strangers

22

Jennie**

"May I exchange partners with your lady Madame?" A deep voice suddenly spoke behind me. I look back seeing Me. Manoban I mean Dad Marco wants to dance with me and I find it sweet but pretty awkward.

He's being nice since we arrived Thailand and this extravagant party of him gave my girlfriend feeling at ease. She's worried that this all from gorgeous design, themes and people gives her a negative vibes.

"Jennie" He called me while keeps dancing in slow dance.

"Yes sir?.. I mean dad?" He chuckles then continue.

"How do you love my daughter?" He asked straight to the point.

"I don't know sir. All I know is that since the day we met her, she never fail to show us what really she is. All I know is that being with Lisa is heaven. It completed me and I can't find myself being with someone else but only with Lisa. Don't get me wrong sir... I mean dad but all of her riches from you, she never told me about this. All I know is that she lives on her own and it attracts me more knowing that she has all this but she decided to be independent and works on her own. She's a gem. Everything about her is a gem from her heart through her physical appearance and Im so lucky to meet a one of a kind person who is so genuine in everything" I explained but dad chuckles.

"That's deep Jennie" he chuckles.

"All I want to know is how deep your love for her cause she deserves all the love that I didn't give. But I know she's in good hands with you. She loves you so much I can see it in her eyes. How she stares at you from afar and how she looks at you the way I look at her mom" Dad said.

"I'm getting confused dad I'm sorry but what are you trying to point out?" I asked straightforward.

"You're a smart kid Jennie" he chuckles again and I smirked. But his smiling face vanished instantly and sadness evident in his eyes.

"Don't leave her Jennie whatever happens. She may get rude and stubborn sometimes but I know she will only listen to you. Please do me a favor" he stops and deep breath.

"Don't leave her whatever it takes. Fight for her" He said and let out a deep sigh. I saw tears started to for his eyes.

"You don't have to worry dad. I will never leave her. I love Lisa so much" he smile sadly and stops us from dancing as soon as the music stops.

"Thank you" he whispered and started to walk forward taking Mom Chit's hand. Lisa quickly approached me, wrapping her hands on my waist as the people gather around.

"May I have your attention please.. this will be quick. I know it's getting late but before you all go home I just want to make a quick announcement" Dad Marco said in front holding a microphone.

Everyone's attention on him and I felt Lisa's breathing begin to rapid as she letting out a deep sigh from time to time and somehow squeezing my waist.

"Are you okay?" I asked my girlfriend. She gave me a quick smile but I know she just forced to do it.

"Breath baby breath" I wisphered and she nods then kissed my forehead.

Dad Marco glanced at his wife beside him and gave him a nod as he let out a deep sigh too like what Lisa did before he holds the mic once again in front of his lips.

"First of all I just want to say thank you for all go coming in my party. Some of you drove miles just to be with us tonight. I want to say thank you to my business partners, college friends, relatives and close friends of us especially to my daughter who came back all the way from New Zealand with her girlfriend Jennie and her family, Mrs. Annie Kim and Baby Ella" he raised his glass of wine to us then continue

"Thank you also to her wonderful friends who took care of her in Next Zealand and somehow makes me feel young again while talking to them" everyone laugh

"That's us!" Ten said while waving to the people and Joys elbowed him.

"Shut the fuck up Ten! It's embarrassing" Joy said while giving him a death glare and we chuckled but my girlfriend just remain silent.

"As all you know, the one small restaurant we owned when we started the business is now getting bigger. I am proudly to say that we have now 7 branches in Australia, 8 branches in Thailand and 11 in Switzerland" everyone claps.

"But I just want to inform that everything I produced will be under my only daughter's name, Lisa Manoban and her girlfriend Jennie Kim" Lisa and I got shocked with her eyes widen and mine. Everyone stares at us then clapped their hands.

"They will only taking another year more to graduate business courses in New Zealand and I am at ease cause I know how smart my kid and her girlfriend is to handle this businesses. My daughter even started her business own in New Zealand without our help so I'm very proud of her" everyone claps again including me.

"I don't like how this will go" she whispered that made me confused. She gulp a throat as I feel her free hand in fist.

"I am saying this because.." Dad Marco continued. All the whispering stops and all we hear is the breathing.

"I was diagnosed with Bone Marrow cancer stage 4 and anytime, my life will ends ." I quickly divert my eyes to Lisa and tears started to flow on her cheeks. Our friends gather around us making her feel that she have us. Some people including us are also in tears.

"We tried so hard to find a donor for a transplant but no match for me cause with my age and the stage of this cancer, is way too impossible to cure.

I intertwine my hands to Lisa and she steps her feet slowly. Her hands so tight with me while trembling like she don't want me to go. She steps her feet slowly but his dad stops her.

"Please Kid don't." Lisa got frozen and run inside the house crying. I walk towards her parents with my friends and we hug her dad and mom. We are all dumfounded and crying. I excused myself first and follow Lisa. Her mom nods at me understanding the situation and her dad tap my head.