A Mother Returned Pt. 09

Theodore's face fell as he watched his mother leave. "Fuck this." He turned and headed up to his room. "I'm going to bed."

"Well, that turned out about as well as expected." Winifred stood and cleared the dishes.

~~

A week later.

"Well... that helped." Sweaty and naked, Penelope stretched out on the large bed in her honeymoon suite on La Belle Île. She looked up at the stars. She had made a few alterations to the program that had prevented the experience from going stale. "But... I would like you to say you love me... again."

"I love you... Mom." The copy of Theodore was sitting on the bed, staring at her breasts.

"You're looking at me just the way the real Theodore would." She patted his knee. "At my boobs, I mean." She laughed. "Now... say you love me again."

"I love you, Mom," Theodore said.

"You're not much of a conversationalist. But we have found other uses for your tongue, I suppose." Penelope closed her eyes and remembered the orgasms she'd had as the program had given her oral sex. She sighed.

"I am a stock program with the voice and likeness of Theodore Nisha. I have none of his memories or thoughts," Theodore said.

"Yes, and I worry that fact will hinder my satisfaction in the long run." Penelope turned onto her side, pushing the large dildo out of her way. She gazed into his green eyes. "But for right now, I find that I can pretend."

"Penny, I would like to state again that I do not think this is a good idea." Winifred's voice entered the sensorium.

"Maybe you're right. But Felix did say I could do anything in here. He encouraged me, Winnie. And this is all pretend." Penelope eyed her son's soft penis. Even when sleepy, the thing was frightening. She wondered what the real penis was doing at that moment.

"I love you, Mom," Theodore said again.

"That's a good boy. You can go now." Penelope brought up a screen and erased Theodore from the room. She found a pillow, put it under her head, and returned to her back. The stars were a pretty thing to look at. "Winnie, you never told me what were the conclusions of your research into... um... mother-son bonding? What did you find?"

"It is uncommon, but it happens with enough regularity to merit its own subsection of our guide to family relations," Winifred said. "Mostly what I have to go on is anecdotal. Sometimes, the humans are happy with it. Other times, it leads to problems. It is a difficult issue for an AI to shepherd. When it happens, there is often a crossing of the Rubicon moment. Mother and son will hem and haw until the dam breaks. And then there's a fast and furious flood. I am happy that you and Theodore have pulled back and have not crossed that perilous river."

"I'm happy that you're using metaphors, Winnie, but you're mixing them. What's so perilous about it?" Penelope absentmindedly played with her nipple.

"Sex... especially deeply emotional sex is like a forest humans can lose themselves in. And if you are lost, the other relationships in your life are strained." Winifred's voice sounded cool and indifferent. She was trying not to put charge into her words.

"Why, Winnie, another metaphor." Penelope laughed.

"Humans respond to metaphors on a more visceral level. I'm trying to get through to you," Winifred said.

"Trying and succeeding." Penelope reached for the toy and brought it between her legs. She imagined losing herself in that particular forest with Theodore. "Don't worry, it's only pretend. I just need to satisfy myself until Felix returns. And then, all will be right as rain." With the hand not dildoing her vagina, she brought up the screen and returned the copy of Theodore to the room. "Say you... uuugghhh... love me... Teddy."

"I love you, Mom." Theodore leaned down and took Penelope's nipple into his mouth.

"Yes... yes... yessssssss... that's the stuff." Penelope writhed on the bed. She would have another orgasm or two before the night was through. That would keep her from making her fantasies a reality again.

~~

"Don't take your trousers off. We need to talk." Victoria sat in her dorm room, wearing a modest bodice with matching gloves and skirt. Her blond hair was pinned without a hat. She tried to smile, but she knew it was wan. She watched Theodore carefully through the screen. His body language tensed, and his brow furrowed. She could tell he already suspected what was coming.

"What?" Theodore clenched his fists. He watched in silence as Victoria said what she had to say. She still loved him. But she wanted to experience all that college had to offer. He was wonderful, but she'd been with him since high school. And she'd never dated another woman. She and Theodore were so far apart. She was glad she got to be there for him and Cora. And it was heartwarming that he and his mother were getting along better now. She was in a good place at school. He was in a good place at home. It was a good time for a break. Theodore slowly shook his head, disbelieving. It was all bullshit. What was there to say? He wasn't going to vent his rage at her. He wasn't going to call her a bitch. Not when this would be the last time they spoke. He couldn't leave her with that. His body trembled with shame and anger as he sat in his room and got dumped.

"Well, what do you think? It's just a break. We'll get back together. How does it sound to you?" Victoria pressed her lips into a fine line as she studied his face. He was angry with her. She had hoped he would understand.

"It's fine... fine. You want to fuck a woman. I don't have lady parts. I fucking get it." He clenched his fists tighter, registering the shock on her face. "I apologize. I didn't mean it. It's fine."

"It's okay to say you're hurt. We could talk about it." Victoria's insides clenched. She had done this wrong. She wondered how to fix it.

"Why bother? You're leaving now. You're gone. It doesn't matter." Theodore picked up a book and pressed his fingers into the cover, trying to crush it to dust.

Victoria's eyebrows raised in alarm. "It matters! You matter very much to me. I still love you, I just -"

Theodore cut the connection. Victoria was gone. He threw his book across the room, smashing another framed print with the crash of broken glass. Did she find out about me and my mom? Is that what this is about? Theodore tried to make sense of things. He was confused, angry, and alone. He thought about confronting his mother. Accusing her of telling Victoria what had happened. But... that didn't make any sense. Did it? He threw another book with a crash. And another and another. One thing was plainly clear, his life was falling apart.