Cupid's Beautiful Mistake

ℂℌɑ℘ɫℯɾ 16

"That's twenty seconds." She said as soon as she opened the door.

"My bad." I place my hand over my chest with a slight smirk.
Esma has Noah rested on her hip, eating a cracker, starting up at me.

I smile slightly at him, feeling awkward under his solid gaze. Children are scary.

"Come in." Esma says opening the door a little wider, stepping into the Hall. The walls were a cream colour with picture frames along the walls of Noah as a baby.

Esma glanced back at me as we walked to the dining area. "Sorry it's a little messy."

"Nah, it's okay." I shrug.
Humans are very messy people, but it never seems to faze me.
"When does your sister finish her appointment?"

She placed Noah on the mat near some toys. "Um, in half an hour."

I nodded in response. Her hair was down today, I could see the hair elastic on the floor, probably from where she threw it. She was wearing a woolly jumper that comes above her knees, Black leggings and boots.
She looked beautiful as always.
This time, I let myself think that.

"Do you- should we, um, talk about the other night?"

My head snapped to look at her gaze. My heart started to accelerate when thinking about that kiss we shared. Something that we couldn't take back.

"Well, if you want to?" I say nervously.

"I think we have to. I mean, if I have another match... this can't happen." She says biting her lip.

I look down, sighing. "I know."

"So, I think it's better if we stop it, before anything happens." She says strongly.

"Your right, I agree." I say. Even though both of us didn't like it, we had to make the right decision.
She has a match, if not me, then someone else. It saves the heartbreak, which is what this system is about.

"But, about that kiss..." her cheeks turn red slightly. "I- it was-"

"It was something I wouldn't take back." I blurted out. "I mean- if I could go back and do it again, I would."

I swallow, my throat feels dry.

"So would I." She says quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her jumper. "But we can't."

I nod slowly. "We can't."
She hides the sadness and disappointment in her face and eyes, turning to Noah.

I look away, then back at her and Noah.

"Noah, what have you got in your mouth?" Esma says leaning down to take his hand out of his small mouth. "Gosh child, where did you get that?"

She held up a small Lego piece, placing it on the kitchen bench.
"He must be hungry." I say trying to change the tense atmosphere

Suddenly my iMatch buzzes on my wrist. All eyes, including Noah's, turn at the sound of the the device.

It's from the cooperation. I answer it, another voice on the other end starts to talk quite fast.

"Sorry to bother you Mr Jones, but I need to notify you that our computer systems have crashed."

"Crashed? What on earth do you mean?" I ask frowning.

"Our matching system, all the computers have crashed, shut down. We have been trying to load it back up, but nothing seems to be working. Your father says it will be a few weeks before it starts to work again. All data should be saved on the back up drive."

I looked at Esma, she had worry in her eyes.

I nod understandably "Thank you for letting me know."

The call was ended.

"What does that mean?" She asks even though she already knows.

"It means exactly what we think it means. There's no more matching system for a couple of weeks." I run my hands through my hair, blowing out the air I was holding in.

"That's okay, right? It's only a few weeks." She says, worried.

"It will be okay, but it will just mean everything will be off task, dragged out. Let's just hope it will turn back on." I say.

"I'm sure it will." She smiles, looking back at Noah who was pressing buttons on a toy that didn't work.

Before Allison returned from her appointment, I had left to go back to the Cupid cooperation.

Soon Esma's thirty days will be over. In thirty days I'll shoot her with the repel arrow, not that she even needs it. But after then, her memory will be erased of the Cupid world. But with the crashed system, she will need to stay for longer until we find her match.

I was lost in my thoughts, my vision blurred when I bumped into someone, knocking them over. My reflex acted, reaching out, grabbing the Cupid by the arm, stopping them from falling.

"Sorry." I say shaking my head.

"It's okay, that was my fault-" the woman paused, eyes wide at me.

She looked no older than forty, her face was slightly wrinkled at the corners of her eyes, but other than that, she looked good for her age, her brown hair sudden brought out her hazel eyes. Then I was looking at her wide-eyed.

She's the lady I delivered the package to.

"Are you okay, Miss?" I asked worried.

"Er." She shakes her said, smiling at me slightly. "Yes, I'm okay. I- I should get going." She stares at me for a few seconds more before quickly disappearing past me.

I frowned slightly. Why would she be so interested and shocked to see me? Does she know me? Have I don't something heroic? I'm no hero.
I shake my head at the last thought. She looks familiar, but I can't place my finger on why.

I shook it off, walking to the main computer room. I walked to the Cupid that called me.
"Found the issue?" I asked.

"No unfortunately," he sighs, "everything should be working, I don't know why this happened. Something isn't right. Something is interfering with the system." He says, holding the bridge of his nose.

I pause, letting it process in my head.
"You mean... it's not the electricity?"

"No. It's the actual system itself."