The Fires of Spring

Chapter Thirteen

Author's note - sorry for the delay in updating! I'm doing my best to write as fast as I can!

Lilith was to stay in the hospital at least another day, as she was still weak from the ordeal. And so she ordered Mary and Peter to the hospital to assist her. Christopher, who hardly went more than a few steps away from her at any time, eyed the androids with disgust and suspicion.

"If they offend you, you don't have to stay," Lilith told him when she caught him making faces at Mary. The android-maid was clipping Lilith's hair, though Lilith had opted to leave her hair mostly loose for comfort. The servant's featureless face betrayed no emotion at Christopher's mockery. The androids did not have any emotions to betray and even if they did, they would hardly be so foolish as to show it in Lilith's presence.

"Trying to get me to leave, dearest wife?" said Christopher. He gave her a wide, lazy smile, momentarily distracted.

"There's no need for you to be here. There's no need for you to-" she began, accepting a mirror from Mary's seven-fingered hand. She regarded herself for a moment, noting that the marks from her torment had vanished from her face. Her back was the only testament to her imprisonment.

"There's no need for me to do anything, or be anywhere," laughed Christopher. He was in shockingly high spirits, and had been rowdy all day. "Surely you've figured out that I never do a thing I don't want to do, Lilith."

"And from that I assume you want me to gather that you want to be here," she said. She passed the mirror back to Mary before rising unsteadily to her feet. Christopher made a move to help her but she accepted Mary's arm instead, with a gentle thank-you for her servant.

"I've always liked how smart you are," said Christopher. "Yes, I do want to be here."

Lilith did not ask why. It was what he wanted her to do. She was curious, of course, but her desire not to rise to Christopher's provocation was greater than her curiosity. As she sat down in a chair by the window, she waved Peter forward. She crossed her legs under her hospital gown - for she was still required to wear it - and accepted her tablet from him.

"This is the list I asked for yesterday?" she said to him.

He bowed. "Yes, madam - a list of everyone who has offered condolences or sent gifts, ranked in order of relative influence."

"We'll need to send thank-yous, of course. Have Paul draw them up and send them to me," said Lilith. She scrolled down the list. It appeared to be over a hundred names; business colleagues and friends of Christopher's. A few names stuck out, glowing in red.

"The President sent his good wishes, I see," said Lilith.

Christopher snorted very loudly. Lilith looked up at the sound. Her husband's look was scornful and positively furious. "Of course he would."

"He was very kind to me at Ascot, and he is a friend of-" she began, handing the tablet back to Peter.

"It's his job to be kind. He's a spectacular liar and if you think he gives a fuck about you or me-" started Christopher.

"It hardly matters, Christopher," replied Lilith. Drawing her hand over her thigh, she smoothed the skirt of the gown. "He sent his good wishes, and we shall send him a thank-you. I'll handwrite it and we'll both sign it. The less important ones we'll do by electronic signature."

Christopher gave a loud huff of irritation. "Why are you doing this, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be deathly ill?"

"It needs to be done, you know. Did you think you kept me around for my nasty habit of telling you hard truths?" she retorted. Her mockery was light-hearted, however, and not meant to bruise Christopher's delicate ego.