#lori fowler

When Mac went to college, she converted his room to a small workshop as well, drawing up designs and schematics for ideas she had. It was no surprise to anyone that she was making a bee-line for a career in robotics. When it came time for her to fly the coop, she had several university offers and struck out from home.

While at college, Lori met Miles Sutter and while he was two years her junior, the two got a long pretty well. However a relationship didn’t start until after she graduated and bumped into Miles again in Three Pines. That was right after she met Sam Bergeron.

As the story goes, Lori attended her class’s graduation with brimming hope and a sigh of relief. She wasn’t even thinking about a job at that moment, but found Sam waiting for her, with her parents, outside the ceremony hall. Unbeknownst to Lori(as well as many others) Sam had kept an eye on her entire class and zeroed in on her for hiring at his company along with 3 others. He offered to move them out to Three Pines and gave them jobs just as the new Bergeron Robotics compound was nearing completion. Without hesitation(even though her parents were silently screaming in victory) Lori said yes/

Since working at BRHQ, Lori has been adopted as Sam’s protege, taking part directly in high level meetings and decisions made by Sam. She has his ear and his express instruction to call him on any missteps. The two have a mother/daughter relationship not unlike she has with Pete.

Under Sam’s mentorship and employment, Lori has designed 3 out of Bergeron’s 12 robot lines, including the search and rescue rovers and the Centaurian line of oceanic explorers. Her most recent contributions, however, are to the overall design of Bergeron Robotics’ Companion Frame line. The Companion Initiative will be the first time advanced, personalized AI will be installed into robots and sold to the consumer.

Resourceful, forward thinking and meticulous, Lori has become a staple at the company. Being prepped and trained on how to run the company is no accident and it’s becoming clearer by the day(even though Sam won’t openly admit it) that Lori is the prime candidate to lead BR upon Sam’s retirement. She’s proven herself to not only Sam but the people under her to be reliable and easy to approach as well as very goal oriented.

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Damn, he’s tall, what the hell? Lori thought to herself. She returned to her stool and watched her old friend pour him some hot chocolate in a paper cup. The last time she’d seen Andy was her thirteenth birthday party. It was the night before he moved a few cities away with his mom.

“I heard you were back in town. How’s that working out with your folks?”

“I don’t even think barely describes how close they are to breaking out into a full on screaming match,” Andy chuckled, ruffling his hair and sitting on the arm of the couch. He turned the cup in his hand and shrugged. “That’s not the only arguing going from what I hear.”

Aaaaahh, Lori thought. “Oh… Yeah… She mentioned that huh. Hence, your new role as ambassador.”

“More like, broke down crying last night when I asked about you.”

Lori squinted at the mention of Andy’s sister crying. For one, it was nearly unheard of. Secondly, as far as Lori could remember, she hadn’t exactly said anything that would warrant that. “It wasn’t even that bad, and she was being the asshole.”

“Trust me, I know. She said it herself. I think that’s why she’s upset. That and the jealousy.”

“Why would Nina, Queen of Wilton High, be jealous of me? We haven’t even been close friends- not as much as we used to be.”

Andy shrugged again, taking a sip. “The same reason she picked fights with me after I moved away. She’s scared of never leaving this town, like Dad. She’s scared she’s gonna end up being a diner waitress like our aunt. She’s scared we’ll leave her behind.”

Lori sighed. She should have known that Nina picking that fight wasn’t actually about Lori winning “best of show” at the science fair, or the articles written about her drone. “I can’t help that I’m trying to get out, Andy.”

“I know.”

“I can’t help if I’m the only one around here that wants something more. Well, other than my brother. The sad part about it is… She doesn’t have to be afraid either? And neither do you!”

Andy’s smile wasn’t the usual, jovial one that lit up the room. It was sad. “We’re not all as smart as you, Lori. We all don’t have your parents, that’ll damn near push you out the door if they have to.”

“I know, I-” Lori rubbed her face and stood up, pacing. How could she say this without it turning into a knock-down drag-out argument like what happened with Nina, just last week. “I get it. But what I don’t think you guys are getting is that you don’t have to be as smart as me. And that sounds really gross to say, jeez.”

This time, Andy laughed fully, covering his mouth with his hands. “I know what you mean.”

“Look, I’m not looking down on anybody who doesn’t leave Wilton. Have a blast, at least you’re comfortable and can build a family and make something for yourself here. That’s not me, and I’m tired of acting like it should be.”

“You’ve always been like that. I wish I could feel the same way.”

“There’s nothing stopping you. Just… All the shit in your head that’s making excuses. If you wanna leave, you can do it. Especially you.”

“How? Can’t play sports. I’m not funny enough for comedy,” Andy wiped some chocolate from his mouth and stood up, “I’m not an artist and I’m not funny enough to be a comedian. That is a weird example, don’t know why I thought of it…”

“At least you’re thinking. And trust me, a lot of comedians aren’t funny enough to be comedians.”

They both laughed. It sounded like the laughter they shared on long weekend nights, pretending they were galactic explorers somewhere far removed from this particular cattle farm. “Look, Andy… I’m not a pro, I don’t have all the answers. All I know is that where we are now is not where I can be ten years from now. Fuck, not even five.

“It’s not about what I have or don’t have, it’s how serious I am about using what I can…” she motioned to the rover behind her, “If it wasn’t this, it’d be something else.”

“That’s not too bad, though.”

“Hell no,” she smiled. “I just don’t wanna see you get trapped. I just know you don’t have to end up stuck here. That goes for Nina, too. And I didn’t know that’s what she was mad about, but I’ll apologize and try and make up with her.”

“Thanks, Lori,” Andy set his cup down and approached her, the two embracing in a hug that she’d missed out on when he left. “I believe you. And I believe in you, so thanks.”

Lori closed her eyes and felt thankful for the moment. She realized how much she missed her friend, and how nothing had really changed. “I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

Andy stepped back and stuck his hands in his pockets, “Let’s no go back to being strangers. And, hey, if you find out you don’t wanna be the next Sam Bergeron, you can always be a motivational speaker.”

Lori raised an eyebrow and stuck her hands in her back pockets. “What, you gave up on us touring the stars in our beat up space ship, with nothing but our trusty crew and the solar winds in our sails?”

“Ah yes, we should probably get started on that dream, huh? I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten pret-ty good at welding. So, uhh, wanna show me what you’re working on? I’ve got plenty of time. Like way too much time, actually, I’d like to avoid the trainwreck at the house for as long as possible.”

Lori nodded him over to the table and swept her arms across the metallic gray body of the rover, making a swoosh sound followed by a dramatic dun dun dun. “Speaking of Bergeron Robotics. This is a Rover I built from the blueprints they released. It’s got pretty accurate arm precision, a guidance system I got from a third party site and the treads are reactive rubber.”

“It looks different from that model!”

“I modified the chassis,” Lori bucked her eyebrows. Andy stared intently at the rover, his lips pressed together, freckles furrowing in determination.

“We should paint it,” he whispered.

“Shit yeah, put on some music- I wanna hear what you’ve been listening to. I’ll get the paint stuff.”

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