If you’ve been following along with Sara and the other urban revolutionaries, you may remember the last episode got rather violent. There’s enough of that in real life, so for this story, back to cyborg dreams of kittens and cuddles it is!

If you’re jumping straight in with this tale, there’s a whole series on this site called Sara’s Secret War that will help set the stage.

If you’re insistent about skipping the backstory, at least know the prominent character in this episode, Chloe, is a cyborg. She was injured in an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) blast that destroyed the silicon half of her brain. And when she woke up, she was speaking only Spanish and fixated on kittens.

Because Chloe’s primary language is Spanish, I will keep the conversations simple and drop context hints as to the meaning.

Not a whole lot of action in this one, just a nice, cozy day out with friends. And like many of the stories in this series, it’s definitely more heart than heat.

* * *

Prologue

Sabine

I stand on the other side of the doorway to the combination dining room, briefing room, and kitchenette, watching my girls packing their gear to prepare for their mission. Kira is efficient this morning as usual, and she’s already zipping up her backpack. She hops to her feet to pull MREs and protein bars from the cupboard. Kira distributes them to Erica and Sara, the other two going on this mission.

Meals Ready to Eat and protein bars? Any other time, I would have had some homemade treats for them. I’ve been so preoccupied. Nobody complains, but I feel like I’ve failed them.

Then I have a revelation. Thank the Fates! Today is Wednesday. And Wednesday is tamale day at Mrs. Caballero’s store.

* * *

Chloe’s Side Quest

Chloe

Every morning when I wake up, I ask myself three questions:

Who am I?

Where am I?

How do I feel?

I don’t know why I do this, but I think I’ve always done it this way. And I never get an answer from the silicon side of my brain. Even with a properly formatted request.

¿Quién soy yo?

¿Dónde estoy?

¿Cómo me siento?

The status code is always the same: No Response.

So I’ve learned to answer these questions myself.

Who am I? I am Chloe.

Where am I? I’m still in bed, snuggled up beside my sister Honey.

How do I feel? I feel content…though perhaps a bit lazy. Sara, Kira, and Erica are already up getting ready for their mission. I think that might be why I feel lazy, I’m not sure. But I do know one thing for certain. I would feel much better if I had a cat.

“Chloe?” whispers Honey. She’s combing through my hair with her fingers, brushing it off to one side and kissing the skin she’s exposed on the back of my neck. Honey calls this being the big spoon, because she gets to wrap herself around me to keep me warm and safe. She says that’s her job as my sister. All-in-all, Honey is a pretty good stand-in for a cat.

“The others are getting ready for their mission,” says Honey. “You want to come with me to see them off?”

“Sí. Vamos,” I say.

My sister’s silicon side is working just fine, so she understands me when I say Yes. Let’s go, even though I don’t say it just like she and the others do. Honey slides to the edge of the bed and puts her feet on the floor. Smiling, she reaches for my hand.

* * *

Sabine

Chloe and Honey have been with us for a while, but I still do a double-take whenever I see them together. They’re like identical twins, passing through the doorway, hand in hand. The only way I know to tell them apart is that Chloe seems ever so slightly preoccupied. She’s only joined us recently, so I suppose it makes sense. Everything is new for her.

Honey moves toward Sara, wrapping her up in a hug and kissing her cheek. She whispers good luck or see you soon. I’m not close enough to make out the words. Chloe makes her way to Erica and is now doing the same. Though I think Chloe is whispering something about wanting a cat. I caught the word gatito on the air.

I offer a smile to my girls, as I always do before sending them out on a mission. But inside, I still worry about them. Even for an easy mission like this one. A simple meeting to recruit an asset.

But I push these feelings of worry aside, because it’s time for my motivational speech.

“Girls,” I say. “I know you’ve got a busy day today, but I’m hoping you’ll indulge me in an important side quest.”

Everyone stops what they’re doing and looks my way.

“Today is Wednesday. And that means it’s tamale day at Missus C’s store. I was thinking we could–“

I have to pause, because Chloe has already bounded over and wrapped me in a hug before I can finish. The rest of the team is putting the pieces together, and grins are appearing one by one.

