Sweet Surrender

 

Chapter 1: Doubts

 

 

          Vicky broadly smiles as she gazes at her self-portrait when she was only six. The frame still looks brand new after all those years she had grown. How long has it been since she played dolls and houses? Fifteen years has passed. Now she at her parents' house celebrating her graduation with her friends and family. Laughter was heard from the backyard as she stood there in the hallway, alone. Everyone she knew was outside celebrating. She only came inside to use the bathroom, but when she passed her portrait on the wall, the urge to use the bathroom vanished.

 

          Each portrait of her when she was little resurrected her childhood memory that was hiding in the back of her mind. It's like time has turned counterclockwise.

 

          "Vicky!"

 

          Vicky was startled for a bit as she turned around to face the owner of that voice. It was her mother.

 

          "Don't just stand there, your party is outside. The food will get cold. Isn't this your day to celebrate all your hardship of studying and your accomplishments?"

 

          "I know Mom. I just want to recollect my childhood's memories again."

 

          Her mom walked over to her. "I watch you grow, and now," She gently hold both of her daughter's arms at the side. "Look what you have become? You were my little girl yesterday, but now, you're a full-grown, beautiful woman."

 

          Vicky smiled.

 

          "Let's go outside. Everyone is waiting for you." She let go of her arms and left as Vicky follow her outside. She made a mental note to buy her mom a nice gift for her birthday.

 

          "Wait." Vicky remembered why she came inside the first place.

 

          "What is it darling?" Her mother turned around.

 

          Vicky chuckled. "I remember I need to use the bathroom."

 

          Her mother chuckled at her daughter’s forgetfulness as her daughter rushed into the bathroom.

 

-*-*-

 

          Outside, everyone was cheering as Vicky stepped out of the glass door.

 

          "Girl, what took you so long?" Aump walked over to her.

 

          Vicky only chuckled as her best friends since childhood made a weird expression on her face. "I can't go to the bathroom without telling what I'm going to do in there?"

 

          Her face turned bright red. "Uh, um... I think that's too much information for me to know."

 

          Everyone laugh.

 

          "Okay, okay, let's eat or else the food I have made this morning will get cold." Vicky's mom shouted with glee as she shoo everyone to the small buffet.

 

          "When are you going to start your new job?" Aump asked as her face turn back to her normal shade of color.

 

          "Next week." Vicky answered as she passed her a plate. "I'm a bit nervous about it though. It's a big business company after all."

 

          "Yeah, but they did send you a nice request for you to work for them after you graduated." Aump scooped a large handful of Pad Thai to her plate with a large, plastic fork.

 

          Vicky raised an eyebrow at the sight of it.

 

          "What?! I'm hungry. Beside, your mom would be thrill if she found out that I'm eating a lot of her Pad Thai." She scooped another noodle to her plate.

 

          It's true. Before Vicky graduated, a petition was send to her to work in a business company in Bangkok, Thailand after she graduated from college. She may not earn all straight-A (curse Chemistry for it), but she wasn't so sure about it until she saw the wage she will earn if she work for them. She changed her mind right away and decided it's the right job for her. But she will be far away from her parents. How can she contact them quickly if they are across the Pacific Ocean? It's a long trip to Bangkok from Seattle. Maybe she should have thought it through before she had sent her answer to them. Is it too late to reconsider about it?

 

          "Earth to Vicky? Where are you?" Aump waved one of her hand to her while the other one supported her plate filled with food.

 

          "Eh? Yeah, I'm back. Sorry about that. I was just thinking, is it alright to be so faraway from my parents for this job?" Vicky asked as she put down her plate on the table and sat down. "Do you think I'm being to rash about it?"

 

          Aump sat down after her as she lay down her plate gently on the table in front of her. "Well, if you asked for my opinion, I think it's a great idea to embark on a new journey to see many new places around the world. You have one life, why waste it? I know it's scary sometimes, faraway from your family and love ones, but you have to overcome it. You are adult now. You already send your answer back to them and I know you are not the kind of person who takes back their words. Beside, if you don't like it, you can always quit and find another job over here. Either way, I'll still support you all the way."

 

          "Thanks Aump. I almost forgot why I have chosen you to be my best friend in the whole world." Her worries have disappeared as Aump took a bite of her mom's Pad Thai noodles. Aump may seem like a klutz sometimes, but she is always there for you, and always answers your question with a good honest answer.

 

          "Yep! Me, too! You will always be my number one best friend in the whole world!" She took another bite of the noodle.

 

          Vicky chuckled as a small smudge of the noodle was at the corner of her lip. "You know, you have something over here." She gestured her finger to the corner of her own lip.

 

          "I'm such a klutz." She wiped it away with a napkin.

 

          "No you're not. You just plain unique that's all."

 

          They both chuckled.

 

-* The next day *-

 

          "I can't believe this is going to be my last minute in America." Vicky stood by the gate.

 

          "We're going to miss you!" Her mom started to sobbed. Lucky, her dad brought about two handkerchiefs with him.

 

          "Mom, please don't, you're going to make me cried too!" Vicky replied.

 

          "I can't help it. I won't be seeing you for a long time now."

 

          "Mom, we'll see each other again during the holidays." Vicky hugged her.

 

          "Mrs. Jett, please, you're going to make me cried too!" Aump pleaded.

 

          "You're crying too!" Mrs. Jett pointed out the tears escaping from her eyes.

 

          "I'm not." She sobbed.

 

          "My little Princess Vicky," Vicky's dad walked over to her after he gave his wife and Aump a handkerchief. "I'm going to miss you dearly."

 

          "Dad..."

 

          "You're my only daughter I have. If anything happens, you know that you still have us." His eyes started to water. "Promise me one thing."

 

          "Anything Dad," Her eyes started to water again.

 

          "Promise me that you won't forget about us and that you will visit us often or at least keep in touch on how you're doing."

 

          "I promise Dad." She hugged him, then her mom and Aump started to embrace them both in a nice, tight embracement.

 

          They let go when Vicky's gate has been announced and open.

 

          "Bye everyone!" Vicky shouted as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

 

          "Keep in touch okay?" Aump replied as she dabbed her eyes with the wet handkerchief.

 

          She nodded.

 

          "And wait for a call from me in the near future. I might just go work in Thailand too!"

 

          "You will?" Vicky stopped in time before she enters her gate.

 

          "Well, maybe, if my luck runs smoothly this year! Cross our fingers that my boss will let me transfer to work in Bangkok with you!"

 

          "Okay. I will be waiting for the good news then. Bye everyone! Mom, Dad, Aump, I will miss you all!" She waved goodbye to them as she stepped into the gate.

 

          She walked into the airplane and passed the first class seat; she wishes one of those nice, big, comfy chairs would be hers, but she was satisfied of what she got. She finally found her seat. It was the seat near the window like she wanted. After she put her extra small bags on top into the compartment, she sat on the comfy chair and look out through her window. It was still morning and a bit chilly out there. Thank God, they invented heaters in the airplane or else she will be freezing to death right now.

 

          'This is it. Goodbye America.' She said to herself as she felt the airplane started to move.

 

-*-*-

 

          Tik watched the city lights of London shine as the night breeze swept by him. He was holding a small goblet of red wine while standing in the balcony of his condo. He then shifted his gaze into the stars.

 

          "In a few days, I won't get to see the stars of London anymore..." He whispered as he took a sip of the wine.

 

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