Page 10 of Cupid’s Flight

The next two hours were some of the best of Leo’s life. Hei’s joy as he took his first sip of red wine, and his amazement that he could dip a piece of bread in the spiced oil the server also delivered with their drinks was infectious. Bickering over red versus white sauce, and whether adding coffee to cocoa and cream made tiramisu a dessert or a meal on its own, topped off the evening.

Leo only noticed how late it had gotten because the check had a timestamp across the top that told him it was already seven thirty.

“We’ve got to hurry,” Leo said as he pulled out his credit card and waved down the waiter to take it. “The pharmacy just closed. If we want to see them leaving, we’ve got to get over there now.”

“Do you think maybe they’ve already left?” Hei asked.

“I think they probably work till eight, and the last half hour is cleanup and inventory to get the place ready for the morning shift, but just in case they finish early, we should be waiting in the parking lot.”

Thankfully, the waiter returned quickly. Leo put his card away, added a tip, and signed the slip. He and Hei left the restaurant and hurried to the car. The drive back to the store was faster since rush hour had ended. Only the pharmacy portion of the store was closed—the rest was open and had customers—so Leo parked the car between two others in the lot where they could watch from at least some concealment.

“I want to run inside and see if they’re still there,” Hei said after a few minutes of sitting where only customers went in and out of the store. “No sense in sitting here all night if they’re already gone.”

“I think pharmacies usually just have a roll-down partition when they’re closed, so you should be able to see if anyone is still there through the bars.”

Hei nodded and climbed out of the car. “I’ll be right back.”

He left. Leo got out of the car too but stayed by the door as Hei headed inside. He wanted to be able to hear if Hei called out to him, but there was no sense in both of them going to look.

Hei returned within a minute, but he was walking quickly. He peeled off to the right as soon as he was out of the doors as if he needed to get out of the way. A moment later Leo saw why. Both subjects were leaving the store together and were only a few steps behind Hei. The automatic door didn’t even fully close before they were outside too.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Hector,” subject one said, her smile tentative and shy, but growing as subject two nodded emphatically.

“Definitely! Have a great night,” he replied. They stood there awkwardly for another moment, as if neither wanted to actually leave, before subject one let out a breath and turned away. She headed to the right, toward where Hei was trying to be inconspicuous, while subject two went straight, toward where Leo was standing.

A loud screech sounded, ear-grating, metal rending metal. Headlights flashed and bounced, and then a car ripped through the hedge separating the parking lot from the main road. The car careened, bumping off one of the parked cars, then headed directly toward subject one, who was standing in the open, watching the car heading her way, like a deer caught in the headlights.

Everything was happening too quickly. Leo had time to suck in a breath to yell...something, he wasn’t certain what, but never got the chance. Hei dashed into view and dove, shoving subject one out of the way, and then the car flashed past and slammed into the fence on the far side of the lot where it finally came to a stop.

“May!” subject two screamed, running over.

Leo’s feet moved before rational thought caught up with him. Neither Hei nor subject one had gotten up from where they were sprawled on the pavement. Leo’s knees hit the ground next to Hei, and his fingers shook as he reached out. “Hei?” he said, his voice broken. Hei lay on his side, curled into a ball. He was breathing but otherwise not moving.

“Ow,” Hei replied and the breath Leo didn’t know he had been holding whooshed out of him. Hei uncurled but didn’t sit up.

“Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”

“No,” Hei said, slowly sitting up with Leo’s help to steady him. “My head is fine. I think it’s just my arm.” He was cradling his left arm against his body, a visible bump on his forearm from where the broken bone was pressing upward. “What about—” He turned to look to where their subjects were.

Subject two was gently helping subject one to stand, his arms around her protectively. A crushed plastic pumpkin sat forlornly at her feet, black tire tracks smushing the grinning face flat. People who had heard the crash had come out of the store. One was over by the car, yelling something to another person who had a phone up to her ear.

The subjects walked over to them. “Thank you so much!” subject one gushed. “You saved my life! Are you okay?” she added, gasping when she saw the telltale bump on Hei’s arm. “The ambulance is coming.”

Hei’s good hand closed around Leo’s forearm. “I can’t,” he hissed.

Leo nodded but spoke to their subjects. “The ambulance should focus on the driver of the car, I think. It’ll be faster if I drive him to the emergency room myself, anyway. Can you help me get him up and over to my car?”

“Of course!” subject two said. He let subject one go and went to Hei’s other side. With his help, Leo was able to get Hei to his feet and over to the car.

“Are you okay?” Hei asked subject one while he waited for Leo to open the car door. She was hovering over him with her hands outheld in case her help was needed.

“Oh, yes. A couple of scrapes and bruises, but otherwise I’m fine, thanks to you. It’s you I’m worried about right now!”

“I’ve got all the help I need right here,” Hei said as Leo stepped close to help Hei balance as he carefully climbed into the car. “It looks like you’ve got a good one too,” he added with a pointed look at subject two.

Her cheeks went red, but she nodded slowly. “I’m realizing that. I hope you’re better soon. We both work here, so please stop by and let us know how you’re doing.”

Hei nodded, but Leo closed the door so they couldn’t speak any longer.