Thanks to EditorsName Lord_Libido for feedback and assistance with this story.
Joe's phone rang, jolting him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen--it was the delivery men.
"We have a shipment for you, sir. Are you at home?"
Joe had been waiting for this call all day. "I am. I'll buzz you in."
Joe was a developer at a startup that had recently gone public. As employee number 23, he had amassed a healthy number of stock options, and when the company's IPO sent its value soaring, he found himself comfortably wealthy. In the weeks that followed, he watched as the cars in the parking lot transformed from modest sedans into sleek European sports cars. But while others splurged on luxury vehicles and vacations, Joe had a different plan: he wanted a robotic maid.
He knew he could easily hire a cook and a cleaner with the money he spent, but the thought of having strangers in his home made him uneasy. A robot, on the other hand, felt like the perfect solution--efficient, discreet, and always there when needed.
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and Joe's heart raced as two men in spotless coveralls wheeled in a large, sleek box. The design was futuristic, almost like an oversized, high-end cellphone packaging, but phonebooth-sized.
"I cleared a space in the corner as instructed," Joe said, pointing to the spot where the box was carefully set down.
"Please sign your initials here to confirm that the load tags haven't been triggered," the senior delivery man said, indicating two tags that displayed a reassuring green "OK." "These are to ensure your package hasn't been mishandled."
Joe signed with a sense of anticipation, and the men left with a polite "Enjoy your day."
Finally, Joe was alone with the box. He peeled the plastic cover, revealing a handle. With a deep breath, he graped it and pulled it open.
Inside, she stood motionless, about 170 cm tall open. and saw her. She was about 170 cm tall and looked like she was sleeping in a standing position. Her black hair was tied into a neat bun, with a white maid's cap sitting perfectly on top. She wore a crisp black dress that fell down to her knees complimented by a white apron. Black nylons covered her legs, ending in polished low heels.
Before Joe could take in more, her eyes opened.
"Hi, my name is Lisa. You must be Joe. How are you?"
Joe took a second to compose himself. "Hi Lisa, I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm fully functional and ready to follow commands," she answered as she stepped out of her box, her shoes making a soft sound on the wooden floor.
"I have never had a maid, so I'm unsure what to do. Do you have any suggestions?"
Lisa turned, her movements fluid and precise, almost like a dancer. She scanned the room with practiced efficiency. "My primary duties are cleaning and cooking. If you show me around your home, I can create a plan to improve your life."
"That sounds good. By the way, what's with the shoes?"
Lisa glanced at Joe's sock-covered feet and then at the nearby shoe rack. "These are part of my uniform. They protect my feet and nylons, and keep my feet dry if I step on a spill. Don't worry, I won't track dirt inside--they're for indoor use only."
attention: the living room was cluttered, the bathroom could use a deep clean, the bed needed fresh sheets, and dirty glasses were scattered across the kitchen counter. "I should have cleaned before you came," Joe admitted, a bit embarrassed.
"No need to apologize, "Lisa assurred him. "That's what I'm here for. I'll start in the living room."
"Good idea, don't throw anything out without checking with me first."
Lisa paused, noticing a stack of papers on the floor. "What about these? What's the story with them?"
Joe glanced at the pile. "That's my secure trash. It's not top-secret, just bank statements and other documents I plan to shred later at the office."
Lisa picked up a loose pile of papers, stacking them into a neat pile neatly as Joe headed to the kitchen. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?" she asked, her voice following him.
"No, I'm just going to make some coffee," Joe replied.
"Leave it to me; I can handle that." Lisa offered.
Joe chuckled, glancing back at her. "What, you can make coffee?"
"Yes, is there something wrong?"
Joe grinned. "Whenever a new gadget gets bragged about at work, there's always the question, 'But does it make coffee?' And the answer is always no. But I guess I've finally got one that does."
Lisa smiled, unfazed. "Yes, I can make coffee. How do you like it?"
"30 grams of coffee and 5 deciliters of water. I'm pretty particular about my coffee. Do you mind if I watch?"
"Of course not. While I prepare it, can we discuss dinner? What are your preferences?"
Joe shrugged. "I usually grab something quick from the local convenience store or heat pasta sauce with chicken."
"I can cook you healthier and tastier meals for less money. I can also prepare lunch boxes if you go to the office."
"That sounds great. So, what's for dinner tonight?"
"I can make tuna in tomato sauce with penne. It's not optimal, but I'm limited by your ingredients."
"That sounds delicious. After dinner, we need to set a weekly shopping budget and give you access to a local supermarket's webshop. They do deliveries and you should be able to order everything you need."
Joe was absorbed in his work, the glow of the monitor reflecting off his gaze. He kept moving his hands as if ordering programming steps he was about to enter.
Lisa's quiet entrance went unnoticed until she spoke. "Dinner is ready, Joe."
