While finishing some schoolwork later in the night, an email popped up in my inbox from Colife Industries with the subject line: Scheduled Maintenance for Your Domestic Caregiver.

Xander would soon have to return to the facility to undergo routine maintenance where any malfunctioned, missing, or worn parts or sensors would be replaced and, if necessary, recalibrated. The email asked if we as the client had any concerns that we feel needed tending to. They provided a link to a survey that requested us to report any odd or irregular movements or behavior of our droid.

Amazingly, they confirmed Xander's report of the incident with dropping the knife on his foot. I only had to verify the incident and provide details. Before sending the email, I sat in the chair for ten minutes debating if I should mention his fragmented memory. But after realizing they'd want details of what events taking place before and after, I decided against it.

I sent the email, closed my computer, and pulled out my phone to text the Misfits.

"How's BaeBae?"

It took a couple minutes for Rima to answer. "Damn vet sent a droid to evaluate her. The droid didn't even blink when talking to me. Creepy as hell. Testing her to make sure she hasn't caught a strain."

I frowned. "Are you ok?"

"As cool as cucumber salad. Sorry I couldn't meet Xander." She punctuated the message with a said face emoji.

"Did someone say cucumber?" I could imagine Austin's wink as clear as day.

"Let's make time this weekend to take Xander to our favorite night club," I suggested, anticipating another excuse from Austin.

"Let's do it!" he responded, surprising me.

I lifted an eyebrow. "What do you say, Rima?"

"Sure, I'm gonna wear something so inappropriate even Xander would want to spank me, so watch out!"

"Great!" A flutter of excitement bubbled in my guts, even though I couldn't detect the level of seriousness in her words. "Later."

As soon as I sent the text, the lights in the room flickered, making the stark white space pitch black for a couple seconds. That only happened a few times in previous years and only immediately before Dad triggered his bedside emergency button, causing the lights in every room to flicker and alert me of an emergency no matter where I was in the house.

I stood just as the loud buzzing followed, emerging from the panel next to the light controls on the wall. I rushed out of the conference room, up the stairs, down the hall, past the piano in the living room and the vacant kitchen to enter Dad's room.

Thankfully the sight of Xander standing at his side eased my fears even if for a split second. Xander exuded the energy of a solid block of marble compared to Dad who flailed his arms about like a fish out of water.

"No, no, no," Dad complained, directing his comments to no one in particular.

"Dad?!" I rushed to his side, trying to figure out the problem visually but failing. "What's wrong?"

"He just won't let up." He glared, not acknowledging anything else in the room but Xander. "He's forcing me to eat, and bathe... How many times do I have to tell him I just want to lay here? I don't want any of it."

Xander pressed the red button on the nightstand to stop the maddening buzzing. "I activated the emergency system because he was threatening to harm himself. I knew you could help, Leo."

"Dad?" I took in the sight of the thin, wiry white hairs on his head, the dark bags under tired, wrinkled eyelids, and the overall look of an unhealthy man on the edge. "Should I get ahold of Dr. Spencer? I'm gonna call him."

"No, son. I just want to be left alone. No melons, no baths, no exercise. None of that."

"Sir?" Xander started, but before he could finish his statement, an aluminum spoon flew through the air, leaving Dad's hand to meet Xander's cheek before clattering on the hard wooden floor. The chiming of metal echoed throughout the space, bringing more attention to it.

"Dad!" My voice raised out of shock more than anger. "What's going on with you?"

"Get it out of here." He pointed a wagging finger at Xander. "I don't want to look at it."

Xander bent to pick up the spoon before he turned to me. "I'm sorry, Rudy. I'll leave you to tend to James for the time being." And he left the room, cradling the spoon in his palm.

I frowned in confusion of the entire situation, but I was sure Dad didn't hear Xander mistakenly call me Rudy because he was preoccupied by the plate of melon on the nightstand. The way he grunted and snarled as he tried to grab the tray, I knew if he got ahold of it, it too would be heaved through the air like the spoon.

"What's going on with you?" I pushed his arm away from its target. "This isn't ok. You can't keep acting like this. Throwing stuff? Hurting Xander? What are you thinking?"

His eyebrows crept higher on his forehead, slowly erasing the angry scowl on his face with a look of realization and concern. "You think I'm hurting Xander? That machine? That walking, talking computer? And you think something's wrong with me?" He pronounced Xander's name like a curse word, not hiding his disgust. "Just because it's built better and prettier than the last one doesn't make them any different. You understand that don't you?"

"That's not how you treat people, Dad," I shook my head in disappointment, not backing down. "I thought you would've learned that by now." Subconsciously I glanced to the table where digital pictures of Mom and dad cuddling were displayed in the frame. Every few seconds, her thick brown hair and large, red smile contrasted with her even pale skin would greet us.

He sighed. "I thought we agreed not to speak of her." His lips trembled and he turned his head away, allowing the pillow to soak up each tear as they dropped from his brown eyes.

"Aw, Dad." I caressed his forearm, doing my best to comfort him.

"I never wanted this, you know." Trying to hold back his cries only distorted his words. "The last thing I wanted was to be a burden or ruin your life."

"But I don't see you as a burden and my life isn't ruined." I shook my head, continuing to show my support through gentle caresses. "In fact, my life wouldn't be the same without you. Even if I could, I wouldn't change a thing. I love you, Dad."

