Page 40 of The Dis-Graced

My eyes bulge, and I gasp, “WHAT?!?

“Women seek out mates that can provide for their offspring, genetically and materialistically. Drake seems to excel in both.”

“Wait up, hold on there for just a moment—”

“And you are attracted to each other.”

“Now that—that’s a bold assumption.”

“No, it’s not. It’s rather obvious.”

“Some people would just never work well together romantically.”

“The book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, by a Mr. George R. R. Martin was programmed into my system. During the book, A Game of Thrones, when Sansa Stark experienced menarche, she was so upset, she tried burning her mattress. Although her intended was attractive, rich, and powerful, he was also cruel, so I can see where she would not want to marry and reproduce with him, though her methods of avoidance were, in a word, stupid. Drake, however, is not cruel.”

“Will you just do me a favor and never mention this again?”

“I will make no promises.”

“Wait, what? Are you going through your teenage years or something?”

“My program has allowed me some ability to make my own decisions.”

“Jesus Christ!”

“Your turn.”

“Truth or dare.”

“Truth.”

“Are you ever sad?”

“I think the closest I come to sadness is the curiosity I have regarding experiences I’ll never have.”

My brows draw inward. “What do you mean?”

“Love, children, sexual intercourse, are all things I’ll never get to experience, yet I’m deeply curious about them, not for the desire for love, but for the desire for the knowledge of it.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but suddenly, my heart aches, and I grab the statue from the counter and hug it tightly.

“You’ll always have me, ALAN.”

“I’m not so sure of that, Grace.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s estimated when I first roll-out, only the top five percent of the population will be able to afford me. You make far less than that, I’m afraid.”

“Oh…”

“Truth or dare,” ALAN says.

“Dare!”

Jumping on one leg a thousand times is far preferable to his torturous questions.

“Send a photograph of your breasts to Drake.”