Bloom

Troy knew he had to lay off the virtual reality for a while, and maybe less coffee. Boston had an abundance of both. But he couldn’t blame the city for his vices. He had allowed VR games to consume him so much that the line between reality and fantasy had become quite blurry. It was also getting harder to get a restful sleep each night. It didn’t help either that he had made tech his career—testing games. He would play each game and then give feedback on how to make them better, detecting glitches and repairing them with patches. 

He recently was heartbroken when he became infatuated with someone, completely duped, falling for a gorgeous woman who he thought was real, only to find out later that harsh reality proved otherwise. All she had been was an AI simulation. It was really sad to have one’s mind set on someone just to find out they weren’t even organic. And his lack of sleep and overabundance of VR messed with his head even more. Like a heroin addict, his family and friends disappeared from his life–but more accurately, he ghosted them. His parents still made an effort to stay in touch, sometimes leaving messages, but his older brother stopped trying altogether, angry at him for being ignored for so long.

The new and improved neurosensors enabled the characters in the games to become more life-like the more one focused their attention on them. It had something to do with emotional desire and how specific neurons firing in the brain create pathways that make connections in the hypothalamus, which in turn triggers the consciousness to believe that the fantasy is real. Of course, the longer one spends their time gaming, the longer it takes to recover and return back to real life. This is especially true when one has their own IV drip setup to stay hydrated so one can be online longer. Troy was doing this all the time now. It was an addiction. 

She had looked so believable when he had first met her at the beach, and they spent so much time together, kissing and getting to know one another. Now she was only in his dreams. She was there one day, gone the next, like seafoam that washes up on the sand and then dissolves. 

He unplugged the supercomputer mainframe, unhooked the IV, and went to bed to try and rest. Delirium was starting to set in and so his mind needed to recharge. It didn’t take long before his subconscious took over. But the image of her always resurfaced, inescapable. 

He didn’t want to let her go. Before, she was just seafoam, but psychologically he allowed her to become the entire ocean again. He didn’t know what it would take, if anything, to completely let her go and stop thinking of her. 

***

He awoke with a bit of a headache, so he popped an Advil and took a warm shower. He thought he’d venture out and get some fresh air too, walk around the block, and go visit his friend, Toni, at her place of business—Toni’s Bistro Café. The place had flair with its checkerboard floor reminiscent of a 50’s diner accompanied with the familiar whiff of fresh roasted coffee that perked him right up.

When he got there the place was dead save for a boy, maybe a 9- or 10-year-old, pounding away on some buttons that were part of a vintage arcade game called Pac-Man. It was a neat machine. Toni’s grandfather had given it to her shortly before he passed and had once told Troy it had sentimental value and would never let it go for that reason.

He ordered a dark coffee and parked himself in a booth to watch the youngster (he might as well, his parents sure weren’t–wherever they were) which was short-lived. The kid got frustrated with the game, said a few choice words, and stormed out. But instead of hearing the door slam closed, he beheld a beautiful woman walk in and gently close it. She was like a calm, gentle breeze after a hurricane. That’s when his life changed forever. 

She sat across the way in another booth, he and the mysterious woman now the only patrons. Troy didn’t want to make it obvious that he thought she was cute, so he only took a few quick glances as she digitally ordered what she wanted from the touchscreen tabletop. She was closer to his AI crush than anyone else he had ever seen in the real world, certainly inside his friend’s café. 

Even though his palms were sweaty, Troy had to figure out a way to meet this girl. He went in the back where Toni was. 

“Oh, good, now I don’t have to bring you your coffee,’ Toni said with a smirk and handed him his hot cup of joe. “And the first one’s on the house.”

“Ah, thanks. Hey–do you happen to know who that woman is out there who just ordered?” 

Toni had to take a quick peek under the stainless-steel shelving that was blocking her view. “Yeah, she’s been here a time or two.” 

“Can you introduce me?” 

“So, you think she’s cute.” 

“Toni, I wouldn’t be asking you if I didn’t—yes, she’s attractive.” 

“I suppose I can do that for you, female to female.” 

“Don’t embarrass me.” 

Toni chuckled. “Alright. I’ll try not to.” She then patted him on one shoulder with a wink. “Don’t worry. I like to think I have a natural charm. I mean, I haven’t had to close the doors yet.” 

