Hera

I opened the door to find Zale in front of me. He looked disheveled. The man who had always been calm and serene suddenly stood before me, asking for a shoulder to lean on.

I just nodded.

He burrowed his head in my neck as if hiding from the world.

I started patting his back slowly.

His warm breath was erratic, but it became more regular, more serene. I thought that he had calmed down.

The more seconds passed by, the less tense his body became.

I waited. I would wait forever if that is what he needed.

Then, without warning, my shoulder felt wet.

I didn't know what had gotten into me. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

The cool night wind brushed my face. I didn't let him go until he decided that it was okay for him to face the world once again.

He didn't lift his head, but he wrapped his arms around my waist.

His voice quietly vibrated through my neck

"Hera, let me share your sky."

"Zale, we are doing just that."

*******************************

We took the bus back home. The ride was silent. He only held my hand, swirling his thumb over the back of my hand every once in a while. I let him be; it seemed to calm his mind.

I glanced at him. I have always seen him as dedicated and attentive. Such a detached-looking Zale was new to me. As if he had carried a heavy weight for a very long time, and through it all he held my hand as if I were his anchor.

We reached in front of my house. He still didn't let go of my hand. I didn't know what to say.

He was about to talk when the front door of my house slammed open.

"Hera."

I froze. Then turned my head towards my mother.

"Mom."

"You two inside."

She pointed at both of us before disappearing into the house.

"Zale, I am so sorry. You can leave now, go," I talked too quickly.

"Why?"

"I, I ..."

"It would be disrespectful to ignore your mother's request."

I shook my head. He doesn't understand what he is getting himself into.

"Didn't you say we can share this sky?" he unapologetically declared.

My mouth hung open. If I hadn't known him for a while, I would have thought he was a long-time rake.

I surrendered and entered the house while he followed behind.

"Hera, take your guest to the living room while I finish dinner," Mom yelled from the kitchen.

I guided him to the living room, where I found Father sitting on the couch and scrolling through his phone. He put it down when we entered.

"Dad, this is Zale, the pottery student I told you about a few days ago."

He nodded.

"I am Zale. I joined Hera's classes a few weeks ago. I apologize for inconveniencing you at such a late hour."

"No problem; it is my wife who invited you in. Have a seat; I would prefer talking when we're at the same height."

Zale sat on the chair facing my father.

"Hera, go help your mother; we have a guest."

"But Dad, Zale ..." I didn't get to complete the sentence.

"Hera, you should go." Zale insisted.

I was trying to help him here. I retreated to the kitchen.

The smell of roast chicken hit my nose. I got excited.

I saw Mum in front of the sink while the rice cooker alarm was going off behind her. She looked down at the sink, as if everything else had lost its meaning. I have seen that look in her eyes a few times before. My mother was a nurse working at a tertiary hospital. She had seen a lot of stuff. She always tried not to carry that package back home, but sometimes a day could be a bit hard to carry alone.

When we were young, Carlos and I often watched our father console our mother, and as we grew older, we carried that emotional weight along with them. It is not that father found it heavy; he thought our views of life could help mum look at a situation differently.

I walked towards the rice cooker and turned it off. I tapped on her shoulder.

"Hera." She was surprised. I knew it; she didn't have a smooth shift.

"Is everything okay, Mum?"

"I don't know, Hera."

I had heard Mum say a lot of stuff, but that she didn't know was alarming.

"What happened?"

"Hand me the veggies so I could cut the salad."

I went to the fridge and brought out the tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and parsley. Mom took them and went to the pantry to get the onions.

She started washing the veggies. Then started narrating.

"We had a patient who was shot today."

I nodded; this was horrifying, but this was probably not the whole story.

"She was 5 months pregnant."

I gasped.

"I had seen death too many times, Hera. We did all we could to save her. She kept whispering a name. Probably her husband's. However, death never waits for anyone. The doctor announced the time of death after resuscitation failed. Then a Yin-Ra man burst into the hospital and knelt beside his dead wife and cried."

