“What’s up, Ben?”A thin film of sweat covered her skin and a drop had formed right above her cleavage.“I’m on my way home and thought we cou...d walk together.”“Cool, let me get my stuff.”I waited by the little gate and when she came up to me she put her arm under mine and we began the fifteen min walk to our houses.“So, any girls in your life, stud?” she teased,“I wish, but you know how it is for us nerds, it’s all about dreaming and fantasizing.”She bumped her shoulder into mine. “You can. Harry frowns. He thinks to himself: ‘This is an Uncanny Valley that should have been filled in. Whatever were the programmer nerds thinking of?’ Then the gynoid quotes a price, pauses and adds some discounts, and pauses again. Harry shakes his head negatively. The gynoid continues with a second coupon offer. Harry finally puts the quietus on it, saying: ‘Not interested. Just buy the refills.’ ‘Yes, Master,’ the gynoid replies and places the order electronically to the input sensor of the. " But the price," I whispered again. "I can't afford that." Nonsense darling," mum answered, "your father can afford it, after allit is his daughters getting married." But I'm not......." I started to say when mum cut me off. "Don't evensay it young lady, you are and I'm proud of you. This is clearly thedress for you."Steve returned and mum said, "My daughter will have this dress, can youmake an appointment for a fitting next week."He smiled and responded, "Certainly madam, as soon as I saw her. Couldn't we?"Zack would have loved nothing more than to spend time with this ravishing creature."Aren't I a little old for you?" he suggested."How old are you?" she asked.Zack was surprised at how hard it was to answer. "Forty-two." he said. "Old enough to be your father, probably."She wasn't fazed. "I already have a father. I don't need another one. But I'm not dating anybody right now." She glanced at Bob, who was talking to June, and remembered thinking of him as an "older man" for as long.