Chapter 11 · Continued
The Choice
Not abandonment.
Not confusion.
Closure.
At least a little.
Chris cleared his throat softly. “All right. Before this turns into a Nicholas Sparks movie, let’s get the robot into the car.”
Jane laughed through her tears. “Oh, shut up.”
Cam climbed into the back seat of Phil’s SUV. Jane leaned inside and fastened the seat belt across his chest.
Chris pointed at him. “We cannot have you escaping this vehicle too.”
Phil laughed for the first time since arriving. “I would appreciate that.”
Cam looked calmly through the window. “I will remain seated during transport.”
“Fantastic.”
Phil started the SUV and backed down the driveway. Before turning onto the road, he lowered his window, waved, and tapped the horn once.
Jane watched until the vehicle disappeared around the curve.
Then the tears came all at once.
Chris stepped beside her and pulled her into his arms. She cried against his shoulder while Seymour sat in the front window, watching the empty driveway.
The house already felt different.
Smaller.
Quieter.
But not completely empty.
Cam still existed somewhere beyond the curve, moving through the world of RCAM systems, warehouse corridors, diagnostics, and corporate reports.
And they all understood one thing now.
He would never be quite the same robot again.
End of Chapter 11