[Lights come up on Hebe in a white dress. She stands in front of a mirror, looking over her reflection. She smooths out her dress and is clearly very nervous. Hera enters the room, moving to stand behind Hebe.]

HERA: It's your big day, Hebe.

HEBE: (Nervously) Yeah. Big day.

HERA: How do you feel?

HEBE: Do you want the honest answer or the correct answer?

HERA: Oh, sweetheart. There is no correct answer.

HEBE: Isn't there? Aren't I supposed to say that I've never been happier and that I can't wait to walk down the aisle? Aren't I supposed to say that this is the best day of my life?

HERA: You don't have to say anything that isn't true. If that isn't how you feel, don't say it. (She gently turns Hebe so that they are both facing one another) What's on your mind, darling?

HEBE: I really don't know if I should tell you. I don't want you to be disappointed in me.

HERA: You could never disappoint me.

HEBE: But that isn't true! You're literally the goddess of marriage, Mom! Of course you'd be disappointed if I don't want to get married.

HERA: Is that what you think? Hebe, I love you. If you don't want to get married, I'd never force you to. You just say the word and I'll call the whole wedding off. I'm not about to let my daughter marry a man she doesn't love.

HEBE: That's the thing, though, I do love him. I really do. I love him so much that it hurts, but I still don't know if I want to marry him.

HERA: What do you mean? Why wouldn't you want to marry him if you love him?

HEBE: Well, what if he doesn't love me? Or what if he does love me right now, but he falls out of love with me later? We're gods, it's not like we can get a divorce!

HERA: Do you think he loves you?

HEBE: Well, yes. I mean, he acts like he loves me.

HERA: How does he act like he loves you? How does he show it?

HEBE: I mean, he treats me like a princess.

HERA: You are a princess, darling.

HEBE: I know, but I don't feel like it most of the time. Here in Olympus, I'm just the cupbearer. I'm basically a servant. Herakles doesn't treat me like that. He calls me 'princess' and constantly offers to do things for me. He makes sure that I never feel obligated to do anything that I don't want to do and always asks my permission before doing anything he doesn't know if I'd be comfortable with. He says the sweetest things to me and treats me so well, but the best part is when we're just together and not doing anything at all. He just likes being around me.

HERA: Well, it certainly sounds like he loves you.

HEBE: He does, but that could still change.

HERA: Why would that change?

HEBE: Well, you know how men are. He might find someone prettier or better than me and then he'll just lose interest.

HERA: You are the goddess of youth and a princess of the gods. He's lucky to have you. If he loses interest in you, he's a complete idiot.

HEBE: But it could happen! I mean, look at you. You're the literal goddess of marriage and queen of the gods and yet Dad ignores you in favor of other women all the time.

HERA: Hebe, your father hasn't lost interest in me.

HEBE: Hasn't he? He's constantly with other women. That's pretty clear evidence that he's no longer interested in you.

HERA: Your father loves me very dearly, just as I love him.

HEBE: Then why is he constantly having affairs?

HERA: Our relationship is complicated, darling. It's complicated, but not all bad. I know that he loves me, even if he isn't the best at showing it. I know that at the end of the day, he'll always return to me.

HEBE: Is that enough?

HERA: Isn't that for me to decide?

HEBE: I guess so.

HERA: And you need to decide what's enough for you in your own marriage. You need to decide if you're willing to take this chance with the man you love, if you're willing to trust him to love you forever.

HEBE: I do trust him. I do, but what if I'm wrong?

HERA: If you're wrong, then you're wrong. Things change. People change. Sometimes we think we'll be with someone forever and then we're not. It happens and that's okay.

HEBE: Okay? How is it okay? It's marriage. This is the person I'm going to be spending the rest of eternity with. If I'm wrong, then I've failed you.

HERA: Do you really think that everyone who has ever been in a bad marriage has failed me? I may be the goddess of marriage, but that doesn't mean I want everyone to get married no matter the consequences. Divorce has protected the purity of marriage more than anything else because now that people can get divorced, they no longer have to be in an unhappy marriage. If you decide later on down the road that marriage wasn't the right choice for you, I will never hold that against you. I will not force you to stay in a relationship you aren't happy with.

HEBE: You're saying that I can get a divorce?

