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Mom cocked her head. “A successful woman doesn’t date a sperm bank.”

Here we go.

“This is why you wanted to go for a coffee, Mom? To berate me about my wish to have children?”

“It’s unnatural, honey. You need a husband first.”

“And what if I don’t have one, huh, Mom? What if men literally run in the other direction after they get to know the real me? Should that stop me? Nowadays, a woman doesn’t need a man to raise—”

“Those men are idiots. And yes, a woman does need a partner to raise a child. How many times have you tried? Five? Six?”

Holly’s eyes watered. Why was it that people closest to her had the capacity to hurt her the most?

“Last month was seven,” Holly said. “You’re right. It’s probably not meant to be. Something must be wrong with me.”

Mom grimaced and hugged Holly with one arm. “I know very well how it is, dear. God never gave me the chance to give birth, but he gave me you. In preparation for when the right man comes, maybe you need to try eating healthier or cut out coffee. You know I raised you to achieve things despite your flaws.”

“I guess this flaw is too big to be overcome,” Holly said, wiping her eyes and leaving black smudges of mascara on the backs of her hands and undoubtedly on her face.

From the corner of Holly’s eye, she saw a flash of movement. She glanced to her left and noticed a big tall man with a cart full of suitcases marching towards them at full speed. He was looking at his phone.

Holly barely managed to jerk her mother out of his path, steadying her to keep her from falling.

“Sir, please watch where you’re going,” Holly said.

The man glanced over his phone, raised his hand without stopping. “Sorry, sorry, late for my flight.” He continued marching, his eyes glued to his phone.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Mom said. “You’ve always protected me, ever since you were little—even from spiders.”

Holly chuckled. Her mom could seem harsh at times, but she was terrified of spiders.

They stopped at the end of the line to the security check, which, thankfully, had only three people waiting.

“Behave well, Holly.” Mom straightened Holly’s blouse as though before her first day at school. “Don’t drink too much whiskey, don’t sleep around, and don’t forget us.”

Holly gasped and shook her head. “Mom, I can’t believe you just said that. I do not sleep around!”

“Well, you have no man in your life, and those Highlanders…” She threw a glance at Dad as she trailed off.

“Stop talking to me like I’m a child,” Holly said. “I’m thirty-five for God’s sake. You didn’t even have to bring me to the airport—I have a car!”

“Ah, nonsense. Someone had to make sure you didn’t forget your luggage somewhere.”

Holly took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She means well, she told herself. She means well. She just doesn’t know how to show it.

“Mom, I run a billion-dollar company. I don’t tend to forget much.”

Mom smiled and cupped her face. “You’re right, dear. Please call us when you land.”

She hugged Holly. Dad smiled apologetically and hugged her, too. He kissed the crown of her head and whispered, “We love you, hon.”

Holly waved to them and joined the line at the security check, the tension in her shoulders finally releasing. Once she had a few days away from home and her parents, she hoped she would be able to forget that something was clearly wrong with her. She would read the book about medieval Scotland and Vikings and drink as much coffee as she wanted on the plane.

And maybe, just maybe, she’d find out where she really came from and why her real parents had rejected her.

* * *

Near the Village of Tongue, Sutherland, Northern Scotland, May 5, 2019