Wine-Mate: Chocolate Dessert

December 19th, 2035

(15 years after the virus)

The city was different in the day. People were able to roam in public if we all wore masks and kept our distance. We still couldn’t leave our borough’s, not even in the daytime. I sat alone in Central Park and enjoyed the sunlight that broke through the polluted sky. A man and woman walked by hand in hand. The joyful look in their eyes was all I could see. It caused my heart to ache with longing and envy. I wanted that with Ben.

I picked up my cell phone and scrolled through my recent FaceTime calls till I found his name. It took a few rings, but his smiling face soon popped up on the screen, and I felt the instant flutters in my stomach.

“Hey, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” I said, while getting up from the bench I’d been sitting on.

“Nah, you’re not. I was just thinking about you. I got somethin' to tell you. I kinda wanted to wait till later, but I'll tell ya now.” he said, carrying the phone with him through his apartment and into the kitchen.

“Tell me what? Are you ditching me again for work?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him as he propped his phone up and took a bottle of wine off his wine rack.

He opened it and poured the red merlot into a glass, before looking back over at me on the screen. “No, I just got home at 8. I haven’t slept yet cause this case I been working on is getting pretty intense. Don’t sidetrack me with work, I got something really important to tell you. Ya ready for it?”

“Yes, tell me,” I said, sounding more than eager while making my way out of the park now.

“Alright, so I pulled a few strings and I managed to get us another date tonight at the Wine-Mate building. I got it all taken care of all ya gotta do is show up at 7 pm in room 431. What do you say? You in?” he asked, holding the phone again as he traveled out of his kitchen and back into the living room area. I could only see his face from the nose up and a lovely view of his ceiling and light fixture.

“Your accent is adorable. I say that a lot, but it’s true. I’ll see you tonight, I can’t wait!” I replied, as I sprinted down 5th Avenue.

“You say it pretty often Prudence from Baltimore. I can’t wait to see you, and that smile of yours,” he said, giving me a flirty wink before ending the call.

--

I had about an hour and a half before the 8 pm curfew, which meant that if there were any delays I'd be in trouble. The risk was greatest for me. I didn’t have a voucher stating that I had an official appointment to be at the Wine-Mate building. Ben was a police lieutenant in Staten Island. The rules he bent there didn't get bent by civilians from Manhattan. Getting caught out past the curfew without a voucher would land me a week in an isolated cell.

I took my old access badge out of my back pocket and swiped it at the door. My heart pounded in my chest. I anticipated the harsh buzzing sound of denied entry, but to my surprise, there was only a 'click' sound. “Oh Ben, you little string-puller,” I whispered to myself as I stepped into the red lobby once again. It’d been three weeks since our first VR date, and I was beyond ready for the one we were about to have.

Making my way down the familiar red hallway, I felt a wave of excitement and anxiousness rush through me. I enjoyed talking to Ben on the phone, but a virtual date was the only opportunity we had to be in the same place at the same time. The only way we could physically be together is if we agreed to get married. I considered it more than once during our conversations about life's possibilities. My desire for his touch made me want that marriage sooner rather than later.

I swiped the badge for my room 431 and rushed inside. The VR headset and controllers waited for me on the table. Next to it sat a pink box that looked like it came from a bakery. Curiosity piqued as I tossed my belongings on the bed. I immediately scooped the VR headset and controllers up, not wasting a minute as I put them on. The moment it powered on, my cheeks ached from smiling so wide.

I’d anticipated being in Times Square again pre-virus. Surrounded by people and bright signs; except it wasn’t the image that greeted me. Instead, I was in the same room I’d just entered. The simulation was a replica of the ‘date rooms’ throughout the Wine-Mate building. At first, I’d thought the VR headset wasn’t working, so I took it off and placed it back over my eyes. The sight of Ben sitting on the edge of the bed startled me and made my heart sing all at once.

“You scared me. I thought the VR headset had broken.” I said, my voice shook a bit. He looked beyond handsome in his jeans and black fitted coat. His hair was longer than the last time, and his beard had grown out too, giving him more of a rugged look. “You updated your avatar?” I asked, feeling silly for not bothering to update mine. I hadn’t anticipated seeing him so soon or else I would have.

