“Now Mike,” said Patience.  “You need to be a good friend and let him confide in you.”

“No I don’t.  I don’t do that.  I don’t do that for anyone.”

“I will make it worth your while.”  She gave him a roguish leer.  Wanda, watching from the sidelines, opened her mouth in shock.

“Are you trying to bribe me with sex?” asked Mike.  “You literally do anything I ask you to do.  What could you possibly offer me?”

“Oh, I have been programmed to do things—very, very naughty things—things you have never even dreamed of.”

“Okay, I’m in.”

The robot waitress delivered drinks and breadsticks just as Ryan returned to his seat.  He took a deep drink of his beer and then took a breadstick from the basket.

“I didn’t realize how hungry I was until just now.”

“I’m only having one breadstick,” said Mike, taking one from the basket.  “I haven’t been able to work out since I hurt my knee and I don’t want to gain back any of the weight I’ve lost.”

Patience kicked him under the table.

“Shit!”  He looked at her, and she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, um… would you like to tell us about… you know, things.”

“I don’t want to talk about it in front of the girls.”

“They’re robots,” said Mike, smirking at his wife.  “They’re just like the furniture.”

Wanda frowned, but Patience nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with innocence.”

“If I talk about it now, I won’t be able to eat, and I’m looking forward to that chicken marsala.”

“You could go to the gym with me tomorrow and talk…” Mike started.

Patience kicked him again.

“Shit!  I forgot I can’t go.”  He glared at her.  “My leg is in a lot of pain.  Why don’t you come over for coffee after we’re done here?  We can sit on the deck and talk privately.”

“It won’t be too hot?”

“No.  Patience put in an outdoor cooling system in the spring.”

The waitress arrived with their meals and the two men for the most part, ceased their conversation as they ate.  Mike was clearly enjoying his steak and pasta.  When he reached for another breadstick, Patience grabbed the basket and moved it to the other side of the table.

“Another breadstick?” she asked Ryan.

“Thanks,” he replied, taking one.

Mike looked at her for a moment, an indecipherable expression on his face, but turned back to his meal.

“You don’t mind that Wanda and I don’t eat, do you Ryan?”

“No, but… Wow.  I think this is the longest I’ve gone without hearing her talk.”

“Would you prefer her to be quiet and concise all the time?”

“Actually, no.  She’s a chatterbox, but I’m kind of getting used to it.”

“Thank you, Ryan,” said Wanda, breaking her relatively long silence.

“We’ll meet you over at our house,” said Mike, when they had finished their meal.  He punched in the payment on his phone.  “I’ve got this one.  You can get the next one.”