Chapter 1

"Grandpa, you know that I don't have any issue with helping people especially when it concerns their health but do I have to work with your daughter?" I can't count how many times I've asked Grandpa about this because I don't know why he has to send me to a place where I can be with his daughter even though he knows that I don't want to be with her. 

"You're losing your manners, Gia." I swallowed my saliva hard in no time due to the sudden seriousness of Grandpa's tone on the other line. "I'm sending you there to help people and yes, also for you to be with your mother." 

"But you know that I don't want to be with her, don't you?" I'm losing hope of confirmation while I'm here on the beach and waiting for a boat to board the island where the medical mission started by my mother will be held. 

"How long are you going to ignore your mother?" I heard Grandpa sigh on the other line as if he was losing patience because of my stubbornness. 

"She was the first to ignore it," I reasoned as I walked along the beach to one of the boats here and sat there first. I looked around and the weather isn't that hot today so it was okay even if I stayed here and waited for a while.

"But she's getting back to you now, Gia." I smiled bitterly because my mother was very lucky to have Grandpa. After all, despite what she did, he was still willing to accept her and now even helps her.

"We both know it's too late for her to try and recover what she wanted to have again Grandpa."

I just bowed at my feet while talking to Grandpa. For the second time, I heard the old man sighing, and just now I could see that he was already massaging the bridge of his nose. That's his mannerism especially when he's stressed with me. "Let's stop talking-"

"How about your father?" I was about to finish this conversation with Grandpa because I don't want him to think about anything else, but here he is asking about my father.

"They're just the same, Grandpa." When I turned my eyes back to the sea when I heard something coming from there, I saw a boat. "The boat is here, Grandpa. I have to hang up."

"Be careful there, grandchild." I smiled because of the tenderness of Grandpa's voice. He's always soft when it comes to me. "And please, at least try to get along with your mother, hmmkay?"

"I will try it for you, Grandpa. But I'm not saying promise, hmmkay?" I even imitated Grandpa's tone so I could hear him laugh from the other line.

"Yes, grandpa. Thank you. Take care. Grandpa loves you so much, my princess. Please don't come back here with someone as your boyfriend because I'm not yet ready, hmmkay?"

I laughed because of what he said and out of nowhere I thought of teasing him. "Grandpa, it doesn't matter if you're not ready yet because the important thing is that I am the one who's ready right?"

"Gia Blythe McKenna!"

I burst out laughing because Grandpa called my full name as if he believed in me and he was stressed because of what I said even though the truth is that he didn't believe because he knew I'm not like that.

"Come on, Grandpa. Did you think that eh? Go ahead. I'll call you again when I'm on the island. Take a break and don't focus on work," I reminded Grandpa and then smiled at the boatman when he came to me and helped me with my things. "Remember that I'm not there by your side so don't be stubborn and listen to my instructions."

"Yes, my pretty Nurse," he answered with a laugh until he hung up the phone. The smile that our conversation brought about didn't disappear from my lips even though the topic we started with earlier wasn't that good.

"You're on the way to the island of the Huxleys, aren't you, Mam?" I turned to the boatman when he suddenly spoke when we finally got on his boat.

"Yes, Sir."

I sat down as soon as I saw the closest space to me. I looked around the entire boat. It wasn't that big but it was comfortable and not crowded because there were only a few of us there. Aside from the boatman and I, we have another old woman with us, two people who look like they are friends because they were already talking about something that I just didn't pay attention to when I comfortably got in the boat. The old woman that was next to me was at the far end of the boat while the two other passengers were in the first part of the boat they were shopping because of the vegetables and other food they brought.

"Are you one of the volunteer nurses who will help with the medical program on our island, dear?" I turned to the old woman sitting beside me when suddenly she asked a question. She greeted me with a sweet smile and I couldn't help but get amazed. Maybe she saw my medical bag so she deduced that I was a nurse.

"Yes, Mam. If you want, you can come with me so we can check your health," I offered to the old woman, whose face immediately brightened and the joy on her face was obvious because of my offer

"Really?" she still asked a question that made me laugh a little. "I'll come if you say you'll take care of me there, huh?"

My smile widened because of what she said. One of the good feelings that a nurse can feel in her work is that her patient entrusts her life to her. "Of course, Mam. That's for sure. I'll take care of you," I assured the old woman and then jokingly winked at her which made the latter laugh as well.

"You're such a fun kid. I hope you and my grandson will be friends so that somehow he won't always be preoccupied with his work. I'm afraid he'll forget to have fun sooner or later," said the old woman shaking her head. 

"I can try to be friends with him, Mam," I agreed to the old woman's wish because I knew that was what she wanted to hear. Because that's how Grandpa is, that's why I can't disagree with him also, but that's fine with me. As long as I can make Grandpa happy and as long as I can, I will not hesitate to follow the wishes that will make him happy. That's why I'm here today and even if I don't want to be in the same place as my mother, I will do it because that's what Grandpa wants.

"Why do you seem to be having second thoughts about going to your destination, dear?" I turned to the old woman when she suddenly looked at me. When our eyes met, she was intently looking at me and watching my every reaction. I smiled because of how quickly she could read every movement of my face even though we had just met.

