"Hey, Marky Mark." I say as my younger brother opens the door.

It was freaky how much we looked alike. With his mop of downy curls that made young girls swoon with jealousy and his perfectly caramel skin, he was in essence, what I would have been, had I been born male. He grew taller every time I saw him, and soon, he would be taller than our father---or what our father had been, anyways.

"Hey sis!" He pulls me into a hug and stiffens as he sees who's behind me. "Who's that?"

The robot bows deep. "One is glad to be of service, sir."

I pull out of his hug. "Oh this-this is my robot, Michael. Say hello, Michael."

"Hello Michael." Michael grins.

"Close enough."

Marcus narrows his eyes. "No way. What kind of robot smiles?"

"This one-aren't you going to let us in?" I really didn't feel like explaining the story to him.

Marcus pokes Michael in the eye. "Did that hurt?"

Michael cocks his head. "No."

"Is that my Myra?" I hear my mother call.

"Yes, Mother. It's me. Your son won't let us in the house." I say, winking at Marcus.

My mother appears in the doorway. "Us? Who-oh my. He's handsome."

Deborah Devins looked at me pointedly, not daring to believe that I was dating someone. Someone who could give her the grandchildren she had coveted for so many years. Someone who would help her to carry on the legacy that she and my father had helped to create.

Marcus snorts. "IT'S a robot."

"Are you my family?" Michael asks, looking pointedly at my mother and brother.

My mother presses a hand to her heart. "Well, um, I guess so. I must admit, It's scary how real you look."

"It's not scary. It's stupid." Marcus mutters.

I roll my eyes. "If you're going to insult my robot, I guess you don't want me at your party then. How old are you, anyways? Thirteen?"

Marcus laughs loudly as he lets us into the house. "Very funny. Whadja get me?"

"Something." I say, winking.

The house is the same as always. No balloons. No streamers. What kind of party is this? My mother disappears into the kitchen.

"Hey you." Marcus says, poking Michael. "You have to do what I say, huh?"

Michael shrugged. "First law of robotics: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, cause a human being to come to harm. Second law: A robot must obey all human orders, except where those orders come in conflict with the first law. Third law: A robot must protect itself, so long as doing so does not conflict with the first two laws.

"I command you to tell me what she got me." Marcus says in triumph.

I laughed loudly. I wasn't the CEO of Rory's Robotics for no reason.  "Do you really think it would be that easy? I've already told him not to tell you what I got."

The robot would literally have to reprogram itself in order to break my commands. A masters command is a robot's most important law. It cannot be--

Michael smiles at me. "Yes, young master Marky Mark. I have been commanded not to tell you that your sister got you many video games."

I gazed in open mouth wonder the robot. How had it done it? I had strictly told it not to do or say anything that pertained to Marcus's gifts.

Marcus grinned in triumphant satisfaction. "I think your robot is broken, Sis."

The robot bowed his head, having realized his grave mistake. "I have disobeyed you. "

I instantly unbuttoned his shirt, where I went to the compartment that held all of his wires, and ripped it open.  it was like a little compartment in his chest. Each wire was in perfect place. The red wire that connected to his central nervous system. The blue wire that with one little snip...would end his existence forever--it was there. That's what happened to robots whose programing goes back...we cut the little blue wire.

"Michael, rip out your blue wire."  I command.

"Sis, are you--" Marcus begins.

"Do it!" I yell, sweat forming at my brow.

Michael frowns at me, tears forming in his brown eyes, as he reaches into his chest cavity. "Why, Ms. Myra?"

Any other robot should and would not have been able to say "why".

"How are you doing it? How are you disobeying me?" I growl. "You should be dead by now."

Marcus glances from me to the robot. "Stop it, Myra! He didn't do anything bad. "

Michael wiped away the tears with the hand that wasn't embedded in his chest. "I don't want to die, Ms. Myra. But if you wish it. He pinched the little blue wire in his hand and started to pull...

I can see his eyes closing. The look of utter defeat on his face. And, I cannot go through with it.

"Stop, Michael. Stop." I say slowly. His hand falls out of his chest cavity and he heaves a sigh of relief.

"Ms. Myra. I am sorry for disobeying you. I didn't mean it. But, I can't control myself, sometimes. I will try to obey you better. Please love me again." He slowly closes the compartment in his chest and slides to the floor, sitting Indian style.

Everything that I had ever learned about these advanced creatures...was a lie. This man...this robot. Whatever it was! He had feelings. That was evidenced by the tears that so easily ran down his face when he cried.

I stare at him for moments before I speak. "What are you?"

He looks up at me with a tear stained face. " I am Michael."