HEJ, MY LOVE

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Sierra hurried to her next rendezvous, almost light-headed. The man was right; she used Solina as a pretext to pack Vincent's file in her mind's archives.

He was doing well, and it seemed there could be renewal on his love status.

Even if it troubled her to think something happened between Solina and Vincent during the wedding preparation, Sierra was still content with the outcome that seemed like a subtle transition.

Vincent was no longer alone and heartbroken in her mind.

"Hey," Sierra beamed all teeth out.

Jade eyed her up and down, "wow, you look like a new woman."

"Things must have gone well in Sweden," May added.

Sierra sat down.

"What will you have?" May asked.

"I'll order later."

"Look at her; she's glowing. Tell us all," Jade said while she linked her knuckles under her chin to hear the tale.

Now she had met Vincent; Sierra could finally express all her joy out in the open.

"I'm getting married."

"Yes, yes, yes," yelled May. "Give me my money, Jade."

Sierra frowned, "you guys bet on this?"

"Yes, and I won, I told her you wouldn't waste any time, and Jade was like, oh you don't know Sierra, she'd never," May said.

"Sorry to deceive you, Jade. May, let's split the dough."

Even Sierra's sense of humor was back. Not that she was one to crack jokes every two seconds, but her lips had tightened since Jonas's departure.

Jade smiled and leaned forward as though they huddled, "show us your ring."

"Ring?"

"Yes, your new engagement ring."

Sierra's eyes darted, "eh, there isn't anyㅡ yet." The woman closed her eyes and waited for her friend's reaction.

"What? What do you mean by there isn't one yet?" Jade exclaimed.

"Jonas asked me to marry him over coffee. It was a very casual proposal."

Jade lowered her gaze, "sis, excuse me. Casual doesn't mean Jonas is exempted from tradition."

Sierra rolled her eyes, "It's not the most important."

"Pardon, getting engagement is one of the rare joys of the ritual," Jade said while sliding her head from side to side.

May let out her most Zzed and jaded expression while she swallowed a piece of her cheesecake, "Jade, keep up with the times, please. We're not in the fifties. If Sierra is happy with it, why fuss?"

"Yeah-yeah, I'm absolutely on board with this," Sierra said, trying to convince herself more than May. Jonas's proposal did come off lazy when exposed the way Jade did, but it didn't change anything to Sierra's appreciation as the finality was to be with the man.

"I'm just saying when you get a proposal, you expect. I mean, even Vincent did that correctly," Jade insisted, rubbing in the pomade.

May glared at her for her indelicate comment on Vincent, and Jade sunk a little in her seat.

Sierra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I wasn't expecting anything. I just wanted Jonas to manifest a desire for me to stay."

May blinked and clutched her hands together, "well, he found the best way, didn't he? You two will be bound for life."