Harvey’s weekend plans didn’t include dying at a red light. He planned on pizza, sweatpants, and a movie with his girlfriend. Then Chuck walked into his office, leaned on the doorframe and said, “Listen, Harvey. We’re not paying you to go on dates. We’re paying you to build the AI tool you promised.”

  “It’s 7:00 on a Friday, Chuck. If I cancel on Cleo again, she’s going to kill me.” Harvey replied.

  “Who cares? Girlfriends come and go. Career opportunities like this don’t. You think management’s going to be worried about her when you start missing deadlines?” Chuck asked.

  “I happen to like my girlfriend.” Harvey shot back, annoyed. “And show me a single deadline I’ve missed. I’ve been at this for months, and Aurelia is getting smarter every day.”

  “Not smart enough. This is Empire Engineering, and forty hours a week doesn’t cut it here. You’re on track, but I know you could move faster.” Chuck snapped.

  “Ha! You of all people know I’ve been here at least 80 hours a week since January.” Harvey complained. His hands jittered, a mix of coffee and rage conspiring against his self-control. He held Chuck’s gaze, but the older man didn’t flinch.

  “Go ahead and leave for your date if you want, but I gotta tell you this lack of commitment won't look good to management,” Chuck replied.

  Only because you’ll be the one telling them! He thought. Most of the management team had been on vacation for 3 weeks, spending the summer with their families yachting around Europe. They wouldn’t care at all if he left, but he couldn’t trust Chuck to tell them the true story when they got back.

  He wanted to scream, but set his bag down and collapsed into the leather chair behind his desk.

  “Atta boy. If it makes you feel better, the day I stopped caring about my home life is the day my career took off. Now, I’ve got all the money I want and can pay my problems away. You’ve got the brain to do the same if you get your priorities in order.” Chuck said, knocking on his door frame before walking away.

  “You camp out here all day so you can ignore the fact your wife and kids hate you,” Harvey muttered, turning to his computer screen. The blinking cursor was like a heart rate monitor, and his Friday night was flatlining. Eventually, he relented and checked the progress of his tool chewing through the massive set of training data he’d given it for the weekend.

  He’d been so proud of himself when they’d greenlit his proposal to build Aurelia, a proprietary AI model that could help rapidly test their R&D projects before wasting money on expensive prototypes. Everyone called him the company’s rising star, only two years out of his master's program and already making a name for himself in Silicon Valley.

  He’d gotten a huge raise and a private office while the rest of his cohort was stuck in the cube farm downstairs. He’d also gotten a horrible boss who micromanaged every move he made and did his best to make sure Harvey never left the building.

  Satisfied that everything was working properly, he pulled out his phone to let Cleo know he’d be late. Hopefully, he’d just need to wait another half hour or so and be able to sneak out without Chuck noticing. He smiled when a photo of her back when they first started dating lit up his lockscreen. They’d met in college and dated all through his master's program before moving in with him when he came to Cupertino. She’d played tennis all four years and was now coaching the young children of Silicon Valley’s wealthiest families.

  To this day, he had no idea how he’d ever gotten a date with a woman like her. She was tall with an athletic build, long blonde hair, and blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds. Harvey wasn’t ugly, but he’d gotten used to the constant comments about her being out of his league. He was tall, 6’2” with brown eyes and dark hair styled in a professional comb over. In his younger years, he could’ve been mistaken for an athlete, thanks to his stint as a high school volleyball player, which kept him in decent shape. Now, he didn’t have time to maintain his muscle and had slipped into the “skinny-fat” build he’d always known was just over the horizon.

  No matter how stressful life got, Cleo always made him feel better. He couldn’t wait to grab a pizza, change out of his suffocating shirt and tie into some comfy sweatpants, and watch a movie. It had been their Friday night ritual for a long time, but he’d missed the last few weeks stuck with Chuck.

