Cupid Part 2
Title: Cupid
Author: inlove_n_inhate
Plot: A blessing from Ancient Greece meets modern day science and when stuff like that happens there's bound to be an explosion of massive proportions. Especially when Miranda Priestly is involved.
Disclaimer: Let’s face it if I owned them the subtext would have been the text!
Author’s Note: Huge piles of thanks to Mirandyscrow for the prompt. Thanks to all those that have read and reviewed so far! I always appreciate hearing what you all think and how I’m doing so far. (smirk)
Thanks to yessir for beta reading the first part of this chapter for me a LONG time ago. All other mistakes are mine.
The banner for this story can be found here. It was made by radak and it is beautiful!
Introduction
Part 1
You guys wanted Miranda's reaction...just click the cut and you'll get it. (wink)
Part 2
‘Daughter of Eros and Psyche’
---------March 10, 2007---------
A figure stepped from the shadows of a barely lit room and watched from their corner as a cab pulled to the curb. From this high vantage point, if the person had been human, they’d be unable to tell who stepped forth from the small yellow cab. Being that they weren’t human they watched as a bald middle-aged man stepped from the cab with a red-haired young woman, both smiling as they waved one last time to the cab’s remaining occupant.
The figure smiled.
The woman in the room with the figure shivered and turned in the figure’s direction; looked directly at the figure and saw nothing. The figure’s smile widened and the woman shivered once again. The papers on the woman’s desk fluttering as the figure cast a small wind through the room.
The mortal woman grabbed at the papers, but one slipped from the desk. It sailed through the air. She tried to grasp it before it fell to the floor. Alas, it escaped her and slipped under her desk. The woman let out an agitated and impatient sigh, her lips pursed as she stared at the paper. Her silver hair shinning as the moonlight bathed the room with the glow that cast the same shadows in which the figure hid. The silver haired woman’s eyes darkened before she pushed her chair back and bent over to pick the offending piece of paper up from the floor.
The figure smiled and cast another large wind to pass through the room. The doors shook at the force of the wind before slamming closed. The resounding slam of the glass doors brought the woman bent under her desk up off the floor. Her head slammed up against her desk, and she slowly wheeled herself out from under it, her hand grasping the edge of the desk, the paper now crumpled in that grip, as the other sat atop her head. Her mouth formed silent profanities that didn’t pass from her lips. They rarely did.
The creature wondered why this female was being given a gift other humans longed for. This woman felt no desire for the gift she was receiving. She hardly felt much at all, other than annoyance for almost every other human being. The only love the figure knew the woman to posses was for her twin daughters. There was a small love held for her mother, and a deep buried love for a man that had passed on years before. Yet, he had not been her true love.
Perhaps that is why she refused to accept this gift. She had wanted the deceased human male to be her true love. Had desired more than anything for him to be the one to spend eternity with. It was not meant to be. He was destined to die and be separated from her. His soul not mated with hers. So, she refused to believe in the gift, that was hers and now her daughters. She rejected the gift, had for years and continued to, even now when it had already been granted to her.
Not that her body would have allowed her to accept the gift herself. Perhaps that is another reason she does not believe in what the figure was here to reveal to her. She had already graced this woman with her gift, another child through her true love. As was promised to her, centuries before she had even been born by the creature’s own matriarch.
The mortal hissed in pain as she pressed her hand down against the top of her head. She mumbled under her breath as she rubbed the forming bump and glared at the glass doors before her, as if they might cower before her look.
It-the creature-smiled again, this time at the human female’s curiosity and pain. The mortal shivered again and turned to stare in her general direction again, still seeing no one. It moved around the room, eyeing the silver-haired corporeal being before it.
The woman stared at the closed doors of her office before looking around the ‘empty’ room. She saw nothing, but her back was tense, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at attention and her heart raced. Someone was here with her. She could feel them.
The figure bathed in the woman’s knowledge of her presence. It was almost impressed by the woman’s ability to sense her. Almost.
There was another swift shift in the air of the room, causing the papers on the female’s desk to shutter and fly again. The woman doing all she could to grasp at the papers as they flew up from her desk lest she need to retrieve them from the floor, again.
The figure turned to the side of the room and noticed a familiar form in the shadows. The woman would be unable to see the new figure, as she was unable to see this figure. The first figure frowned at the seconds’ presence. The second figure began to speak in their native tongue. It sighed and looked down at its feet like a petulant child who’d just been scolded would.
