“She’s waterproof, love.”
“Yeah, where have I heard that before? Oh that’s right, with your last baby that shorted out and nearly set my pants on fire. That shit would never happen with aprostheticleg.”
“My smart limbs are made to mimic a human’s movement in every way, only better. But much like the human body, sometimes there can be a few glitches. That’s why I have you.”
“The guinea?—”
“My test subject, not guinea pig, love.”
“Whatever, so why’d you call?”
My memories of Thad were surreal. People just didn’t meet like that. I had an official paying job by the end of our first and only date. I also fingered myself into a sweaty mess that night in bed, but it was a small sacrifice. Thad admitted he was looking for a “subject” to join his geek team experts in prosthetics, robotics, machine learning, and biomechanics—geek being my word not his—to “test the future of robotics that would make physical disabilities obsolete.” He also confessed that his attraction to me was unplanned and not going to work out if I took the job. Thad was a stickler on not mixing business and pleasure.
Job versus male-induced orgasm—I mean boyfriend. It was a toughie, but in the end, I made the right decision. Thanks to Thad and his ingenious team of geeks, I felt like a superhero, not a young woman with a disability. Thanks to Thad, my disability was non-existent.
“I already booked your flight and hotel,” he said with his usual passive voice. Always multi-tasking. The guy could do brain surgery while practicing his golf swing and reciting Pi to infinity.
“For?” I stopped mid-comb and stared at my phone.
“Beijing. Next Wednesday. You’ll be there about a week or so.”
I rolled my eyes. “Jerry Chu. I was up half the night video chatting with him. I showed him our latest baby, and he needs to tweak his before I give it a go.”
“Yes, love, I know. I just got off the phone with him, and he needs you there for the tweaking. It’s supposed to be the best one yet for rock climbing. Besides, half the parts ofmybaby that you have were designed by Jerry.”
“I hate flying to China.”
“You told me you love Beijing.”
“I do. I hate getting there. Fourteen hours on a plane. I get restless.”
“Take a friend.”
“I don’t have that many friends here yet.”
“Take a sedative.”
“I don’t like how they make me feel.”
“You’re being difficult, love.”
“Strong. I’m being strong-willed. That’s why you hired me.”
“I hired you because you’re active yet submissive.”
“Pardon me?”
“Don’t act offended. Who lets a guy get away with, ‘I want to take your leg off,’ on the first date—before so much as a kiss?”
“You were handsome.”
“Were?”
“Yes. Now you’re just bossy, and that’s not very attractive on you.”
“Next Wednesday. Ass on the plane, love.”
“Bossy cow.” I sighed, plugging in the dryer.
