Chapter 17: Chapter 17

The next day, Justine wake up early and visit Andrew. She ask Andrew to take breakfast with her at their house and he never declined it because he loves that idea. After the breakfast, Andrew offer to clean the dishes with Justine and they happily doing it. Justine decide to bring Andrew at her childhood school while telling him her childhood story. They went outside of the school and illustrate the exact room where studied and afterwards she bring him in the church near the school where her parents get married.

“ This is the place where my dad ask my mom to marry her”, she pointed on the red church full of flowers outside and has a mini playground besides it.

“ It was beautiful place”, he said and he look to Justine and saw she was happy telling her parents story.

They walk slowly to get home and Andrew grab Justine’s hand and hold it tightly and they both swing their hands just like the kids do to make fun and they reach home still holding each other hand. They saw her father playing chess by himself and approach him.

“ Dad, you’re playing by yourself again”?

“ I like doing it to enhance my brain. As you grow older, you will need playing like this. You will never understand because you’re still young.”

“ do you mind sir, if I play with you”, Andrew excitedly said.

“ Do you know how to play”? Ask the old man.

“ I’m not good. Just enough to understand the game”, he humbly apply.

And they went to play game. After a few minute, Justine decided to help her mom in her garden. She grab some tools and slowly dig the land where the flowers were planted. While her busy digging soil, her mom tap her shoulder and pointed to Andrew and her dad and they both smile.

“ It’s my first time seeing your father getting excited for playing chess”, her mother happily said while looking to both of them. “ I think, you have a great boyfriend”.

Justine never said anything but she smile happily seeing her two love man enjoying their companions. After digging some soil, her mom asked Justine to bring some juice and bread to Andrew and to her dad.

“ so, who’s winning now”? She ask but nobody answer and both of them are serious playing. Nobody wants to lose and suddenly her mom came to interrupt but the two are very serious.

“ seems like there’s a serious bet going on here. Nobody wants to blink any seconds”.

After Andrew put his queen in front of Justine’s dad king with his knight under the fifth lane, Andrew humbly said “ checkmate” and Justine’s dad accept the lost.

“ It was great game, I almost win but Andrew was a great player. He never surrender in my attack”.

“ So, what is the bet between the two of you”, Mrs. Meyers ask but the two was quiet and nobody said anything.

After the game Mrs. Meyers bring the old photo of Justine and show it to Andrew.

“ mom, what are you doing”? Justine angrily ask her mother and try to hide her old photos from her mom but it’s too late. Andrew already see it.

“ This is Justine”? He shockingly ask

“ yeah, that’s her. She looked like a boy when she was baby and even when she grow old”, her mom happily said.

Justine felt annoyed that Andrew has to see her old photos but Andrew look at her eyes and proudly said.

“ She look beautiful and gorgeous”, and he wink to Justine and smile.

“ When I was a baby, I looked fat and chubby. My mom can’t even carry me by herself”, he said and everyone look at him including Justine. --“ my mom always said that I look like the son of sumo wrestler”.

And they all laughing

Andrew and Justine walk slowly around the house. There’s a big tree standing near the house and it covers the house from the sun rays that makes the surroundings more relaxing. They sits near the tree that has a small chair that Justine’s dad made a long time ago.

“ so, you only have two weeks here”?

“ Yeah, but I will go back again and try to stay for a long time”,

“ That’s great, I can’t wait for that”. And they both chuckles

It’s almost night when Justine’s relatives came and visit. Her aunt who owns the hotel inn where Andrew was staying, her uncle, cousin and nephew and Justine introduce him to everyone as her boyfriend before they can even ask about him. After that, Andrew teach Justine how to play chess outside of their house while her parents was busy talking to their visitors.

“ This is how the chess play”, he said while putting together the chess pieces

Andrew show and Justine listen.

“ Your main goal is to protect your king from being eaten or getting stuck by your opponent, that is called checkmate. You can use all your pieces to protect your king but they have limited moves.”

“okay, that’s very hard to analyze”. And Andrew start to explain.

“ this is your king, he said while showing her.---you can move it one square horizontally, vertically or diagonally. This is your rook, you can move it any number of vacant squares horizontally and vertically.”

“ Okay, what’s next”?

“ this is your bishop, you can move it any number of vacant squares diagonally. And this is your queen, you can move it any number of vacant squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Can you remember everything”?

“ of course”, she proudly announce.

