The G. M. Os. - 12. Chapter 12 - Eddy, Second & Third Days

Chapter 12
Ship Clock 262167
Moli 20-578p
Eddy, Second & Third Days

 

“Moli, wake up, I gotta piss,” Eddy said.

“Bad?”

“Well, sort of.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s like that in the morning.”

“What do you do with it?”

“If I don’t have to piss bad, I get rid of it.”

“Do you mind if I get rid of it?” Moli asked as she pulled the covers back. “Looks nice.”

“Uh, Moli, you shouldn’t do this.”

“Oh, Eddy, it feels so nice, much better than Andresus’s.”

“You did this for him?”

“Yes, and I’m going to do it for you. Do you like it when I do it this way?”

“Oh, Moli, yes.”

********

“I have an appointment with the Dean of Students,” Eddy said at the secretary’s desk.

“Nine?”

“Yes.”

“You’re early, but I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Thanks.”

Eddy went over to the sofa and sat down. There was a magazine on the table, but he ignored it. He didn’t want to be here and didn’t want to go into that office. However, he had no choice in the matter. Someone had done him a favor and now it was payback time. The door opened, a young man stood there, and said, “Edward?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come in, this won’t take a minute. Sushi, if the Provost calls, put the call through.”

Eddy stood up, went past the man, and on into the office. He stood by the desk waiting for what was certainly to come.

“Drop you pants and underwear and lean over the desk,” the man said.

“I know what to do,” Eddy said, as he undid his pants and pushed them down along with his underwear.

“What do you mean, you know what to do?”

“My father did this to me since I was eight, before that, starting when I was five I had to do other things, so shove it in and get this over with so I can go back to the dorm and be with the girl I met,” Eddy said.

“Your father abused you?”

“Of course, I was a kid, isn’t that what fathers do? He did it to me until I left to come here.”

“Pull up your clothes,” the man said. “I’m not that kind of man.”

“Yeah, that’s what you say.”

“Look, I didn’t know, okay?”

“But, you would’ve done it if I was a virgin.”

“Regrettably, yes. Now, go on get out of here.”

Eddy walked out the door and the man sat down at his desk. He picked up his phone and dialed a number, and said, “Professor Andresus, please.”

“Andy? This is Harry. Hey, Edward 01-787o was here a minute ago for a payback. Yeah, did the kid a favor. He’s one of yours and has an appointment with you tomorrow morning. Yeah, that one. Good pre-work, huh. Well, that’s kind of what I called you for. The kid’s damaged goods. Yeah, his father abused him. Yeah, could you give him a break? Yes, I’m saying please on this one. Look, I’m certain he knows it all. He’s had to do shit since he was five. Yeah, that young. No, you don’t have to promise. Yes, he’ll do anything you tell him to do. Not willingly, not for a good grade, not for good classes, he’ll do it because he’ll hate for the rest of his life. Yeah, let me know how it is. Embarrassed the hell out of me. Yeah, you can think about it. That’s all I asked. Thank you, Andy. Do you want me to come over tonight? Sure, you know I don’t mind. We’ve known each other for over twenty-five hundred years. Should be there around nine, I’ll bring a bag. See you later, Andy.”

He sat back, sighed, and thought about what almost happened. Maybe it was time to give up on the kids. After all, he wasn’t like Andy, who’d fuck a twelve-year-old boy, or girl, if he could get away with it. He wished the kid luck tomorrow; he was going to need it. Andy had an insatiable appetite for young asses.

