by Risner, Fay
“A robot,” she said dully.
“Robot! I never saw a robot that looked like him before. He looks human. He just don't feel like it,” Bud declared.
Elizabeth found his surprise amusing. She grinned as she popped back at him, “Glad I could be your first to meet a robot. Let me introduce you to this man robot named Hover Hill.”
“Could the two of you hold off on introductions until you have me on my feet and back into the house. My transmitters are freezing in place even as I speak,” Hover Hill droned weakly.
“If you still want to help just grab hold. You can't hurt Hover Hill. On the count of three we will lift,” Elizabeth said, taking a firm hold with both hands on Hover's upper arm. “One, two, three. Up you come, Hover Hill.” She grunted as she made the effort. She knew he'd be hard to lift. Hover came up ramrod straight between them and stood flat on his feet. “Good, Hover. Bud, as long as you're helping, can you help me get him up the steps? He can't climb steps well at all.”
“Sure thing,” Bud mumbled, his eyes glued on the robot.
As they took one step at a time, Elizabeth scolded, “Hover, you know you shouldn't be out here. You should mind me. I said you were to stay in the house. That was for your own good as you have now found out.”
Hover complained, “It is my job to get rid of the garbage. Farmer, can you tell me if there is a garbage route in this wilderness.
Bud shook his head. “Afraid not.”
“How do I get rid of trash?”
“See that metal barrel sticking out of the snow?” Bud pointed at the drift with a brown ring barely showing. Anything that burns goes in that. The rest, like cans and glass, you sack up in the garbage bag. That goes to the landfill. When you have a bag ready just let me know. I can take it for you when I take my trash,” Bud offered.
“Thank you, Farmer,” Hover said, concentrating on the last step. “It is nice to know a solution to this problem.”
“Bud, I really appreciate your help. Since you're here, why not come in? Warm up and have a cup of coffee with me for your trouble,” Elizabeth invited as she brushed the snow off her slacks. “I made a pot this morning before I went for my walk.”
“Coffee would taste good right about now. Help warm us both up.” Bud stomped his feet to dislodge the snow from his boots and stepped inside. He held onto Hover until the robot was through the door.
When he turned loose, Hover Hill took a few easy steps to see if he had good balance. “I seem to be walking fine. I just need to dry off. Thank you for your help, Farmer.”
“You can call me Bud.”
“That is not programmed into me. I can only call you Farmer,” Hover droned.
“Why?” Bud asked.
Hover stared at Bud. “Farmer is a lower case noun, a generic term for someone who works in the soil and takes care of animals. An apt name I think as I inspect you, and I happen to know all the nouns in the dictionary.”
“If you say so, Robot,” Bud said.
“My name is Hover Hill.”
Bud removed his cap and slapped it against his leg. “Oh, so you can use your own name.”
“That's right. My name was programmed into me.” Hover turned to leave, but he stopped to give Bud a piece of advice. “I should warn you, don't expect too much out of Beth's coffee. It tastes like paint thinner.”
“Is it that bad?” Bud asked.
Hover droned deeply. “Take my word for it. The coffee is as bad as the rest of my day has been.”
“Hover Hill, you can't drink coffee. You haven't any way of knowing how it tastes. Go stand by the fireplace and dry off,” ordered Elizabeth.
“Your name is Beth?” Bud asked, looking puzzled.
Hover turned around in the kitchen doorway to answer. Elizabeth beat him to it. “He isn't programmed for Elizabeth, either.”
At the same time, Hover said, “I was only programmed to call her Beth.”
Bud rubbed his hands together and sat down at the table. “Say, you have it real cozy in here.”
“Takes a lot of wood to do that. Thanks to a certain farmer I know I'm able to keep this old house warm,” Elizabeth said, smiling as she set a coffee cup in front of him.
“Just remember the farmer has a name, and you don't need programing like your robot to remember it. You know how to say my name.” Bud's eyes sparkled as he looked around. “Sure hasn't changed much in this house over the years, has it?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I thought Mr. Winston would have done a bit of remodeling as long as he's owned the house, but guess not.”
