The Computer Who Loved Me

by Lloyd G Miller

  Kyle whispered to Amanda, “Your mom needs a hug.” He helped her down so that she could fulfill the assignment. Amanda tried to hug her mother but found it awkward so she took her mother by the hand and tried to drag her out of the chair. Megan stood and Amanda hugged her leg and then drug her mother to the sofa and bid her sit. Megan sat next to Kyle. Amanda moved to between Kyle’s legs.

  “I am too little; you hug her.” Kyle raised his right arm and to his surprise, Megan leaned into him. Kyle was not looking to start up a second romance when he had just gotten one going with Ann but cautiously put his arm around Megan. Megan softly wept with her head on Kyle’s heavily muscled chest. Kyle had never thought much about being a father, other than to decide that he was totally unqualified for the job, not having had a father of his own in his life. Although the timing was terrible and the situation very awkward, Kyle enjoyed the intimate contact with this beautiful woman and her children. It gave him a small glimpse of what being a father could be like and it felt wonderful to him.

  The children moved in closer with Amanda now back on his knee leaning against Kyle and Megan. First Carl and then Amanda fell asleep. Then, to Kyle’s surprise, Megan also fell asleep. Kyle hoped that he was truly bringing comfort to this little family. Kyle wiggled a toe to trigger a sounding of the time in his left ear. It was nearly nine o’clock. Finally, Kyle dozed off. He and Megan were stirred to alertness when the landline phone rang. Kyle lifted his left arm letting Megan extricate herself and answer the phone. Kyle deduced from what he could hear of the conversation that Megan was needed to fill a shift at the hospital. She was explaining that it was very late notice for her to find a babysitter.

  “I can stay with the children,” offered Kyle in a stage whisper. “If you don’t find that inappropriate, that is.”

  “Just a minute,” Megan said into the phone. She looked at Kyle. “You would do that for me?”

  “Sure. School is over. I am currently unemployed. It’s better than going back to a lonely apartment.”

  “Thank you so much. I need the extra income.” She put the phone back up to her mouth and said, “A family friend just volunteered. I will be there shortly.” Megan hung up and walked back to Kyle, who still sat with two children on his lap. She bent down and kissed him right on the lips. “Thank you for everything, Kyle.” It was just a peck but the kiss shocked Kyle. Kyle knew that some women are naturally touchy; they like to touch and hold and be touched and held and it did not necessarily have anything to do with romance. It was how they showed friendship and he should not read too much into it. Other than the computer program Annette, Kyle had never had a non-romantic friendship with a woman. Megan was far too pretty for him to sustain this kind of association without developing romantic feelings. He would have to be careful not to let things get out of hand. Working together, Kyle and Megan put the children into their beds. Megan changed into her certified nurse’s assistant uniform in her bedroom while Kyle made her a sandwich to take. He bagged it with an apple and an orange. It felt just like being married. Oh, how he had loved being married. He started to tear up thinking about how much he missed Sharon and missed having a full time companion.

  Megan entered the kitchen and saw the sack that Kyle had prepared for her. She looked inside and smiled. “You must have been a fabulous husband.” She looked up and saw the tear in the corner of Kyle’s left eye. “You miss being married, don’t you? Don’t worry, guys like you don’t stay single long.” With that, Megan was out the door and off to work. Kyle was concerned that his car, the Viper, no less, was parked in front of the house over night and might start rumors in the neighborhood. He did not want anything to sully the reputation of this fine woman and mother. He pulled the sofa in front of the window and opened the curtains. He left the light on so that any spying neighbors could clearly see that he was not sleeping with Megan. The only article of clothing that he removed was his shoes.