********

Moli sat on her bed looking at the floor. She still couldn’t believe what she’d done to Eddy. Sure, they were almost boyfriend-girlfriend, but what did that mean? Didn’t sex come later? Or, was what she did considered to be sex? Sure, she’d done the same thing to Andresus, but that was different. She’d done that unwillingly, sure that if she didn’t her chance at a degree in ornamental hort would be over. What was going to come next with her and Eddy? Should she show him how to pleasure her? Whatever they did now would only lead to the inevitable. How soon would that come? Did she have a chance to delay it? Maybe, she was foolish to do what she did this morning, but Eddy liked it and that was for certain. She just didn’t know what to do next, if there was to be a next. Maybe, she should ask Eugeni what Andresus would want next. That was an idea. She’d done Eddy the same as she’d done Andresus, but if she knew what he was going to want next, maybe she could practice on Eddy. Though, that would mean giving into sex before they had a chance to become fully in love and that was what she wanted most from Eddy. If they were in love, she could take him home with her, not that anything would happen there, but he wouldn’t have to go home and have to submit to his father. She was glad her father wasn’t like that or was he? Maybe, he had been making Molus do things for taking him to futbol practice and games. Tit for tat, isn’t that what it was? I do for you; you do for me; kind of like what she was going to be doing for Andresus. Want a good grade? Here take this and make me feel good, I’ll pay you for it. But what was going to come next? She couldn’t imagine what part of her body, no, not that, he wouldn’t dare doing that. Would he? Was he that depraved? That much of a pervert? What was Eugeni doing for him? That is what she needed to know.

She went over to her desk and turned on the portable module.

EUGENI 54-721d

MOLI 20-578p

HEY! SORRY I WASN’T ABLE TO GET BACK LAST NIGHT, BUT EDDY WAS OVER LATE AND I WENT TO BED RIGHT AFTER HE LEFT.

NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING. WHAT WILL I HAVE TO DO FOR ANDRESUS? CAN YOU SEND THAT VIA MODULE OR DO I HAVE TO MEET YOU FACE TO FACE? LET ME KNOW.

KISSES

MOLI

There was a knock at her door and when she opened it she saw Eugeni standing there. “What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you,” Eugeni said. “Sit down.”

“Why?”

“Sit down.”

“Well, okay, but, what do you want?” Moli asked as she went over to her bed.

“I got a call from the Dean of Students that Eddy just tried to kill himself, tried to jump off a building. The bots got to him in time and he’s at the clinic right now.”

“Where is it?” Moli asked. Why did Eddy attempt suicide? Was it because what the Dean of Students had done to him? Or, was it a residual effect from being abused by his father? Whatever the reason she knew she had to go see him. “I’ve got to talk to him.”

“Moli, they won’t let you see him; he’ll probably be sent home.”

“No, you can’t do that, his father will, uh; his father might not like that.”

“What about his father?”

“He told me not to say. It’s a secret.”

“Moli, tell me, if there’s something wrong with him going home you need to tell me. I’m sure we can treat him here.”

“His father abused him from when he was five until now. If he goes back, he just might not ever come back.”

“Okay, tell you what, I’m going over to the clinic and talk to the psychiatrist. He’ll know what to do.”

“Can I come with you? I promise not to try to get in to see Eddy; I just need to be there.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

They left the room and headed across campus. Moli stayed close to Eugeni so they could talk and she said, “I sent you a message.”

“What about?”

“I want to know what I’m going to have to do with Andresus.”

“Oh, that, well, everything, I guess. That’s what we do. He can be a little rough, but apologizes afterward, and gives you a few credits. He can be nice, but during the act that’s when he’s not nice.”

“Do you live with him?”

“Heavens no, I live with someone else.”

“Another man?”

“No.”

“A woman?

“Yes.”

“You have a separate room, right?”

“No.”

“You sleep with her?”

“Yes.”

“Does she make you do things?”

“She doesn’t make me, Moli. I do it willingly.”

“Does Andresus know?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, he just uses you then.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Eugeni, that’s horrible. Why does the university put up with him? You’d think they’d have him thrown out.”

“He has a contract.”

“Contracts can be broken. He’s going to want to do everything with Eddy, isn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Eugeni, that sounds horrible.”

“You, Eddy, and me, aren’t the only ones. He’s got a stable full of kids, one for every day of the month. Sometimes he does two or three a day. You get a message and you report, either to his office or to wherever he is. I prefer going to his apartment. He’s nicer there. Both of them, in fact.”

“His wife knows?”

“He doesn’t have a wife.”

“A man?”

“Certainly, though he doesn’t do anything to me. I don’t know about the boys, though.”

“You know, Eugeni, I think I should’ve gone to a different university; or, just given up on the idea of getting into ornamental hort and stayed on the farm until I was old enough to marry Gene.”

“Then you wouldn’t have met Eddy. Speaking of whom, here’s the building where the clinic is,” Eugeni said, as she opened the door for Moli and followed her into the clinic. They walked over to a waiting room. “Oh, no talk of sex with professors in here, they won’t understand how it is. By the way, I know you’ve just met, but do you and Eddy have a relationship, already?”

