Page 2 of The Blind Date

“Are we still going on about this?” I groaned, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

“It’s true though.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get that.”

“You will if you listen to me.” She sent me a pointed look. “Come with me. Your dad and I want to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Mum looked like she was ready to burst with excitement as she led me to our table where Dad was sitting, nursing a beer while watching a football game on his phone. He turned it off before she could complain.

“I don’t like the look on your face, Clarke,” Dad sighed.

“Me neither.” I piped in. “Apparently Mum has a bright idea.”

“I wouldn’t quite say that,” he grumbled.

“Oh, hush.” Mum swatted him on the shoulder. “You told me last night it was a good idea.”

“Can you two stop speaking like I’m not in front of you right now please?”

“Sorry, honey,” Mum apologised, but I knew she didn’t mean it in the slightest. “We’ll make it up to you by telling you our great idea.”

“It’s not like I can stop you.”

“You can try, but it’s not going to work,” she snorted, and Dad laughed. “We know you’re sad about being lonely, and as your parents, it’s our duty to do everything to make our child happy. And that includes curing your loneliness.”

“I don’t think I like where this is going.”

“Hear me out first,” she demanded. “Your Father and I think it’ll be really good to set you up on some blind dates. To really get you out there and meeting people. The more people you meet, the sooner you’ll meet your soulmate.”

I cringed at the use of the wordsoulmateagain. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in soulmates, but that I didn’t think I had one. If I were, where was he right now, and why wasn’t he sweeping me off my feet as we speak? Or twirling me around the dance floor? If soulmates did exist, why was I sitting with my parents, drunk and mopey at my best friend’s wedding instead of fussing over how much I loved him and how good he looked in a tux?

“You want to set me up on a blind date?” I asked, my words slow and deliberate as I wondered if I had heard her correctly.

“Not one.”

“What?”

“We don’t want to set you up ononeblind date. We want to set you up onmultipleblind dates,” Mum clarified with a big smile, her eyes twinkling with glee.

“Oh, right, because that’s so much better.” I rolled my eyes.

“We think fifteen would be a good number to start with.”

My eyes widened. “Fifteen blind dates?”

“You don’t think it’s enough?” She looked genuinely concerned. As if she had realised her grand plan was flawed. It was, but not in the way she thought.

“You’re crazy,” I sputtered and turned to Dad. “I hope you know that you married a crazy woman.”

Dad didn’t immediately take my side like he usually did. Instead, he looked serious and thoughtful. Not the least bit teasing or humoured right now. That was worrying.

“Your mum’s idea might be a little crazy, but I agree with her. You’ve stopped putting yourself out there, Saff. That’s why you’re lonely. Let us set you up on a couple of blind dates and see where things go.”

“That’s exactly what I said. Fifteen blind dates a month,” Mum repeated.

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