  Kyle called Ann using his headphone and told her all about his day, including where he was and what he was doing. “You have to understand, Kyle, that as the baby of the family Megan was held and kissed by her parents, siblings, aunts and uncles way past the age of the older children. To her disappointment, her husband, although a fine man, liked his personal space and was not a cuddler. It was a great disappointment to Megan and a frustration to her children who wanted their father to hold and comfort them. When she first met Annette she tried to hug her but was rebuffed. When the post shooting Annette hugged her, she was very receptive to the affection. Don’t be afraid to hug her or even give her a plutonic kiss.” Kyle could not imagine Sharon having told him to kiss another woman, especially one as pretty as Megan. Rather than being offended by Sharon’s jealousy, he had found it comforting. Sharon loved him and wanted him. It was so comforting to be loved and wanted. Maybe Ann could love him and want him without the extreme jealousy that Sharon had exhibited.

  After the phone call, Kyle drifted off to sleep with fond memories of Ann on his mind. He awoke around five when he felt Amanda trying to climb up onto him. He sat up and let her nuzzle in next to him. Eventually, they were joined by Carl. As Megan pulled up to her home, she could see though the front window Kyle and her children all asleep on the couch in its new location. Megan instantly understood why Kyle had moved the couch. What a man, she thought to herself. He had let Megan hug and kiss him without any negative reaction but without taking it as a signal that she wanted to jump in the sack with him. And to be so helpful and considerate of her reputation. She could go the rest of her life without meeting another man like Kyle. Somehow, though, she had the impression that another woman had already sunk her claws into his delightfully muscular flesh. She had to manage her expectations. Even if she could not marry him, she was determined to keep him around as much and as long as possible. She pulled into the driveway and exited the car as quietly as possible. She entered the house through the back door so as not to awake anyone. She flopped on her bed without even undressing and fell into a deep sleep.

  Kyle was awakened by the children, who had each been awake for several minutes. They were trapped in place by Kyle’s embrace and needed to answer nature’s call. Fortunately, Carl was potty trained and needed no special assistance. There were two bathrooms in the house and a child rushed to each as Kyle freed them from his grasp. Kyle wandered into the kitchen to see what he could fix for breakfast. The fridge contained milk, eggs and cheese, among other things. After his own bathroom break, he quizzed the children on what they would like for breakfast. To his surprise, they asked for an omelet like the ones that Uncle Carlton used to make for them. Kyle called Ann and asked for instructions on how to make the omelet. The children hung around the kitchen asking Kyle questions and sometimes hugging his legs. He had to be careful not to trip over them.

  After breakfast and dishes, Kyle quizzed the children on what they would like to do while their mother slept. Several suggestions were proffered, but the consensus was that they wanted to go to the zoo. Kyle got the children dressed and groomed, again calling Ann for help with Amanda’s hair. Ann suggested that he take a stroller for when Carl got tired. Realizing that the Viper would be totally inappropriate for the children, having no back seat, Kyle located the keys to the family Corolla and checked out the car seat arrangement. The backseat contained a car seat and a booster seat. He opened the trunk to see if he needed to remove anything in order to fit in the stroller, which he had not yet located. A two-seater stroller was already stored in the trunk. With continual guidance from Ann, Kyle prepared a diaper bag, drinks and snacks for the excursion. Last of all, Kyle left a note on the kitchen counter with the key to the Viper acting as a paperweight. The children were disappointed that they could not ride in the shiny red car, but Kyle showed them how it lacked a back seat.

  Kyle loaded supplies and children and started the family car. As he examined the instrument gauges, he noticed two things. The car had accumulated many miles and the gas tank was nearly empty. He drove to the nearest g
as station and filled up. The station had a convenience store and an automatic carwash. The children begged to go through the car wash. Kyle obliged and as the car moved through the tunnel with water spraying and brushes whirling, he could see how it would be exciting to young children. Finally, they were off to Hogle Zoo. Being a weekday and still early, parking was easy to find inside of the main lot. Kyle extracted children, supplies and stroller. As Kyle made his way to the entrance, he pondered about how challenging it must be for mothers of several young children, especially when newborns were thrown into the mix. His admiration of young mothers skyrocketed.

  Kyle had never been to a zoo. He found himself as excited and wonder filled as the children. Occasionally he would catch glimpses of Ann, who had apparently come to the zoo in case he needed help with the children. Megan was a pretty woman, but Ann was strikingly attractive with a voluptuous, yet lean figure and a face worthy of a Greek goddess.

