Love in the mist
Ronda, Spain
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 : Louis Moves to Spain
Chapter 2 : Rhiannon
Chapter 3 : Simon
Chapter 4 : Louis and Mark
Chapter 7 : Cupid's Aim
Chapter 1 :Louis Moves to Spain
"I love this place." I flew in and settled on the Puento Viejo bridge. “This is a perfect place for a Cupid like me.” Surrounded by mountains carpeted with Spanish firs, Ronda, Spain perched atop the El Tajo gorge, nestled among the ruins of ancient settlements. Let’s me tell you about the last time I was here. It was rather embarrassing, though. I was certain that I had a perfect couple in my sights, and I had just ignited love with a good arrow into a beautiful woman, but the sun got in my eyes or something. My arrow missed a handsome Roman soldier by mere inches. If it had fallen to the ground or hit a wall, that would have been fine, and I could have tried a second shot. Unfortunately for everyone, it hit an old man. So, and this was where I got in trouble, the old man and the young woman did fall in love and pursued a doomed love affair. Sure, they passionately loved each other, but he died shortly after that, and she was inconsolable. I tried to guide her to the soldier again, but her heart was just too broken. I left, depressed by another failure. The recent years of matchmaking have been only a little better, and I recently returned to Ronda because I had a strong feeling of loneliness from within the city. Oh!, by the way, how is your heart today?" I spread my wings and soared. “Yes, I’m happier now! Let’s me tell you how I redeemed myself in Ronda!"
* * *
As I traveled through the city, my heart lurched, and I followed the feeling to its source. A beautiful woman sat alone at a small table outside a busy cafe. The lunch crowd rushed around her, but she ate in silence and looked at no one. At first, I felt only her loneliness, but as I got closer, I realized that she admired someone in her life, but was reluctant to show it. My duty as a Cupid compelled me to shadow her and find a way to change her loneliness into love.
"I've been looking for you. What are you doing in Ronda?" Mark, one of my best friends and a great marksman, sidled up to me. "If I remember correctly, the last time you were here wasn't such a good time."
"No, you're right." I answered but kept my eyes on the woman. "I think it was her heart that drew me here."
"Ah. I feel something there, too. Any ideas?"
"Not really. I'm going to shadow her, though. I think there is someone she secretly longs for, and I'm going to find out." I flitted into the air to follow as the woman rose and walked away.
"I'm in," Mark said, as he rose to fly with me. "Anything to help, buddy?"
Chapter 2 : Rhiannon
Rhiannon sat at a small table at an outdoor cafe on CalleNeuva and took a bite of her salad. The view of Plaza España with its mosaic of shops and restaurants summoned the lonely feelings again. She watched a pair of young lovers stroll onto Calle Rosario hand in hand, stealing kisses now and again.
"It must be wonderful to be young and in love," she sighed.
"What was that?" Her friend Maria took a seat across from her.
"Ah, nothing." She nodded toward the couple rounding the corner out of sight. "I think they are on their honeymoon."
"Well, Ronda is nothing if not romantic. At least the tourists think so."
Rhiannon sipped her coffee. "I wouldn't know," she said.'
"You did once." Maria waved to their server and ordered a glass of water with lemon.
"I don't even know if what I had was love." Rhiannon looked away from the now-empty corner and went back to eating her salad. "If it was, I don't want any more of it."
Maria waved her off. "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Not every man is as cruel as Ramon was. He was just a bad apple."
"And five years after the divorce, I still don't like apples," Rhiannon laughed and took another bite. She dared another glance at the empty street corner where the lovers disappeared. "And I've got Tristan."
"Yes, and he's ten now. He should have a father figure before he gets too old." Maria squeezed the lemon wedge into her water and took a sip. "Besides, you deserve to be happy."
Rhiannon put her fork down and smiled at her friend. "I'm perfectly happy with my job and Tristan. I love my job, and I love Tristan. That should be enough."
