Perfectly Matched, page 7
“Okay. Well, um, why don’t you roll your chair into my cubicle so you can look over my shoulder while I finalize tonight’s rundown.”
Hannah did as she was told. “Is that you?” She pointed to one of three items tacked to the prefabricated wall as she settled her chair behind Payson. It was a photo of a smiling young girl standing between two adults.
“Yes, I was ten. Those were my parents. They both passed away when I was in college. A wrong-way driver hit them head-on late one night when they were on the freeway. I’m an only child, so in a split second in time, I lost my entire family.” Payson gazed at Hannah. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get heavy.” She waved her hand and averted her eyes. “But I, um…I don’t know. I just feel comfortable talking to you, hope that’s okay?”
Hannah felt unnerved and excited that Payson seemed to trust sharing such personal information with her. “Yeah, it’s totally okay. I’m just sorry for your loss,” she said as she thought about her parents. Both were alive and still thriving. She saw them frequently, but truthfully, she felt closer to Oriana then either her mom or dad. And although she too was an only child, her fellow archers took on the roles of brothers and sisters. She felt fortunate that on Archer Island, the definition of family reached well beyond the biological.
Payson nodded. “Thanks. It’s been many years, but there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think about them.”
Hannah let a respectful moment pass before she asked, “And who’s that little one?” She nodded toward a picture of a small dark brown terrier mix.
“That was Kona. I lost her last year. She was almost eighteen.” Payson touched her finger to the print and outlined the top of Kona’s head as though she was in a far-off memory. “Do you have pets?” she asked in a soft voice as she grabbed her burrito and took another bite.
“I have a horse. A Friesian. Her name’s Bella,” Hannah answered with pride.
“I’ve always wanted a horse,” Payson mumbled.
“Then why don’t you have one?”
“Because I can’t afford one but mostly…work.”
Hannah nodded. Of the three things Payson had chosen to tack on her little cubicle wall, two were of loss. “And that.” Hannah pointed to the pamphlet.
Payson untacked the brochure, opened it, and handed it to her. “Ten days on a tropical island with nothing but women.” She tapped a picture of a small group dressed in bikinis, laughing around a pool with colorful drinks in hand. “I was supposed to be there this Monday morning. I had money down and everything. But I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Hannah glanced at pictures of a variety of women enjoying food, drinks, water, and land excursions in a setting that reminded her of her home. “Why aren’t you going?”
“Because we’re short-staffed right now, and Jason said he needs me here.” Payson gestured at the newsroom. “Until we can hire another producer. With budget cuts, staffing keeps getting pushed aside as he spends the money on other things. So until then, I’m stuck.”
Hannah’s heart broke for her. Archer Island had a dozen cupids and a handful of understudies who were available at any given time. Hannah could take time off whenever she wanted, but she never did. She loved everything about being a cupid, and she’d never once wished to leave it all behind in exchange for a few days spent somewhere else. Archer Island nourished her soul, and her fellow islanders satisfied everything from friendships to sexual desires. She couldn’t imagine living a life where she felt stuck.
“Anyway.” Payson sighed. “One of these days, I hope to go. I could sure use some time in paradise.”
“I hope so too,” Hannah murmured as she glanced at Payson. She would love Archer Island, Hannah thought as she watched Payson stare at the brochure. Granted, it didn’t have a group of women parading around in bikinis, huts that served tropical drinks, or a pool with a built-in waterfall and slide, but it had everything she thought Payson would love. If not for the law forbidding mortals on the island, and the fact that Payson was destined to be with Madison, Hannah would whisk her away and introduce her to what true paradise was really like.
How fun it would be to introduce her to Bella. Or to swim with her in the lake and then lie out on the bank under the warmth of the sun. Or to sit still in the forest long enough to let nature present itself. But to make that happen, she would have to go against the very reason she was here. No, she thought as she shook her head. Payson would never know the beauty of the island because her destiny was here with Madison. And it was up to Hannah to make sure that future was the one that happened.
“Huh.” Hannah grunted as she was taken aback by her own thoughts. She had never once entertained the idea of bringing a mortal to the island. Why would she? She had never shared even the slightest meaningful conversation with one until now.
Payson gently tacked the brochure back on the cubicle wall as though the paper alone held a magical power that could teleport her to the place. And as she patted the photo of little Kona one last time, Hannah sensed not only a kindred spirit, but someone that she’d really like to get to know.
“Okay,” Payson said as she shoved the last bite of burrito in her mouth and rubbed her fingers on a napkin. “Time to get back to work.” She began explaining all the ins and outs of stacking a rundown for the newscast. She described how the sections were referred to as blocks, designated by commercial breaks. How the first few minutes of the broadcast were the most important because that was where the ratings played a role, and the higher the ratings, the higher the amount they could charge advertisers.
“That’s why,” Payson continued, “I’ll always lead with the most eye-catching, sensational stories we have.”
