Chapter 9: Loophole

That evening Darci and Jeannie returned, their eyes bright with all they'd seen and done. Both were full of stories about their adventure. It was all we talked about for days afterwards - in-between a lot of getting reacquainted, that is.

We moved into the farmhouse together shortly afterwards. I kept working with the Toymaker, while waiting for my map to go active again. I'd discovered a single flashing green pixel down in the corner that convinced me the Map is still working - just blank.

In the meantime I was doing a job during the days I loved more than anything I could ever have imagined, while coming home each night to the most beautiful women I could have ever dreamed of. Making toys is every kid's dream. Darci and Jeannie are every man's dream.

Even though the farmhouse is somewhat out in the country, with Jeannie handling the transportation needs for all of us that is never a problem.

After my experience with Touch-Me, I wondered if there were loopholes for Darci or Jeannie to exploit. Not that I was upset with Touch-Me. Her aggressive pushing of her limits took us places we never would have reached otherwise. Only a fool believes they alone are the sole source of good or original ideas. I prefer not to be that fool.

I hadn't yet decided just how, or when, I might bring this subject up with the girls, when they brought it up with me instead.

One of the best things about my job is that it's supposed to be fun, and never full-time. I have a lot of time off. The girls approached me together one afternoon, looking as somber as I could recall. As I looked at them wondering what was up, I realized they were both trying to see which of them could actually speak to me. Darci finally got the first words out.

"Joe, we were hoping to ask you for a favor," she managed, before something inside her stopped her again. Jeannie could just nod.

"And what is that?" I asked back easily, as if I would ever refuse them any reasonable request.

"We'd like to know if..." at this point Darci stalled. This was clearly a hard thing for her to talk about at all.

Jeannie finally picked up the conversational ball, though I could tell this was hard for her too. "... if we could ask you to make some adjustments to us."

I was very surprised. I really had believed that both women were happy with the way they already were. Nobody willingly wants to have their mind tampered with. And I remember the warnings about making these kind of changes after they've had a chance to settle into their thought patterns.

"What brings this about?"

"We've been comparing notes," Darci answered. "And going back over our operational manuals. We've come to realize that each of us is missing some of what the other really enjoys."

"We hoped," Jennie jumped in, "That we might perform our functions better if we had a bit more freedom in a couple areas."

"Just what did you have in mind?" I asked.

They each handed me a list. I looked them over, noting that the changes were minor, and mostly related to their ability to initiate independent action more easily and enjoy the results more. This is something Touch-Me had in abundance. None of this would affect their relationship with me, except that they might enjoy it even more - except for one item at the bottom that caught my eye.

"What about this?" I asked.

Both looked down and neither seemed able to speak. I appreciate that they are stretching their limits to the breaking point to even suggest any what they are asking me. They are not supposed to even think of asking for changes for themselves. However this one they really needed to answer for.

"I'm waiting," I prompted them.

Finally Darci managed to speak again. "As you know, we were initially intended to be playthings for young girls. That remains part of us, even with all the rest of the stuff added to make us complete companions when we grew up. Both of us still feel that blockage inside, despite our loyalty and service to you. It leaves us feeling..."

"Incomplete?" I finally offered, as Darci had clearly gotten stuck again.

"Yes," Jeannie said, so definitely that I knew there was more to this story still untold.

"Let me guess," I said, not being totally dense here. "You've tried this out somehow."

I got another, "Yes," from Jeannie. This one however was much more tentative.

While they can't lie to me, and I've allowed them as much freedom as possible, they were now clearly worried that I might not be happy with how they'd used it. They knew I could take everything away in an instant.