Thank you to everyone who sent me their ideas for names. They really were all good suggestions. If you saw the picture of this puppy, you might agree with the final selection. For those who can't find his picture on Twitter – you might have better luck on Pinterest – under ManhattaniteNYC.
Thank you to john6lisa for suggesting the puppy steal Helena's clothes. To everyone who guessed what was up Irene's sleeve – bravo. And to wiffyscoob for reminding me - it's a crate, not a cage.
And to everyone reading along, I truly appreciate your time.
Oh! Breathe Not His Name (Thomas Moore)
Myka crept down the stairs to the silence below and went into the living room. She slowly moved her hand into her pocket and retrieved her phone. She just had to take a picture of the sight that lay before her. Helena stretched out on the couch, blanket up to her chin, the book opened across her chest….and the best sight of all …the sleeping puppy snuggled under her left arm.
The sound of the camera woke him and he immediately started to move around so Myka bent over and grabbed him. Now she was begging him to be quiet and not disturb his midnight babysitter. Helena turned on her side as Myka took the book and smiled at what had transpired. Helena was reading to the dog! It filled Myka's chest with a warm feeling. She knew she better get him outside before she experienced a less pleasant warm feeling.
"Did you have fun with Helena? Was she reading to you?" Myka asked all smiles as she took the dog for their morning walk. Upon her return, she could smell breakfast cooking. Leena knew they would need some extra help until they figured things out and so she was there.
"He didn't sleep in the crate?" was the first question Leena asked.
"Helena must have come down to quiet him and stayed with him," Myka said, sipping her coffee.
"Oh I knew she couldn't resist you!" Leena said to the puppy that got all excited. "Are you guys going to the Obedience class in the park?"
Leena had been her usual diligent self in finding a pet store on Amsterdam Avenue, a vet on 88th Street and several classes on dog training. The unnamed dog had his first appointment in twenty minutes.
"I think I'll let Helena sleep while I take him to get his shots. I'll see if Helena wants to go to the class tomorrow," Myka said, as she put his leash and collar on. Helena was still sound asleep on the couch as Myka left for the appointment. An hour later, the pup was vaccinated and given a bill of good health and Myka brought him home.
"I think you really wore her out," Myka whispered to him when she checked to see Helena still asleep.
The kitchen erupted into squeals of delight when Myka brought him in. Claudia, Eileen, Steve, and Pete were all around the kitchen island having breakfast. "Oh my God! He is so cute. The newspaper picture didn't do you justice," Claudia said, asking Myka if she could hold him.
"You guys shouldn't be babying him," Pete said, thinking he was defending the pup that was eating up the attention almost as fast as Pete was consuming eggs and turkey bacon.
"Pete's afraid you'll make him into a poodle," Steve kidded.
"I do not. I like poodles …kind of, but he's a Siberian Hus-ky," Pete said, emphasizing the last word.
"You know they come in female size, too, right?" Claudia teased him.
"Of course I know that. Hey, Myka you got to take him to Central Park to see the statue of Balto," Pete said. He was referring to the sculpture dedicated to the Siberian Husky sled dog who led his team on the final leg of the 1925 serum run that brought an antitoxin more than a thousand miles to Nome, thereby saving children's lives.
"Would you like to see that? I bet you would, yes I do," Claudia said in a sing-song voice.
Eileen came to the center of the room carrying the teacup. "I could have made that," Leena said, completely unaware that this was the sole reason all four of them were there.
"Oh I don't mind," Eileen said, looking directly at Myka. That one glance spoke volumes and now Myka understood. Someone had alerted Eileen to the fact that Helena would need her cup of tea this morning. "Myka, would you mind bringing it in?" Eileen asked, having taken into account how long it would take for the tea to get to the drinker.
"Irene?" Myka whispered as she took the cup and saucer. The smile was all the confirmation Myka needed. She wasn't sure how Irene knew, but however it was, she was responsible for the breakfast guests being there.
"What's his name?" Pete asked, offering the dog a piece of bacon and getting his hand gently slapped by Leena.
"He has to eat a very special diet," she explained to Pete.
"A special diet? The other dogs are going to pick on him. Don't get him clothes, for the love of Mike, don't get him clothes," Pete begged.
"Yes, we're going to get him a blazer with the Wells logo on it," Steve joked.
"And no, no name yet," Leena updated them.
"No name? Oh you poor guy," Pete said, getting down on the floor and roughhousing with him.
