by Beth Martin
Did Spencer expect him to guard her while she slept as well? If her father was serious about Roemell treating Leona as his sister, the answer was yes.
Bellabot found him standing in the front entrance, lost in thought. “Your dinner is waiting in the kitchen.”
He shook his head, clearing his mind. “Thanks.” He was about to head to the kitchen, but there was something he wanted to do even more than eat. “Actually, Bellabot, I’d like to see Jovelyn if that’s possible.”
Red and yellow lights flickered on the bot’s head. “I have made arrangements. A transport will pick you up shortly.”
“Thank you,” he gushed. A minute later, the promised transport, this time a small, open-top car with only two seats, arrived. The android driving it looked just like the other android driver who had driven him to the carnival and the two bots who had detained him just the day before. He wasn’t yet sure if these people had only a handful of robots or an entire machine army.
They drove back to the storage facility, the same one Roemell and Jovelyn had been initially brought to. The android parked the car and got out. “This way, Mr. Roemell.” He followed the robot into the facility.
This time they entered through the door at the front of the building instead of the back. The side had windows and a large glass door which opened automatically as they walked up. The interior was well lit with stark white walls and plastic sheeting hanging from the ceiling as dividers. Through a few layers of the plastic, he could see the outline of his sister.
He could barely concentrate as the robot said, “The baby, a boy, is underweight. He was born with only half a heart. One operation has been performed to repair a hole between the two chambers, but he may need a second procedure as well to fix the pulmonary valve. If you wish to see him, you will need to don a protective suit.” The android walked up to a set of lockers, opening the second one. It retrieved a white suit made of thin, woven plastic and handed it to Roemell.
His muscles tensed, and his heart rate quickened. On one hand, he was glad that the baby had made it. However, having only half a heart seemed pretty serious. He took a deep breath to help calm the flood of emotions, then carefully put the gear on, including shoe covers, gloves, and a hood which entirely covered his head. Although he had a clear window to see through, the hood felt a little stuffy, making it a little difficult to breathe.
“I must stay here,” the robot said. “You may continue straight ahead. Jovelyn is in the second bay on the left.”
Roemell cautiously stepped down the center hall. He had been desperate to see his sister, but now felt hesitant. Part of him wanted to remember her at her best, when they were younger and she smiled easily. He didn’t want even more memories of her in distress.
Arriving at the first bay, he stopped and peeked in. There was a clear plastic box sitting on top of a table, and inside was the tiniest baby he had ever seen. He walked up to the box to get a closer look. His nephew slept peacefully on his back, and Roemell could see the stitches down the newborn’s tiny chest. Tubes were fed through the baby’s mouth and nose, and monitors had been stuck onto his chest and arms. Despite all of that, he looked peaceful, his chest gently rising and falling with each breath.
Roemell left the first bay and walked to the second. There, Jovelyn lay on a small bed, propped up by a pile of pillows. She looked so frail with only a thin cotton gown covering her. Her skin was an unnatural yellow, and her face was sunken.
He walked up to the side of her bed and carefully held her hand. “Hey, Jo. I’m here.”
“Ro?” She turned her head to face him. Even the whites of her eyes had a sickly yellow tint.
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Yes.” His mind blanked, and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. “You’re going to be fine.”
“Bullshit.” She coughed, which seemed to cause her pain. She closed her eyes and took a few slow breaths before opening them back up.
“You can’t leave me, Jo. You’re all I’ve got.” Tears stung at his eyes.
“I need you…” she paused, tears collecting at the corners of her eyes, “to take care of my baby. I’ve named him Ivan.” She coughed again, this time taking even longer to recover. “Remember that time when we were kids, when we snuck out to the beach?”
“Of course.” He had been only five, while she had been sixteen. “I almost drowned. You saved my life.”
“Immediately after I got you out of the ocean, and you coughed out a ton of salt water, do you remember what you said to me?”
He shook his head, unable to get a word out.
“You said, ‘What did you do that for? I was fine by myself.’ ” Roemell didn’t remember saying that, but he had always been pretty stubborn, so he didn’t doubt it. “You got this. You’ll be fine.”
He leaned down and gently hugged her delicate frame, then kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He stayed by her side until she fell back asleep. In his heart, he knew she wouldn’t be waking back up. Slowly, he turned away and went to the front of the medical facility. After removing the protective suit, he stepped outside. The android that had driven him here was waiting in the small car. The sky had turned a dark blue and was streaked with wispy clouds which glowed orange and pink. It was remarkably beautiful, but did nothing to lift his spirits.
They drove back to the house in silence. When he went inside, Bellabot greeted him and said, “Your dinner is still in the kitchen.”
“I’m not hungry. I’m going to bed.” He ascended the staircase and went into the gray and yellow bedroom next to Leona’s. It still wasn’t clear if this room was meant for him, but he didn’t care. He collapsed onto the bed and sobbed into a pillow.
Leona tried to focus on her normal routine, but her mind kept circling back to her new bodyguard. As she went through her usual series of yoga poses on the floor mats in her home gym, Roemell sat in the corner. His eyes were red and puffy, and he hadn’t said a word all morning.
