Genetic Odyssey Ch. 02

Ch.2 - The First Week

ERIN

BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP... I groaned and flung my arm out to swat at my alarm clock. I lay silently for a moment, looking at the time. Gods, 5 am. My brain slowly began working, remembering that it was my "in-office" day for the month. I groaned again, recalling I had meetings all day.

Rolling onto my back, I arched as I stretched out and pushed my hands into the headboard. I love the feel of that first stretch in the morning. I paused when I heard a faint electronic pinging noise through the wall. A momentary shock of fear radiated through me before I remembered Griffin had arrived yesterday, and I wasn't alone in the house. I sat up in bed and swung my feet to the floor before shuffling to the en-suite bathroom to brush my teeth and start the day.

Stepping into the hall, I heard movement in the kitchen and the gurgle of the coffee pot. My new friend must have started the coffee. I walked into the living room and peered into the kitchen. Griffin was standing still, watching the coffee pot run; he looked as if he was still half asleep.

"Good morning, Griffy," I called, as I walked into the kitchen. I was a bit shocked to see he was wearing nothing but a pair of black trunk-style underwear. He looked at me with a smile before suddenly appearing concerned.

"Oh, no. I should be dressed!" He exclaimed before stepping towards the doorway with deep embarrassment.

"No! No, you're fine!" I reached out to stop him, placing my hand in the middle of his chest. "After last night, I think we're a little past all that."

His expression softened before he spoke again, "Are you sure that was okay? I feel I rushed you or something."

"I told you it was okay. Was it fast? Sure. But I don't really care. This whole situation is strange, and I'll just go with it." I paused, "Besides, it felt so good."

He pulled me into a hug and traced his arms down my back. "Good, I was worried. The last thing I ever want to do is upset you. That would go against everything I am."

I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a little squeeze, "That's sweet of you. Try not to worry about it. I promise I'll let you know if things start going in a direction I'm uncomfortable with."

"Sure thing," he replied as he let me go. I immediately missed the sensation of his warm, firm body enveloping mine. Did he get bigger? I swear he got bigger.

"I'm going to go for a run. You're welcome to stay here if you want, or you can come with me," I told him as I stepped back into the living room and pulled my sneakers from the rack.

"I'll come along. I've never run before, so I hope I don't slow you down," he offered, padding down the hall to his room.

"I'm sure you'll do fine!" I called after him and sat to tie my shoes.

He came back a couple of minutes later in a tank top and snug athletic shorts that did a surprisingly good job showing off his powerful thighs. He sat next to me on the couch to tie his shoes.

We took the next few minutes to go through a few stretches and warm ups before walking out onto the porch. I started my run program on my smartwatch, and we set off. I let him set the pace since he'd never done this before. I was shocked to see his form was excellent; it was like he'd been a runner his whole life. He seemed to run easily despite his bulk. His pace was perfect, not too hard but not too easy either. We cruised together, side by side and zoned out. We covered the five miles like it was nothing. It was nice to have someone to do this with; it had been years since I'd gotten to do that.

Back at the house, we stepped out of our running shoes and put them back in the shoe rack. Sitting on the floor to do our cool-down stretches together, I caught him stealing glances at me as I bent to stretch out my hamstrings. I guess he was a man, after all. With that done, I walked down the hall and called over my shoulder that I was going to shower. He replied he would do the same.

GRIFFIN

That was fun! I'd never exercised before. It felt good to use my body. I stripped my shirt and shorts off, dropping my sweaty clothes in the sink as I entered the shower. The hot water made me shudder as it flowed down my body. I guessed I was still getting used to things. I worked quickly, lathering myself up and rinsing off. I wanted to get a little breakfast together for Erin before she left to go to work. I didn't remember her telling me she was going to the office today, but I had a feeling.

After drying, I dressed, pulling a clean blue Henley over my head, and put on a pair of soft gray sweats before walking back to the kitchen. I grabbed a skillet from the cupboard and lit the stove before taking a couple of eggs, some bacon, and a slice of cheddar from the refrigerator.

Erin walked into the room as I was plating the eggs for her. "Hey, Eeby, have a seat. This will be done in a second."

She poured a cup of black coffee and sat at the table as I placed the bacon and eggs in front of her. "How did you know?" She asked, looking up at me.