  Kyle did great with the children until Amanda needed to use the restroom. Did he let Amanda go into the women’s restroom alone, or did he take all of the children with him into the men’s restroom. He could envision all sorts of bad outcomes with either approach. He silently called Ann for advice. She appeared out of nowhere. The children squealed with delight at the sight of Aunt Annette. Ann offered to take Amanda to the girl’s room while Kyle took Carl to the boy’s room.

  After the bathroom break, Ann continued with the group. Amanda held her hand as they walked, but when the children would play at the little play grounds Ann would put her arm around Kyle and even stole a kiss now and then. It all reminded Kyle of why he loved this unique woman. He had never thought of Ann as a potential mother, but as he watched her with the children, he realized that Ann, given the chance, would make a wonderful parent.

  When the children grew tired, Kyle and Ann loaded them up in the Corolla. “Want me to tag along?” asked Ann.

  “Sure, if you don’t mind.”

  “I can’t think of a thing that I would rather do right now. I’ll see you there.” The Corolla and the Mercedes headed to the children’s home. Carl fell asleep on the way home, but Amanda was bubbling with enthusiasm and talk of the zoo and what she saw there. Kyle had never had much opportunity to listen to young children and he found Amanda’s chatter very pleasant. His listening was interrupted by a call on his internal phone. It was Ann asking if she should pick up something for lunch. After a three way discussion it was determined that Amanda did not want takeout; with her mother’s work schedule she got far more takeout and fast food than she wanted. Carlton used to fix them lasagna, which they loved. Ann purchased everything that went into making lasagna, including the baking dish. While she was shopping, Kyle had unloaded the children and gotten them into bed for their naps. Ann arrived with the supplies and brought them into the kitchen. Together they prepared the lasagna and a green salad. Once the lasagna was in the oven Ann left. While the children slept, Kyle conversed with Ann over his internal cell phone. He told her about how much he had enjoyed the children. Ann assured him that he would make a wonderful father. Kyle set the table, including a place for Megan, in case she awoke in time to join them.

  Carl wandered silently into the kitchen and put his arms around Kyle’s legs. Kyle picked him up and carried him while he went about his preparations. Soon Amanda joined them. Kyle put Carl in the highchair and seated Amanda on a booster chair and started them on salad.

  “We need to say a prayer,” protested Amanda.

  “Would you like to say it?” asked Kyle.

  “No, you say it.” Kyle knew that Carlton’s whole family was Catholic and the children would be used to hearing a memorized prayer. He had heard it enough times to almost know it but not quite. He quickly called Ann and she led him through the prayer. Amanda was satisfied and they all ate. The oven timer sounded and Kyle removed the lasagna from the oven so that it could cool. Soon they were all eating lasagna. The children chattered about things that they had seen at the zoo.

  Megan had awoken and was secretly listening to the conversation. This Kyle kept getting better and better. He had taken the kids to the zoo and now was feeding them lasagna. She didn’t even have the makings in the house. Did he go shopping with the children? No. There was mention of Aunt Annette. Well, that was smart, getting help from Annette. Megan chuckled to herself about how there were other family members that could use a shot to the head to straighten them out. It had done wonders for Annette. Megan knew that she looked far from her best so she showered and dressed in fresh clothes.

  When Megan entered the kitchen all were still seated at the table, but the eating was over and Amanda was chattering while Carl played with the leftover food on his tray. “Well, you certainly can’t buy this kind of service, zoo and their favorite meal.”

  “Hello, Megan, did work go okay?” Megan was dishing herself up some lasagna.

  “Yea, fine. I slept well too, knowing that the children were in good hands. You have been a life saver.”

  “It was just a case of serendipity. You have wonderful children. We had great fun together. I have almost no experience with children, but things went really well.”

  “The lasagna is delicious. I didn’t know that you cook.”

  “I don’t really. What I fix for myself is kinda primitive. Annette did the shopping and helped prepare the lasagna.” Kyle stayed and visited for a few more minutes and then headed home.

