by Risner, Fay
Not about to back down, Hover asked, “If this man came back to town, would you be willing to give him another chance? It would beat the lonely existence you have created for yourself.”
The doorbell blared. In no mood for company, Elizabeth wondered who would have the nerve to show up that time of night without calling her. Maybe she could just stay quiet until whoever it was went away.
The doorbell rang again.
“You really should answer the door when someone rings the bell, Beth,” insisted Hover, starting for the door.
He's always giving orders. Doesn't he ever stop. Elizabeth lunged past him to the door, prepared to tell whoever kept pushing on the doorbell to buzz off. She jerked the door open. Bewildered and speechless, she gaped at her visitor. When she finally found her voice, she snapped, “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get hold of you for days.”
Chapter 3
“You're a week early, but get in here anyway,” Elizabeth complained, backing away from the door so her brother could enter.
“Merry Christmas! I'm glad to see you, too, Sis,” Scott crabbed back.
“Oh, just go sit down,” Elizabeth said, pointing at the couch. “You have some explaining to do. For one thing, why don't you ever answer your phone?”
Scott raised an eyebrow at her. “I need to talk to you. That's why I'm here now. As for answering my phone, I haven't been home much lately.”
“No kidding. Tell me about it,” Elizabeth said dryly.
He looked over at the corner where the robot had positioned himself. “Well, I see Hover Hill arrived all in one piece.”
“He did, but if you don't get that thing out of my apartment as soon as possible he isn't going to remain in one piece,” Elizabeth groused.
Scott looked surprised. “You don't like him?”
“You got that right. I wanted to mail him back to you, but he destroyed his box in the name of housekeeping. Frankly, I intend to take him apart into little pieces that mails easily as soon as I get a chance to buy a screwdriver. Believe me, I'll enjoy every minute of dismantling him,” Elizabeth said.
In the corner, Hover made a soft whining groan as he imagined the painful experience.
“Please don't do that. He cost a small fortune. I thought you would like the robot. He can't be that bad. He followed me around my house for a week and was very helpful,” Scott excused.
“If you like him so much, why didn't you just keep him? What you liked about him is a problem to me. He doesn't just follows me around. He hovers over me. I'm not used to having anyone in my apartment, watching and lurking about in my way. That robot has to go before he drives me crazy,” Elizabeth pleaded.
“You will get used to Hover Hill if you give him a chance,” Scott insisted.
“Not in this lifetime. Besides, what will the other tenants think if they see that robot in here. He looks so real they will think I've moved a man in with me.”
Scott shrugged. “What's wrong with that? Women and men live together all the time?”
“Well, that's them and not me!” Elizabeth huffed.
“I am sorry about this, Sis. I hate to drop anything else on you when you're in such a bad mood, but the reason I stopped by is to tell you that something unexpected came up. I have another business trip I can't get out of so I can't spend Christmas with you,” Scott explained.
Elizabeth teared up as she sagged back against the couch. “You won't be here for Christmas? That means I have to spend the holidays by myself. Since we grew up, I've never been alone on Christmas.”
“I know. Remember, I've not been alone until this time, either. Hopefully, this won't happen again, but I can't help it,” Scott said, giving her a hug. “Technically, you won't be alone at least. Hover Hill will be here with you.”
“That's just fine and dandy for you to say. That's not a comfort to me one little bit. Just go off and leave me alone at Christmas with that thing lurking in the corner of my living room. I won't be responsible for the condition that creature's in when you come back. What are you going to do about that bucket of bolts?”
“Now, now. You keep him all in one piece until I get back, and I'll get rid of him for you,” Scott said. “Now would you have anything to eat? I'm starved.”
“There's some left over meatloaf and potatoes in the fridge and a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the counter,” Elizabeth said as she stood up.
“Fresh baked cookies. Yum.” Scott looked baffled. “I didn't know you were a baker.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I'm not. The robot baked the cookies.”
Hover droned to life. “Let me warm up the leftovers. That is programmed to be my job.”
