Chapter 21: Chapter 21

The next morning, Andrew wake up early and try to buy a ring for Justine but he couldn’t find anything that he wants for Justine. He decided to think about it and come back tomorrow and he went outside of the mall and meet his mom and his sister Kate, they planned to go visit his father’s grave and bring him some flowers and Andrew brought his picture with Justine to introduce to his father.

“Hi Dad, I know it’s been a while and I know you miss me but I am here in front of you and I’m here to introduce Justine, the woman I really love and I planned to marry her when I get back to America. She’s a great woman and I think you will like her because mom likes her so much. I wish you could meet here and tell me how lovely she is. I miss you Dad everyday and don’t worry about mom and Kate, I will take of them. Please guide us up there.” And Andrew smile at his father’s grave and his mom see it.

“ What’s the smile, my son”?

“ Nothing mom, I just told Dad that we miss him and I introduce Justine to him.”

“ I know he’s so proud of you. You are good son”. His mom hug him while looking at the grave.

They got home after they take a dinner at the restaurant. Andrew look bothered because he couldn’t find a ring for Justine and his mom notice it.

“ Are you okay my son”?

“ Yes mom. I just don’t know where to buy a ring. I looked different stores but I couldn’t find the one”.

His mom walk away and Andrew thought that her mom left him but a few minutes later his mom came back carrying a small red box and give it to him.

“ What is this mom? It’s your wedding ring but I don’t want you to give it to me. Dad gave this to you”.

“ He didn’t gave me that and it’s not our wedding ring. It’s from your grand mother. She gave it to me when I was getting married but your dad already gave me our wedding ring. I tried to bring it back to my mom but she told me that I can give it to my son or daughter and now you’re getting married, I will give it to you. It’s a 15 carat gold.”

“ Wow. Thank you mom.” He excitedly said after opening the box and see the beautiful ring.

“ You can put your name and Justine in front.” Suggest by his mom

“ And I can put the place where we first met.”

“ Yeah, that’s great.” Agreed by his mom

“ But do you think it’s fit in Justine”?

“ Of course. Just trust and you will see.”

Andrew excitedly find a store that can repair his ring and he end up at the longest repair shop in the City. “The Gold Digger Store, it was built before world war and continue the business after the world war. Andrew go inside and meet the owner. He is Jonathan, the grandest grand son of the owner of the store.

“ Hi Andrew, I’m Jonathan. What can I do for you”?

“ Sir, I have here a wedding ring from my grand mother and I want to repair it with my name and my girlfriend name on it and also I want to put the place where we first met. Can you do that for me”?

“ Of course sir, that’s our job. Where’s the ring”?

Andrew show it to Jonathan and he explain to him what design he wants to put and Jonathan likes the idea of him.

“ How long until it’s finish”?

“ I think a week or more.”

“ Can you do it fast because I will make a proposal next week and my flight is this coming Friday. Please help me, this is the moment that I’ve been waiting for and I want to make it perfect.”

“ Okay, I will do it on my own because I can see in your eyes that you are in love.”

“ Thank you sir. I really appreciate your help. I will pay you double.”

“ No. Just love your girl and I will be very happy about it.” Said Jonathan happily

“ But you deserve to pay double”.

“ No son. It’s not about the money, it’s about the love that we feel inside”. “ Just Love her eternally and you are paid.”

Andrew go home happy for the great time with the owner of the store. He see his sister Kate writing in her notes and try to help her but Kate is very intelligent students instead he ask her about her studies.

“ I had A+ in all of my subjects and mom saw it and she is very happy”.

“ Okay, that’s great. Tell your teacher that we will be flying next week to America and you are absent. Okay.”

“ Mom can tell that to my teacher. How is America, big brother? Did you see snow”?

“ I haven’t seen snow but it’s beautiful and Justine’s parents are all kind and lovable.”

“ Wow. Will the snow come out when we go there”?

“ I don’t know but I want to see snow too. Don’t you worry, I planned to celebrate Christmas with them and I think snow can come out every Christmas”. He said tickling her.

“ Wow, that’s very exciting. I can’t wait for this year Christmas”. Kate shouted and her mom hear it.

As days go pass by, Andrew couldn’t calm himself because his proposal is coming and he wants to make it perfect for Justine. He knows, Justine deserve the perfect engagement because of everything she’s been through in her life. All her heartbreaks, he wants to continue it with his perfect engagement for her. And He continue writing his engagement speech.