  “Maybe I should buy a parachute so next time I can just jump out a window and glide home.” He mumbled

  Chuck’s holding me hostage. I’m going to be late for movie night. Harvey texted

  I figured. I need to cancel anyway, some guy asked Jennifer out to the club, and she invited the girls to come with. Cleo responded.

  His heart sank, and he threw the phone down on his desk, nervously tapping his fingers as he cursed Chuck with a thousand bad nights’ sleep.

  Damn, do you have to go? Work is driving me crazy, and I was really looking forward to cuddling with you. Harvey asked

  I don’t have to do anything, but I want to. She said he’s getting a table with bottle service, and we figured we could turn her date into a free girls' night. She replied.

  Why don’t I come with you guys? Harvey replied.

  He saw the ellipses flash and disappear. Hope and annoyance fighting in his head as he waited.

  Because then it wouldn’t be girls' night? Besides, you hate the club. Cleo finally replied.

  Jen’s date is already going to be there! Harvey replied, frustration boiling over under his skin.

  Look, making plans with you has been impossible lately, and I’m not just going to sit around and wait for you to make time for me. I don’t even know when you’re going to be home! I’ve had a long week too, so I’m going to go enjoy a night with my friends. I did make brownies for you like we planned so you can have those when you get home. Cleo sent.

  Harvey stared at the message for a long time, a sea of emotion roiling in his head. He felt like a balloon about to burst, every little thing stretching him thinner until he finally popped. He wanted to demand she stay home. Give a legendary guilt trip. But he didn’t.

  She was right. Work had him cancelling plans all the time. He was technically cancelling on her right now, so he couldn’t be angry that she chose to go out with her friends. Still, It didn’t change how stressed out he was and the fact that a chill night at home with the woman he loved was exactly what he needed.

  You’re right, I’m sorry. Go have fun and take pictures for me! I love you! Harvey finally sent, tossing his phone to the side with a sigh. He was on his own tonight. She’d been asleep when he got home the last few days, and it felt like he barely saw her even though they slept in the same bed.

  Then his phone buzzed again, his mom’s face appearing on the screen. He debated letting it go to voicemail, knowing a lecture about never calling home waited on the other end. Reluctantly, he answered.

  “Hey, Mom.” Harvey sighed.

  “Harvey! So great to hear your voice! Let me put you on speaker.” His mother’s cheery tone answered.

  “Can you hear us?” She asked.

  “Loud and clear,” Harvey replied.

  His voice was flat, a pit in his stomach reminding him that every call ended the same. It always started well, and ended with him staring at the ceiling, waiting for the tirade to end while he worked on feeling nothing at all to avoid the guilt of knowing she was right.

  “Hooray! I’m here with Dad, Tyler, and Max. We just got off the phone with Eleanor and thought we’d give you a call before we start game night.”

  “HARVEY!” His brother’s voice erupted from the phone like a thunderclap before being muffled. He could almost see him trying to grab the phone out of his mother's hands, and Harvey’s face lit up with the first real smile he’d had all day.

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  “Hey buddy! Are you having a fun summer?” Harvey replied, laughing as he heard his mom chasing after Max while he ran away with the phone.

  “Yeah! Dad and me swimming and got fries!” He shouted back.

  “No way! That sounds so fun!” Harvey laughed

  Max was his 12-year-old brother with Down Syndrome, and he hadn’t started speaking in simple sentences until a few months ago. He was the life of the party, and lit up every room no matter what was going on and who he was with. He’d walk up to the biggest guy in a biker bar and give him a great big hug. The only time Harvey ever saw him get sad was when nobody could understand what he was saying, so it still melted his heart every time he heard him talk.

  His mom finally wrestled the phone away and dragged him back to the living room with the rest of the family.

  “Yeah, we’re having a fun summer! We miss you!” She exclaimed.

  They spent a few minutes catching up on life. His brother, Tyler, told him all about the tournament his baseball team played last weekend. He was 17 and had been a pitching prodigy since he graduated from coach pitch. He was about to enter his Senior year, and the school had high hopes he would lead them to their third straight state championship.