“He’s my boyfriend.”

“You’re quick, you know? Gene obviously didn’t steal your heart.”

“No. He’s nice, but that’s all he’s ever been. I guess that’s why I never saw a future for us.”

“Okay, you wait here and I’ll go see the psychiatrist. Okay?”

“Sure, I’ll be fine. If he wants to talk to me, I will.”

Moli sat in a side chair and picked up a magazine. It was about some kind of science they probably taught at the university, but it had good pictures, not that she had any idea of what she was looking at. She read the captions, but they didn’t give a hint what the article was about. She tried to read it, but her mind kept wandering back to Eddy. Why had he tried to kill himself? Was it because of what she did this morning? No, he enjoyed that, immensely. She wondered, again, about their relationship—if they had a chance of having one now—when things would escalate to the things she was going to have to do with Andresus. Would Eddy want to do more? Well, of course he would, he was a boy and boys wanted sex, or that was what her mother told her before she left home. Could Eddy be like that after what had happened to him at home? She wasn’t sure, now.

“Moli?”

“Uh, yes?”

“The psychiatrist wants to talk to you.”

“Okay, sure, lead the way.”

“Don’t expect much, they have him sedated right now.”

“You mean I might be able to see Eddy?” Moli asked excitedly.

“Maybe, oh, here we are. Go on, knock on her door.”

After a moment the door opened and a woman stood there, she said, “Moli, please come in.”

“Thank you for seeing me.”

“I’m Oriami 92 and will be Edward’s psychiatrist. You’re Edward’s girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“So, you just met, yesterday?”

“Uh huh.”

“I see. Doctor Eugeni didn’t really tell me much other than he couldn’t go home. Do you know what happens there?”

“Eddy told me his father abuses him. He’s forced Eddy to do things. Like he had to do with the Dean of Students this morning and will have to do tomorrow with Professor Andresus.”

“Ah, yes, some older men just don’t know how to leave young kids alone. We have him sedated, but you can go in and see him. I need to make a few calls and then I’ll join you in the room. Okay?”

“Sure, thank you.”

The psychiatrist pressed a button on a box and said, “Nanci, the girl in my office has permission to see that boy they brought in earlier. Could you show her to his room? I’ll go up in a while.”

“Moli, you can go now.”

“Thank you, Doctor Oriami.”

“I think I can see what Edward sees in you. You’re awfully nice. I think you’ll be a great help to him in the weeks to come.”

After being shown to Eddy’s room, Moli went in and heard the door shut and lock behind her. There were bars on the window. She went up to the bed and saw that Eddy’s ankles and wrists had straps around them that they were fastened to the bed. She went up to him and said, “Eddy, I don’t know if you can hear me, but they’re letting me see you, okay.”

“Okay,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“No, hush, you just lie there quietly, think pleasant thoughts,” Moli said. “I’m going to sit down in the chair, okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered.

She sat down, put her hand over his, and said, “I don’t know why you tried to do this, but that’s past. You need to think forward.”

“Andresus,” he whispered. “The Dean didn’t do anything. He understood what my father did to me and wouldn’t do anything, but Andresus is going to want to fuck me the way the Dean of Students almost did and the way my father prefers fucking me.”

“Hush, be quiet, don’t worry about things like that, we’ll keep you safe,” Moli said. She knew there might not be anything to her words, but said them anyway.

“Moli, I love you,” Eddy whispered.

“I love you, too.” There she said it, but didn’t know where it was going to lead. “Now, hush, think of nothing.”

She patted his hand and Eddy shut his eyes. They sat there quietly and she saw that Eddy must have fallen asleep. His hand felt warm and she felt like dozing herself, but knew she had to stay awake, at least for him. There was nothing she could do other than be here for him. That was what love was all about, wasn’t it? Being there for the one you loved, as she was doing now. Her mind started to wander back to earlier in the morning. He had kissed her, afterward. He actually said thank you and kissed her, again. Then she got up and had her pee before he had a chance to get there first. If they were going to do that again, well, maybe that was going to lead to other things.

“No! Stop that! No! You’re hurting me! Stop! Stop! No!” Eddy kept yelling.

