Janet carried two cups of tea to the table and placed one in front of Gail. They had just gotten up after napping from noon until four, since waking up in the middle of the night to conduct business often took its toll.
“Did you sleep well, honey?”
Gail shrugged. “I guess so. I think I was out by the time my head hit the pillow.”
“Good. Then it’s time to choose another man.”
“Already?”
Janet opened the laptop and placed it in front of them. “You know it takes time to pick a man, get acquainted through flirtatious emails, and then finally set up a date. Besides that, I do have a say in your selection. He has to resemble your father, and many of those men don’t want to date somebody their daughter’s age.”
“Then maybe you shoul—”
Janet lifted her palm to Gail’s face. “Don’t even say it. You know I can’t go out in public, and it’s cruel to even imply that as an option.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
Janet patted her daughter’s hand. “I know, but you should consider yourself lucky. You can go out day or night since you have nothing to hide.” She typed www.singlechicagoprofessionals.com into the search bar then slid the laptop over to Gail. “You’re so beautiful, honey, any man, no matter what his age, should feel proud to have you on his arm.”
Gail forced a smile and opened her online profile. “I know it’s a necessary evil, but it doesn’t mean I have to like being with those old geezers.”
“I’d do it myself if I could.” Janet leaned in and tapped on the message alerts. “Look, you have four new communication requests. They have to have salt-and-pepper hair.”
“Yeah, I know what guidelines to use, Mom.”
The parameters she set up stated that every man had to live within twenty miles of downtown Chicago, he needed to be under sixty-five, and he had to be single. Nothing else mattered. Janet and Gail’s goal wasn’t about being gold diggers. It was about being gravediggers.