“Tell her. Tell her now.” Was what it came down to, and the figure bit the inside of their lip. This female editor knew, in a way at least, she knew something had happened, she could feel it. She just couldn’t understand what she was feeling. Showing her directly would be crossing a line that would lead the first figure into more trouble than it was worth. So, it’d have to find another way to tell the annoying woman, without actually telling her everything.
This editor of a fashion magazine-this descendant of the peasant woman was difficult. Far more difficult than any of her ancestors had been but the second figure had blessed all of those who came from the Originally blessed, and held to it’s promise. They all received the gift, even if those that were blessed after the Original were not always as deserving as the ones that had come before.
Both figures eyed the woman and the second figure was struck with the knowledge of how similar this woman was to the Original. The second figure took a step back, the shadows encasing it. It looked away from the woman and waited a moment before turning to the first figure. “Tell her.” It said in its own tongue before disappearing. Leaving the first figure on it’s own.
The first and only figure remaining eyed the woman at the desk before waving its hand once again. The papers on the woman’s desk flew everywhere before all landing back on the desk once again.
The woman now five feet away from her desk quickly darted her head left then right, attempting to find what it was that was causing this breeze. There were no windows open on this floor. The door to the outer offices was closed. It was impossible! Where was it coming from?
The envelope that was supposed to be seen by the woman was now lying atop the mess of a once organized desktop.
The woman eyed an envelope atop the now immobile pile tiredly before picking it up and opening it. The paper was more like a parchment, and she unrolled the scroll looking paper, eyed what was written before dropping it. The woman jumped and nearly fell as she pushed against the chair, desperately trying to get away from the offending paper.
“No…” was all she said as her eyes remained riveted on the parchment that remained off the ground, floating back up to her desk, to rest comfortably where it was easiest to be seen.
The figure smiled.
The woman shivered and then the figure was gone and all the woman could whisper was, “No…”
-----March 11, 2007------
Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Elias-Clarke’s cash cow magazine Runway, was scared. So scared in fact that she had told her new Emily-what was her name again?-to reschedule a meeting with Donatella and make her a doctors appointment. There was never being too careful, not when divine forces that should no longer exist were playing games with one’s life.
Miranda stepped from her town car in all her esteemed glory, as if nothing were wrong, yet inside she was shaking. It wasn’t right. Not now, not at her age, not when she had no idea whom it was that had fallen in love with her. Who it was that was her true love, her soul mate, words that were as dirty to her as the filthiest curses known to man in every language. To others, such as her own mother, this was a blessing. To her it was nothing but a nuisance. The fact that someone had the nerve to fall in love with her made her want to yell and question the persons’ sanity. They were, whomever it was, was unknowingly going to cause her a great deal of problems. Especially if the blessing, or in this case, curse-for her at least-held true. She was far to…she could not be having a child now! Two twin preteens were quiet enough.
How dare someone fall in love with her! How dare they do such a thing and have the audacity to keep it quiet. Not that she would or could blame them she wasn’t normally described as being…approachable. Ha, it was laughable, or it would have been had it been anyone other than her true love. Ugh…she would need to wash her mouth out with soap the moment she said it out loud. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach.
At her age! Deities help her!
Miranda walked through the throngs of people, who parted before her. Her doctor had informed her that everything was fine, that she could see. She’d taken a blood sample and had nearly gasped when Miranda asked her to run a pregnancy test. Of course her doctor had wanted to ask many questions after her request, but informed her she would run the tests nonetheless. Now, after sitting at lunch with Donatella unable to concentrate, Miranda was in a foul mood. Fouler than she had been before leaving for her appointment and she hadn’t even been given the results yet.
As she stepped into an elevator that was vacated by all others, she wondered how she was going to go about finding this man. There had been several functions she’d attended in the last four months, had been countless meetings and even she was uneasy about asking her assistant to make a list of all the men she’d encountered in the last four months. Miranda held her eyes closed, her sunglasses still firmly in place as she waited for the metal death trap to bring her to her office. The doors opened and Miranda stepped from the metal contraption, swiftly pulling off her sunglasses and heading towards her office. Her brisk pace keeping her sane as she noticed her employees scattering about their desks and offices to become presentable again now that she was back in the office again.
It wasn’t until she passed Nigel’s office that she stopped. Usually never one to eavesdrop, she found herself unable to put one foot in front of the other. How strange. So she waited, captivated by the mystery of the conversation, taking place in the office besides her.
