“Teddy’s no trouble. He works well.”

“Is David malfunctioning?”

“His verbal communication-center is still giving trouble. I think he’ll have to go back to the factory again.”

“Okay. We’ll see how he does before the baby’s born. Which reminds me — I have a surprise for you: help just when help is needed! Come into the hall and see what I’ve got.”

As the two adults disappeared from the room, boy and bear sat down beneath the standard roses.

“Teddy — I suppose Mummy and Daddy are real, aren’t they?”

Teddy said, “You ask such silly questions, David. Nobody knows what ‘real’ really means. Let’s go indoors.”

“First I’m going to have another rose!” Plucking a bright pink flower, he carried it with him into the house. It could lie on the pillow as he went to sleep. Its beauty and softness reminded him of Mummy.

© 1993—99 The Condé Nast Publications Inc. All rights reserved.

© 1994—99 Wired Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.