Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Next day, Andrew invited me to attend the early mass at the Mactan church before we leave and meet his mom and his sister Kate. He waited me outside of my hotel and we start to walk. We reach the Mactan church a five minutes before the mass starts. We sited in the middle to hear clearly what the priest has to say. In the middle of the mass, everyone was meant to hold each other hand and Andrew hold my hand for the first time since I left and he never let go of my hand even after the song ended. And right before the Mass ended, he hug me again and this time he kiss my forehead and hold my hands and we went to the candle station and we lit one candle, he hold my hand and we both pray. While we watch the candle to be over he whisper in my ear and ask me if I know what he was praying. I cross my head to tell that I don’t know and he whisper in my ear again and say,
“ this woman beside me, I will marry her God” and my heart stops beating for a minute and I smile at him.
“ what did God say when you said that”, I ask him quietly
“ he smile at me and say, take care of that woman because she is very important to me”, he whispered again and we both smile. Before we leave, he reach over to a priest and he introduce me.
“good morning father, this is Justine the woman that I’ve been talking to you about a days ago” he said
“ the woman that I will meet again” he added
“ oh yes I remember, congratulations to both of you” he greeted us and I was in confused because I don’t know what’s happening and I think they both notice it.
“ this man right here, he pointed on Andrew, he was here days ago and talked to me and asked me if I can help him to pray to God to send you back here to meet him again” he explained and I was in disbelief
“ congratulations to both of you to finally meet again” he said joyfully.
And father bless us before we leave and I hug Andrew this time. After that we both fly away to Manila and plan to meet his family this Evening. I was scared at first but Andrew comfort me and explain to me that his mom is very kind woman and I felt better after that. We plan to have lunch in their house and his mom was cooking some foods for both of us. It’s almost afternoon when we arrive at Manila airport and ride taxi after an hour we reach his house. I saw his mom outside their house waiting for both of us when the taxi stop, Andrew went out first but I follow him right away nervously. And he immediately introduce me to his mom.
“ mom, he said after they both hugging. “ mom, this is Justine the woman I was talking to you”, he said nervously
“ hi, Mrs. Davidson” I said nicely “ I’m Justine Meyers from Oregon state” I continue and she hug me right away.
“ Hello Justine, I am Andrew’s mom. I am Emily Anderson, nice to finally meet you” she said smiling.
And we went inside and Andrew carry the things that we buy in Cebu for his mom. I met his sister Kate at the lunch time, she was look like Andrew a lot and I can tell they both have the same smile. Andrew’s mom was quite, she never ask me of anything and she never tell anything too. I guess she was a bit of shy because it’s our first time to meet but Andrew’s sister Kate is so talkative. She ask me about what is my first impression when I met Andrew and I was so afraid to tell them because I don’t want them to think that I was a bad woman because my first impression on Andrew was, he is a bad guy who always hurting the feelings of every girls he met. After the lunch with his family, Andrew decided to look for the nearest hotel for me to stay for the rest of the days in Manila. He drive me to my hotel and he let me take a rest for moment. I take a sleep and after two hours, I woke up. It was five o’clock in the afternoon and I check my phone and try to call mom but I have a weak signal connection. I called Andrew and he ask me where I want to go but I let him decide where to go. We went to a mall with his mom and Kate and we walk around until we reach the amusement park. We ride in every available rides and Andrew take a photo of all of us right after we take the first ride. Kate always invited me to play some games with her but we never win and Andrew ride with his mom and I saw how happy his mom. We take a break for a moment and take a dinner. We eat the delicious sea foods that I miss when I left.
“ so, what is your plan now Andrew”, his mom ask and Andrew answer her confidently.
“ I will follow her in the US and meet her family”, he said and he smile at me
“ wow, can I come too”, Kate ask but Andrew disagree
“ you have school and mom has no companion if you come”, Andrew explain
“ okay, but can you bring me something when you get back”, she begged
“ okay, I will buy you some shoes”,
“ okay, I love that”. How about you mom, what do you want”, he ask looking to her mom
“ I’m okay, If you have to bring back this lovely woman beside you, I will be more happier”, she confess and I was flattered to what she say and Andrew stand up and hug her mom.
