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“What? No, Payson, I’m a cupid, as in, a matchmaker of love. I travel the world and shoot golden arrows at would-be lovers so their destiny will be sealed in the sky with a star.”
Payson let out a cynical laugh. “Wow. Okay…yeah. Uh-huh. Now,youlisten. I’m going to drive away from you and whatever imaginary place you live in, and I’m never going to look back.”
“No,” Hannah cried. “Payson, you have to believe me. I am willing to give up everything to be with you. Please, don’t go. Have dinner with me so we can talk through this. Please, Payson…please.”
Tears began flowing down her cheeks as Hannah’s pleading words pierced her heart, and the pull to be with her tugged at her. The voice in her gut screamed for her to back her car up, yet her mind was already in protective mode. She needed to shield herself from any further pain that being around Hannah would cause.
Just rip the bandage off, she encouraged herself.Drive away now, go home, and cry it off. It’ll hurt less than prolonging it over a dinner laced with ridiculous stories.She already knew everything she needed to know. “Don’t ever come around me again. I don’t want to see you, hear from you, or in any way be around you,” she called out the window as she nodded encouragement to herself, kept her head forward, and slowly drove out of the parking lot.
* * *
“Payson,” Hannah’s scream carried in it the magnitude of her pain. “I love you!” The words strangled her heart. Suddenly, the brake lights came on again, and the car paused for a moment. “Payson?” Hannah whispered on a hopeful breath as the car remained frozen, and for a few seconds, she thought Payson was signaling to her. Letting her know that she loved her too, and everything would be okay. But as she took a step, the lights dimmed, and the car rolled down the street.
Hannah fell to her knees, wrapped her arms around her stomach, and began rocking as tears flooded her eyes. She had been willing to challenge an island law or contemplate giving up everything to be with her, and now she was… “Gone.” She choked on the word because the air in her lungs was filled with guttural sobs. Minutes ticked by unnoticed until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Payson?” she whispered as she turned. She looked up through foggy eyes and tried to make out the figure standing over her.
“I’m so sorry, my friend.” Piper’s soft voice lingered in the air. “I figured you’d be here when you didn’t show at Brea’s.”
Hannah opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The words she was trying to say died, too heavy to be spoken. Piper bent, helped her up, and held her in a tight embrace.
“I need.” Hannah sobbed. “To go after her.”
“What you need is to come home.”
“I can’t, don’t you understand? We are destined to be together, even the wind said so.”
“Enough with the destiny thing,” Piper snapped. “Hannah, you were never destined to be together. She was always meant for another. What about that can’t you understand?”
“No.” Hannah shook her head. “How dare you say that?”
Piper cupped Hannah face. “Look at me, Hannah…look at me. What has gotten into you? Let her have the life she was intended to have,” Piper said in a low voice. “To love the person she was truly meant to be with. And as much as you want it to be, that person is not you.”
Hannah pushed away. “Don’t speak to me about love. What do you know about love?” She stabbed a finger forward. “You know nothing of the emotion.” Piper’s reputation of a one and done lover far exceeded hers. And unlike Piper, Hannah actually wanted to fall in love and settle down. Piper, on the other hand, prided herself on being untamed, as though settling down with a lover would clip her wings.
“And you think sleeping with this mortal for one night makes you an expert? I may not know what it feels like to ache for another soul like in a love song, but neither, my friend, do you.”
Hannah rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. “It’s true that I’ve never felt the power we wield until now. But I can tell you this, for the first time, I know what the magic of love feels like. And it’s amazing, Piper. It’s a pull so powerful, I can’t even begin to describe it. It grips you, tingles you, and possesses you. It controls your thoughts and your desires, and you crave it like a drug. I’ve never understood the magnitude of what the universe packs in this single emotion, but I can tell you this, once you’ve felt it, you never want to lose it.”
Piper paused for a moment as she locked eyes with her, then pushed past, and sat on the curb, head in her hands.
“Piper?” Hannah cocked her head as she slowly walked over and sat next to her. “What’s wrong?”
“The moment you told me about her, I knew there was something about this one. And it scared me because I didn’t want to believe that someone could capture your heart enough to possibly take you away from the island.” She averted her eyes. “I didn’t want to lose my best friend.”
“Oh, Piper. Nothing will ever separate us.” She placed a hand under Piper’s chin and raised her head. “We’re bonded, you and I. There isn’t a single thing in this world that could tear us apart.”
“And yet, as I sat waiting for you at Brea’s tonight, I knew you had already made up your mind to go after her.”
Hannah hugged her. They gently rocked in each other’s arms. It was true; she had been toying with the decision to leave if it came to that. But she’d never stopped to think how the other side of that decision would deeply wound the loved ones in her life. She kissed Piper’s forehead. “It doesn’t matter now. She’s gone. I told her who I was, and instead of believing me, she, um…” She choked. “She left me. But I can’t really blame her. To a mortal, I’m sure my words sounded ludicrous.” Her chest was tight, and her heart was in her stomach. She was a fool to have told Payson the truth, but what else was she going to say? Another lie? She had heard enough bits and pieces about Payson’s ex to know how much she hated being lied to.
“You’re kidding. You really told her you’re a cupid?”
Hannah nodded.
Piper chuckled. “So you basically told her you are the mortals’ version of a mystical and mischievous chubby little boy who’s barely dressed and has tiny wings.” Piper gently nudgedher. “Of course she’s going to look at you like you’re crazy. You asked her to believe in something they see as cartoonish.”
“I just thought…” Hannah trailed off, but Piper was right. Why should Payson believe her? They’d only known each other a few days, and she was asking her to suspend her beliefs and have faith. She snorted and shook her head. What a fool she was to think this would work. She could never be herself in Payson’s world, and a relationship of hidden secrets was not a relationship she wanted. “I guess I didn’t totally think it through from Payson’s point of view. I’m such a fool.” She exhaled a heavy breath and wiped away the lingering wetness still staining her cheeks. “What now?” she said as they remained on the curb, leaning against the other.
“Now we go home. Your heart needs to heal, and there are a few souls waiting for you. In our little space on this planet, you mean the world to them.”
