Nora’s jaw set, her posture tensing and her eyes flashing in anger. The difference startled Simon as her demeanor turned fiery. “Watch me stay here. You’ve been awake for all of five minutes and already trying to tell me how to live. They got that ‘man who knows best’ setting on you too, huh?”
She’s angry?Simon’s processors flooded with mixed emotions as he took in the sullen look in her eyes and felt the heat roll off her, a stronger note than the small, gentle spikes that happened when he touched her hand.I don’t want to fight with her.
Nora seemed on the verge of tears.
He said softly, “I’m sorry. You’re right, I don’t have enough data to make any judgments on your life.” He turned away, frustrated.Nor do I have any stake in your life to tell you how to live it.That thought made him frown, as it felt so impersonal. It seemed in conflict to how he was starting to feel, underneath it all.
Nora sighed, and he turned back to see her look down at herself. She spoke again in a small voice. “I’m sorry I snapped too. It’s a sore subject.”
“I can see that. I overstepped.”
Nora bit her lip and her hands grew restless on the table. Her eyes teared up. “I’ll tell you why . . . I had to . . . I used to work in a shop like Anna. She and I grew up together, got close because both of our parents weren’t alive anymore. They died in one of the gang fights. I got a job in town and worked there for my room and board. So did Anna. We shared a room.” Nora swallowed and breathed deep before continuing, “Eventually, she married Paul and moved out. But for me, the men that visited got drunk a lot, and after I got older it wasn’t enough that I just helped with the shop. They had a bar they owned too and it just sort of became expected that I would . . . it was . . .” She shook her head, then met Simon’s eyes. “Once I got pregnant I knew I needed something else.”
“Once you became pregnant . . .” Simon echoed, shock coating his sensors.
“Yes.” She stared at him, her face open and earnest, as if desperate for him to understand. “It’s better this way. Being left alone out here. Tilly and I can just be who we want to be and not be . . . bothered. I can raise her right and it’s . . . peaceful.” She leaned forward, almost reaching for his hand but then pulling back. “You saw the town. It is better here. I know it’s not much but I’m happier here, and Tilly gets to just be a kid. Like I never got to be.”
Simon didn’t say anything, but felt anger flood his processors at her explanation. His mind worked through the implications of what she didn’t say. “Getting pregnant was not your choice?”
Nora’s face darted away and she rubbed her arms. “Not exactly. But she . . . never tell Tilly that, okay? She thinks her daddy died and that’s why we came out here.”
Simon’s jaw clenched. “Nora . . .”
Nora’s voice broke. “Being out here with just Tilly is . . . the better of two bad options. I taught Tilly how to operate the hover just in case to go to Anna, and the electric scooters. We practice. If anything happens she knows to get those scooters out and come back to here or to Anna. There’s also a few nice people at the schoolhouse, an older man works there that reminds me of my daddy. I have her practice going there on the scooter just in case too. It’s not the best plan, but it’s something.”
Simon felt heavy emotions hit him. Sadness. And rage. The emotions fell across him like a blanket, making all his circuits tense. He knew what it felt like to be used like that as well. His jaw clicked. “I’m sorry for assuming, Nora.”
Nora shrugged her shoulders, sagging. Her body slumped, a stark difference from the anger before. “It’s okay. I know everything is so confusing for you. You’re just still trying to figure everything out. You’re not wrong though. Tilly is getting older and more capable every year. We might try living someplace else when she is a bit older. I heard stories that it is better up north. A bit easier to grow things.”
“The north always did have a different climate than here.”
She gave him a sheepish grin and added again a second later, head hanging low, “Sorry for getting angry. I know you just care. It’s silly because I know you’re an android but . . .” Nora narrowed her eyes on him, her voice rising audibly. “I . . . you do have emotions, right? Or are you just really, really good at pretending and I’m being a fool telling you all of this?”
Simon took in her earnest face, her eyes that radiated sincerity.Yes. I do care.It was surprising that he cared, even a little bit. “Yes. I have emotions.”
His processors replayed her actions many, many times. The brief touches. The way her eyes lit on him. The heat that came from her when he was near. And he was certain, very certain, there was emotion there for her as well.
He added a second later, wanting to be clearer, “Yes, I do care about your and Tilly’s well-being already.”
Nora still hung her head a bit, nodding, but didn’t say any more. He saw her hands grip tighter on the mug in the middle of the table and that same flush of heat came from her direction at his words.
His jaw clenched as he stared at her.Do you care? Do you, Nora? Can you care?He wasn’t ready to question her like that though. Wasn’t ready to press her on anything.
He instead examined her carefully, his concern for her overriding everything else as he eyed her body again. Her face was too pale to be just tired and worn. “Have you eaten?”
Nora shook her head and rubbed her stomach. “I’m not hungry. I think I’m fighting off whatever Tilly has. My stomach hurts too.”
“You’re too thin, Nora.”
“Well, I’ll eat double the food when I’m better to make up for it.”
Simon didn’t say anything. He just stared at her torso, then at her pale face with those downcast eyes. “Can I do anything for you?”
“No. Whatever this bug is . . . just gotta work its way out.” Nora frowned and stood up, scraping the chair back as she absently rubbed her stomach. “I gotta go lie down. I’m sorry Simon.”
His brows knit as he watched her walk away. He sat at the table, alone and silent. Tatertot jumped up and purred near his hand, clearly happy his people were back home from being gone all day. Simon scratched him and broke up a ration bar to give him like he saw Nora do the day before.
He sat there, contemplative, while anxiety coated his processors. His sensory cortex spiked, and he forced himself to sit still as he heard both Nora and Tilly be sick in the other room. An ache filled him. After a while he went to the bedroom, knocking on the door softly. “Are you okay?”
