Going Home

Going Home

                “Here you are Sir and Ms, a healthy baby boy,” the nurse tilted the small folds of blanket towards the couple, they smiled. “How wonderful, now we just need a healthy baby girl and everything will be just perfect.” The couple kissed as the nurse turned toward a young woman standing in the shadows of the room. The nurse handed the baby to the young woman without a second glance. Her, well, its name is A.M.Y (Android Mother Young). A.M.Y was one of three models in the Android Mother series developed for in home use. This model was highly advanced; advanced and quite beautiful. However, A.M.Y was prone to ‘malfunctions’ or spontaneous emotions as some owners refer. Mr. Stark and his wife Veronica would soon discover just how prone to ‘malfunction’ this android, their A.M.Y, really was.

         Four months after the birth of their son Claudius, Veronica discovered she was pregnant again; this time with a girl. She was ecstatic; elated with the news she couldn’t wait to tell her husband. “A.M.Y, come here,” Ms. Veronica always sounded angry when she called her and A.M.Y did not understand why. She had always done everything Ms. Veronica asked of her; which included staying awake at night to ensure little Claudius was still breathing. Ms. Veronica seemed so overprotective at times which A.M.Y assumed was because of Love; which was something A.M.Y still did not understand. Veronica stomped into Claudius’ room, “Did you not hear me?” She scoured at A.M.Y. “Yes Ms. Veronica. I heard you. I was placing little Claudius in the crib. Can I be of service?” “Yes you can,” Veronica said curtly, “I want you to pack an overnight bag. I will be traveling to New York to spend the night with my husband.” Yes Ms. Veronica,” A.M.Y said with a bow of her head leaving the room. Veronica looked in the crib at the sleeping baby and smiled.

         A.M.Y was not sure what it was but she seemed to move faster and lighter with Ms. Veronica gone. A.M.Y thought maybe she needed a tune-up. Walking past a restaurant on the way back to the residence she noticed something that made her stop. A.M.Y looked closer in the window of the restaurant keeping one hand on Claudius’ stroller and the other holding the bag of groceries. She saw a man lifting up a baby smiling up at it as he wiggled in his hands. And a woman holding the man was looking up making strange faces at the baby. They were both smiling and laughing. Just then A.M.Y wondered why Ms. Veronica and Mr. Stark had not ever looked at Claudius that way.

         Four years later, A.M.Y was chasing after little Melanie and little Claudius to get them ready for bed. “You can’t catch me A.M.Y I’m Superman, faster than a speed bullet!” Claudius squealed as he jumped over the couch landing on the cushions. “Not me, not me too A.M.Y. I’m faster than a speed bullet too!” Melanie tried to follow her brother over the couch but fell back onto the floor; she burst into tears, crying uncontrollably. “What’s going on in there?” Ms. Veronica yelled from her bedroom. She came out wearing a robe and her hair curlers. Another party…A.M.Y thought.

         “Can’t get those children in bed A.M.Y!?” Little Melanie was still crying as she got up and ran to A.M.Y. “Yes Ms. Veronica, little Melanie fell from the couch.” “Well, is she okay?” A.M.Y looked at little Melanie, cradled her in her arms and made a strange face at her; Melanie sniffed then cracked a smile. “Yes Ms. Veronica, little Melanie is fine.” Claudius poked his head over the couch and saw A.M.Y make faces at Melanie; he giggled. “Then get them to bed and keep them quiet.” “Yes Ms. Veronica.” A.M.Y lifted little Claudius off the couch and carried them to their room. As she put the children in their beds they smiled at her and said, “Night, night A.M.Y, lub you.” A.M.Y stopped when she reached for the light switch. Something happened. Deep inside her she felt a surge of electricity, or was it a power drain? She was utterly confused by what was happening inside her. Another malfunction…she thought. Suddenly a small drop of liquid escaped her eye. She reached for it letting it slide between her fingers. “Is this it?” She spoke to herself. “Is this love?”

         A couple of weeks later A.M.Y was coming back from the park with the children when she stopped, staring at a sign; an advertisement. Puzzled she read it aloud: YOUR CHILDREN ARE YOUR FUTURE. STAY YOUNG FOREVER, WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW. A.M.Y didn’t understand. She calculated that children were the future, that they would grow up to be adults. Later that night she heard Ms. Veronica and Mr. Stark talking. She heard Ms. Veronica first…”Well, I don’t wanna wait until they’re eighteen, I will be forty-five by then.” “Honey, the doctors say we can’t proceed until complete maturation. We have waited this long.” “The longer we wait the older I get. Fourteen and that’s final.” “Okay honey, fourteen then.” A.M.Y could not compute. Were they talking about the advertisement? Then finally, it hit her. A.M.Y understood and she was not going to let Ms. Veronica do this to the children, because…because she Loved them.

         A.M.Y waited until they were asleep then quickly packed the children’s bags and gathered them up, carrying them ever so delicately to Ms. Veronica’s car. A.M.Y calculated a place big enough to disappear without the Starks ever finding them.

         The morning sky was filled with radiant light and A.M.Y could finally see it; the beauty. A.M.Y felt everything now. Just then, their little eyes fluttered open. “Where we going?” They said in unison. “Home, we are going home my little ones.” Melanie and Claudius smiled wildly. “I love you mommy,” little Melanie said, and a tear ran down A.M.Y’s beautiful face…Happy Android Mother’s Day A.M.Y.



Word Count: 996