Chapter 5: A Dry Spell

We are not scheduled to meet the next girl until tomorrow, but Jake has her cell number and' texts her, telling her we are looking forward to meeting her. Before we even get back to the house Jake gets a text saying the girl has decided not to meet us. That is both good and bad. It blows a hole in the schedule and it means that it will be easier to select Nic2 as the girl. Jake texts the last girl on the list and asks if she would like to move up her time with us to start tomorrow. This is a twenty-one year old girl named Marilag. Her nickname is simply Mari. We know Mari has a four year degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She speaks five Filipino languages plus Japanese and English. Jake has said that it should be relatively easy to bring her over. That makes her significantly easier to bring over than Nic2 will be and that is not good news to my ears. I am hoping she backs out too. She doesn't. Two hours after his text, we get an answer from her; she will be pleased to meet us tomorrow. Jake texts back and confirms, saying that she will meet me first.

The next day I am at the Gaisano Mall in front of Gerry's Grill waiting for Mari. I see her approach, a shy girl five years older than me, but definitely uncomfortable as she looks around and walks up to me. OK the next conversation was in Tagalog ... I am translating.

Where are they?

Who?

Jake and Gel. (Gel is a nickname for Angeline.)

OK, I already didn't like her. I was ready to tell her to go home, but I don't think Jake would be happy with me if I did. I texted Jake:She does not talk to me. Only to you and mom. Come now.

I got a reply from Jake saying they were coming. Three minutes later mom appeared. Jake was nowhere to be seen.

Hi Mari, it's nice to meet you. I see that you have met Cin. Jake and I will be busy for an hour and I am sure you have a lot to share with Cin and getting acquainted does take a while considering the nature of our coming week together. We'll catch up with you girls later.

Excuse me but I am not your babysitter. I am here to help you with your husband, right? I mean there is something he needs that you are not giving him or he wouldn't need me. So I'd like to meet him now.

Mari, I am so sorry we bothered you. Let me give you some money to get home safely. I am sorry we troubled you. It clearly isn't going to work out. Cin, you can go to Jake now and I will walk Mari to a taxi and pay the driver.

And that is the end of girl #3! Who knew!

I am with Jake, and am filling him in when he gets a text from the girl. He texts her saying that she has obviously ignored all he had told her and had been rude to his wife and daughter. Such is not acceptable. She texts back asking to meet him and his final answer is he would never meet her.

Rather than the foursome at Gerry's Grill, which we had planned for lunch, it is the three of us. From five possible girls, we are down to two more possible girls. The meal at Gerry's Grill is great, but Gerry's always is great food. We get home early and Jake goes back to the list, contacting the girl who is second from the last. Would she consider an earlier meeting. The answer is she could move it up a week but not two weeks. Jake contacts the third on the list. Could she move her time with us up? The answer we got back minutes later is yes she can. We move each up six days and schedule to meet the third girl on the list – and our fourth based on how things are going – tomorrow in front of Gerry's! That works for me.

This time we are meeting Tamia. Mia is eighteen and just finished two years of college in accounting. She is smaller than I am and I think she is darker, but it is hard to tell via the webcam. I thought Mia would be my favorite before I met Nic2 in person. Mia seems so nice when I chatted with her. Now I am worried that I will still like her and then what do I do?

Meeting with Mia goes well and we have a nice meal at Gerry's. Mia is a little shy and she is hanging on to me throughout the day. We do some shopping for supper before we go back to the house. Once there, mom, Mia and I all meet in the kitchen and start cooking up a supper to remember. Mom makes a Leche Flan and Casava Cake. Mia and I make Sitaw Adobo, Pancit with Pork and Shrimp and Pork Caldoreta. Mia and I also make a Fruit Salad with Buko Coconut. We have a lot of fun in the kitchen. Mia is good in the kitchen and we are having a good time. I am both happy and sad.