Shovels at Dawn

The borrowed snow boots are tight on Gertrude’s feet. The air is cold and the snow is wet. A part of her regrets saying anything to Amelie. She could still be inside, in the (relative) comfort of the laundry room where she’s been sleeping for several months now. But she knew it was the right thing to to do to come out and help Amelie. Uncomfortable, but right.

She digs her shovel into the nearest snow bank, grunting with effort. It’s heavier than she had thought. Her arm muscles strain, and she quickly begins to sweat despite the chilly environs. This isn’t going to be easy. But nothing in her life has been. She feels like she’s been dragged along by others during her time here at the B&B. So she wonders...

Have I been pulling my own weight?Gertrude looks back to Amelie, who is looking at a roll of film. "Oh, cool. I didn’t know you were into photography, Amelie," she says, in an effort to break the (metaphorical) ice.

Gertrude flushes under her mask. A photo? She hadn't had her picture taken once since she ran away to the Bed & Breakfast. Truth be told, she isn't at all comfortable with how she looks at the moment. Her hair too stringy. Her shoulders too broad. Too much weight on her frame.

But she can tell that this means a lot to Amelie. The robot's current demeanor is a far cry from how they acted when Gertrude first arrived. She doesn't want to disappoint her friend. "O-okay," Gertrude says. She grunts as she drives her shovel back into the snow, lifting up a large chunk of it. She then turns towards Amelie and poses awkwardly. "Like this?" she asks.

"Alright," Gertrude sighs, tossing aside the snow in her shovel. "Let's get to work." She diligently begins to dig and toss, dig and toss, slowly but steadily beginning to clear a path towards the propane tanks. It is exhausting work, but Gertrude seems determined to get it done. Her muscles strain in protest, and sweat drips down her back.

After some time, she takes a break, leaning heavily on her shovel. She is huffing and puffing, her mask hiding the discomfort on her face. "Oof. This is harder than it looks," she pants. "I think I should sit down for a bit."

---

Working together steadily, Amelie and Gertrude clear the path to the propane tanks. No sooner have they finished the task than the first rays of dawn peek over the horizon. The light gleams off a few icicles hanging from the tanks. One particularly large icicle is perfectly positioned, and as the light shines through it, it creates a prismatic spread of rainbow colors on the snowy ground.

"Wow. Now, that’s a pretty picture," Gertrude says, leaning on her shovel as she stops to stare at the dazzling display.

---

Gertrude chuckles at Amelie's antics. She digs the robotic maid out of the snow pile, grabbing their arm and hauling them free. "Come on, let's keep going. How about we clear the path to the mailbox next?"

Gertrude sticks her shovel into the snow again as she gets to work, putting her back into it. She hums a little tune to herself to help make the work go faster.

---

Gertrude chuckles, then she stoops down and writes her own message. "Gertrude + Amelie = Friends."

She then has a bout of inspiration strike her, and she spends several minutes adding a rather detailed image of a masked girl in a parka holding hands with a robot dressed like a maid. The maid holds a flower with a heart as the bulb! Several creative liberties with the design have been taken, but the result is quite nice, especially since she did it all with just a finger!

Gertrude poses beside Amelie, her mask hiding her own smile. Once the flash goes off, they go back to shoveling the snow. Soon enough, the path to the mailbox is clear. As they do so, dawn's light hits the ice and throws rainbows all over the yard. It's like the icicle from before, but multiplied by a thousandfold.

"Whoa," Gertrude breathes.

---

There is silence for a time as the masked girl and the robot stare at the rainbows. That silence is broken by a heavy thud as a snowball thumps against Amelie's chassis. Gertrude chuckles. "Ever been in a snowball fight before, Amelie? Hit me if you can!" She ducks and dodges as she works to pack another frozen projectile to throw!

"Yes! I am the champion!" Gertrude laughs, pumping her fist. The early morning cold is all but forgotten as she revels in her victory. She turns to regard Amelie.

"I’ve had a lot of fun with you this morning, Amelie. Your personality has really begun to shine through lately. You’ve been caring and considerate, and you’ve stopped taking yourself so seriously. You’re really coming into your own.""You know, I think you’re more than just your programming," Gertrude continues. "You were created to be a maid, but you’re so much more than that. You can really do anything you want to do. Whatever makes you happy, y’know?" Behind her mask, she blushes and looks down at her boots. "But, uh, I don’t want to come off as presumptuous or anything."

Gertrude obliges, stacking the snow with her shovel until the snowbot has a friend at their side. She smiles, then turns to the last bit of snow remaining blocking the path to the driveway. "Alright. Let's finish this."

Putting her back into it, Gertrude almost finishes clearing the way. But she has been working all morning, and fatigue is starting to settle in. She stops just short of completing the task, breathing heavily and leaning on the shovel. She huffs and puffs and turns to Amelie. "Sorry. I thought I could do it... You're able to do so much. Have I... Have I been pulling my own weight, Amelie?" she asks

Gertrude takes Amelie's words to heart as she looks at the trio of clear pathways. She lets out a long, contented sigh. "Yeah. We did a good job. Let's go get that chocolate."

She turns to head back inside the Bed & Breakfast, but she is surprised to see Yazeba standing on the front porch! Wrapped in a warm, fuzzy bathrobe and holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate, the witch peers across the icy yard. At length, she nods. "Hmm. Not bad," the witch says.

Gertrude feels her heart skip a beat. Is the crotchety witch actually acknowledging her efforts?

Seeing Gertrude's surprise even through her mask, Yazeba smirks and crooks a finger. "Come. I've something to show you."

---

The empty room was finely appointed in pastels and earth tones, with a warm wooden floor and a bed piled high with soft fabric and throw pillows, no two the same. It had a wardrobe and a vanity (though the mirror was missing?), but the most arresting furnishing by far was the polished floor-to-ceiling bookcase, carved with a vine and leaf pattern that bore engraved masks like fruit. There were no books on its shelves… yet.

"Wow," Gertrude breathes. "I've never seen this room before. Whose is it?"

"It's yours," Yazeba says.

"M-mine?" Gertrude gasps.

"A step up from the laundry room, I would say," Yazeba replies. "You've proven yourself worthy of more permanent accommodations. Keep up the good work."

And with that, the witch departs, leaving Gertrude to stare after her in wonder...

---

And that is the story of how Amelie began to become more than their programming, and of how Gertrude earned her place at the B&B!