I promised him you would call him back when you got back home tonight. Although my heart slightly skipped a beat, my cheerful voice remained undisturbed as I remembered you calling me from the office three hours earlier to let me know not to wait up. “I’m meeting up with Charles for drinks,” you said.

I know there must be a valid explanation. I know how hard you work and how the long hours blur your mind occasionally.

All my girls know how much of a good man you are. They keep reminding me.

Lisa, you know, the one from church, called me last night to complain again about her no-good current boyfriend. “My clock is ticking,” she said. “I don’t have time anymore to put up with his bullshit excuses and commitment-phobic crap.” “I hope you know how good you have it with Peter.”

Yes, I know I have a good thing.

I silently pity women like them who waste years in dead-end relationships and find themselves at forty with nothing to show. At least if she had spent her energy on her career and found herself single at forty with a house of her own and money in the bank, I could feel more sympathetic.

I mean, look at my friend Shawna from work. You know, the one who always shows up alone at our house parties? She sure doesn’t seem unhappy. Wasn’t she the life of the party when we had people over for New Year’s?

I keep reminding you, we should try to fix her up with Charles.

Even though she’s a successful single gal with a full life, I know she would love to find that right life partner who will “complete her,” as she confided in me once in a moment of weakness.

I have to admit that I enjoy knowing that Shawna, somewhere deep inside, feels jealous of me. We’re both careerwomen who’ve excelled in our professions, but I have something she doesn’t.

Oh, before I keep going on and on, go upstairs now and call Charles. I’ll be down here fixing you dinner. I’m making your favourite dish tonight, coconut chicken and rice. I’ve already put the chicken in the oven. The smell of the spices is just enough to cover the scent of this perfume I don’t recognize, which blew into the house with your arrival.

As you go up to the room, change into something more comfortable. Let’s make this a romantic evening tonight.

Throw that white shirt into the hamper. I know the collar gets dark with sweat sometimes after long days at the office. It would help if you sprayed your collar with that stain remover on the shelf as well. It works wonders. It even successfully removed the lipstick mark your secretary accidentally smudged on it last week when she ran into you in the hallway.

Did you tell Charles about Shawna? They’re both dear friends, and they deserve to be happy like us.