CHAPTER THREE
The First Meeting
But Angela Joie really wanted to meet Joanna so much. So when the Holy Mary Academies of Palmaine City, Puerto Ava City, Sacarapi City and Mojensai City had their annual Christmas celebration at Palmaine City from December 16 – 18, 2009, she had found a way to pay her real Mom a visit in her office.
The annual Christmas celebration of Holy Mary Academies required parents’ presence. Angela Joie was just with her nanny because Marcus could only come on the 18th.
Marcus informed Daddy Juan and Mommy Antonia about the celebration. They were to meet Angela Joie and her nanny at the school on the 16th but the nanny lost Angela Joie at Missi Domestic Airport, located in Vienburg City.
The young girl had called a taxi and asked the driver to bring her at the address written in Mars and Venus magazine.
The taxi driver was so kind. “Why are you going there alone?”
Angela Joie answered, “I want to surprise my Mommy. She works there.”
The taxi driver asked, “Where’s your Daddy?”
Angela Joie replied, “He’s in Davou.”
The taxi driver inquired, “Does he know you’ll surprise your Mommy?”
Angela Joie answered, “No. I’m with my nanny I left her at the airport. Don’t worry, Manong. I have the money to pay you.”
The driver had assumed that the parents of his young passenger were separated and that his young passenger was longing to see her mother.
Angela Joie gave the driver her piggy bank when the cab stopped by her destination but the driver didn’t accept it. “It’s my Christmas gift to you, hija.”
Angela Joie expressed her gratitude, “Thank you, Manong.”
Angela Joie walked toward the guard. “I want to see my Mom. Her name is Joanna Nueza.”
The guard telephoned Joanna in a direct line to her office. The guard was an old-time employee. He wasn’t aware that his lady boss, Joanna, had a daughter but the young girl really looked exactly like his lady boss.
“Ma’am, a little girl, who looks exactly like you, is here claiming that you are her Mom.”
As soon as Joanna heard such, she told the guard. “Bring her up at once. Use the private elevator.”
Joanna went to the private elevator only used by her, Harry, Kristin, Jefferson and Allan.
Angela Joie ran to her real Mom’s waiting arms as soon as she saw Joanna.
The guard cried as he saw the scene.
“Who was with her?” She asked the guard.
“She’s alone, ma’am. But I saw her emerged from a taxi.”
Joanna dismissed the guard, “Okay. You may now leave us.”
Joanna carried her daughter to her office. Her staff saw them as they entered her office.
She sat her daughter on her table.
Joanna then spoke, “You have to answer a few questions first, little angel.”
Angela Joie smiled and became attentive, “Okay, Mommy.”
She held her tears from falling. “How did you get here? You’re supposed to be with Marcus.”
Angela Joie answered, “It’s the Christmas celebration of Holy Mary Academies from December 16 – 18. My nanny accompanied me on the flight but Daddy Marcus will follow on Friday. Then Lolo Juan and Lola Antonia will be meeting my nanny and me at the school today.”
Joanna wanted confirmation, “So you came all the way from the airport?”
Her daughter confirmed it, “Yes, Mommy.”
“We should better call them.” Joanna called her mother. “Mommy, my daughter is here with me. She left her nanny at the airport. She came here alone aboard a taxi. The nanny and the teachers might be panicking, call them for me.”
Mommy Antonio was surprised, “Am I really hearing this?”
Joanna replied, “Yes, Mommy. Call Marcus too.”
Mommy Antonio agreed, “I will, hija.”
Angela Joie asked, “Is that Lola? Can I talk to her, Mommy?”
Mommy Antonia heard everything Angela Joie had just said. She was crying from so much happiness.
Joanna gave the mobile phone to her daughter. “Mommy, she wants to talk to you.”
The little girl spoke, “Lola, I’m here.”
Mommy Antonio replied, “That’s nice, baby. I told you, your Mommy wants to see you too. But what you did is wrong. What if the driver didn’t bring you there? ”
Angela Joie responded, “The driver is very kind, Lola. I was giving him my piggy bank but he didn’t accept it. He said it was his Christmas gift for me.”