“Do you really think we should?” Miranda heard Emily ask and waited.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea.” There was no mistaking Serena’s voice.
“I’ve called her friend…Lily was it? It’s just the thing to cheer her up.” Lily? The name was unfamiliar. Without a last name there was nothing Miranda could very well do to help identify the woman her makeup artist, art director, and former first assistant were talking about. “She’s telling her parents today, so I’m sure they’d like to be involved. It’s better we start now. After all we’ll never know what might come up in the next few months that’ll leave us unable to.”
“I cannot believe we’re actually planning a baby shower.” Emily said shaking her head.
Miranda’s ears perked up and her mouth set into a firm line, as she swiftly moved along the wall and continued to listen. Anyone who saw her would wonder whether or not she’d finally lost her mind, but would remain quiet for fear of her wrath. They would all remain quiet as she listened in.
“Well why not? You planned most of the parties for Runway, you’re the best candidate.” Serena said smiling, happy to have been included in the planning process. Though she wondered how Andy expected her good news…not to be passed around the office with the two biggest gossip hags holding the information.
“I am not planning this all on my own!” Emily exclaimed. “I may, on occasion, like Andy a great deal, but I am not going to be handed all the responsibility of….”
Andy…Miranda thought about the name…Andy…Miranda’s eyes widened…
Andrea…
Miranda gasped and shook her head. It was impossible. It was just a coincidence! What did this conversation have to do with her anyhow? There was no way! It couldn’t!
“Couldn’t it?” Miranda started and turned to face a breathtakingly beautiful woman beside her. She was smiling and Miranda felt a familiar shiver run through her, she just couldn’t place it.
“Who are you?” The question must have been asked loudly, because the conversation in Nigel’s office ceased.
The woman smiled brightly at Miranda and lifted up the paper Miranda was sure she had shredded!
“How’d you get that?!” If Miranda’s voice broke she didn’t notice as she stared numbly at the piece of paper being held in front of her.
The woman’s smile widened and Miranda wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shivering. “I’m here for my three o’clock appointment with you.”
“Who are you?” Miranda asked again, darkly. She was Miranda Priestly. Miranda Priestly did not repeat herself, to anyone.
The woman’s smile never faltered as she met Miranda’s eyes. “I’m here to talk to you about your situation.”
“I’m in a situation.” Her voice was low as she eyed the woman before her, but try as she might she couldn’t find a single flaw with the woman.
“An uncommon situation for mortals, but a situation nonetheless.” The use of the word mortals, made Miranda’s blood run cold and her face pale. “Now, don’t you think it’d be best to have this conversation in your office?”
Miranda wanted to tell her how it would be best if security dragged her out of the building and placed her in a mental institution. The only thing that kept her from saying so was the parchment in the woman’s hand, the one she knew she shredded, twice. It was the only thing that made her hold her tongue.
“Follow me.” She brushed past the woman her brisk pace once again picked up as she strode to her office door. The woman hot on her heels. “Close the doors.” Miranda spat, and noticed that she still had her bag and coat. She growled deep in her throat and threw the items onto the side table in her own office before she rounded on the woman.
“Who do you think you are? You and your-your kind need to stay as far away from me as possible. You’ve never done me any good. Love has only ever brought me my girls and heartache.”
The ‘woman’ nodded her head, her arms crossed lightly across her chest as she leaned back on the office doors. She wasn’t fazed by Miranda’s rage, which only heightened it. Miranda tried to open her mouth to say something but found in her fury she could only sputter. Miranda’s inability to form words angering her further. The woman only stared at her and waited. Her eyes, Miranda noticed for the first time, were two different colors. One blue, one green.
“Who are you?” Miranda whispered finally.
“I’m Voluptas, daughter of Eros and Psych.”
Miranda eyed the young woman for a longer period of time before falling into her chair, deflated and beyond approach as she stared at the woman-goddess before her. It was impossible. All of it was just scientifically impossible. She was dreaming. This was some kind of nightmare. She’d wake up to find herself in bed shivering at the prospect of what could have been.
Voluptas continued. “I’m here because you’ve been granted a gift.”
“I don’t want it.” Miranda stated firmly, finally finding words to express herself. “You mustn’t give it to me.” Only then catching onto Voluptas’ past tense. “Take it back!” Her heart began racing as she looked at the figure in front of her then down at her own stomach. This was impossible!
