Cupid and Fate arrived by magic. They tend to stop by in February when I’m sound asleep. No sooner had I nodded off the other day than they walked right through the front door. They sat in my living room as if they were family members that must be allowed in, invited or not.
I hadn’t seen or heard from them since last Valentine’s Day. Fate looked remarkably the same with his rumpled ready-for-anything look. Cupid had put on a few extra pounds but her eyes still sparkled mischievously.
The pair talked nonstop; they ignored me at first even though my love life was the focus of their conversation. Without attempting subtlety, Cupid said, “Speaking of love, how are things going with that friend of yours? You’ve been involved with him for quite some time now. Right?”
Before I could speak, Fate said, “Leave her alone. Life is moving along the way it was meant to.”
Cupid rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. Smiling at me she plowed on, “Now don’t forget that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Doesn’t that friend of yours like lasagna and chocolate cake?” She used the tone of a mother who hoped to marry off a daughter.
To restate the obvious, Fate said dryly, “She thinks you should marry the guy.” He flicked his cigar ashes on the carpet.
Cupid rattled off her sales pitch, “The older you get the more important it is to have a partner. Someone to be with you in sickness and health, for better or worse.”
Fate shrugged and spoke to Cupid as if he were Archie Bunker talking to Edith. “She’s happy the things are. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
He helped himself to the Cherry Garcia ice cream in the freezer, settled deeper into the sofa, and thumbed through the red Netflix envelopes. “Do you have anything with Arnold? ‘The Terminator’?”
“Let’s watch a romantic comedy,” Cupid called out. “Do you have ‘An Affair to Remember’?”
Fate yawned, popped open a diet Pepsi, and pulled open an envelope. He found the action movie I’d ordered for my friend.
Before he could press play, I brought the visit to an end. “I’m sure you have a lot of other people to visit this time of year. Thanks for coming by. See you later.” I opened the door and motioned out into the night.
Fate tugged on Cupid’s arm, “We’re out of here.”
“You’re always so ready to leave,” Cupid complained. She gave a grand parade-queen wave and wafted out the door.
“Good-bye and good luck,” I said while they wandered off aimlessly. I heard them bickering like an old married couple.
“I maintain that she should get married.”
“Whatever will be will be.” As the voices faded into mist I woke up from my nap. Cupid’s perfume lingered in the air.
I picked up my cell phone and called the man in my life. “Would you like to come over? I have some lasagna in the oven. And there’s chocolate cake for dessert.”
***
Kristine Mietzner teaches writing classes in Benicia and Martinez. She can be reached at www.kristinemietzner.net.
