Anticipation Day

As she put her shirt and pants on and started to do her makeup, she thought about how rough the past few weeks had been for her. The kids had been sick and not sleeping, and the continued stress of both their jobs had left them both on edge, leading to constant fights, bickering, and Eric drinking more.

While their relationship had seen its share of ups and downs, this felt like a big down. Neither one wanted to admit their unhappiness, but she believed they both sensed it right beneath the surface.

It was something she needed to confront him about after their experience tomorrow. However, they were both in a good mood today, as the excitement of having dinner with friends and sharing their Anticipation Day experiences tomorrow seemed to outweigh anything else going on in their lives right now. At least for one day, they seemed happy.

Alexandra’s close friend, MaryAnne, had gone through the program a couple of years ago as she worked for the National Security Agency and was part of the “Guinea Pig Population,” as they eventually became known. She was one of the first humans to go through the simulation experience to ensure there were no negative side effects that warranted further refinement of the technology or process.

MaryAnne had shared minimal details about her experience, and Alexandra didn’t want to pry at the time given MaryAnne was recovering from a bad divorce and was still trying to get her life back in order at the age of 40. However, what little she did share gave Alexandra the impression that this experience would be amazing and life-changing.

With that in mind, Alexandra clung to the hope that tomorrow would be good for both Eric and herself. She hoped it would help get their marriage on track, or at least give them the clarity and motivation to change things, if only to stop the constant arguing and bickering in front of the kids.

“Found them!” Eric shouted from the laundry room.

“You’re an idiot,” Alexandra muttered, just loud enough for him to hear but not to understand.

“What?” Eric replied, sounding confused.

“I said, ‘Are you ready to go in 10?’” Alexandra replied, a bit louder, pleased she could quickly make something up.

“I was kinda hoping to take a quick dump, but I can probably hold it until after dinner,” Eric announced proudly as he approached their bedroom door.

Standing in the doorway, Alexandra couldn’t help but think that, while still handsome at 44, he appeared older and sadder than she remembered. The past year’s stresses had caught up to him, with more gray creeping into the sides of his brown hair and stubble, and his hazel eyes seeming sadder these days, with fairly pronounced bags under them due to lack of sleep. His hairline had also started receding drastically, which she knew bothered him. She had suggested medical alternatives, but he had not gone for them yet.

He no longer worked out as much as he used to and while they still had sex, she was not as physically attracted to him as she used to be. Alexandra wasn’t a bikini model by any stretch, but she had started getting back into shape, more for her mental well-being than anything else.

She felt bad for Eric in some ways—the pressure at his job was intense. His life as a partner of an accounting firm kept him busy with clients, and the threat of artificial intelligence taking over the industry kept him up at night.