Chapter 23: Chapter 23

After a long journey finally Andrew and his family arrive at the Oregon International Airport, it’s almost 5 o’clock in the afternoon. After coming to the bureau of immigration, they immediately walk and Andrew carry all their stuff together and his mom is holding his sister Kate. He look around to find Justine but she wasn’t there, he walk around by himself to find Justine but he never see him and he try to call her at the payphone near the exit point of the airport but she never answer, he go back to his mom and sister and wait again. After she drive faster she arrive and immediately run to the arrival area and see the big screen that written the schedule and she check his flight number to know if he already arrive and she smiling at herself to know that he arrived 10 minutes ago. She run fast again to the exit point and start to look at him, after of searching and searching she suddenly stop and see a familiar face standing on far away from her but it’s not clear, she try to shout but he never heard her. She try to keep closer but he’s too far and he’s still at the arrival area and she’s not allowed to go there, she try to shout again but he never look back. She shout again this time it’s louder than the last one and it works, Andrew make his face turn to her and see Justine. She wave at him and he run faster and hug her so tight in a long time.

“ I miss you”. She said while hugging him

“ I miss you more”. He replied. “ I thought you forget my flight”.

“Of course not. I’m sorry I have to finish something. Where are your things”? She suddenly ask.

“ I left it there at the waiting area,” he said

“ Let’s go get them and it’s getting late, we have to go fast”.

“ Okay but I have something to tell you”. He said while walking towards to his luggage

“ What is it”? She curiously ask.

Before getting his luggage, he stop for awhile and talk to Justine seriously and his mom approach them while holding to Kate and Justine is shock seeing them together.

“ Oh no. You’re all here”. She shouted in disbelief. “ Why you didn’t tell me”. Pointing to Andrew.

“ I want to surprise you”. He said laughing

“ Hello Justine”. Kate said waving at her

“ Hello Kate, I’m very happy that you are here”.

“ I’m excited to see you too and visit you”.

“ Hello Justine, nice to see you again”. Andrew’s mom greet her

“ Hello aunty, nice to see you too. Thank you for coming”. She said politely

And Andrew carry all their stuff and Justine help him and they start walking where Justine park her car and he put all their things at the back of her car and before she starts the car, she ask them if they need to eat first since it’s a long travel time but all of them agreed to take dinner at her place and she immediately make a call to her parents and ask them to cook for dinner and the two old couple excitedly starts to cook after the call ended.

“ I’m still in disbelief that you brought your family here”. Justine said to Andrew while driving. “ You didn’t tell me”.

“ It’s a surprise”. He said smiling at her

“ Is there a snow here”? Kate excitedly ask Justine

“ Yeah in Christmas, the snow always came out every Christmas”.

“ Wow cool. I want to see snow”.

“ Don’t worry Kate, you will see it”.

“ I’m excited”. She shouted joyfully

Justine continue driving while the three of them looking outside observing the life in America. They see different American people and American natures, it’s totally different from the Philippines even the language because they can speak English and understand well but still it’s different. After thirty minutes of driving she stop because of red signal in the traffic lights, Andrew suddenly ask his mom if she feeling hungry.

“ I’m still full. I ate at the airplane before we arrive”.

“ What about you Kate? Are you hungry”?

“ Nope. I’m okay big brother”. She said chuckles and Andrew laugh at her and Justine do the same.

She continue driving as the lights turn to green and a minute later they finally see the sign board that signaling the city of Portland and Justine excitedly announce that they are approaching her city and Kate couldn’t hide her excitement and look outside.

“ I buy your mom a gift for her birthday tomorrow”. Andrew said. “ I hope she like it”.

“ What is it”?

“ It’s a summer dress with summer cap”. He said

“ I’m sure she will likes it, she likes summer”.

“ That’s great. Mom and I are thinking so hard what to buy for her because I don’t know what she likes”.

“ My mom is a very simple woman. Whatever you give to her she will accept it wholeheartedly”. She explain

“ same as you”. He replied and both of them laughing together.

After an hour and half of driving, they finally arrive at Justine’s house eight o’clock in the evening and her parents excitedly came out of the house to welcome them. Andrew walk with his family towards the door where her parents is waiting and Justine turn off her car and introduce Andrew’s family to her parents.

“ Mom, Dad. This is Andrew’s family”. She said

“ Hello, I’m Andrew’s mom and this is Kate our youngest”.

“ Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Meyers, I’m Kate and I’m 12 years old from the Philippines. I’m happy to meet you”. Kate’s introduce herself happily.

“ Hello and welcome to our house. I’m Alicia and this is Robert and we are Justine’s parents. We are very happy to finally meet you here”. Mrs. Meyers said.

“ It’s getting dark outside, let’s go inside and have a dinner together”. Mr. Meyers suggest.

And everyone walk inside and Mrs. Meyers immediately preparing the dinner because everyone is feeling hungry and Andrew’s mom named Sandy try to help her and after a few minutes the dinner is ready and everyone go to the table and start to eat. The dinner is filled with laughter and happiness from Andrew’s story of their journey traveling, Justine’s story in her work and her parents story of their everyday life, everyone is telling their own story and everyone is listening while eating. It’s a long dinner for them because of story telling but it’s the happiest dinner that they ever had. After the long dinner, Mrs. Meyers volunteer to wash the dishes and Justine try to help but her mom refuse instead Andrew secretly try to help her and Mrs. Meyers silently ask if he’s ready to his proposal tomorrow and Andrew couldn’t hide his excitement and nod to her.

“ That’s great. She has no idea about tomorrow, all she ever know is that it’s my celebration of my birthday.” She said smiling.