“ don’t you worry mom, I will never come back here if she didn’t said yes to me” he said and look in my eyes seriously. We send his family home and he drive me to my hotel. And right after we drop off in the car, I hold his hand and thank him for this wonderful day with him and his family.
“ it was a wonderful day, Thank you for everything”, I told him
“ I’m glad you like it” he said right away “ so, are you ready for a long distance relationship”, he ask while hugging me
“ I’m ready”, I strongly said
“ that’s my girl” he proudly said.
Next morning, the last day with Andrew in the Philippines. He knock out on my door just after I take a shower and he invited me to spend the day with his family. We went to grocery store with his mom and Kate and buy some ingredients for his mom’s recipe. I hand some help in cooking even though I don’t know what she was cooking but I did enjoyed cooking with Andrew’s mom. His mom was kind and sweet but too shy sometimes to talk to me but I understand her. I was too shy sometimes to express myself to everyone and I think, I can see myself to Andrew’s mom. I had a great lunch with Andrew’s family, his mom’s own recipe of pasta was awesome. It was the best pasta I ever tasted in my life and I knew it wouldn’t last. I help Andrew cleaning the dishes and I totally enjoying myself doing it with him. Andrew was a good man I can see it in his eyes, he always helping his mom in house work and he loves doing it. At the afternoon he invited me go to mall to have some moments with me after I fly tomorrow. While we were walking around at the mall, there was a photo booth that offers very cheap prize for a pictures. They were offering an old fashioned style of picture. Andrew agree on trying it, we went inside of the store and they sit us in a bench with different lights on the side that made me more nervous but the old man whom I think was also a photographer told us to be relax and after a couple of flashing the camera, he hand over our pictures. It was amazing pictures, we are like from the year eighteen hundreds. We pay the old man more than what he was offering and we let him use our photos for the display in his store that made him more happier. After that I invited Andrew to watch some movies at the cinema, I have two reasons why. First I want to experience the cinema here in the Philippines and lastly I want to experience watching movies with Andrew. We both agree to the movie that were going to watch, he pay for our tickets and I buy for our foods.
“ The movie wasn’t good for me, I don’t like the ending –I said to Andrew after the movie.
He invited me to eat in a very famous local fast food restaurant in the Philippines and he never ask me what to order, he was the one ordered for me.
“Why you don’t like the movie”, he ask while we were waiting for our foods.
“I don’t like the ending”, I said madly.
“What’s wrong with the ending, it was great for me”, he declared.
“ Why the woman has to die after they finally meet again after the long time, I think that’s not great”, I strongly said.
“ The movie is not about the ending, it’s about they story together. They had a great story and that’s all matter”, he explain.
And our food arrive and he suggest to start eating so I did.
“ What ending do you want”, he ask after his first spoon.
“They should live happily ever after like in a fairytale,” I suggest after I drink water and he smile secretly but I saw it.
“ But it’s not a fairytale, it was the story of endless love, he proclaim.
“ Do you believe in endless love, I ask him seriously.
“ Yes, I think it was real, he politely said. And I never said anything
And we continue eating. He drive me to my hotel after but we stuck in traffic.
“ I miss wilo”, I said while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green. He look at me and hug me.
“I think I know why you miss wilo”, he said while hugging me. You want a hug, he said loudly.
“ how do you know” ,
“ I saw in you eyes, you’re just afraid to ask me,” he jokingly said.
“ I’m not afraid”, I said trying to win the case.
We are quite for a while inside the car when a familiar song play on the radio. It was the same song that we danced on at the Cebu. We both smile and I think we have the same idea that time to dance again but we couldn’t. He instead hold my hand while waiting for the green light. He hold my hand tightly that I can feel his heart beating so fast. We arrive at the hotel almost ten o’clock, before I went inside of the hotel he hug me again.
“Tomorrow you’re leaving ,and he hug me again and again. “ But don’t worry, after you go I will visit the US embassy to apply for US visa and follow you there, okay”. He said and he hug me again and again and again and again.