Joe jolted, his concentration shattered. "Lisa, you startled me!" He took a moment to compose himself. "Don't sneak up on me like that."
"My apologies," Lisa said, her voice calm. She paused, then added, "Would you prefer if I made some noise when I move?"
Joe nodded, half-smiling. "Yeah, that would help."
Without a word, Lisa shifted her stance, letting the click of her heels echo softly as she moved a step back. "How's this?" she asked, the sound now noticeable but not intrusive.
"Much better," Joe replied, relaxing a bit. He caught the scent of dinner and smiled. "That smells amazing - I love tomato-based sauces."
"I guessed as much when I saw all those store-bought sauce jars are in your cupboards. I guarantee I can make something even better from scratch."
"I look forward to those. Uh, I'm sorry, but I'm not used to being watched while I eat. It's a bit uncomfortable."
"I understand," Lisa said, nodding slightly. "I'll go check the other rooms. Just call if you need me."
With another soft click of her heels, Lisa turned and left the room, leaving Joe with a faint smile as he prepared to enjoy his meal.
A few days had passed, and the trash bag in the kitchen was beginning to overflow. Lisa noticed it needed to be taken out, but she realized she wasn't aware where trash cans were located. She decided to wait until Joe took a break from his work.
When Joe paused and leaned back in his chair, Lisa spoke up. "Joe, the trash is full. I need to take it out. Can you show me where the trash cans are?"
"What? You can't go out wearing that. No one wears a uniform like that outside. And your shoes - you promised you wouldn't walk with them outside. I will take it."
Lisa's expression softened with concern. "I'm sorry that I made a mistake, Joe."
Joe waved off her apology with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. It's no big deal to take it out. Just leave it by the door, and I'll take it with me when I go for a walk."
A few days later, the glass recycling box was full, and Lisa knew it was time to take it out. She walked into the room, her usual heels replaced by soft socks that made her steps nearly silent. Joe noticed her as she entered and turned in his chair, immediately catching the change in her appearance.
"You look different. What happened to your uniform?" he asked, curious.
Lisa gave a small, confident smile. "You mentioned that my uniform wasn't appropriate for going outside, so I decided to buy a more suitable outfit. The grocery budget had a surplus, so I used it to purchase these. How do you like them? I even got outside shoes to match."
Joe raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "You made that decision on your own? I like that. You look great -- very casual in jeans and a T-shirt. Alright, let's go see where the trash goes."
Clicking of Lisa's heels signaled start of afternoon coffee break. She set his mug on his desk. "Thank you, Lisa. You take too good care of me."
"You're welcome, Joe" Lisa replied with smile but then
her brow furrowed. "I have noticed that you sit by your computer for long periods. It is not healthy, and I would like to help you."
Joe looked up, intrigued. "So, what do you have in mind?"
"We could start daily exercises, starting with stretching and basic strength training. How does that sound?"
Joe nodded, considering it. "That sounds good. I would like to try it after I log off tonight. Is that ok?"
"Perfect," Lisa replied with a smile. "I'll prepare a session for you."
Later that evening, Lisa entered the living room, ready for their first exercise session. She was dressed in a colorful athletic top, form-fitting yoga pants, and trainer shoes. The outfit accentuated her athletic build, with the fabric hugging her curves and leaving her toned, muscular midriff exposed.
Joe's eyes widened slightly as he took in her new look. "Wow, did you get those using the grocery budget too? I might need to increase it so you don't run out of fabric."
Lisa smiled, unfazed. "I saw this on the supermarket's front page. Is there something wrong with my midriff?"
Joe quickly shook his head. "No, no. It looks very nice."
"Thank you," Lisa replied warmly. I recommend we start with a quick Zumba to get your heart rate up and finish with stretching. Tomorrow, we can do strength training." She moved to the center of the room, putting on some lively music, and faced Joe with an encouraging smile. She began moving her body to the rhythm, starting slowly so Joe could follow along.
After a few minutes, Joe was already feeling the burn. "This is harder than I expected," he grumbled, trying to keep up.
Lisa offered him a reassuring nod. "It's all part of the process. This will help with your coordination and warm you up for stretching. Now, try rotating your hips like this." She demonstrated, her movements fluid and controlled, and Joe couldn't help but notice the way her body moved, particularly as her hips swayed in rhythm.
"Alright, let's move on to some stretches," Lisa announced after a while. "We'll start with touching our toes. Don't worry if you can't reach them just yet; with practice, you'll get there." She bent forward, effortlessly touching her toes, her toned back and legs on full display.
Joe followed her lead, though his flexibility was clearly a work in progress. He watched as Lisa's form remained perfect, her tight muscles flexing as she held the stretch.
Soon, life became a routine:
"Joe, I set up your clothes for tomorrow."