For the next hour, the frenzy of phone calls Payson juggled increased tenfold. She restructured and rewrote the rundown twice over, and the number of times she was called into Jason’s office was more than Hannah could keep track of. By the time they entered the small dark room next to the studio that was filled with television monitors and switch boards, Hannah felt exhausted.
“Welcome to master control. This is where all the magic happens. From here, we can dictate everything that goes on air. Grab a headset. You can sit next to me and listen in.” Payson pointed as she sat and began flipping switches on a control board. Hannah took the seat next to her, slipped on the headset, and listened as random voices notified Payson that they were in position.
“Okay. people,” a male voice said. “We’re live in a minute and thirty.”
Payson wrapped her hand around the mic on her headset. “Get ready for the wonders of live TV,” she whispered.
Hannah nodded as the wall of monitors came alive with an assortment of images and video, all waiting for their turn to be aired.
“And five, four, three, two…cue, Madison,” the same male voice said as an explosion of frantic pacing unfolded. The tank was a stunt that an elderly eccentric millionaire had pulled to propose to his twenty-something girlfriend. He’d rented it from a Hollywood prop house, shipped it out, and hoped driving it down the strip would get her attention. The tiger that had escaped was eventually found lounging in someone’s backyard, the tourist who’d decided to do laps in the lagoon did it on a dare from his bachelor buddies in town for a wedding, and on and on it went. The monitors switched back and forth between anchors, reporters, and videos at a dizzying pace. By the time Payson pitched to the national news package—riddled with killings, destruction, and overall unrest—she felt nauseated. What happened to all of the love she and her fellow archers had spent centuries delivering?
“Well,” Payson said as the credits rolled, and she removed her headset. “What’d ya think?”
“I think…” Hannah trailed off, her mind numb from trying to digest the bombardment of rapid-fire information. “I think I’m glad I work in the business that I do instead of this one.” Her days consisted of encouraging the expression of love between two souls and enjoying a way of life that was calm and peaceful. She had seen enough from her travels with Piper to understand that they lived in an isolated bubble that was void of such unrest. It wasn’t in her face on a daily basis like it was for Payson, and she couldn’t imagine what that must be like. “Doesn’t any of this haunt you?”
“Yeah,” Payson said in a nonchalant tone as she motioned for Hannah to follow her. “It can be a bit daunting.”
Hannah fell in line as everyone shuffled out of the master control room and into the studio. “I would say, nice show, people, but yet again it wasn’t clean…” Jason trailed off as he stood at the anchor desk and read from a piece of paper. He called out those who missed their cues, the graphics that had been misspelled, and how each of them needed to “up their game.” He didn’t offer praise or thanks, just criticisms and complaints.
Hannah found his mannerisms rough and his appreciation for what everyone did nonexistent. She quickly concluded that if ever his name appeared in the night sky, she would be tempted to break the companion arrow because pairing anyone up with him would weigh heavy on her conscience.
“So,” Payson said as they returned to their cubicles. “You going to join us for drinks?”
“Of course.”
“Great.” Payson gathered her purse and led the way out to the parking lot. “We meet over at Gimbauld’s, the casino just up the street.” She pointed as she unlocked her car. “Meet us in the back lounge just past the keno room. You can’t miss it.”
Hannah nodded as she began walking out of the parking lot and up the road. The temperature was a little warm but pleasant. She took a moment to gaze at the stars, but unlike the sky that greeted her every night on the island, the stars here were hidden behind a layer of light pollution. How sad, she thought, to live a life without the brilliant display of the universe’s art twinkling overhead. She thought about all the times she’d lain in the hammock on her front porch, swaying as she tried to read the night sky. She was not looking for the names of future lovers, like Danika was, but she sought the names of past ones. And wondered what their stories were and how each came together in love.
“What are you doing?” Payson’s voice snapped her back to reality.
“Heading to the casino.” She addressed Payson, who was leaning out of her open window. “Why, is something wrong?”
“Yes, you’re walking. Something that isn’t advisable around here at this hour. Where’s your car?”
“I don’t have a car,” Hannah said nonchalantly. “Besides, it’s a beautiful night, and it feels good to walk off all the sitting we did today.” In fact, she had never sat so much in all her life, and her muscles ached from nonmovement.
“Didn’t corporate provide you with a car?”
“No, I…uh, a friend made sure I got here.”
“Ah…well, hop on in and ride over with me.” Payson moved the papers and items off the front seat and tossed them in the back. “Sorry about the mess.”
“No worries,” Hannah said as she folded into the car seat.
“Okay, tell me the truth…what’d ya really think about the show?”
Hannah thought about her life. All she had to do was shoot an arrow into the heart of someone. She didn’t set it up, make the arrows, or in any way coordinate the encounter. She just showed up and did her thing. Granted, she was the best when it came to archery, but it was only one task. She was awestruck by Payson’s diverse talents. “I thought you were amazing. I don’t know how you juggle it all without faltering.”
“When I first started, there were four of us who divided the roles that now fall under my job description. Like everyone else at the station, I’ve learned to do more with less and figure it out as I go along. I’m not really sure how corporate expects us to wear so many hats and be good at them all. It’s no wonder we make mistakes, and the burnout rate is so high.”
