Dreams Come True
Emma hopped onto the Tube, plopped herself onto an empty seat, and gave her fellow passengers the once-over with what her friends jokingly called her wolfish glare. Noticing no one worth a second look, she let her eyelids slide shut.
I do wonder what exactly my friends see in my gaze, Emma mused to herself.
She genuinely couldnt see why her mates always described her look this way. Sure, she sized up people when she walked into a roomdidnt everyone? But why wolfish? Did wolves look at people in some special waywas it cold, disdainful, super confident, or maybe just a bit arrogant?
Shed grilled her friends about it plenty, but none could ever quite put their finger on it.
Mind the doors, please
Emma barely cracked one eye open to catch whoever entered, but just as quickly shut it again.
How do girls meet blokes in the Tube, anyway? Why dont I ever see anyone decent? she wondered.
Eventually, her stop was called out. Emma opened her eyes, stood up, and headed for the exit. When the doors slid apart, she stepped onto the platform.
Outside, she strolled towards the bus stop, only to realiseby the absolute emptiness of the placethat the bus must have just gone. Oh well, she thought, shed walk the rest of the way instead.
Excuse me, miss! Your lace is undone! A man, about forty, caught up and motioned to her feet.
Emma glanced down: sure enough, her shoelace was flapping about. She crouched down to tie it, all the while knowing precisely what would happen next. As she straightened up, the man wasted no time.
You know, laces can be right trickytrip you up or drag through a puddle. And when theyre muddy, well, thats a joy to deal with, isnt it?
Emma hid a smilewhat puddle? The pavement was bone dry and pretty clean, but she just said, Thanks for pointing it out.
She continued down the road, the man falling in beside her.
Mind if I walk you part of the way? Names Richard, by the way.
Go ahead. Im Emma.
Had she wanted, Emma could have said noshe already knew, just by the look of him, that this wouldnt go anywhere. Her idea of a boyfriend was a bit different. Still, her friends always said they hadnt felt anything special when they first met their partners, so Emma always gave things a chance. Maybe this man would suddenly dazzle her with charm.
Richard and Emma chatted as they walked, but if she was honest, she found him dreadfully dull. So instead of leading him to her house, she took a turn towards a friends place, where she knew the door code.
Well, thanks for walking me, she said. Heres where I need to head in.
Emma, maybe we could swap numbers in case our paths cross again?
She gave him her real numberexperience taught her that most never even called. And she could always refuse a date if she wanted. Then she disappeared into the building, waited a good five minutes in the hall, and then returned to the street and walked home.
Emma, darling, youre back! her mum called as she came through the door. Hang your coat up and come inweve got visitors! Remember Auntie Margaret from my office? Shes popped over at last! And this is Victor, her son.
Lovely to meet you, said Emma, glancing at Victorand finding him giving her the once-over too.
Whats done is done, Emma thoughtsomething she always wanted to say in moments like this, but kept quiet instead, knowing she was sizing him up as well.
She couldnt tell if she fancied him or not. So far, before hed even opened his mouth, it was a no. Where Richard had been a touch old and boring, Victor was a bit chubby, with a shiny forehead. Not bald yet, but clearly on his way. Still, maybe hed win her round with conversation.
Emma was promptly seated beside Victor with a cuppa and a massive chunk of cake thrust upon her, while Auntie Margaret chirped away, listing Victors many excellent qualities.
Emma smiled, nodded, played along, and tried to catch her mums eye, desperate for a hint or explanationWho was this Auntie Margaret? Why hadnt she been warned? What was this all about?
But her mum looked everywhere except at Emma.
Auntie Margaret kept going. Victor stayed silent. Emma quickly grew bored with the performance.
Victor, she said finally. Fancy a walk round the block while the mums reminisce?
Oh! Absolutely, you two should take a stroll! Auntie Margaret beamed.
Emma and Victor slipped out.
Where do you want to go? asked Emma. Left? Right? Or just find a bench to sit on?
Bench is fine.
Bench it is, then, Emma thought. They settled in and Emma tried to draw Victor out about his job, his hobbies, himself. He replied in monosyllables, showed no curiosity about her, and the conversation petered out. So she stopped talking. And so did he.
Brilliant chat, that, Emma thought drily.
After fifteen minutes, she suggested they head back in. Victor followed, still silent.
Emma, darling, Auntie Margaret wasted no time. Victor would like to invite you on a datenext Saturday at three. What do you say?
The surprise made Emma cough, thoughts whizzing in her head:
A date on Saturdayand its his mum inviting me What if she comes along, as well?
Everyone stared, waiting for an answer, so Emma nodded.
Auntie Margaret and Victor left. Emma turned to her mum.
Mum, what was all that about?
Oh, you! Your dad and I want grandkids, and youwell, youre not very grateful, are you? I try, I introduce you to all the eligible sons of my friends, and you
Mum! You couldve warned me, Emma said, making peace. These setups annoyed her, sure, but she didnt want an argument.
Her mum was ready for it, though. She grumbled on and on. Eventually:
Why dont you like anyone, love? Didnt fancy Victor either, did you?
Mum, he hardly said a word. Can you imagine us living togetherboth just sitting in silence with our own lives? What kind of marriage is that?
Emma saw her mum sigh.
Well, at least go on the date, love. Maybe he only acts that way around his mum.
Fine, mum. I promise.
Emma was on the Tube again after her date with Victorthough calling it a date was a stretch. Hed turned up, looked her straight in the eye, and said:
So, shall we go back to mine?
Sorry, what? Emma gaped.
You heard. No point beating about the bush. You havent had a bloke in ages, have you? Victor snickered. Emma flushed scarlet. So lets go.
Im not going, sorry. Goodbye.
