Page 31 of Help Wanted: Wife

“You promised me you would never love another. I am releasing you from the promise I never wanted you to make in the first place. You were not meant to be alone, but to share your life with someone, to live, to laugh, to love, if not with me, then with someone else. If you are watching this, then I am gone. There may not be any women left, but if there are, my deepest wish is for you to meet someone and fall in love again.”

She paused. “Are you protesting, my love?” she asked with a wan smile.

How well she had known him. Had she tried to tell him all this in person, he would have refused to let her speak. Even a short time ago, he would have leaped from his chair and reiterated his promise. But now, he was just stunned. Nothing Sala could say could have mitigated his grief because the heartache and loss had been too great, but if he’d watched this message sooner, he might not have screwed up so badly with Prudence.

“I can foresee you withdrawing, pulling into yourself, shutting others out.”

He had done that.

“You always told me you would do anything for me. So, fulfill my wish. Promise me this: if love comes your way, grab it and don’t look back. It doesn’t mean you love me less. It means you have a big heart that is full of love. You should love, laugh, and live life to the fullest. If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for me. Promise me you will love again.”

“I will. Promise.” Tears streamed down his cheeks. This was the final goodbye.

“I love you, Larth.” The hologram faded away.

He’d been fortunate to have two wonderful women in his life, both of whom had brought him love and joy, and who were there to pick up the pieces when he needed it, to fix things. He recalled how Prudence had turned the snafu with the android into a positive. She’d done so many things like that. Most important, she’d fixedhim. Despite his resistance and ambivalence, Prudence had helped him through the vestiges of grief and had enabled him to love again—until he mucked it up. Now, Sala attempted to fix what he’d screwed up with Prudence. His prescient late wife had foreseen he’d mess things up. She’d known him better than he knew himself.

He dashed away his tears and bolted out of his chair. He had to see Prudence.

Chapter Fifteen

The door to the penthouse where Hope Bennett lived slid open. An early model android stood there.

“I’m here to see Prudence McKenna,” Larth said.

“Who are you?” the android asked.

“My name is Larth.”

The android stared at him, the light atop its head whirling a little faster.

What is it waiting for?With a snort of self-annoyance, he realized he hadn’t given the robot any instructions. “Can you tell her I’m here to speak to her?”

“No.”

He blinked. “What do you mean no?”

“No is a function word used to express a negative.”

The little baking snafu notwithstanding, Donna would have been more responsive than this bot, which was obviously several iterations behind her in development. He tried to peer around it to catch a glimpse of Prudence, but the android shifted, blocking the view.

“Whycan’t you tell Prudence I’m here to see her?”

“She is not here to tell.”

Larth’s shoulders slumped with disappointment, but at least he’d gotten a straight answer. Maybe. “She’s not here right now—or she’s not living here?” Pru had said she was going to Hope’s but, given this bot’s obstreperousness, getting clarification seemed to be required.

“She is not here right now.”

“Where is she?”

“I do not know.”

“When will she be back?”

“I do not know.”

“Is Hope Bennett in the apartment at the present time?”

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