I can feel his tears that time but I ignore it because I can feel more of his heart and I loving it. I went inside of my room and sit for a long time in my bed. I had a great day with Andrew and I want to have it more. I know my days with him are getting over and I will be back to my normal life but I am different now because I have Andrew and he’s ready to be with me. I never feel sleepy today but I think I have to take some rest. I pack my few things before I sleep because I have a early flight tomorrow.
Next day, I wake up in Andrew’s voice knocking on my door. I open the door and I saw him standing in front of my door.
“ are you awake,” he ask immediately.
“ it’s early, why are you here”, I ask him and let him inside.
“ I called US embassy this morning and I have an appointment next week for my application in US visa”, he said excitedly.
“ wow, that’s great”, I excitedly said.
“ what time is your flight,” he ask while around.
“ 10 am”, I said while cleaning my bed.
“ is there anything you want to do before you left”, he ask me standing in the open door of my room.
“ is there anything you can suggest”, and I smile at him.
We walk around the hotel and he bring his camera. He starts taking a picture of mine and I felt like a was a super model because he keep on taking my pictures whatever I am doing. We sit beside the big tree that covers the light of the sun. It was windy day but I can still feel the hotness of the sun but Andrew’s smile makes me feel like I was melting.
“Why you always taking pictures of mine”, I ask him while covering the lens of his camera to stop him from taking a pictures.
“ Because I don’t want to miss you when you left, he said while looking at me.
I hug him and say.
“I will call you everyday until you get tired of talking to me.
“That’s not gonna happen, he strongly said.
“I will not get tired of talking to you even if we talk the whole day, he continue and he grab my head to lean on his shoulder.
I want to stop the time and be with him for a longer time. I want to hold his hands for a longer and hug him for a longer time but I couldn’t. Two hours before my flight, we have early lunch near the hotel. After we eat, I borrow his camera to take him a photo while sitting in the restaurant. I ask him to buy me medicine for my flight in case that I need it and he went to buy at the nearest store. I stay inside of the restaurant and I start to record in his camera.
“ Hi Andrew, I want to thank you for staying and not giving up on me. I’m sorry if I think of giving up before and not fighting for both of us and I felt guilty about it. Thank you for loving me more than I could imagine. I’m excited to spend my life with you and start my new chapter with you. And do you remember my letter that I gave before I left. I said that if we meet again I will say the words that I’ve been dying to say.”
And i take a deep breath for awhile. “ I love you, I think I was in love with you”, I said proudly. I keep the camera rolling and stare for it for long time and I press the save button and I take more pictures to hide my recording. After a few minutes, he come back with my medicine. We head back at my hotel to grab my stuff and he drive me to his house to say goodbye to his mom and his sister Kate.
I saw both of them outside of their house excitedly waiting for the two of us. I went off on the car and his mom immediately hug me and hand me over some things that she wants to give it to my parents. I thank her for the kindness and for accepting me and she hug me again this time it was so tightly. His sister Kate hug me and said that she will take care of Andrew for me and I thank her for doing that.
“ Don’t worry about him, I will take care of my big brother, I promise” , that’s her exact words and we go away to the airport.
“ your family are great”, I said while he was driving.
“ I think, I like your family”, I said teasing him.
“ what about me”, he said seriously. And I smile at him.
“ I don’t know, I haven’t decide it yet”, “ wow, really.
“After all these days that were together, you still don’t know”, he said complaining.
And I laugh at him for acting like a child begging for some candy from his mom and I kiss his cheeks.
“ that’s your gift for being kind to me”, I said trying to explain my kiss and I saw he likes it.
After an hour of driving, we reach the airport. He come inside of the airport and wait with me to check in but before I go, he hug me this time he hug me longer that I could imagine.
“ I will call you everyday, he said while hugging me. I will call everyday so that you wouldn’t miss me much, he added. And I feel everyone is watching us but we didn’t care.
“ I promise, I will follow you there and meet your parents”, and he hold my face and I saw his eyes full of tears.
“ okay I will wait you there, I don’t care how long but I will wait for you”, I said.
“ don’t worry, it won’t take so long. I promise you that”, he said and he hold my hands.