6. Go to Waikato

It was a sunny afternoon. Blue colors adorned the sky in the number-one largest city in New Zealand.

In a red Ferarri luxury sedan that cut across the highway, a woman sat in the back seat. She looked very fashionable in a black dress and a maroon leather handbag. Expensive watches also supported her flashy appearance.

"We're heading to Le French Eatery." Theresia said to her personal driver, who looked at his mistress from the center rearview mirror and nodded his head afterwards.

The woman wrote a short message that read, "I'm on my way to Le French Eatery. Please wait a moment."

Theresia again occupied her hands with the mirror and lipstick. She smeared the deep red lipstick on her heart-shaped lips, which successfully added to her elegant look.

Smiling enthusiastically, Elena waved as soon as she saw the female entity she had been waiting for since 15 minutes ago.

Theresia, who noticed the waving, smiled and quickened her footsteps towards the table where the girl was.

"Have you been waiting too long?" asked Theresia while sweeping the chair she was about to sit on with a tissue before finally landing her butt on it.

"Oh, just a moment. Only a quarter of an hour." Elena replied.

Theresia's gaze fell on the dessert that looked intact on the table where she was currently sitting. The woman was certain that the food was indeed completely untouched.

"This, for me?" asked Theresia as she pointed at the mocha pots de creme with her index finger.

Elena nodded with a smile, then said, "Right, I ordered it for you. You're a coffee lover, aren't you?"

"You can even tell I love the taste of coffee. You really are my dream daughter-in-law, Elena." Theresia said, smiling proudly at Elena.

"Thank you," replied Elena, who was now smiling proudly. She had successfully taken one step towards stealing her future mother-in-law's heart.

"How was your first encounter with my son, Jonathan?" Theresia started the conversation after shoveling a spoonful of dessert into her mouth.

Elena smiled at Theresia's question. It was exactly what she wanted; the purpose of inviting Theresia to meet that afternoon was indeed to talk about Jonathan, who was not interested in her at all.

"He's a very handsome young man, Aunt Theresia." Elena replied, which instantly made Theresia smile proudly, but quickly her smile disappeared and turned into a knitted eyebrow when Elena said the words, "But..."

"But what?"

"Apparently, Jonathan isn't interested in me at all." The girl made a sad face to provoke pity from her interlocutor.

"What makes you sure that my son is not interested in you, Elena?"

"When he took me in the park that night, he didn't look at me at all, Auntie. His lips didn't utter a single sentence, except to slip in the name of a girl called Amelie every time I engaged him in conversation. Who was that girl, Amelie?" asked Elena with one eyebrow raised.

Theresia didn't expect that Jonathan's feelings for Amelie hadn't changed one bit, even though he had presented a beautiful girl from a wealthy family that he thought was worthy of their family.

"Amelie? She's just an ordinary girl. You don't need to worry about that." Theresia said while waving one hand in the air. "She won't even be able to surpass you in any way, Elena."

It was hard for Theresia to admit that the girl named Amelie was a maid in her own home.

"Are you sure?" asked Elena, with lingering doubts.

"Yes. I'm so sure. You just need to keep trying to win Jonathan's heart. Love can grow if you get used to being together."

"But, how can I stay with Jonathan?"

"Get married. You have to marry Jonathan, Elena." Theresia pleaded before putting the dessert back in her mouth.

Elena did the same. Scooping her creme brule that had been untouched.

In her heart, Elena laughed happily. Her efforts to approach the man she fell in love with at first sight were supported by Theresia. The mother gave birth to Jonathan.

***

That afternoon, Amelie was at the Britomart train station, with Matilda and Harry driving her. Silence fell between the three of them. Each of them felt reluctant to part with Amelie, and vice versa.

The week of togetherness that they had spent together made the three of them drift into a warm family atmosphere. It was hard if one of the families had to stay apart.

"Uncle, Auntie, I'm saying goodbye. Thank you for our 7 days together." Amelie said while wiping tears with the back of her hand.

The train would depart in 10 minutes. There was still time for them to say their goodbyes. And hopefully, this will not be their last encounter.

A sight that brought dew to Harry and Matilda's eyes.

"Amelie, darling, don't thank us for that. It's us who are grateful for your presence in our home." Matilda took the sad-faced girl into her arms.

"Don't forget to keep us informed, Amelie. We already think of you as our daughter." Harry said as he gently patted the shoulder of Amelie, who was still crying. Matilda nodded in agreement with what her husband said.

Amelie's heart ached even more. How could she not? After she met other people who were sincere to her, at that moment she had to leave them. For such a short time, she had to feel the warmth of Matilda and Harry's affection.

"I hope we can still meet next time." Amelie said as the train she was waiting for arrived.

"We will make time to visit you, Amelie. Take good care of my granddaughter with you." Matilda pleaded as she held both of Amelie's shoulders.

The girl nodded. Her smile instantly grew as Matilda claimed that the baby in Amelie's womb was her granddaughter. Amelie's hand stroked her stomach as she whispered to herself, 'Do you hear, dear? This is the umpteenth time I've heard people claim that you are their grandchild. Don't be discouraged, my child. There will always be love for you from sincere human beings.'

"Let us know when you get to your grandmother's house." Harry said.

"I will, Uncle." Amelie nodded confidently with a smile etched on her face. She didn't want to leave a sad portrait in the couple's hearts before she finally left the city.

Amelie's gaze stared out the window as the train began to move. Harry and Matilda kept waving at her from outside. Amelie waved back as she continued to smile.

Slowly, the two figures seemed to get smaller and disappear. Leaving Amelie, leaning her back against the train seat with a sad sigh.

From behind the window, the girl's eyes looked up at the orange sky. One event after another flashed through her mind. The city had many colors in Amelie's life. About her first love, friendship, the warmth of family, and also the pain of heart-wrenching scars.

Nothing could be more painful than two things: Theresia's words telling her to abort her love affair with Jonathan, and hearing about Jonathan's arranged marriage to another woman. What Amelie had already guessed was that the girl Jonathan was set to marry was from a wealthy family.

The unbearable pain she felt caused tears to fall down her cheeks. What woman could give up her lover to be with another woman? Amelie couldn't even imagine it.

Amelie closed her eyes and hoped that her heartache would soon sink and disappear, along with the dusk that had replaced the darkness of the night.

'Will one day I return to this city? Will Jonathan and I be reunited one day? I leave the destiny of my life and the child in my womb to you, God.' Amelie continued to ask herself.

Tears flooded Amelie's cheeks again. I invited the attention of the man sitting next to her, about to offer her a tissue.

"Beforehand, I apologize if I'm being presumptuous. I've been watching you cry. Are you in trouble?" said the stranger as he handed Amelie some tissues.

"Oh. Sorry if you think that way. But I'm fine at the moment. Thank you for your concern." Amelie replied as she wiped away the tears with the tissue the stranger handed her.

Behind Amelie's eyes, sadness was evident, even though she tried to smile broadly.

The man could only chuckle to himself. How could the girl keep smiling while her clear eyes implied such deep sadness? Who knows what the cause of that sadness was?

'She's so beautiful, like an angel.' the stranger thought as he looked at Amelie, who continued to smile.

***