Chapter 31 - Arrival!

John and Catherine's ride to the airport was pleasant, their excitement was not ruined by a few minutes of traffic along the highway.

They finally arrived at the international airport, Ramon parked the car at the parking area of the airport.

As the passenger plane was landing down safely on the tarmac, the couple was already waiting at the arrival gate.

Finally...Caroline and Clara come into view.

Catherine was all smile when she saw her sister Caroline carrying a bundle in her arms. OMG! her sister is finally a mother like her! It looks surreal!

People around them were already hugging their loved ones.

Catherine hugged her mother-in-law, it's the first time they saw each other, face to face. "Mom, I'm so happy to see you up this close, finally!" she said in elation.

"Me too, nice to see you in person, you and Caroline here, look so alike! It's like, I been seeing you every day beside me," Clara commented in amazement.

Then Catherine let go of her mother-in-law and turned her attention to her sister.

It's now John's turn to hug his mother tightly. "Welcome back! Mom!" he said and planted a kiss on her mother's forehead.

"Nice to see you again, son! Where's your, Dad?" Clara asked.

"In the office, he was meeting a client there as of this moment, he was looking forward to your arrival, Mom," John explained.

Clara smiled, of course, she knows that her husband won't be able to go to the airport today to fetch them, they video chatted last night.

Catherine was gazing at the baby girl's face..."Aww, so adorably cute! Hello baby Cathy!" she tickled the infant's heels. Then she looked at her sister's face. "Happy? How does it feel to be a mother?"

Caroline looked at her sister's face and raised her brows, then smiled. "Um...nice! It's different when you finally bring forth a child in this world, kind of scary at the same time excited. It's a mixed feeling... Cathy would make me a much better person. Of course, I love my daughter so much! I adored her! No doubt about that," she raves and kissed the infant's cheeks.

Catherine rubbed her sister's back, the experiences her twin sister has been through in the arms of Joseph were filled with horror but the result is a beautiful angel. Hopefully, the baby can bring solace and comfort to her mother. But she doesn't have to think about the horrible past right now, it might only ruin the good mood.

It would be impossible for John and Caroline not to meet eye to eye. And when they do, they just gave a slight nod of acknowledgment to each other.

In an instant, what happened in the past between them, come back in full force. Caroline has to choke back the lump in her throat. For all the shameless things that she had done to her brother-in-law previously, it all come back to her now, she instantly had the urge to run and flee from the area because of shame.

John maintained a neutral facade while Caroline's face was flushing hot because of shame.

John also remembered everything and looking back during those tempting moments when Caroline was trying to lure her with her wicked charm he never lost his control... he was glad he never did.

Catherine looked at her husband and at her sister's face, they surely remember what transpired in the past between them. But she can't let the dark shadow of their past collides and taint her happy present and future, she won't allow anyone, even her sister to create havoc to her paradise.

It's good that Caroline will have her place to live so that their world would not always collide because friction might suddenly appear on the horizon... and it's something that she wanted to avoid at all costs for the peace of all involved.

She linked her hands with her husband and looked into his eyes. "Hmm...what are we waiting for? Let's go home now and enjoy the feast we prepared in the Infinity Jade Tower," she said.

"Yes, let's go home now! To the parking area!" John replied smiling to everyone.

They walked towards the parking area of the airport.

When they finally settled inside the car.

John glanced at Caroline and smiled. "Sister in law, after we are done eating dinner in the Infinity Jade Tower... your sister and I will bring you to your place so that you can finally see your new house. You have nothing to worry about, the house was cleaned from top to bottom, your sister made it sure everything in that house is ready for you and my niece's arrival," he said to break the ice between them.

Caroline smiled for the first time feeling grateful for the kind effort John made. "Thank you so much brother-in-law and sister!" she said, gratitude shone in her eyes. For what she had done to John and her sister—almost breaking their marriage apart, they still showed support and kindness to her, she doesn't deserve their kindness... if only the ground will open up right now and swallow her whole it would be a welcome relief to end her feeling of discomfort and to punish her for her bad manners in the past. To be sitting in the same place, inside the car with her benefactors, she felt so small, like a mosquito that was able to land on a carabao's back. They can always swat her off behind their back, but they aren't meanies, they are kind enough to show her mercy, camaraderie, and warm acceptance. She looked at her daughter sleeping soundly in her arms, she won't be alone though... her daughter will be there for her to comfort her lonely days. Still, she felt alone...there is that kind of feeling of being an outcast amidst these good-natured people.

Maybe because she considered herself a sinner while the people crowding around her, they were nice people, generous and loving, she likened them to saints. She's feeling guilty, the amount of guilt she felt right now is enormous and her dirty laundry comes back to her in full force, smacking her hard on the face.

A small sigh escapes Caroline's lips while carrying her little bundle of joy, the kind of sigh that was both labored and tortured.

Everyone in the car heard her sighing and they turned and looked at her face at the same time.

Three pairs of eyes including Ramon... who are driving the vehicle glanced at Caroline.

"Are you okay, Caroline?" Clara asked worriedly, inspecting her face. "Let me held baby Cathy for a while so that you can rest your arms," she suggested, thinking that the younger woman was agonizing over the infant weighing heavily on her arms.

Caroline allowed the baby to be taken from her arms.

Silence took over the atmosphere inside the vehicle.

Catherine linked her hand with her sister, showing her the support she badly needed. They smiled at each other, as always blood is thicker between them in spite of everything.

In Catherine's mind, at some point in time in the past, she badly wanted to slap her twin's face after learning that Caroline tried to seduce her husband and blackmailed John to become his wife. It's the most painful, most horrible and most ridiculous sin that her twin has ever done to her. At some point, she wanted to throttle her sister to death, slapped her violently as many times as she could in the face until her twin's face will bleed...but right now...while she was looking at her sister...she saw a scared cat, a lost one.

She felt instant compassion for her sister, far more greater than her feeling of resentment towards her.

In life. There is always a proper time to show kindness and mercy to someone.

There is also a time for anger, hate, and violent physical or verbal fight with anyone when the situation arises.

But right now... the time and situation call for calmness, support, and love.

Right now, Catherine had no difficulty shoving her anger down to the deepest recesses of her mind, because she doesn't feel any of those negative emotions today.

What she felt right now was pure happiness to see her mother-in-law, her sister and her niece...finally!

It's a happy occasion and reunion after all.