Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Andrew clean his camera and he saw the parents of Justine talking outside of the house and they look like a very happy couple. He focus his camera lens on the two of them and he capture the moment of true loved and he was very happy looking at them and he imagine himself. When he grow old and sitting in the same chair with Justine, smiling with her while holding her hands and waiting for the sun to set and it put a big smile in his face and Mr. Meyers saw him smiling on his own.

“ What’s with the smile”? He immediately ask while reaching for a glass of wine.

--I just saw both of you happy together and I imagine myself with Justine. I imagine sitting the same chair that you sit and holding on Justine’s hands while waiting for the sun to set.

“ well son when I was dating Alicia, I did imagine myself getting old with her but my imagination is nothing compared to what we have now. I was more happier now that I was with her every minute of the day and I was really blessed for that”. And he drink his first shot of the day.

“ do you want to join us? We are having a small reminiscing”.

Andrew smile while holding his camera not really sure if he wants to go or not so Mr. Meyers leave him alone but soon after Mr. Meyers left, Andrew decided to go and bring his camera.

“ I knew you will come”. Mr. Meyers teasing him and he offer him a glass of wine and Andrew sited in the middle of them.

“ I love to listen to your stories”.

“ Okay, I’ll go first”. –Mrs. Meyers volunteer

“ when we were in junior high at prom night, I was so eager to dance with Robert that I had to put more make up on my face and I put more perfume to attract him but he never make a dance with me. I was so sad that night and decided to go home early but I saw Robert standing in the church waiting for something. I never approach him because I was still mad at him so I passed him by but after I step my feet forward he hold my hand and I turned back and I saw his hand holding my hand but I didn’t say anything because I was in shocked. He hold my other hand and invited me to dance in front of the church.”

And everyone was laughing including Andrew.

“—and we both dancing and I was very happy that night that I couldn’t sleep well. That night I realized that I want to marry Robert”. Mrs. Meyers said and Andrew couldn’t help but amaze on their story.

After an hour, Mrs. Meyers receive a call from Justine and she hand it over to Andrew.

“hi young man, what are you doing –her first question

“ hi beautiful, we’re just done talking and reminiscing with your parents. They’re really kind to me and they telling me their stories”. “ how are you there”?

“ Wow, I miss you guys. I’m happy that my parents like you very much. I’m okay, I was just too busy because of my work but I’m okay”.

“ that’s great. Are done taking your lunch”?

“ Yeah, I’m done with my friend Melissa”. What about you? What are you doing now”?

“ I was sitting outside and cleaning my camera and right now I was staring at your parents. They are very lovely couple”. And she smiles.

“ Thank you for staying with my parents. I was very happy that you like my parents more”.

“ you have the best parents ever and I was really blessed to meet them. –I miss you”.

“ I miss you too. And I need to get back to my work. Goodbye”.

“ bye”. And she drop the call.

Mr. Meyers walk with Andrew in Justine’s aunt who own the hotel inn that Andrew was staying to get his some things because he will be sleeping in Justine’s house which is Mr. Meyers idea and before they head back Mr. Meyers talk to Andrew seriously.

“ can you take care of my daughter? –she’s been in tough situation before and I was happy that she over come that and I can see now that she’s happy with you. As man to man, can you take care of her even when she get old”?

“ Mr. Meyers, I will take care of her. I will always stay in her side and I won’t never leave her alone”.

“ thank you for loving her and now I will give you my permission to marry her”. And they shake their hands.

“ thank you sir”.

And they continue walking back to their house and they saw some people sitting with Mrs. Meyers. It’s their neighbors and they here to invite Mr. and Mrs. Meyers to annual celebration of small town festival that is happening this coming Friday.

“ You have handsome guest here”. –one of the lady asking

“ he’s Andrew and he is Justine’s boyfriend”. Mrs. Meyers explained

“ oh, so you all can come and visit the festival. I’m sure you all gonna love it, we have so many fun games and country music out there and the yearly contest of most delicious delicacies of our own. I hope you can participate on that”.

“ I like that but I don’t think we can. Justine is not here to decide about that but I will let you know if we can after I talk to Justine tonight and thank you. We appreciate the warm invitation”.

“ Okay, tell me before Friday so we can manage everything”. The lady said with a sadness in her face.

After the visitors gone, Andrew ask Mrs. Meyers why they’re not attending the festival and Mrs. Meyers explain everything to Andrew.

“ we love to go but Justine don’t want to hear the gossip of our neighbors about her life. She’s been in private life since her break up with Martin and everyone here knows about it and they keep talking about her since then”.