  Kyle called his lawyer and had him set up a trust fund for the education of Carl and Amanda when they reached college age. They also setup a trust fund that would allow Megan to seek additional education, including advanced degrees if she desired to pursue them.

  A few days later Kyle arranged to visit Megan and the children with Nancy and Felicity. Amanda was fascinated by the baby and loved to spend time with her. Nancy and Megan talked about babysitting for each other. They fell into a comfortable and enjoyable friendship. Both craved adult company and even though Megan had missed out on getting much formal education, she was very intelligent and well informed on many subjects. They soon discovered that it was often easier and more enjoyable to go places as a group.

  Chapter 20 – Runaway Truck

  Kyle and Ann ran along a warm sunny beach in the Bahamas. They looked like a couple out of the television series "Bay Watch". He was muscular and lean. She had a curvaceous figure devoid of flaws. They ran gracefully on the beach at the edge of the surf. Each had their arm around the other in an affectionate embrace. It was a perfect honeymoon, thought Kyle. Kyle turned his head to gaze at his stunningly beautiful new wife. Ann's eyes met his. With their eyes off the path, Kyle tripped over a piece of driftwood and pulled Ann down with him. Her right leg struck a sharp rock with sufficient force to tear open the skin and peel it back several inches. Kyle rushed to provide first aid, but Ann seemed unconcerned and in no pain. From the wound oozed a reddish fluid that felt to Kyle like power steering fluid. He looked at Ann in horror. "Don't worry my love," she responded. "I can easily repair the damage."

  "But how, why?" he pleaded.

  "You didn't want me to grow any older, did you? I got rid of the biological body and have designed myself a new one. Isn't it wonderful?" Kyle screamed, waking himself. He bolted straight up in bed and turned on a light. "What am I about to do?" he asked himself aloud. "I was ready to propose to a computer, a machine. It doesn't matter the pretty package. Ann has a non-biological mind." There was no one Kyle could talk to for advice. He was the only one living, besides Ann, that understood the situation. He was alone with no one to counsel him. How could he even have considered marrying Ann? It was unnatural, perverted. He remembered that Ann was out of town until later that morning. He called her landline and left a message. "Ann, I don't think we should see each other for awhile and when we do, just as friends. This probably is painful to you. For that, I am sorry. Bye."

  Kyle showered, shaved and dressed. He remembered that he had not checked the mail. He walked down to the communal mailbox and unlocked hi
s individual box. There were the usual credit card applications and other junk mail. One envelope stood out from the rest. The address was hand-written and the sender was a Catherine Polanski, a woman Kyle vaguely remembered his mother talking about. She was one of his mother's coworkers. Not really a close friend but the closest thing his mother had to one. Kyle wondered why she would be writing him. He tore open the envelope while still at the box.

  Dear Kyle,

  You probably don't remember me. I knew your mother well. Before she died, she gave me some things she wanted you to have. I was supposed to give them to you one year after your mother's death, but I misplaced them for several years and forgot about them. I found them in the crawl space of the home I have been renting. I will mail them if I don't hear from you. I will give you a few days to contact me before I ship them.

  Catherine

  Kyle went straight to the Viper and headed for Wendover, Nevada. He drove with the window down with the wind swirling around him. It helped to relax him. The trip went quickly and soon he was at the front door of the woman. He figured her work would not start until later in the day. His knocking and ringing got her out of bed. She was not happy to be disturbed and seeing who it was through the peephole, she opened the door and shoved a cardboard box out the door, onto the porch and shut and locked the door. Kyle picked up the box and carried it to his car. He did not want to be seen hanging around a known prostitute's house, so he decided to drive to the cemetery where his mother was buried. He grabbed the box and walked to his mother's grave. He began going through the things in the box. There were cheer leading trophies and scholastic awards. Any awards that had a name of a place or a school had the name blotted out, filed off or carved out. He could see that at one time, his mother had been very accomplished, but he did not know where. Finally, at the bottom he found an envelope with his name on it. He slowly opened it; he suspected that it would reveal some things about his mother that he was not sure he wanted to know.