Chapter 153 - Ends Of The Earth

One week later.

Monday afternoon.

The civil wedding requirements have been completed and Judge Reyes's office finally gave the couple a schedule for the wedding ceremony to take place.

Caroline was relaxing in the veranda holding her daughter in her lap when she received a call from Mike.

"Sweetie, good news! We finally have a schedule for our wedding! The ceremony will be this coming Friday after lunch at 3:00!" Mike said happily.

"Oh God! I'm so excited!" Caroline replied enthusiastically.

A dazzling smile broke on her face. She's feeling giddy and elated. Finally!

"I'll call you again later, sweetie. I'll call Mom and inform her of the date so that she can finalize everything," he said.

"Okay, thank's for informing me. I love you!"

"I love you too, sweetie. Talk to you later, bye!" Mike said.

Caroline placed the phone in the center table in the veranda.

Thelma looked at her daughter's smiling face, she was trimming her Bougainvillea flower.

"Mother, Judge Reyes finally has given us a schedule for the wedding ceremony!" Caroline shared the good news.

"Nice! When is the wedding?"

Caroline smiled. "This coming Friday, we'll go to the mall tomorrow afternoon after school so that we can buy your dress and also my siblings' attire for the occasion..."

Thelma was beaming in high spirits. "Great! I'll inform Lily and Jacob later after they return from school."

Caroline put baby Cathy on the ground to continue their afternoon walking practice.

"Baby...come to Mama..." she beckoned her child to come to her.

Baby Cathy smiled and walked slowly towards her mother, then she sprinted into Caroline's arms, giggling.

Caroline laughed and showered loving kisses on her daughter's face. "Good job, Cathy!"

Thelma smiled brightly watching the mother and daughter duo.

She's happy that her two daughters finally meet their soulmates who would take care of them until they grow old.

She has no complaints against Mike. He's a good man and a wealthy businessman. She can see a bright future ahead for her daughter. Her twins are financially secure and well-loved. It's more than every parent could hope for their daughters.

She's confident that Lily and Jacob will also have a good future ahead of them, due to Caroline and Catherine's financial support.

The responsibility is now up to the two sisters to provide financial support for their two younger siblings since they have all the capabilities and means. As for her, she can only provide motherly love and support for her children since she's not earning an income.

Thelma went to the chair and took a seat.

Caroline was talking to her sister Catherine on the phone.

"Sis, what dress motif you guys will wear at my wedding?" she asked.

"Hmm, all the girls must wear a pink dress. What do you think?" Catherine suggested.

"Alright, I also like the color pink. I'll buy a pink dress for Mother, Lily, Grace, and Merle. Then white polo shirt and black pants for Jacob," Caroline said.

"How about your wedding gown, sis?" Catherine asked.

"The seamstress informed me yesterday that the wedding dress is already finished and I can drop by on their tailoring shop anytime. I'll go to the dress shop two hours later," Caroline answered.

"Good. I guess everything is already set for your wedding. I'm excited and happy for you, sis," Catherine said in a thrilling voice.

"Thank you, sis!"

"Anything else?" Catherine asked.

"No more..."

"Alright, talk to you later, bye sis!" Catherine said.

"Bye!" Caroline replied.

She needs to call another important person in their lives.

She placed baby Cathy in her mother's lap.

"Mother, I'll call cousin, Grace, to inform her that my wedding will take place this Friday."

Thelma agreed. "Go ahead, she must be present at your wedding," she replied cheerfully.

Caroline placed a call to Grace on her phone.

Grace's voice appeared at the other end of the line. "Hello!"

"Cousin! How are you?" Caroline giggled excitedly.

"I'm fine here. I have good news for you. You know what—?" Grace blabbered.

"What is it, cousin?"

"I finally met my soulmate here in Zambales!" Grace enthused.

"Wow!" Caroline giggled. "That's awesome! I also want to share a piece of good news with you. My civil wedding ceremony will take place this Friday afternoon. You should be here by Thursday at my house. Can you bring your boyfriend with you so that we will have a chance to meet him?"

"I would love to, cousin, but my boyfriend's mother will have a birthday celebration on that same day. So, he can't go with me. But I promise you I will attend your wedding, I won't miss it for the world. I'll be there this coming Thursday, " Grace said.

"Okay, thanks, cousin," she responded.

"See you on Thursday, Caroline. I gotta go. I have a date with my boyfriend in two hours from now. Bye..."

"Bye, Grace. Give my regards to your boyfriend. Enjoy your date, take care!" she said and ended the call.

Caroline grinned. "Wow, Grace already had a boyfriend!"

"Really? Who is it?" asked Thelma.