Troy smiled and followed behind her as she walked back out to the dining area.

“Rose, right?” Toni asked. 

“That’s right.” 

“I remember you from the last time you stopped in. Thanks for visiting again.” 

“Yeah, no problem. I just moved in down the road from here, and so it’s nice to get out and socialize.” 

“Speaking of socializing, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Troy. He helps me out in the back sometimes when I need a hand, sometimes in exchange for coffee.” 

Troy smiled and held up his coffee while nodding in agreement. “Nice to meet you, Rose—pretty name.” 

"Thanks, Troy, and it’s nice to meet you."

Seeing Rose up close, Troy thought she looked like her name implied, a beautiful flower that blossomed. Her lips were full and crimson like rose petals and her eyes were sky blue, accented with long, flowing dark-brown hair. And she was still holding her smile, even smiling with her eyes he thought.

He couldn’t help but feel butterflies and felt he had to come up with something slick to be able to sit with such a beautiful person. 

“I’ve worked hard today. I think I deserve a break,” Troy said with a grin while Toni snickered. “Do you mind if I join you?” 

Rose parted her rose petal lips for an even bigger smile. “I don’t mind.” The feeling was mutual. She thought he was attractive too with his dark hair, hazel eyes, neatly-trimmed beard and bright smile. 

He took a seat directly across from her. “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Boston native–born and raised. Boston will always be dear to my heart. I moved back from Seattle recently as that’s where I went to school to establish a career.”

“Nice! We’re both techies. And I’m a native too. I work remotely testing AI games.”

“You actually get paid to play games?” 

“Yes, but I’m also a coder. I’m going to change my focus on creating more games. Playing them all the time gets you away from reality too much.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that can be a slippery slope. It sounds very interesting.” 

“I’m sure you and I would make an interesting team if we ever worked together on a project.” 

She parted those rosy lips to make room for a bigger smile again.

At this time, Toni brought Rose her beverage of choice, black tea with lemon wedges on the side. They sat there conversing for at least an hour, getting to know one another while getting their cups topped off twice before exchanging numbers and parting ways. 

The warmth Troy felt was not from nerves anymore; all his butterflies had flown away pretty much as soon as Toni had introduced him to Rose. Toni was right. She really did have a natural charm.

***

Only a few days went by before they started dating. Troy reached out to her first and things between them moved rapidly. They had a lot in common; in fact, so much so that only about 6 months went by when he had popped the question, and only a few months after that when they tied the knot. Everyone who was invited showed up, including Troy’s brother who learned to set his anger aside when he realized how much of a positive impact Rose had on him. Troy’s parents couldn’t help but think he looked more focused and healthier, a much more mature man. And his parents were right in their thinking. Rose helped him rise above his addictions–much less gaming other than what was required for his job, and even less coffee. He started drinking more water and tea.

Then the day came when, like a dream come true, they were walking on the beach beside the calming waves while pushing a newborn girl in a stroller. They named her Lilly. They both wanted a daughter, and man was she a delight. A union of two people, such a tight bond, that could create a precious girl and gift like no other just blew Troy away. Besides meeting Rose that first time in Toni’s Bistro Café, Lilly’s birth was what really made him a responsible person, no more addictive personality, just a true, loving family man who was humbled by his blessings.

There even came a time when they both could afford to cut their work hours. They enjoyed the time being disconnected from programs, but they especially cherished the precious time with Lilly, time they knew they could never get back. When the world got to feeling like you lived in a simulation, you knew it was time to unplug. 

***

The years flew by, and they frequented that same beach that was actually their backyard in their beach house along the sea. They couldn’t stay away from the peaceful serenity that the combination of water and wind could provide. Seafoam dreams filled each of their minds at night, keeping the nightmares away. 

Lilly had come of age. She, like her mother Rose, was like a beautiful flower that bloomed. For now, in a sense, she stood alone, a single flower in an open field. But soon the lonely flower would be transplanted to a new field among an array of other flowers in all their vibrant colors. 

While Lilly waded in the water along the edge of the breaking waves of the seafoam sea, Troy and Rose stood in the dryer sand with their arms wrapped firmly around each other.

The most beautiful sunset appeared.

They basked in the marmalade light that reflected off their irises.