Voluptas sighed. “I can’t do that.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You have the power to give it to me you must have the power to take it back! So…don’t dawdle, take it back!”
“I haven’t given it to you.”
“Make up your mind. You either have given me the gift or you haven’t.” No answer. “Which is it?”
“I haven’t given it to you-”
“Good. Then you may leav…”
“-But I have granted it to you.”
Miranda leaned her head against her hand, massaging her temples as she held her eyes closed. She had deadlines to make; photo shoots to keep tabs on, graphics to go over, layouts to plan, designers to talk to, people to see, things to do, what she didn’t have time for were games. Games being created by immortal beings that find it humorous to play with mere mortals like herself. Mere, never an adjective Miranda thought she’d use to describe herself.
“I haven’t the time for games. I’m a very busy woman as you should know.” Miranda looked up at Voluptas through her hairline. “What have you done?”
“As was promised to you by my mother and father over a thousand years ago you’ve been granted a child. A child which was conceived through pure love, true love, everlasting love, like the love of my mother and father.”
“I don’t have the time for fairytales. Tell me what I need to know so I may deal with this properly.” What was she going to tell the girls? She hadn’t even begun to broach the subject of this impractical and spectacularly unbelievable gift granted to them because of their great-great-great…something grandmother. All because their said great-great-great-something grandmother helped hide the then mortal Psyche from a jealous Aphrodite while she was pregnant with Eros…or better known as Cupid-‘s child.
Voluptas seemed to wither at Miranda’s statement, which made Miranda begin to bloom. Voluptas glared at Miranda, her hands moving away from her chest to form fists at her sides. Her stare becoming hard as her entire form seemed to be emitting a burning heat.
Miranda smiled, they were beginning to move into territory she could handle. This woman didn’t like her. Didn’t want to be here, like many of her employees. Though, it seemed she was stuck here and found it a fate worse then the fate Miranda considered her new one to be.
“You don’t think I deserve the gift.” Which would have been fine, if the woman hadn’t angered her so.
“I do-it doesn’t matter what I think. I was sent here to grant you the gift, whether or not I think you deserve it or not does not apply. My mother and father made a promise to your ancestor centuries ago, and I’ve come to make sure their promise is kept. For if it had not been for your ancestor I would not be here, alive today.” Miranda found that tidbit of information interesting. It wasn’t apart of the tale she had been told since she was a child.
“I find you deplorable and unworthy, but for all your unworthiness your soul mate is worthy, deserving, kind, and a soul that should never be linked to yours.” Miranda fumed as she stood from her chair, bent over it slightly as she eyed the woman in front of her darkly. “Yet it is, for what reasons I have not the answers. All I know is they are going to need your love and support through this trying time, and answers you alone can give them.” Voluptas smiled as she turned her back on Miranda. “After all, she’s very scared right now. As she should be, for after all.” Voluptas began to laugh. “She’s suddenly pregnant after not sleeping with a man in months.”
Miranda’s mouth dropped open at the mention of ‘she’, her soul mate was a woman. With widening eyes Miranda watched as Voluptas disappeared right in front of her eyes. With a deep breath and a heavy heart Miranda fell into her chair. She wasn’t pregnant. Thank all the heavens above.
Someone else was pregnant with her child.
A woman!
A woman was pregnant with her child.
A woman was her soul mate.
For the life of her she couldn’t help but laugh at the knowledge. An infectious laugh, or it would have been if anyone besides her and her four walls could hear it began. Her true love was a woman and…and for the first time in a long time she felt her heart swell with love for someone other then Cassidy or Caroline. This woman loved her so deeply that their souls had been intertwined.
She was carrying her child!
She had kept their child even though she would have had no idea how she had become pregnant.
Miranda stood up and walked to her office doors with purpose. Threw them open and glared at her lowly second assistant-what was her name?-before barking her order.
“Get me all the information you can find on the Roman Goddess Voluptas.”
“Roman Goddess-” The woman actually began to ask.
“Bore Emily with your questions.” She turned and walked back into her office. No need to waste any more time on such trivial things. “Oh, and get me…” Miranda sighed; it had been a long time since she’d asked anyone to dial this number. “Beth.” Prechnick. Her mother. It was time her mother retold her that bedtime story again, it seemed it was long overdue.
“Beth…” The incompetent second assistant mouthed.
“That’s all.”
That certainly wasn’t all, but for now it’d have to be.