"A Zambalez guy. Last two months ago, she told me about that guy courting her. She told me that she still wants to get to know him better and doesn't want to rush things between them. She finally said yes and they are now in a relationship. That's sweet!"

"I'm happy for Grace," Thelma sincerely said.

"Me too! Grace deserves happiness in the arms of the man that truly values her good heart," Caroline stated.

"Agree..." Thelma said.

"The guy had already had his own business, house, and financially stable managing his mechanic shop," Caroline elaborated.

Thelma's eyes sparkled. "Aww, so nice! I can hear wedding bells soon!" she smiled broadly feeling happy for her niece.

"Well...that's also my guess," Caroline said. But deep inside she hopes that Grace will tie the knot one year later. During that time she's already back in Mike's side and continues her life being his wife.

She wanted to see her cousin Grace happily married in the church with her own two eyes.

In the next thirty minutes, Thelma and Caroline were chatting animatedly about the wedding.

Fifty minutes later...

Thelma went inside the house to prepare the dishes for dinner while Caroline went upstairs to her bedroom to change baby Cathy's diaper.

After changing Cathy's diaper, she put her daughter in the bed beside her and give her a toy to entertain herself.

She picked up her tablet from the bedside table and log in to her messenger. Last week, she already informed Clara and Hector that she's getting married to Mike, John's half brother.

They were taken by surprise by her news.

She invited them to her wedding, but they refused politely saying that it's a family affair and they don't want to cause unnecessary unpleasantness when they come face to face with Susan, Mike's mother.

She understood where they come from since Hector had an illicit affair with Susan in the past that's why John was born. It would not be pleasant for both parties to be present on the occasion at the same time.

Caroline no longer insists since the couple can't be swayed with their decision.

She was happy to know that Clara and Hector managed to repair their damaged relationship and they're now back on the comfort of each other's arms again.

They asked her a favor though...

The wanted to borrow baby Cathy and bring her to Thailand for one year. She told them that they will know of her decision today.

She had been contemplating her decision...

Should she let them take care of Cathy for one year or no?

After she'll disappear from her family's lives, her mother will be devastated. She might not able to take care of baby Cathy properly while undergoing such stress.

She immediately logs out from her messenger while the couple is not online yet.

She needs to consult her mother first.

She was pacing her room back and forth.

Finally, she already arrived at a decision, she'll let the couple take care of baby Cathy for one year.

But first, she needs to inform her mother about her decision.

She rose to her feet about to put her daughter in the crib, wanting to talk to her mother in her room... when she heard the door open and Thelma entered the room.

"Daughter, is there any specific dish you want me to prepare for dinner?" Thelma asked.

Caroline was pondering for a moment.

"Hmm... I want to eat fried Tilapia and...Pork Bola-Bola Soup!" she answered.

"Alright, I will cook them for tonight's dinner." Thelma turned around about to leave the room.

"Mother wait..."

Thelma halted on her steps after hearing her daughter's voice. "What is it, daughter?"

Caroline gestured her mother to sit on the bed. "I have something important to tell you, Mother," she said.

"Okay...go on."

Caroline placed her daughter on her lap.

"Uncle Hector and Aunt Clara want to borrow my daughter for one year and bring her to Thailand. I can't say no to them because... as you know Cathy is also their granddaughter. Besides that, they are the ones providing us money every month. They told me that, there is nothing to worry about since they'll continue giving me the 100k monthly allowance. They just want to spend time with Cathy. What do you think, Mother?"

Thelma was silent for a moment.

"Hmm, there is nothing wrong with them borrowing baby Cathy because they are also her family. Daughter, you can only decide for yourself because she is your daughter. As for me, I have no problem with them borrowing baby Cathy. This way, you will have more time bonding with your husband Mike. Besides, it's only for one year..."

Caroline smiled. "Thank you for your opinion, Mother. I guess I will let them borrow baby Cathy for a while."

"By the way...how's the couple?" Thelma asked.

"They already reconciled and in good terms again. It's a good thing that Uncle Hector had proven to Aunt Clara that he will chase her to the ends of the earth just to seek her forgiveness and bring their relationship back to where it was supposed to be," Caroline explained.

"I'm happy for them. Their love for each other is admirable. Clara must have realized that even though her husband made a mistake in the past, he didn't leave her, and proved to her that she's the only one in his heart. Life is too short, what matters most is that they finally reconciled and live together until they grow old. Right—daughter?"

Caroline grinned and gave her mother her a thumb up. " Agree, Mother!"

"Nothing else?" Thelma asked and rose to her feet.

"That's all, Mother," Caroline replied.

"Alright, I'm going to prepare the dishes now," Thelma said and left the room.

Caroline placed the tablet back in the bedside table.

She will chat with Clara and Hector tonight, after dinner.