  His dad gushed about his sister’s progress in Law School. She had always been smart, but growing up she was too shy to answer the phone. Harvey could barely fathom her in a courtroom, but apparently a fire for the justice system had been lit in her soul. It was good to hear she was doing well.

  Life moved on for his Mom and Dad, the mania of their years raising four young children finally relenting to a normal life. Max was still a handful, but now that he’d started talking, it was getting a lot easier.

  “What are you up to tonight?” His dad asked.

  “Just working. Cleo and I were supposed to have a movie night, but I got held up at the office, so she made other plans.” Harvey sighed.

  “I swear, that place is sucking the soul out of you. Your own girlfriend never gets to see you, let alone your family. You guys haven’t come to visit in months!” His mom griped.

  “I’m sorry, Mom, but I really am busy. This is a big project I’ve taken on that could set me up for my whole career!” Harvey exclaimed.

  It was maddening. Everyone had an opinion about his life, and nobody agreed. He always did his best to make everyone happy, but that was impossible when your boss thought family was worthless, your girlfriend liked the money but hated the time commitment, and your mom thought the project you decided to make your life’s work was a total waste. His therapist always told him that his people-pleasing would cause problems, but he never expected to feel like it was tearing his life apart at the seams.

  “There’s more to life than your career, honey.” She shot back.

  “I know, but there’s also a time and a season for everything, right? Isn’t that what you taught me? I work hard now so I can settle down and provide for my family later.” Harvey replied.

  “At this point, I’m worried you’ll never have a family. Why aren’t you and Cleo engaged yet?” She sniped.

  “Mom, give me a break! I’m 25! We’ll get married and start pumping out grandbabies for you when the time is right. We’re both just busy getting settled right now.” Harvey groaned.

  “Careers come and go, family is forever, darling.” His mom chastised. “By the time your father and I were 25, we already had a house and three kids, making nowhere near as much money as you guys do.”

  “Well, I’m sorry for being such a horrible son.” Harvey barked, finally unleashing the guilt trip festering inside.

  “Oh, don’t start that nonsense with me. You know I love you. We all do, that’s why we want to see you doing the things that are going to make your life happy. We worry about you sometimes.” She replied lovingly.

  “You don’t need to worry, Mom. Life’s good, just a little busy. I’ll try to make sure I call home more often.” Harvey sighed.

  “It’s not hard to do! There’s a magical box with a button that you can press to talk to a bunch of people who love you.” She responded.

  “I know. I love you guys too. Have fun with game night, and hopefully we can visit sometime soon.” Harvey said.

  They all said their goodbyes, and he hung up the phone. He exhaled and let the pressure bleed out, slipping down his seat until he hung on the elbow rests. It felt good to stretch his back, but it didn’t take long for his neck to ache with his head pinned to his chest.

  Awkwardly, he pushed himself up, logged out, and left.

  He wasn’t in the right headspace to get anything else done tonight, so he might as well get started on the long journey home. It was only a 10-mile drive to their upscale apartment in Cupertino, but rush hour lasted longer in San Jose than in most cities. It would clear up if he waited a little longer, but he was fine sitting in traffic if he could blast some music.

  Harvey felt some of the weight lift off his shoulders as he left the office, climbed in the old Camaro he’d restored with his dad, and peeled off his shirt and tie. He’d get some strange looks in the drive-thru wearing slacks and a white undershirt, but it was worth it. Setting up a playlist of rap, rock, and metal, he put pedal to the metal and set for home. Singing his heart out had always helped him de-stress, and he was starting to feel better when a sea of brake lights around the bend forced him to stop.

  “Are you kidding me? Tonight! Of all nights!” He swore, turning the sound system from his phone to a local radio station.

  “This just in, a 7-car pileup on the ramp from I-880 to I-280 has shut down the exit. Commuters should find an alternate route and make way for emergency vehicles moving to assist.” A stereotypical male radio host announced.

  “Awesome, my hour commute just doubled,” Harvey swore. Luckily, he was close to an exit and maneuvered his way over. He’d have to take surface streets for a while until he could cut across to the freeway. It usually wouldn’t be so bad, but everyone else had to do the same thing.