As the days come, I want to wake up with you in my arms and I want to start my new chapter of my life with you. What tomorrow brings is not what I am preparing for but being with you and holding your hands everyday is what I am looking forward. Justine, I am here in front of my family and your loving family kneeling down and holding your hand. Asking you to marry me.

Andrew couldn’t help but cry while writing and he’s very excited to do it with Justine. He imagine himself doing it and everyone is staring at him and waiting for him to say the words but he’s nervous and scared but he still manage to speak but in lower voice. He starts to pack his things and tomorrow the engagement ring, he will visit the store where he repair it and he is hoping that the ring is finish and he wouldn’t worry much to the engagement plan. A minute later, he receive a call from Justine and he immediately answer it.

“ Hello beautiful. How is your day going”?

“ Hi Andrew. It’s fine. I had not much work since everything is finish and I am now work free. Yeeheyy”. She said celebrating her own.

“ That’s great. I am very happy that you can now relax yourself. By the way Justine, I just buy a ticket and my flight is Thursday night and I think I will arrive there at Friday. It’s that okay with you”?

“ This coming Friday”? She ask in disbelief

“ Yes. Don’t you like”?

“ No, that’s not what I mean. I just couldn’t believe that you will be here again and celebrating with me the birthday of my mom. Thank you for coming”.

“ I love to go there and celebrate your mom’s birthday. So don’t worry of everything, just relax yourself and enjoy your time and I will see you in Friday, okay”.

“ Okay. See you. Love you”.

“ Love you more”.

That night, Andrew is very thankful to God that he met a woman like Justine and to meet her again and allow him to love and be in love with Justine. He then asking God to guide him and his engagement plan. He fall asleep that night dreaming the engagement party.

I remember one wedding day when I was the photographer. The man is standing in front waiting for his woman to arrive. She walks down the aisle in her lovely dress, walking with her father in her side. He cried watching his woman of her life walking towards him. But before her father give her hands to him, he ask him to take care of her daughter and love her endlessly. The man cried again while promising to take care and love her and her father put her hands on him and let them walk towards the altar of the church. Both of them, promised to each other to love in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, till death do us part. And the priest declare, husband and wife and everyone is clapping joyfully watching the newlyweds and congratulating them for a new chapter of their life. I guess the main goal of human is to find love and be loved. If you’re lucky to find it and you’re living with it until you die, you are accomplished as a human being. Not everyone can’t be loved but everyone can love. Every love story has a story to tell but not all love story is written in the books, most of them are written in the memory of everlasting love.

Andrew wake up next morning excited. He go early at the store but the owner is not there, he decided to wait him. He eat breakfast in the restaurant near the store but he never stay long and go back after he finish eating his last bacon but the owner still not there. He ask the number of the owner and try to call him but as his phone starts to ring, a man came and approach him.

“ Hello, Mr. Andrew Davidson, I’m Jonathan the owner of the store and I am very excited to give you your engagement ring”.

And Andrew couldn’t believe that the ring is in his hand and he slowly opening the red box and he immediately see the new ring that he design and he’s very happy seeing his grandparents ring that transform to a new look that looks like a new design that just came out from the luxurious store. He gladly thankful to Jonathan.

“ Thank you sir for your hard work just to finish it. I’m very happy sir”.

“ I’m glad you like it but it’s still your design and I just did what you said”. He humbly said

“ But I know, you did it with all your heart and for that, please accept my payment”.

“ Did I told you, you don’t have to pay me”.

“ Yes sir I remember but I never agreed.”

Andrew hand the money to Jonathan and hug him for his help.

“ When I come back here with Justine, I want you to meet her because you are a good man.” He said.

“ I know the two of you will be great couple, I can see how much you love her. You smile great every time you mentioned her name”.

“ I do, sir”. Andrew couldn’t hide his smile. “ I have to go now sir but I will be back”.

“ My store is open every day and I am here waiting for you”. He proudly said

“ Thank you sir”.

And the two said goodbye to each other but the new brotherhood is getting started. Andrew excitedly go home and immediately show to his mom the beautiful engagement ring and his mom is very happy and couldn’t wait for the time he will wear it to Justine.

“ So, everything is finish? We only have two days before the flight”.

