My heart beats faster as you take my hand .....

Jack is waiting for Amor and Olivia in the parking area standing beside a denim blue painted 5 seater SUV, he opened the rear door, and Olivia got in the car; he also opened the front passenger seat for Amor and she obediently got in.

After a few minutes of driving, they finally arrived and can see her parents' house from the highway.

"Oh..... thank you, Jack," said Amor.

"You're welcome, Amor."

"Good night and thank you, Sir Jack," said Olivia.

"Good night also Olivia."

"Amor you're here, come in," greeted her mother.

"Ma, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Huh? Yes," Elizabeth's startled reply.

They asked Olivia to get inside the room so that the 2 of them can talk in the living room.

"Mr. Kim still wants me to go back and work for him."

"Why do you need to tell me that?"

"Because Chaewon wants Olivia to be her school companion also."

"Whatever decision you make you know I will always support you."

"I might need to talk to the children again especially Olivia."

"Don't worry about your children, if Olivia will agree to come with you then Emma can help take care of Michael and Jacob," assured Elizabeth.

"I don't know how to explain to the children that I will be gone again this time for another 3 years with Olivia," long-withheld tears have now been freely released and are dancing on her cheeks.

"I'm really sorry Amor if I cannot be of much help but still don't hesitate to ask and we will sort things out together, okay?"

"Thank you ma I guess I need to tell the kids tomorrow so that they will be ready for the changes I'll take my leave now," before Elizabeth can respond Amor stood up because her words have now turned into cries.

Getting inside their room brought her to reality again, not knowing where to draw her strength from she still managed to sleep with her children.

"Ma, you're back," said the now 7-year-old Jacob.

"Uhm..... are you happy I'm back? We'll prepare a nice breakfast later okay?"

Amor placed Michael on his chair in the kitchen and he obediently sat staring blankly at his mother busy preparing for breakfast.

"I'll be the one to help you prepare for breakfast instead ma," offered her now 12-year-old daughter Olivia who just came out from their room.

"Yes, thank you, my child. Ah..... after our breakfast we'll have a family meeting okay?"

"What are we going to talk about, ma?"

"For now I can't tell you yet, it's better if we have all of your brothers and sister later."

Knowing how young her children are, Amor does not know the effect if she will leave them again this time with Olivia.

Anxiously waiting for her children to finish their breakfast Amor gave the announcement, "Oh..... kids we will have a family meeting after breakfast okay?"

"What is it all about ma?" asked her now 10 years old Emma.

"Uhm..... we'll talk about it in a while, enjoy your breakfast first then help me out with the dishes later okay?"

After breakfast, Amor called her children's attention, "Kids, thank you for helping me out with the dishes. Can I have your attention now?"

Seeing her children looking up to what she was about to say the words seemed to get in the way, "It's now or never," she thought.

"Ah..... you can see that your kuya (older brother) Henry is not yet back home right?"

"Do you need to leave again to work?" asked Olivia.

"It's about that matter that we need to discuss, if only we can afford to provide you our daily needs without me having to leave you again then we won't be having this discussion in the first place."

Upon hearing the news Emma joined in the conversation, "Kuya (older brother) Henry is not back yet, are you leaving us again soon?"

Amor knows what she should do but she is definitely not emotionally prepared to see her kids being separated again let alone leave them, "Oh..... I won't leave right away, I'll still be here for a few more days."

"I guess that would be fine, ate (older sister) Olivia has taken good care of us."

"Uhm..... there might be some changes with that one, the company I'm working for has offered your sister a scholarship and if she is accepted then she'll have to stay with me in the city."

"Ma don't take ate (older sister) away from us," pleaded Emma.

"Of course, it is not a guarantee yet that she'll be accepted. I'm just giving your sister a fair chance."

"Okay, but what happens if she gets accepted?"

"I've talked with your grandmother she agreed to take care of you, Jacob and Michael."

"How long will you and ate (older sister) have to stay in the city?"

"My contract has been extended for 3 years but we are allowed to come and visit you every so often."

In Amor's mind, she can only hope that this will be the last extension she will need to accept from Do Yun but she doesn't know what tomorrow brings to her and her children.

After having a long conversation with her children, Amor went inside their room to discuss her plan with Olivia immediately.

"We will leave on the 7th of July I will start packing our clothes now and we can leave in the morning of that day."

"Don't worry ma I'll do my best to be accepted as their scholar," said Olivia.

After Amor explained the situation to Olivia Emma protested, "So you will leave me here alone to take care of Jacob while you take care of ate (older sister) alone in the city?"

"Emma, I know you don't deserve to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of Jacob at your age but this is not permanent."

"I can take care of Jacob ma but I will miss you and ate (older sister), Olivia," cried Emma, and Amor is now in tears as well.

Been 2 years and there will be another 3 years that she will be away, her memories with her children are becoming blurred. She feels all alone without them her days are dark without a glimpse of them. When they came into her life she felt complete. The flowers bloomed, her morning shined and she can see her future.