From Gaia's diary
Diego: A secret? What do you mean? It looks like some sort of robot to me, although knowing you it could also be something much less predictable, like...
Apparently, not even finding Techna in front of him was enough to leave Diego speechless.
But I was barely listening to what he was saying, I couldn't help but think for the umpteenth time that I had made a big mess. Techna doesn't want anyone to know about their presence on Earth, and they trusted me to keep the secret. And yet here we were, after just a few months, getting caught red-handed by one of my friends.
Diego didn't know much about the New Sixam technology in general, and even less about robots, what could I tell him?
Gaia: Well, they are a robot, indeed. I, ehm... build them myself, with the matter recomposer. But they are still a, ehm... prototype. However, I'd rather keep them a secret, because, ehm... rules about robots are quite strict, you know.
Did it make any sense? I hope so, and in any case it should be a safer explanation than disclosing Techna arrived from Sixam, right?
Gaia: In the past there have been some clashes between robots and earthling authorities, I don't know if you know that story... And so telling anyone we have a robot could cause us a lot of trouble.
Diego: (perplexed) I see... so I mustn't tell anyone about them, I understand. It won't be easy, but I won't even tell my sister Vale. I swear.
Gaia: (relieved) Thank you very much, really!
Only at that point Techna said something. They could have corrected any of the many statements I made, but they seemed to want to change the topic to more urgent matters.
Techna: Not to interrupt, but upon your arrival you mentioned a cake that was in danger of melting. This explanation took a long time, also taking into account the outside temperature I fear that-
Diego: That's right, the cake for Petra's birthday! I had finally managed to make something out of those alien fruits you gave me, but there were some frozen parts that are surely leaking out of the box by now!
At that point Diego, back to his most talkative self, rushed downstairs while continuing to think out loud about the state of the cake. His dedication to his job is quite admirable, that's for sure.
Diego: … Now that I think about it, I have another cake just like it in the shop! If we hurry up and get it before some customer buys it, we should be fine, right?
I wasn't sure that leaving at that moment was a good idea, Techna was probably quite upset about the situation.
Until proven otherwise, however, I only had a couple of hours left to find a new cake for Petra and not disappoint her on her birthday. So, waving goodbye to Techna, I followed Diego towards his mysterious shop.
Gaia: What a cute shop!
Diego: Right? My colleague's cousin decorated it, she says she wanted to design a space for-
Gaia: (interrupting him) I'm sure it's a very compelling story, but maybe we should go and see if that cake is still there, right?
Diego: Right, let's go.
Diego: We're in luck, there it is! It's the green layer cake!
Gaia: Great! So I have just enough time to put it in the freezer, go pick up the kids from kindergarten and then get home just in time for tonight's party!
Diego: C'mon, you have a whole bakery, don't you want to try something before running away? For example, the famous cricket cookies are right back there, they turned out really well, while-
As tempting as the offer was, I just couldn't accept, even rushing at full speed on my bike I would barely have had time to do everything. So, reluctantly and with one foot out the door, I had to answer him:
Gaia: Sorry, but today I really can't... Maybe another time, okay?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The same evening, Petra's birthday...
So, after running around all day, I somehow managed to get the kids all dressed up and prepare everything for the party.
Obviously the guests I had invited could only be Tommy, Vale and Diego. Techna, on the other hand, still looked troubled by our morning adventure, and had preferred to hide in the attic to recharge their batteries in peace.
Gaia: Did you see that beautiful cake, darling?
Petra: Yes, green!
And here's my little girl. It's hard to believe she's already grown so much, isn't it, my dear diary?
Gaia: So, do you like your cake?
Petra: Bah, it's a bit weird...
Although the twins, under the table, were devouring their slices of cake and were already asking for another portion, the way Petra only nibbled a couple of bites, reluctantly, left a clear disappointed expression on Diego's face, and a little on mine too. That was quite unfortunate, for sure... But it's not like I can control what she likes eating, isn't it, my dear diary?
So, while sharing the remaining of the cake among the remaining people, we went back to chatting amiably for the rest of the evening.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel like I've talked about this cake too much in these last pages of the diary, but the story isn't over yet. In fact, you should know, my dear diary, that I had the opportunity to talk about it again with Diego a few days later, when I ran into him by chance at the local bar just before he left for a few weeks' trip to Madagascar to look for a new variety of vanilla beans.
Diego: I'm sorry Petra didn't like the cake, really... I probably should have made a normal one with chocolate, or with cream, or have some backup cookies, or-
Gaia: Don't worry about that, we couldn't have known in advance that she wouldn't like it, right? The twins loved it, for example!
Diego: I think I should have thought about it instead, that I shouldn't have brought such a strange cake as the Sixam spiny fruit one to a little girl's birthday party when I could have played it safe with a normal cake. (Shaking his head) I just don't understand children, there's not much you can do about it...
Gaia: Come on, it's not that difficult! They are often a bit unpredictable, that's true, but that's also why it's so funny to be around them, right?
Diego: ...
He didn't say anything for a long time, before shamelessly changing the subject and say:
Diego: (in a low voice) Rather, how is that robot?
Gaia: (in a low voice) They're fine, just this morning...
And so I discovered another topic that leaves him speechless to the point of wanting to change the subject: children. That's curious, who knows why...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
§HermioneSims§ corner
This legacy is quite strange, one chapter we talk about the secrets of robots living on an alien planet, the next chapter it's all about a green birthday cake :P
Anyway, this time I opened this small parenthesis to share some behind-the-scenes information. I didn't focus on it in the chapters not to make them sadder than they already are, but it's around this time in the story the poor chickens started to die of old age ;(
RIP black rooster, go cuddle with angels...
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'm testing new settings for the comments, now also anonymous readers should be able to comment. On the other hand, I added manual moderation, so if you don't see your message immediately showing up don't worry, I'll approve it ASAP ;)