"I don't know. I felt like you would want bacon and scrambled eggs with a little cheese." I smiled bashfully as I poured a cup of coffee for myself and sat across from her.

She ate quickly before downing the rest of her coffee and walking to the door. I followed behind as she slipped into a pair of black flats that matched her office attire and grabbed her purse from the hook by the door. I walked her to her SUV before she gave me a long hug and got in the car.

"Are you going to be alright by yourself today?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think I'll manage," I replied.

"There's the TV, and I have an Xbox, too, if you want to play video games. I have meetings most of the day, but I'll check in with you when I can. I'll be home as soon as possible," she spoke quickly, glancing at the clock in the dashboard.

"Alright, don't be late," I winked. She said goodbye and backed out of the driveway as I went back into the house.

Standing in the silence, I didn't quite know what to do with myself. I realized I hadn't seen all of the house and spent a little time wandering from room to room for a couple of minutes, familiarizing myself with the medium-sized dwelling. I leaned into Erin's bedroom momentarily and noticed the laundry hamper was full. I grabbed the basket and took it to the laundry room, where I spent a few minutes separating darks and lights, putting the underwear in a mesh lingerie bag before I tossed it in with a load of darks, added detergent and started the machine. Moving back into the main room, I went into the kitchen and took a few minutes to tidy up before loading and starting the dishwasher.

With the house tidied, I sat on the couch before turning on the TV and reaching for the Xbox controller. Let's see what video games are all about.

ERIN

The meetings simply refused to end. I sat and watched our section manager click through slide after slide of a presentation about the new software we were putting together for our most recent client. This was all figured out weeks ago, but they kept requesting new features, further pushing the deadline. I was sure we would get there, but this part was the absolute worst.

I wondered how Griffin was doing. I bet he was having more fun than I was, even if he was napping on the couch. This was such a weird situation. I would have thought I'd be more freaked out about him randomly showing up on my doorstep with a note saying he was a present from Aunt Sarah.

BZZ BZZ

I looked down at my phone and saw a text from Aunt Sarah. Speak of the devil.

Aunt Sarah: How's it going?

Erin B: You know how it's going. Don't screw with me.

Aunt Sarah: How do you like him?

Erin B: He's nice.

Aunt Sarah: Just nice?

Erin B: This is so weird. I really wish you'd have said something before he showed up.

Aunt Sarah: Surprise! How are you two getting along?

Erin B: Pretty well; he's sweet.

Aunt Sarah: Good! I knew you'd like him. Have you two...

Erin B: NO! OMG AUNT SARAH!

Aunt Sarah: What? I was just asking!

Erin B: I'm in a meeting. Talk later?

Aunt Sarah: Okay, sweetie. Have fun.

My cheeks flushed at the exchange between my aunt and me. I loved Aunt Sarah, but she could get on my nerves. She randomly sent me a manservant or lover or boyfriend or whatever he was without so much as a how do you do, and BOOM, all of a sudden, this rich, hunky clone thing was living in my house. And bonus--he lived to make me happy.

I couldn't help but laugh at myself. This was such a silly situation. At least it was nice not to be alone in the house anymore. It's been so empty since my last roommate moved out. I checked my watch and noticed the workday was almost finished, and I would be on my way home soon. I wondered what he was up to.

GRIFFIN

I got bored with video games fairly quickly. They were fun but didn't hold my interest for long. I went down to the basement and noticed a little home gym in the small room. For some reason, a workout sounded good, so I went upstairs and changed into a pair of shorts before going back downstairs and lifting a 40-pound kettlebell.

I ran through an hour-long workout with the black iron ball. I loved the feeling of my muscles working. It was such a treat. I was still not used to how my body worked, but it felt strong, and the movements with the weight seemed to come naturally. I finally started to get tired and decided to stop and get cleaned up. I closed my eyes and consulted my internal clock; it read 4 pm. Erin would hopefully be home soon. I checked my phone and saw she had sent a message a few minutes earlier advising me she was indeed en route.

I hustled off to the shower in time to meet her as she came through the door. I swept her up in a big hug and welcomed her home. We talked for a minute or two while she hung up her purse and stepped out of her shoes. She told me she would shower and be back shortly. While she did so, I went into the kitchen and made a dirty martini for her when she got out. I parked myself on the couch and channel-surfed on the TV while I waited. My workout must have been more strenuous than I thought. I was starting to get a little stiff.

