Chapter 16: Chapter 16

The next morning I wake up early and I reach the office at exactly seven o’clock and immediately went straight to my desk to analyze the events coming in the next month. The foundation week is coming next week and the executives wants to celebrate it in prestigious events because it will be the 50th foundation anniversary of the company. I was part of the team to manage the events and all the plans are under my name to decide. After a couple of hours working so hard, I receive a call from Andrew and immediately answer him.

“ Hello beautiful”, his first word and I feel calm hearing his voice. “ I have good news”.

“ What is it”, I ask excitedly.

“ I went to embassy today and I passed my visa application”, and both of us shouted in gratefulness.

“ when is your flight”?

“ I was checking some early available flights and I got the Thursday morning flight”. And Justine rush to her desk to find a calendar.

“ Thursday is October 12”, she shouted. “ and you will be arrive here in Friday afternoon, right”?

“ Yeah I think, so what do you think”? Is that okay with you?

“ yeah sure, that is great”, and Justine still in disbelief that Andrew will be coming next week

“ so, see you there”.

“ okay see you here”, Justine jumping in joyful after she hang up the phone.

And she immediately look for her best friend Melissa to tell the news but Melissa was in meeting with some market officers for the upcoming events so I waited until they finish and I immediately run to Melissa after she went outside and I slowly tell the news. Melissa was over joy when I told her and she was also excited for the coming of Andrew. Justine continue to her work but still the joyfulness of the news of Andrew is still written in her eyes and she was eager for the next week. She made a call to her parents and excitedly told them the great news, her parents was really excited for coming of Andrew. They clean the house, they buy some things that restore the house and they paint new color to look new and clean. Thursday a day before the arrival of Andrew, Justine couldn’t help but to get excited. She called Andrew to about his flight.

“ where are you”?

“ I’m at the airport with my mom and my sister Kate. Andrew excitedly say. “They help me to pack my things last night and they all excited about us”.

“ what did you bring”?

“ some shirts and pants, my camera and my mom buy something for you and your parents”, he chuckles

“ okay, what time is your arrival here because I was planning to leave early tomorrow to catch you up at the airport”.

“ let me see. It’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon”. He said excitedly while waiting for his flight.

“ okay, I write it on my desk”. And the time has come to Andrew to leave.

“ hey it’s my flight. I should go now”.

“ Okay, see you soon here”. She said. “ have a nice flight and I will wait for your arrival here”.

“ Okay, meet me there”. And the call was ended.

Andrew immediately said goodbye to his mom and his sister Kate and he wave his hand to them for the last time and he carry his stuff to go in the airplane. Before the airplane to take off, he text Justine for the last time.

“ Hello my beautiful angel, finally we meet again and this time I was meeting you and your family. I was very excited to see you and hug you again and I can’t wait to hold your hands again. See you at Oregon international airport.” Love Andrew.

He is excited to this day because he will finally meet again his beloved woman and he never fall asleep in his journey because he couldn’t sleep. He was thinking of his destination, Justine. He was praying for this day to happen and today he was getting closer to his dream of seeing Justine again and this time he was seeing Justine and her life in Oregon.

Justine finished her work excited for tomorrow. She couldn’t eat well but still she managed to do her job perfectly. Before she go to sleep, she plan what to bring tomorrow and what to wear. She wants to bring wilo and she wants to wear a dress but not the elegant one. She open her closet and find some dress to wear. After a long hours of searching what to wear, she finally agree to what to wear and she hang it just beside her car keys.

Friday. Justine wake up in her alarm and see one unread message from Andrew. She happily read it while drinking some coffee and after she take a bath she immediately run to the office and begin her busy day. She have some meetings with some investor for the new project of the company before the anniversary. She have some dialogue with the marketing analysis including the executives and she have a business meeting with the new clients about the new proposal and she have a late and fast lunch because of her busy schedule but the most exciting schedule was the arrival of Andrew. Justine was still at the meeting ten minutes before 4 and she need to go to the airport now but she don’t know how. She can’t leave in the middle of the meeting with the executives, she will be fired if she will do. Thanks to Melissa for saving her, Melissa sit up for Justine.

“ Thank you Lis”, Justine hug her for helping her

“ go now, he is waiting for you”. And Justine immediately run but Melissa shout something

“ you forgot this”, and she hand over the pen and paper.

And Justine rush over to her car and drive fast to the airport. 5 minutes before 4 and she still three kilometers away, thanks God it’s not traffic at the moment. At exactly 4:06, Justine arrive at the airport and she immediately run to the wide screen showing the travel schedule of every flight. She look at her phone to see the flight number of Andrew and she search for it at the screen and she find it and the schedule was delay of arrival. Justine had a relief knowing that she never lost Andrew because she was late. She carefully waiting at the screen for the time of arrival and after a few minutes the time has come. The flight number was scheduled arrival at 4:15 and Justine immediately rush to the front exit gate for the arrival and right after she wrote the name of Andrew at the paper and show it to every passenger coming, a man wearing a navy blue cotton shirt with a cup in his head coming at Justine’s way.

