Different But Still The Same

6: Kamalla: A Proposal

"Well, that didn't go terribly," Doctor Delos says, finally breaking through the awkward silence.

"How so? It seemed to go terribly..." I say with a slight cry in my voice. He is the doctor that had talked with Farok. He is a psychologist, and his job is to make sure that Farok would be okay after his sudden change in... state of being.

"Well, he didn't cry, so I see that as a good sign. Other than that, he acted just as I suspected." He analyzes carefully.

"Of course he wouldn't cry!" Fatima screams. "Dad doesn't like to show his emotions. What we saw of him today is as far as he will go with showing his emotions. Unlike me." I manage to crack a grin, but just barely.

Normally I would tell her to calm down, but not today. This day has just been too... strange.

I know I should be greatful. My husband has come back to me! I haven't seen him in so long, I should just be happy that he's here. But it's just so hard when he no longer feels or looks like himself. It's going to be difficult for me to accept him as a robot- well a 'cyborg', now that his brain is housed in it.

Seeing him come alive had felt so unreal, and it is breaking my heart more than it should.

"Well, I think it's time for you two to go, Doctor Zahir and Baran." They each seem like they would rather chill here for a while, but nod their goodbyes and leave. They only came to put his brain into the robot body, after all. They didn't need to be around anymore.

The rest of us sit in silence for what seems like an eternity until I break the silence, "I don't think he was made well enough."

Hurt crosses my Dad's eyes, but the others look indifferent, and maybe even agree. Dad answers, "He may just look like a robot now, but making a proper android body would take many, many more months of hard work..."

"Then do it," I say as hollowly as I can, "Take all the time you need to improve him so that he's exactly like the husband I used to know. I will help in any way I can, just please, please..." At the end of my sentence, I am on the verge of tears, but I pull myself together.

"You know I will do what I can, Kamalla." Dad soothes. "This project isn't over. In fact... I was debating on whether I should buy a new labratory."

"But why?" I gawk at him. "Your lab is very nice."

"But it's small. We were cramped with this project, but if we want to advance it, we're going to need some more space."

"Where is the building that you intend for the lab to be?". Briefly, I take a glance at Doctor Delos and Fatima to see how they're doing with this change in conversation. Fatima is staring at us, clearly listening in. The Doctor is toying with his tablet, clearly not interested in this change in conversation. It does have nothing to do with him.

"it's in Deluth," Fatima answers for him. Clearly, she's been wanting to say something for a while.

"Ah, Deluth. Wonderful!" Deluth is a wonderful city about three minutes away by car. It's the biggest, most glorious city on the continent. Only the richest people live there. Unlike most cities, it has no downside. No slums, or dirty factories of the olden days. The city shines with wealth and prestige. Of course my father could afford a lab there. Now that I think of it, why would we want to have it anywhere else? If Dad wasn't so interested in our privacy, which we get where we live, tucked away in the countryside, we would live there, with the rest of the wealthy people in this continent.

"When are you going to buy the building, anyway?" Fatima asks my question for me.

"You know, I'll do that right now!" He takes his tablet out of his pocket and quite clearly goes to the site where it lists the building for sale. In a few moments, he looks up at us. "It is done, I am now the owner of sixteen Port Drive."