I was craving carbs.
“Do you have any . . . cookies?” I asked, knowing it would probably surprise my parents.
They both just stared at me.
I never ate cookies.
I loved them, but I had always tried to avoid carbs since my body had this annoying habit of storing them in my thighs when I finished.
“Cookies?” my mom finally said. “Yeah, we always have cookies around here because of your dad’s sweet tooth. In fact, I just made a fresh batch yesterday.” She walked over to the pantry and pulled out a plastic container, pulling the top off and showing them to me.
My dad pointed at me. “Don’t eat them all.”
My mom laughed. “We have a real live cookie monster living in our house. Here.” She stuck the container under my nose. “Chocolate chip. Your favorite when you were a little girl. Honey, pour Ruth a glass of milk.”
My dad poured me a glass of milk and set it on the counter in front of me.
“Thank you.” I grabbed three cookies from the container.
I slowly ate the first cookie while my parents watched me in silence, both with smiles on their faces. Then I ate the other two cookies, washing them down with milk.
“Are you sure you’re okay, honey?” My mom frowned.
I must have looked ridiculous to them. Here I was, some hotshot corporate partner of a prestigious firm who didn’t take crap from anyone, asking her parents for cookies and milk.
I felt needy.
I needed to suck it up.
I waved them off. “I’ll be fine.”
“What you went through was a traumatic experience, you know?” My mom rubbed my back. “Do you want to spend the night?”
I hadn’t spent the night with my parents since my freshman year at college, over twenty-five years ago. I had been lonely in the dorms during my very first week of school and ended up calling my parents to see if I could go home for the weekend. Back then, even one week was a long time to go without seeing them. Now, a whole year could go by, even though I lived close to them.
My dad came around to my side of the kitchen island and hopped on the stool next to me. “When was the last time you had a vacation or a day off?”
I laughed. “Two thousand and . . . hmmm, I can’t remember.”
“Life isn’t just about work, you know.”
“Don’t start, Dad.”
This is what he always said whenever I came over, one of the reasons why I probably didn’t visit often. Well, that, and the fact that he asked my mom to give up her career when I was born.
They did look happy, though, I’d give them that much.
Still, I was sure my mom had regrets, giving up on her dreams like that.
I had made a promise to myself that I would never let a man dictate how my life should be.
Not even if that man was my dad.
He wrapped his arm around my mom. “You need love in your life. Love is what makes people feel whole.”
“Stress goes down when your love goes up,” my mom chipped in.
“It’s only natural. And Lord knows you have too much stress in your life.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“You need love!” My dad sounded like a cheerleader now.
I couldn’t believe my parents were trying to sell me on love.
“You work too much, honey,” my dad added. “You need to take a day off. Then you need to meet someone special.”
I crossed my arms and smiled. “I agree.”
My dad cocked his head to the side. “You do?”
I nodded.
“You’re going to take a day off?”
“That’s right.”
“You.”
I nodded again. “Yup. Me.”
They both stared at me again, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
I was scaring myself, too.
For the first time in a very long time, I agreed with my dad.
I needed a day off.
And I did need someone in my life.
I didn’t want to die alone.
I wanted to be married.
Just like the man on the plane, I wanted to meet my soulmate.
All men couldn’t be douchebags. I just needed to figure out a better way to meet them instead of at work-related events and conferences.
Someone perfect had to be out there, just waiting for me.
And when I wanted something, I always got it.
Dee could help me.
I pulled my phone from my purse and turned it on. A few seconds later, it began buzzing like crazy, one text message after another after another kept coming through.
All the messages were from Dee.
Dee: Fine. You tell me you love me and then you don’t answer back.
Dee: What’s going on? Where are you?
Dee: Holy crap, I’m watching the news and that’s your flight that’s having the landing problems, isn’t it?
Dee: Everything is going to be okay! Think positive.
Dee: I’m watching your plane about to touch down and I want to throw up!
Dee: Please land safely.
Dee: I love you, Ruth! Do you hear me? I love you!
Dee: Yay! The pilot did it!
Dee: I can see you on TV! You’re sliding out of the plane! You’re wearing your favorite blue blouse, the low-cut one that shows off your girls.
Dee: I can’t wait to see you and give you a hug. Call me! I don’t care how late it is, just call when you can.
Dee: It’s been two hours. Why haven’t you called me or replied to my text messages?
Dee: This is ridiculous. I’m going to have a coronary. Call me!
Dee: Okay, that’s it. You didn’t die on that plane, I know that for a fact, but I am going to kill you if I don’t hear from you in the next hour.
I laughed out loud.
“What?” my mom asked.
“I had thirteen text messages from Dee. She was worried.”
“Of course, she was worried. She’s your best friend.”
“She’s my only friend.”
I tapped in my response to Dee.
Ruth: I’m fine.
Dee: There she is!
Ruth: Sorry, I had my phone off.
Dee: You never turn off your phone. Are you drunk?
Ruth: I should be. Hey, I need your help.
Dee: Anything.
Ruth: I’m ready to meet the love of my life.
Dee: Good one!
Ruth: I’m not joking. Listen up, you’re going to help me find my soulmate.
I waited for Dee to respond, but there was nothing from her. No moving dots like she was replying to my last message. Nothing.
Ruth: Hello? Are you there?
Dee: I’m here. It just took me a while to pick myself up off the floor. Do you really want to meet your soulmate?
Ruth: Tomorrow we start the search. I’m taking the day off.
Dee: You have never taken a day off since I’ve known you. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head during that landing?
Ruth: Not funny.
Dee: Did they spray the plane with hazardous materials to put out the fire, and you inhaled too much?
Ruth: Also not funny. You’re going to help me put together a business plan to meet the right man. We’ll spend all day on it if we have to.
Dee: A business plan to meet a man? Wow, you’re seriously out of practice. No, no, no. If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do it right. I know exactly what we need to do, but you have to trust me.