“ Thank you Mrs. Meyers for helping me”. He said politely

“ Don’t worry about it. Tomorrow I will invite her to the salon and you and Robert will be preparing here for the proposal, okay”?

“ Yes, ma’am.” He said nervously

And Mrs. Meyers finish washing the dishes and get back to talk to Sandy and Justine at the living room talking about anything suddenly Andrew bring out the Chess board and give it to Mr. Meyers as a gift and he honestly likes it because it’s different from the usual Chess board and for Mrs. Meyers, he give the summer dress that they buy together with his mom and Mrs. Meyers absolutely love it and excited to visit the Philippines and wear it in the beautiful beach. Andrew think that’s it’s better to give advance the birthday gift because tomorrow it’s gonna be his engagement with Justine.

“ And for you, my beautiful lady. This is for you”. He said while giving his gift to Justine.

“ What is it”?

“ It’s a summer dress that I buy for you. Hope you like”.

“ Wow it’s beautiful”. She excitedly said it. “ Thank you”. She said without a sound but Andrew understand it clearly.

“ And Mr. Meyers this is for you”.

“ Wow, I have another gift. Thank you so much”.

“ My mom wants to buy you a summer outfit so that when you visit Philippines you don’t have to buy your outfit”. Andrew explain.

“ Thank you. It’s really wonderful”. Mrs. Meyers said.

That night is filled with love and happiness, nobody wants to sleep. It’s almost midnight when Mrs. Meyers finally decided to end the night. Andrew and his family take a sleep at the guess room that Mr. Meyers clean it for the whole week before they arrived but before he go to the room, he had chat first to Justine who is almost to sleep.

“ Hi, getting ready for the bed”?

“ Yes. It’s a busy day and tomorrow I will go with my mom to the salon and give her a beauty rest because it’s her birthday”.

“ Okay. I just want to say, I really miss you and I’m happy to see you again”.

“ I’m very happy to see you too and I hope you stay for awhile”.

“ Good night and sleep well”.

“ Good night to you too”. And Andrew go back to his room where his little sister Kate waiting for him.

“ You still awake”? Where’s mom”?

“ She’s taking a bath and I couldn’t sleep”.

“ Why”?

“ Because it’s a new place”.

“ You should sleep now because tomorrow is a big day and I’m sure you don’t want to miss it”.

Kaye immediately close her eyes after he say it and his mom go out of the bathroom and then getting ready to take a sleep.

“ Good night, mom”.

“ Good night, son”.

And the night ended like that. Everyone is excited about the big day tomorrow. The sun is shining early morning and Andrew wake up from his alam and he go out to take a jog around the house and suddenly Mrs. Meyers go out and go to her garden and he try to help her.

“ Are you ready”? Ask Mrs. Meyers while watering the plants though she never pointed what she really means, Andrew understand it clearly. It’s about the engagement party.

“ Yes Mrs. Meyers and I’m very excited about it”.

“ That’s great to know. I will cook our breakfast now so we can have more time to prepare”.

“ Okay. Can I help”?

“ Nope but I will ask your mom for help. Is she awake”?

“ Yes. She’s at the room. I will call her”.

“ Okay. I’ll see her at the kitchen”.

After the breakfast, Mrs. Meyers immediately go the salon with Justine and start her beauty session for her birthday tonight while Justine decided to cut her hair because it’s been awhile since she last cut it almost a year ago. Meanwhile in Justine’s house, Mr. Meyers is busy decorating the shack that he repair a weeks ago with Andrew and he is helping with Andrew’s mom and his sister Kate. They put balloons, put some lights to make it more beautiful and elegant, they put flowers the red roses Justine’s favorite flower and some other decorations that makes their home more beautiful.

After the lunch time, Justine and her mom got home from the beauty session and they found they’re home really beautiful. Kate welcome them from the outside and walk with them towards to the shack that Mr. Meyers named it the “ Safe Haven”. Mr. Meyers hand a bouquet of flowers to Mrs. Meyers and greet her a happy birthday and the other clapping their hands for a wonderful day. The foods that Mr. Meyers ordered from the catering is starting to come and while Mrs. Meyers change her clothes to her favorite dress that Justine bought last year and Justine and Andrew’s mom preparing the table while Andrew is preparing his camera for the birthday celebration. After a minute, Mrs. Meyers the birthday celebrant came out from her room and start to walk towards to the Safe Haven with Mr. Meyers holding her hands happily. Andrew take a pictures of them walking together holding hands and Justine is very happy seeing her parents being together and she dream of herself like them. No other visitors for the celebration because Mrs. Meyers wants it more private and the foods are enough only with them. Mrs. Meyers leads them to start the birthday celebration and everyone is sitting on their own chair and start eating.

“Before the days end—Mrs. Meyers said. I want to thank first, my lovely husband who stays with me since the beginning and never leave me and give me an unending love that I never thought I could have and to my daughter Justine who makes us complete. Thank you for being a great and kind daughter, you are the best daughter. And to Andrew and his family for coming here all the way to the Philippines just to celebrate my birthday. And lastly to God, who never leave me alone and to always guiding me and my family.”

“ Let’s cheer for another years to come”. Mrs. Meyers shouted.

“ Cheers”. Everyone lift their glass of wine and drink it all.

“ This is the best birthday ever.” Mrs. Meyers said and she wink at Andrew and Andrew play the song in his speaker and Mr. Meyers lift his hand to Mrs. Meyers and ask her for a dance and she never neglect him because she loves dancing with him. Justine change the song to her parents favorite song and the two start to dance together, they look like a new wedding couple while dancing and Andrew taking a pictures of them while Kate is taking a video of them.