Page 95 of The Law of Attraction
“I never even thought about the consequences of that remark in the video,” Kally said. “Calling you the Fixie Chicks was supposed to be funny.” Kally held her hands dramatically to her chest. “I’m so sorry. I was joking around. It’s a cool coincidence that we both got divorces there, but we know you weren’t playing matchmaker.”
Daniel finally spoke up. “Matthew is just offstage. Why don’t you join us?”
He hesitated, but Whitney nodded.
He jogged over and Daniel scooted over onto the couch with the girls so he could sit in the chair next to her.
“Social media can get out of control in a hurry, can’t it?” Daniel said to Matthew.
“It sure can,” Matthew said. “It’s surprising what kind of posts go viral. A fake proposal, surfing squirrels, lip-syncing, or something like this. It all started with someone excited to share the good news about their new relationship.”
Daniel motioned to Kally. “One funny joke, one slip of the tongue or a blooper of a mistake, and it goes viral. Social media can seem real, and it can be very misleading as it takes on a life of its own.”
Daniel then turned to Whitney. “So Whitney, I’m paraphrasing here, but can I say that you don’t recommend filing for divorce to find your perfect soulmate?”
“Yes, Daniel.” Whitney laughed. “You’ve got that right.”
“I’m with you. I think all these ladies who are living their real life fairy tale love stories would agree,” said Cindy. “Love comes in many packages. Sometimes it’s coincidence, but there is no special water or magic in a building or that one person, even if she’s a really good divorce attorney, that’s going to set you up for your HEA.”
Daniel looked puzzled. “HEA, Cindy?’
Kally threw her hands up. “I can take that one. It’s Happily Ever After, Daniel. All the romance readers know what it means.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Whitney leaned in. “A marriage is not something you try; you commit to it. Take your time and find the right partner. Be patient. Test the waters and don’t rush things. If it’s right, thetest of time is really pretty much all you need. When the going gets tough, don’t burn the bridge. Talk to a counselor, therapist, or your pastor. Some divorces are absolutely necessary, but I’ll tell you, we see a lot of marriages that are dissolved that never had a foundation to begin with. And others that let go the second something didn’t go their way, that could’ve been worth saving. Love is not a game or gamble. Take your time and give your marriage the right care.”
“And Kally, please keep writing these beautiful stories of love and hope,” said Cindy. “We love getting lost in them, even if they are fiction.”
“Thank you, Cindy.” Kally held up her book, working in another shameless plug. “I’ll be signing copies over at the bookstore on Poplar Street next Saturday. I hope some of y’all will come out and visit. Maybe I can talk all these lovely ladies into joining me.”
“We’ll be there,” they agreed.
The camera right in front of them swung to Daniel. “Social media can be a great tool but also a real problem when misused, and not only for our children. For adults too. What you need to know about social media, the whole ‘going viral’ popularity, and more right after these messages from our sponsors.”
The director started calling out orders. The sound men swept the guests offstage, and the cameras moved over to the wall where they would shoot the weather portion of the show next.
The sound guys gathered the mics, then Sheri walked them all out to the green room. “It went really well. Nice story. You’ll no doubt spread some romance and cheer to our viewers.”
Kally walked over to Whitney. “I’m sorry this caused you such a headache at work. I’ll put you in a book or something to make it up to you.”
Whitney held up her hand. “Maybe leave me completely out of all things public.”
They both laughed. Whitney said, “It’ll just be nice to see you at yoga, and I really am happy for you in your new relationship.”
“Thank you. And congratulations to you too. Matthew seems very nice.” She leaned in closer. “And extremely good-looking. I think maybe thereissome magic, but we’ll keep that between us.” She shrugged. “You may not be a matchmaker or a love expert, but you understand how relationships can be connected, like the six degrees of separation.”
“Oh no. Not the Kevin Bacon thing again,” Whitney said.
“No, wait,” said Kally. “Listen up. Like what if it was like that DNA test, but you could trace who was connected from you, backward to each other. I know I was teasing about my editor loving the idea, but there is really something here, and if I write it, I’ll include a disclaimer and an apology and make it very clear this is all fiction.”
Whitney turned and dropped her forehead to Matthew’s shoulder.
He lowered his chin to her head. “Or you could just write a pretty story about a beautiful lawyer who met an artist in a freak storm and realized they were exactly what they’d always been looking for. Even though they’d lived in the same city their whole lives, and never met before. A love story over thirty years in the making.
“Is that true?” Kally dug into her purse. “I’ve got to write that down.” She punched the notes into her phone with fervor, then leaned across and hugged Matthew and then Whitney. “Y’all are great together. Best wishes.”
Kally ran to catch up with the others.