"He's trying to get all the 'girl' off him," Steve said, watching Pete bark like a dog and getting the puppy all worked up.
Myka, in the meantime, walked quietly into the living room. She knew the only thing Helena would want - next to seeing her, was her tea. As soon as Myka entered the room, Helena opened her eyes.
"Hey you," Myka said, sitting on the foot stool in front of the couch. "I brought your tea."
"Hey you," Helena smiled back and pushed herself up. "I think not."
"Trust me?" Myka said, putting the tea by Helena's mouth. Helena frowned at what this might be about, but opened her mouth all the same and took a sip. One swallow and her hands went to the cup to hold it.
"Oh thank God," Helena said, taking another long sip as if it were the cure for something. In fact, it was. Each sip slowly erased the effects of the wretched night.
"Aren't you the least bit curious how Eileen knew to come this morning and make you tea?" Myka asked, smiling as she watched Helena drink it. Helena shook her head. She didn't care how the woman knew, just that she did. "I think someone told her about your terrible night," Myka said, raising an eyebrow.
"Myka, he refused …(sip) (swallow) …and I mean absolutely…(sip) (swallow) refused …(sip) (swallow) …to listen," Helena practically moaned.
"And so you called Irene?" the lawyer surmised correctly.
"She was most unsympathetic," Helena complained.
"You didn't ask her…to come here, did you?" Myka asked, trying to imagine that conversation.
"He would not allow me to leave him. He refused to settle down," Helena reported, getting the focus off her behavior.
"Until you read this to him?" Myka asked, holding up the book.
"Well, at least he has good taste in the written word even if he is incorrigible." Helena said from practically inside the teacup.
"Well, his incorrigibility ends tomorrow when we take him to obedience school," Myka gently broached.
If the cup had been empty, Helena would have thrown her head back in protest, but she didn't dare waste a drop of the elixir. "OK," she said, pulling her legs up, her eyes squinting to force a smile on her face ….for Myka.
Myka leaned over and kissed Helena. "I found him asleep under your arm, you know," Myka shared.
"Then I will shower before I do anything else," Helena said, draining the cup before she threw her legs over the side of the cushion.
"Thank you, Helena, for taking care of him last night," Myka said sweetly. She knew Helena had hardly adjusted to having the animal here.
"Anything for you, love, anything," Helena said, kissing Myka back and lingering on her lips. Suddenly, Helena pulled back. "He hasn't …?" she asked – just in case.
"No, Helena, I don't let him lick my lips," Myka said.
"I would kiss you anyway, I hope you know," Helena said, taking her leave.
Myka rejoined the group in the kitchen just as they were about to leave, their mission completed. Myka thanked them for stopping by and finally thought to ask – where the android was.
"Oh, he's visiting a friend," Claudia said, pushing her friends out the door because they were under strict orders not to spill the beans about his new job on Monday.
"He …has…friends?" Myka said, turning to Leena.
"With those eyes? That dimple? Are you really surprised," the woman asked, fanning herself with her hand.
It occurred to Myka that everyone seemed to have trouble remembering …..Sui was not human. Then again, the lawyer mused; he was the brainchild of a genius.
"I learned a great many things last night," Sui shared to the woman who was his designated caretaker.
"Like what?" the woman asked as she stretched her plump arms out in front of her, rolling pin in hand, and thinning out the dough. She nodded for Sui to follow suit and he imitated her motions. "Not too thin," she added.
"It occurs to me that humans possess a deep need for companionship. Not just for the purpose to procreate as my biology programs informed me, but also out of emotional and psychological requirements as well," Sui reported as his eyes scanned to make sure his crust was the exact measure as his teacher's.
The woman stopped and stared up at her student. "You're preaching to the choir, honey." She stared into those pools of light azure and was completely distracted.
"I have never heard a choir. Or a preacher. Maybe we could go to church," Sui asked because the connection was made and it would be a new experience.
"Yes, church. We should go …to church …...now," Millie said, wiping her hands on the towel and grabbing her coat.
"Now? Sui asked, looking down at the rolled out dough in front of him.
"Yes…..I think so…..now," Millie said, uncertain of what to do with the thoughts and feelings she was experiencing – about the android.
"Okay," Sui said, taking off his apron and putting it down, and following the woman who seemed to be blessing herself and praying already.
