His steps are cautious as he approaches me, watching me as if I may explode at any moment. Of course, I cannot and his slowness makes me impatient. Is this how people feel when they are waiting for me or walking behind me and cannot get past? That makes me feel bad but I push it aside as the man nears me. I can’t wait to find out what song I’m going to sing but he’s taking far too long. His bare feet move too slowly on the slush covered pavement.

“Um… do you know what song I’m going to sing?” I ask the voice.

“Yes,” is all it says in response.

I resist the urge to groan at the voice, unsure if I even can. I don’t know if my voice will form that noise, even in my own head or whatever this is.

“What song will I sing?” I ask.

It doesn’t matter though. The man has finally reached me. He glances back at the woman, signalling to her to unlock my compartment. She smiles excitedly and does something on her phone. My lid unlocks and I wait eagerly to hear the song.

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” blares from my speaker, accompanied by a strange twinkling music. “Everywhere you go. Take a look at the five and ten, it’s glistening once again, with candy canes and silver lanes that glow.”

The man laughs in delight and turns back towards the woman.

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas?” he asks, just as I sing those exact words.

“Toys in every store, but the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door,” I sing.

“Of course,” the woman says over to noise of my singing. “It is our song after all.”

Her expression is so adoring that I forget all about the song. I just watch as she walks out into the snow towards the man. He pulls her into his arms and kisses her. They’re both bare foot, neither thought to put shoes on before they came outside to see me, but they don’t seem to care. They’re so wrapped up, so distracted by their love for each other, that they don’t notice the snow on the ground which must be freezing their feet.

That makes me wistful, sad almost. I can almost remember that exact feeling. I can remember being so involved, so in love. I miss it. I don’t think I can feel that way anymore. I don’t think I can experience love.

“Come on, darling,” the woman murmurs after a moment. “Get the food, let’s go inside.”

The man doesn’t let go of her at first though. His arms stay around her as he gently places one last kiss on her lips.

“Alright, I guess I should probably see what you ordered,” he says in a long suffering tone that makes her lightly slap his chest.

He leans down towards me and I stare up at him, wanting to witness the love that he is experiencing as much as possible as if that will make me feel it too. He reaches for the bag before stopping and looking back at the woman who grins.

“Champagne and chocolate?” he asks. “Are they for tonight?”

A coy expression comes over her face.

“Maybe,” she says.

His smile slowly grows as he lifts the bag out of me and shuts my lid.

“Well, I guess we’re in for a good evening. Mrs Howes, what do you have planned?” he asks as he stands and turns back towards her.

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A giggle tumbles out of her mouth.

“Why don’t we go inside and find out?”

She turns and walks back into the house but the man doesn’t follow. He’s staring after her with an almost shocked expression on his face. After just a moment, he shakes his head and rapidly begins walking after her. He’s moving so fast that I worry he’s going to slip and fall but he does not. It’s not until they both reach the front door, whispering to each other in hushed tones, that I realise I was meant to speak.

“Thank you for ordering with GroceRover!” I call after them.

The woman is already in the house but the man turns back and waves at me before shutting the door.

Happiness increased, pride increased, determination increased.

Speed 1/10 Hope 3.7/10 Determination 6.4/10 Happiness 6.6/10 Pride 4.7/10 Battery 90%

I feel the stats increases coming this time. My happiness after witnessing the young couple so in love and happy, is almost overwhelming but it is the knowledge that I contributed to that. I helped make them happy. That’s what makes my pride and determination increase. I want to do it again. I want to help other people experience love and save them from having to venture out into the world when it is dangerous outside. I can do that.

I barely pay attention the entire journey back. I think the voice notices a couple of times and prompts me to do so but I ignore it. It is quiet, there is no one else around. I spend the whole time replaying what I witnessed in my head and feeling it fill me with happiness. I experienced that once. I was young and in love, I’m almost sure of it. The memory feels fuzzy, not quite right but I think it is my own. It doesn’t matter. I can’t remember anything other than the general feeling of love. Of being so happy, so content and comfortable with a person.

“There you are, buddy,” comes a shout as I approach the shop again.

It breaks through my thoughts and I look around for the source of the noise.

Happiness increased.

Speed 1/10 Hope 3.7/10 Determination 6.4/10 Happiness 6.7/10 Pride 4.7/10 Battery 85%

I shouldn’t be surprised but I still am. It’s the man, it always is. The shopkeeper is standing outside the door of the shop. I can see that all of the lights inside have been turned off, it’s dark and void of life. He looks cold, I realise. He’s all bundled up in his coat, which he never wears when he comes out to see me during the day. His face is tinged with pink, especially his nose.

How long was he waiting for me?

“I was worried about you. I thought you’d got stuck on the snow somewhere or slipped because of the ice!” he says as I approach him, ignoring my charging pad.

I know that I shouldn’t talk, I know that but I still do.

“Thank you!” I tell him.

He smiles and starts to bend down, his hand outstretched towards me, before he stops himself.

“I need a dog or something,” he mutters to himself before raising his voice. “Alright, get onto your charging pad. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

I scan through my list of things to say, torn on what would be best before settling on one.

“Goodbye!”

I start to move away from him, going towards my empty space in the queue of other robots, and the man watches me go. His expression is confused or thoughtful, I’m not sure. He stares at me for a moment longer before softly speaking.

“Goodbye, Dasher.”

I watch him through my cameras as he starts to walk away, staring at the man as I slowly power down.