Emma spun on her heel and made for the Tube. She half-hoped Victor might chase her if he was only joking, but he didnt.
What on earth was that? she muttered, baffled.
People attract people like themselves, they say. But what did that say about her? Nothing at all, apparently.
Thats it. Enough thinking about men. Ill just get on with my life.
Time passed. Autumn came and went, winter rolled in, and soon everyone was excited about Christmas and New Years Eve.
So, are you going to do a bit of fortune-telling on Christmas? one of Emmas friends asked.
I wasnt planning to. Do I have to?
Of course! You need to find out about your future husband. Its a laugh!
Oh, I dont believe in all of that, waved Emma.
Neither do I, but I still do it every year!
Emma just grinned, but when she got home, thoughtwhy not give it a whirl, just for fun.
Mum, did you ever do that Christmas future-husband fortune stuff? Emma asked.
Of course.
How?
I just put a bowl of water under my bed, balanced a pencil across it like a bridge, and before sleep, Id say Dear future husband, carry me over to your side. The pencil cant touch the water, mind.
And?
Thats it!
Thats it? Emma sounded let-down. Didnt you look in a mirror or something? Isnt he supposed to show up in it?
No, that was always too creepy for me.
Emma agreedthe mirror thing did sound a bit scary. So she followed her mums way instead: bowl of water under the bed, a ruler across it, and repeated the magic words before nodding off.
Emma slept deeply and, next thing she knew, it was morningeveryone had left the house and shed not even been woken for work. She leapt up, started getting ready, then figured she was already late, so whats a few more minutes.
Just then, one of her clients phoned and said hed signed the contractcould she come pick it up right away?
Well, that was as good an excuse as any to roll in late.
How about your dream, then? Did you see anyone? her mum asked that evening.
I did, actually. Imaginea desert, nobody around, Im parchedand then I spot an old bus with a bloke inside. I climb aboard, he gives me a drink, and off we go together
A bus driver, eh? Oh Emma, couldnt you at least have dreamt up a millionaire? her mother joked, and they burst out laughing.
Mum, what matters is that hes a good person! Actually, I was thinking before bed that I needed to brush up on my drivingand maybe pop into the driving school and ask for a few lessons. So next year, Ill wish for a millionaire and see what comes along.
All right, deal.
To be honest, Emma soon forgot all about the dream and just got on with her life. Even her mum stopped pushing her into blind dates. Bliss!
Emma, when are you taking your holiday? asked one of her workmates one day.
In May.
Me tooShould we go away together?
Where to? Id love the seaside, but Mays still chilly here
Not many options if you want beach weather. How about Spain?
Been there, done thatit was a bit dull, Emma said.
Did you go on a road trip?
Nope.
Well, lets plan it ourselveshit the coast for a few days, then hire a car and visit all the sights. What do you think?
Emma hesitated. Not sure
But then she thoughtwhy not? And so they started plotting their trip.
Emma loved travelling and was buzzing with excitement as their plane landed.
Emma, do you realise what we forgot? her friend piped up suddenly.
What? Emma replied, distracted.
We didnt book a transfer to the hotel! her friend panicked. Emma just waved it off.
No biggie! Well grab a taxi at the airporthonestly, dont worry.
How are we going to get a taxi?
Its an airporttherell be loads of taxis. Relax! Were on holiday.
Emma genuinely thought itd be a breeze. But as soon as strangers started snatching at her suitcase, muttering in a language she didnt know, she changed her tune immediately.
Emma, what do we do? her friend was panicking.
Dont stress! Emma tried to sound brave, but inside she was thinking, Oh goodness, what now?
She glanced around and saw a European-looking man getting into a car nearby.
Lets go! Emma hissed, and they rushed over to him.
Wait! Please dont drive off! Emma managed to say as she reached his side. Could you take us to our hotel? Surely its on your way!
The man looked at Emma and her friend, startled and a bit lost, trying to reply but clearly not in English.
Just then, the drivers door opened and another young man stepped out.
I dont care how much it costs, Emma blurted, barely registering him, and do you have any water by any chance?
Absolutely, the young manthe driveranswered, in perfect English, handing her a bottle. Hop in, lets sort it all out on the way. We cant stand here for long.
From then on, things became a bit of a blur for Emma. The driver dropped off the foreign man, then drove her and her friend to their hotel.
Emma stared at himthe young driverand could hardly believe her eyes. He was exactly the man from her Christmas dream. And, more to the point, she genuinely fancied him!
She tried to push money into his hand, but he refused, insisting instead that she meet him again for a date. Then another and another, and before long, hed joined in on the rest of their holiday. By the end of the trip, he proposedand Emma couldnt possibly say no. They actually got married!
Emma, just imagineif youd booked a transfer like everyone else. Or missed that bloke getting into the car that your future husband was driving?
No way, girls. It was meant to be. Some things just happen as theyre meant toyou cant fight fate!As she told her friends the taleeach twist, every mishap that had landed her in the back seat of that sun-beaten carthey burst out laughing, half in disbelief, half in envy. But Emma just sipped her drink, a secret smile tugging at her lips, knowing that all the lifeless setups and awkward dates had somehow brought her to this sunlit moment. Shed stopped searching, and love had found her anywayjust as unplanned and unpredictable as that first adventure in a foreign airport.
Later, when she lay beside her new husband, the waves whispering stories outside their window, Emma thought of the magic words shed spoken at Christmas, half as a joke. Who would have guessed a silly old pencil and a bowl of water could still tip destiny just so? She reached for his hand in the dark, squeezed it, and felt something quiet and real settle over hersomething steadier than dreams.
And from that day forward, Emma never wondered again about the look in her own eyes. She knew exactly what it meant.
