Chapter 6
Mother's Forgiveness


A week had passed, and Yuki was all fixed, hoping to spend time with May. However, May never came out of her room. She never moved, she never ate food, and she never bothered moving out. She was completely depressed. Caroline appeared, now and then, giving her daughter some food. But May never touched it. She even offered her a yellow cube. She didn't accept. She asked if she would like to talk. But no answer. Caroline then said, as she was upset, "I'm sorry that I didn't believe you… I'll try to ask about what happened, last week."

May didn't responded. Caroline left, as May was still miserable.

XXXXX

At the dinner table, the next evening, Yuki started to feel tired. She approached Caroline and asked if May will come out. She responded that she's unhappy. Maybe Yuki would cheer her up. Caroline then asked about the fall she took.

Max asked, "Yeah. I'd like to know if Sis did break you! What did she do?"

Yuki pouted, "She did… Nothing…"

Caroline asked, "Why? May didn't rescue you. I thought she broke you, completely."

Yuki smiled, "My servos are working fine… but I feel uneasy."

Caroline inquired, "Well, I want to know. You broke May's fall and you nearly broke. Luckily it was about 50 Yen for a replacement part for your neck. It looked dented."

She insisted, "I want to know. May shoved you down the hill, right?"

Yuki said, "She did nothing. Nothing at all…"

Max cried, "May shoved you and she tumbled down with you!"

Yuki scolded, "Max! Speak when you're told!"

She grabbed a plate of rice and said, "I'll take this to May and when I return, you tell me why May is upset."

She left, entering May's room. She placed her plate by her side and said, "May, Miss Caroline was only looking out for you. I'm only here to make you happy."

She said nothing. She looked up and sobbed, "Yuki… Mommy never believed me. I love you, but I love Mom, more. Why couldn't you say that I almost rescued you?"

Yuki then processed the accident, and then said, "Oh… That's what Miss Caroline meant."

She said, "Please excuse me. But, you must eat your dinner. You haven't eaten in days."

May grumbled, "I'm not hungry."

Yuki left, as May was still sad.

May looked at her plate and cringed, "I'm too sad to be depressed."

XXXXX

Yuki then addressed the situation to Caroline.

"May was only looking out for me. You see, when we fell, May fell, too. It is true that May didn't rescue me. She was trying to grab me, but I grasped her tight, trying not to let her get injured. While I may be a Maiden for Hire, whose purpose is of the domestic life, I can also help the users and protect them. I always follow the Three Laws and try to make sure that the user is safe. When I grabbed onto her, I crashed in the ground and went black. And that was all."

Caroline was shocked, as she knew that her Maiden can even help people. She asked, "So… All this time… you were protecting May?"

Yuki nodded, and then bowed, "Forgive me. But then I heard that you and May had a fight. When I was repaired, Max told me. I grew worried about May, since I am her legal Maiden. You get the royalties of my guaranteed service, as well, seeing that May is very young."

Max gulped, "Sorry. May wouldn't even talk, during that time."

Caroline said, as she got up, "Yuki. Thank you for watching my daughter. But… I think we need to sort this mess. Maybe she needed a Maiden's love to help her. Would you like to come with?"

Yuki bowed, "I am honored."

They walked out of the dining hall and headed to May's room. She knocked on the door and called to her, "May! Can I come in?"

"Go away!" May sobbed.

She stepped in, as May was in her desk, still crying. Caroline asked, "We should talk. If you okay with it, right?"

May responded, "Whatever…"

She sat by Caroline and said, "May, about what happened, long ago… I thought you were misusing your Maiden. And you didn't rescue her. She rescued you."

"What?"

"Honey, I should've listened to you, but ever since you were mean, I just couldn't take being soft at you. So, I went ahead and bought Yuki for you, in your name, just so you can adapt to your peers, since you were somewhat with an attitude. After all, you liked her, after I gave her to you. But lately, you were careful for her. Now, I only wish that I'd listened to you."

"Mommy… I just…"

"Look, from now on, I'll try and be a nicer mother and give you your time. You can keep Yuki, as long as you want, but I will be using her, for certain household uses."

"You mean it?"

"I know so. You may have her, if you want. She did save you, after all… and… I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. Will you forgive me?"

May let out a frown… but then smiled as she was happy. She hugged her mother.

"Mommy!" She cheered.

She hugged her mother, as Yuki wants to hug her, too. May smiled and said, as she hugged Yuki, "Yuki… I'm sorry I was upset. Mom doesn't believe me. And here I thought that you'd break down on me. I was only looking out for you."

Yuki held her tight and said, "I know. I know you didn't mean to, but…"

She reclaimed, "You need to speak to her, honestly, about your mother. After all, I can care for you, just like your mother."

May sobbed, as she laughed, "Yuki, I hope you can stay with me."

Yuki's LED eyes started to fade, as May was closing her eyes, hugging into her chest. Yuki then beeped, "May… I… love… you…"

She dropped her head and was still holding May. May then said, "Yuki, I hope we'll have fun together. I hope one day we'll look back and laughed. I was thinking of keeping you, forever."

