The plane finally landed in Atlanta, Georgia after almost 23 hours in the air. It was just too short a flight for Jia who felt she did not have enough time to think more about her memories with Anthon. She wanted to be lost in her thoughts a little more because she would soon leave her tears in the boundaries of Atlanta's runway. She would try hard to start a new life with Jim, leaving all her memories of him behind.
Jim was already in the waiting area with a big and warm smile in his face. Jian ran to him and hopped in his arms.
"Miss you so much, dad!"
"Likewise, son! " He happily replied while he tossed him in the air.
As soon Jim placed Jian back to his feet, he wrapped his arms around Jia warmly.
"Welcome back, sweetheart!"
" Miss you, daddy Jim! " She sadly said as she hugged him back. But the thrill and excitement she felt in Anthon's arms was totally absent.
She admired him greatly and was touched by his kindness towards her and Jian. It was something she would willingly pay back for a lifetime. She and Jian were his everything, and aside from his duties as a physician, his world rotated only in them. His kind nature was always something Jia wondered. He was not easily angered and always saw things in its good and positive sides. Most of all, he was selfless and was always willing to sacrifice for others.
It was about his selflessness when he had her go back to the Philippines and face Anthon squarely. It was about his selflessness when he gave Jian's right to his biological father in the same way as Anthon's right to his son. For Jim, no one knew what every moment would hold for everyone. Should his life be taken away, he had Anthon to go to.
She had long accepted the fact to be with Jim in his whole lifetime. She also believed that a heart could be tended and let it beat for someone else. And definitely she would be able to love him in time.
She was only disturbed emotionally again when she accepted to join the class' official chatgroup. It was the first time she was reconnected to Anthon and Jim knew all about this. Their conversations were only casual and mostly through a group chat.
He was practicing Internal Medicine and now he was undergoing a training for a Fellowship in Cardiology program. If she was to suggest, a degree in Psychology fit him better because of his innate gift of understanding human behavior and social interactions.
Jim's roots were all mostly in Georgia because of a great great grandparent who started working in one of Warner Robin's hospitals. Later on, she got married into one of the group of hospital's biggest shareholder and from then on, Jim's ancestry could be traced down to her.
However, his father was married to a Filipina who preferred to live and do multiple business establishments in the Philippines that expanded later on in Georgia.
Jim took up his education mostly in the Philippines including his degree in Medicine.
She met him when she was referred by their cook, six years ago, to work for him as his personal attendant.
Jim's mother died due a hemolytic disorder while he was still in college, taking up his pre - med course. Jim's dad was always out of the country so he hired someone who could personally care for him when he was taking up his course in Medicine. And that's how she came into his life.
After almost an hour of travel, as they were immersed into a deep conversation of Jim's latest updates, Jian fell asleep. And their topic this time was shifted to her meeting with Anthon.
"How's Anthon and her marriage to your bestfriend? "
Jia did not answer him but rather talked about another topic. She leaned into Jim's right shoulder while clinging sweetly into his right upper arm.
"Jim, can we have our marriage arranged soon? "
Jim glanced at her and did not answer for a long time. His smile disappear and was replaced by a tinge of pain and sadness to which Jia wondered why. Was he not happy? She remembered exactly his excitement when they talked about marriage.
After some time, he broke into a smile again and replied.
"Sure, sweetheart. When do you want to have it done? "
"The soonest possible."