Wishful Thinking (a journey that will change lives forever) by Melissa Hill

it had ended badly.
    “‘Any man is better than no man?’” Ruth cried.  “Have you been so brainwashed by that backward family of yours, that you now feel subhuman just because you’re not married?”
    Dara smiled.  Ruth had an endearing tendency to overstate things at times.  “Look,” she began, “you and I both know that this so-called independent-women thing – in this country anyway – is a complete con, it’s all a big cover-up. Yes, we can earn our own money, buy our own houses, and change our own spare wheels, but no matter what way you look at it, deep down we’re all still judged by whether or not we have a man at our side.”
    “Speak for yourself,” Ruth said huffily.
    “Look, we all grew up on the Prince Charming fairytales – we all believed our ‘special someone’ was out there, didn’t we?”  Dara shrugged her shoulders. “All I’m saying is that maybe in real life, that’s not the way it works.”
    “But I still believe that!” Ruth cried. “Otherwise, I’ve wasted years waiting for the perfect man, waiting for the perfect relationship when many times over I could have settled for less.  I’ve given up on relationships that were good, but not great – because all the time I was sure there was something better – do you know what I mean?”
    Dara knew. Except for her, things had worked in reverse. She’d had the perfect man from the very beginning, and it was only recently that she’d experienced the ‘good, but not great’ phenomenon.  “Look, all I’m saying is that lately I’m getting tired of being the odd one out.  I look at my friends and even my younger sisters are paired off.” Amy and Serena both had serious boyfriends. “So eventually you start to wonder, why isn’t it happening to me? What’s wrong with me that I haven’t found my special someone? And soon, you begin to feel lonely and vulnerable and a bit … worthless.  And the only thing that’ll solve that problem for you is a man – any man.” She sipped her coffee. “I’m sure it happens all the time. People get tired of looking, tired of waiting for the perfect man.  Maybe he doesn’t really exist, Ruth. Maybe it’s all a big lie – yet another occasion dreamt up by the Hallmark Greeting Card Corporation.”
    “Now I’m depressed,” Ruth said, meaning it.
    Dara laughed.  “I didn’t mean to depress you, but what I’m saying is that perhaps what I’ve got with Mark Russell now is enough. I had my Prince Charming and I lost him.  I don’t think there’s another one out there, so maybe I should just cut my losses and get on with my life.”
    “But what if that guy wasn’t really him?”
    “What?”
    “The thought’s never even crossed your mind, has it?” Ruth said, shaking her head. “And I think this could be part of the problem.” She looked at Dara meaningfully. “What if that old boyfriend you’re talking about with wasn’t really The One – the man of your dreams? What if you got it all wrong?”
    Dara said nothing.  She didn’t even want to consider that prospect.
    “Life works in mysterious ways, that’s all I’m saying.” Ruth sat back and folded her arms across her chest. “So if you settle for nice, reliable Mark in the meantime, then you’re not just cutting your losses, you’re also obliterating your gains.”
    “Spoken like a true woman of the law!” Dara said, lightening the mood, and immediately discounting everything her friend had to say.
    Mark was a good guy, and perhaps they would be very happy together.  All Dara had to do now was convince Ruth of that fact, and everything would work out just fine.
     

Chapter 7
     

 
     
June 21 st ,  11.50 a.m.
     
    Louise stared at the passport photograph for a very long moment, wondering why the face looked so familiar.  She knew this guy from somewhere, didn’t she? 
    Then again, she thought, setting the document back down and fiddling with a strand of blonde hair, didn’t she always