Probably.

Ross shivered as he walked around his neighborhood. It was a chilly autumn day and he stormed off without his jacket. Not wanting to go back into the apartment, he just decided to deal with the cold.

Andrew was an asshole, obviously. As he cooled off and reflected, Ross thought about their conversation. He recognized that all of the bullshit about how pathetic and weird he is was just bluster. Andrew was scared, and when people like him got scared they got mean and aggressive. He'd been called worse by better people.

It was the stuff about Madison's memory that got to him. She once told him that she would never break up with him because her script forbade it. That didn't sit right with him at the time, but in between the rush of having a beautiful, sexually adventurous girlfriend and the deluge of new information about golems, he had forgotten it.

Now he thought about it again. Would the real Madison have had any interest in him? The golem couldn't until he changed her script, then she had to. What about the original girl? He shivered again and rubbed his biceps as a gust of wind hit him.

Ross looked around the street pensively. It was a decent neighborhood, with a mix of student housing and modest single-family dwellings. He waved to a neighbor who was out trimming his lawn, and the kind older man waved back. Ross tried to remember his name; he was pretty sure it started with a J.

The man had recently had his first granddaughter. For the first time, Ross thought about the future. He always pictured himself with a nice little family. Golems couldn't get pregnant, but even if they could, would he want to start a family with Madison? She was amazing, of course; funny, smart, charming, and completely loyal to him. He had no doubt she'd make an amazing mom.

Imitate an amazing mom, he thought. Could he raise kids with someone who was just a bunch of rules and commands in the guise of a human? Could he trade rings and vows with a pile of dirt that couldn't possibly mean it when she said "I do"? Ross shivered again, although this time there was no wind.

He turned a corner and was back on his street. The women were probably done with their makeup and he wanted to keep an eye on their progress. Andrew was probably still going to be a dick, so it was up to Ross to be the bigger man for the sake of the plan. They needed to be on the same page for this.

Ross quietly let himself in to the apartment. The living room was empty, so he opened his bedroom door.

Andrew and Erica were examining Madison, who was standing still as a mannequin. Andrew looked up when he entered then quickly looked away. Ross cleared his throat.

"Uh, hey guys. How's the makeup coming?"

"You tell me," Erica said and stepped back. He was struck not by how old Madison looked, but how different she looked. A few changes in makeup technique and she was like a completely different person. The disturbing questions he had pondered on his walk arose in his mind, but he ignored them.

"Wow, she looks great," he said encouragingly. "At least in her late 20s."

Erica nodded with satisfaction. "I thought the same thing. Andrew's been helping me, but I believe we've done as much as we can with the time and materials given."

She looked expectantly at Andrew, who didn't notice. "Yeah, I think she'll pass."

Ross noted the conciliatory use of the female pronoun. He agreed and put his fingers on Erica's forehead. She smiled with relief before her mouth shot open and she crumpled. Andrew did the same to Madison, making sure to catch her and lay her down gently to prevent wrinkles. He stood and looked awkwardly at his feet.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I don't know why I went at you like that. Stress, I guess."

"No worries," Ross told Andrew with a clap on the back. "You're right. There's a lot of aspects of this that I haven't thought about. How about we bury the hatchet for now and focus on getting through tonight?"

"Sure," Andrew said with obvious relief. He opened his phone and looked over the checklist. "I think we've got the clothing and makeup covered. Should we use the blackout script for a test run?"

"Why don't we reactivate Erica first?" Ross asked. "She'll know how to spot a fake better than us."

Andrew agreed and a moment later Erica was standing in front of them, dusting off her skirt. She nodded with approval when she saw Madison.

"Good job, boys!" she told them. "She looks less like my babysitter and more like my colleague for sure. Have you done the dry run yet?"

"Not yet," Ross explained. "We thought you could help test her out."

Erica agreed and Ross put the script in Madison's mouth. A word and a moment later, Professor Hill was standing confidently before them. With her hands on her hips and a pleasant smile, she surveyed the cheap apartment and its occupants.

"Hi," she said and extended her hand to Erica. "I'm Professor Hill. It's nice to meet you."