The Scryer ✔️

~Stage Two~

I watched Purson go back and forth on the riding lawn mower with a grin on my face. So then, I walked out onto the wooden deck and continued to watch him. When he drove by, I waved at him and he smiled and waved back. When he was finished, he drove the mower into the garage and cut the engine off.

And I was waiting at the door for him. When he entered the house from the garage, I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," I gushed. "I just couldn't bring myself to go do it..."

"You're welcome, Gabby. It was rather fun. Not as fun as driving the truck down the turnpike, mind you, but it was fun."

"I'm glad," I replied.

He circled his arms around my waist. "You are telling me the truth..."

I leaned back and looked up into the mechanical eyes. "Well, yeah..."

He shook his head quickly. "You surprise me. I haven't been surprised in a very long time."

"Why are you surprised?"

"I just...am," he replied.

"Well, my thoughts were, if you had fun, then you might have fun again when you have to do it again," I giggled. "And, wouldn't it really nice if we could actually manage to get along?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes and looked to the side momentarily. I really didn't expect a sigh out of him and I half expected him to inhale deeply and sigh harder. He merely shook his head and looked at me. "What else do you need me to do?"

"Well, since you asked..."

"Wait." He gently grabbed at my shoulders.

"Okay?"

"Did John have to do all this?"

I nodded. "Yes he did and more. You should know all this...Don't you remember?"

He nodded in response. "Just checking," he said with a smile.

I found myself laughing a moment later and he seemed a little bothered by it.

"Why are you laughing?"

I shook my head. "Because you don't trust me either!"

Then, he laughed as well and nodded his head. "You're right. I don't."

"Look," I said as gently as I could. "You said that you were going to be here for a long time. I'd like to be here for a long time too. I want to watch our son grow up to me an amazing whatever it is that he wants to be and to get married and have babies, and..."

It was then, he pulled me to him and kissed me; very tenderly at first. The man-made flesh of the android's mouth was warm and soft, and if I'm being honest, it was a very nice kiss and on a scale from one to ten, I would have given it about a seven.

"What was that for," I asked.

"You said, 'our son'."

I nodded. "Well, he is."

He nodded again. "Yes."

"I think he would be very upset if he realized that we aren't getting along, don't you think?" I watched him nod his head. "So I am doing my best to do exactly that."

"I appreciate that, Gabrielle. Thank you."

"And thank you," I replied. I turned my head, having heard Alexander come down the stairs and round the corner into the kitchen.

"Mam? Is it time to eat yet? I'm hungry."

I looked at the clock on the microwave oven. "Yes, it's close to lunch time. Any requests?"

"Hot dogs and mac and cheese?"

I chuckled as I swished his blond hair. "Your favorite..." I nodded. "I think I can manage that," I said.

"Yay!" He clapped his hands and then looked to Purson. "Are you going to have some too?"

He shook his head. "No Son."

Alexander's eyes turned cold. "You better be nice to my Mam," he warned.

"Oh?"

He nodded his head.

"Or what?"

"You'll see."

Purson laughed heartily and then he looked at me and then glanced back toward Alexander. "Well, I suppose I am here on approval?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Honestly, I think if that were that the case, I doubt that you'd be here at all."

_____

I ate lunch with Alexander while Purson sat at the head of the table and watched us along with both the cat and the dog. "Did you feed Simba and Chewy this morning?"

"Umm..."

I closed my eyes and sighed heavily. I rose from my chair and Purson grabbed my hand and silently asked me to return to my chair with a shake of his head. Then he looked to Alexander. "As I understand it, the animals are your responsibility. If I have to do menial chores such as cutting the grass and taking out the garbage, then you have to do your chores as well. Your mother takes very good care of you and this house. Those are her chores and she does them gladly. You should follow her example and do the same."

Alexander looked toward his plate and nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied quietly.

"Good. Please finish your meal and then take care of your animals."

Alexander nodded his head again. "Yes sir." Then he looked up to me. "I'm sorry, Mam."

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Simba and Chewy."

He nodded a third time and I saw the water works begin. "I'm not hungry any more."

"Alright. Go feed the furries and then go up your room and get your laundry together so I can get things going. Okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Okay," Purson asked. "What happened to, yes ma'am?"

My son breathed in deeply and then looked to me. "Yes Mam," he replied quietly.

I forced a smile and nodded my head. "I'll clean up the dishes. Go ahead, you're excused."

"Yes, Mam."

When Alexander left the room with his cat in his arms and the dog following closely behind, Purson looked to me. "I can feel that he hates me more than you do."

"I don't hate you, Purson," I told him. "I only hate what you've done."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose I will be spending eternity atoning for my transgressions then?"

"I suppose so?"

He took my hand gently in his and brought it to his lips. "Then I shall endeavor to do so."

He rose from the chair and moved to leave the kitchen for another part of the house and I watched him as I sat in my chair. "Purson?"

"Yes Gabrielle?"

"You did good back there. Thank you."

He nodded and smiled. "Thank you. You deserve all the respect that you've earned."

I smiled and looked away and shrugged my shoulders, feeling quite inadequate. That's when he turned on his heel and rushed across the expanse of the large room and stood behind me. He lowered his face as he lifted mine toward him and I felt his lips touch my forehead.

"You do."

I was afraid he was going to plant one of his signature kisses on me, but he refrained...I breathed in deeply...What I was really concerned about what might happen in the dead of night, when it was just him and me...I simply wasn't ready to hand over my body to him again.