  His body ached, and his mind felt like ice cream left to melt in the hot sun. He fantasized about slamming the gas and driving on the sidewalk like he was in a video game, outrunning the cops until he finally got home and they were magically forced to leave him alone. Just as he was about to lose it, a magical sight entered his view. The grand golden arches every American worshipped. They looked like the gates to heaven, and any desire to eat healthy vanished as he pulled into the drive-thru. With a burger, fries, and soda in hand, he parked the car, unbuckled his seatbelt, and laid back to watch a show on his phone while he ate.

  A notification appeared, blocking his view. He was going to ignore it when the message caught his eye. It was a DM from a coworker, not anybody he was close with, but an acquaintance who got hired the year after him.

  Hey man, sorry to bother you on a Friday night, but isn’t this your girlfriend? It read along with a picture of Cleo and Jennifer talking to some guys in a busy nightclub.

  Yeah, that’s her. Why are you taking pictures of her? Harvey asked.

  I thought I recognized her from the Christmas party. Not trying to be weird or anything, just thought you should see this. The text said, a box for a video slowly loading underneath. He didn’t have great cell service out here, but a bad feeling burrowed in his chest as he waited for it to load. His fears were realized when a video of Cleo making out with another guy started playing on his screen.

  Fury erupted in his soul. His entire body started shaking as he watched the video over and over again. He wanted to throw his phone out the window and drive over it. Pretend it wasn’t real and just go home. Instead, he called her.

  Each ring felt like a new nail being driven into his psyche.

  “Hello-” Her voice started.

  “Who the hell is he?” Harvey yelled through gritted teeth.

  “You’ve reached Cleo Newman. I am unable to take your call right now. Please leave a message and I...” Her voicemail continued.

  He hung up the phone and called again. No answer. Again. No answer. The fourth time, she finally picked up.

  “WHAT! What do you want, Harvey? You know I’m busy.” Cleo yelled into the phone, the heavy bass thumping behind her.

  “Who is he?” Harvey growled.

  “What? Who is who?” She began.

  “The guy you’re making out with right now?” Harvey yelled. Tears fell like rain down his face as the phone he held with a vice grip dug into his palm.

  “How did you… Are you spying on me?” She replied frantically.

  “No, I didn’t think I needed to. I thought I could trust my girlfriend. You know, you? The woman I’ve spent the last 4 years with? My coworker is at the club and sent me a video!” Harvey shouted, his voice getting higher with every word until he sounded like a boy on the brink of a tantrum.

  “Harvey, I’m so sorry I… You’ve just been so busy lately, and I wanted...” She replied. It sounded like she was crying too, but he couldn’t be sure with the loud music.

  “Forget it. I’m done!” Harvey yelled.

  “No, no, no, wait. We can talk about this. Don’t break up with me.” Cleo begged.

  “I'M DONE!” Harvey yelled, throwing the phone on the seat beside him. He sped out of the parking lot, tires squealing as he tore down the road. All he could see was red. He felt a pit in his stomach like he was on a rollercoaster waiting to fall.

  It didn’t take long for his car to reach 80 mph; luckily, the next light was green, so he kept going.

  He didn’t care about Cleo, or his career, or Chuck’s stupid face.

  The next light turned yellow, and he lurched forward in his seat as he started braking. His seatbelt wasn’t on. He fumbled with it for a moment before giving up.

  He was done. He took his foot off the brake and floored the gas. The engine roared, a deep rumble that left the car shaking.

  90mph.

  100mph.

  110 mph.

  “Harvey, stop!” He heard Cleo shout into the phone, her muted voice barely reaching his ears.

  The light never turned green, but that was ok.

  A deafening crunch erupted, and the acid pepper smell of airbags deploying invaded his nose as the world faded to black. Just as he said his final goodbye, a godly voice rang out in his head.

  Integration Complete

  Welcome to the Multiverse