Mommy Antonio instructed her granddaughter, “Okay. Give the phone now to your Mommy. I wanted to speak to her.”
Angela Joie gave Joanna the phone. Joanna cued her mother, “Yes, Mommy.”
Mommy Antonia said, “She needs to be at the HMA for the celebration.”
“Tell Mother Superior, we’ll be there tomorrow, Mommy. The celebration will start tomorrow. They would just be busy with the housing of visitors. I want to spend time alone with her first. By the way, trace the driver who had brought her here. He needed to be thanked ad paid properly. Our guard here could be asked with some information.” Joanna had her pre-school, elementary and secondary education at Holy Mary Academy – Palmaine City.
Mommy Antonia acknowledged it, “I will, hija.”
Joanna looked at her daughter attentively. Her daughter smiled at her. She smiled back.
Joanna told her daughter, “Your Lola Antonia is right. You should have not gone here all by yourself.”
“I’m sorry.” Angela Joie hugged her. “I just wanted to see you.”
She hugged her daughter too. She then let her daughter face her once more afterwards. “I wanted to see you too but…”
Angela Joie finished for her, “Lolo and Lola told me that you were sick when you had me that was why you gave me to Daddy Lester and Mommy Roselle. But why didn’t you visit me?”
Joanna told her daughter, “I wanted to but I promised your Daddy Lester and Mommy Roselle that I would not. Legally, they were your parents because I gave you up for adoption. I don’t have so much right to see you.”
Her daughter uttered, “I see.”
Joanna confessed to her daughter, “I wanted to send you birthday gifts and Christmas gifts but your Daddy Lester and Mommy Roselle might have the idea that I would take you away from them so I didn’t send them. I’ll show them all to you when we’re already in our house. I also bought so many toys for you. I had collected them all for you.”
“Thanks, Mommy.” Angela Joie gave her real Mom a smack on her lips.
Joanna was so surprised with her daughter’s gesture. She was so smart and so sweet. Lester and Roselle had brought her daughter up so nice. So she thanked them silently.
Joanna then assumed, “You must be hungry. Where do you want to eat?”
Her daughter said, “Anywhere! But I want burger, spaghetti, French fries and sundae.”
“Okay.”
Joanna carried her daughter by her left arm as she carried her daughter’s stuffed toy inspired backpack and her own bag and laptop computer case by her right arm.
They went to the private elevator. Joanna told her daughter to push a button so as to open up the elevator door.
The guard helped her with the bags as soon as he saw them. They walked them to the parking lot.
She asked the guard as soon as she had secured her daughter on the front seat with a seat belt. “Do you still remember the plate number of the taxi or perhaps the driver that brought my daughter here?”
The guard answered, “Yes, ma’am.”
Joanna requested the guard, “Please coordinate with my Mom regarding it.”
The guard acknowledged it, “Yes, ma’am.”
Joanna boarded the car and sat on the driver’s seat. She put on her seatbelt. They went to the biggest mall in Vienburg, Victoria Mall.
It was already around ten thirty in the morning. The mall had just opened, so there were only few people. Nevertheless, she was recognized by the entire crew of McJollie.
The cashier had asked, “What’s your order, Miss Joanna?”
“Tell our order, baby.” Joanna instructed her daughter.
“Give us two cheeseburgers, two spaghettis, two large French fries, two chocolate sundaes.” Angela Joie told the lady at the counter.
The cashier asked further, “What about the drinks, Ma’am?”
Joanna told the lady at the counter, “Have a large iced tea for me and what would you want, baby,”
“Water.” Her daughter had answered.
“Give her a bottle of distilled water then.” Joanna told the lady cashier.
“Dine in or take out, Ma’am?”
“Dine in.”
The cashier told the price. She gave her credit card. They were escorted by another crew to their table.
The few people who were also eating at the food store approached her for an autograph. Most of them were females who had Exclusively Venus with them.
The store manager approached them. “Ma’am, would you want some sort of privacy?”
Joanna replied, “Thanks but don’t bother. We’re fine.”
Angela Joie asked her. “Why are they having your signature, Mommy? Are you popular?”
Joanna answered her daughter, “You may put it that way, baby. Keep on eating.”