ERIN

Gods, It was good to be home. I let the steaming water run down me, soaking my hair and cascading down my body, and the day just melted away with it. I was so glad I didn't go into the office again until next month. No more work stuff until tomorrow.

I turned off the water and reached around the door, feeling for my towel. I dried myself as I walked out into the bedroom. I took a second to sit on the edge of the bed and scrubbed the soft towel through my curly brown hair until it was mostly dry. I quickly pulled on pajama shorts and a tank top before walking back into the living room to find Griffin sitting on the couch, flipping through TV channels. He hopped up and met me when I came into the room.

"I made something for you while you were in the shower," he murmured, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Oh?" I replied.

"Yeah," he answered, holding a chilled glass. He held it out to me; it was a martini, just like last night's. I took the drink, and he motioned me to the couch. We sat together and chatted while I took the first couple of sips.

"You make a great martini, Griffy," I smiled. He looked at me, and I noticed a happy twinkle in his ocean-blue eyes.

"Thank you. I wish I could take credit for it. I just kind of somehow know how to make one. It's weird. How was your day?" He asked.

"It was okay. I'm not crazy about office days anymore. I would much prefer to work in pajamas in the comfort of my home. But what about you? How was your first day alone?" I asked.

"It was good. I did laundry and cleaned up a little. I played video games for a little bit. I got a good workout in the basement," he replied softly.

"You enjoyed my little gym?" I smiled at him. Geez, why did he work out? He certainly doesn't need it. He kept pace with me for five miles this morning like it was nothing.

"Yeah, it was great. I've never used a kettlebell before," he said, stretching his legs out.

"Hey, be careful using a kettlebell. You can really hurt yourself," I warned, concern creeping into my voice.

"I was. I'm getting a little sore, though," he replied.

"That's normal. Let me know if anything starts to hurt," I answered.

"I will," he said, letting his head rest against the back of the couch.

A quiet pause came over us, and we sat silently for a few seconds before I took a deep breath and said, "Grif, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he answered.

"What are you? Like, really. Are you an android? A robot?" I asked gently.

"I'm a pleasure GELF, a genetically engineered life form. I guess you would say I'm mostly human. I just have a few little tweaks. They gave us some information at emergence, that's our version of being born. I don't know much except my body works more or less like a human male's. I don't use the bathroom, but I have normal human anatomy. I can and will change as your tastes change. Little things, such as size, hair color, eye color, stuff like that. My brain is different, too. I have some different brain chemistry and structure that let me see the weather and my bank account and stuff. It's part of why I'm so good at reading body language." He answered, pausing for a breath. "My brain chemistry predisposes me to happiness and gives me a more caring nature than most humans."

"Normal human male anatomy..." I said quietly. "Does that mean...? "

"It's all there," he answered with a wink.

"So do you get sick?" I asked.

"No, at least not like a human would. Some diseases could infect or even kill me, but they're very rare, and nothing contagious," he replied.

"I hope that doesn't happen," a trickle of concern bordering on sadness came through me.

"Like I said, they're very rare," he reassured.

"And you can't reproduce?" I asked.

"Nope, I'm sterile," he answered.

"Do you drink?" I looked at him with a bit of mischief in my voice.

"I mean, I could. I don't get really drunk. We get silly and affectionate, and a little giggly" he answered bashfully.

"Silly and affectionate, I wouldn't mind seeing that," I laughed playfully.

His cheeks seemed to flush a little, and he got up, disappearing into the kitchen to return with a drink a moment later.

"That wasn't an order, you know." I poked his side gently as he sat back next to me.

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to have a drink with you," he answered with a big smile.

We sat together for a while, watching a couple of episodes of "The Good Witch" while I let the rest of my workday fade away. My stomach growled, and he turned his head, looking at me.

"What would you like for dinner? I can whip up something with what we have." He got up before I could stop him.

"Griffy, noooo. Let's order pizza,"

I playfully whined. The truth is, I felt bad about him acting like a servant. He had done so much today between cleaning and laundry; I wanted him to rest with me.

