The light music flows through the house of King 237, silencing everything else. She focuses on her music, her fingers moving with passion not needing her eyes to be open to see the keys. The high chimes bring new air into the room, a moment of peace. Only a moment though, as fleeting as a flash of light. Never knowing when it is coming, or when it will disappear into darkness. Her peace ended with the slam of the front door and a deep voice shouting, “Emma, Darling. I have fantastic news.” Emma’s young husband, Henry walks into the piano room, placing a light kiss on her cheek and sitting himself down on his chair. 

“How was your day at the office?” Emma asks before anything else, like the good wife she holds herself to be.

 “It was business as usual, but I have great news.” He tells Emma and pauses for a second, making sure he has all her attention. “Joseph and Mary got the permissions and are having their first child, they have asked us to throw them a baby shower. Isn’t that wonderful?” He expected to see Emma’s eyes fill with excitement, as typically anything involving a baby made her. But instead, he was in shock to see the tears.

Tears wet her face as she cried out, “How unfair can the world be? Joseph and Mary only got married a month before us. Why do they get to have a child before us?” 

Because Joseph and Mary got married a month before Henry and Emma they were able to put their formal request in for having a baby first. A process every couple must go through if they want to have their own bundle of joy. 

“Are you saying you don’t want to throw the baby shower?” Joseph asked unsure how to help his tearful young wife. 

Emma only shakes her head no before explaining, “I only wish it was us I was throwing the shower for. I would plan a grand party for our baby and everyone in the neighborhood and your company would attend, I hate waiting this long! Some couples get approved the week after their wedding.” 

“You know that is only in special cases when the population drops. The government must take control of the people to make sure we are all safe and taken care of. Could you imagine if the government wasn’t involved? There would be people having children all over the place, and the amount of money we would have to pay without the government. It would be total chaos.” Joseph tries to explain, thinking now that his wife is only going through her emotional time and needs the hand of reason. 

“I understand that, I am just tired of waiting is all. I am thankful for the government but I also want a baby.” 

“I know, and we will get one but in the meantime, what if I put in a request for one of those child AIs? Linda and her partner Danelle got one while waiting for a child and Linda said it helped Danny a lot.” Henry offered, the thought of having an AI child crossed Emma’s mind before but she never warmed up to the thought.

But it is better than nothing Emma thought before saying, “I guess that wouldn’t be a horrible idea. It would be good practice for us. So when we have our baby we will be ready.” The tears now dry away and the excited glow grows around Emma.  “I must call Mary and start talking over the plan for her baby.” 

Henry smiles to himself being able to calm the situation and make his wife happy. Her happiness is something he has always prioritized in their short relationship. From the moment she was selected for him and they had their first get-to-know-you dinners. With Emma’s happiness on the line he quickly put in a request for an AI child, a newborn boy. And sent in a photo of them together; so that the IA can simulate their features. 

It only took a week for the large brown paper packet to arrive, and Emma was there waiting to accept her new baby with open arms. But once she saw the size of the package she looked at it confused asking the delivery robot, “Are you sure this is the right package?” 

“Yes madam, this was ordered by Henery King 237, at the circuit office for mods of transportation or also known as COMT; on June 15th 5064 which was a Tuesday. You are Emma King 237 correct?” The emotionless robot recites as if he had to memorize it all before leaving the factory. 

Still looking down at the package in confusion Emma responds, “Yes that all sounds correct.” 

And without letting another second pass the robot speaks saying, “Have a good day madam.” And drives out of the driveway and to the house right next door. Emma looked at the package once more no thoughts crossing her mind, only the vision of what this baby will look like. 

She puts her best effort into lifting the heavy brown box but she is only able to make a few steps into the house before having to drop it. “Dang, it! I hope I didn’t already break something. It’s ok sweetheart, mama will get you out of there.” 

Emma leaves to grab a knife from the kitchen and brings it into the room, wielding it like a butcher cutting into the box. Right away Emma could tell this was not what she and Henery agreed on. This AI was much older, made almost 10 years old and she couldn’t see any resemblance between her and this machine. The robot had bright red hair and freckles all over her face. “She does look very pretty, but what will people think?” Emma asks herself out loud. 

  Emma dug through the rest of the box looking for this robot’s information and the items that came with her. In the box was a bed set for the robot, 3 more sets of clothes, a hairbrush, robot-safe shampoo and body wash, and the packet Emma was truly looking for. Every baby; human, or robot comes with an information packet, telling the receiver or new parents the name and plans for their child and how to prepare them, courtesy of the government.

“Lucy, that’s a cute name,” Emma says, leaning against the wall next to the redhead and starts reading the packet out loud, like Lucy was going to be able to learn something from her. “Age 8, birthday August 17th. Loves butterfly gardens and being outside. She likes the sound of the piano and her new home with the best parents she could ask for. Awww that’s super sweet.” Emma smiles and looks at Lucy. 

Emma, there decides this is just a happy accident and prepares to turn Lucy on. She starts by fixing the room and setting out warm cookies for Lucy to try. It took her a long time to set up but she wanted Lucy to be comfortable and ready to meet Henry. 

