his mind." I glance at my son. "Do you think I'm a Uthean?"
"You look like you’re half machine. Like the ones that fly and walk the streets but more human, so that makes you look… cooler."
"Y-you're not afraid?" I ask.
I'm not going to lie. I thought I would scare the shit out of him when he took a look at my face for the first time. It's common to see soldiers with robotic parts on their bodies. Civilians who have been injured from the war or hurt have been able to get prosthetic replacements, but not the kind that fuses with your brain. Only a lab-created cyborg, or Uthean as they are called, are the closest a robot could ever resemble a human.
He beams. "I knew you were some type of superhero on your bike but never a Uthhheen. Wait until I tell my friends back at home. This is so cool!"
This isyourhome, but I don't correct him. I need to talk to Lillith about how I will explain that I'm his father.
Agnes sets the food on the table, and my heart breaks. Niro looks at Agnes like she hung the moon because of all the food. Organic eggs, pancakes, bacon, and sausage are arranged on the table like a feast for a king. He watches, mesmerized as she pours orange juice into a cup, licking his lips.
"Mom? Can I?" Niro asks.
She nods with a look of guilt that crosses her face. He wouldn't have to ever ask for anything if she would have stayed, but we both know why she chose to leave. Why she chose him.
Niro begins to fork food into his mouth, and my lip twitches with pride. Pride that I have a son. Pride that I can provide a plate of food for him.
He smiles after five minutes and says, "This is good. Thank you."
"My pleasure."
"Can I send the leftovers to my friends back home?" he asks hopefully.
"Whatever you want, Niro. If that is what you think is best."
"Yes. My friend James would die if he saw all this food, and it tastes yummy."
I meet Lillith's gaze across the table and notice she has taken all but three bites off her plate.
"Is there something you don't like, Lillith? I can ask Ag—"
"No, that’s okay," she interrupts and averts her gaze. "I'm not used to all this food, is all."
Of course, if you were with me, you wouldn't have gone hungry, but I don't say that. My intention is for her to stay with Niro and not run off with that asshole again. It is obvious they have been struggling. I'm sure he's offered food and money, hiding it from me, but she's stubborn. I'm sure she has refused. Her stubborn pride won't let her.
I watch her for a few more minutes, noticing that she has lost weight. She's still undeniably gorgeous, but I liked her thicker. She must have looked breathtaking while pregnant. Just thinking about it has me gripping my spoon a little too hard that it begins to bend.He got to see her swollen with my son.He was there, and I was robbed of those moments–moments I can't get back. I want to blame her and tell her to fuck herself, but I can't because I did this. I did this to us for not showing her love– for not believing in what we could have had.
* * *
I'm sittingin my office chair looking at the grid I still need to finish. It needs work. I need to upload the program I created so that citizens on the island can have secure access to information they need to buy things from each other like in the old days. You made it, then you sold it. It is a win-win for everyone. All they have right now is the information to create, but it's useless without the tools and supplies.
"Incoming call from Ciro. Do I answer?" the automated voice asks.
I don't want to answer that asshole, but I have to. I've been in my head since this morning. I left Lillith and Niro with Agnes so they can get what they need.
"Answer."
His stupid face appears on the augmented reality screen, and I swear, murder is on my mind. I lean back in my chair, stroking the pads of my fingers over my mask. "What the fuck do you want? You have a lot of nerve, a big sack of balls, to call me."
"How is she… and Niro?"