HERA: I'm saying that you have my permission if it comes to that. You're my daughter; your happiness is the most important thing to me.

HEBE: Really?

HERA: Really. Now, I'm not saying you should just throw yourself into marriage because it's an easy thing to go back on. You should still be certain that this is what you want. I'm simply telling you that a bad marriage isn't the end of the world for you.

HEBE: Thank you. That actually makes me feel a lot better.

HERA: Good.

HEBE: Hey, Mama?

HERA: Yes, dear?

HEBE: Why are you helping me with this? You hate Herakles. Why would you want me to marry him?

HERA: You're right about me not liking him. I think he's a symbol of a lot of things wrong with the world, but at the end of the day, my opinion of him doesn't matter. All that matters is how you feel about him. And if he makes you happy, who am I to say anything?

HEBE: You're my mom. What you say means the world to me.

HERA: You're very sweet, darling, but my opinion can't be the most important thing to you anymore. It's time for you to grow up a little and decide what it is that you want for yourself.

HEBE: I don't know if I'm ready to grow up yet, Mama.

HERA: Aw, come here.

[Hera pulls Hebe into a tight hug. There's a knock on the door and Herakles enters.]

HERAKLES: Hey.

HEBE: Herakles! (She turns around so her back is to Herakles) Don't you know that it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?

HERAKLES: That's all superstition.

HERA: (Glaring at Herakles. She clearly doesn't like him) It's tradition. Tradition is important to some people.

HERAKLES: I just don't think that it's all that important right now.

HERA: And if Hebe does? Do you even care what she thinks about it?

HERAKLES: Of course I care! I just don't think that generations of pointless rules are all that important.

HERA: "Generations of pointless rules"? Is that all tradition is to you? Marriage traditions are a time-honored-

HEBE: (Whirling back around to face her fiance and mother) Mom! Herakles! Be nice to each other! Please.

HERA: (Huffs, but stops being so confrontational) Fine, fine. I just think he should have a little more respect.

HERAKLES: I have respect, just not for you.

HERA: Well, maybe you should learn to have a little respect for me.

HERAKLES: I didn't realize that I had to respect someone who has tried to ruin my life!

HERA: Well, you do when-

HEBE: Both of you, stop it! Herakles, what do you need?

HERAKLES: I couldn't help overhearing you. I know you're worried about this wedding. I just wanted you to know that we don't have to do this if you don't want to. If you want to back out now, you can. We can cancel the whole thing and it will be forgotten.

HEBE: What? But Herakles, if we don't get married, you won't be blessed with eternal youth.

HERAKLES: That doesn't matter to me. I'm not marrying you for eternal youth. I'm marrying you because I love you and I want to spend forever with you. The youth is just a perk.

HEBE: But your godhood-

HERAKLES: Isn't as important to me as your happiness. Don't you get it? You're not just some prize for me to win after a lifetime of heroics.

HEBE: You mean that?

HERAKLES: Of course I do. You're my princess. You mean the world to me.

HERA: See, dear? If you don't want to get married, no one is going to force you into it. Not me and not him. If anyone has anything to say about it, I'll teach them a lesson.

HEBE: Thank you. Thank you both. So much. But I know what I want now. Herakles, I want to marry you.

HERAKLES: You do?

HEBE: I do.

HERA: You're sure?

HEBE: I'm positive.

[Herakles pulls Hebe into a tight hug. If possible, he picks her up and spins her around.]

HERAKLES: You're going to be my wife!

HEBE: I am!

HERA: (To Herakles) You better take care of her. If you hurt her, I will hunt you down and I will destroy you. Understood?

HERAKLES: Understood, but I wouldn't dream of hurting her. Never.

HEBE: I'm getting married!

HERA: You're not going to get married if he doesn't leave to let you finish getting ready.

HERAKLES: Alright, alright. I'm leaving.

[Herakles starts to exit, but he pauses and turns to Hera, offering her his hand to shake.]

HERAKLES: Truce?

HERA: (Slowly shakes Herakles' hand) Truce. You take care of her.

HERAKLES: I will.

[Herakles exits]

HERA: Alright. Now, where were we?

HEBE: Mama, will you give me away?

HERA: Of course, dear. Now come on, let's finish getting ready.

[Lights go down. End of play.]