The Perfect Companion, part four

     “I don’t get it.” Andrew ran his hand through his hair.
     “What?”  Sam asked.
     “I don’t get them.  Women.  Any of them.  I make friends with them, I’m nice.  And either they tell me that they value my friendship too much, or they start seeing some dullard.  I’m a good guy.  Aren’t I a good guy?”
     “Of course you are.”
     “What am I doing wrong?”
     “You just haven’t found the right one.” Sam suggested.  “When you do, you’ll know it.”
     “The right one.”  Andrew snarled.  “The last women that wanted me just as a friend started sleeping with a guy that just got arrested for selling powder.”
     “Doesn’t sound like she had very high self-esteem.”  Sam added helpfully.
     “Maybe, maybe not.”  Andrew sat down and looked at his feet morosely.
     “Is there anything I can do?” Sam asked.
     Andrew hesitated for a long moment, unsure if he more afraid of what would come next, regardless of the outcome.  “There is something I’ve wondered.”
     “Yes?”
     “You told me once that you could take any aspect I wanted?”
     “Yes, that is correct.”
     “Could you look like her?”
     “Her?”
     “The one with the low self-esteem.  Tabitha.”
     “I can, at least from the point of her last physical.  If you want me to.”
     “I do.”
     “Very well,” Sam’s aspect changed to that of Tabitha, right down to the pitch of her voice and the tilt of her head.  “I can go back and become the younger versions of her if you would like.   Down to eighteen.  Anything younger is illegal and my programming requires me to report it.”
     “No, no.  This is perfect.”  Andrew gave Sam a crooked smile, “Perhaps I should start calling you Samantha.”
     “If you like.  Are you pleased?”
     Andrew stepped up to Samantha.  “We’ll see.”