She had gotten the news as soon as she woke up. Jovelyn had passed away in the middle of the night. Leona remembered how sad she had been when her grandmother died, but she had been old and had lived a full life. She imagined what Roemell was feeling right now was probably worse.
On top of that, he was pretty useless right now as a bodyguard. Lunging forward, she stretched her arms up into a crescent pose. She wasn’t entirely convinced one single man would be able to protect her if terrorists attacked their estate.
Her father had taken several additional measures to protect them on top of hiring Roemell. A moat was being dug around the perimeter of the houses and would be filled with water. It would prevent fire from spreading to the houses and block off intruders on foot. There was also a new fence that was fifteen feet high and capped with razor wire that had been erected around their fields.
They already had an underground emergency shelter which was stocked with enough provisions to house the whole family for a year. It was also where the estate’s central computer—the machine which automated all of their robots and managed activities—was located. The shelter had been there since the estate was first established, and every family had one.
Her father had also commissioned a new fleet of security androids after she asked him to. He thought they would be useless against the rebels—the lurch—but it was something to help her feel safe which made the extra measure worthwhile.
She stretched out her right leg and leaned into the stretch, grasping her foot with both hands. She hated thinking about something bad happening. In all the previous attacks, the family had come through unscathed. However, with each attack the fires had gotten progressively bigger and more disastrous. The Patels had fled their land when the lurch came for them, and now all of their acreage was decimated. Leona didn’t know what had happened to them afterwards beyond the fact that they escaped with their lives.
Glancing back at Roemell before lying down on her back, she recalled t
hat he had narrowly escaped one fire already. She lifted her hips off the floor into a bridge pose and tried to concentrate on her breathing. After inhaling and exhaling slowly, she lowered her back down to the floor.
“Bellabot! I’m done working out. I need a shower.”
Bellabot flashed a few lights and followed her to the spa which was located right off the gym. It had closets full of clothes and fluffy towels, hot tubs, a sauna, steam room, and two large showers. The showers had several therapeutic settings, and she selected the lavender aromatherapy one.
When Roemell stayed put in his corner, Bellabot prompted him, saying, “Mr. Roemell, you are required to follow Miss Leona.”
He nodded and slowly pulled himself up to standing. His shoulders and head drooped as he walked across the gym and entered the spa. He took a seat just outside of Leona’s shower.
She glanced at him, her eyes widening when she realized that he had to watch her while she bathed. But before she could protest, a frosted panel blocked off the entry of the shower stall, both physically separating the two and blurring the view, making only her outline vaguely discernible. She had been holding her breath, and gave a quick sigh of relief before undressing and enjoying the scented spray of warm water.
Once she was clean, a moisturizing mist was spritzed onto her skin, followed by a silver glitter spray. With her skin glistening, she took a seat at the vanity in the shower while Bellabot dried her tightly curled hair and styled it in the loose waves Leona preferred.
“Is there a makeup look you would like for today?”
She was going to her mother’s house for lunch. Her mother frequently told her that she wore too much makeup, but would scold her for looking tired as if she weren’t trying if she wore none. “Perfected natural.”
The bot proceeded to apply heavy makeup, including a base which made her skin look flawless and even, topped with highlights and shading to sculpt her face, rouge on her cheeks, and subtle brown liner around her eyes. Her lips stung as Bellabot applied a plumping gel then a nude pink glass. Once the fake lashes were glued on, her look was complete.
Clothes were waiting for her—a gray knit top, charcoal pencil skirt, and nude kitten heels. When Leona finished dressing, Bellabot draped a simple gold chain necklace around her neck and clasped a matching bracelet around her wrist. Then the panel receded, and she looked down to see Roemell sitting on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest and silently sobbing.
“Uh, are you going to be all right?”
He looked up at her and quickly wiped the tears from his face. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had finished.”
This was the first time her mother would meet her new bodyguard, and she wanted it to go well. “Bellabot, is there something you can do to help Roemell… um…” Look like he hadn’t just lost the only person he loved? Make him at least a little presentable? “Freshen up?”
Bellabot zipped out of the spa and returned a moment later with a small spray bottle. “Please keep your eyes open.” He glared at the bot as it spritzed him once in each eye. “Now blink.”
He opened and closed his eyes a few times. “Ow, that stings.”
He lifted a fist to his eye, but before he could touch his face the bot said, “Don’t rub. The swelling will go down over the next two minutes. Mild discomfort and temporary blurriness are common side effects.”
Leona studied his face carefully. His green eyes were kind of pretty, but not when they were all swollen like this. He didn’t look any better, but there wasn’t much else she could do.
“Bellabot, give Roemell some dark sunglasses, and then we’ll get going.”
Once he was wearing shades, he looked fine, but she was still worried. Deep down, she knew her mother wouldn’t approve of him, and for some reason she wanted her mom to like him.
• • •
Roemell still couldn’t believe she was gone. Bellabot had woken him up in the middle of the night to tell him that Jovelyn had passed away. Memories of her swirled through his mind as he tried to keep his composure.