With a firm grip, he clutched my hand. Forcing a smile through the sadness and frustration etched on his face with tears. "Love you, Son."

After providing tissues for him to wipe his eyes and allowing him to collect himself, I went to the door. "I'm gonna go check on Xander. I'll let you rest."

Before I closed the door behind me, he stopped me. "Listen, Son. No matter what, if you pull back the covering on its chest, you won't find a beating heart. Remember that."

I closed the door as my mind raced with the happenings of the last few minutes. There was much to process, and I didn't have the energy to focus on any particular issue.

What was going on with Dad? Should I get his doctor involved or would the issues pass on their own? Why did he react so hostile towards Xander? And who's Rudy?

The thought of the Xander prompted me to search the house for him. He spent most of his time in the kitchen, but I didn't see him as I passed it. The laundry would be the next duty he'd tackle on the to-do list.

I rushed downstairs to the laundry to find it dark, cold, and empty. Not even the machines were in use as if he hadn't visited the room at all today. Instinct urged me to peak next door inside his suite where the door always remained wide open.

When I stepped inside the room, the coldness of the space sent a chill down my back. Nothing had been touched, I couldn't even detect a wrinkle in the bedsheets. And the lack of warmth gave it the feel of an abandoned space. However, Xander stood motionless in front of the closet. I couldn't read the expression on his face, but I imagined what had to be going through his mind as he stared at the closed closet door.

"It's just a storage space, Xander," I said, hoping to snap him out of the trance he seemed to be in.

He didn't acknowledge my presence with a turn and a look like I assumed he would. "Closets are where people store things they try to hide." His eyes remained locked on the closet door, particularly the handle that kept it shut.

"There's nothing in there, Xander."

"Your previous caregiver was stored there." He turned to me, finally giving me the opportunity to read his facial expression, which reminded me of the look I gave when trying to convince Dad not to hurt Xander.

I gulped with guilt. "Sometimes it's easy to treat things like objects when they don't behave or look human. And in some cases, even if they have human characteristics, knowing they don't have blood pumping through their veins, or a consciousness makes it easy for humans to see them as items and not people."

The next words out of Xander's mouth took me off guard. "I don't like how James treats me."

I shook my head. "Me neither."

"When I ask him to stop, he doesn't." His lips trembled a bit as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry, Xander." An ache stirred in my chest. "If you react properly, maybe he just might."

He took a step forward, and his subtle movements became so clear as the space between us diminished. "I like how you treat me, Leo. In fact, I like you in general."

As he moved closer, I couldn't tear my sights away from his lips. I couldn't help but anticipate how he would express his newly admitted adoration. "I like you too, Xander. And I try to treat you how I'd want you to treat me." I couldn't deny my blatant sexual tension, and was sure it had been painted on my cheeks with beet red. For a moment, I wondered if he could pick up on it and if and how he would respond to it.

"I want to learn how to react to touch, Leo." He reached out toward my arm, stopping as his fingers were millimeters from my skin. "Can you teach me?"

"Yes." My lips responded before my mind could register what he was asking, but how could I say no to anything he asked of me? "Yes, I can. I will."

"May I?" His fingers hovered over my forearm and already I sensed the electrified tingles sending pleasure to my brain.

"Please," I breathed.

I tried to suppress a pleasure-filled shudder but failed as his fingers stroked my inner elbow. I closed my eyes, savoring the carnal sensation of another's silky skin on my touch-deprived body. So many years of only imagining a another's fingers exploring my body's most sensitive zones was slowly turning into reality with the gentle exploration of his fingertips on the crook of my arm.

I wanted more. Delicate caresses weren't enough to satisfy. I opened my eyes to deep, dark eyes staring back at me. I couldn't resist reaching up to sweep my thumb along the hard line of Xander's jaw. I parted my lips to verbally express my awe at his beauty, but he beat me to it.

"You are absolutely amazing, Leo." The bass in his voice sent delighted chills through me.

My heart swelled, taking over the logical part of my brain that wondered if he mimicked the words I had communicated to him on countless occasions. I tuned that part of my brain out, ignoring it to satisfy my need to touch his mouth.

The pad of my thumb brushed his supple bottom lip, and I waited for his reaction. He stared, but the corners of his mouth raised into a slight smile.

I wanted more. I needed to feel him on my lips, taste him, explore his mouth with mine.

"Can I...?" I hesitated.

"Yes, you can."

I cocked my head. "You don't even know what I was about to ask."

"You asked and that's enough. Yes."

My smile showcased my intrigue and awe. There was no other way to communicate how fascinated and connected I was to Xander other than guiding him to me by his chin and pressing my lips to his.

I didn't even bother suppressing my moan as the softness of his lips matched perfectly with my imagination. Curious, I peeked through the crack of my eyelids to see he too had closed his eyes. It only fueled my desires, urging me to let go of any inhibitions.

My palms tested his chest muscles, pleasure filled tingles crept along my spine as my palms detected tiny, hardened nipples under his suit.

With relaxed lips, I explored the smooth skin along his chin and neck before returning to his mouth. And this time his lips slightly puckered. He was learning quickly, and every nerve in my body wanted nothing more than to continue teaching. 

~~~

What part in this chapter surprised you most?