Caroline sobbed, as she looked at Yuki, all deactivated and motionless. She tried plugging her in and pressing her button. But there was no response. May smiled, as she was still occupied. Caroline said, "May… May, listen to me."

"Not now. Yuki is so warm."

Caroline let May go, as she looked at Yuki. She gasped, as she smiled, "Mom, I think her batteries are dead."

Caroline started to cry, as May realized, "No… No!"

She hugged Yuki and cried, "YUKI! NO! WAKE UP! YOU'RE PLAYING DEAD!"

Caroline said, as she left, "I'll see if she's in need of repairs."

She left to call the factory, as May was still holding Yuki, in worry. She whispered, "Yuki, please be okay. I hope you survive… The company will make you good as new. I promise. I hope you'll be okay."


But then, the truck left with Yuki. She was examined at home and was worn out. Her entire CPU was fried and her memory chips were damaged and corrupt. She was sent back to the Maidens for Hire Company, as she was sent for maintenance. They are unsure if Yuki will ever return. But they promised that she'll be fixed.
In the end, Caroline was given a FREE Coupon for a Maiden or Butler for Hire, for a FREE two-month rental of any purchase. Caroline accepted, as said that she'll use it, in case Yuki does not make it. All she could do was feel hurt emotionally… as May was in a dejected mood. She sobbed, "She's gone, isn't she?"

Caroline tried to console her, but May shoved her off and sobbed. She ran off inside and shouted, "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

She ran to her room, again, and locked the door. She landed on her bed and cried on her pillow. Caroline was upset, as she heard her daughter's crying.

"I WANT HER BACK! I WANT YUKI!" She sobbed loudly, "I can't accept another one! Not like Yuki is!"

She continued to cry, as Caroline was sad. With Yuki gone, she may hate her, even more. She didn't know what to do… but she knew what she had to do. But what?

"Yeah, I know… I feel awful for hurting May," she said, "But Maidens, I figure, tend to be experts at parenting, but it seems they can only be friendly to anybody, including kids."

Max asked, "You think soon I'd get one, maybe of Sis?"

Caroline scolded Max, "Max! No! I think, for the moment, we should ask May, before we resort to buying these devices."

She sighed in disappointment, "Personally, I don't know what to do…"

XXXXX

That night, she spoke with Norman, in the kitchen. She explained, "Well, I don't know. She has been moody. But we may need to reconsider our options."

Norman, in his brown jacket and slick hair, said, "I suppose. But how should we tell Max?"

"Maybe… Maybe I should break it to her, gently."

"I don't think you will. At her rate, she may not listen to you."

"Then… I deserve it, after the awful things I did…"

She went to May's room and tried to reason with her… but why?

XXXXX

She entered May's room, as May was sleeping in her bed. She was still heartbroken. She held her and hugged her, while she was out. She sobbed, "May… I'm sorry… Please forgive me…"

She held her neck and whispered, "May…"

May woke up and said, "Mom?"

She patted her head and said, "May, you're up. But…"

"What do you want?" She said, as she turned away, "Yuki's gone, isn't she?"

"I'm afraid so," she responded, "But that is okay. I should've never bought you that Maiden… May, I felt bad for hurting you. I thought Maidens are helpful for parenting… but I was wrong."

May said, as she swelled in tears, "Mom… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Caroline hugged her and said, "No, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for hurting you. I should've listened to you, when you and Yuki had those accidents. I'm a little broke up that you cared for the Maiden, like she was your own mother."

May responded, "No. The Maiden loved me, as she was my own mother. Even if she was a bit clumsy and very sweet, she's irreplaceable! Just… not a substitute for you. Yuki was the best I ever had… but I still love you… Mom."

Caroline blushed, "Oh… May…"

She smiled and said to May, "Thank you. You make me feel happy to have you…"

They continued to embrace their hug, between mother and daughter, as it took one Maiden to bring them back together. What started as a way to tolerate one's daughter, ended with tragedy, as a mother was reunited with her child's trust.

But then, she reached for her neck and whispered, "Forgive me… I'm also sorry for this…"

CLICK! Whrrrr…

May's eyes went black, her body wound down and was stiff, and she was turned off.

Caroline hugged her motionless 'daughter' and said, "This is goodbye. I don't mean to do this, but it's tough to see you go. I'll never find someone like you… again…"

She turned off her daughter, when she had a red button on the back of her neck. This May was a robot.

She placed May down and reached for a phone and called the company. She leaked tears from her eyes and said, on the receiver:
"Hello, Maidens for Hire… The test is over… Please bring her back."

However, she wasn't Maiden for Hire… but she was from the company that made them. If memory served us, Maidens don't eat. So, how come this android ate?

Was this the 90-day test that Hanako mentioned earlier? And why was it in the form of an android child?
Find out in the final chapter…


Next time: the Epilogue.
I'll give you a hint: POSSIBLE SPIN-OFF ALERT!