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Athena sat and her desk and took some deep breaths. The absolute last thing she expected to see today was Jonathan Knight sitting in her office in all his glory. If she had been given a little warning from Richard, perhaps she would have been more emotionally prepared for it, or she would have had time to come up with some fictional sickness to ensure her absence from the meeting. She had not laid eyes on Jonathan since the night he walked out on her 5 years earlier, nor had she spoken to him. Since then she had finished college, got married (and divorced), had a child and scored a job at Malkin and Partners – not necessarily in that order. Her life had changed drastically since she was that foolish 19 year old girl in love with a member of a boyband. She was now a successful career woman and single mother. Why, then did Jonathan’s appearance bring back emotions she thought long dead?
The intercom beeped.
“What?” Athena replied sharply. There was a slight pause.
“Is everything okay?” Athena heard Bianca ask meekly.
“Oh, sorry Bianca, you interrupted my train of thought. What’s up?”
“Kade and Dax are here. Did you forget it was picnic day today?”
Athena slapped her forehead. “Picnic day! Of course! Send them in.”
“Okay.” Bianca replied and then switched off the intercom.
Seconds later, Bianca opened the double doors to Athena’s office and ushered in her lunch guests. Daxon hurried his little legs over to her and gave her a hug. Kade came in close behind him with a large paper sac filled with their lunch.
After helping Daxon spread out the blanket – kept in her bottom desk drawer especially for this one purpose – on the floor, and helping Kade spread out the food, they began their picnic. Thursday picnics had become a weekly tradition for the three of them ever since Daxon had been enrolled in the play-school in the same building. The three of them were a family, although Kade was not related by blood or marriage. He was Athena’s best friend and a father figure to Daxon – albeit a rather unorthodox father figure but soon to be his only father figure as Dave was moving out of country. Besides, Kade adored Daxon, and Dax adored Kade. Athena didn’t worry about what other people said or thought about an openly gay man spending time with her child. She had other things to worry about than what people thought.
“I heard that you are on that new big project with Greenhorn Developments.” Kade said with a twinkle in his eye.
Athena hid a scowl. “Wow, news travels fast. How did you know?”
Kade shrugged. “People talk.”
Athena wrinkled her brow. “No, Bianca talks.” She took a bite of her chicken sandwich
Kade grinned. “I never reveal my sources.” Athena laughed. “But,” Kade continued, “My sources also tell me that Martin Greenhorn was accompanied by a tall, dark, handsome man.”
The chicken sandwich suddenly tasted like cold ash in her mouth. “Mr. Greenhorn was accompanied by another man.” She struggled to swallow and put down the rest of her lunch. “If the handsome part is true, I hadn’t noticed.”
Kade looked at her disapprovingly. “Yeah right.”
Athena became exasperated. “Do you think of anything besides men, Kade Williams?” She glanced at Daxon, who had quit playing with his food to look up at her. Athena sighed.
“Sure.” Kade replied with a smile to himself. Something had the unflappable Athena Charlemagne up tight and he was not going to quit until he found out what it was.

~*~

Jonathan Knight picked at his meal across from Martin Greenhorn, in the cafeteria downstairs. Smiling and nodding at pauses in the conversation just enough to make Martin believe he was listening to him drone on about wife number 3 and Paris. Absolutely nothing could have prepared him for what – or who – had been in that meeting.
Athena Charlemagne, or, as he had known her Athena Allen. Her name had changed – most likely from marriage, but she had been introduced as Ms., Jonathan mused, and he had not seen a wedding ring on her hand though he had been sure to look.
Athena had pretended not to know him, but he had seen the spark of recognition in her eyes. He most certainly had not forgotten her. It would take far longer than five years to erase such a woman from his mind.
How his life had changed since he had known her. At that time he had been one-fifth of the most successful singing group in North America. Travelling the world, having girls throw themselves at him had been exciting at first, and then tiring later. That’s what they had been: Girls. Athena had been a lady. Not quite old enough to be a woman, but they had learned together and taught one another about love.
As Martin spoke on of the chateau in Paris he was planning to buy as an anniversary gift for his wife, Jonathan’s thoughts trailed off to the first time he had met Athena Allen.