“Thank you, Hover Hill. Can you make me a pot of coffee while you're at it?” Scott asked. “Now see how helpful he is, Sis?”
“Next time you feel the need to program a robot and leave him here to bother me, put in more of my likes instead of yours, will you? While you're at it, get rid of his attitude problems,” Elizabeth ordered. “The least you could have done was get my name programmed right. That robot is driving me up a wall calling me Beth all the time.”
“I'll work on that when I come back,” Scott said, smiling at her.
After he'd eaten, they took a second cup of coffee back to the living room. For the first time, Scott looked around. “Hey, this is new. You've put up the Christmas decorations this year. Was that for me?”
“I didn't do it. Your friend in there did it without asking me,” Elizabeth complained, thrusting her thumb over her shoulder at Hover Hill in the kitchen. “He nosed around in my closet and found them.”
“Will there be anything else I can do?” Hover asked, from behind them.
“Not for me. How about you, Elizabeth?” Scott wanted to know.
“Go to your corner.” She ordered Hover and turned back to Scott. “You sit down and talk to me for the short time we have left together.”
“For Pete's sake, I'm not dying, Elizabeth. Just going on a trip. I'll spend some time with you when I get back. I promise,” Scott declared.
She ran a finger around the rim of her cup. “Fine! If you say so. Oh, by the way, why did you program the robot to call me Beth?”
“I didn't do that. I know how you hate nicknames,” Scott said.
“Right,” she said sarcastically. “Hover, what is my name?”
The robot's head came up in his corner. “Your name is Beth.”
“You see,” she spit at Scott.
Scott's face turned red. “I am so sorry about that.” His eyes wavered around as he searched his mind for a reason. “There must be a large percentage of Elizabeths that go by the nickname Beth. Must be a computer glitch.”
“If it is, he has a lot of glitches beside that one. You should have done a better job of programming him,” she scolded.
“Well, hang in there. When I take the robot back, he will be deprogrammed and reprogrammed for the next person who might just enjoy having him around,” Scott rubbed in.
After her brother left, Elizabeth wondered why she couldn't get him to tell her where he was going on his trip. She was very curious about this sudden departure that took him away from her at Christmas time. She'd probed, but Scott remained evasive.
She accused him of meeting a woman for Christmas. He swore he wasn't involved with anyone at the moment. Still, his behavior worried Elizabeth. She wasn’t used to Scott acting secretive, and that was exactly what he was doing.
More pressing than her worries at the moment was her aggravation at that irritating robot. For the time being, she'd have to keep him until Scott's return. The eternal optimist, her brother, said he was hopeful that she'd get used to the robot and want to keep him before she had to give him up. What was Scott thinking? That line of reasoning might work with her if he'd given her a puppy, but a mechanical man was a different story.
Elizabeth darted a glance at the robot with his head bowed. She was very doubtful that she'd ever like him or get comfortable with him
being around. She didn't have a choice. He had been expensive for Scott to buy. She'd keep the robot until her brother had time to get rid of him and make the money back.
All her plans for Christmas had gone down the drain. Now she'd hide out in her apartment, feeling sorry for herself during her holiday vacation. What fun was that? To make matters worse, she'd have Hover Hill droning beside her every waking minute to insist she live her life the way he was programmed.
In the front yard, the sound of childish laughter made her curious. Elizabeth walked over to the window to check it out. On the sidewalk in front of her apartment were the neighbor children. Nancy pulled the sled over the snow mound next to the sidewalk to give her little brother, Andy, a ride. Nancy spotted Elizabeth and waved. She said something to Andy, and he waved, too. Elizabeth waved back at them and wondered if she had ever enjoyed playing with Scott like that. Her memories of their childhood together were so fleeting.
The next day was the last day at school until after the first of the year. When Elizabeth left work and headed home, she wasn't sure if she was happy or sad about the time off.