TBC…in Part 3
Author: inlove_n_inhate
Plot: A blessing from Ancient Greece meets modern day science and when stuff like that happens there's bound to be an explosion of massive proportions. Especially when Miranda Priestly is involved.
Disclaimer: Let’s face it if I owned them the subtext would have been the text!
Author’s Note: Huge piles of thanks to Mirandyscrow for the prompt. Thanks to all those that have read and reviewed so far! I always appreciate hearing what you all think and how I’m doing so far. (smirk)
Thanks to yessir for beta reading the first part of this chapter for me a LONG time ago. All other mistakes are mine.
The banner for this story can be found here. It was made by radak and it is beautiful!
Introduction
Part 1
You guys wanted Miranda's reaction...just click the cut and you'll get it. (wink)
Part 2
‘Daughter of Eros and Psyche’
---------March 10, 2007---------
A figure stepped from the shadows of a barely lit room and watched from their corner as a cab pulled to the curb. From this high vantage point, if the person had been human, they’d be unable to tell who stepped forth from the small yellow cab. Being that they weren’t human they watched as a bald middle-aged man stepped from the cab with a red-haired young woman, both smiling as they waved one last time to the cab’s remaining occupant.
The figure smiled.
The woman in the room with the figure shivered and turned in the figure’s direction; looked directly at the figure and saw nothing. The figure’s smile widened and the woman shivered once again. The papers on the woman’s desk fluttering as the figure cast a small wind through the room.
The mortal woman grabbed at the papers, but one slipped from the desk. It sailed through the air. She tried to grasp it before it fell to the floor. Alas, it escaped her and slipped under her desk. The woman let out an agitated and impatient sigh, her lips pursed as she stared at the paper. Her silver hair shinning as the moonlight bathed the room with the glow that cast the same shadows in which the figure hid. The silver haired woman’s eyes darkened before she pushed her chair back and bent over to pick the offending piece of paper up from the floor.
The figure smiled and cast another large wind to pass through the room. The doors shook at the force of the wind before slamming closed. The resounding slam of the glass doors brought the woman bent under her desk up off the floor. Her head slammed up against her desk, and she slowly wheeled herself out from under it, her hand grasping the edge of the desk, the paper now crumpled in that grip, as the other sat atop her head. Her mouth formed silent profanities that didn’t pass from her lips. They rarely did.
The creature wondered why this female was being given a gift other humans longed for. This woman felt no desire for the gift she was receiving. She hardly felt much at all, other than annoyance for almost every other human being. The only love the figure knew the woman to posses was for her twin daughters. There was a small love held for her mother, and a deep buried love for a man that had passed on years before. Yet, he had not been her true love.
Perhaps that is why she refused to accept this gift. She had wanted the deceased human male to be her true love. Had desired more than anything for him to be the one to spend eternity with. It was not meant to be. He was destined to die and be separated from her. His soul not mated with hers. So, she refused to believe in the gift, that was hers and now her daughters. She rejected the gift, had for years and continued to, even now when it had already been granted to her.
Not that her body would have allowed her to accept the gift herself. Perhaps that is another reason she does not believe in what the figure was here to reveal to her. She had already graced this woman with her gift, another child through her true love. As was promised to her, centuries before she had even been born by the creature’s own matriarch.
The mortal hissed in pain as she pressed her hand down against the top of her head. She mumbled under her breath as she rubbed the forming bump and glared at the glass doors before her, as if they might cower before her look.
It-the creature-smiled again, this time at the human female’s curiosity and pain. The mortal shivered again and turned to stare in her general direction again, still seeing no one. It moved around the room, eyeing the silver-haired corporeal being before it.
The woman stared at the closed doors of her office before looking around the ‘empty’ room. She saw nothing, but her back was tense, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at attention and her heart raced. Someone was here with her. She could feel them.
The figure bathed in the woman’s knowledge of her presence. It was almost impressed by the woman’s ability to sense her. Almost.
There was another swift shift in the air of the room, causing the papers on the female’s desk to shutter and fly again. The woman doing all she could to grasp at the papers as they flew up from her desk lest she need to retrieve them from the floor, again.
The figure turned to the side of the room and noticed a familiar form in the shadows. The woman would be unable to see the new figure, as she was unable to see this figure. The first figure frowned at the seconds’ presence. The second figure began to speak in their native tongue. It sighed and looked down at its feet like a petulant child who’d just been scolded would.