The devout woman took it as a direct sign from God that there was a wedding going on at her church that Sui insisted they watch so that he could learn about them. He watched intently as the woman next to him bowed her head in prayer and secretly texted Claudia to – 'Pick him up at St. Anthony's ASAP'.
The foursome drove to Brooklyn and pulled up outside the church behind the white stretch limousine with the 'Just Married' sign on the back.
"I hope they didn't get married," Pete kidded and got smacked on the arm for his remark. Minutes later, even before the bride and groom emerged, the friends witnessed Millie rushing down the steps, with Sui behind her asking questions. "But isn't it archaic to have the bride wear a color that would indicate her sexual status and not the groom?" he asked as Millie rushed to the car.
"Too…..many…..questions," she panted, out of breath from the trek down the steps at that speed.
"We saw a wedding," Sui said excited with the new knowledge.
"Are you …okay?" Eileen asked the woman who was obviously ….not.
"I will be. Mr. Generis, it was good to see you," Millie said as she backed away, but the android was quick on his feet. He bowed and took her hand and kissed it – saying in perfect Italian, "Il piacere è stato tutto mio." (The pleasure was all mine).
Claudia and Eileen just stared from the car – aware of what was happening and the effect it was having on their coworker. "Holy frak, Batman, we have to turn down the charm," Claudia said, as she watched Millie turn, holding her hand to her chest and walk away – as if she were floating on air.
"I would like to see Helena," Sui said, as he got in the back seat of the car.
"Not until Monday, Sui. Remember, your new job is a surprise," Steve reminded him.
"Ms. Wells does not like surprises," the well-informed android said.
"And that's why Mrs. Frederic will be there and not us," Claudia said, wishing she could selectively delete this weekend from his memory.
"I am going to do a very good job," Sui said because his programs told him he was very capable of performing the tasks. Then he remembered the lecture Claudia had given him last night, long after the others feel asleep about people's feelings. "Although I will never be able to replace you," he said directly to Eileen and made her smile.
Maybe his charm was at the right level, the techie thought.
Claudia let out a slow sigh of relief. It was bad enough that her programming had taken her away from Eileen for so many nights, but to be held responsible for helping to create her replacement was a whole different wrinkle in their relationship. She was just grateful that Helena's design of interconnectivity among the programs was as efficient as it was. This is what made it possible for Sui to make these connections quickly.
Leena had prepared lunch and left it in the refrigerator before she left. Myka had no sooner closed the front door when she heard Helena yelling from the kitchen. She turned quickly to see the fur ball scampering down the entryway with Helena's bra in his mouth. Helena had retrieved it from the laundry room where he quickly snatched it away from her. He was running so fast that when he stopped, he slid all the way to Myka's feet.
"Where is that hairy little bandit?" Helena yelled, looking in the dining room. She turned to see the stolen article dangling from Myka's finger now as the offender hid behind her legs.
"Looking for this?" Myka asked as the puppy growled his innocence.
"Not after it's been in that wet incubator of germs, I'm not," Helena said indignantly. "You're raising a thief, I'll have you know."
"Look who's calling the kettle black," the lawyer said brilliantly in her defense. Even the puppy agreed and howled on cue. "Say you're sorry to Helena," Myka instructed the dog, picking him up and looking at his white face with black markings around both eyes. It made him look as if he were wearing a mask. "Oh my gosh, Helena, I think you just named him. You do look like a bandit, don't you?" Myka asked the dog who seemed quite agreeable to his name. He threw his little head back and howled his approval.
"Bandit Bering-Wells," Myka said to a straight-faced Helena.
"I thought it was offensive when he took my bra. Now you're giving him my name?" she asked disdainfully.
"Maybe he was just doing me a favor," Myka said, reaching to touch Helena through her robe and gently cupping her breast.
As if sensing he was about to lose Myka's attention, the young pup growled at Myka's action. Helena had reached her limit. The dog was not going to interrupt her time with Myka again. So she did the only thing... a brilliant, logical woman... could think of doing.
She bared her teeth, growled back…. and put him in his place.
Thank you to everyone who asked – won't Helena miss Myka if she's away from work while she's teaching – I made a change to Irene's addendum as follows – From Chapter 9 -
"No vacations, unless you take her with you. No conferences, unless you take her with you. No sick days, unless you take her...with you. In fact, if you leave the building for long periods of time? You take her with you. It's pretty simple really," the HR Director smiled as she picked out a pastry and consumed it.