“okay let’s continue. This is your knight, you can move it in L pattern. And lastly, this is your pawn, you can move it straight forward one square or two square, if that square is vacant but it cannot move backwards”. “ so are you ready to play”?

“ wow, it was more complicated than I could imagine. Who taught you how to play”?

“ it’s my father’s favorite game and he taught me when I was 10 years old. And I couldn’t beat him because he was so good”.

“ Do you missed him”.

“ I do but I learned to live without him, it’s been a long time”.

And Justine look to her parents as they laughing so loud.

“ My parents are the best parents for me. They always think what’s the best for me.”

And Justine lean on the chair and think about something and she start reminiscing the time where she was down and her parents was there and never leave her alone.

“ I remember when I had my first break up with me and I tell it to my parents, they told me that I was strong that I can feel better after the heart breaks.—my mom let me cry for a moment and the next day I saw them smiling at me, congratulating me for being adult now”.

And they laugh

“ I guess, our parents are the best teacher in the world”, Andrew said and Justine agreed on him. –our parents knew exactly what to do when we are getting lost”.

“ Yeah, and we are blessed to have parents like them. I want to live with them until forever, I want to be with them until they get old”. And they keep looking to her parents.

That night, Andrew bid goodbye to Justine and her parents after the lovely dinner together. And the next morning, Andrew went to Justine’s house early in the morning before she go back to her work.

“ are you sure you want to stay here with my parents? –she ask confused

“ it’s okay, I want to stay with your parents and I think I should stay here. Don’t worry about it.”

Justine told her parents about Andrew staying with them.

“ mom, dad. Andrew wants to stay with you while I was in work. Is that okay to both of you”?

“ That’s great, I love it”, --mom said while looking to Andrew

“ yeah, that’s great. He can stay and we can play Chess”,

“ Are you guys sure”? Justine concerned

“ Yeah, don’t worry about it. We’re not abandoning him”.

“ Okay, I will go now. I’ll call after I reach my office”.

Andrew walk Justine to her car and to say goodbye as well. And she went away. Andrew go inside and found Justine’s mom getting ready to go in grocery store.

“ can I come and help you going to grocery? –I can’t drive but I can carry your things.

“ okay, are you ready to go”.

“ yes I’m ready. –but what about Mr. Meyers, is he okay if we left him here alone”?

“yeah, he will be fine”.

Mrs. Meyers talk to her husband to tell that Andrew is coming with her to grocery store to buy some foods and he agreed.

“ Are you sure you want to come with her”? –she’s too slow buying foods and she has so many stop over before and after buying foods”, he said laughing to Andrew.

“ It’s okay sir, I love going with my mom when she’s doing the grocery things”.

“ Okay son. Take care of her”.

“ I will sir”.

And Mrs. Meyers drive the car while Andrew was on the passenger side listening to her story while driving and looking to the view of Portland. He was amazed in the beautiful places, it’s totally different from his place in the Philippines. Not to much people and the place was greenery by the tree that makes the surroundings more relaxing.

“ I’m happy that you and Justine are happy together. I hope you won’t leave her and hurt her again”, she said seriously but she did smile.

“ Justine”—she is the best thing that I don’t want to lose. He said seriously. “ I was planning to come back and propose to her and marry her in the church where you and Mr. Meyers get married”.

“ wow, that’s great. Do you know where we got married”?

“ yes, Justine told me and she was happy telling me your love story. –how you guys meet, your engagement and your wedding. She told me everything.

“ Wow. Thank you for loving my daughter. She’s my everything and I am very happy seeing her very happy in her life”.

“ don’t you worry about it Mrs. Meyers, I will love her until we get old”.

Andrew and Mrs. Meyers reach the grocery store after 15 minutes of driving and they immediately went to the flower shop to buy some seeds to plant for Mrs. Meyers garden and after a few minutes, she received a call from Justine.

“ hello my lovely daughter, I am with Andrew and we are here at the grocery store to buy some foods”, she immediately explain

“ that’s great mom. I just arrived at my office and I talk to you guys later. –bye.

“ Okay, bye”.

After picking some seeds, Mrs. Meyers bring Andrew to the grocery store and start to buy her ingredients for baking and cooking. Mrs. Meyers love to bake everyday and sometimes she share it to the neighbors.

