Isaac shook the man’s hand and gazed over his shoulder, not quite
believing what he was seeing. But,
since he hadn’t had a drink yet that evening and hadn’t done any
hallucinogenic drugs since before his brother got married, he decided to just go
with it. Seeing was believing,
right? “Isn’t this your busiest
day? Like, Christmas Eve for
Santa?”
Cupid chuckled, “Sure thing. But
don’t worry, I’ll manage. Actually, I work year round.”
He sat back down and motioned for Isaac to join him at the table.
“Is this the only chocolate you have?
This store bought stuff is just…not fitting for a day like today.”
Isaac crossed his legs, “Oh, sorry about that.
I guess the venue actually has to buy their chocolate at THE STORE.”
He said sarcastically.
“You seem bitter.” Cupid
smiled.
“Why are you bothering me?
Taylor’s the one in the doghouse right now.”
Isaac stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Oh? What’s he done
now?” The man asked.
“Don’t you know?” Isaac
asked.
The man grinned as he bit into an apple, “I would imagine he forgot
that this is…what did you call it? Black
Tuesday?” Isaac just cocked his
head. “Taylor can take care of
himself these days, though it wasn’t always so.”
“Taylor’s a fuck up.” Isaac
stated.
“Taylor needed direction. He
got that.” Cupid said, setting
his eyes on Isaac’s.
“Oh, is that what you call it?”
Isaac was the one to smile now.
Running his hands through his dark curls, the man sighed, “Alright,
since it seems to be a sore spot with you, we’ll talk about Taylor for a
moment.” Again, he looked at
Isaac, “Taylor is special. He has
a dangerous…sort of magnetism. He
could have become something bad, so I was called in.”
“Who exactly “calls” Cupid, anyway?”
Isaac asked. “Not that I
don’t think you’re right. I
think we like to call that a slut, that “something
bad” you speak of.”
“Sex isn’t the only issue. As
I said, he needed direction and I found that for him.
Don’t you think it odd that he fell for a little girl, still in high
school, who lived on the other side of the country from his beloved L.A.?”
“Yeah, but this is Taylor we’re talking about, so who am I to
question his majesty? I mean,
he’s such a Pisces!” Isaac
exclaimed, mockingly.
Cupid laughed, “Yes, and you are a Scorpio, and very much so.”
He shook his head at the man before him again, “They have made some
very beautiful children together though, have they not?”
Isaac softened, “Yeah, you got a point there.”
“Of course I do. Taylor is
happy. He has love now that is
physical as well as musical. I
think the muses may have gone overboard on him, if you’d really like my
opinion. He probably doesn’t
always know he’s happy, but that
makes for some nice lyrics, wouldn’t you agree?”
Isaac fought the urge to roll his eyes, “Yeah, sure, he’s a musical
genius.”
“As are you and your other brother.
But that isn’t the issue. Isaac,
you’re twenty five now. One of
your brothers is happily married and the other is about to be.
Why aren’t you? You have
the same genes. Believe me, your
mother only had eyes for one man—you’re not the spawn of the milkman or the
pastor at your church.”
Isaac wrinkled his nose, “Ew, can we not think about that, please?”
Cupid’s eyebrows rose, “The thought of your mother and father
together displeases you?”
“Well, yeah. They’re
old. And, they’re my parents.”
Isaac muttered.
“If they didn’t love each other, you wouldn’t be here.”
Cupid replied.
Isaac covered his ears, “I’m not listening.
Stop talking about my parents and sex.”
“Wouldn’t you like to find the kind of love they did?
Why haven’t you settled down with one of the many girlfriends you’ve
had? Zachary is only twenty years
old, but he is in love and he is making a life with her.”
“First of all, I’m not my father, and I don’t want to be.”
Isaac spat.
“Why not?” Cupid asked.
“Because I don’t want to have a bunch of kids and work some nine to
five job and stuff.” Isaac said.
“You are not so different from him, Isaac.
Taylor manages to have the same job as you and he has children.
Zac will have children and he will do the same job.”
“Zac does whatever Taylor does.”
Isaac snorted.
“He is in love—“
“Yeah, with the girl who just happens to be Taylor’s wife’s best
friend!!” Isaac exclaimed.
Cupid’s gray eyes were soft as he looked at the man before him.
One of his wings fluttered and came toward his face and he pulled a
feather from it and scratched his head with it.
“Isaac, you are a rockstar. You
have many many girls who would love to be with you.”
He stopped and put the feather against his full lips, “Who is this
James Blunt person?” He asked.
Isaac sighed, “He’s a singer. His
face keeps popping up everytime I go to a music site.
He did that song. Um…dang,
I can hear it in my head…” He
closed his eyes and hummed for a moment, “…you’re beautiful…”
he sung. “Yeah, I think
it’s called “You’re Beautiful” or something like that.
Cupid’s eyes lit up, “About the girl on the subway??!”
“Um, yeah.” Isaac said,
backing up a little.
“That was my mother! That’s
who called me, by the way. About
your brother.”
Isaac backed a little farther up, “Do what?
What’s your mother got to do with James Blunt or my brother?”
Cupid’s shoulders dropped. “Were
you homeschooled?” He asked.
“Yeah. So?”