“Tell her. Tell her now.” Was what it came down to, and the figure bit the inside of their lip. This female editor knew, in a way at least, she knew something had happened, she could feel it. She just couldn’t understand what she was feeling. Showing her directly would be crossing a line that would lead the first figure into more trouble than it was worth. So, it’d have to find another way to tell the annoying woman, without actually telling her everything.
This editor of a fashion magazine-this descendant of the peasant woman was difficult. Far more difficult than any of her ancestors had been but the second figure had blessed all of those who came from the Originally blessed, and held to it’s promise. They all received the gift, even if those that were blessed after the Original were not always as deserving as the ones that had come before.
Both figures eyed the woman and the second figure was struck with the knowledge of how similar this woman was to the Original. The second figure took a step back, the shadows encasing it. It looked away from the woman and waited a moment before turning to the first figure. “Tell her.” It said in its own tongue before disappearing. Leaving the first figure on it’s own.
The first and only figure remaining eyed the woman at the desk before waving its hand once again. The papers on the woman’s desk flew everywhere before all landing back on the desk once again.
The woman now five feet away from her desk quickly darted her head left then right, attempting to find what it was that was causing this breeze. There were no windows open on this floor. The door to the outer offices was closed. It was impossible! Where was it coming from?
The envelope that was supposed to be seen by the woman was now lying atop the mess of a once organized desktop.
The woman eyed an envelope atop the now immobile pile tiredly before picking it up and opening it. The paper was more like a parchment, and she unrolled the scroll looking paper, eyed what was written before dropping it. The woman jumped and nearly fell as she pushed against the chair, desperately trying to get away from the offending paper.
“No…” was all she said as her eyes remained riveted on the parchment that remained off the ground, floating back up to her desk, to rest comfortably where it was easiest to be seen.
The figure smiled.
The woman shivered and then the figure was gone and all the woman could whisper was, “No…”
-----March 11, 2007------
Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Elias-Clarke’s cash cow magazine Runway, was scared. So scared in fact that she had told her new Emily-what was her name again?-to reschedule a meeting with Donatella and make her a doctors appointment. There was never being too careful, not when divine forces that should no longer exist were playing games with one’s life.
Miranda stepped from her town car in all her esteemed glory, as if nothing were wrong, yet inside she was shaking. It wasn’t right. Not now, not at her age, not when she had no idea whom it was that had fallen in love with her. Who it was that was her true love, her soul mate, words that were as dirty to her as the filthiest curses known to man in every language. To others, such as her own mother, this was a blessing. To her it was nothing but a nuisance. The fact that someone had the nerve to fall in love with her made her want to yell and question the persons’ sanity. They were, whomever it was, was unknowingly going to cause her a great deal of problems. Especially if the blessing, or in this case, curse-for her at least-held true. She was far to…she could not be having a child now! Two twin preteens were quiet enough.
How dare someone fall in love with her! How dare they do such a thing and have the audacity to keep it quiet. Not that she would or could blame them she wasn’t normally described as being…approachable. Ha, it was laughable, or it would have been had it been anyone other than her true love. Ugh…she would need to wash her mouth out with soap the moment she said it out loud. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach.
At her age! Deities help her!
Miranda walked through the throngs of people, who parted before her. Her doctor had informed her that everything was fine, that she could see. She’d taken a blood sample and had nearly gasped when Miranda asked her to run a pregnancy test. Of course her doctor had wanted to ask many questions after her request, but informed her she would run the tests nonetheless. Now, after sitting at lunch with Donatella unable to concentrate, Miranda was in a foul mood. Fouler than she had been before leaving for her appointment and she hadn’t even been given the results yet.
As she stepped into an elevator that was vacated by all others, she wondered how she was going to go about finding this man. There had been several functions she’d attended in the last four months, had been countless meetings and even she was uneasy about asking her assistant to make a list of all the men she’d encountered in the last four months. Miranda held her eyes closed, her sunglasses still firmly in place as she waited for the metal death trap to bring her to her office. The doors opened and Miranda stepped from the metal contraption, swiftly pulling off her sunglasses and heading towards her office. Her brisk pace keeping her sane as she noticed her employees scattering about their desks and offices to become presentable again now that she was back in the office again.
It wasn’t until she passed Nigel’s office that she stopped. Usually never one to eavesdrop, she found herself unable to put one foot in front of the other. How strange. So she waited, captivated by the mystery of the conversation, taking place in the office besides her.
