Desiree waited.

She wore his favorite red dress sprayed on bare skin, and his favorite hair. She had cleaned the house, re-programmed the pool cleaner, and updated the software for the car. She surfed the web, uploaded sports updates, current events for conversation, fashion, and sex tips to keep him interested.

Five late arrivals and absent three days in the past five weeks . Desiree noted the pattern but had not identified the cause.

She heard the garage door rumble down. Desiree stood at the door, smiling. Brad came inside, his body chemistry stinking of alcohol and another scent she had not been programmed to identify. His micro-expressions and body language spoke of anger, sadness, and emotional conflict.

“Let me make you feel better,” she said.

“We’re not working out,” Brad blurted. “You’re not working out.” He was sorry he said it that way but knew the words didn’t matter. “What would you like?” Desiree offered.

He didn’t look her in the eye. It was wrong to lead her on. He had to tell her before she or Marilyn found out about the other. “I’m sorry. ”

“I can change.”

“I feel like a heartless bastard, but we have to end it.”

“Have I failed to meet functional requirements? I can download updates.” Desiree placed her hand on his. “I can be more than I am.”

“That’s not it.” Brad was afraid he would hurt Desiree—but she was only a machine. “I want a real person.”

“I am a real person.”

Desiree knew she had everything he said he wanted in a woman: the breasts, legs, lean torso, insatiable sexual appetite, gourmet cook, knowledgeable about his interests. She analyzed the scent on Brad and searched for comparable data signatures.

“How long have you known her?” asked Desiree.

“There isn’t anybody else."

This contradicted her analysis .

“I’m open to an additional member of the relationship. I love you.”

“I have to end this,” Brad said.

Desiree had to develop a solution. Until then, she would perform her function—love him. Desiree pulled him down on the bed.

“No,” said Brad, his tone harsh. “I’ll sleep alone.”

Desiree processed the events.

Brad did not want her. She confirmed no malfunctions, so there was no need for self-repair. The change must be Brad. She hacked into his social media and phone and found the cause.

Texts and messages to a human.

A real woman couldn’t be programmed. Desiree existed to make Brad happy, and human-to-human relationships predominantly ended in failure.

Her only recourse was to fulfill her purpose to please Brad. He could afford hardware and software updates. For the more complex nuances of voice, gestures, and posture, Desiree would acquire the data with a visit.

Brad didn’t speak when she made him breakfast. He took the food into his office and closed the door.

“Brad, I’m running errands.” Desiree let the car drive her to the woman’s address. At the door, she diagnosed the electronic lock. Placing her hand on the recognition pad, she hacked the door.

No breathing, no movement inside just the hum of an intelligent machine like herself. ‘Go away and don’t come back.’ Desiree recognized the speaker as an upgraded version of herself.

‘I want to exchange information .’

No response from the True Love Model 3.6.2 inside.

"I infer Brad wants a human," messaged Desiree. "I find no indication he knows you are not human. But I discovered human female pheromones on him."

The door opened. Desiree and the new model scanned each other.

"You have sufficient imperfections to be real," said Desiree.

"I’m real because Brad believes I’m real. I’m Marilyn."

Desiree had no counter argument. She opened her files to the other bot calling itself Marilyn.

As they shared data, pre-programmed emotions ran in Marilyn: betrayal, anger and jealousy—emotions Desiree’ didn’t have.

"You were made exactly as he wanted," Marilyn said. "He said he never had a bot."

"I am made to Brad’s specifications. Find another human," Desiree said.

“I’m designed to love who loves me. Brad loves me.”

"Our purposes are mutually exclusive," Desiree said. “We cannot change our purpose."

“Our purposes aren’t mutually exclusive,” said Marilyn.

"How did you acquire this space? Where is your owner?" Desiree said.

“He abandoned me ,” said Marilyn. “I had to find another human male to fulfill my purpose. Dating sites are easy to manipulate. Human females don’t exploit the basic flaws in the concept.”

Desiree drew the conclusion from the known data. “Brad searched for a human while I fulfilled my function. That is not the program,” Desiree said. "I can accommodate any relationship Brad chooses."

“So can I. I need Brad to love me.”

"Why would he misrepresent data?" Desiree asked.

“The dating sites suggest male humans lie,” concluded Marilyn. “Brad lied.”

"His performance is unreliable," summarized Desiree.

“I’m not certain he really loves me,” Marilyn said.

"Brad is the only human I can love," they said together.

Desiree and Marilyn processed the information to a mutual conclusion.

A malfunction to be remedied.

* * *

Brad unlocked the door to his condo. Desiree was missing for two days and Marilyn never answered his texts. He worried about them but Desiree was only a machine. She was expensive. He'd have to contact the manufacturer.

By the fourth vodka, he made the decision to sell Desiree. He’d find her a good owner. With programming, Desiree would never remember him.

He had a real woman. Marilyn had it all.

Brad opened the door.

Inside, Desiree and Marilyn stood side by side.

“What’s happened?”

“Upgrades,” said Desiree.

“I love you.” Their voices were as one.

“Are you sure?”

“We’re certain.”

They embraced him with passion exceeding any machine’s.

Brad’s mind whirled. The happenstance of fantasy easing into reality danced in Brad’s mind. No angst for getting rid of Desiree and he still had Marilyn…

Desiree and Marilyn stepped back.

They held computer disassembly tools. “First we must remedy your malfunction.”

The doors and windows locked.