“Anyone think tamales would make a good lunch to take along on your hyperloop ride?”

* * *

Chloe

I’m going on a mission! And I’m going with my friends! We’re going to Mrs. Caballero’s store for important supplies…tamales!

I’ve never had a tamale, but everyone is so excited, I know they must be good. And I’m excited to try one. But most importantly, I’m excited to go to Mrs. Caballero’s store, because I’ll get to see Mrs. Caballero’s cat.

I love my sister Honey, and all my new friends, but I think I might love cats the most. Mrs. Caballero’s cat is so soft. I think about petting him everyday, even now, as I’m walking down the sidewalk with my sister and my friends.

I see him as soon as we walk into the store. El gatito. He’s sleeping, as usual.

“Hola, gatito!” I wave. “Hola, señora Caballero.”

Mrs. Caballero smiles. “Chloe. Mija. ¿Cómo estás?”

“Tu gato duerme,” I tell her.

“Si. He chases away the mice all night long, so he sleeps during the day.” Mrs. Caballero has walked over to tousle my hair as she says this. This makes my smile bigger, even though her cat doesn’t want to acknowledge me.

* * *

Sabine

“Sabina, it’s been too long,” says Mrs. Caballero, while squeezing my hands in hers and brushing her lips against my cheeks.

“Well, you may be seeing me every Wednesday,” I tell her. “You should have seen my girls’ eyes light up when I reminded them today is tamale day.”

“Si, but the tamales are not here.”

“Oh.” I must have telegraphed my disappointment, because Mrs. Caballero has picked up my hand in hers and is patting my arm like a mother comforting a child.

“She’ll be here soon,” says Mrs. C.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to–” But I don’t get to finish my thought, because we’re interrupted by a loud buzzing from the back of the store.

“Ah!” Mrs. Caballero smiles. “She’s here now.”

Mrs. Caballero ambles to the back of the store to unlock the rear delivery door. When she opens it, she’s greeted by an impossibly old woman who stands a full head shorter than Mrs. Caballero. Standing next to the woman, with a shopping bag in each hand, is a young woman about the same age and build as Honey and Chloe, with radiant dark hair.

The wonderful smell of fresh home cooking follows them in.

“Hola, tia,” says the young woman, holding the two sacks out to Mrs. Caballero. Before taking them, Mrs. Caballero presses her lips to the young woman’s cheeks, one after the other.

“I’ll get the rest,” says the young woman, turning to pass through the door once again as Mrs. Caballero greets the older woman.

“Ayudaré,” says Chloe, and scampers off to follow the young woman fetching more tamales.

Smelling food, Mrs. Caballero’s cat wakes from his nap, arches his back in a stretch, and begins stalking toward the door while swishing his tail in the air.

* * *

Chloe

“Hola. Soy Stefani,” says the young woman pulling two sacks from the bicycle trailer parked out back.

“Mi llamo Chloe,” I tell her. “Eres muy linda.”

Stefani blushes when I tell her she’s pretty. I’m not sure why. She has beautiful eyes. But before I can ask her about it, I feel something soft brush against my leg.

“Hola, gatito,” I say, looking down at Mrs. Caballero’s cat curling his tail around my calf. But before I can even try to pet him, Stefani hands me one of the sacks of tamales.

“Una mas,” says Stefani, handing me the other.

She grabs two more sacks herself and tilts her head toward the store entrance. “Vamos,” she says.

I follow Stefani and Mrs. Caballero’s cat follows me.

Inside the store, Sabine is counting out tamales and dividing them among Kira, Sara, and Erica, as they stuff them in their packs. My new friend Stefani is transferring tamales to the cooler Mrs. Caballero has behind the front counter. But when a young man comes in, Stefani pauses to count out an order of tamales for him.

He’s shy. He wants to tell Stefani she’s pretty, I can tell. But he just watches the tamales going into the bag instead, saying nothing. Mrs. Caballero’s cat is over and wrapping his tail around my leg, and the boy is gone, before I can even ask Stefani if she needs help.