“ Hello beautiful angel”, and Justine smile and immediately hug Andrew.

“ Wow, I couldn’t believe you are here”, she excitedly said and she hug him again. “ thank you for coming”.

Andrew grab her hand and hug her for a long time. Justine called Melissa before they reach the car and she invite Melissa for a dinner date with Wil and Andrew put his things to Justine’s car and they went to the restaurant where they meet Melissa. At exactly 6 they reach the restaurant and Justine saw Melissa sitting with Wil in the corner inside the restaurant. Justine walk fast to the direction of Melissa and Andrew was behind her.

“ hi Lis, Justine approach. Sorry to interrupt both of you, I just want to introduce someone”. And Melissa wink at Justine to interrupt her. Justine hold Andrew’s hand and introduce him to both of them.

“ This is Andrew, my boyfriend from the Philippines”, and he greet them nervously

“ Hello everyone, nice to meet you”. He shake hands with Wil and Melissa excitedly hug him. “ I’m Andrew and I just arrived from the Philippines this afternoon”. And he was sited near Justin.

“ You have a great guy, Melissa said to Justine and they both laugh. How’s your flight”?

“ it was great flight, I never sleep in the airplane because I was excited to be here and to meet all of you”.

“ You are so sweet Andrew. Melissa said in sweet voice. How long you will be here? Andrew look at Justine before he answer.

“ Two weeks”, he said.

“ so, how you guys meet”. Ask Wil while drinking champagne. Melissa answer it for Justine.

“ They met in the vacation in the Philippines last June and Justine couldn’t sleep after meeting him”, she said teasing Justine in front of Andrew.

“ I never said that, Justine disagree but later she admit it. Okay, after our first met I couldn’t sleep thinking about him”. And she start to blush. And Justine look at Andrew and they both laughing thinking about they first met.

They had a great dinner with Melissa and Wil, it’s their first date in public and they both happy that Melissa and Wil accepted their relationship. After the long chat and telling some stories Justine bid goodbye to Melissa and Wil and immediately rush to her apartment to get some of her things to bring in her parents home but before they leave, she have a call to her parents to inform them that she was in her way to get home. She never said anything about Andrew because she wants to surprise her parents tonight. Quarter to eight when they reach Justine’s home, her parents are still awake and happily waiting for her. She knock the door first and she immediately hide Andrew at the side of the door and her parents was sad not seeing any man with Justine but they still happy seeing they lovely daughter went home but after they turn they heads to go inside Justine grab Andrew and say.

“ Mom, Dad”. And they both turn around and see Justine with a man beside her. “ I want to introduce to both of you, my boyfriend from the Philippines, Andrew”. And her parents immediately run back at the door and excitedly approach Andrew.

“ Hello Mr. And Mrs. Meyers, he said nervously. “I am Andrew and I am here to be with your lovely daughter Justine”.

“ Hello Andrew, we’re happy to see you here. Justine’s mom said. Thank you for coming here,” and he shake her hands to give respect.

“ Hello son, Mr. Meyers said. Welcome to our home”.

“ Thank you sir, thank you for accepting me”. Andrew politely said

And they go inside and continue the interrogation with each other. Mrs. Meyers serve a foods while asking a question to Andrew.

“ What is your work in your country”?

“ I was a freelance photographer and my mom has a business and sometimes I try to help her to manage”.

“ wow, you’re such a good son”, and her mom wink to Justine and Justine smiles back to her mom.

“ so, tell us about your country”? Justine’s dad seriously ask

“ my country, Andrew shocking said and make an eye contact to Justine. My country, we have a so many beaches and that is our main attraction. We are not progressive county like your country but we are kind people to every foreign guest.”

“ wow, looks like an interesting place to visit next summer”, Mr. Meyers laughingly said to everyone

“ If you want to visit, our house is free to all of you”, Andrew humbly said.

The night was filled with fun and laughter and Andrew decided to stay the night in Justine’s Aunt who is managing a Inn near in Justine’s house. It’s a one block away from Justine’s house. Justine and her parents drive Andrew to his hotel Inn , Justine introduce Andrew to her aunt as her boyfriend and bid goodbye to him for the night and Andrew take a rest after a long day in the country. Before Justine fall asleep she decide to call Andrew to know if his still awake.

“ hey, how are you. My parents are sleep and I called to say, thank you for tonight. You are great tonight. I can see my parents like you, they always saying good to you.”

“ Thank you for accepting me and welcoming me. I was very happy that your parents like me”. “ what about you, are you happy that I am here with you”?

“ I am so much happy that you are here”, she said while hugging wilo.