Maria shrugged. "Well, if that really makes you happy, all right then. I'm going to Faustino with Peter on Saturday, and that will make me happy, too."
"Have a wonderful time," Rhiannon said. She looked at her watch. "I've got to get back to the office."
The two women stood and gave each other a light hug and waved as Rhiannon walked away. Above her, the air swirled and a light breeze touched her cheek. She looked up and saw the beauty of the sky, and her heart ached just a little more for it.
* * *
Rhiannon's office sat at the end of a walkway full of desks and other offices. As she walked through, her coworkers sometimes looked up and nodded in acknowledgment that she was there, but very few actually spoke to her. Rhiannon didn't notice, but Mark and I did, and we also noticed the way she kept her eyes averted from the others and focused only on where she headed.
"She's not very friendly," Mark said.
"I think she's just cautious." I moved to the end of the walkway and waited for Rhiannon to enter her office. She was beautiful, and her movements were graceful, but her mind and heart were ruled by her determination to be the best lawyer in the city.
Her name gleamed on a brass plaque on her office door. She walked in and checked her messages then took a few files from her filing cabinet. The only view was from the window to the right of her desk. She closed the door on the rest of the office then sat down and went to work for herself.
I watched for a while, getting to know Rhiannon and how she interacted with others at work. She efficiently handled a vast number of phone calls and emails, then systematically reduced the stack of file folders on her desk.
"She's good," Mark said.
"Yes, but she's still lonely," I said. "I know for sure now, that Rhiannon is the reason I am in Ronda."
"If you say so. I think she needs a little personality coaching, though."
"Maybe. We'll see. Her friend said she has a son. We should check him out, too." I spread my wings and soared into the city.
"Good idea," Mark said, "but I'm going to stay here and learn some more about Rhiannon."
Rhiannon answered another call. "I don't have that file. One moment. Do you mind holding while I get it?" She placed the call on hold and opened her door. The air moved past her a little more than usual. She shivered off a light chill and walked to one of the legal assistants. "I need the Jimenez file, please, Tia, thank you."
The young legal assistant smiled and said, "Right away, Mrs. Ochoa." She left her desk and went to the file room.
Inside the door, Jorge said, "Are you coming out for tapas with us on Saturday?"
Tia flipped through a file drawer. "Who's going?"
"Everyone!" he said. "Well, everyone except Mrs. Ochoa. She's an awesome lawyer, but I don't think she likes to socialize very much."
"I guess so. I could ask her."
"You can try," Jorge chuckled.
Tia grabbed the Jimenez folder and said, "I'll be there Saturday," and walked back to her desk.
"Here you are, Mrs. Ochoa. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No thank you." Rhiannon turned to leave.
"Um, Mrs. Ochoa?" Tia called out softly.
Rhiannon turned back. "Yes?" Her hands rifled through the folder, and she squinted a little as she read the importa
nt parts of the brief. Absentmindedly she asked, "Did you need something?"
Tia shook her head. "No, not really. Call me if you need anything else." She sat down and frowned.
Mark frowned too. "She really needs a wake-up call if Louis's arrow is to fly for her." He spread his wings and came to find me.
* * *
Rhiannon pulled into the school parking lot and parked near the front door. Her son, Tristan ran out and waved at her. I soaked in the love and joy from the child and smiled. Then I hovered over the car, eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Mom! It was awesome!" He climbed into the car and buckled up. "Simon taught me a cool way to reduce fractions. It was actually fun."
"Tristan, I've told you before to call him by his proper address at school. Now, what did Mr. Romero teach you?"
Tristan pouted. "Never mind. It was math."
Rhiannon pulled her car out of the parking lot but looked back and saw Simon walking to his car.
"Mom!" Tristan yelled.
Rhiannon's wide eyes went back to the road and she slammed on the brakes, and they barely missed the bumper of a car in front of them.