“ but it’s the festival why people talking to her and it’s not even her fault”.

“ Yeah but that’s not what other people think”.

Mr. Meyers invite Andrew to watch American football on TV and Andrew enjoy watching it even though it’s his first time watching it and he clearly understand the game because of the great explanations of Mr. Meyers with some imitating moves of the funny referees. Mr. Meyers was very happy when his favorite team won the game with the most incredible touch down pass that seal the game. He was shouting out loud and throwing some popcorn on the ground and Andrew couldn’t help but laugh at Mr. Meyers joyfulness. It was one of the best game of the year according to Mr. Meyers himself.

Before the evening come, Mr. Meyers invite Andrew to come with him at the grocery store nearby to buy some materials that he needed to repair the small shack near their house and Andrew willingly come and help Mr. Meyers. They reach the grocery store after 15 minutes of driving and Mr. Meyers go straight to the tools section and pick the materials that he needed and Andrew was there ready to help him. Mr. Meyers enjoy talking and telling stories that Andrew couldn’t understand sometimes but he smile to show some respect and Mr. Meyers still continuously talking until they reach home right before Mrs. Meyers almost finishing cooking and Andrew immediately run to help her and Mrs. Meyers love it.

“ How’s the grocery time? Is Robert telling you so many stories?—she continuously ask

“ it’s great. Yeah but I think I love it when he talking to me, I feel like I was talking to my father as well”.

“ Wow, you’re so very kind Andrew. Thank you “. Mrs. Meyers shrink at him

“ you and Mr. Meyers are actually kind. You accept me here and feed me and I was very thankful for that”.

“ Justine told me that we have to take care of you. She wants you to be feel at home”.

“ Thank you, Mrs. Meyers for everything”. Mrs. Meyers immediately hug Andrew and Mr. Meyers interrupt them and ask if they’re done cooking.

Andrew serve the foods for dinner and he serve it with some love and the two was impress in his skills and think that he was professional waiter but he wasn’t.

“ so, Robert what did you buy at the grocery store”? Mrs. Meyers ask before the start of dinner

“ some tools that I needed because I was planning to repair the shack and make it more beautiful again”.

“ Can I help, Mr. Meyers”? Andrew volunteer

“ Of course, you are my apprentice”.

“ okay, Thank you sir –but when we gonna start?

“ tomorrow morning”.

“ okay, so I have to sleep early tonight”.

And they continue eating until they all finish and Andrew help Mrs. Meyers again in washing the dishes and she enjoys the big help of Andrew.

“ Mrs. Meyers, you are great in cooking. I was very full and I love all the foods that you cook tonight”.

“ Oh, you are so sweet Andrew. From now on everything you want to eat just tell me and I will cook it just for you”. And they both chuckles.

Before he sleep, he receive a call from Justine and he immediately answer it.

“ Hello beautiful. Have you take your dinner already”?

“ Hello handsome. Yes, I just finished my dinner. How is your day with my parents”?

“ It’s fine, I help your mom cooking and washing dishes and your dad explain to me the American football game and I think I can understand now the game”. He chuckles

“ Oh. You’re so kind. Thank you for helping my parents and staying with them.”

“it’s nothing. I love staying with them. I was actually at your room right now and I was looking at your old pictures and you looked gorgeous here”. He smiled

“ Liar. It’s okay, you can tell the truth”.

“ no. You are actually gorgeous specially when you are at the beach and making a sand castle. You looked like your mom”.

“ I was 10 years old that time and yeah, many people think that I am look like her and I love it”. She chuckles.

They had a long talk about things that they never thought they can talk about. She ask Andrew, how it’s like living in America and about the American foods and he answer him with an angelic voice that made Justine more satisfied to his answer and Andrew ask her about her work and he give her some advice to gain her more strength because he knew she is working so hard this past days and he couldn’t help but he give some important advice and Justine appreciate his efforts. And before they said goodbye, Andrew pronounce a letter for Justine. It’s a poem that he wrote while traveling to Justine.

My eyes are blind from your love

My heart is beating from your smile

My soul is drowning from your love

I was broken but you build me up again

And save me from dying.

My love, you are beautiful in my eyes

And will always be beautiful for the rest of my life.

You are everything that I wanted

You are all I wanted.

Keep my eyes, my heart, my soul

For you, it’s all living

For me, you are my love.

And Justine couldn’t help but fall in love in every words that he said and she felt flying in the love of his man. They finish talking when Justine was really sleepy and wants to take some break and Andrew said goodbye after the call and they all fall asleep immediately.