The instructions were slightly confusing; push this button once and then when it turns purple press it three times but if it turns yellow don’t press anything. But once passed it all Emma witness the first awakening of Lucy. 

The doll's eyes opened, looking at the ground first but slowly she lifts her head. Her yellow eyes meet her new mother's blue eyes. “Hello, Mommy. When is Daddy coming home?” Her sugary sweet voice rings. 

Tears of joy almost pooled out of Emma’s eyes as she tells Lucy, “He will be home soon darling, I have prepared some cookies for you in the meantime.” The doll’s smile grows and the excitement of a young child shakes the house. 

The two of them sit and talk while waiting for Henry’s return. Emma was nervous about his return and if he will be unhappy about the mix-up, at first Emma was unhappy too but now she has fallen for the young robot and loves the care she asks for. This might not be what she asked for but it was definitely something Emma wanted. 

A child. 

Henry made it home at the same time he does every day. He walks into the house with a certain excitement but caution not knowing if Emma had put the baby to sleep or not. What he wasn’t expecting was the excited blur of red running up to him yelling out “Daddy! I am so excited you are home!” and hugging around his waist. 

Right behind the robot was Emma who moved to kiss her shocked husband on the cheek, which he would normally repeat to her but he only looked down shocked at the rosy young girl. 

Emma was about to walk into the kitchen and take care of Lucy but Henry stopped her. “Who is that?” Henry asked her, a worry in his voice. “Did our baby come?” 

Emma looked at her husband shocked by what he said. She truly believed that he should have already known Lucy as their new daughter. “Henry! Lucy is our baby.” She told him, almost scolding him for what he didn’t know. 

“That can’t be right. I ordered a newborn boy. Not a little girl who is going to take over the house.” Henry told his wife, “And we are written to only have boys, for the government.” hearing that of course didn’t make Emma happy.

She looked at her husband with new eyes. Her voice was low, but her frustration was loud, “How dare you say that. And with Lucy in the kitchen. You need to go spend some time with our daughter and get to know her. This could be a blessing in disguise.” She would have continued but was cut off by a crash in the kitchen. 

Quickly she ran from the entrance to the kitchen, “Lucy, Darling. Are you ok?” She asked holding the little robot girl in her arms and shielding her from the mess. There was a plate smashed on the counter and cookie crumbs all over. 

“Mommy! I don’t know what happened! It’s like the plate exploited.” Lucy cried out with artificial tears falling down her cheeks. 

Henry only now walks into the kitchen and sees the mess. “What is going on in here?” His voice rises. Upset at the state of the kitchen, upset about the manner that his wife talked to him, and upset at the rosy robot in his wife’s arms.  

“The plate exploded!” Lucy cries out more. 

Henry only rolls his eyes more and says, “Emma you can’t actually believe that. This robot just smashed the plate for some reason.” Emma was not happy at all to hear her husband’s words.

“I really can’t believe you today, what is wrong with you?” She shouts and holds onto Lucy tighter. And it seemed these incidents continued on and on for the rest of the night. Glass breaking, paintings on the walls, and clothes ruined. And with every accident caused a fight between Henry and Emma. 

They were both exhausted by the end of the night; from Lucy and their constant fighting. Emma puts Lucy into her bedroom and kisses her goodnight. “Goodnight Mommy. You are the best Mommy I could ask for.” Lucy says as Emma leaves the room with a new smile on her face. But the smile only lasts until she opens the door to her bedroom with her husband, and sees Henry there sitting. 

“I am too tired Henry, I don’t want to fight about this anymore.” She says right away and moves to their connected bathroom and started getting ready for bed. 

“So what, we are just going to let that thing sleep in our house after destroying it?” He says to where Emma could hear it from the bathroom. She stops herself from responding, knowing it will only lead to another fight. She just closes the bathroom door and turns on the shower faucet. 

Once she gets into the shower she only listens to the running water and it hitting the curtain and her body. She relaxes for the first time all day and is unaware of what is going on in the room right next to her. 

Henry is sitting reading his newspaper, normally he would have already read everything of interest but because of that robot, he hadn’t had a moment to sit down. 

He hears the water running in the bathroom, drowning out the sound of the bedroom’s doorknob slowly opening. The door swings all the way open without a sound. There standing in the doorway is the little girl with red hair and yellow eyes scanning the room. Rope hanging from her left hand, as her eyes landed on the problem. 

She starts moving slowly and unfazed her camera lids watching him closely as he reads the Sports. 

Lucy walks closer and the rope swings back and forth. 

Soon Emma gets out of her relaxing shower and enters the normal bedroom. Everything is in its place, except a note laying on the bed. She grabs it and is hit with news she would have never imagined. A goodbye note from her husband, saying he could not live with her and would never see her again. 

Worry struck Emma as she quickly ran through the house holding onto the towel that wraps around her body. She swings the front door open and looks out to see Henry’s car still parked in the driveway.  

“Mommy?” The tiny voice calls out. “What are you doing out here?” Emma quickly asks, surprised to see her daughter out of bed. 

Lucy walks towards her and wraps her own hands around Emma and says, “I was worried about you mommy.”