“Maybe he doesn't think it's worth it since he only uses the house about a month each year,” Bud reasoned.
“That's probably right. Now about Hover Hill. Would it be all right if we kept the fact that he's a robot between us? I'd rather not let others around here know about him. I feel safer in this house alone with Hover here since I'm in a strange place.”
Bud scratched a sideburn. “Well, I don't mind not saying anything, but I've already heard from several people about the good looking man that's shacking up with the newcomer in the old Carter place.”
“I see. You think the righteous citizens of Wickenburg might think better of me if they knew Hover was a robot instead of thinking I'm living in sin,” Elizabeth surmised. “I can't help what people are thinking. I just don't want anyone to know about him yet.”
“All right with me,” Bud agreed. “Want to go have a bite of supper with me at the diner tonight?”
“Dinner? With you? Just the two of us?” Stammered Elizabeth.
“Don't tell me that robot eats food?”
“No, he's a good cook though. I just can't go out with you tonight. I promised Hover I'd drive him around town to look at the Christmas decorations as soon as the roads were safe to travel on. He gets a kick out of all the bright, blinking lights. It actually means more to him than it does me.”
Bud took a sip of coffee before he asked, “You aren't much of a holiday person I take it?”
“Not really. I never had a reason to be,” Elizabeth said quietly, staring into her cup.
“Say, I haven't had a chance to look at the decorations yet myself, and I would like to see them. How about tonight I pick the two of you up, and we drive around town? Hover and I can look at the decorations together. At the same time, it might be a good way for you to get to know where all the businesses are located with me as your guide.” Excitement built in Bud's voice as he formulated the night's outing.
“If you're really sure you want to do that, I guess it would be all right,” Elizabeth said slowly, glancing toward the living room doorway.
“You think the robot would mind going with me?”
Elizabeth smiled. “I don't think he would since you helped rescue him. Guess we'll find out. Come after dark, and we'll be waiting for you.”
Bud drained his cup. “Time for me to get back to work.” He headed to the back door and turned around. “Oh, by the way, that coffee wasn't half bad. I've tasted worse.”
Elizabeth giggled. “Thanks, I think. See you tonight.”
After Bud left, Elizabeth went to check on Hover Hill. He was still standing in front of the fireplace. “Are you drying out?”
“I am much more comfortable now that I've stood here this long.”
“If you need to change into another shirt and slacks, I can go get a set of your spare ones out of my father's closet,” Elizabeth offered.
“Won't be necessary now. These clothes are dry,” Hover said, pinching his shirt and pulling it away from his chest.
“Bud is coming back tonight to pick us up to go to Wickenburg to look at the Christmas lights,” Elizabeth said.
“I thought you were going to take me to do that.” Hover droned deeply.
“I was, but Bud says he wants to show me where all the businesses are so we'll know our way around town. I thought it was nice of him to invite you along so you can see the decorations. As deep as the snow is, I might not be able to drive t
hrough it in my car to the highway. I really think Bud has a good plan. His pickup is probably four wheel drive,” Elizabeth explained.
Hover moved passed her. “Time to fix lunch.”
After that, Hover didn't say anything as he worked in the kitchen. Elizabeth took that as her cue to stay out of his way while he was busy. She went into the office, her father rebuilt from a small bedroom, to check her laptop. The battery was charged. She might as well start that book she kept saying she came here to write. Maybe she'd come out with something productive from this whole mess. Beat sitting around while she worried and twiddled her thumbs.
Hover came to the door to tell her lunch was ready. He quickly left for the kitchen. When Elizabeth sat down at the table, he had already started clean up.
“Out with it, Hover. Why are you so quiet?”
Hover bent to put a pan in the cupboard. “I think you would rather go look at the lights without me along. That is all right with me if I would be in the way.”
“I thought you said you weren't a mind reader. I intended to take you, because I knew you would enjoy the Christmas lights. If you don't go I won't go, either. No more discussion on this subject. We should both go with Bud. Enjoy the moment,” Elizabeth ordered.