"Okay, okay. Pizza it is," he replied, flopping back down on the couch next to me, the landing of his bulk causing me to bounce slightly, making me laugh lightly.

"There is one thing you can do for me, though," I mumbled as I pulled a blanket over me and held up my empty martini glass.

"Sure thing, Eeby," he answered as he somewhat shakily stood up from the couch.

"Are you okay, Wonder Boy?" I asked with genuine concern in my voice.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm just getting sore." He brushed off my worries.

"Don't overdo it."

"Promise."

Sitting beside me again, he handed me a fresh martini and sipped on his second. I picked up my phone from the coffee table, ordered pizza for the two of us, and settled in next to the hunky GELF to watch TV until the food arrived.

"Can you say no?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He asked in reply.

"For example, if I told you to do something, could you refuse?" I clarified.

"Umm... you can't make me break the law or hurt myself. Why?"

"Because we fooled around the other night. I was curious if you wanted to do that or if I somehow made you, and you had no choice," I said hesitantly.

"Oh! No, I wanted to do that. You can't make me do anything sexual unless I'm okay with it. I mean, I'm built to want to make you happy, but I can say no. I just probably won't want to. I hope that makes sense. I'm still fairly new, and I'm probably not explaining it very well," he offered with a comforting tone.

"Okay, good," I answered emphatically, leaning over against his shoulder.

"Why?" he asked.

"No reason," I winked up at him and sipped my drink.

We spent the next forty-five minutes happily chatting and flirting, me asking him questions about himself and him doing the same.

He was strange, but not in an uncomfortable way, just different. He knew a lot, yet, at the same time, he didn't. He knew how to cook and make a martini, about what he was and how his body functioned, but had no idea about Earth's history or how a computer worked. He knew how to lift weights and exercise despite never having done it before. Weirdly different things.

He asked about me, and I explained I was a software engineer and briefly explained what that was. I told him I was 27 years old and went to college at Washington State University. I told him about my hobbies, and I loved camping.

"What's camping?" He asked. His voice sounded softer and sweeter like he was sleepy. He slipped lower on the couch, too. He'd finished his second drink and might have been slightly tipsy.

"It's when you go out into the woods and sleep in a tent or, even better, under the stars by the campfire," I told him softly as I rested against him.

"That sounds nice. Kind of romantic," he answered with a little yawn.

"It can be. Play your cards right, and I'll take you some time," I teased the big GELF.

"You're saying you wanna take me out to the middle of nowhere, huh?" He teased back.

"Maybe... maybe," I laughed as the doorbell rang. "Pizza time!"

He got up from the couch to get the pizza while I went into the kitchen to get plates. We spent the next little while eating our pizza and watching TV in relative quiet. Shortly after we finished our meal, I noticed Griffin nodding on the couch next to me. He was onto something: although it was only 9:30, I thought I could go to bed.

"Getting sleepy, Griffy?" I teased.

"A little. This is nice, though. Come here." His voice was soft and sleepy as he put his arm around me, pulled me into his lap, and snuggled me against his chest.

"Hey, how did you know I wanted that?" I poked his flat stomach with a playful lilt in my voice.

"I got the thing in my head, remember?" He chuckled, stroking my side.

"Mmmhm, whatever Wonder-Boy. You're lucky you're cute." I reached up and toyed with his short, dark beard. It was surprisingly soft.

"Now I'm cute, huh?" He looked down at me with those sparkling blue eyes.

"Yeah, cute. Maybe even dreamy," I swatted back playfully. Oh gods, did I say dreamy? What is wrong with me?

He laughed softly before breaking into a yawn. I also yawned, and we laughed at that while sitting quietly together as the TV played.

"This is nice," I murmured sleepily.

"Yeah, this doesn't suck," he replied dreamily.

We snuggled quietly for a few more minutes before Griffin cleared his throat, "Eeby?"

"Yeah, Grif?" I asked.

"Thanks for not sending me back," he said with an almost embarrassed tone.

"Aww, I could never," I cooed, reaching up to stroke his beard again.

I gently pulled his face to mine and kissed his lips softly before settling back against his chest. His hands were on me, one resting at my waist and the other casually stroking my back. His touch melted me, and I relaxed into him like he had cast a spell on me. I was getting sleepier.