Page 10

Chapter ten

Nora

N ora finished eating and stepped outside, not seeing Simon anywhere as she and Tilly walked to the tub to bathe. Her body relaxed as she scanned the skies. No drone up there right now either. Now that the area was as private as it could be, she made a few trips inside, heating potfuls of the water on their gas burner to warm the tub.

After pouring the hot water into the tub, she brought Tilly close. “Okay, hop in. You’re old enough, Tilly, to do it all yourself. Scrub real good. Once you get out I’ll help you with your hair.”

Nora went back inside and pulled out their waste bucket from the nonfunctional bathroom, taking it far away to empty. By the time she came back, Tilly had finished bathing and was ready to get out. Nora handed her a towel and pointed at her waiting outfit before she undressed herself.

She did a quick look around, making sure again that the area was clear. Not only still from drones but from Simon too. She snorted. What does it matter anyways? He’s just an android. Nora shook herself, but moved fast just in case.

The desert air hit her bare body as she lowered herself in the tub. The water had mostly cooled off so Nora bathed quickly, not just because of her nerves. She scrubbed her skin and hair with leftover soap, dunking her head, then reminded Tilly to get dressed when she saw her dawdling, fiddling with a little toy boat she had in a separate tub of water.

Nora got out herself, shaking a bit from being wet, chilled in the humid air that followed the rainstorm. Everything felt much better as she dried and ran her fingers through her hair. Feels good to be clean. As she toweled off, she considered Simon’s words that it used to be hotter here before. Maybe it’s the haze that changed the temperature . It just was moderately hot, all the time. Except right now, as it felt almost pleasant to be outside for a bit with her hair wet in the breeze. Usually she wanted to run inside to the air conditioning.

Once Nora was dressed, she walked back to the house and yelled, “We’re all out, Simon!”

There was a faint reply from around the house, “I’ll be a few more moments.”

A few moments. Okay. Nora didn’t know exactly where he went off to and shifted on her feet uncomfortably before turning back to Tilly and helping her with her hair. He’ll come when he’s done I guess.

“You’re pulling too hard!” Tilly yelled at Nora, her tiny face screwed up in pain as Nora combed her hair out.

Nora held up her hands, taken aback by Tilly’s wild movements. “I’m sorry, it’s just been a bit since it got brushed out and there is a big knot.”

“No more!”

Nora did one more swipe. “Okay, okay, I got most of it. Now you don’t look like such a wild child.” She knew better than to suggest they cut it. Tilly loved having her hair long to match Nora’s.

Leaving Tilly alone, she brought the brush to her own hair, wincing as she ran into the same sort of knots.

Simon still hadn’t appeared as Nora brushed her hair while facing the house, scanning the horizon. Where is he? She bit her lip. Maybe he isn't as waterproof as he thought. A trace of fear raced down her spine. Or did he maybe leave?

Nora finished with her hair and decided to find him, leaving Tilly to continue playing with her boats floating in the bath water. After turning the corner she saw Simon sitting near the back of the house. There he is. His back was turned away with only the top of his head visible next to some spare wood stacked on the wall.

“Oh, I told you we were done,” she stammered before looking away as she got close enough to see his bare torso. Her cheeks heated. Ah, he’s washing too.

“Yes. I was just taking advantage of the sunlight and the water myself.” Simon answered calmly. He took a rag to himself with a bucket of water and carefully cleaned off the synthetic jumpsuit he wore, before pushing it down further on his torso.

Nora turned away fully and gave him privacy for the rest, her face red. I already saw his body when I fixed him. But that had a clinical detachment that was now missing with him awake. Other than the bit of artificial skin missing from his neck and on his shoulder, Simon was intact everywhere. He looked human. Like a perfect human male . Nora chided herself, reminding herself yet again that he was an android.

There is no need to feel embarrassed . But still . . . Nora kept her eyes averted, staring at the mountains in the distance. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were still cleaning up back here. We’ll give you some privacy too, Simon. Tilly and I will go collect all the laundry. After you’re done we can wash all of that too.”

She walked back around the house to Tilly and heard Simon answer, “Alright, Nora.”

Nora didn’t pause as she went up to Tilly, who was still floating one of her little boats in the tub water. She pushed thoughts of Simon far from her mind. “C’mon Tilly. Help me get the laundry, okay?”

They collected the dirty clothes and sheets. But every time she exited the house, Nora carefully kept her eyes far away from where Simon was washing.