She found a very good meal waiting for her that evening. Hover didn't say anything. He quietly stood at the end of the counter at attention, waiting for her to finish her meal. To his credit, he seemed to be taking a new to be seen and not heard approach with her.
Elizabeth wiped her mouth on the napkin and made an effort to start off on the right foot with the robot. “That was a good meal.”
“I am glad you liked it,” he said without the attitude.
“I did. Now clean up the kitchen and go to your corner. I'm going to read for a while and turn in early,” Elizabeth said, wondering if she'd gotten the hang of managing this robot. The phone rang. She flinched, and then she picked up the receiver on the kitchen counter. “Hello. Oh, hi, Zoe.” She eyed Hover. He was watching her with an intent curiosity. “No, not tonight. Let's plan on you coming over another night. I'm rather tired tonight. Today was the last day before break. It made for a busy day.” Actually, the last thing she wanted was to have her friend see a good looking robot living with her.
“It is too bad you are so tired.” Hover raised the volume on his voice control. “You have no other visitors coming tonight. It would be good to have your friend come to visit.”
“No wonder you don't want me around. I hear a man's voice. Finally, you have a man! Who is he?” Zoe asked excitedly.
“No, I don't have anyone here,” Elizabeth cried.
“You do, too. You can't deny it,” Zoe cried. “I heard his voice, but I don't recognize it. Who is he?”
“No one you would know,” Elizabeth hedged.
“Is it your brother, Scott? I've been wanting to meet him. From the pictures I've seen in your place, he looks hot.”
“No, Scott isn't coming to visit until after Christmas,” Elizabeth said.
Zoe wasn't buying her story. “You said you two always spent Christmas together.”
“Yes, that's true, but not this year.”
“Oh, okay, but you do have a man there right now. I know I haven't met him. I don't recognize his voice. Why haven't you told me about him before this. I'd almost given up hope on you ever finding anyone. For goodness sakes, I'm your best friend. I worry about you spending so much time alone. Hello! Remember me? Zoe.
The least you can do is confide in me when you finally meet a man you like. That way I can quit worrying about you. I'm coming over to meet him right now.” The phone clicked in Elizabeth's ear.
Elizabeth hadn't finished scolding Hover for putting her in this awkward situation with her friend before the door bell rang. She hadn't even had time to think about where she was going to hide the robot in that fifteen minutes.
Hover started for the door, but Elizabeth beat him to it. Not that it mattered. As she opened the door, she sensed he stayed right behind her. “Come on in, Zoe,” she said.
“Here.” The cheerful, petite blond thrust a bottle of wine at her and winked. “I stopped on the way over and picked this up for after I leave. I thought you and your company could share it.”
“Thanks, but he doesn't drink,” Elizabeth mumbled.
“Oh, I'm sorry. I just never think about who might be going to AA these days,” Zoe whispered. “Merry Christmas,” she said, staring over Elizabeth's shoulder at Hover. “He's cute,” she whispered.
“Oh no, Zo. This isn't at all what you think,” Elizabeth said, near tears.
“If you aren't going to introduce me, I'll do it myself,” Zoe said, edging around Elizabeth. “Hello, I'm Zoe Darvin.”
“I am glad to meet a friend of Beth's. I did not think she had any,” Hover droned.
“Really. Well, once you get to know Elizabeth, you'll find she has plenty of friends. She's quite likable,” Zoe said, trying to figure out why this man seemed so different. She turned to Elizabeth. “Beth?”
“As far as my name goes, he doesn't know any better. Truth be known, there's a lot of things about me he doesn't know,” Elizabeth said with a half shrug. She gave Hover the wine bottle along with her orders. “Hover, open up the bottle, bring two wine glasses and the ice bucket to the living room then finish cleaning the kitchen.
Zo, come over and sit down. You and I might as well not let your good wine go to waste. I expect you've had a long day at the beauty shop with Christmas coming and could use a little cheer.
All your clients probably want the latest hairdo for the holiday parties. Every woman must want to look better than their friends.” She knew she was babbling so she stopped talking and looked at Zoe.