“ so, tell me about your mother”? She ask while picking some apples

“ my mom is very kind woman. I always buy her favorite foods when I got home and she always cook my favorite foods”. He said happily

“ That’s very kind of you for always buying your mom’s favorite foods”,

“ because I want to see her happy after a long day of working. Since my father died, she always busy in her business. I just want to see her happy again”.

And they finally finish buying foods and they go home after. Andrew carry all the things that Mrs. Meyers buy from the grocery inside of the house and they saw Mr. Meyers sitting by himself in the garden playing chess and he went inside to ask their grocery shopping and Mrs. Meyers was enthusiastic to narrates her travel time with Andrew.

“ Oh honey, he’s so generous and very gentleman. –he actually planning to propose to Justine when he come back again.”

“ Oh, it’s that true young man”? He ask while trying to encourage Andrew.

“ Yes sir, I was planning to propose and marry her in the church where you guys married”.

“ Wow, that’s great. I’m sure she will love it”.

“ Thank you sir”.

While Andrew and Mrs. Meyers preparing for the lunch, Mr. Meyers was watching basketball game in the television and he suddenly had an idea to call Justine. He dial her number on the phone but after a couple of ringing, he drop it off sadly.

“ maybe she’s busy with her work –her company was preparing for a big event next month”, Mrs. Meyers finely said and Mr. Meyers continue to watch the game and Andrew interrupt him to ask who is winning.

“ The home team was winning. Do you like playing basketball”?

“ I was varsity when I was in high school and we won championship back then”.

“ what’s your position”?

“ I played 3 but I’m not that good. –Andrew humbly said. I’m not a star player and in college I never make to a varsity team in school because there’s so many who are so great more than I am and I knew it so, I changed my path but I never stop playing basketball”.

“ Wow, that’s great. I think you made a great choice”. And they both laughing while watching.

And suddenly Mrs. Meyers phone was ringing and she immediately answer it.

“ Hello honey, how are you? –your dad was calling you earlier but you didn’t answer.

“ Hi mom, yes I missed the call. I was in meeting with the executive about the big event next month. How are you guys doing”?

“ well, Andrew and I went to grocery store and he help me buying foods and he was so generous. I was preparing our lunch and the two boys are enjoying watching basketball game”.

“ wow, sounds like you all have a great time together. I wish I was there with you guys”.

“ oh honey, you know you can home whenever you want”.

“ I can’t mom, we are so busy right now and I can’t make an absence right now but I think in Friday I can come home early”.

“ That’s great. See you soon honey. Take care”.

“ Thanks mom and take care –and take care of Andrew for me.

“ Don’t worry, he’s safe with us here”. –bye

“ Bye mom”.

And the lunch is ready and everyone are ready and they start eating. It is the best lunch that they have for the three of them. Andrew is happy for the kindness of Justine’s parents and for accepting him and treated him like their own son.

“ so what your plan after the wedding? Do you want to live here or not?—he ask continuously.

“ I do love living here with both of you but I let Justine decide for that. Whatever she like, I will support her wholeheartedly”.

“ well, we really love the two of you staying here with us but whatever the decisions we will support both of you”. –Mrs. Meyers humbly said.

“ thank you so much Ma’am and Sir for guidance and support, we really appreciate it”.

“ Don’t call us Ma’am and Sir. I’m Alicia and this is Robert. –call us Mom and Dad if you want”.

Andrew smile in blushes for hearing that but he loves it. And they continue eating until the last food was served and Andrew humbly offer to wash the dishes and Mrs. Meyers love his gentleman attitude of him and she guide Andrew washing the dishes while telling him some childhood secrets of Justine.

“ When she was born, it was midnight of October 22, Andrew stop to listen. –It was rainy season here and I wake up my husband Robert to tell that the baby was coming out and he immediately carry me to the car and we travel in the middle of the night and no other car was driving that time so he drive so fast and I keep holding my stomach and talking to her that don’t come out yet we’re still on the road and I keep shouting and yelling to Robert to drive faster because I can feel she’s really coming out any minute and we reached the hospital and Justine immediately come out. I hear her voice crying right after I was inside of the emergency room and I was very happy seeing her alive that time, that is the most beautiful thing that happen in my life seeing the baby that I carried for so long”.

“ Wow, that is so beautiful story Mrs. Meyers”, Andrew said while he continue washing the dishes.

“ It was and now it’s your time to make a beautiful stories like that”. she wink at him and they both laughing.