Chipping Day

by Edd

Lorna and Matthew chose the Saturday before Easter. She thought it was romantic to imagine their union in close proximity to a time of renewal and growth. He was glad their anniversary would be a date he could remember.

“Do you, Lorna?” and “Do you, Matthew?” and “You may now kiss your spouses,” and the hard part was done. The guests sat back down as the chipping tech stepped forward.

“Lorna,” he said. “Being from out of state, you may choose not to be chipped.”

“No,” she said. “Oh no, that’s why I moved here. If Matthew’s got to have one, then so do I.” She clutched her husband’s arm. “We’re in this together.”

“I understand.” The tech presented a waiver for her to sign, then pulled a palmtop from his pocket. “You should sit down; this can be very disorienting.”

Lorna sat in the first row, next to her mother. “I thought there was an actual chip. You know, something you put in my brain?”

He tapped at the virtual keyboard above his hand. “It’s all wireless these days; we just load the new parameters into your google.” His palmtop emitted a friendly chime. “Now think the words ‘Accept Marriage Chip’ so your brain won’t treat it as malware.” Her mother patted Lorna’s hand awkwardly as her eyes went blank for a moment.

“Okay,” said the tech when she sat up straighter. He turned to Matthew. “Your turn.”

He’d said ‘I do’. He’d said ‘until death’. Here it was, the program that would ensure their love would last. Matthew bit his lip, then sat next to his bride and waited to live happily ever after.