Mum started cutting the veggies.

"I had seen many such heartbreaking moments; even though it breaks my heart every time, as if it was the first time. However, I don't understand why that man looked as if he was on death's door. Even if he is not a human and I haven't studied his biology. I have seen too many deaths to mistake an imminent death."

She was too lost in her narration; I didn't interrupt her if she needed to let it all out; that would be better.

"And the woman's death is odd, Hera. I am no detective, but it didn't feel right. What kind of robbery targets a woman going home after buying baby clothes? I smell something awful."

She shook her head as if trying to remove an incredulous thought.

"Well, mum, death is the only fate that no one can resist or bargain with."

"I know, Hera. It just left a bitter taste; I don't even understand why."

She finally finished chopping and started adding the spices and lemon juice.

"What is wrong with the funeral you two are carrying here?" Carlos said loudly as he entered the kitchen.

"Carlos, go set the table. We won't mind you being useful."

"I am always useful, Mum, though."

"You just woke up, child; what use is that?"

I laughed.

There he is getting a taste.

Mum started scooping the rice into plates. Carlos and I took turns to deliver the five plates.

"Why do we have a fifth plate?" Carlos asked.

"Your sister's friend is here," Mum answered.

Oh, I forgot Zale.

Finally, Dad came to the kitchen, took the roasted chicken from the oven, and headed to the dining room.

I reached the living room to find him in his seat, lost in thought.

"Did Dad tire you with a philosophy lecture?"

"No, we had a very pleasant talk."

"Let's have dinner."

He nodded.

***********************

Zale

I sat across from her father, straight, waiting for his questions. It felt like I was being scrutinized. His daughter, late at night, holding hands with a strange man in front of the house, does invite questions after all, especially from her father.

"So, how are your pottery classes?"

I kept my face straight with difficulty. I wasn't expecting this sort of question.

"They are very informative."

He nodded.

"What do you do?"

"I am an elder of the Yin-Ra race."

"I hear that your race lives for a long period of time."

"Well, the longest living Yin-Ra is a retired elder of 500 years old."

"That is definitely long."

I agreed.

However, after 200 years, days were already becoming too similar that the count no longer mattered at all.

Then Hera's face invaded my head.

Suddenly my life became more than just the passage of days.

"I heard your race is very religious."

"Yes, sir, we live by the Goddess's rules."

"Call me Harold. We are a lax household; you don't have to be so formal."

I nodded again. He was still her father through and through.

"So I believe your Goddess is a benevolent deity that you worship her so dutifully."

"That depends on what benevolent and worship mean."

"Oh, so it is complicated."

"Not exactly a clean cut."

He stood up and put his hands on my shoulder.

"You have a rebellious heart, don't you?"

Sir, please don't turn me into another sinner who invites another curse on his race.

He sensed the change in the atmosphere.

"Don't worry, this is just a civilized conversation that is all."

Now I definitely knew from where Hera got her obsession with civilized conversations.

"I will lend you my very rare edition of The Republic. You should read it and let's talk next time."

I somehow got roped into becoming Hera's father's student.

Let's hope Hera didn't mind.

I looked around. The house was in perfect shape.

This was the first time I entered a human's house so full of life.

I then heard Hera and her mother talking from the kitchen.

Hera's mother recounted the death of the pregnant woman. How could she sense a Yin-Ra's imminent death, though?

I rubbed my forehead.

It seemed that even if we hid the curse mechanics, it still affected humans' emotions even if for a fleeting second. Humans can be too perceptive sometimes; it was terrifying.

This case would need further investigation. Being careful was never wrong after all.

I was lost in thought when Hera entered the living room.

"Let's have dinner."

Author Note

A little extra chapter for you! ❤️

This one gives us a softer look at Zale and Hera, introduces more of Hera's family, and quietly plants a few things that will become important later.

And yes, Zale has officially survived meeting Hera's parents. 😂

Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting on Star Bound. I hope you enjoy this chapter! ✨