Christmas With Hover Hill (3 page)

“
Maybe.” She said noncommittally. She hated to
divulge the know it all robot was right about anything concerning
her.

“
Have you eaten lunch?”

“
Yes,” Elizabeth snipped as she left the
kitchen.

“
These cookies will be good with a cup of hot
chocolate later on. Sit down in your favorite spot on the couch and
relax,” he instructed, following her into the living room. He
placed the cookies on the coffee table. “By the way, be more
careful with this cup of chocolate while you're in your Sunday
clothes. I was able to get the stain out of your nightgown, but it
wasn't easy.”

“
Thank you for the advice.” Elizabeth just
barely heard him. She twisted a strand of her hair as she stared at
the tempting plate. The cookies really did look delicious, and it
had been a long time since she'd eaten homemade cookies. She might
eat one if he wasn't aware of it. “How soon do your batteries run
down?”

“
I only have one large battery, and when I
power down my battery recharges itself.”

“
Just my luck,” she hissed under her breath as
she plopped down on the couch. He moved near her. Scott’s letter
now lay next to the cookies. Hover Hill must have picked it up from
the floor. She snatched it and reread it, desperately wanting some
indication about what to do next. She looked out of the corner of
her eyes. The robot was standing at attention so close to her. It
dawned on her Scott hadn't given her the definition for Hover
Hill's first name. He surely omitted that on purpose, knowing she'd
figure out what hover meant for herself.

Without looking at him, Elizabeth tried to sound
casual as she asked, “Where's the box you came in?”

“
It was in the way when I cleaned house. I
flattened it and threw it in the trash.”

So much for the sending him back to
Scott idea. No delivery man was going to take a robot that isn't
wrapped.
“What happened to the garment bag
filled with your clothes that was taped to the back of the box? Did
you throw them out, too?”

“
No,” Hover droned. “I hung the
clothes in the closet in the guest bedroom. I hope you do not
mind.”

“
Hey, thank goodness for small favors. Your
clothes are better off in there than in my personal closet. Now I’m
going to read for class. You’ll have to go to the corner and get
quiet so I can concentrate,” Elizabeth said, hoping he would give
her some breathing room.

“
You are reading “Mirror Image” by Danielle
Steele. I was programmed that you are a literary professor. What
kind of classes do you teach? That book isn't exactly one of the
classics,” Hover criticized.

As her face heated up, Elizabeth leaned toward him.
“Have you been going through my things?”

Hover slowly raised his arm and pointed to the desk
in the corner of the room. “The book is in plain sight amidst that
mess on your desk. I had to dust. Speaking of which, you really
should dust more often. Layers of dust are not good for your
health. All that dust causes allergies.”

“
Thanks for sharing, Doctor Oz,” Elizabeth
sassed.

“
You are welcome. You should know I am not
programmed to be a doctor, but you have no need to worry. I will
dust on a routine basis from now on so you do not get sick and need
one,” Hover shared as if he was doing her a big favor.

“
I do my own housework on a routine basis. I
don't need you to do it,” Elizabeth snapped.

“
Just which day did you plan on cleaning
house?”

“
Two weeks from Saturday on my day
off.”

“From the condition this apartment is in, by then you
would be a month too late. I will clean every day for you,” Hover
stated in a matter of fact tone.

“
Ooh,” Elizabeth groaned.

What was it going to take to get her privacy back?
She had wished for companionship on lonely evenings once in a
while. Clearly, she had to be more careful what she wished for from
now on. Especially if her wish was going to come true. This one got
her an obnoxious, brutally honest, brainwashed robot for a house
mate.

The next afternoon, she felt as if she entered the
wrong apartment when she looked around the living room. Hover
droned hello over his shoulder as he scalloped the last of the pine
garland on the fireplace mantle. Her artificial Christmas tree
blinked at her in front of the living room window. The dozen small,
crystal angels smiled at her. She thought she’d put them away for
good. Now they had taken up residence all around the room. It ran
through her mind if she was really going crazy the friendly looking
angels might start speaking to her next. If they did, she’d know
for sure she was having a bad dream, or her mind had gone around
the bend. That would make the robot the least of her worries.

Elizabeth rushed at Hover. He whirled around faster
than usual. She stopped in front of him. From his actions, he
probably suspected that she was going to flip his switch. That's
just what she'd do if she ever got the chance, and she'd never turn
him back on. Good thing he couldn't read her mind. At least, he
told her he couldn't. “What do you think you’re doing?” She
shouted.

“
Decorating. You know that Christmas is almost
upon us.”

“
I told you this morning to stay away from the
window. That included decorating my artificial Christmas tree in
front of it where you can be seen. What will the neighbors
think?”

“
I am not programmed to read their minds. What
will they think?”

“
Oh, never mind. Just know getting all these
decorations out of my closet and putting them back away is work
done for no good reason. I work all day. I don't have time for this
nonsense. It’s a waste of my time,” Elizabeth
complained.

“
You need not worry. I am programmed to put the
decorations away after the holidays are over,” Hover assured
her.

“
That’s fine if you’re still here,” she spat at
him.

“
I will be. Your dinner is on the stove. Help
yourself.” Hover walked over to his corner and turned his back to
the wall.

With grim pleasure, Elizabeth decided he might be
miffed at her. Maybe she got through to him to back off. He needed
to stop running her life and going through her things. She didn't
like it that he snooped on her desk and in her closets.

She tossed her briefcase on the couch and headed to
the kitchen. After she'd eaten the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and
salad, she had to admit that the dinner was delicious. She went
back to the living room and sat down at her now spotlessly clean
desk. She opened her briefcase and took out a pile of term
papers.

Later, her concentration was interrupted by
music, the soft, holiday song
White
Christmas
. She twisted in her chair to glare at the
robot. “What did you do?”

