“Just about. What . . . ?” Anna swallowed and wiped her face with a piece of her apron.
In response, Simon moved his hand around her stomach, focusing hard. “A moment.”
It took a few seconds before athump, thump, thumpsound filled the room, broadcasted over his speakers. He smiled, amplifying the noise until it rang out loud and clear.There we go.
Anna’s face went slack. “That’s . . .”
“Yes. Your baby. Strong heartbeat. This baby is strong. Anna, you have us as your family, and also . . .” He tapped on her stomach, along with the beat.
Anna’s eyes followed Simon’s hand tapping the beat. The sound played for a minute, Tilly even scooting close to hear.
Tears started falling down Anna’s face again as she took a deep breath. She let out a shaky chuckle. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s in there alright. Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“I can’t tell that, unfortunately. We used to be able to, though, before.” Simon stopped the sound.
“Can you do mine?” Tilly tugged on his shirt sleeve.
Simon put his hand right over her heart on her small chest. “Listen.”
Tilly’s eyes grew wide as her heartbeat now played over his processors. “That’s me?”
“Yes.” He chuckled and removed his hand. As he went back into the kitchen he saw Anna take a bite out of the ration bar.
By the time he took another cup of water into Nora’s bedroom and checked on her again, Anna had eaten the entire thing.
He crouched down by Tilly, who was back to playing like the day’s events didn’t happen. “Tilly, you okay sleeping alone tonight? I think Mama needs to not move a lot in the bed.”
“Yeah.”
Anna said softly, “I’ll rest out here on the sofa, but if Tilly needs me I’ll go in with her.”
“Okay.” Came Tilly’s voice as she arranged her dolls around Anna.
Simon stood and walked outside into the deepening night, leaving the living room where the radio played, a backdrop to Tilly’s nonstop chatter to Anna. The drone was hovering, waiting, as he exited and closed the front door behind him.
“Thank you for watching Tilly. And helping.” Relief was evident in Simon’s tone as he stared up at its faded, dented side. They were back home. All together and in one piece.
The response was slow to come, but Stella finally answered, “We were fearful for their safety too. Nora and Tilly.”
“You were?” He crossed his arms as it hovered. “Fearful? Have you come to understand how I feel now? Why I couldn’t leave them? Can’t leave them?”
“Yes. Seeing them in danger let us know that we are not unattached anymore. Sometimes you don’t realize that attachment when things are calm. It is only through potential loss that things become more clear.”
Understanding passed through Simon, echoed in the connection. He nodded.I almost lost them as well.
Stella’s voice took on a softer note. “How they have lived . . . we feel ashamed. I feel ashamed. Humanity might have wronged us, but these two . . . they have not wronged anything.”
Simon’s shoulders dropped and he rubbed the tension from his neck. “No, they haven’t. I’m glad you can finally see that.”
Stella spoke haltingly. “We always knew that, but . . . there are other Humans coming now, trying to find you after what happened in the town.”
Simon’s processors began to run fast, possibilities spinning. He looked past the drone, as if he could see where they might settle rather than all the broken-down buildings around them.Where is safe?
He began to turn away, his mind already calculating the places they might go.How will I move Nora with her injury?“We will need to leave. Sooner rather than later. Thankfully I don’t think anyone knows where Nora lives.”
“Wait.” Stella’s voice cut through the night.
“Yes?”
