I step out into the morning without a destination. Where do you even go when you’re looking for a run-away metaphorical princess? I notice her car still sitting in the lot and wander over towards the bay. A few joggers run along the path and I instantly spot her, holding up that plastic ring in the sunlight like a beacon. I stroll over to her with a smile, trying to catch my breath as my shadow towers over her. “I didn’t think I’d catch up to you in time.”

Her mouth hangs ...