"It's not like that, Mam. I just have reasons why I'm not so sure of where I'm going." Her face is very gentle and although she has wrinkles on her face, I am sure that she was beautiful in her youth. She also has fair white skin which is why her blue dress with a matching pearl necklace served as a pendant that compliments every inch of her. She also looks clean because her hair is neatly tied in a ponytail.

"What's your name, grandchild?" The old woman asked me with a smile and that's when I realized that I didn't even know her name. I was so comfortable in her presence that it didn't even occur to me to know her name. Oh my!

"It's Gia Blythe, but you can call me Gia, Mam." I introduced myself to the old woman. "How about you, Mam? What's your name? I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself right away. I was too comfortable talking to you and I didn't remember even asking for your name." I scratched the back of my neck when I apologized to the old woman who just laughed.

"That's fine, dear. Even now I just remembered to ask your name. You can call me Grandma Briella." I smiled and then took the old woman's hand which made her smile even wider as I guided her backhand to my forehead as a sign of respect to her.

"Nice to meet you, Grandma Briella." To be honest, I was surprised because Grandma knew English. It's not that I'm judging but I'm just really surprised because she sounds so fluent. It's not that deep but I still can't help but be amazed because she has an aura of participating in beauty pageants in her youth.

"You know sometimes we have to put aside the reasons why we prefer not to go on and focus more on why we should go on." I stared at the old woman when she suddenly released those words to me. "Often we come to a point where we think that we should have just continued with the things that we chose not to continue and that is what is called regret because only then do you realize that it is a shame when you have nothing else to do if it does not regret." I felt Grandma caressing my hair and I felt comfortable because of that. "You're too young to choose not to go to destinations where there are fewer reasons why you don't want to go than reasons why you should go on. You're too young to waste your opportunities where you can learn even if it's difficult because at least at the end of the day you know you will have no regrets."

Honestly, I couldn't say anything to Grandma, so I ended up just being in front of her and dumbfounded. She noticed that so she just laughed and then jokingly pinched my cheek as if I was just a child of a few years old. I smiled sadly because I was more comfortable with her than my mother. She could read every reaction on my face faster than my mother.

"Thank you, Grandma, ah? At least I feel better," I thanked the old woman, who just returned a sweet smile and a simple nod.

A few minutes passed before we reached Huxley's island. I looked around but immediately slapped my forehead when I remembered that I didn't know exactly which part of the island they were based on.

"Is there a problem, Gia, dear?" I turned to Grandma when I heard her ask from behind me. It's good that she got off the boat. I actually asked the boatman to help her, who was supposed to take care of my things when I got off the boat, but I can do that, so I let the boatman take care of her.

"I don't know where your companions are based, Grandma. I forgot to ask." I was just scratching the back of my neck because of the stupidity I had done as well as the shame, especially when suddenly Grandma started laughing at me so I couldn't help but sulk.

"Oh, come on, child. Don't worry about that and I know where your companions are based." I was still snorting as I looked up at Grandma because I was still embarrassed when she suddenly pinched my cheek again.

I've been noticing Grandma looking very happy on my cheek. In a little while, I will think that she has conceived me. Grandma still has some sour hihihi.

Grandma pulled me and we started to walk the road to where my colleagues are said to be based. When we got there, we immediately got the attention of the people there in the biggest canopy tent for reasons I don't know. I looked at Grandma when she suddenly tightened her grip on me so I immediately supported her and made her sit on the chair near the water dispenser. I put down my things first and then took her a drink and then handed it to her.

"Are you sure of drinking water from a water dispenser? What if you'll get sick later and your grandson will put more pressure on us, Madame Briella?" I looked up at the not-so-old man who seemed to be the leader of this community.

"I have already drunk sea water, Captain Leon Perillo," Grandma answered to him indirectly.

Suddenly, the reaction of the Captain's face turned serious, and then he looked sharply at the old woman. "What are you doing here? Why are you here?"

I don't know why they are like that to the old woman and I don't have any idea either but it's not right that they are treating grandma like that and that she didn't do anything wrong in the first place. "This is a medical mission, so why are you questioning the old woman's presence here when this mission is for everyone."

"Who are you?" The captain turned his attention to me and on my side, I felt Grandma holding my hand in a way that it looks like she was calming me down. "Grandma? Are you Madame Briella's granddaughter?"

"Gia!" Everyone turned to see the doctor running in our direction and when she finally got close, she immediately embraced me.

"What are your relations with that child, Dra. McKenna?"

"She's my daughter, Captain Leon. Why?" replied the doctor after breaking the hug that I didn't respond with.

"Madame Briella is with her," answered the Captain, then the old man snorted, making my two eyebrows meet even more.

"Oh, my gosh! He's handsome from any angle!"

"Oh! You said it! Even if he doesn't care about me, I'll still be grateful to just have a glimpse of his perfectness!"

"Even just a glance~"

"Look here, Daddy!"

My brow furrowed because of the sudden noise around me and everyone looking in the same direction, especially those young people at heart and people my age. When I followed what they were looking at, I realized that they were looking at the newly arrived man as he walked towards us.

"Bryce." I turned to Grandma Briella when she suddenly mentioned a name while looking at the man and when I looked back at him, my heart almost burst out because I was surprised that he was right in front of me so I was even out of balance and just closed my eyes because I knew I was going to fall on the ground. But a few seconds later, I felt a firm arm around my waist and when I opened my eyes again, I almost squinted because of the inch that we only have in between!