She is the most beautiful, most wonderful, most amazing wife that I can now remember. When I first met her she was napping in the shade of a tree on the grass. The scene felt so natural it was more beautiful than any scene one could ever see. Her rosy cheeks compliment her pale skin and her black hair outlines her face so perfectly that it is as if she were a sculpture of Aphrodite herself.

I don’t believe in the Greek Gods, but I would believe her in an instant if she were to say that she is a goddess. That’s how beautiful she is.

Anyways, she bursts into tears and runs towards me. I totter out of my chair and lean against the countertop behind me as she reaches me and wraps me in a hug that stops my shivering. Her sobs wrack my body.

“Martha, I-” She pulls back and kisses me. It is a long kiss, with our tongues probing each other for the first time in years, and I can only imagine the coughing going on around us. Stimulated, I hold her waist closer to mine and...she’s pulled away by Vie and Steven. I fall back into the chair, exhausted of what little strength I had and panting like a dog after a long run.

They seem to be updating her on what’s going on. I feel my ears burn and lay my head on my arms against the countertop.

I feel someone shake me and I jerk awake. I blink my dry eyes open and feel that my ears are wet. I must have cried in my sleep. I’m in a queen-sized bed and Martha is beside me. She smiles at me and I notice her eyes are red and slightly swollen. “Martha, I...I’m sorry,” I say, hearing my voice crack. It’s incredibly embarrassing and I turn away.

She hugs me and trails her lips on my neck, and then suddenly I don’t want anything in the world but to embrace her.

I’m frustrated. This weak body of mine should never have been this weak. It should never have to be this weak.

She pulls off the blankets and I realize with the sudden cold that I’m naked, but she’s not looking anywhere except into my eyes.

Sitting up, I see a couple people around me. Martha is sleeping next to me.

Steven holds up a notebook to me. “How do you feel?”

“I feel fine.”

“Better?”

“Definitely.”

“You guys were really loud.”

“Don’t you guys have the best technology? I thought you would have soundproof rooms.”

He smirks and flicks my head. “We have better things to do than wait around. Or do you not care if your children get stuck in VR?”

I groan. “Fine. What do I need to do?”

“Get inside the building in VR. The AIs will be controlling everything from there.”

“Fine.” I feel a hand on my wrist and look down to see Martha gazing at me. Placing a hand on hers, I smile and say, “It’ll be okay. I’ll be right back out.”

I start to get out of bed but then realize I’m still undressed. “Can I have some clothes?” I say.

Looking up, I see the others giggling and Steven holds up the notebook: “Did you have a fun time?”