37 THE REUNION

CHAPTER 37 THE REUNION Something was wrong with the cows. Their excited moos echoed out from the barn and across the farm. Roz sent the milk truck away for its evening deliveries and hurried off to see what the ruckus was about. When she stepped into the barn she found the entire herd crowded together. As the robot started pushing her way through, the cows turned to her and smiled. And then Roz saw him. Her beloved son. Brightbill. As you know, reader, robots don't feel emotions. Not the way animals do. But in that moment, in that barn, nobody had any doubt how Roz felt. She rushed forward and scooped her son into her arms. "Brightbill!" she cried. "Is it really you?"

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"It's really me!" Brightbill nuzzled his mother's face. "But how did you find me?" said Roz. "Ma, you're famous! You were all anyone could talk about at the wintering grounds. It started with the flocks of geese that stopped here on their migrations. They shared your story with everyone they met. Your story spread from flock to flock, from north to south, from east to west. Eventually, your story made its way to me. I took off as soon as I heard where you were. I didn't even tell the others—" "But we caught up to him!" Loudwing, the old goose, fluttered over the herd and gently landed on a cow's back. "Brightbill wasn't the only one who wanted to see you, Roz!" The rest of the flock appeared, and the robot found herself surrounded by old friends and family. Squawking and mooing and laughing and cheering filled the barn. But then came a loud, clear voice that only the robot understood. "Roz! What are you doing?" The animals hushed. Roz slowly turned around, and there were Jaya and Jad, standing in the doorway. The children had seen everything.