"You're so beautiful, Prudence,” he said as he took in my appearance. His hand slid from his bouncing knee to the mattress and back up again to his knee. Admiration mixed with hesitation flashed in the clear blue color of his eyes.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, a sinking feeling set in my stomach. I took two steps back and bumped into the entertainment center. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, sweat started to form on the back of my neck. This didn’t feel right for some reason. “Can we try another setting, Ben? Please? This feels weird and is kind of freaking me out.”

“No, nothing’s wrong. I can’t change the setting. I thought it’d be nice to try something different. Something more real,” he said, while removing his black coat and placing it on top of the bed.

He was wearing a maroon long-sleeved shirt under the coat. I noticed the gun in a holster on his right hip and saw the glint of gold from his police badge clipped to his jeans. Panic set in, and I pulled the VR headset off, letting the two controllers drop to the floor in the process. The headset and the simulation were gone, but Ben was still there.

“We aren’t supposed to do this.” I whispered, feeling my body begin to tremble from the realization that he wasn’t a simulation. He was there.

“Believe me, as a cop I know that more than anyone. I needed to see you in person. I needed to know you were real,” he admitted, while his eyes looked me over from head to toe. We made eye contact and I had never felt more vulnerable in my life.

“This is too risky. I don’t want to go to prison Ben.” I said, my voice quivering as I fought the urge to reach out and touch his face.

“You won’t. Please don’t freak out. We’re safe for a few hours I promise, I told ya I pulled some strings. I brought us some dessert too. There’s a little shop I stop at all the time. Christie’s Bakery. They been in business for years. Way before the virus,” he said and motioned for me to follow him to the small table with two chairs in the corner.

I was a ray of mixed emotions. Part of me wanted to flee, and never look back, but another part of me wanted to stay in that room with him forever. I looked down at his hand that he’d extended toward me. Our eyes met again, and I could sense the electricity on my skin as I place my hand in his. The electric current coursed through my veins and penetrated into my heart. “Don’t let go,” I whispered; hot tears clouded my eyesight making him a blurry image.

“No, not yet Prudence. Don’t cry please, I want us to enjoy this, every minute of it. Come here.” He instructed, pulling my fragile frame against his sturdy one. He felt and smelled exactly as I’d imagined. Strong arms wrapped around my body, and I released a sigh of contentment against his chest.

He was real.

It felt so good to be in his arms. It was as if a warm blanket had draped over me. His touch was gentle, and the kindest I'd ever received in my life. The back of his hand stroked my cheek, and a feeling of warmth and comfort filled me.

“Did you bring donuts?” I teased.

“Haha. You're hilarious. I brought the best chocolate cake you’ve ever had in your entire life.” He responded with confidence. A playful smile spread across his face as he led me over to the table. His hand didn't release mine when he opened the box and presented me with a cake. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the chocolate ganache dripping down the rounded edges. It looked tempting enough to eat right off its surface. The bitter and sweet smell of the different chocolates hit my senses full force and I felt my mouth water.

“Prove it,” I said, enjoying the playful distraction of a challenge.

“You really gonna doubt my word? Prudence, come on.” He shook his head and cut a thick slice of the chocolate cake.

I held my hands out with anticipation for the plate it was set on, but as I grabbed it, he pulled it away. “Hey!”

“Close your eyes. You need the full experience. No fork,” he said while picking up the slice of cake with his hand.

I was reluctant to close my eyes, but I trusted him, so I did. His warm breath on my skin made me shiver. I could feel the cake light and soft against my lips as he fed it to me. The chocolate frosting made a mess as it coated the corners of my mouth. I didn't even care if he was watching me. The smallest moan escaped my lips as I indulged in it. “Ben, this is –”

He took my face in his chocolate coated hands and kissed me with soft, warm lips. I pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. The taste of chocolate on both of our mouths mixed together with a sweetness that belonged only to us now. We couldn't get enough, as if it was all we needed. Every time we broke away from one long deep kiss, another came after until we were both breathless.

“I told you,” he muttered against my neck, while wiping some of the chocolate frosting off my cheek with his thumb. He put it between my parted lips so I could taste what moments ago had been only ours. Something more intimate than anything else.

“You were right. Best chocolate cake I’ve ever had in my entire life.” I said, as my fingers combed through his hair. He was everything I’d ever wanted, and more.

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this story, please check out the first part of it in the link below.