The door opened, a man hurried in, and said over Eddy’s yelling. “What happened?”

“I think he’s having a nightmare,” Moli said.

“You’ll have to leave now,” the man said.

Reluctantly, she got up and walked out the door. Dr. Oriami almost knocked her over. “What’s going on?”

“I think he’s having a nightmare, he woke up screaming,” Moli said.

“Go out to the waiting room and stay there; I’ll be out in a while,” Dr. Oriami said.

“Okay,” Moli said. She turned and walked away worried what they were going to do to Eddy. Someone ran past her and then a med-tech bot came trundling down the hall. She stepped out of its way and started to worry, again.

After she had sat with Eugeni on the sofa for the longest time, Dr. Oriami came up and sat down in the side chair. She said, “We gave him another injection. He’ll be quiet until morning. We’re going to keep him here until tomorrow afternoon when I’ll decide if it’s safe for him to return to the dorm. His nano bot has been instructed to watch him carefully.”

“Eddy likes to come over to my room,” Moli said. “Can he do that?”

“Yes, that is probably a good idea; in fact, it would be advantageous if you came over to the clinic tomorrow and walk with him back to the dorm. A bot security team will follow you.”

“What about his classes, he won’t be able to start on time,” Moli said.

“We have set it up for him to take the same classes as you. I think it is best if you try to keep an eye on him as much as possible.”

“But, Professor Andresus,” Moli said.

“Don’t worry about Professor Andresus, he is no longer here.”

“What happened to Andy?” Eugeni asked.

“Bot security arrested him. He’s been taken downtown to bot detention. I doubt it very much if he ever comes back. I know this might be a shock to many on campus, but he’s worn out his welcome. Now, I want the two of you to go over to Student Affairs and pick up his class schedule. Go around campus and see where his classes are so you will be able to get him around without too much trouble. You can come back tomorrow at one and possibly take Eddy back to his dorm. Thank you for being so much help in this situation. See you, tomorrow.”

********

Moli woke up with a start and felt the bed next to her. “Eddy, where are you? You were just here. Where did you go?”

Then she realized he wasn’t here, he was in the clinic after trying to kill himself. The dream had been so clear; it was almost as if it really happened. They were in a field of ripening wheat, lying down with the solar lights beaming down on them. The air was warm with their passion. His hot lips were pressed against hers. Their tongues parried with their love. She felt him thrusting into her and knew at last, finally, unmistakably, they were in love and there was nothing that was going to separate them forever.

Then Gene showed up and yelled at them. He yelled at them to get out of his wheat field. He yelled and yelled, he kept yelling at them to get out of his wheat field; and then he hit Eddy again and again, until Eddy disappeared. Then Gene was on top of her, but he didn’t know what to do. He tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away from him and he, too, disappeared.

Then Eddy came back, but he was different. He was crying. There was someone else there, but they weren’t in the wheat field. They were somewhere that was nowhere and Eddy was crying. A bot came to them asked if the boy was alright, but Eddy kept crying. Then they were here in the room and Eddy was crying. He laid his head against her breasts and kept crying. Then he was gone and Moli woke up.

She stared up at the nano bot sparkling in the darkness of early morning. She wouldn’t see Eddy until one and, maybe, not even then. She hoped he was better this morning, better enough to let them remove the restraints. She hoped she would be able to bring him home, here which wasn’t really home, but it was a close to home as a student could get for the next four and half months.

There was a knock on the door, more of a rapping sound. Moli got up, opened the door a crack, and asked, “Yes, who is it?”

“Sorry to bother you, Miss, but it is the boy from three-four-two,” the bot from yesterday said. “They want you over at the clinic, now. Please get dressed; a bot will take you there.”

Moli hurriedly dressed and went out the door. The bot was waiting for her, “If you will follow me I’ll take you downstairs.”

Moli didn’t know what was going on. By the time they got to the first floor, she could see that the morning solar light had not yet come up over the horizon, but there was the soft glow of dawn filling the air. The door opened and Moli saw a speeder with a bot in it.

“Step in, please,” the bot said.

Moli climbed up the ladder, sat on the seat behind the bot, and fastened her shoulder and seat belts. The speeder’s ladder retracted and the thing took off. The trip was quick as they didn’t have far to go and they were outside the clinic in only a moment.

