Projects > Story-of-the-Day > partner-for-life

Today was the day. I've been tracking her shipment for the week since I clicked the 'Place your order' button. I was at the window most of the day, and ran out to meet the UPS delivery guy. I ran inside and carefully opened the CyberMate box. It came with a thick instruction manual, but who has time for that. I set her in a chair and looked her over. She looked exactly as I requested, she was perfect. I excitedly, but methodically, felt through the hair at the back of her head. I pressed a button and she turned on.

She moved her head back and forth, scanning the room, and then looked at me. "Hello. What shall I be named?"

"Your name will be Roxane. We are dating and will get married. Welcome." Roxane and I went on a few one-on-one dates/trial runs.

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The next Friday I left Roxane at home to hang out at the bar with my friend, Tyrone. We had been drinking for a few hours and we were both getting ready to wrap this up. He looked over at me, "You know, I could go for a big plate of greasy eggs and bacon. You up for that?"

I decided to test the waters, "Nah, I'm good for tonight. You know, this girl I'm dating makes a mad omelette."

"Yeah, I need to get home to the missus anyway." Even though we had both been drinking, Tyrone saw what I was doing, "I didn't know you were even seeing anybody. You should bring her around next time. I'm sure the guys would like to meet her. I'll bring Jada too."

"Next week then."

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The next four months were a choreographed progression of dates that functioned to introduce Laura to my entire social circle. Her programming was great, and nobody had any idea she wasn't real.

Family was up next. I made a call. "So, mom. I was thinking there’s somebody you should meet."

My mom paused for a few second. "Sure!" She paused for just the right amount of time again, "Is this somebody special to you?"

My mom could always find a way to word things to whatever effect she wanted. I felt blood rushing to my cheeks like I was a little kid again. "I've been dating her for a few months, so I guess so. Her name is Roxane."

Once mom was onboard, the rest of the family fell into place too. My family loved Roxane.

⁂

It was time to get this moving. It was the sixth day of Kwanza and I got all of the family on a group chat. I stoff in frame, and pulled Roxane in as well. Everybody was busy talking to each other so I yelled out, "Hey! Hey! I have something to say!" Everybody got quiet much quicker than I expected. They were staring at me as I took a moment to gather my thoughts. "So we have news we want to share. Roxane and I have gotten engaged." I don't remember any of the hundreds of questions that my family asked after this. I just remember it being loud. I had prepared answers for our entire history so it was easy to give answers to everybody.

⁂

We had a small ceremony. Roxane and I moved in together. Or rather, I no longer had to stuff her in my closet if anybody came over. She was everything I wanted in a partner. And nobody was the wiser, or so I thought. I was at a bar on a Friday night with Tyrone. We were a good number of beers in when I opened up to him. "You know, Tyrone. I have a secret."

He looked at me, "Yeah, what is it?"

I hesitated, "You know there's something about my wife, Roxane." He just sat there looking at me. "So I actually bought her. She's one of those cyber things. I haven't told anybody else, not even family about this." Why was I doing this?

Tyrone kept looking at me for some time, "Yeah, is that right." He looked down and paused, "You know. I got Jada the same way."

"What?"

"Yup...yup. And you know Danny. His wife is one too."

I spent the next few weeks meeting up with my married friends one by one. Getting them to drink a little and sharing my secret. And one by one, each of them told me the same thing, their wife was a CyberMate too.

I tore Roxane apart when I got home. I needed something real.