It's all Cupid's fault (The Holidaze Book 2)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29
Five months later
Mia's satisfaction oozed off her as she beamed at the room surrounding her. It had taken a lot of planning and magic, but she finally had her dream wedding all mapped out.
The alcoves, where she stood, looked even more romantic with the way she had decorated them. A long aisle where she would walk had deep red rose petals strewn along the walkway. Fairy lights twinkled from the top of the alcoves creating a whimsical air. The few chairs for where her guests would sit had delicate organza tied in large bows with vines of jasmine twining around them. She loved how it looked and couldn’t hold back her happy smile.
Cupid hadn't said much about the whole thing. He tended to walk in, smile at her in an amused but fond manner, and then he walked back out.
Mia hadn't had the chance to ask him about it. Between her wedding planning and the upcoming season rushing towards them, she hadn't had the opportunity.
Mia was about to experience her first Valentine's Day as the Goddess of Love. Meri had tried to tell that it wouldn't be as bad as she thought, but it didn't soothe Mia.
As the day grew closer, the cherub’s excitement threatened to burst from them. That only made Mia's anxiety grow. How was she going to manage to do her job as the Goddess of Love on the biggest day of love in the year, and manage to marry Cupid on the same day?
She had thought it the most brilliant of plans when she first had the idea. How romantic would it be to have the God and Goddess of Love marry each other on Valentine's Day?
Cupid had warned her against it, but nothing could outdo Mia's tenacity. She was the Goddess of Love, and she would have her way.
Now she regretted not listening. Sure, she never grew tired with the power of a goddess behind her, but she felt a weariness in her soul as she tried to have everything organised.
“Are you ready? The auspicious day has arrived, and we've got thousands of matches to make,” Cupid inquired as he came up behind her.
“At least we have them all chosen, and we just have to stab them all with arrows. ” Mia said and then grimaced. “That sounded terrible.”
Cupid chuckled and gathered her in his arms, “but your words are correct, we are going to shoot a lot of arrows at the human world today.”
“Let's get started so we can come back and do the ceremony.” Mia grinned.
“That sounds like a delightful use of our time. Let's do that. Before we leave do you have everything ready here?” Cupid waved a hand around the alcoves.
“I have everything organised. Meri will bring Santa along as our celebrant because he normally does all of the key to your heart ceremonies in Santa's Village. The moment we arrive back from the human dimension is when we'll finally have our wedding.”
“And you finally have the wedding you've always dreamed of. I mean that literally too because there's no way you could have most of this stuff if you weren't a goddess with magic,” he teased.
“I'm aware of that and also very grateful. This is like all of the weddings I've ever planned but on a much grander scale. I love it that way too. Nobody has ever had a more unique wedding than mine,” Mia said proudly.
“You have a unicorn walking you down the aisle, so I can only agree with that.”
“I no longer have a father, so I needed to have someone special walk me down the aisle,” she huffed.
“I'm not saying anything against your plans.”
Cupid raised his hands before placing one on her back and steering her out of the lavish area she had set up. They needed to get to work because this was their day of the year.
With the many quivers of arrows at the ready and practically filling every space in the cottage, Mia knew she'd have to put wedding ideas aside for the moment. All of the cherubs stood at attention ready for any order the love gods might need to give them.
“This would be so much easier and take less time if we took half each,” Mia said as she stared at the load of work in front of her.
“You know it's not as potent unless we both use an arrow on each couple,” Cupid replied.
“I know, I was only making a point,” she said as she grabbed the first quiver of arrows. “let's see the list.”
A prompt cherub came forward with names neatly written on sheets of paper. Another cherub followed and then another until a line of cherubs faced her. Each of them held a clipboard with all of the destined matches for the day.
“Are we ready?” Cupid asked, not only Mia but also the cherubs. Nods and smiles surrounded him. “Then let Valentine's Day begin,” Cupid declared.
A gong sounded that Mia hadn't expected, and she jolted in place. One glance at Cupid told her not to worry as he slung his bow and arrows over his shoulder. He held out his hand to her, which she clasped. they both checked the list and then disappeared with three flaps of feathery wings.
By the time the last quiver of arrows sat empty, Mia found herself wanting a nap. She wasn't tired, but the emotional toll of seeing such joy on couples faces at finding their match drained her as much as it exhilarated her.
“Now it's our turn,” Cupid told her as he placed his empty quiver in its place.
“Yes, it most surely is,” Mia grinned up at him as she pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for letting me have my dream wedding on the most important and busiest day of our calendar.”
“It works for me because then I won't forget our anniversary,” he grinned cheekily, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Go get all dapper in your tux and you can wait for me to walk down the aisle to you.”
“Will do,” he leaned in for the briefest of kisses. “Go and put on that dream dress of yours, Caramia, it's time for the wedding you've always wanted,” he gave her another quick kiss before leaving the cottage.
For a moment, Mia stood there in the cottage that was now her home. She was about to marry Cupid God of Love. This would be the wedding of the century that nobody really knew about. She had a pang in her heart knowing that her human world didn't exist for her anymore. Her parents wouldn't know, let alone care, that she was about to marry Cupid.