“ Everything is done mom. Your passport and Kate are all in my bag, the ring I will put it inside of my shoes so it wouldn’t lost. My speech is finish and everything is finish”.

“ When will be the wedding”?

“ It’s depends on Justine’s decision but as soon as possible I want to marry her. I want to marry her, where her parents married before”.

That afternoon, Andrew decide to catch his sister Kate from school and he is excited doing it because it’s been a long time since he did it. After a few minutes of waiting, he finally see her waiting and he open the car window to see her and it is written in her face that she is shock seeing him.

“ Where’s mom? Why did you catch me? You haven’t done that before”? She ask continuously.

“ I know and I am here doing it for you”. He turn the wheels on and start driving. “ So, how’s your school”?

“ It’s fine. Not much assignment because we’re done taking exam last week”. She said while looking outside.

“ So, how are you? I mean you as a girl”. He correct himself but Kate is too serious looking outside.

“ I’m fine. I’m high school now and I think I’m ready to college”. She said seriously.

“ Wow, are you sure”? What do you want to take in college”?

“ Yes, I’m sure. I want to become doctor and take care of mom.”

“ Wow that is great. I’m sure mom is very happy for that.” He said trying to encourage her to continue her dream. “ Do you want ice cream”?

“ Yeah, sure. If you treat me.”

“ Okay, today I will pay for my cutest sister”. He said trying to cuddling her.

While having ice cream, they are watching some kids trying to flying their kites and Andrew remember himself doing the exact same thing with his dad and he ask Kate if she miss dad.

“ Of course I did but I let him fly away to his place and I think he likes it there because I see him very happy”.

“ You see him? Where”?

“ At my dreams and he looked very happy”. She explain. “ And I told him that I will take care of mom when you are get married and if you decide to leave us”.

“ What are you saying? I’m not going to leave you and mom. We will be together”.

“ What about Justine. She lives far away and her family”.

“ Well, it’s true she lives far away but it doesn’t mean I will leave you alone with mom. I can go home here with Justine and sometimes we will fly together just like this coming Friday to meet her family and she’s very excited seeing you there.”

“ Oh, really. I am excited to see her too”. She shouted.

They got home after finishing the ice cream and before the evening comes and their mom is happily waiting for them. She just finished preparing the foods for dinner and they immediately start eating after Andrew and Kate arrived.

“ Seems like the two of you had a great time together”. Said his mom but the two have a eye contact and starts to smile together and suddenly Kate speak.

“ Yes mom, big brother buy me ice cream and we watched some kids playing kites”. She explain.

“ That’s great. Did you enjoyed it”?

“ Yes mom, I loved it”. She said while cuddling Andrew.

Andrew call Justine the same time she called last night but she didn’t answer. He thought she’s busy from work so he decided to call her later. He start to pack his things, his camera he clean it for the engagement party and his engagement ring he put it the small box and tie it together with his shirt. After an hour, he try to call her again but nobody answering the phone. He try to text her and after 15 minutes he received a text from Justine. He immediately call her and after a few ring she answer it.

“ Hey Handsome, I’m sorry I never heard your call. I just woke up from sleep and I am really tired from last night’s big event of the company and I am thankful you called”.

“ Hey beautiful. You sound really tired and exhausted. Did you take your breakfast”?

“ I will later after we finish talking by the way I have something to tell you, something really important”.

“ What is it”? He ask curiously

“ The company is promoting me to a higher position after I made a very successful event last night but I have a doubt because if I will accept it, I will be going to California.” She said sadly. “ What do you think”?

“ What do you really want? If you choose higher position, you will be apart to your family but if you stay with what you have now, you can still be with your family.”

“ It’s really hard and I think I need time to think about it.”

“ Did your parents knows about it”?

“ No, I haven’t told them yet. I planned to tell them when you are here. By the way your flight is on Friday, right? Did you pack your things already”?

“ Yes ma’am, I just finished before I called you”.

“ Good. Make sure you bring everything you need and if you can bring me some dried mango”.

“ Okay, tomorrow I will buy you. Anything you need”?

“That’s it and tell your mom, I will borrow you again”.

“Okay, I will tell mom tomorrow because I think she’s asleep already”. He said trying to hide his laughter because she didn’t know that his mom and Kate is flying with Andrew to meet them.