"James Patrick Kelly - Bernardo's House" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

before, but she knew he was taking pills for that. Once when she was guiding him into her, he gave a little
grunt of pain.

тАЬAre you all right?тАЭ she said.

He gave no answer but instead pushed deep all at once; she shivered with delight. But as he thrust at her,
she realized that he was working, not playing. They weren't sharing pleasure; he was giving it and she
was taking it. Afterwards, he fell asleep almost immediately. No kisses, no cuddles. No stories. The
house was left alone with her thoughts. Bernardo had changed, yes. He could change, and she must
always be the same. That was the difference between being a real person and being a house.

He spent more time in the greenhouse than in bed, rearranging his bromeliads. His favorites were the tank
types, the Neoregelias with their gaudy leaves and the Aechmeas with their alien inflorescences. He
liked to pot them in tableaus: Washington Crossing The Delaware, The Last Supper. Bernardo preferred
to be alone with his plants, and she pretended to honor his wish, although her rover cam lurked behind
the Schefflera. So she saw him slump against the potting bench on that last day. She thought he was
having another attack.

тАЬBernardo!тАЭ she cried over the room speaker as she sent her body careening toward the greenhouse.
тАЬMy god, Bernardo. What is it?"

When she got to him, she could see that his shoulders were shaking. She leaned him back. His eyes were
shiny. тАЬBernardo?тАЭ She touched a tear that ran down his face.

тАЬWhen I had you built,тАЭ he said, тАЬall I wanted was to be the person who deserved to live here. But I'm
not anymore. Maybe I never was.тАЭ His eyelid drooped and the corner of his mouth curved in an odd
frown.

тАЬLouise, wake up!тАЭ Someone was shaking her.

The house opened her eyes and powered up all her cams at once. тАЬWhat?тАЭ The first thing she saw was
Fly staring up at her, clearly worried.

тАЬYou sleeptalking.тАЭ The girl took the house's hand in both of hers. тАЬSaying тАШBernardo, Bernardo.тАЩ Real
sad."
тАЬI don't sleep."

тАЬSpang you don't. What you just doing?"

тАЬI ... I was thinking."

тАЬAbout him?"

тАЬLet's have breakfast."

тАЬWhat happened to him?тАЭ said Fly. тАЬWhere is Bernardo?"

The house had to change the topic somehow. In desperation she filled the room with bread scent and put
on the Wagner's Prelude to Die Meistersinger. It was sort of a march. Actually, more a processional.
Anyway, they needed to move. Or she did. La-lum-la-la, li-li-li-li-la-la-lum-la.