Isaac was becoming bitter again.
“So no one gets a well rounded education anymore.
My mother is Aphrodite. Isaac just looked at him.
“Venus? The Goddess of
Love? Does this ring a bell?”
Cupid was becoming as disgusted as Isaac with the way the conversation
was going.
“This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Isaac looked around the room, “Did my brothers pay you to do this?
Is there a hidden camera somewhere?”
He looked back at Cupid, a bit of apprehension on his face now,
“You’re not gonna strip are you?”
The young man stood up and his wings spread, “Would you like me to?”
“No! Dammit!
I knew this was a buncha bull!” Isaac
stood as well.
Suddenly, a picture appeared in Cupid’s hand—an eight by ten photo of
Taylor, his blue eyes shining in the light and a look of serene pleasure on his
face. “What feelings do you get
when you look at this?”
“My brother?” Isaac
asked.
Cupid turned the picture and looked at it, “Oh, sorry.
I forgot. What
about this one?” He said,
and Taylor’s face was replaced with that of Elijah Wood.
“He’s a nice guy. We met
him. He’s sort of short
though.” Isaac said.
Cupid tossed the picture behind him and another appeared, “What about
this one?”
Isaac looked back at Keanu Reeves, “He’s a shitty bass player, but I
sort of liked the Matrix movies.”
“Well, you don’t seem to be gay.”
Cupid said as the picture disappeared.
“That was supposed to be a test to see if I was gay?”
Isaac began to laugh. “I knew
Taylor was gay!”
“Taylor is not gay.” Cupid
said, seriously. “At least not
that I know of.” He looked at
Isaac, “And believe me, I know these things.”
“Then why did you have to see if I liked any of those guys?
Including my brother.”
Isaac shuddered.
“Sometimes people don’t know they’re gay.
Or straight. Or whatever it
is they may be. Then it’s a
little harder for me to tell. I
just like to know what I’m getting into.”
“What do you mean ‘getting into’?
I don’t need your help.” Isaac
was becoming angry.
“Yes you do. You’re so
hung up on the issues you have with your family and your work, you just throw
love away.” He stepped closer to
Isaac. “Don’t make me pull a
Taylor on you. Your fans couldn’t
take that again.”
“What issues?!” Isaac’s
voice rose an octave.
Just then the door opened and Taylor stuck his head in, “Dude, are you
alright?” He asked.
“I thought you were fighting with someone but, you seem to be alone.”
Isaac looked around and didn’t see Cupid anywhere.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” He
said.
“Wanna go get a beer or something?”
Taylor asked.
“It’s Valentine’s Day, don’t you have plans with the wife?”
Isaac asked.
Taylor smiled, “We made up.” He
looked at his watch. “She’s
asleep and so are the kids. It’s
like, a miracle or something!”
“What about Zac?” Isaac
asked.
“He’s having phone sex. God,
I hope all that ends once he’s married.”
Taylor said, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him.
He walked over to the table and picked up the brilliant white feather,
and looked at his brother. “Um,
Ike—you gonna write a 16th Century document or something?”
He laughed at his joke.
Isaac shook his head, wondering where that magnetism
was. He certainly didn’t see it.
Taylor was just his annoying little brother, still.
“No, it was just sitting here.”
He said, taking it out of Taylor’s hand.
“You better give that to me. It
might have magical powers or something.”
Isaac said, tucking it in his pocket.
Taylor just watched him. “Okay.”
He said, putting his hands in his own pockets.
“So, what about that beer? C’mon
Ike.” He wiggled his eyebrows,
“You know some of the girls will be over there.
They always scope out the bars when there’s one close to the venue.
Wanting a little Ike action…” He
teased his older brother.
“Not with you there. I’m
the “ugly” one, remember?” Isaac
said.
“Dude, that was a zillion years ago and we all looked ugly next to Zac,
you know that. Now, you’re
“handsome”.” Taylor said,
placing his arm around Isaac’s shoulder.
“They think you’re a man-whore and they’re lying in wait for
you.” Taylor said lewdly.
“Come on—have a drink with me. It’s
been a long time. It might be a
long time before we can get away again. Besides,
you might meet Miss Right there.”
Isaac
looked back into his gray eyes before Taylor pulled him farther out into the
hall, still chattering. “Hey,
have you heard that James Blunt guy? That
song is awesome! So, do you think
he’s like, committing suicide at the end of the video?
Is the girl an angel or something? I
mean, why would he jump in the water like that?
Does he have to die to be with her?”
Taylor
pulled him out the door and Isaac glanced back into the empty room.
“She probably just drove him insane.”
He replied. “Don’t we
have to get on the bus? I haven’t
packed my suitcase back yet.”
Taylor
pulled Isaac’s face around and looked at him, “Dude, live a little.
They aren’t going to leave us behind.
Besides, we’re in Georgia, that’s my lucky state!”
“Lucky
state, my ass!” Isaac laughed.
“You got yourself in a heap of trouble in Georgia!”
Taylor
looked back at him, a sparkle in his eye, “Hey, all’s well that ends well,
right?
Love is a beautiful thing, Ike.
Happy Valentines Day.” He
laughed and he carefully plucked the feather from his brother’s pocket and
placed it in his own…
The
End
?