Hover stood in front of her entertainment
center. “I put on a
DVD
to set
the mood.”

“
What mood? I need quiet while I have papers to
grade.”

“
The Christmas mood, of course,” Hover reminded
her.

“
I repeat I need quiet,” she gritted out,
feeling her patience slipping once again.

“
It looks as if you are almost done with your
work. I thought maybe you would like to take a break and dance,” he
said, holding his fingers out to her.

“
Dance!” She shrieked, crossing the room to
face the robot.

“
Yes. I put on this holiday music so we could
dance. I am programmed to dance. I know you like to
dance.”

“
You must be joking?” Elizabeth
shrieked.

“
Joking. No, I have not been programmed for
humor. Just step closer to me,” he said seriously. “I’ll show you
how well I can dance.”

“
Don’t you ever run down and shut off?”
Elizabeth asked crankily.

Slowly, Hover shook his head no and held out his
arms.

Elizabeth relented. “All right, but will you let me
be if I do this? Just one dance. I have to get the rest of those
papers graded tonight. Besides, I get motion sickness easily. The
last thing I need is to get sick right now from twirling around in
circles.”

“
That is agreeable. I will dance a slow two
step with you so you do not throw up on me. Anytime you want to
stop all you have to do is say so.”

Elizabeth felt his unyielding arm go around her waist
and took the firm cold hand he held out. They moved slowly back and
forth, and turned in a circle one way then the other direction.

“
No offense, but you are stiffer than I am. I
sense it has been a long time since you have danced,” stated
Hover.

“
Yes, it has. I tried to warn you I'm not a
good dancer.”

“
Who was the lucky man who danced with you
last?” Hover asked.

“
Steven Mitchell,” she blurted out, then
wondered why she bothered to mention his name. Her past
relationships were none of this robot's business.

Hover looked down at her as he questioned, “Why did
Steven Mitchell stop?”

“
Stop what?”

“
Dancing with you?”

“
That’s none of your business, Mr.
Nosy.”

“
My name is Hover Hill.”

“
Right! How do you like it?” Elizabeth patted
her chest. “My name is Elizabeth. Now enough of this nonsense. Stop
right now, and let go of me. Turn that music off and get in the
corner. I need to get back to work,” Elizabeth ordered.

Hover slowed to a stop and turned loose of her. As
she walked away, he persisted. “I sense you have strong feelings
for Steven Mitchell. You do not want to talk about the man.”

Elizabeth whirled around. “Listen, Nosy, go shut
down, back off, shut up or whatever it is you do over in that
corner,” she yelled at him.

Hover droned, “Did anyone ever suggest to you that
you need to take anger management classes?”

“
You would try anyone's patience. Your bossy,
know it all attitude stinks,” Elizabeth countered, fists on her
hips.

“
It has been programmed into me to be tolerant
of you. That way, I will be able to understand your poor attitude.
However, your lifeless, no fun behavior has been unacceptable for
years through no fault of anyone but yourself,” Hover shot back
calmly.

Elizabeth flushed with anger. “You crazy bucket of
bolts, you have no right to say that to me. You don’t really know
me.”

“Wrong! I have been programmed to know you,” Hover
declared adamantly.

Elizabeth's head shot up. “Really! What is it that
you think you know about me?”

“
For one thing, you are afraid of commitment.
Otherwise, Steven Mitchell would never have left you,” Hover said
bluntly.

“
That happened a long time ago. There's not
anything I can do about the past. Steven was quick to marry someone
else. He’s gone for good so don't bring up his name to me ever
again.” Elizabeth wasn’t about to tell the robot she'd heard
through the college grapevine that Steven’s marriage had come to an
end. “Whether I’d be interested or not in things being different
between Steven and me is a mute point. What are you anyway? A
computer dating service with psychotherapy programmed
in?”

Not about to back down, Hover asked, “If this man
came back to town, would you be willing to give him another chance?
It would beat the lonely existence you have created for
yourself.”

The doorbell blared. In no mood for company,
Elizabeth wondered who would have the nerve to show up that time of
night without calling her. Maybe she could just stay quiet until
whoever it was went away.

The doorbell rang again.

“
You really should answer the door when someone
rings the bell, Beth,” insisted Hover, starting for the
door.

He's always giving orders. Doesn't
he ever stop.
Elizabeth lunged past him to the door,
prepared to tell whoever kept pushing on the doorbell to buzz off.
She jerked the door open. Bewildered and speechless, she gaped at
her visitor. When she finally found her voice, she snapped, “Where
have you been? I’ve been trying to get hold of you for
days.”

Chapter 3

“
You're a week early, but get in here anyway,”
Elizabeth complained, backing away from the door so her brother
could enter.

“
Merry Christmas! I'm glad to see you, too,
Sis,” Scott crabbed back.

“
Oh, just go sit down,” Elizabeth said,
pointing at the couch. “You have some explaining to do. For one
thing, why don't you ever answer your phone?”

Scott raised an eyebrow at her. “I need to talk to
you. That's why I'm here now. As for answering my phone, I haven't
been home much lately.”

“
No kidding. Tell me about it,” Elizabeth said
dryly.

He looked over at the corner where the robot had
positioned himself. “Well, I see Hover Hill arrived all in one
piece.”

“
He did, but if you don't get that thing out of
my apartment as soon as possible he isn't going to remain in one
piece,” Elizabeth groused.

Scott looked surprised. “You don't like him?”

“
You got that right. I wanted to mail him back
to you, but he destroyed his box in the name of housekeeping.
Frankly, I intend to take him apart into little pieces that mails
easily as soon as I get a chance to buy a screwdriver. Believe me,
I'll enjoy every minute of dismantling him,” Elizabeth
said.