SAD ROBOT: an autobiography of my unfortunate existence

46. ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

46. ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS 

Even with how enamored Milo is with his new female android, he simply can not seem to shake the thoughts of Hiram and what he might have had gone to do with himself. He didnʼt think it was possible due to all robotsʼ internal coding, but would Hiram do something drastic? Would he go to the edge of one of the cityʼs bridges and throw himself off? Is that something that a robot could do, even though it violated one of its internal laws?

"Do you think I should find my friend?" Milo asks the robot girl. She remains seated next to him on the sofa, doll-like and listening courteously. Her big eyes never leave his face. Some might find that unsettling, but when the eyes of this girl are on Milo, he feels like an angel itself, from the very heights of Heaven, had come down and was willing to pay all of its attention solely to Milo. Like he now has a supernatural being at his guardianship. She makes him feel invincible.

"Thatʼs your decision to make," she speaks, almost completely monotone in response.

She has such a way of inflecting tone to her voice when needed. Sometimes it would contain all the cadence and emphasis of the most charming of talkers, while at other times, based on her assessment of the conversation, she keeps her voice low but hard, almost void of emotion entirely when she needs to make a point that requires that she come off sounding more pointed.

"I think heʼll be fine," Milo tries to admit, at least to help himself think it were true. He looks to Angelica again, if at least for more reassurance. Even with what had just happened, he still does not want the guilt of anything happening to Hiram. "You really think my friend will be okay?"

"Yes."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do."

"Why do you think heʼll be okay?" 

"Because I think so."

"Where will he go?"

"Milo, if you would like to watch a movie, we could go to the movies."

So, even a robot could become tired of his insecurity. He knew he would get nowhere in looking for reassurance from Angelica and it had been foolishly pointless to think heʼd receive anything different. He should have known this from the get-go. She hardly knew a single thing about Hiram or the situation. How could he expect her to give him insight into the mind of another robot? No two robots could ever be alike.

"I would like to do that with you," Milo says, accepting the change of subject and impressed with how clever her distraction technique is. She barely knows him but has figured out that the best thing to do is leave and find entertainment to get his mind off of things.

He could get used to her style. Yes, he could get used to it very much.

"Then shall we go now?" She rises from the sofa and waits for him to lead the way. Milo follows suit.

"Is this a date?" he jokes.

"Only if you want it to be," comes her serious response.

Milo cannot tell if thereʼs any giveaway that she is only making another humorous response. She reveals nothing, no slightest movement of her mouth, no raised eyebrow, nothing to infer any sarcasm.