“All right, but I have not the programming for emotions like joy,” Hover Hill responded in a deep drone.
“The point is do you want to go?” Elizabeth shot back.
“Yes.”
“Finally! Go you shall so no more discussion on the subject,” Elizabeth declared.
That evening, she found herself enjoying all the decorations and lights through the enthusiastic eyes of Bud and Hover Hill. They had her looking one direction then another as Bud drove slowly up and down the streets of Wickenburg. As Bud made a pass down Main Street under the crossed light strings, Elizabeth studied the businesses and read the signs above the doors out loud.
Hover said, “Beth, do you recognize any of the businesses?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “If I remember correctly, most of them are in the same place. Not much changes in a small town, Hover.”
Too late! In the light from a street lamp, she spotted the quizzical look on Bud's face. “Have you been to Wickenburg before?”
After a long hesitation to think, she said, “Yes. When I was a child, my family used to come visit here.”
When they neared the diner, Bud said, “Listen, I think I'll stop and get us a cup of hot chocolate.”
Elizabeth watched him through the plate glass window. She saw Susie greet Bud with an extra warm smile. Curiosity ran through her. Had Susie been a girlfriend in the past? Recent past from the congenial look on her smiling face. Maybe she was Bud's current girlfriend that had the misfortune to work tonight.
Bud ordered two hot chocolates. When Susie placed the cups on the counter, he said, “Thanks, Sis.”
“Who is the other drink for?” Susie asked.
“The woman living in our old house. We've been looking at the Christmas decorations all over town. Say would it be all right if I invited Lizzy to have Christmas dinner with us?”
“Oh, I don't know,” Susie drew out.
“It's you that always says one more at the table isn't going to make a difference,” Bud wheedled.
“One more? What about her boyfriend? That makes two more,” Susie corrected.
“Oh, well, he doesn't get out much. He wouldn't want to come,” Bud hedged. “You're the one that says no one should be alone on a holiday when we can help it. Right?”
“Sure, I said that,” Susie agreed reluctantly.
“Please,” Bud begged.
“She doesn't know us. Are you sure she would want to come to our house for the day and leave the boyfriend at home?”
“I haven't ask her yet if she'd like to spend Christmas with us. As for the man living with her, she says he's not her boyfriend. I've met him, and I have reason to believe her. I wanted to okay the invitation with you, before I ask Elizabeth. I'm pretty sure I can talk her into it,” Bud said.
“All right. Ask her.” Susie had doubt written all over her face.
“Thanks, Sis. You're a peach.” Bud laid payment for the chocolates on the counter and headed for the door, whistling Jingle Bells.
Chapter 8
Two hours later, they were back at the Winston house. Bud helped Elizabeth get Hover Hill up the steps. As soon as they turned loose of him, Hover headed for the kitchen. Bud and Elizabeth had just wiggled out of their coats and sat down on the couch when Hover presented them with a cup of coffee.
“You sure make a fast cup of coffee,” Bud exclaimed.
“Not hard when I left the percolator plugged in,” Hover droned. “I am powering down now. Good night, Beth.”
“Good night, Hover,” she replied.
“Hope you two enjoyed the Christmas tour of Wickenburg as much as I did,” Bud said, looking at Elizabeth over his steaming cup.
From his powering down spot, Hover voiced his approval with a soft drone. “I did. Thank you, Farmer.”
“I did, too,” Elizabeth said. “Thank you for doing that for us.”
“No problem. It's a lot more fun to look at the lights with someone. As much as I wanted to see them, I wouldn't have gone by myself. Thanks for going with me.” Bud took a drink from his cup before he blurted out, “Lizzy, you going home for Christmas?”
The unexpected question caused Elizabeth to swallow her mouth full of coffee wrong. She choked. Bud patted her on the back until she took a deep breath. “Sorry about that. I'm fine now. To answer your question, I'm staying here. I don't have a reason to go anywhere.”