"Red light means stop, you know." Tristan leaned his head on the window and counted the clouds passing overhead. "We could have died."
"It wasn't that bad, Tristan."
He looked back to see what distracted his mother's attention, but the school parking lot was empty except for Simon driving his own car toward the exit. At ten years old, Tristan had not yet developed the mental and emotional callouses that many adults have, and he easily put two and two together. To test his new hypothesis, he said, "Simon invited me to his house while you're working tomorrow night."
Rhiannon's face flushed, and she turned her head. "Oh?"
I and Tristan both gave ourselves a mental pat on the back. Her blush spoke more than any words.
"Yes, just like last week. Why don't you come over there when you're done? He can tell you better than I can what we study."
"I will be…" Rhiannon stumbled for an excuse. "I will be tired after working late. I'll just head home and go to bed."
They rode in silence until Tristan blurted out, "Will you ever get married again?"
I came closer, curious to see how she felt about that. I think my wings ached a little when she answered.
Rhiannon swallowed a laugh. "I really don't know, but I doubt it. Your father made things… unpleasant."
"I was so little, I don't remember much. I just wish we had a family again, though."
"I said I don't know, okay?"
"But it's been over five years, and—"
Rhiannon cut him off. "—and I have to work and support us, and when you're older, you'll understand."
"I know you and Dad fought a lot. That's about all I remember. Sometimes I miss him, though."
"I'm sorry, my little boy, I really am." She turned the corner to their street.
"Simon!" I turned circles over the car as it pulled into the driveway. "Ah, his name is Simon, the teacher," I whispered.
Rhiannon turned off the car and took out the keys. "So, did Simon assign any homework?"
I let out a happy sigh. She thought of him. She found ways to say his name.
"Yes, and I'm going to run to Simon's house real quick and give him a paper I'm working on," Tristan shouted to his mother as he ran out of the yard and down the street.
"Come home right away!" She yelled back.
I was making progress! I clapped my hands together and followed Tristan. "I'm coming, Simon!"
Chapter 3 : Simon
I flew into the Simon's kitchen and hovered in a shadowy corner. Simon's struggles with his emotions went straight to my heart, and I almost pulled out my bow right there.
Simon sat at his kitchen table grading papers under a dim overhead light. He picked up Tristan's paper and looked it over.
"Perfect," he said, "as usual." He placed the paper in the middle of the table and stood up. He crossed his arms then put one hand on his chin and paced around. "There's got to be something."
With a wave of his hand he pretended to speak to Tristan's mother, "Mrs. Ochoa, we need to meet and talk about Tristan's progress in school."
Simon shook his head. "That won't work. Tristan is a straight-A student."
Mark flew in and saw my hand on my bow. "Not now. You don't know yet if they are really meant for each other."
"Watch him," I said. "All he can think about is her."
Simon grew agitated and strode over to a wooden secretary and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a picture of a smiling woman and glared at it.
"That's not Rhiannon," said Mark. "Who is it?"
"I don't know. Sshh."
"I try to hate you, but all I do is end up hating myself," Simon said to the picture in his hand. "Was I not a good husband? Did I not try to love you?" His arms and shoulders sagged. "You betrayed me. And with my own friend!"
Simon looked at Tristan's paper on the table and ripped the picture to shreds. The pieces fluttered into the waste basket, and he sat back down at the table and resumed grading papers. "Rhiannon," he sighed, then put his pen down and picked up the phone. He held it up and gripped it so tightly that his knuckles whitened, and he gritted his teeth.
He put the phone back down. "No. I can't get in a relationship again."
Simon put Tristan's paper on the stack of graded work and continued his job.
"See?" I said. "He was just about ready to call her."
"But Rhiannon isn't ready," Mark said.
"That's true."
"But I have an idea." Mark leaned over and whispered into my ear.
Chapter 4 : Louis and Mark
Friday morning, Mark and I sat on Rhiannon's roof and watched the sun rise.
