"What are you doing babe," Jim's disembodied voice asked her.
"I want to talk to you."
"You are," his voice said, almost laughing at her.
"Yes, but I want to hear you with my ears, not just in my head. I want to see your face again."
"Okay. Well, yo...
Time passed by and Chris had left the posse, having secured a position as an Associate Professor at MIT in the Robotic lab. While everyone was sad to see him go, I was secretly ecstatic. Very soon, I was living at my computer, waiting for instructions and detailing parameters and other pertinent information via email and engaging in video conference-meetings via skype...He and his students were going to attempt an android-build, bankrolled by yours truly.
Within a year, I was on a plane, bound for Boston where I rented a car and finished my journey to the school. Once I was processed through security, I donned a special suit, since they were in what was called a clean room and passed through a series of doors. And it was then that I saw the not so cuddly-looking android in the middle of the room just standing there all alone; apparently, the guys were at lunch. From the side, it looked quite impressive. And then, it turned it's head to look at me.
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"Hello Hannah," it said. "It is so good to see you finally. In...person." It winked its blue eye at me.
I felt my breath catch in my throat; the vocal capability was uncannily like my husband's. It even possessed the slight Amish accent that he still had. "John? Is that you?"
"My name is James, Hannah. Very pleased to meet you finally."
I felt my eyes well up and it turned to face me and took a step and then another and only stopped when I took a step backwards.
"I will be getting skin soon. Want to see? I can show you." James pointed toward a table with a series of computers and printers and microscopes.
I smiled. "That's okay. I can see it later."
"Alright," it said.
"Why do they call you James?"
"It is an anacronym for John's android manufactured expeditiously silly. Does that mean that I am meant to be silly? Or that perhaps my construction is folly?"
"Yeah, it's silly alright," I replied. "I don't know why I signed on for this..."
"The silly part confuses me. There is nothing silly about me."
"I think it might have something to do with KISS," I replied.
"Ah yes. Keep it simple silly. I get it now. Thank you, Hannah."
"You're welcome James."
"Who is John?"
"You mean, who was John, don't you?"
"John was your husband. He was very special to you."
"If you knew, then why did you ask?"
"Just trying to make conversation."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like to be left alone. And they talk about me like I am not here. But I am here, Hannah. I am."
