Page 99 of Third Time Lucky

‘Soulmates, huh?’ I respond with a hint of skepticism.

‘No question.’

The idea of having a soulmate has never really crossed my mind before. It seems improbable that out of eight billion people on this planet,oneperson is meant specifically for me. And she just happens to live in the same country, state and city and entered my life when we were both teenagers. The odds seem as unlikely as our existence (1 in 400 trillion says Google) – yet I’m sitting here – so maybe she’s onto something.

‘Your abrupt silence tells me you’re overanalyzing this, Ash. But don’t.’

‘That’s a tad easier said than done,’ I laugh.

‘Finding your soulmate is rare. Our parents certainly never did. Most of my friends are married and divorced. And I’ve traveled a small portion of the globe – more than most people ever will – and still haven’t found mine despite trying.’

‘You’ve been trying?’

I always thought she was against long-term relationships because she loved being free – traveling the world and doing anything she wanted without another person tagging along and slowing her down.

‘Love is the only emotion every single person on the planet craves. Did you think I was the exception?’

‘Well, you and Aaron,’ I admit.

She laughs. ‘I suppose he and I have that in common. One day, you’re both coming on a trip with me to see that I’m neveralone. Good people exist in the world, and they have a way of finding me.’

‘Mr Right is the exception?’

‘Exactly,’ she laughs – ending it with a sigh. ‘The thing about a soulmate is that being with them is effortless. Whether it’s been a week, a year, or forty, it doesn’t matter. Of course, you’ll have disagreements and fights; you’re human. But deep down, you’ll know they’re the one practically from the first glance. Did you?’

I think back to meeting Lucy when I was fourteen, via Kris. Then running into her in Vegas. And finally her coming into the kitchen at Mitzi’s that day. I wondered if she was having a medical emergency. I realized it was just the affect of my presence on her. And in that same instant, my heart responded in kind.

‘Third glance.’

‘Ha! That’s cute. You know what they say: third time lucky. Sometimes, it takes a little longer for the heart to catch up to what the eyes already see.’

I nod, even though she can’t see me. Alyssa always has a way of putting things into perspective, of making me see the bigger picture beyond the doubts and uncertainties that cloud my mind.

‘Well, I should go,’ she says suddenly. ‘There’s a bakery around here bakingApfelstrudel, and I need one.’

‘Alright, get your baked goods.’

‘Send her flowers, Ash. Women love flowers. And chocolate. And…’ she sighs. ‘Be better to her than Dad was to Mom.’

‘Of course. Lucy’s getting the best of me without question.’

‘Good boy, little brother. Tell Aaron to answer his phone. Talk soon. Love ya!’

‘Safe travels, Lyss. Love you too.’

Alyssa is right; Lucy deserves the world, and I plan to give it to her. I quickly select a bouquet of vibrant wildflowers from a site called ‘The Flower Boy’ and a box of locally made chocolates to be delivered to her doorstep this afternoon. I’ll probably be there when she gets it, so I send them anonymously.

* * *

‘Asher,’ Mitzi says my name as she wanders into her kitchen. ‘I thought that was you I heard come in. How are you, sweetheart?’

‘Could not be better,’ I say, buttering the pan I need to make fresh bread that’s done rising.

‘Look at you,’ she says with a smirk, stopping at the end of the island next to the fridge. ‘You’ve got a hanger in your mouth, dear.’

‘That I do.’

‘Is it someone I know?’ she asks, knowing somehow.

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