"Isn't that just glorious?" I asked.
"You know, for a Cupid as sentimental, romantic, and optimistic as you are, you should be much more successful." Mark teased me and nudged my elbow.
"I've just had a run of bad luck, that's all. Things have been getting better, though." I put my elbows on my knees and rested my head in my hands. "I'm sure the king and queen will see how hard I've been trying."
"Well, I'm going to help you on this one. Today I will impersonate a human and see if I can't get Rhiannon to soften up a bit. None of the men where she works talk to her, much less ask her out. She's beautiful, but they're afraid of her. She's all business and no play."
"Tell me about it," I said. "Tristan is even upset that she hardly spends time with him anymore. She's always working and hardly at home."
We heard the alarm clock in Rhiannon's room sound off.
"Time to go to work," said Mark, and he flew off in the direction of Rhiannon's office building.
"Yeah, I'd better get to work, too." I waved, and flew toward Simon's house.
Chapter 5- Rhiannon's Wake-up Call
Fridays were never Rhiannon's favorite days. She liked working hard all week, and having the weekends off left her feeling a bit disoriented. She dropped Tristan at school and promised to be home for dinner instead of leaving something for him in the refrigerator, and raced to the coffee shop.
"May I please have a hazelnut latte with a triple shot of espresso?" she asked the clerk and opened her purse.
"Three shots?" Mark laughed. "Must be another Monday in the week I hadn't heard about."
"No, just another day." She handed him a bill, and he counted out her change.
"It was a joke. 'Another Monday', get it? People don't like Mondays…" He tilted his head and smiled.
Rhiannon actually let out a little laugh. "I get it. Sorry, I'm just distracted today."
"No problem. What's the name for the order?"
"Rhiannon. I can spell that if you need me to."
"It's beautiful. Just like you," Mark smiled, and saw her blush. Good, he thought. She smiled, now she's loosening up. He wrote her name in a beautiful script handwriting and sent it back to the barista. "That's better. A beautiful smi
le for a beautiful Friday." He came around the counter and cleaned around the displays and dispensers while she waited for her drink.
"Have you got plans for the weekend? Something special with the boyfriend?" He gave her a sideways glance and a sly grin.
"Oh, I don't have a boyfriend. What am I saying? I don't even know you." She shifted her stance but didn't move away. "Besides, I don't really date, anyway."
He leaned in and whispered as if letting her in on an important secret. "Rhiannon, maybe it's time you followed your heart instead of your fears."
Her face softened and her eyes widened. "Who are you?'
"Just someone who believes in love." He grinned. "Look around. You are in a beautiful city with a colorful, rich history, and you ought to share what you see through your eyes with someone else who will share what they see through theirs. When people do that together, wonderful things happen between them."
"I don't know."
"It's not hard. Try it now." Mark stood straight up, very formal and polite. "Smile," he said.
"What?" She looked around, a little embarrassed.
"Smile!" He grinned at her. "Like that, see?"
Rhiannon laughed, and the walls around her heart began to crumble to dust.
"There you go! That didn't hurt a bit, did it?"
She shook her head. "I guess I've been too wrapped up to even see my own scowl in the mirror."
"Today, you stop scowling and begin to move on and follow your heart." Mark looked over her shoulder and grabbed her cup of coffee. "Ah. Here you go!" He handed her the cup with a polite bow.
She received the cup and sipped it then turned it in her hands. Looking down, she contemplated the brighter sky, her lighter heart, and the spark of something deeper she hoped would blossom into… She looked up again, "What's your name?"
She stood alone at the counter, and looked around in surprise. She shrugged and walked to the door. With a genuine smile, she stepped outside.
"Hola, senorita," a deep voice said.
She turned and saw a very handsome man walking into the coffee shop. "Hello," she said, and smiled all the way to work.
Love in the mist (A Cupid Series Novel Book 2) Page 1