"Hello....I'm your friend, Bluey....." Dickie arrived with a giant blue stuffed elephant one late afternoon. Nic was well into her pregnancy, her baby bump more evident. Dickie made the elephant "move" as he walked into their bedroom door. Nic was busy folding some baby clothes which she had had laundered earlier.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
"Awww....hello Bluey...." Nic said as she received the stuffed toy and hugged it. She then gave Dickie a kiss on the lips.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Dickie asked as he began to change into house clothes.
"Hmm....I just need to make some phone calls to some clients but the rest of the day, I'm free...."
"Ahh good...."
"Why?"
".....I want to show you something...."
"What is it?"
"Basta....surprise..." Dickie replied and wiggled his eyebrows. "....did you know that elephants with upturned trunks signify good luck?" He continued as he sat beside Nic, helping her move the toy so she could finish folding the infant clothes.
"Ah talaga?"
"Yes! The Thai people believe that...." Dickie shared.
"....hmmm...oo nga no....most of the elephant decor or symbols have the trunks raised...." Nic searched her memory of "her Thailand".
"...and the elephant is a symbol of strength, power, stability, and widom...."
"Wow!" Nic exclaims.
"....basta, tomorrow....."
"....you'll pick me up from the resto?"
"Yes....after lunch?"
"Okay...."
The following day, Dickie constantly texts and checks on Nic while they're both at work. Eversince her fainting spells, Dickie made it a point to check in on Nic more often. If he didn't text her directly, he would text or call Nic's assistant, Michele.
".....having the employees' lunch....how about you?" Nic replied to Dickie when he asked what she was doing.
"....just grabbed a sandwich from the sandwich shop nearby....."
"....are you busog naman?"
"....okay lang...."
"Don't go hungry...."
"I won't....o, I'll pick you up in an hour?"
"I'll be ready.....what are we doing?"
"Secret...."
"Hmmm...." Nic grew even more curious.
An hour later, Dickie arrived at the restaurant, just as Nic put down the telephone and was writing something in her notebook.
"....5 minutes....let me just finish this...." she said when she saw Dickie approach; he had been greeted by the wait staff as he entered the restaurant.
"Okay....let me just use the bathroom first..." Dickie said and made his way to the restrooms.
A few minutes later, he returned to the office but did not find Nic there. In fact, the lights were switched off.
"Nasa kitchen po...." Michele said as she walked toward the office just as Dickie closed the door.
"Good afternoon, Sir..." Michele said.
"Good afternoon....." Dickie replied. He then walked to the kitchen and peeped into the window of the door. Nic saw him and nodded to acknowledge him. She bade her staff and approached Dickie.
They walked to the car and Dickie drove in silence. She was going to ask again about where they were going but knew that Dickie wouldn't say anything. So, Nic jjust slimped back in her seat and fiddled with the car radio until she found a station she liked. She then noticed that they were headed north.
A few minutes later, they stopped at a gate of a newly constructed house. Dickie applied the brakes on the car and got down to open the gate. He went back in the car and parked the vehicle in the huge garage.
"Come..." he said to Nic as he helped her out from the car. He took her hand and they walked into the house. Confused, Nic held on to Dickie's hand.
The house was new and was minimally decorated. It had an open layout where one could see the formal dining area upon entering the living room from the foyer. On the far end of the space was a counter that separated the "living area" from the kitchen.
Kitchen cabinets lined a hallway that lead to the garage door and adjacent servants' quarters. Almost right next to the door that connected the house to the garage, was the laundry area,
Dickie then guided Nic up the stairs to the 2nd floor. A family room served as the common area of the 2nd floor; three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The largest room was the master's bedroom. The room closest to it was the nursery. The third room was set up as a guest room.
"Nice house....was this on Tricia's list?"
"No...." Dickie replied.
"How did you find it?"
Dickie just smiled and handed Nic another puzzle piece.
"Welcome home, my love!
This is our "old" but "new" place to live
A place of warmth, happiness, peace, and forever...
A place where our children will learn to believe..."