“Yes, it was a madhouse.” Zoe agreed, staring after Hover. Her mind wasn't on her work as she pointed at his back. “He does your kitchen duties?”
“I told you this isn't what you think.”
“I can see that. No wonder you can't keep a man if you exile them to the kitchen to work for you,” Zoe criticized, crinkling up her nose. “What nationality is he?”
Elizabeth rubbed her forehead as she said softly, “Robot.”
Zoe puzzled, “Robot? What country is that?”
“Zoe! He doesn't need a country. He isn't alive. He's a mechanical man. You know. A robot,” Elizabeth declared.
“No way! That nice looking man isn't real. What a shame,” Zoe declared, definitely disappointed.
Elizabeth sighed. “Finally, you got it.”
Zoe gave her a woeful stare. “That's really, really sad. Are you that desperate? There has to be a real man out there for you somewhere. Whatever possessed you to buy a fake man to live with you?”
“For goodness sakes, Zo, it wasn't my idea. I didn't bring him here to live with me. I'd never do such a thing. It was my brother's idea to give him to me for a Christmas gift, of all things. Just let me explain why Hover Hill is here before you decide I've gone crazy or got that desperate.”
Hover came back and set the wine glasses on the table beside an ice bucket with the wine bottle in it He took the bottle out of the ice and poured wine in the stemmed glasses.
“Thank you, Hover. You may wind down for the evening,” Elizabeth said.
“What I do is called power down,” Hover corrected.
“Sorry,” Elizabeth replied, waving him away. She held her breath, waiting to see if the robot would obey without some wise cracking objection. To her amazement, he went quietly to the corner.
Zoe, opened mouth, watched the exchange between them. She leaned toward Elizabeth and whispered, “Is he safe to be near?”
“Yes. At least I think so. I've only had him here for a few days. The only thing about him I find annoying is his mouth.”
“Why?” Zoe hissed.
“He has a bossy attitude when it is just him and me here. He's good at rubbing me the wrong way. Maybe it's just because I've lived alone for so long. I'm not used to him yet.” Elizabeth took a drink. “This is good white wine.”
Zoe curiously eyed Hover Hill as she said, “It's called Warm Kiss. The label said it was a
wine for romantic moments. Sorry I had the wrong impression about what was going on in here.”
Wheels were turning in Elizabeth's brain as she watched Zoe. She brightened up. “I just had an idea. How would you like to take Hover Hill home and try him out? He does anything you tell him to do. As soon as Scott comes back from a business trip, he's going to take Hover with him. He can come to your house and pick the robot up. That will be right after Christmas so you wouldn't have to keep him very long.”
“Oh, no! You're not going to push that robot off on me when you haven't even broken him in yet. He may mind you well enough, but who knows what else he might try besides doing what you tell him. I don't know what all he's programmed to do, and I'm worried that you don't know, either,” Zoe protested. “I don't think I like the idea of you being here alone with him.”
“Zoe! Don't be ridiculous. He's just a robot,” Elizabeth declared.
“He might be, but he's a man robot and a good looking one,” Zoe whispered in a know it all manner. “Scott should have found you a woman robot to be your maid if you needed a helper. That would have been much more suitable. Sorry, but that robot is your problem.”
Chapter 4
The next evening, Elizabeth stretched out on the couch. She was almost to the end of her book when the door bell rang. She wasn't expecting anyone. Maybe Scott finished his trip faster so he could spend Christmas with her. Her heart soared as she raced to let him in.
She had a hard time believing who smiled back at her when she opened the door. Her former boyfriend, Steven Mitchell. “Merry Christmas, Beth. Can I come in?”
In a weak moment due to the shock of seeing him, she stood aside and let him in. “I don't know why you would want to come here but all right. I guess, but only for a few minutes.”
“I moved back to town, and you have been in my thoughts a lot. I decided to come by and tell you just how much I've missed you in my life,” Steven said as he walked passed her.
