I tossed and turned that night. My house felt too hot, my sheets tangled around my legs. It was a fitful night's sleep, drifting endlessly between the waking and dozing world. Henry made a confession, and I deflected, telling him he best get back to Em's house and get Angela home.ㄱ
     I didn't know what else to say. I had no way of knowing what I wanted to say. The moments of electricity I felt when around him were like the static shocks from rubbing your feet across the floor and touching a doorknob. A lot of buildup for such a small jolt. But I also felt it was going to be a short time before the static became sparks, and the sparks blown into a flame.
     I woke, stiff and achy, with a lock of hair pasted to my face with sweat. I clawed my phone from my nightstand, it was dead. Mascara spotted my pillowcase from the half-removal job the night before. I'd hoped, when I hit the sheets, that the alcohol would make me forget. I had been drinking more than usual since Angela so much as mentioned Henry and Andromedon Technologies LLC. 
     My phone charged just enough to turn on, and I was greeted by missed call notifications. Em tried to call three times already that morning.
     There was a sharp rap at the door, and I hurried to answer it.
     "You weren't answering my calls," Em looked cross, "I came to be sure you are okay. You drank a lot last night."
     "Yes, I am just fine. My phone died, sorry."
     "Oh I am so glad," Em invited herself in and flopped on the couch.
     I looked at her sideways, "I'm sorry, but I thought you would be spending all your time while Finn is at home."
     "He's taking a conference call in our study," she rubbed her forehead.
     "There really isn't any rest for the wicked."
     "No there isn't. Though he isn't wicked, just incredibly rich."
     I laughed, "Stay over as long as you like, then."
     "I will. Do you have any ramen noodles?"
     "Yes, but Em... it's nine in the morning."
     "If I cared for the time, I would have asked."
     Sassy Em had come out. That means only one thing: she was hungover, and headed for my kitchen.
     "Don't think I didn't see you getting chummy with Henry last night. I do have windows with a view of your house."
     "As do I with a view of your house."
     "Don't deflect," she dropped the noodle brick into a bowl and flipped on my electric kettle, "tell me all about it."
     "I'm not sure I should."
     "Oh, so the conversation really was juicy then. Good on Finn for keeping an eye on Angela, then."
     "Em, he hates his name. I don't think he had a say in his 'adoption.' He told me he'd been in that facility for at least a year, longer than the two weeks they said he'd take to be 'made.' He's never once been asked to voice what he wants, or had a say in anything. I mean, for god's sake, the clothes Angela dresses him in...."
     "So we buy him new clothes, then. Did you happen to ask him what he wants?"
     "I... I did."
     "What was it?"
     "...Me."
     Em poured the hot water on her noodles without missing a beat, "Oh, my god. I knew it."
     "Well, I wish I had seen it coming as clearly as you did."
     "Angela saw it coming, but chose to be in denial. It wasn't until Finn said something about you two that I felt validated. Good for you, a fire in the heart is just what you need. Do you have some aspirin?"
     She must have continued drinking after I left, because her filters were completely gone. She was more hungover than I'd ever seen. She emptied the seasoning packet on her ramen and got a fork from the drawer. I went to the guest bath, and brought her some aspirin.
     "But Em, he's Angela's boyfriend..."
     "If he is her boyfriend, then I am eating with my arse right now," she slurped a forkfull of noodles, "If there was anything valuable I learned while dating around before I met Finn, it's this: it's not a relationship unless the feelings are mutual. Love making is not love unless its consensual."
     "And its not mutual." I murmured.
     "Louder for the people in the back," she cupped her ear.
    "It's not mutual," I said in a loud voice.
    "Okay, not that loud," she rubbed her temples. We laughed and she continued to sit at my table, in her satin nightgown, and eat ramen noodles.
     Her bowl was shortly empty. She sat back in the chair and sighed, "So, what is our plan?"
     "I don't know what you mean, Em. I don't even know what to do. I didn't say anything in return, I deflected. I told him he'd better get back to your house."
     Em smacked my arm, "I thought you knew better than that! But also, for the sake of being fair, that was totally unexpected for you."
     "No kidding."
     "I am really worried about him in the hands of Angela, though. She's already called me a few times to lament about how he rejects her amorous advances. He seems like he just isn't interested in a romantic or sexual relationship with her, and she's very distressed by it. I was telling her that he might just need more time to adjust, but..."
     "Well, now we both know why he's rejecting her," I smirked. 
     Em smirked back, "Like I said, I'd figured it out pretty quickly, though Finn's unsolicited agreement was very helpful. I've not asked Kirsten what she thinks yet, though. Jin-young is still adjusting, but it's going really well."
     "I'm really happy to hear that. I think it could be good for Henry to meet someone with a similar history."
     "That's an excellent thought," agreed Em. "Maybe we could arrange a picnic in the park. Although I don't know how we could convince Angela not to accompany him. All the same, it would be great for them to make friends. They wouldn't feel so strange, or alone."
     Hungover Em was waxing philosophic. She stared at the wall for a few minutes, before looking at me, "You would feel guilty for getting involved with him, wouldn't you?"
     I nodded, "It doesn't feel right at all, even though he is choosing me. He didn't choose his current situation, but he's still bound to it. It just feels wrong to insert myself into the position Angela so clearly wants."
     Em shook her head in agreement, looking back toward the wall. There was movement just outside the kitchen window, a red mid-size SUV rolling lazily down the street, Angela in the driver's seat, Henry in the passenger seat. I flew to the window, watching them as far as the view from the pane would let me.
     "What?"
     "Angela is taking Henry somewhere," I panicked, "Where could they be going?"
    "I don't know."