Leona, on the other hand, was fidgeting with with her hands as she led the way from the largest house of the estate to one of the smaller ones nearby. “My mom and dad are separated. They have been for a while now. She can be a bit, uh, caustic, so don’t take anything she says too seriously.”
He knew her mother’s type well. Living a life of privilege which soured into extreme entitlement and judgment. She was the kind of person who turned away everyone not like her and set the security androids to kill any and all trespassers. He was too drained to make himself care about the lady of the estate and her relationship with her daughter. All he could do was go through the motions, and he figured that would be enough to get him through this lunch.
When they got to the entrance, a man wearing a tuxedo opened the door and gestured for them to enter. He was tall, with hyper-masculine features: broad chest, square jaw, and a shadow of facial hair on the lower half of his face. Roemell would have been intimidated by this man any other day, but at the moment, couldn’t make himself care.
This house was very different than the one Spencer and Leona lived in. Instead of having a separate entry hall, the door led straight into the living area, which was furnished with an oversized sofa and chairs. The walls were a creamy yellow and above were large wooden beams spanning the ceiling. Rectangular rugs covered most of the red tile floor.
“Ms. Donelle is waiting for you in the courtyard,” the man wearing a tux announced.
Leona led the way through the living room and kitchen to the back door which opened to a patio. As soon as Leona stepped outside, Donelle got up from her seat and gave her daughter a light hug, kissing both of her cheeks. “Leona, dear, it’s so good to see you.” The older woman was stunningly beautiful with delicate features and long blond hair. Her fitted white dress showed off her tall and slender figure.
Leona shuffled awkwardly. “Uh, this is my bodyguard, Roemell. Roemell, this is my mother, Donelle.”
Donelle only glanced at him briefly. “So your father really did hire a meat-bag. He actually offered to find one for me as well.” She chuckled at the idea. “Please, take a seat.”
There were only two chairs set at the cafe-style table, so Roemell stood near the edge of the patio with his back against the exterior wall. With only the dining area and a narrow strip of manicured grass, the square courtyard was quite small. Two sides were flanked by the exterior of the house and a third by a wall of hedges. The fourth was lined with low shrubs growing in large urns with an unobstructed view beyond. He could see a lush garden, hills of shrubs, and even a glimpse of the ocean beyond. It wasn’t a terrible view.
“Shouldn’t we get a chair for Roemell?” Leona asked.
“Why? He has a job to do and won’t be joining us for lunch. He’s fine where he is.”
Leona’s neck and chest grew red and blotchy. She looked embarrassed. “Mom. He’s a person, not an android. He also needs to eat.”
Donelle waved a hand through the air as she sat, dismissing her daughter’s concerns. “Well, not with us. I bet he’s not even hungry. Are you hungry?” She turned to address Roemell.
“No, ma’am.” The last thing he wanted was to be included in their meal. He preferred to be a fly on the wall.
“See! He’s fine. Now take a seat.” Leona reluctantly sat down at the table and spread the napkin on her lap. “I love that top you’re wearing. Pity it’s such a drab shade. You should really consider dressing in some color.”
Leona sighed. “You’re not wearing any color, either.”
“Getting a sunshine-yellow blouse wouldn’t kill you.”
“Mom, just drop it, okay? You’ve made your point.”
Donelle huffed. “I’m sorry that talking about how beautiful you are is so upsetting to you.” She stuck two fingers between her lips and made a sharp whistle, then called out, “Beaubot!”
The man wearing a tuxedo who had let them in came outside from the kitchen. As he d
rew closer, Roemell realized that he wasn’t actually living, but an android. An incredibly life-like android.
“There you are. We’re parched. I need a glass of white.”
Beaubot nodded, then turned to Leona. “I’ll have a glass as well,” she said.
After the bot returned with their drinks, the two women chatted about the weather and their activities for the past week. Roemell had an easy time tuning out their conversation and stood in a daze as they ate a course of salads followed by dainty sandwiches and concluded with tiny cakes.
With each course, Donelle asked for another glass of wine, and by the time they finished their meal, she was swaying slightly in her seat and slurring her words. “Let’s take a turn around the garden.”
“Sure.” Leona got up from her seat and walked with her mother between two of the urns to a pathway through the garden.
Roemell tripped as he moved from his spot, but regained his balance quickly before following behind the pair.
“Oh,” Donelle said, looking back. “Does he really have to come with us?”
“He’s supposed to follow me everywhere.”
The older woman laughed. “I can’t believe your father would hire a man to protect you. You should never trust a man.” She lowered her voice. “He could try to rape you while you sleep.”
“Mom!” Leona shot a look at Roemell, mouthing ‘I’m sorry,’ before telling her mother, “Bellabot is also with me all the time. But he would never—”
“Hmph,” Donelle cut in. “All men have desires.”
Leona covered her face with her hands. “If you don’t like it, take it up with Dad. This wasn’t exactly my choice.”
Donelle glanced back at Roemell again. “No, certainly not. Beaubot!” Her android immediately came outside and approached her. “Why don’t you join us on our walk?”
