After having sent Jian to school the next day, she remembered her promise to help in their reunion plan. She had to work this out faster since she had decided to fly back to US earlier than planned, to support Jim in his training for cardiology fellowship program. That would be around three years. Fortunately, a school for Jian was just nearby so, perhaps, she might as well look for a nursing job. That's if Jim would allow her.
Ninety percent of her class were already added to their group chat and were all actively exchanging ideas. Most of the times, they got into casual chats about personal matters making the chatroom a warm and exciting place. Topics about high school years would always ignite responses from almost everyone, most especially, if those were about their past relationships or crushes. Thus, everyone were looking forward to their grand reunion.
These remaining ten percent was her task to complete. Either they had intentionally hidden themselves due to insecurities, gone overseas or had used code names in their social media accounts.
When it was about time to pick Jian up in school, she had already traced six of them. Fortunately, some names appeared on search engines like landline searches and board exam results. Some , indeed, were using pseudo names in Facebook but all thanks to the help of other sections who happened to be their relatives or elementary classmates.
Section Jade Chat Group
Jia: Hi, everyone! Please help me welcome our six classmates whom I had succesfully added to the group. Had talked to them about the reunion and, like all of us, they are looking forward to it!
Jay: Wow, welcome to the group classmates! So happy to hear from you.
Mira: Hi, everyone! Missed you all!
Liz: Where were you??? At long last, Jia had succesfully captured you.
Anthon: Welcome, everyone! Let's have a long chat later tonight. Thanks, @Jia, for the good job.
Jia: Welcome, @ Anthon. Cheers for tonight everyone!
Anthon: See you, @Jia.
Jay: Whaaaaaaaat, @Jia? Is there anything I did not know? Ayeee.
Liz: Do I sense something?
Jia: Shut it up! Hahaha! Anthon only meant to see me and everyone else in our reunion!
She hurriedly logged out of Messenger. She was sure the comment would stir up some commotion. As what she had heard, Anthon's wedding was a confidential matter. It was something she still had to find out why. Thus, she would be a subject later for teasing.
She hurriedly went out to fetch Jian but as soon as she was out of her door, Anthon was already standing outside the gate beside his car with a big grin.
"You.." She angrily hurled a finger at him to which Anthon laughed out loud.
Deep inside, she felt something like a feather caressing her heart.
"Hurry, come in! We will pick Jian up together." He demanded in an amused tone.
She could no longer refuse because she knew he would go there anyway.
"Daddy Anthon! " Jian came out running the moment he saw both of them by the gate. He then threw himself to Anthon's waiting arm as he happily tossed him up in the air.
The sight tore up Jia's heart and it sent up a pulsating pain all throughout her chest. However, she maintained a bright smile on her face.
"Mommy, can you drive instead while dad and I will sit in the back? "
Anthon looked at her with sparks in his eyes as he handed her the keys.
"Alright!" She exclaimed angrily but smiled afterwards in an obvious amusement.
She then grabbed the keys while Jian pulled Anthon over to the back seat.
" Dad, can you pick me up everyday?"
He cast him a pityful look while he nudged himself in his chest.
"Uhmmm! " He answered while glancing at Jia in the front view mirror.
"Daddy Jim seldomly picked me up. He is always busy in the hospital."
Jia got startled and she immediately slammed into the brake. "This child is really a
disaster! " She gritted her teeth as she mumbled to herself.
"Jian, stop talking!" There was a threat in her voice but her son, in his innocence, went further.
" Why, ma? I am just telling daddy Anthon that daddy Jim is a doctor and you are his nurse. "
"Baby, is daddy Jim good to you? " Anthon asked sadly, grabbing his chance to know the status of his son in the care of another man.
"Yeah! He always bring me food when he is out from work. He also takes me to the park and bought me many toys. "
"Do you love daddy Jim? " He further asked, his heart was already bleeding.
" Yeah, but mommy said he's not my real dad while daddy said, I am his son by heart. I couldn't quite understand. "
" Do you miss daddy Jim? "
" Yes, but he always talk to me in the morning and before I go to sleep. " Anthon perceived then that Jim cared for them like his own.
He continued. " Daddy Anthon, are you going with us? We will be flying back next week to US.. "
Jia could no longer stand it. This child was really ruining her plans and even divulged their secret in a broad daylight! She just couldn't bear to see Anthon hurting while she, herself, was fighting an inner, bloody battle as well!
She turned to them and said, " Both of you, go and have a date! "
Without waiting for an answer, she picked up her purse, slid out from her seat and hailed the coming taxi.
Anthon and Jian froze for a moment, as if a sudden lightning struck. Realizing what just happened, they looked at each other's eyes, then started laughing their hearts out!