“Do you really think we should?” Miranda heard Emily ask and waited.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea.” There was no mistaking Serena’s voice.
“I’ve called her friend…Lily was it? It’s just the thing to cheer her up.” Lily? The name was unfamiliar. Without a last name there was nothing Miranda could very well do to help identify the woman her makeup artist, art director, and former first assistant were talking about. “She’s telling her parents today, so I’m sure they’d like to be involved. It’s better we start now. After all we’ll never know what might come up in the next few months that’ll leave us unable to.”
“I cannot believe we’re actually planning a baby shower.” Emily said shaking her head.
Miranda’s ears perked up and her mouth set into a firm line, as she swiftly moved along the wall and continued to listen. Anyone who saw her would wonder whether or not she’d finally lost her mind, but would remain quiet for fear of her wrath. They would all remain quiet as she listened in.
“Well why not? You planned most of the parties for Runway, you’re the best candidate.” Serena said smiling, happy to have been included in the planning process. Though she wondered how Andy expected her good news…not to be passed around the office with the two biggest gossip hags holding the information.
“I am not planning this all on my own!” Emily exclaimed. “I may, on occasion, like Andy a great deal, but I am not going to be handed all the responsibility of….”
Andy…Miranda thought about the name…Andy…Miranda’s eyes widened…
Andrea…
Miranda gasped and shook her head. It was impossible. It was just a coincidence! What did this conversation have to do with her anyhow? There was no way! It couldn’t!
“Couldn’t it?” Miranda started and turned to face a breathtakingly beautiful woman beside her. She was smiling and Miranda felt a familiar shiver run through her, she just couldn’t place it.
“Who are you?” The question must have been asked loudly, because the conversation in Nigel’s office ceased.
The woman smiled brightly at Miranda and lifted up the paper Miranda was sure she had shredded!
“How’d you get that?!” If Miranda’s voice broke she didn’t notice as she stared numbly at the piece of paper being held in front of her.
The woman’s smile widened and Miranda wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shivering. “I’m here for my three o’clock appointment with you.”
“Who are you?” Miranda asked again, darkly. She was Miranda Priestly. Miranda Priestly did not repeat herself, to anyone.
The woman’s smile never faltered as she met Miranda’s eyes. “I’m here to talk to you about your situation.”
“I’m in a situation.” Her voice was low as she eyed the woman before her, but try as she might she couldn’t find a single flaw with the woman.
“An uncommon situation for mortals, but a situation nonetheless.” The use of the word mortals, made Miranda’s blood run cold and her face pale. “Now, don’t you think it’d be best to have this conversation in your office?”
Miranda wanted to tell her how it would be best if security dragged her out of the building and placed her in a mental institution. The only thing that kept her from saying so was the parchment in the woman’s hand, the one she knew she shredded, twice. It was the only thing that made her hold her tongue.
“Follow me.” She brushed past the woman her brisk pace once again picked up as she strode to her office door. The woman hot on her heels. “Close the doors.” Miranda spat, and noticed that she still had her bag and coat. She growled deep in her throat and threw the items onto the side table in her own office before she rounded on the woman.
“Who do you think you are? You and your-your kind need to stay as far away from me as possible. You’ve never done me any good. Love has only ever brought me my girls and heartache.”
The ‘woman’ nodded her head, her arms crossed lightly across her chest as she leaned back on the office doors. She wasn’t fazed by Miranda’s rage, which only heightened it. Miranda tried to open her mouth to say something but found in her fury she could only sputter. Miranda’s inability to form words angering her further. The woman only stared at her and waited. Her eyes, Miranda noticed for the first time, were two different colors. One blue, one green.
“Who are you?” Miranda whispered finally.
“I’m Voluptas, daughter of Eros and Psych.”
Miranda eyed the young woman for a longer period of time before falling into her chair, deflated and beyond approach as she stared at the woman-goddess before her. It was impossible. All of it was just scientifically impossible. She was dreaming. This was some kind of nightmare. She’d wake up to find herself in bed shivering at the prospect of what could have been.
Voluptas continued. “I’m here because you’ve been granted a gift.”
“I don’t want it.” Miranda stated firmly, finally finding words to express herself. “You mustn’t give it to me.” Only then catching onto Voluptas’ past tense. “Take it back!” Her heart began racing as she looked at the figure in front of her then down at her own stomach. This was impossible!