A sigh escaped her before she righted herself. She had to snap out of this funk because she would now get to experience the happiest day of her life.
“Mia, are you in here?” Meri called out.
“I'm on my way,” Mia said as she walked to the front door.
This was the start of the rest of her life, or maybe the completion of something that should have always been. Whichever way she looked at it, she wanted the rest of this day to be one of the happiest in her life.
“C’mon, Mia, hurry up, I've got a surprise for you on this special day of yours,” Meri grinned and hooked an arm through her friends to pull her along.
“Have you got everything organised like I asked?” Mia looked at her friend.
“I've got the Imag-o-Toy on my side. Free wishes to get whatever you needed. Don't worry, girl, it's sorted,” Meri assured her.
“How crazy am I to have my wedding on our biggest day of the year?” Mia shook her head at her own silliness.
“Crazy, but it is you and I expect nothing more from my best friend. Now let me show you the surprise before we get you into your dress and magically do your hair and makeup.”
“Okay, I'm ready for my surprise.”
“Close your eyes, and you need to know that you can say anything you want.”
Before Mia could ask what she meant, Meri put her hands over Mia's eyes. A giggle escaped Mia at her friend's determination, she knew that Mia would peak.
“Oh, my dear girl, it's so good to see you,”
Mia heard the voice and froze. It couldn't be who she thought it was, surely. Mia opened her eyes at the same time that Meri lifted her hands away.
Mia stared at the two people in front of her in disbelief. Her parents stood there smiling back at her. With her eyes wide, Mia rubbed at them, not trusting in her own eyesight. This couldn't be happening.
“Mum? Dad?” Mia whispered.
“Of course, it's us, darling,” her mum replied with a happy smile.
“This can’t… there's no way when they belong to the new family,” Mia looked at her friend with bewildered hope.
“They’re an Imag-o-Toy wish. Yes, they really are your parents. You can tell them anything you want because they'll remember this as a vague dream. I asked that they remember everything about you, not just the new family they have,” Meri explained.
“Thank you. This is the best surprise, and I don't think anything could top it today,” Mia said as she squeezed her friend into a hug.
“I thought you might prefer your dad walking you down the aisle to a unicorn.”
“You know me too well,” Mia whispered before turning to her parents. “Hi, would you like to meet Cupid?”
“We sure would. I'm surprised you didn't introduce him earlier to us. We didn't even know today was your wedding day until Meri came and told us,” her mom huffed.
“Sorry, Mum, it was all a bit unexpected.”
She paused to look at the two humans who had brought her into their lives, which she had always truly believed was all for Meri. Now she knew differently. As the Goddess of Love, she knew love and it stood out on her parents faces when they looked at her.
“It's so good to see you,” Mia rushed forward and pulled both her parents into a hug.
When they hugged her back, she couldn't keep the tears from falling. She had just found out that her adoptive parents had always loved her and that made her feel complete and thoroughly loved. Mia had been a fool to deny herself love for so long. Now that she found it, she wanted to appreciate it for as long as she had her parents with her.
“Meri said I should check on you,” Cupid's deep voice spoke, and Mia looked away from where her parents surrounded her in warm hugs.
“You can get to meet my parents. Meri used the Imag-o-Toy to bring them here,” Mia pulled away from her parents to tug Cupid closer to them.
“This isn't possible,” Cupid murmured.
“It's only for today, not forever,” Mia whispered. “Let me introduce you.”
Cupid nodded and turned to Mia’s family. He hid his surprise at such an unorthodox meeting and poured on the charm.
“Cupid, this is my dad Theo, and my mum Brenda. They're here to attend our wedding,” Mia couldn't hide her beaming smile.
“It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you like me to escort you to where we will say our vows?” Cupid offered.
“I'm here to walk my little girl down the aisle,” her dad said, and Mia had never felt prouder.
“You should get into your tux, and I'll be along soon,” Mia insisted and Cupid nodded.
Mia wanted a chance to talk to her parents and used her getting ready to do just that. As Meri helped her into her dress, Mia told her parents all about her life here. She mentioned being the Goddess of Love, how she had met Cupid, and her life within the Love Holidaze. Her parents listened with rapt attention, and it amazed her that they believed every word.
“The magic of this place convinces them,” Meri told her as Mia’s hair magically formed the hairstyle she wanted.
“Are we almost ready?” Theo asked and Mia nodded.
“I would like it if you both walked me down the aisle,” Mia said.
Brenda dabbed at her moist eyes, “it would be my honour.”
With the unicorn now her flower girl, the procession headed into the gorgeously decorated alcove area. Meri headed down the aisle looking stunning in her purple dress.
Mia stood there with a parent on either arm, and she looked down that aisle at her future. Cupid smiled back at her with that smile he reserved for her. She smiled and he blew her a kiss.
As she walked down the aisle, the cherubs flew in with every single one of them playing the bridal march on their harps. Mia's heart fit to burst by the time she made it to Cupid.
This was the moment she had always wanted to have in her life and now it was here. This was her happily ever after.