The Wolf

Spilled tea

"An unforgettable journey to the arctic tundra." She proclaimed and hit the button on the remote control.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know why you are so fascinated with animals hun, but if you want to watch it, I can watch it with you."

"Because animals are simple, not like humans." He winked.

She cuddled up against him with the cup of hot tea in her hands and her head resting against his shoulder.

The voice of David Attenborough echoed through the room and they turned their attention to the documentary.

"I always found it weird that they still use his voice even though he died a long time ago." Amanda winced and almost spilled her tea as her fathers voice surprised her.

"Dad, you finished early."

"No I have loads to do but I was thirsty." He smiled as he noticed how flustered she was.

"Let me help you Carl." Markus offered and rose from the couch which made Amanda tip slightly and spilled the hot beverage all over the fabric.

"Oh, sorry are you okey? Did it burn you!" He quickly turned to check her hands but she shook her head.

"I'm fine dear, just embarrassed by my clumsiness."

"Are you sure?"She gave him a smile and nodded.

"Then I'll get that drink and something to clean up the mess."

Amanda and her father watched him leave the room and enter the kitchen.

The old man turned to smile at his daughter but there was a hint of sadness in his face.

"My dear girl, do you understand what you are doing?"

"Dad, you must have noticed him change as well? It's not just his personality, he makes new kind of decisions, as if he wants a certain result. As if -.."

"As if his guided by emotion." Her father added.

"Yes!"

"I have noticed the conflict in him, and now I know why. You helped him change."

"It's not a bad thing." She defended herself.

"No sweetheart, I'm happy but also scared where this will take you. It's a dangerous path."

She shook her head "without the android clothes and the LED no one would even notice he's not human. There's no android in this world that looks like him."

Carl tilted his head "Doesn't that go against everything you stand for Amanda? He'd have to hide who he truly is."

She bit her lower lip and pondered what he'd just said. "But it would give him a chance to a real life."

"True, but it's not our decision to make."

They turned their heads and looked at Markus who walked towards them with a tray in one hand and fabric cleaner in the other.

Amanda stood up quickly and took the cleaner off his hand making him protest. "Leave it to me I'll just-.."

"No Markus." She stated firmly "you are no longer the servant of this house."He looked puzzled from one human to the other. "Earlier today you made a choice. You stopped me from running away from my feelings and that led to this point Markus. We can't move forward and still have a foot left in the past."

Carl patted the androids hand and smiled "it will take some time but you'll figure out how humans live together and take care of chores between each other."

"But you still need my help Carl." To this the old man nodded.

"Yes, and we can't afford the chance have another android finding out your secret."

Markus shook his head with disbelief "is this really the life you want Amanda?"

She smiled and took a step forward, placing her arms around his neck and peered into his eyes.

"Human or not, you are the most amazing person I've ever met. So yes, if we have to tell a few lies to be together, then that's what I'll do."

He gave her a faint smile and peered down at his father figure, the man he'd always looked up to and learnt from. "And what about you Carl, do you think we're crazy?"

The old man snickered "Yes. But with that said, you are my family, both of you and I will always support good intentions."

Unable to say anything else Markus just stared at them.

Amanda poured two glasses of the whine Markus had brought, Carl moved his wheelchair to his spot in front of the television and happily accepted a glass.

Moments later the couch was clean, the tea in Amanda's hands was swapped for whine and the room was filled with the soothing British accent of a dead man talking about the animals living in the harsh conditions of the tundra.

Markus looked around. There he was, sitting with his family, accepted as a part of them. A woman leaning comfortably against him, occasionally caressing the top of his hand with her fingertips, like it was the most normal thing she'd ever done.

He was dumbstruck, scared and confused. But also so incredibly thankful, happy and excited of this new life he was invited to.

Now to the big question, did he want it? Should he remove the LED ring from the side of his head, the only visible thing who made him physically different from a human.

Did he want to take that step and learn to be human, to think and feel like them?

He leaned down and kissed the top of that messy hair on the head that leaned against him. She smelled like cherry blossoms.

He watched her lips move closer as she took a sip off the red liquid from the thin delicate glass. Her lipstick made a stain on the edge and he noticed it left a shape of a crescent.

Everything she did amazed him. He enjoyed the way she made him question his own actions and his life. But most of all he enjoyed the way she made him feel. Happy, confused, ecstatic... and in love.