“Thank you,” Moli said as she climbed down the ladder.

“Have a good day, Miss,” the bot said. “Remember, classes start on Titansday.”

“Yes, thank you,” Moli said.

She went into the clinic and rode the elevator up to the fourth floor. She went to the desk and said, “Hi, I’m Moli 20-578p, I was told to come over.”

“Oh, yes Miss, have a seat in the waiting room I’ll call Doctor Oriami.”

“Thank you,” Moli said. She went over and sat on the sofa. She hoped she wasn’t going to get bad news about Eddy; she didn’t know what she would do after having that dream.

The psychiatrist came around the corner, sat down on the side chair, and said, “Good morning, Moli.”

“Uh, good morning, I hope,” she said.

“Eddy woke up early this morning; he seems to be a resilient young man. He’s finished his breakfast and took the pills we’ve prescribed for him. We had a long chat and he told me what he was thinking up on that roof. He knows he was foolish, but he was very scared of what was going to happen to him with Doctor Andresus. Bot Security is looking into his living situation back home and they will take the appropriate action. I’m going to let you take him back to the dorm now, but I want you to stay with him as much as possible for the next couple of weeks. I think he’ll be okay, but we must help him as much as we can. He has an appointment with me next week on Botsday at three. We’ll set that time for him until I’m certain we can stretch out the time between his visits. Does all of this make any sense?”

“Yes, I’ll take care of him. Can he sleep in my room? We did it on the first night.”

“Hmm, well, normally I would say no, but in this situation and considering how Eddy feels I’m going to give you permission, but try not to stress him out over anything. The medicine is going to make him feel very calm, but he will be mentally alert so he shouldn’t have any trouble with his classes. Now, wait here and the nurse will bring him out.”

“I haven’t eaten. Can I take him with me to the dining hall with me?”

“Certainly, Moli, the rule is to be with him as much as possible, okay? You can walk around campus all you want and I certainly recommend that you do. Get him out, take him to the Union for a snack and something to drink. Oh, and, Eddy must not drink anything with alcohol in it, no beer, no wine, and definitely no liquor.”

“Yes, Doctor, I’ll have the room service bot remove the beer and wine from our mini fridges.”

“Okay, Moli, you have your orders. I’ve already told Eddy what he can and can’t do. If you have any problems, please contact campus security with the nearest call button. They are aware of who he is and the danger he poses to himself. They will respond to any call for help. Oh, and I’ve given him a wristband with a call button on it. So if you’re out on campus, anywhere, and he has a problem, have him push the button or push it yourself and you’ll be surrounded by bots in a moment. I’ll go get him now.”

The doctor left and Moli sat there on the sofa not thinking of anything except Eddy and what she was going to have to do to keep him safe. That would mean having to get some of his clothes over to her room and all of his toiletries. Yes, they were going to live together with official approval, life couldn’t get much better than that. She sighed and her stomach growled. “Hush, you’ll get yours in a while.”

A nurse came around the corner with Eddy and Moli stood up. “Hi Eddy, how do you feel?”

“Uh, okay, I guess. Did Doctor Oriami talk to you?”

“Yes, she did and I’m supposed to take care of you, but more of that later. I’m hungry and need to go over to the dining hall.”

“I’ve already eaten. I’ll just go back to the dorm.”

“No, not permitted, you’re stuck with me for at least the next week, probably more.”

“Thank you, Nurse Neldenia, thank you for being so helpful this morning.”

“That’s okay, Eddy, you just get better. We don’t want to see you back here in that room. Okay?”

“Okay, sure, I know what to do. If I have those bad thoughts, push the button and bots will come and rescue me. I’ll do that, promise.”

“Okay, Eddy, you two be safe. See you next week.”

“Thanks again, I appreciate everything you and Doctor Oriami have done for me. Bye.”

“Goodbye, Eddy.”

“Come on, Moli I’ll go with you to the dining hall.”

********

They lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Neither one knew what to say. They hadn’t spoken since leaving the clinic and now both were afraid bringing up where Eddy was last night might cause him to do something wrong. Finally, he looked over at Moli and said, “I love you.”

“I love you,” Moli said.

