Always In A Million Years

9

Hera McQueen

"Oh my God! If that's not Hera the goddess."

A very familiar shrilling voice was heard as I followed maitre d' inside the Picassa Restaurant and Hotel. I look ahead and saw Alexia and Megan sitting at the corner table. I smiled as I saw Megan making her way towards me. She engulfed me in a tight hug.

"It's so good to see you again Hera. How have you been?" Megan asked while squeezing the life out of me. I hugged her back. "I am doing good." After a moment we pulled back.

"You aged well." I said jokingly. She just looks the same as she was in school. Same blonde length hair on heart shape face, green eyes which compliments the dress she is wearing. She looks terrific as ever. Then my eyes catch something.

"You-Are you?" She nodded and beamed with excitement.

"Congratulation! Megan" I pulled her in another hug.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"25 weeks."

I looked past her and saw Alexia standing in front of the table with Bennett at her side. They are one beautiful couple I have seen.

"Are you both just going to stand there and talk." Lexi hollered.

Meg linked my arm with her and pulled me towards them. "Excuse us, if we get little carried away with the reunion." she said.

Alexia pulled me in a hug, "You look lovely. Lexi."

"Thank you. Hera, I would like you to meet Bennett Kushner, my fiance."

I shook his hand, "It's been a long time since we last met, Hera." Bennett said. He is one good looking man with a tall built and slight lean body with well-groomed and boyish grin compliment his personality.

"It sure has. We were like in high school." I recalled the graduation day when Tyler was graduating, Bennett and Zach were in the same batch. And that's the last time we met until now.

We took our seats and ordered food before falling into nostalgia while recalling school drama and whatnot. Bennett soon after excuse himself to get back to work. I am glad I get to catch up with them. It's the moment of realization of how far we have come.

"So Hera, as you see Megan is almost five months pregnant and she was supposed to be my maid of honor at my wedding. But with the baby, she couldn't give much time to it and it could be a little stressful." Lexi said, she moved her eyes from mine to Megan and back to me. I nodded asking her to continue. She round the table and got on one knee, My eyes widen, before I could ask what she is doing, She continued "Hera, will you do me an honor by being my Maid of honor?" She looked hopeful while putting a blue rectangle box on her palm. I arched my brow at her, bemused.

"Lexi, please stand up. You don't have to do that." I said while pulling her back to her seat.

"Hera, I was already going to ask you to be my bridesmaid but then Megan suggested to ask you for the maid of honor instead and I agreed. I would love to have you as my maid of honor."

"Yes!" I answered, stopping her from rambling further.

"Yes? You would be my Maid of honor?" Alexia got a big smile and puppy eye which is hard to say no to.

I nodded, "Yes, I would love to be your maid of honor." Megan and she pulled me in a tight hug.

"Hera you have no idea how happy we are to hear that. Lexi was scared that you would turn her down." Megan said.

"Here." Lexi pushes the blue box towards me, I looked at it with curiosity. "It is a small gift for my maid of honor. I gave one to Meg too." I unwrap the box and saw a very beautiful diamond bracelet in it.

"Oh! This is beautiful." I gushed, "You don't have to get me one."

"Hush! I wanted to." Lexi said while pulling out the bracelet and placing it on my wrist.

"Now that's settled. You have officially entered Mrs. Kushner's squad. Cheers to it." Meg drank her juice glass where we both took a sip of wine. For another two hours, we discussed the details of the wedding and dresses. Lexi had already hired the wedding planner, so the location and theme were already set. The wedding was in three months from today. I was so exhausted and overwhelmed with all the wedding talk and its not even my wedding. We called it a night when the clock strikes 10. We walked out of the restaurant to the foyer of the hotel.

"I know how tight schedule you are on with the new firm." Lexi said as we came to a halt, "Thank you again for agreeing to be my Maid of Honor."

"She agreed?" A voice asked from behind. We turned and saw Bennett making his way towards us, followed by Zachary and a guy I don't recognize.

"Yes, babe." Lexi bounced with excitement holding my hand. I smiled looking at her contagious excitement. Bennett sigh in relief, "Thank Goodness, at one point I thought she would call off the wedding until Meg doesn't deliver her baby."

"Hey!" Both Lexi and Meg slapped his arm. I chuckled looking at them.

"You must be Hera, I'm Lucus Kinston." The third guy with them said, extending his hand for a shake. I nodded and shook his hand, "Nice to meet you. I have heard a lot about you from Zach."

I glanced at Zach who was glaring at Lucus, "Nice to meet you too, Lucus. I hope all the good things."

"Of course, he wouldn't shut up-"

"It's your time to shut up." Zach cut him off and turned to look at me. He was about to say something when Meg joined in.

"I'm glad we could catch you, boys, here. Clear your schedule for next Saturday, we are going to have a pre-wedding shoot. Be a darling and pass forward it to your friends." Both the men groaned.

"Can't a guy has one weekend to himself." Lucus whined. I inwardly groaned remembering the event coming Sunday.

"Hera, I heard you are coming to my fundraising this weekend." Bennett stated.

"Yes, I just got to know about it today. Climate change is real, I am happy to see influential people such as yourself are working on it." I replied. Climate change is a hot topic, I can't imagine how people could be ignorant of something that is right in front of them. I totally understand how factories, air transportation, and others are now an essential part of global development. But to reduce the effect of it, the simplest action we could take is expanding the green belt.

"Then you would not refuse to be one of the candidates for auction." Lucas said. I looked at him confused. "Auction?"

"Yes, we have decided along with displaying valuable items, there would be a few people who would stand for bidding and the donor would get to spend a day with them." He said with a mischievous look on his face.

"We never decided-" Bennett cut in but stopped when Lucas gave him a look.

"I'm one of the candidates." Lucas informed. "So sweet, you even think someone is going to bid on you." Meg said which made everyone laughed.

One day? It doesn't sound bad unless some creepy person bid the highest.

"Alright. Count me in."

****

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