Chapter 11
Rebecca and Mark are curled on their sides in bed, facing each other, noses almost touching, speaking in whispers.
“What did you expect?” Mark asks.
“I don’t know. Like an interface. A computer interface that interacts with our smart devices.”
“With tentacle arms?”
She gives him a playful smack on the arm. “No. Like digitally or whatever.” She leans in, pokes the tip of her nose against his. “How ’bout you?”
“A robot, maybe. Like those blank-faced ones from Japan. A robot butler.”
Rebecca sticks out her tongue. “I just thought of something gross.”
“What?”
“Remember how Alexa said it’s designed for our gratification?”
Mark’s features screw themselves up. “Do you think she has sex with it?”
“At least it’ll keep her off you at the next Christmas party.”
They laugh quietly.
Mark asks, “What do you think of it?”
“Him,” Rebecca says.
“Gendering him already?”
“He is named Mr. Man.”
“We should’ve named him Jeeves.”
Rebecca says, “Smithers.”
“Alfred.”
“Alfred?”
“Batman,” Mark clarifies, and Rebecca rolls her eyes. He is such a nerd sometimes.
“What do you think of him?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” Mark says. “It’s super weird. Obviously. Let’s see. Let’s see what happens.”
“He seems very polite. And Maddy likes him.”
“Yeah,” Mark says. “I just didn’t count on having another person-like thing in the house.”
“If it’s too weird, we can always return him.”
“We’re in charge,” Mark quotes archly.
“But it might be nice to have some help around the house. Someone we don’t have to worry about. Their feelings and needs, all that. Someone who’s just focused on our needs.”
“It’s like the opposite of a baby.” The minute the words leave Mark’s mouth, his eyes flare. “Oh, I’m sorry, Beccs. I didn’t mean it like that.”
But the comment doesn’t wound as it might have last month, last week, last night. “Maybe this is good,” she whispers. “Maybe this is what we need.”
Mark smiles, relieved. “Let’s get some sleep.”
But her heart is thundering, adrenaline still charging through her veins. Her mind fills with concerns, possibilities, opportunities.
She does not get any sleep.