“I don’t want to have to go back to my room, that guy might not be gone yet. I need to get a shower and put on some clean clothes. I’ve worn these since Moonday.”

“Okay, I’ll walk you over.”

“I can do it myself.”

“Look, Eddy, it’s this way. Doctor Oriami told me not to let you be alone for a week. You’re to sleep in my room, take your shower, wash your face, clean your teeth, use the toilet, take off your clothes, put on clean ones, and sleep in the bed. Doctor’s orders and I’m sure you know what that means.”

“Yeah, we get to sleep together the way you like and then you’ll do me every morning. I liked that. It’s much better than doing it myself. By the way, I don’t shave.”

“You have to shave. Men shave and older boys shave. Mother told me about that.”

“I don’t shave.”

“What are you a mutant?”

“No, not exactly; I have an induced mutation. When it comes time for me to donate sperm to the birthing centers, I’ll have to go back a number of times so the bots can collect a lot so that my mutation will have a chance to replicate throughout the ship. They made it a dominant gene so that after a while boys and men won’t have to shave.”

“That’s weird.”

“No, that’s the new bot way. They decided to see if this mutation works and then they’re going to try other gene modifications to improve the life of humans.”

“How do you know all of this, you’d think the bots would keep it a secret.”

“Oh, no, there a lot of us boys who have this mutation. I found out because when I was half way through puberty and wasn’t shaving my father sent me to a clinic. They contacted the bots when they found the mutation during the genome scan and I was sent to a bot lab where they briefed me on the mutation. The clinic told my father I was a special bot experiment and not to worry about it. He raped me repeatedly for nearly a week. Mother didn’t stop him, either. I hate them. You don’t know how much I hate them.”

“Oh, Eddy I’m sorry. Eddy, from now on, I’ll do whatever you want me to do. If we truly love one another, there’s no end to what we can do.”

“Oh, Moli, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Eddy, I love you. I’m here for you. I’m never going away and you’re definitely not going anywhere.”

“Well, okay, but don’t ever say I didn’t warn you. I’m a boy and boys have needs.”

“Girls have needs, too, and I’m going to teach you a few things.”

“Oh, does that mean you want to have sex?”

“Eventually, maybe when we get married.”

“But, we just met and you’re already thinking of getting married. That’s ages from now. We can’t get married until we get to our majority. The bots won’t let us.”

“I think they will, if we ask, nice.”

“My parents won’t agree to anything like that.”

“Eddy, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about your parents anymore. Doctor Oriami said the bots are investigating them and you know how bots investigate something.”

“I can imagine. What time is it?”

“Ten, why?”

“I have to take a pill at twelve when I have something to eat. We have two hours.”

“Two hours for what?”

“Oh, you know, we could kiss a little.”

“Eddy you don’t kiss a little. You kiss a lot and if you want to kiss, then you’re going to want something else. So, we need to go over to your room and get you some clothes; shoes, if you have any others you want to wear; your toiletries, if you have any since you don’t shave; and, whatever else you want to have over here. I have that extra dresser and you can put your clothes in there. Don’t worry, the bots know all about us. Speaking of bots, I need to tell the room service bot to take away all the alcoholic beverages from our mini fridges.”

“Our?”

“Yes, for the time being ours. Like it, or not, Eddy, we’re a couple and we’re going to have to start acting like one.”

“But you don’t want to have sex and I kind of do.”

“Then we don’t. I’m sure you know all about how to give pleasure to a man. So, we can do whatever you want, short of sex.”

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“You already said that.”

“And, I meant it.”

“Okay, can we go over to your room now and get your stuff?”

“Okay, but what if that guy is still there?”

“Then we work around him. Now, come on, let’s get over there.”

When they got to Eddy’s room they discovered the other bed was gone and when they looked in the dresser, for that guy’s clothes, it was empty. Eddy went about collecting the clothes he thought he would need and told Moli which shoes he was going to need for the Matriculation Ceremony tomorrow. He had a large stack of clothes and underwear and was carrying his toiletries bag with a finger and thumb of his left hand while holding that side of the clothes. Moli took care of carrying the shoes and opening and closing of the doors. In her room he put his clothes, underwear, and the extra pair of shoes in the dresser. He left the toiletries bag on the top shelf.

“What time is it?” Eddy asked.

