"Got it," ir replied.


    Cecelia and Baldwin got back in the car. But Cecelia was still worried. She rolled down the window and said, "ir, remember what I told you. If you ever get tired of staying in Y City, quit your job ande here. This is Wesley''s hometown. He will return here anyway."


    ir teared up a little at her concern. "Okay," she replied with a nod.


    The car engine roared to life. She finally mustered up enough courage and said as she waved her hand to Wesley''s parents, "See youter, Mom, Dad."


    Cecelia gasped when she heard ir call her "Mom." She was so excited that she wanted to wrap her arms around the girl and hug her tight, but ir was too shy to stand there for a second longer. She turned around quickly and walked into the departure lounge.


    That evening, Wesley got a call from Cecelia. She eximed, "Wesley! ir called me ''Mom'' today! She is truly a part of our family now. Cherish her. Call her whenever you can, so that she knows that you really care about her."


    A smile crept over Wesley''s face. "I will," he said.


    "All right then. Take care of yourself." Cecelia knew that Wesley would be fine. But to a mother, her son would always be a child, no matter how old he gets. She couldn''t help worrying.


    "I will, Mom. You too."


    On the 72nd day after Wesley had left, Niles called ir. "Hi, Niles," she said into the phone.


    "ir, some of my coworkers and I are going on a trip. Do you want to join us?"


    ''A trip?'' It sounded nice, but she was worried that she wouldn''t fit in with his crowd. "I think I''ll pass. I don''t know your coworkers. I''ll feelpletely out of ce."


    "You know me. I''ll keep youpany. My mentor is the organizer of this trip. She has made an exception for you this time."


    "Thank you, Niles, but I''m really busy—"


    "We''re going to the border."


    "What did you say?" ir''s heart skipped a beat.


    "We''re going to the border," Niles repeated. That was why he insisted that she go with them.


    And now, ir couldn''t wait to go. "When''s the trip?" she asked with


    Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex.


    To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him.


    "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses."


    She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women.


    Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment.


    t work to finish, so she couldn''t join the game and sat in the aisle.


    Niles stuck out his head from thepartment and asked, "I haven''t told Wesley that we areing yet. Would you like to tell him yourself?"


    ir thought about it and said, "Let''s wait a bit longer."


    Niles was confused at first. He thought ir would be more excited about this trip. Then he realized her intention and said with a grin, "You want to surprise him, don''t you? How romantic."


    ir flushed. "Go y your poker. I don''t want to talk to you about this. You''re such a kid."


    Niles went back to his game,ughing heartily.


    After some time, Ingrid Chu stuck her head out and asked, "ir, do you need Wi-Fi? I have unlimited data on my phone."


    ir shook her phone and replied, "So do I. Thanks, though."


    "No problem. I''ll leave you be," Ingrid Chu replied. Then, she turned to the others. "Let''s keep our voices down. ir is working."


    ir didn''t want to be a buzzkill. She remarked, "Don''t worry about it. I''ll put on my earplugs. Have fun, you guys. Don''t mind me."


    "Okay. But if we''re being too loud, just tell us." Ingrid Chu was in her early thirties. She was older than the others and was also their senior at work. So, the younger ones listened to her.


    ir nodded. They were having a good time. Looking at them, she felt better and couldn''t help smiling.