Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Everyone is wearing a formal attire including Andrew and he look very handsome in his suit and tie and Justine couldn’t hide the excitement when she first saw him walking outside of the room and Mrs. Meyers notice that his tie is not in the proper way so she ask Justine to help Andrew on his tie. She walk nervously towards him and try to fix his tie and Andrew whisper to her.

“ you look beautiful today”, and smile at her while she is fixing his tie and she suddenly smile at him

“ you look handsome today.”

“ Thank you. I was very happy that you like my attire today. It’s your father’s suite, he let me wear it and it was fit in me”. He said while doing the handsome look

They ride the car and Andrew bring his camera to take a pictures of them and he did capture the moment before they leave—Mr. and Mrs. Meyers was hugging on the other side while Justine and Andrew was standing closer to each other and right before the camera reach the timer for a picture countdown, Andrew hold Justine’s hand slowly and they all smiling gratefully right in front of the camera. Mr. Meyers drive the car and Mrs. Meyers is on the passenger seat while Andrew and Justine are at the back holding the gift that Mrs. Meyers brought last day. They arrive at the wedding venue right before it started and Justine introduce Andrew to her relatives as her boyfriend and Andrew couldn’t hide the excitement of calling him boyfriend by Justine.

After the wedding, Justine invited Andrew to go somewhere. They went to historical places near the city, the old clock that was built before the world war 2. It was one of the clock that rings as a sign that the war is getting started and giving enough time to everyone to hide and find place to keep safe though it’s not working as it before but the clock still standing to remind everyone about the greatest battle that the country has even been and as what Andrew loves to do, he take a photo of Justine and the clock was her background. He take a photo of two of them looking up at the clock and pretending it’s not a photoshoot but they kinda bit of obvious. They walk slowly and reach the small carnival and Justine immediately run to enter the carnival while holding to Andrew’s hand.

“ Do you want to play some games? Just like in the Philippines.

“ Okay but the loser has to buy Hawaiian pizza”. He suggest

“ Okay, deal”. She strongly agreed.

And the game was started. Justine take a first shoot but she missed, Andrew’s turn and he make sure it went in. Second ball, Justine make shoot and the ball bounce around the ring until it drop inside and Justine screaming loudly and she starts to teasing him but Andrew was to serious and never missed any shot. The game was over the Justine lose again but she wasn’t mad because she is very happy that they have a time together.

“ Do you want to ride in Ferris wheel? Ask Andrew. I think it’s the right time to ride Ferris wheel because the sun is getting ready to set”.

“ oh yeah, let’s go”.

They go fall in line before entering the gate and they both excited to go ride, after a minute the gate finally open and Justine sit on the white chair and Andrew follow her and he immediately take a photo of Justine while the Ferris wheel are slowly moving upward and the clouds are drifting in the wind while the sky is calm and serene, suddenly Andrew speak.

“ it’s like before, when we are in Cebu and ride Ferris wheel”. Justine secretly smile as Andrew continue to speak. “ that is the day that i admitted to myself that I was really in love with you and I couldn’t sleep well that night because I kept thinking about you”.

“ when you asked to dance that night, I felt different and when I looked in your eyes I felt that my heart’s like you and I was afraid to admit because I don’t want to hurt again but thankfully you are brave enough to love me and fight with me”.

And Andrew hug her so tight as the night turns dark and for the last ride of the Ferris wheel they take a picture again while they’re at the top. The photo was taken with the Sweetest smile of two lovely couple and as the night is about to start, they decide to go home and have a dinner with Justine parents. It’s almost dark when they reach the house and they saw the two old couple watching together an old movie. They are sure that it was old movie because the cinematography was old fashioned and the main characters are in old looking fashion but the old couple never really bother if it was an old fashioned movie because they both enjoyed the whole movie.

“ So, how’s the tour”? Mrs. Meyers finally ask after the movie ended.

“ It was great mom”. Justine excitedly said. “ We went to The Big Clock and we walked around and we reach the small carnival and we went for a ride”.

Justine preparing the foods for the dinner and her mom offer her a helping hand while Andrew is watching movies with Mr. Meyers but this time it was action movie that release early 2000.

“ do you know this movie—ask Mr. Meyers. I like this movie. I remember that day when it came out, I was begging Alicia to watch that movie but she was busy taking care of Justine so I asked my mom to take care of her but Alicia never wanted to leave Justine because she was worried but I assure her that Justine will be alright and we came late, it’s already in the middle and we never understand the whole story but I was so eager to watch it again so we buy another tickets and this time we came early and we came home almost night and Alicia was very happy seeing Justine in her sleep. It’s the first time we left her with my mom. And that is the best thing happened to our lives when Justine came.”

And Andrew look at Justine cooking with her mom.

