Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“He does seem a tiny bit bigger, doesn’t he?” Ollie asked.
Chili preened with his paws going around and around his fluffy face.
“For sure he does. I guess we’re doing a good job with him. He’s healthy, happy, and growing.”
“Yep. And Daddo says we get to keep him.”
“Yes. We do. He’s building something for him so that he can be close to us but still get to do the things that his species does.”
“When he’s bigger, we might even go to the sanctuary and buy a girl-Chili so they can get married and have babies,” Ollie said.
I laughed. “More matchmaking. What kind of wife do you think is perfect for him?”
Ollie laughed. “It’s too early to know that. He’s only a baby.”
“Good point,” I sipped my coffee.
Zane came out and I gestured to the other cup beside me on the table.
“Good morning, family,” Zane said with a smile. A big one. And a twinkle in his beautiful blue eyes.
Ollie and I both smiled big. Chili cooed loudly in response and it made me and Ollie laugh.
***
After we ate breakfast, which consisted of crepes (the best crepes I’ve ever eaten) covered in a sauce I was told was made of the purple bananas that tasted like chocolate oranges, Zane drove us to Ollie’s school by driving over the vast and beautiful mountain range that bordered his back yard. On the other side of it was the bustling city where he worked. The school was a small single storey wide building made of multicolored mirrored windows with the coolest and most colorful playground I’d ever seen. Little boys swarmed the place.
I didn’t get out of the car, but a bunch of boys ranging from Ollie’s size to taller, crowded the car and looked curiously at me. I waved at them and got a bunch of returned enthusiastic waves as Ollie got out, first giving me a hug before running off with his friends. Little Daylin trailed behind, looking at me with a concerned face. I waved at him and blew him a kiss and he smiled big and then ran off with the other boys. Poor little guy probably felt guilty.
Zane then drove us to his office, where he wanted to make an appearance and pick something up. He gave me a tour. Beyond two floors of offices, there were two floors with rooms for simulations of the technology, other technology products were there and employees tested equipment and how things worked with one another. Zane explained that in some cases, people who bought his products licensed the right to create something with their own home automation equipment. In other scenarios, they bought software. And in other situations, products were sent to them where Zane had a specific reason why he didn’t want them creating it themselves, such as a proprietary design trade secret or process that might be too dangerous for someone’s home.
I met no less than two dozen of his employees as he spoke with them and introduced me as his wife. All were courteous, most friendly enough, and though a few seemed like they were making a poor attempt at masking disdain or the opposite (outright lust), it wasn’t too bad.
We saw Pace, who greeted us with a smile and a fast hello, but who moved along like he had someplace to be. I caught a strange vibe between him and Zane. Zane put me in his lab and used the intercom to summon Pace. I watched them talk in Zane’s office and I was concerned with the look on Zane’s face.
When Pace left, I went out to see him.
“Joran was here.”
“What?”
“He swore Pace to secrecy when caught, but Pace broke the confidence when he knew I was suspicious. He was here, taking something from my lab.”
“What was it?”
“I have no fucking idea.”
“Is there surveillance?”
“Not from in here, no.”
“Yikes.”
“Let’s go.” He took my hand and we left.
***
“So, uh… this car. Is it difficult to drive?” I asked.
He had both arms around me and had been pointing things out and telling me about them as we passed them. Museums. Galleries. A theatre that had closed down but that many hoped might reopen in a few years if the capital was populated with enough females to warrant it.
“Does it appear difficult?” he waved his hands in the air, a sheepish grin on his face.
I rolled my eyes. “I mean, is there an override to allow you to drive it like that guy the other day?”
“Sure.”
“And is it difficult?”
“Well, it requires basic knowledge of the controls, but it doesn’t require a diploma.”
“Oh,” I said, fidgeting.
“Tanya?” he whispered in my ear and then sucked on my earlobe, making me shiver. “Would you like to drive the vehicle home?”
I bounced excitedly and clapped my hands. “I’ve never driven a car. Except bumper cars. I’d love to. I mean, as long as you’re sure there’s zero chance I’ll make us crash.”