As soon as they finished eating, they went to different stores of signature clothing, toys and books.
Everyone on the stores recognized her. So they had been approached by fans from time to time.
Joanna had brought so many clothes for her daughter and herself because Angela Joie insisted that they should have identical clothes.
They had lunch in a more cozy and private restaurant. They were eating when Harry phoned her.
Harry asked, “Where are you?”
Joanna answered, “I’m with my daughter.”
Harry automatically responded, “Okay. Never mind. I’ll just take over.”
She thanked her cousin, “Thanks, Kuya.”
After lunch, they had gone home. Joanna introduced her daughter to her private study room/library.
Nobody bothered them, not even Daddy Juan and Mommy Antonia.
The study room/library was just beside her bedroom. Angela Joie was so happy to see all the gifts, books, VCD’s, DVD’s and toys Joanna had collected for her.
Angela Joie was surprised, “Are they all for me, Mommy?”
Joanna answered, “Yes, sweetheart.”
Angela Joie hugged her and kissed her nose.
“Let’s now go to my bedroom.” She led her daughter to the adjoining door of the private study room/library to her bedroom. “You must be so tired. We’ll both take a nap.”
They had both changed their clothes. They wore the identical lilac pajama blouse and pants they had just recently bought.
Nobody disturbed them.
Marcus arrived at the Nueza Mansion at around five in the afternoon. Joanna and Angela Joie were already awake. They had already changed into identical casual clothing – white sleeveless blouse and denim shorts.
Marcus knocked at the door of the study room/library.
Angela Joie opened the door. She saw her Daddy Marcus, Lolo Juan and Lola Antonia. She had let them in.
They were all so surprised to see the sacred study room/library of Joanna.
They right away knew that she had regretted giving up her daughter for adoption.
They were also surprised to see Joanna in denim shorts and sleeveless blouse. She had always been wearing pants and sleeved blouses ever since that unfaithful incident happened.
Angela Joie took pride, “Mommy Joanna had collected everything for me,” referring to all the things at the corner Joanna had arranged especially for her daughter through the years.
Daddy Juan and Mommy Antonia couldn’t help but cried. They approached Joanna and hugged her.
“If only we knew, we could have taken Angela Joie back.” Mommy Antonia said.
Marcus said, “And I would have even brought Angela Joie here without Lester’s and Roselle’s permission.”
They all sat down at the sitting area in her private study room/library while Angela Joie was watching Cinderella movie in her corner.
Suddenly, Joanna hadn’t been shivering with Marcus presence.
Marcus narrated, “Last May, she had asked the family if she’s adopted. Of course, we were all so surprised. Mommy told her the truth then. For a while she left while were in the middle of conversation to get the copy of Mars and Venus in my room. Her next question was if you’re her real Mom. Mommy admitted. She knew Lester and Roselle would be hurt if she kept on bugging them to see you. Traveling to and from Davou would be so tiring for Dad and Mom so she was left to ask me. I promised Lester and Roselle that I would delay your meeting as much as I can.”Daddy Juan added. “We really scheduled her to see you this Christmas break with or without your approval. But she found her own way to meet you.”
Mommy Antonia informed her. “We already know the driver who had delivered her to your door. The security guard in the airport recognized him and detained him for a while for questioning. It’s good that you had told me about calling Mother Superior. No harm was done to the driver. Your Dad and I had even phoned the proper authorities in the airport to let the driver brought Angela Joie’s nanny here. We already gave our utmost gratitude to the good driver.”
“Thanks,” was all she could say.
Harry, Kristin, Allan and Jefferson arrived. They joined them in Joanna’s private study room/library.
“Our friends in the press had been bugging me about the young girl who was with you at the mall. A lot of people saw you,” Harry informed Joanna.
“I already know what to do about that Kuya. You had nothing to worry about. But it would have to wait until the Christmas break is through.” Joanna assured Harry.
Kristin couldn’t help but say, “She’s an exact replica of you, Joanna.”
Jefferson and Allan agreed at the same time. “Correct!”
They had all dined in Nueza Mansion, located in an exclusive village in Vienburg City.