Bab 17: Family Get Together

Their backyard was not that big, except for the plain grass there wasn't anything much around, and it felt crowded as Hera made her way to a nearby table. She walked on the grey carpets spread on the lush green grass. A fire pit added to the yard kept the air warm and comforting in the chilly evening.

She took a seat at one of the six tables. It was small and round-shaped with three chairs. As she bent to pull the chair, her long ponytail fell forward, creating a brown puddle on the white table. She threw her hair over her shoulder and noticed the youngsters occupying other tables. Danny was sitting among them and made sure that no one dared to look at her way.

Hera wanted to go to her brother to ask about Abby as she was nowhere in sight but decided against it. She thought better to avoid him. Liezel came to her with a big plate and served the food with a smile on her face. Hera thanked her and returned the smile. It was all for the show, she knew.

Hera shoved a spoon full of lasagna into her mouth and chewed leisurely savouring the taste. She moaned in pure satisfaction. "Aunt Lizzy, you're indeed an amazing cook," she mumbled to herself.

Aimlessly, Hera's eyes wandered around, taking note of her surroundings. Her eyes landed on her uncle, Benson, and watched him as he enjoyed his barbeque with Antony and his other guests. They were sitting in a circle on the carpet surrounding the fire pit. She was right about her thoughts earlier that all the men were already drunk.

Her grandparents dancing to some stupid music playing in the background caught Hera's attention. It was so cute and romantic. They seemed so happy with each other. Just then, Abby came and hugged them each, and they kissed her forehead. Hera's stomach knotted in jealousy, and she cried inwardly, if only they could show her such warm affection.

When Hera was seven years old, Benson and Liezel told her about her parents. Benson had a younger sister named Felicity, and she was in love with a man who her parents didn't approve. Her boyfriend was a bad man, a gang leader, precisely a lawbreaker. Presumably, he deserted her when she was pregnant with Hera. Felicity died after giving birth to her and had asked her brother Benson to name her daughter as Hera Hunter. Since then Benson and Liezel raised her as their own.

Little Hera couldn't see through their lies and believed their every word. If only she knew that it was a concocted story. But she was too innocent and ignorant to detect their true selves. She trusted them with her gratitude-filled heart and thanked God for blessing her with a family.

Hera could only guess that Hunter must be her father's name. Benson refused to tell her any more things about her father in detail. They all said that her father was dangerous, and Hera was better off without him.

Just like her uncle Benson, her grandparents too kept Hera at a distance. They never showed her any affection. It's hard to believe sometimes that she's their granddaughter. According to the story told by her uncle Benson, they disowned their daughter for being in love with a gang leader. Sadly, they didn't accept Hera as a family either. She silently suffered and endured their dislike as they ignored her existence.

Hera's wandering eyes moved further to land on Liezel and her female companions. She could hear whatever stupid conversation they were engaged in, even from where she was sitting, and that was remarkably too far. Drunk women couldn't be any better than drunk men, could they? Liezel giggled in a very unladylike manner to whatever Jenny told her.

"Yes, I prepared all the food tonight, and I made sure to cook all Hera's favourite dishes. The party is in her honour, after all," Liezel said, proudly boasting to everyone how much she enjoyed cooking all the food tonight. And apparently, she'd cooked all Hera's favourite food because she loves Hera so much. Hera's lips twitched into a sarcastic smile as she heard her aunt's every word.

All her female friends looked in Hera's direction, eyeing her full plate before turning their attention back to their hostess. "Oh, no wonder, her plate is so full, and she can't stop stuffing her little mouth with food," someone said, and Hera heard them all laugh good-naturedly. Liezel's face lit up as she smiled, too proud of herself.

'You've got to be kidding me! Does she even know what my favourite food is?'

Hera looked at the chicken wings and lasagna on her plate. She was enjoying eating it until she heard Liezel's lies. Hera scorned bitterly, and the emotions on her face displayed obvious disdain. She knew for sure that her aunt prepared that food only because it was Danny's favourite.

Hera loved food, and she would eat anything with pleasure if it's edible enough to eat. Her plate didn't have anything made of fish in it, nor was there any steak, two of her most favourite foods. But how would Liezel know? She needed to care in the first place if she wanted to know what Hera liked and disliked. Hera knew that Liezel stopped caring long back.

"My babies are going to leave in just another two days. Oh, I'm going to miss them terribly," Liezel said in a concerned tone and her lip corners pulled down to show her sadness. Jenny gave her a side hug and nodded, exhibiting the same emotions.

Hera mentally rolled eyes at what Liezel just confessed. She must admit that it was quite convincing, though. She got worried when all the females started walking towards her, and soon they were all seated together. Hera looked around her table, eyeing every person. She realized that she didn't even know half of these people gathered here, enjoying the dinner and probably chit-chatting about Hera's life.

It was Liezel's idea to invite these people to join their celebration because she claimed to be the one with all the traditions and values. So she thought it necessary to host this celebration. And it's about PUBERTY RITUALS, a party to celebrate Hera's newly achieved adulthood.

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KIRIM HADIAH

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