Again, Hannah just nodded. What could she possibly contribute to this conversation? The burnout Payson alluded to was foreign to her. It was no wonder her arrows seemed to be less effective in binding some souls in long-lasting love if ancient spells had to compete with this type of modern stress.
“And now the question I’ve been dying to ask all day,” Payson said, “is corporate’s experimental program of rotating temps really just a ruse to spy on us?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“We’ve all heard the rumors about corporate wanting to sell off the TV stations they acquired, so I just figured they’re sending temps out to report back to them. You know, so they can justify getting rid of us. Not that that would be a bad thing. Corporate doesn’t seem to know anything about managing news stations, but getting shuffled around to a different parent company usually never ends well.”
“What’s wrong with the company that owns—”
The tap of a car horn interrupted Hannah, and they both turned to the bright red Mercedes sports car sitting next to them. The passenger side, limo-tinted window powered down, and Madison leaned over. “Last one there buys the first pitcher.” As soon as the light turned green, the Mercedes shot out of the intersection. It was a block down the street before Payson’s car cleared the crosswalk.
Payson glanced at Hannah. “Guess I’m buying the first round.”
“It appears so,” she said as Madison’s taillights faded into the darkness, and she wondered once again if there was a misread of the night sky. She had always considered herself somewhat intuitive—easily reading the flow of the air, movement of the seas, and whispers of the trees—but for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why the universe had paired those two. Payson was beautiful, kind, and had a gentleness that…
“Oh my God, stop it,” she quietly scolded herself. She needed to rein in her personal feelings and accept that there was a master plan in place that went beyond her understanding. Stick to the mission, she reminded herself as she turned to Payson. “Tell me what you think about Madison?”
“Not much to tell.” Payson shrugged. “She was a morning reporter in Chicago with aspirations to be an anchor. So when Jason thought our one female evening anchor, who had been with the station for over thirteen years, was aging out, he replaced her with Madison. It’s sexist because the male anchors in this business seem to have no problem growing old on air, but the women are time limited. But from a strictly ratings perspective, he was right. Our ratings have gone up since he hired her, so I guess there’s that.”
“What I meant was…are you attracted to her?”
“Wow, don’t you think that question’s a bit personal?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, but I’m pretty sure I felt something between you two today. I guess it’s just the matchmaker in me noticing two people who would make a great couple.” She felt like puking on her words, but this was no time for her honest opinion. She and Payson came from two different worlds, and right now, she really wanted to go home to hers.
“Well, it’s funny you mentioned that. Because I, uh…” Payson blushed as she trailed off. “I kinda felt the same thing.”
“See? I told you.”
“Yeah, I mean, I really didn’t think I was even on her radar. People like Madison could have anyone.”
“Why do you say it like that? In such a dismissive way?” Hannah felt stunned. “I think you’re a beautiful and kind person. Where I come from, you could have your pick of lovers.”
Payson chuckled. “Wow, you’re just right out there with your comments, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so forward, but remember, I am in the business of—”
“Matchmaking. Yep, got it.” She paused for a moment, then glanced over. “So, um…I wasn’t totally crazy thinking there really was a certain vibe coming from Madison?”
“I think,” she said through a forced smile, “there’s something between you two that may be worth exploring.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
“Well, yeah, I mean, are you saying you’re not into her?”
“Are you kidding me? She’s gorgeous. Who wouldn’t be attracted to her?”
Me, for one, Hannah thought. Madison did not possess any qualities she found endearing or remotely attractive. “That’s not what I asked.”
Payson remained silent as she pulled into Gimbauld’s lot and parked.
“I’m just saying,” Hannah continued as they crossed the parking lot and headed toward the entrance. “There’s something between you two. I felt it.” From the corner of her eye, she could tell Payson was turning the information over in her head.
“Well,” Payson said as she opened the door for them. “I guess that’s yet to be seen.”
As soon as Hannah stepped into the casino, she cringed. The flashing lights, the dinging bells, and the lingering smell of stale cigarette smoke, might be stimulating to mortals, but it was completely overwhelming her senses.
“You okay?”
Hannah shook her head. “Why is everything so loud?” Granted, things could get a little rowdy at Brea’s from time to time but nothing compared to the level of volume she was experiencing. It was as though the casino went to extremes to tune out the beautiful sound of silence.
“I really never noticed,” Payson said in an over-amplified voice.
As they meandered through the casino, Hannah focused on the faces of the mortals. She could sense the desperation that lingered in the air and heard more of them whisper prayers to machines and tables than they probably did in any worship setting. As though the roll of the dice, turn of a card, or spin of a slot would somehow make all their troubles disappear.
“About time you showed up.” Madison sat surrounded by a half dozen coworkers in a small semi-round booth. A three-piece band was performing a short distance away, and a server dressed in clothes more suitable for a beach headed to their table. Madison tapped the space next to her. “We’ve been waiting for our beer.”