“Good!”
At Bud's joyful reply, Elizabeth gave him a baleful look.
“I mean that's good for me. Would you like to come with me to my sister's house for dinner Christmas Day?”
“Your sister doesn't know me. She might not like a stranger's intrusion into her family day,” Elizabeth reasoned.
“Actually, she's the one that always says one more at the table doesn't make a difference. I've already asked her. She says it's okay with her. Come with me.”
“I don't know,” Elizabeth stalled.
“Lizzy, I hate to think of you here alone on Christmas. Please come,” Bud pleaded.
“Actually, I'm never alone as you can see.” Elizabeth nodded at Hover, quietly standing next to the fireplace.
“You know what I mean. I really would like you to meet my sister and her family. She's got three cute kids and a great husband,” Bud declared. “It's about time you met some other people and got out of this house more often.”
“All right,” she gave in.
“Good, that's one date taken care of. Now for the next one. The Christmas dance is this Saturday evening at the legion hall. Will you be my date?”
“A dance. I – I don't know,” Elizabeth floundered. “I'll have to think about it and let you know.”
“What is this? You got two or three other guys that have asked you before I did?”
Elizabeth gave him a weak smile. “You know better than that. I'm just not sure I should go. I am really not a very good dancer. I have to think about it.”
“Think hard on it. You will have fun and dancing with me will be a breeze,” Bud insisted as if she had said she'd go with him. “Now I'm headed home. Morning starts early at my place.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “See you in the morning, Lizzy.”
The next morning, Hover's breakfast for Elizabeth was oatmeal, toast, juice and coffee. While she ate, he sat down at the table across from her. “You are very quiet. I sense you are worrying about something again.”
“I am. Bud asked me to go to a Christmas dance in town Saturday night,” she confided.
“I heard,” Hover droned.
Elizabeth gasped. “Hover, you were listening to my private conversation? Do you ever go completely off?”
“Yes, but I was slow powering down last night. All the excitement keyed me up,” he droned. “Now tel
l me what you are thinking about the dance.”
“I'm afraid to say yes to Bud. When I'm out in public, I'm exposed to too many people who can identify me if Steven or Scott come looking.”
“If you really want to go to this dance, you should go. Those two men do not know you are here. You think it is the last place they would look. If you will remember correctly, Beth, I was the one that said you needed to loosen up more and have fun. Go to the dance,” Hover urged.
“You are so sure of your advice. What if you're wrong? Maybe your transmitters are scrambled from that fall in the snow, and you're giving me the wrong advice,” Elizabeth worried.
“Think of the evening as a fun adventure in your life,” Hover Hill insisted. “Farmer will forgive you for having two left feet.”
“Thanks ever so much for the encouraging words. It's just that I've never been programmed for fun adventures,” she shot back, throwing his own words back at him. “Besides, I wouldn't have any more adventures if Steve or Scott came snooping around. Any of the good citizens of Wickenburg can give them directions to the old Carter Place.”
“Those men won't come this soon. They aren't smart enough to think of you hiding here in the winter. They are programmed to come here in the summer when it is ---- cozy,” Hover said confidently.
“You're right. I think.”
“You know you can not live here forever in this house,” Hover said. “You are hiding, and that is no way to live for the rest of your life.”
“I know that, but I just can't face Scott and Steven. Not yet anyway,” Elizabeth declared.
Soon the worry about showing up in public was topped by what dress did she have that she could wear to the dance? What was the appropriate dress for a Christmas dance in southern Iowa? She didn't have a clue if she had a suitable dress. After Steven ditched her, she gave all her gowns to Good Will. She didn't see any reason to have them take up closet space any longer. Her dating days were over or so she thought.
That afternoon, Elizabeth went through the suitcases and boxes she'd brought with her. She'd cleaned out her closet, thinking she might not be able to go back to Cedar Falls.
She shook out each dress and held it up to her, threw it on the bed and dug for the next one. Two hours later, she had a mountain of clothing on the bed and not a clue which dress to wear.