“After eleven, you need to get in the shower if we’re to get over to the dining hall in time for you to take your pill,” Moli said.

“But, you said we might do something and if we do that after lunch, I’ll have to take another shower.”

“Well, then take off your clothes, and lay down on the bed. I’ll take care of you and then you can take your shower, but we can’t do any kissing to work you up.”

“Well, if you’re going to be that way, I’ll take my shower now and another one this afternoon.”

“Your choice.”

“My choice.”

On their way out to the dining hall, the room service bot was mopping the floor in the common area. Moli said, “Excuse me, but could you remove the alcoholic beverages from my and Edward’s mini fridges. He can’t have them.”

“That was done before you came back from the clinic,” the bot said. “Have you read the instructions for my use?”

“Uh, no, where are they?”

“On top of the mini fridge. I left them there this morning.”

“Thank you, we’ll be sure to read it. By the way, what do we call you?”

“I am a service bot. You may refer to me as ‘service’ or if you prefer, I will answer to twenty-four. My serial number is much longer, but for our purposes twenty-four will do.”

“Thank you, twenty-four,” Eddy said.

“And thank you, sir.”

“Come on, Eddy, you need to get something to eat and take that pill,” Moli said. “Thank you, twenty-four.”

“Righteeo, Miss,” twenty-four said.

********

When Moli and Eddy walked out of the dining hall Moli turned to go back to the dorm, but Eddy didn’t move. He said, “I don’t want to go back right now. I want to see where my classes are.”

“You’ll see where they are on Titansday when we go to two of them,” Moli said.

“No, I want to know, now. Do you know where they are?”

“Yes.”

“Then show me.”

“Yes, Peaches.”

“Peaches? What’s that all about?”

“Well, you don’t want me calling you Dadi and I’m sure you don’t want me to call you Father, so what else is there? I could call you Apple, Pear, Apricot, or Barley Field, but none of them make sense.”

“Just call me Eddy, okay.”

“Okay, but I need to find something special to call you. I’ll have to think about it. I’m sure I can come up with something. Wait a minute, I can call you Nutso.”

“No!”

“Okay, I’ll think of something, Brother?”

“No.”

“Bud?”

“Eh, maybe.”

“Good, you’re Bud. You know, Eddy, I need to ask you something. You don’t want me to call you either Dadi or Father, but you call me Mother, why is that?”

“I don’t know, I guess, well, you know, it sounds appropriate. I hate her with a passion, but you’re not her and you’ll never be like her. So, I guess to me you are a mother and so to me you are my very own Mother. Does that make any sense?”

“Yeah, I guess so, in a roundabout way. Okay, I’m Mother and you’re Bud, okay?”

“Okay.”

They walked across campus toward a building and Eddy suddenly stopped. Moli looked at him and immediately knew something was wrong. This was the Humanities Building where their Language Theory class was held. She asked, “What is it, Bud?”

“This is the building where I tried to jump. I can’t go in there.”

“But you have to. One of our classes is in there.”

“We’ll have to get that class changed to something else. I can’t go in there. Not now. We’ve got to talk to the Dean of Students. Doctor Oriami told me that if I have a problem or anything like that to go to him. I can’t go into that building. I can’t.”

“Eddy, calm down, we’ll get our class changed, okay? I’ll go in with you.”

“I can’t go in that building.”

“Eddy! Stop! Calm down or I’m going to have to push that button of yours. Hey, where is your wristband?”

“I took it off before I took my shower and didn’t put it back on.”

“You’re supposed to have it at all times.”

“I didn’t want to get it wet.”

“So, why didn’t you put it back on?”

“I forgot.”

“Okay, come on, let’s go to the Admin Building and see that Dean person.”

Eddy followed along with Moli, but she saw he was still upset about having to go into that building. Hopefully, they were going to be able to change classes at this late date. And that got her thinking about this whole episode. She was being drawn more and more into a full relationship with Eddy and she knew they were going to have to start talking about their immediate future. Later, maybe next year, they could start thinking about further into the future, but right now it had to be a day at a time.

“This is the building, Moli. I’ll show you the way up to his office.”

They came to a double set of glass doors with Dean of Students printed in black across one. Eddy went up to the secretary and said, “I’m Edward 01-787o, I need to see the Dean, is he available?”

