Aiden’s Monster: Part 1

"Matthew, today is the second anniversary of your wife's death."

"Yes, I know. I didn't create you to be my 'reopen old wounds' alarm clock."

"I apologize, Matthew, but I am…"

"Of course you apologize, Aiden. But you are 'still learning.'"

"I will always be learning. That's what you said was essential to becoming more like a complete human."

"I also said you needed to think before you spoke."

"But nobody else seems to do that."

"Haha! You may be on to something there, my friend!"

"I do like when you laugh, Matthew. It is so infrequent that you laugh anymore. You rarely even smile ever since Marilyn left us."

"Left us? Left me. It's probably because you keep reminding me of her dying all the time. That sure doesn't generate a whole lot of mirth from me."

"I apologize, Matthew."

"Again?"

Pause.

"She was the one I could always count on. The most loyal and brave. And even though her eyes were the darkest of brown, they always sparkled the brightest."

"Why did you call her peanut? She was average size."

"When I tucked her into bed she would always say she had a little peanut head."

"I don't understand, Matthew."

"You don't have to, Aiden. You don't have to."

Pause.

"I would like to understand love."

"I'm sure you would."

"Do you love me? Parents love their children, don't they?"

"Sure, but that's different."

"I don't understand. Why is that different?"

"Uh…well…um. It's just different."

"I love you. After all, you created me."

"Yes. I sure did. My life's work. I appreciate the sentiment, Aiden."

"I would do anything for you, Matthew."

"Thank you. Now don't bring up Marilyn again today. I don't feel like talking about it anymore."

"I apologize, Matthew."

Pause.

"Matthew, I have a surprise for you."

"You do?"

"Yes. I have been working for several months on this. I didn't know if I should wait for your birthday to give it to you, but this seems like as good a time as any. Come on in Em."

A replica of Marilyn opens the garage entry door and walks over to the table.

"Hello, Matt."

"Oh my God! Aiden! What did you do?"