I reach down to pet Mrs. Caballero’s cat and as soon as I do, the delivery door buzzes again.

“Ayudaré,” I say, and head to the back, to find a man with boxes of vegetables.

“Hola,” he says. “Es para una entrega.”

I nod and turn back toward the store. “Señora Caballero,” I holler. “Entrega.”

“Un momento,” says Mrs. Caballero. She’s busy with customers, and Stefani is counting out another order of tamales.

“Lo puedo hacer,” I tell the man, and take the box from his hands to bring inside.

“Dos mas,” he says, pulling one from his delivery vehicle to hand to me and following behind me with the other.

“Gracias,” hollers Mrs. Caballero, as she’s packing up tamales for yet another customer.

* * *

Sabine

“Chloe,” I say. “We have to go. The hyperloop is leaving in–“

“Me quiero quedar,” I tell her. “Para ayudar.”

I stare blankly as I reflect on my choice of French to fulfill my college language requirement.

“She wants to stay and help,” says Mrs. Caballero.

“Chloe…”

“It’s okay,” says Mrs. C. “Chloe’s a good helper. I’ll look after her.”

“You sure?” I ask, not really sure if I’m asking Chloe or Mrs. C. But they both nod.

“Maybe I teach her a little inglés while you’re gone,” says Mrs. C, smirking as she’s shooing me off toward the door.

Kira, Sara, and Erica all give Chloe a goodbye hug. Honey does too, but I think she’s also whispering something about pspsps.

Chloe gives me a squeeze next, before scampering off to join Mrs. C. I stand fast for a moment, wondering about the decision to leave Chloe on her own, even if it is just for an hour or so.

Any worries I have soon evaporate as I hear Chloe singing softly while she opens the first box of the produce delivery to unpack it. Between verses, I swear I hear pspsps floating over the air, and Mrs. Caballero’s cat comes along to follow at Chloe’s heel.

“Hola gatito,” she turns to say, before going back to singing.

* * *

With my girls safely on the hyperloop, I return to the store with Honey in tow. There’s an empty cooler where the tamales were only an hour before. The produce tables have been restocked, and Chloe is sitting on the floor with Mrs. Caballero’s cat jumping in and out of her lap with his tail held high.

Mrs. Caballero walks over to greet me with a smile. “I want to hire Chloe,” she says.

“You want to…”

“Look around.” Mrs. C spreads her arms. “All the shelves are stocked. The front has been swept. And el gatito is getting very spoiled with all the attention.”

“Um, well…” How is this going to work? Chloe with a job?

Before I can voice any objection, Stefani walks through the front door and Chloe’s eyes light up.

“I finished helping my grandmother with deliveries and I wanted to see if you were still here,” says Stefani.

Chloe cocks her head and holds her lower lip in her teeth.

“Acabó de ayudar a su abuela,” says Mrs. C. “Ella quería verte.”

Chloe’s beaming as the words sink in. She waves Stefani over to sit beside her with the cat between them. And he takes turns walking across their laps.

I turn to Mrs. Caballero. “I think Chloe working here is a great idea.”

* * *

Epilogue

Chloe

Every morning when I wake up, I ask myself three questions:

Who am I?

Where am I?

How do I feel?

And because the silicon side of my brain is broken, I never get a status response. I have to answer these questions myself.

¿Quién soy yo?

Who am I? I am Chloe.

¿Dónde estoy?

Where am I? I’m still in bed, being lazy with my sister Honey curled up behind me. She likes to pretend I’m a cat, and whispers pspsps to me until I turn and bop her on the nose.

¿Cómo me siento?

How do I feel? I feel happy, because later today, I’m going to work at Mrs. Caballero’s store…and if I’m lucky, I’ll see Stefani again, and I can teach her how to say pspsps to Mrs. Caballero’s cat.

* * *

Afterword

Another short slice of life with the gang. Hopefully it put a smile on your face. For your closing credits, use your favorite streaming service to find Gatito Enamorado, a traditional Argentine song. The version by Los Guasunchos is my favorite.