Voluptas sighed. “I can’t do that.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You have the power to give it to me you must have the power to take it back! So…don’t dawdle, take it back!”
“I haven’t given it to you.”
“Make up your mind. You either have given me the gift or you haven’t.” No answer. “Which is it?”
“I haven’t given it to you-”
“Good. Then you may leav…”
“-But I have granted it to you.”
Miranda leaned her head against her hand, massaging her temples as she held her eyes closed. She had deadlines to make; photo shoots to keep tabs on, graphics to go over, layouts to plan, designers to talk to, people to see, things to do, what she didn’t have time for were games. Games being created by immortal beings that find it humorous to play with mere mortals like herself. Mere, never an adjective Miranda thought she’d use to describe herself.
“I haven’t the time for games. I’m a very busy woman as you should know.” Miranda looked up at Voluptas through her hairline. “What have you done?”
“As was promised to you by my mother and father over a thousand years ago you’ve been granted a child. A child which was conceived through pure love, true love, everlasting love, like the love of my mother and father.”
“I don’t have the time for fairytales. Tell me what I need to know so I may deal with this properly.” What was she going to tell the girls? She hadn’t even begun to broach the subject of this impractical and spectacularly unbelievable gift granted to them because of their great-great-great…something grandmother. All because their said great-great-great-something grandmother helped hide the then mortal Psyche from a jealous Aphrodite while she was pregnant with Eros…or better known as Cupid-‘s child.
Voluptas seemed to wither at Miranda’s statement, which made Miranda begin to bloom. Voluptas glared at Miranda, her hands moving away from her chest to form fists at her sides. Her stare becoming hard as her entire form seemed to be emitting a burning heat.
Miranda smiled, they were beginning to move into territory she could handle. This woman didn’t like her. Didn’t want to be here, like many of her employees. Though, it seemed she was stuck here and found it a fate worse then the fate Miranda considered her new one to be.
“You don’t think I deserve the gift.” Which would have been fine, if the woman hadn’t angered her so.
“I do-it doesn’t matter what I think. I was sent here to grant you the gift, whether or not I think you deserve it or not does not apply. My mother and father made a promise to your ancestor centuries ago, and I’ve come to make sure their promise is kept. For if it had not been for your ancestor I would not be here, alive today.” Miranda found that tidbit of information interesting. It wasn’t apart of the tale she had been told since she was a child.
“I find you deplorable and unworthy, but for all your unworthiness your soul mate is worthy, deserving, kind, and a soul that should never be linked to yours.” Miranda fumed as she stood from her chair, bent over it slightly as she eyed the woman in front of her darkly. “Yet it is, for what reasons I have not the answers. All I know is they are going to need your love and support through this trying time, and answers you alone can give them.” Voluptas smiled as she turned her back on Miranda. “After all, she’s very scared right now. As she should be, for after all.” Voluptas began to laugh. “She’s suddenly pregnant after not sleeping with a man in months.”
Miranda’s mouth dropped open at the mention of ‘she’, her soul mate was a woman. With widening eyes Miranda watched as Voluptas disappeared right in front of her eyes. With a deep breath and a heavy heart Miranda fell into her chair. She wasn’t pregnant. Thank all the heavens above.
Someone else was pregnant with her child.
A woman!
A woman was pregnant with her child.
A woman was her soul mate.
For the life of her she couldn’t help but laugh at the knowledge. An infectious laugh, or it would have been if anyone besides her and her four walls could hear it began. Her true love was a woman and…and for the first time in a long time she felt her heart swell with love for someone other then Cassidy or Caroline. This woman loved her so deeply that their souls had been intertwined.
She was carrying her child!
She had kept their child even though she would have had no idea how she had become pregnant.
Miranda stood up and walked to her office doors with purpose. Threw them open and glared at her lowly second assistant-what was her name?-before barking her order.
“Get me all the information you can find on the Roman Goddess Voluptas.”
“Roman Goddess-” The woman actually began to ask.
“Bore Emily with your questions.” She turned and walked back into her office. No need to waste any more time on such trivial things. “Oh, and get me…” Miranda sighed; it had been a long time since she’d asked anyone to dial this number. “Beth.” Prechnick. Her mother. It was time her mother retold her that bedtime story again, it seemed it was long overdue.
“Beth…” The incompetent second assistant mouthed.
“That’s all.”
That certainly wasn’t all, but for now it’d have to be.
TBC…in Part 3