"Mom!"

AndrAIa looked up from where she was refilling the java cup, "Yes, baby?"

"I can't find my red boots!"

AndrAIa set the carafe down and smiled at her guests, "Be right back."

"Take your time Dre," Dot smiled at her from across the room.  "I understand perfectly."

"Well I don't," Bob draped his arm around his wife.  "Why does it take you women so long to get ready?"

"Hey!"  Dot protested as she punched him playfully in the arm.

"Perfection takes time," AndrAIa said as she strode from the room.  "You men have only yourselves to blame for making us go through so much trouble."  AndrAIa strode from the room following the inevitable protests.

The game sprite smiled as she stepped into her daughter's room.  Clothes, shoes, and accessories were strewn over the bed.  Outfits were draped over chairs and perfume bottles littered the top of the dresser.

Star was zipping frantically from one end of the room to the other.  "They'd go perfect with this outfit.  I had them in the closet just last night-cycle."

"Baby calm down, you have milliseconds yet."

"That's still not enough time," Star stopped in the midst of the room, her smooth emerald features now squinted in concentration.  "Where are those boots?"

AndrAIa knelt down beside the bed.  Her enhanced eyesight helped her see the lost items that had her daughter fretting.  "Here you go, baby."

"Thanks mom."  She smiled at her gratefully.  Then frowned at the boots.  "Maybe these won't go right after all."

AndrAIa laughed softly, the pushed aside some of the clothes on the bed making room to sit down.  "So this is a boy you've had your eyes on for awhile?"

"Yeah – I mean he doesn't normally go out with girls like me."

"Girls like you?  What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well he usually goes out with those super-model wanna-be types."

"Star, I don't want to ever want to hear you talk like that again."  AndrAIa admonished.  "You're beautiful and smart."

"You're just saying that because you're my mom."

"I'm saying that because its true," AndrAIa said.  "If he's only interested in the 'super-model' type and not in a girl for who she is, then he's not good enough for you."

To her surprise, Star sighed and flopped down on the bed, not bothering to move the clothes, "That's what I'm afraid of."

"I suppose we'll both find out when he gets here," AndrAIa said.  "Just have fun tonight."

"Okay," Star smiled.  "Um – could you do me a favor mom?  Could you make sure dad doesn't scare him away?"

AndrAIa smothered a laugh, "All right – although he promised to behave."

"He promised to behave the first ten times a boy came over."

That time, AndrAIa couldn't help but laugh.  Both mother and daughter recalled the few disastrous times a boy had called or dropped by, only to be met at the door by a maniacally grinning Matrix.  That was usually enough to scare them away.  And when that didn't work, they got 'the look'.  The one Matrix usually reserved for someone who was about to get their lights punched out.  AndrAIa nearly groaned allowed remembering the poor boy who'd come over to do homework with Star only to have him leave moments later when Matrix walked into the room and looked at him, his targeting eye glowed ominously, the room filled with the sound of the mechanical whirl.

"You father just cares about you that's all," AndrAIa says, "He doesn't want to see you hurt."

"I know mom, but he can't stop that and he has to let go sometime."

AndrAIa reached across the space separating them and touched Star on the shoulder.  "Sweetie, I've got some bad news for you.  He's never going to let go.  You'll always be his little Shining Star."

"Then how am I supposed to keep a boyfriend?"

"You let me take care of your father," AndrAIa smiled reassuredly.  She noticed an outfit on the bed.  "Is that what you're planning on wearing?"

"Yes."

"I like it.  The boots will go perfectly with it."

Star just looked at her.

"Oops – nevermind – forget I said anything." AndrAIa knew if the parent liked it, it wasn't cool.  "And relax okay?"

"Okay," Star said.  "Thanks mom."

AndrAIa smiled to herself as she made her way back to the living room.  That evening, she and Matrix had invited Bob and Dot to have dinner with them.  They had all been so busy lately they never had time to spend together.  Finally, they'd all gotten an evening where business was concluded by evening-cycle and AndrAIa had whipped up a quick pasta dinner.  E.J. was happily ensconced in front of the vid-TV with his games and Star was getting ready for her first real date.

When she entered the room, she found her husband and family were enjoying their java and the strawberry cheesecake AndrAIa had made earlier.

"Dre this cake is marvelous," Dot said.  "Who taught you to cook like this?"

AndrAIa sat next to Matrix on the couch and her husband draped his muscular arm around her.  "When Matrix and I were game hopping, we stayed with this elderly couple for about six minutes who taught us a lot of things.  The woman taught me how to cook." 

AndrAIa saw a brief instance of sadness in Dot's eyes.  The game sprite knew talk of their game hopping days often invoked sadness in her sister-in-law because Dot seemed to believe she had let AndrAIa and Matrix down.  AndrAIa had tried to assure Dot that wasn't the case.  She'd come to accept what had happened and felt herself a better person for her experiences.

"Is Star okay?"  Matrix asked.

"Just a little clothing trouble," AndrAIa said.  "She asked me to make sure you'd be on your best behavior."

"What do you mean my best behavior?  I always am."

Bob snorted a laugh and Dot raised one incredulous eyebrow.

"Um – excuse me Sparky, need I remind you of the last three times a boy came here to see Star?"

"I was good," Matrix said petulantly.

"That's not what I heard," Dot said.

"Hey," Matrix protested.

"The first time a boy arrived, Matrix walked into the room, glared at him and made his mechanical eye target.  The poor kid nearly wet his pants."

