These girls have always been there for me. Ever since I moved to the city, they had been like the family I very much needed; there for me when I was too far from my true family to get a hug from my mom.
As time passed, each of them found the man of her dreams, got married, and had children. Not that I blamed them, but the frequency of our get-togethers had dwindled since then, reduced to joint group dates, which included them, their spouses and single, old, pathetic me.
Their immediate consent to my ultimatum that this evening be a husband-and-child-free evening surprised me, and I was so glad to know that I would once again be able to hang out with my girls.
"I don't have all the details," I wrote in our group chat called The Hotties of NYC, and went on typing, "I just know that there are enough men who want to marry me, so I'm going to need your help in the filtering and picking process."
"This is going to be so much fun!" Maya responded almost immediately, and Dolly added an ecstatic gif of a smiling dog.
I knew that Dolly would be perfect to put all nonsense aside and that she would think about the candidates in a practical and emotion-free way, thus helping me identify those who were there for the wrong reasons. I also knew that Maya would do a great job of investigating the worthy candidates on social media since she already spent half her time on it. Knowing what I needed them to be for me, I knew what they needed me to do for them, so I headed to the kitchen, planning to indulge my best friends with my culinary skills.
I chose a very demanding menu for that party. One that would require me to be kept busy baking or cooking during most of that day, knowing that otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to cope with the anticipation.
I mixed some minced meat with slices of onions, chopped parsley, and seasoned the mixer with grounded salt and pepper. I let it rest in the fridge while I prepared the dough for the mini pita breads I intended to pan fry for that dish. I saw it on a cooking show and knew right away that it would be perfect for an evening such as this. I only needed to let the mini pita's cool down, to fill them with the meat mixture and then let it rest again, before roasting in the oven.
What can I say? Great food loves resting!
Just before I placed a tray filled with mini mushroom quiches in the fridge, I wondered when would be the right time to get my mother up to speed with the project that might turn my life upside down.
Since my dad passed away, every time we speak she asks, "When are you going to bring me some grandchildren?" It seems as though seeing death at her doorstep has her realizing how life just became shorter and how dying is a valid, tangible, and frightening option.
"Hey, Baby Girl." Her voice sounded amused on the other side of my call.
"Hey, Mom. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much. I'm out with my girlfriends. We're sitting at this charming new café. You would love it!"
"Uh... Hmm... So, I won't bother you then," I stuttered when I realized this wasn't the right time for such a serious conversation.
"You're not bothering me, Baby Girl. You never do!" It sounded like she was putting on her motherly act in front of her friends. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing's the matter. It's just that… It's nothing. Forget it."
"So, what are you doing right at this minute?" she asked, giving me the impression she was trying to find out if I was in any real distress and was trying to hide it from her.
"I'm cooking."
"A marvelous dinner for one again? When are you going to make me some grandchildren?"
I laughed out loud. "I love you, Mom. And I'm not cooking dinner for one tonight. I invited some of my friends over, so I'm making refreshments for the party."
"Oh, that sounds nice. It's a shame we don't live closer. I would have loved to—"
"That's okay, Mom. I promise I'll come to visit you as soon as this crazy period ends." My calm tone of speech and the promise of another face to face hug was enough for her to let me hang up.
I placed the eggplant slices I had finished deep-frying while speaking to my mother on a platter allowing the oil residue to be soaked up in some paper towels.
My mother stayed in Connecticut while I moved to the big city, hoping to fulfill my dream. Being so far away from her made me both happy and sad.
My mom was an amazing woman. She never gave up, never fell into despair, and always made sure to make each and every dream of hers a reality. I guess that's why I felt I had to get away from her once I was old enough to do so. Maybe I feared she would try to make my dreams come true too, like she used to do when I was younger, and I wanted to be the one to choose which of my goals and dreams were right for me to fulfill.
Several hours later, I finished setting my beautifully decorated dining room table with eggplant rolls stuffed with goat cheese and roasted peppers, a quiche tray which filled the house with an addictive baking aroma, and mini pita bread roasted lightly with a spiced mixture of minced meat.
"It's open!" I yelled toward the door as I finished pouring the Cosmopolitan cocktail I had prepared for the occasion into four tall glasses.
"Wow, Naomi, what smells so good?" Maya came in with Dolly right behind her.
"Did you two drive here together?" I couldn't figure out how they coordinated their entry so precisely, having lived so far apart.
"You know what it's like." Dolly placed her handbag on one of the chairs. "If we see an opening to stick it to the hubbies with bedtime routines and showers on a Saturday night, we don’t think twice about it."
"So, you did drive here together?" A pinch of jealousy was very evident in my heart, as I always feared that their friendship was stronger than the friendship I shared with each of them, separately, once they became married with children.
"Sure," Maya took it upon herself to answer. She always knew how to ease my mind. "I asked Dolly to pick me up since I'm planning to get stupidly drunk tonight." They both laughed.
"If everything goes according to plan, I hope that soon I'll be able to stick my husband with the kids and run away with you girls for drinks." I served each of them a glass full to the rim with the cocktail I prepared.
"If you want some advice from me, forget about this project, Naomi. Husbands are okay sometimes, but kids? They're little monsters. I'm telling you, just run away right now!" Maya raised her hand high, and the three of us clinked our glasses and drank in honor of our friendship.
The girls tried to fish out more information about what was expected for later in the evening, but they quickly realized that I was keeping no secrets from them.
"Honestly, girls, I have no idea. It's all in the hands of Nick. He demanded to be in control."
"In that case, where is he?" Dolly peeked impatiently at her watch.
"He's being fashionably late. Did you really expect anything else from him?" I asked, just as the door opened, and the host of the evening entered through it dramatically.
"What's going on here?" he asked, confused by the fact that his entrance caused the crowd of women to burst out laughing. He then came to a halt, lowered his gaze, and continued. "Are you rude girls drinking without me?"
"You snooze, you lose," I said and handed him his glass of Cosmopolitan.