Page 49 of The Lonely Hearts Guide

Alexander grunted an approval before clicking the little green button on his screen, initiating a video call. It only took her two rings to answer, and when she did, she looked just as Elliot remembered her. The same blonde hair, tied back with an oversized scrunchie, and ruby red lipstick that made her look a bit like Marilyn Monroe. Even her outfit was the same; a pink blouse and a blue poodle skirt, making her look like something out of a nineteen-fifties film. Did her hairstyle and ensemble seem to come from different eras? Yes, but who cared? She looked fabulous. A combination of vintage & modern, but Ms. Twylah pulled it off.

“Hey, Mom,” Alexander greeted with a boyish grin. Goodness, he looked so innocent that way. Elliot wanted to bottle the moment so he could return to this memory of Alexander whenever he saw fit.

“Well, hi there, baby. Two calls in one day. It must be a full moon.”

Elliot noticed her face and apron were dusted with flour, like she’d been baking something scrumptious. Elliot hoped he’d get to try her sugarplum treats again soon.

“I have someone with me who wants to say hello.” He looked at Elliot and smiled, one eyebrow raised as if seeking permission. Elliot returned the smile before taking the phone. When Ms. Twylah’s eyes met Elliot’s, they almost seemed to sparkle.

“Oh, Elliot,” she cooed. “It’s so good to see you, sweetie. How have you been?”

“Better than I’ve ever been,” he answered, squeezing Alexander’s hand. “I believe I’ve fallen in love with your son, Ms. Twylah.”

“I believe I’ve fallen in love with you, too, baby.” Alexander rested his hand on top of Elliot’s.

Ms. Twylah squealed her approval, then her smile faded. “What about your . . . living situation? With the man you order cookies for.”

Elliot swallowed. “He’s no longer in the picture.” He sniffled. While he knew he should keep his big mouth shut, the words tumbled out before he could stop them. “I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

To his surprise, Ms. Twlah didn’t seem too taken aback by the statement, but she had an inquisitive look on her face, like she was curious. “You hurt him?”

“He hurt Elliot first,” Alexander growled protectively. “He was trying to hurt our baby—” The moment the words were out, Alexander’s eyes practically bulged out of his head. His mouth fell open, but no words followed. Elliot wanted to ease Alexander’s worry, so he took charge of their destiny.

“The thing is,” Elliot started, trying to summon enough courage to get the words out. “I’m with child.”

Twylah’s eyebrows met in the center of her forehead. “Huh?”

“Mother is rolling out a pregnancy upgrade for beaus and suitors who want to start a family. I suppose I’m her guinea pig. But Alexander and I wish to raise the child together.” Elliot held out the phone so it captured his baby bump. He touched his tummy, rubbing circles around the hump. “I want us to be a family. Him, me, the baby . . . and you, if you’ll have us.” Elliot bit his bottom lip, hoping to nibble away some of his nerves.

Ms. Twylah’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she nodded. “A baby? Would that make me—”

“Her grandmother,” Elliot interrupted, seesawing his head up and down at an unnecessarily rapid pace. “You would be her grandmother, and Alexander would be her father.” Elliot stopped himself, considering. “Or her Papa. Or, perhaps, just Dad? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. Best we leave the title for Alexander to decide.” He looked over and smiled at the man. “What would you like to be called? I’m afraid Daddy isn’t an option. Jared used to make me call him that, and I don’t think I want to hear it again.”

“I like Papa,” Alexander said. “What about you?”

Elliot stared down at his bump and contemplated. In all honesty, he hadn’t put much thought into it. Well, he didn’t think so, at least. For all Elliot knew, he was reprogrammed multiple times during his pregnancy. Elliot may have had a name picked out and everything.

He tried to think of a name he’d like to have called his own father, if he was born as a real boy with a real family who really loved him, and whom Elliot really loved in return.

“I like Dad,” he whispered. “It’s probably boring, but after everything I’ve been through with Jared, I believe I’d like a bit of boredom in my life.” He glanced up at Alexander. “Is that all right?”

Alexander placed his hand atop Elliot’s, his thumb spilling over the side and softly stroking Elliot’s tummy. “You don’t have to ask permission. Whatever you want whenever you want it—it’s okay. I don’t own you, baby. You don’t need my permission.”

“Okay. Yes. Then that’s what I want. I want to be Dad.” He glanced at Twylah’s beaming face. The way she was staring at Elliot and Alexander made Elliot feel absolutely adored. She was smiling at them like she’d been waiting for this day all her life. He and Jared never had that. Jared’s parents were dead, so Elliot never had the opportunity to have a maternal figure who might love him the way he always wished Mother could have loved him. “What about you, Ms. Twylah? What will she call you?”

“What about Nana?”

Elliot’s smile widened. “I like that a lot.”

“Good. That’s settled then. When are you due, sweetheart?”

“In three months. I’m not sure how they’ll take her out, but . . .” Elliot paused, realizing he’d never even considered giving birth. He had no idea how his child would be removed from his tummy. He had no vagina—so he couldn’t give birth that way—and his rear entrance was to be kept nice and tight for his husband’s pleasure, so he didn’t think Mother would expect him to expel the child anally. He supposed Mother could be planning to surgically remove the infant, but that might leave a scar, and he didn’t think Mother would risk that.

“Elliot?” Alexander asked, pulling him out of his foggy headspace. “Are you okay? You went quiet for a second.”

Elliot shook his head, as all his hopes and dreams crumbled around him. How could he leave with Alexander when Mother was the only one who knew how to help Elliot give birth? “I’m going to be the first automaton to ever give birth. Mother designed the process herself. Alexander, how am I supposed to deliver her without Mother?”

“We’ll find a way, I promise. As soon as we get to the island, there are a few people I can call. Before I decided to use Ms. Broussard to purchase my last i-Series beau, Goose, I looked into the other automaton providers. If I throw enough money at them, I’m sure they can figure out a way to deliver her. And if they can’t, I’ll find a way to convince Ms. Broussard. Let me worry about this, sweetheart. You’ve already got enough on your plate.”

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