“Can I tell him why?”

“I need to change one of my classes. I don’t know who else to go to. Doctor Oriami said if I needed anything to come here.”

“Doctor Oriami is who?”

“My psychiatrist.”

“Oh, you’re the boy from yesterday. The one who saw the Dean.”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Okay, I’ll let him know you’re here. Who’s that?”

“My girlfriend, she wants to go in, too. She needs to change her class, too. Doctor Oriami said she has to be with me so I don’t do anything stupid, again.”

“Okay, have a seat I’ll let him know.”

Eddy went over and sat next to Moli. She smiled and took his hand in hers. They sat there for a long while until the door to the Dean’s office opened. “Edward, I can see you now.”

“Thank you, sir, come on Moli.”

They went in and sat in the offered chairs. The Dean came around the desk and sat down, “So, you say you need to change a class, why is that?”

“It’s in the Humanities Building,” Eddy.

“That’s where he was after leaving your office,” Moli said. “He told me he can’t go in there.”

“Okay, I’ll need to make a few calls; go out and sit in the reception area,” the Dean said. “Oh, Moli, I need your full name and how you spell it.”

“Moli 20-578p, that’s M-O-L-I.”

“Got it, okay, I’ll take care of this. Edward, do you think you’ll ever be able to go in that building?”

“Maybe Doctor Oriami can work with me so that I can, maybe next year, I don’t know.”

“I think I understand.”

Eddy and Moli went out and sat down on the sofa. Eddy put his hand over hers and squeezed it. He leaned back and laid his head on the sofa. He sighed and Moli looked at him. She felt the quiver of nervousness in his hand. She became worried about his stability and wondered if she should take him back to the clinic, but decided against that. He was obviously stressed over having the possibility of having to go into the Humanities Building and the questionable chance they were going to find another class somewhere else in the university. As far as she was concerned, what Eddy needed now was a little up close affection and that was what she was going to give him when they returned to her room.

“Okay, kids, I’ve arranged a revised schedule,” the Dean said when he came out of his office. “I’m afraid you might not like the revision, though. Not only did we have to change the Language Theory class, but, also, the ornamental horticulture class. That’s all we could do to make it work so that both of you can be in the same classes at the same time. Go on down to Student Affairs and pick up your revised schedules and you might want to get a campus map so you can find where those new classes are. And Edward, if you need anything else, I’m here to help.”

********

Later that night, they were lying on Moli’s bed on their backs waiting for the other to make a move. The covers had been pulled back, Moli had taken her shower, and Eddy had taken his clothes off in anticipation of either going to sleep or doing something. Moli had a feeling Eddy might want something special, but she wasn’t certain she wanted to go further than they’d gone before this. When they had returned from touring the campus they took their clothes off and Moli had given Eddy a quick lesson on female genital anatomy and the ways he could make her feel they were truly in love; and that was the word she used.

Eddy had a little practice session followed by a lot of kissing and then she took care of him, but tonight, she felt, was going to be different. She swallowed and looked over at him. He was staring at her. He smiled and then climbed on top of her.

“No talking, this is lesson one.”

He started kissing her mouth and then worked his way down to her breasts. He took one in his hand and then slathered it with his tongue. He looked up at her, but her eyes were closed. He went back to her mouth, continued to kiss her for nearly an hour until he rolled off and pulled her onto him. He held her against his chest and began kissing her mouth, again and again.

Finally, she rolled off and lay on her side. “Is that all to lesson one, Bud?”

“Yes, Mother, that’s all there is and I’m sure you noticed that it was very satisfying to me. Moli, I love you and want to be with you for as long as you want me and maybe even longer. I’m going to go clean up and bring a washcloth back to clean your tummy.”

“No, I’ll come with you.”

“No, you lie there. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Where’s your wristband?”

“On the nightstand, next to you.”

“Leave the door open, so I can watch you.”

“You didn’t watch me when you were in the shower.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I trusted you not to do anything stupid.”

“And, if I have those thoughts, I’ll press it. Now, we need to get up early so we can get ready for the Matriculation Ceremony, so I’m going to get a wet washcloth so both of us can clean ourselves.”

“Make sure you bring a towel, too, Bud.”

“Yes, Mother.”