Note: I'm back guys! So sorry for the delay. I graduated from college this month, so I've been a little busy. The last chapter will be up soon. As always, PLEASE comment. Your comments GIVE ME LIFE.
"What's a soulmate?"
"It's a… Well, it's like a best friend, but more.
It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else.
It's someone who makes you a better person.
Well, actually, they don't make you a better person... you do that yourself because they inspire you.
A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever.
It's the one person who knew you, and accepted you,
and believed in you before anyone else did
or when no one else would.
And no matter what happens, you'll always love them."
Chapter 7: "… or when no one else would."
Somehow she became Kelly Ripa's gynecologist. She's not really sure exactly what happened, but one of the moms in Chloe's pre-school went to high school with Kelly, and saw her at a time she happened to need an OB/ GYN referral and mentioned that one of her son's classmates' mother's was a lovely OB/GYN and gave out her number.
She had panicked when Kelly called herself to schedule the appointment, and accidentally went on a rant about her chemistry with Regis vs. Michael, and how she was sure Michael would love her because all black guys love her. Kelly, to her credit, just laughed and booked a mid- afternoon appointment.
She'd been Kelly's doctor for a few years now, and though Mindy was still painfully aware of her celebrity status, they'd become friends. They'd shared stories during long chats in her office, and Mindy had peppered her with questions about her interviews with her favorite celebrities.
Despite these talks, and despite what her co-workers may have thought, their relationship stayed mostly professional. As much as she wished she could grill Kelly for hours about her famous friends, she was her doctor first.
That's why Kelly's offer was such a shock.
Apparently a friend of a friend at CNN was looking for a new part- time Medical Commentator. Kelly had offered up Mindy without a thought, citing her engaging personality as evidence enough of her ability to connect with an audience.
When news broke of her offer in the office and amongst her friends and family, the jokes never ceased.
They remembered her days with Erica Everywoman and joked at the idea of a puppet on CNN.
They laughed as they said she'd spent so much time with Danny, that she might start uncontrollably sweating on camera too.
She laughed and said the same thing every time.
"I know. Crazy right?"
"It was so sweet of her, but I just have too much going on."
"Wouldn't that be crazy? Yeah. No, I'm not doing it, but Kelly's so sweet for offering."
She sat on the couch with Danny as he flipped through the channels.
She smiled. She knew they were right. She would be a disaster. She couldn't do this. Kelly's analysis of her alone in an office meant nothing compared to her past humiliation.
She smiled. She wished they weren't right. She wanted to be a celebrity doctor, before she even wanted to be a doctor.
She kept smiling, dimmer. That was a silly pipe dream.
She planned to call the next morning, and tell Kelly, "Thanks, but no thanks." Maybe Kelly would find her puppet story hilarious, like all her friends had. At least that was something.
She sighed and Danny cleared his throat without looking at her.
She glanced over and he spoke with a clear voice.
"You know, you never asked me what I thought you should do."
"About what?"
He spared her an amused glance.
"You know about what- about the TV thing."
He paused waiting for her to ask his opinion. She was silent for a beat, and then rushed to explain herself.
"Well, you know, I never even really considered it, so there's nothing to have an opinion about. I mean-"
He cut her off.
"I think-"
He waited for her full attention.
"I think you should do it. In fact, I'm kind of shocked you were even considering saying no. "
"But, I- "
He cut her off again.
"Think for a second. Give me one good reason- one REAL reason -why this won't work. And don't say the puppet thing, because we both know that doesn't hold water here. People are just making a joke at your expense. Give me a reason that you would actually be bad at this or that is would actually make your life- our lives- worse, and I will support your decision to call her tomorrow and tell her no."
She paused for a second, leaning back into the couch, and pressed her lips together. She put others' comments out of her mind and thought about what it would actually be like.
She felt a smile stretching across her face, and Danny swept down to kiss her.
A little less than a month later, she and Danny were backstage at CNN, and she was sitting in the make-up chair. She was half terrified, and half reminiscent of their time at the other studio so many years ago.
Danny had been keeping her calm all day, whispering support in her ear and making her believe that this wasn't crazy, and she could maybe actually do this.
Someone knocked on the green room door, and their eyes connected in the vanity mirror.
He just pressed a kiss to her ear.
"Knock 'em dead, Min."