“ And now, you have to take care of her like we take care of her when she came to us”.

“ I promise I will take care her the way you take care of her.”

And Mrs. Meyers suddenly came and offer them to have dinner and Mr. Meyers immediately stand up and invite Andrew to the kitchen but Andrew let him go first but Mr. Meyers grab him and bring him to his table beside Justine.

The time has come that Andrew has to leave and go back to the Philippines. It was Sunday afternoon, after the early mass. Justine drive him at the airport after saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Meyers. It’s not the emotional goodbye but it’s painful goodbye. After two weeks of vacation in Justine’s place, Andrew is leaving with a happy heart because he met her family and treated him nicely.

“ I have to go.” He said sadly. “ but don’t worry I’ll be back sooner and we will be together, okay”.

Justine nodded and he hug her for the last time.

“ I will wait till you come back again”. Her sad voice is forcing Andrew to cry but he keep going.

“ Meet me again here” said Andrew. And Justine nodded.

“ I will meet you again, no matter how long but I will”.

And for the last time he kiss her head to say goodbye and hold her hand tightly before letting it go. Justine is standing alone watching him walking away from her, she didn’t cry but the sadness is in her face. At exactly 11 o’clock in the morning, Andrew fly back to his country and leaving the woman he loves but like his promised to Mr. and Mrs. Meyers, he will be back to make his proposal to Justine. No exact date but it will be in the couple of weeks from now.

It’s afternoon when Andrew’s airplane arrive at the Manila International Airport and he immediately run home to see his mother and sister Kate. After a long hour of riding a taxi, he see his mom outside of the house, waiting excitedly. When a taxi stop in front of their house, Andrew immediately walk outside of the taxi and hug his mom. He almost forget his stuff because he misses his mom so much and his sister Kate waiting inside of the house to Andrew.

“ Big brother—Kate shouted. How is your flight and your vacation with Justine”?

“ I had so much fun and I missed you both specially mom”.

“ So Andrew, what’s your plan”? His mom seriously ask while picking Andrew’s stuff.

“ I planned to go back and propose to Justine and marry her and I think you guys need to come with me”. He suggest.

Kate happily excited and couldn’t believe that she will be flying to America and visit Justine and her family.

“ Are you sure about that”? His mom seriously ask but Andrew already decided and he was very sure about it.

“ I’m very sure mom. I think it’s time for me and Justine to be together”.

“ Oh son, I’m very proud of you”. And she hug him the way she hugged him when he was a baby.

“ Thank you mom for supporting me and guiding me. You are the best mom”. They both chuckles.

While taking his relaxation, Andrew pick his phone and decided to call Justine and tell her that he was landed safe and secure. After a two rings, she answer him with a very calm voice.

“ Hi Justine—He greet. How are you and your parents”?

“ Hi Andrew. I’m okay and my parents are okay also. How is your flight”?

“ I’m okay, I just arrived this afternoon and I went home right away and my mom and sister Kate are all excited that I am here and they said thank you to your gifts to them”.

“ I’m glad that they like it”.

“ Look Justine. I was planning to go back there next week because your mom invited me to her birthday and I love being there with you also.”

“ Oh yeah, I almost forget my mom’s birthday and if she invited you already, that’s great. I’m excited to see you again.”

“ I’m excited to see you too. Are you still at the office”?

“ Yeah I’m still here. I just take some break to talk to you. And I think I have to go now, the meeting is getting started. Talk to you later. Bye. I miss you.”

“ Okay bye. Love you.

And Justine is happy hearing those words but she is called to begin the executive meeting. Andrew drop the phone and start to plan his proposal to Justine, while he is busy making plans his mom knock on the door and get inside of his room.

“ Hi mom. I’m planning my proposal”. He said while his mom walking inside of his room

“ So, how do you want to propose”?

“ There’s a small shack near their house and her father repair it and make it like a rest house. And he show to his mom the beautiful picture of the house. I planned to propose to her in front of you and Kate and in her family inside of the beautiful rest house”. “ What do you think mom”?

“That is great my son. I think you planned it perfectly. I’m so happy for you”. She said while hugging him.

“ Thanks mom. I couldn’t be like this if it wasn’t for you”.

“ How about the engagement ring”?

“ I planned to buy tomorrow and I planned to design it where we first met”. He excitedly said.

Andrew fall asleep that night feeling happy and inspired. He starts writing his engagement speech but he never finish it that night. He wrote it like this.

To Justine.

I know we met in unexpected place and time but my love for you is not unexpected.

I love you when you smile at me and I even love you when you try to hid your tears from me.

Thank you for coming in to my life and for waking up my sleeping heart.

I love you now, today, tomorrow and will always love you until my last breath.