"Aw Dre do you have to tell them --,"

"The second time as Star and the boy – his name was Bit I think – were in the living room doing homework and suddenly, Matrix gets the urge to go into the next room and disassemble and clean Gun."

"Matrix," Dot admonished.

"Hey he looked – I don't know, not quite right," Matrix protested.

"He seemed like a nice boy."  AndrAIa said.

"Hmph," Matrix muttered.  "I know all about 'nice boys'.  I used to be one."

Bob chuckled.  Dot glared at him.

"The third time," AndrAIa said, pointedly, "Matrix sits down and starts grilling the poor kid like he's an army private.  He was a nervous wreck before he left."

"Hey, if they can't take pressure --,"

"So," AndrAIa cut him off a second time, "You will behave tonight, Sparky, promise?"

"Yeah, yeah, I promise."

"Mo – om!"

"Yes baby?"

"Have you seen my pearl earrings?"

AndrAIa sighed and shook her head.

*

"Okay," Bob squinted at the card, "How do single-celled organisms such as an ameba obtain oxygen?"

"You're kidding right?"  Matrix stared at him.  "You're asking the wrong Enzo."

"Sparky, if we lose another game," AndrAIa paused and looked up at the sound of soft footsteps.  "Star honey, you look gorgeous."

Their daughter, who had stepped into the room, blushed profusely.  "Thanks."

"She's right, you look lovely," Dot said. 

"Absolutely," Bob agreed.

"Daddy?"

AndrAIa noticed Matrix's look – a mixture of pride and sadness.

"Princess, you know I think you look beautiful."

Her blush deepened, "Now you're going to behave tonight, right?"

"I already promised your mother," Matrix said.

"Oh, I forgot my purse, BRB," Star said.

Matrix sighed as she ran from the room.

"Sparky?"  AndrAIa smiled softly at him.

"She looks so – grown up."

AndrAIa draped her arm around him and squeezed his shoulders.  "I know."

The doorbell rang a few nanos later.  Matrix rose immediately from the couch.  He cracked his knuckles and grinned maliciously.  "I'll answer the door."

Star must have heard his declaration because she called down the hall, "Mom!"

"Sparky – park it!"

"Aww – Dre --,"

"Sparky."

Matrix grunted and sat heavily down on the couch. He glared at Bob who looked as though he was going to burst out laughing at any nano.  Dot just shook her head.

The young man greeted AndrAIa politely enough and he seemed nice.  She ushered him into the living room where he introduced himself.  AndrAIa pointedly looked at Matrix.  Surprisingly enough the boy didn't seem nervous around her brawny husband.  A good sign.  And Matrix kept his promise and minded his manners.

Star stepped into the room and smiled somewhat nervously and was eased when the boy complimented her.  AndrAIa knew Star hadn't really wanted the boy to come in but of course, as parents they had to complicate things by insisting to meet him.  They saw the kids off, and of course, Matrix felt himself obligated to remind them of Star's curfew.

*

AndrAIa smiled at her husband's reflection in the mirror.  Matrix flicked off the bathroom light.  "Maybe we should wait in the living room."

"Sparky, we don't want to look like we were spying on her."

"Why not?"  Matrix said.  "What if he tries to kiss her?  What if he tries to --?"  His face flushed an angry shade of red. "Maybe I should wait on the porch."

"Enzo Matrix!"

Matrix expelled a labored breath and sat heavily on the bed.  "It used to be that her main interest were cartoons and crayon drawing.  Now all she seems interested in is boys and – boys."

"She's going through that stage," AndrAIa said quietly.  "But she's a good girl.  She keeps her grades up and she's in a lot of useful activities."

"I know," Matrix said a touch sadly.

AndrAIa joined him on the bed.  "She wasn't going to stay little forever, but she'll always be your little Shining Star won't she?"

"Yours too," Matrix said.

"Yes," AndrAIa agreed.  "We have to trust her to make the right decisions."

Matrix fell back onto the bed.  "It isn't her I don't trust."

AndrAIa laughed.  Then she caught a faint sound, knowing Matrix couldn't hear it and at the same time, knowing what it was.

"She's home."

"I'll never get used to how you do that," Matrix stood.

"Where are you going?"

"Out there to make sure the little null-brain doesn't try anything."

"Sit boy."

"Hmph," Matrix said again.

After a few nanos, Star knocked on the doorframe, "Just wanted to say good night."

"Did you have a good time?"  AndrAIa asked.

"He didn't try anything did he?"

"Matrix."

"Daddy."

"Actually I had a pretty nice time," she said.  "I was worried for nothing." 

"Told you," AndrAIa said.

"He wants to go out again next weekend, is that okay?"  Star asked.

"Moving a little too fast, isn't he?"

"Matrix!"

"Daddy!"

"Okay, okay."

"Good night you two," Star moved from the room.

The couple sat in companionable silence for a nano then, "Okay, say it," Matrix said. 

"Say what?"  AndrAIa said with feigned innocence.

"You're really not going to make me say it."  Matrix said.

AndrAIa grinned mischievously.

"Fine," Matrix said.  "You were right."

"I know," AndrAIa smirked.  "And I love hearing you say that.  You say it so often."

Matrix grunted non-committally.

"Now don't pout, Sparky.  We did a good job in raising her."

He grinned at her and pulled her into his arms.  "We did, didn't we?  Maybe I won't get on the boy's case so much anymore."

This time it was AndrAIa, who made a derisive noise, "And nulls will fly."