The very next morning, Kim received a call from the HR department who handled internships for the company.  Kim was offered a paid internship position with Andersons International Inc. She was to start the very next week with the Customer Relations department. She was excited and waited for Gerald to wake up to share the news with him.

At the breakfast area…

Mrs. Anderson: Iha, you look very happy this morning.

Kim: Good morning Tita. I just received a call from Andersons and I got a position with the Customer Relations department.

Mr. Anderson: I think I would have fired whoever interviewed HR if they didn’t hire you.  I told you you were going to do great!  So… customer relations.  A great place to start and learn.  It starts with the clients and meeting their needs in order to provide the type of service we provide and our customers expect.  Wonderful. Wonderful.

Kim: I totally agree and I am so excited!! I start on Monday.

Mrs. Anderson: That is great.  It’s perfect. Doesn’t Gerald begin his summer duties on Monday too, honey?

Mr. Anderson: Yes he does.  He will be working in the International Relations department especially with our entering the China market. You might be working with him depending on what projects they assign you to.

Mrs. Anderson: Iha, don’t you speak Mandarin?

Kim: Yes, Tita.  I speak Mandarin, some Cantonese and Fookien.

Mr. Anderson: What a gem for us. 

Gerald: (walking into the breakfast area) Who’s a gem?

Mr. Anderson: Your newly hired intern, Kim, is.

Gerald: You got the job?!

Kim: You sound surprised!

Gerald: (laughing) I am not surprised.  What I am surprised about is how fast you got the job.  It tells me that we have people who actually recognize talent and competency.

Mr. Anderson: Great save son. (laughing)

Gerald: (laughing) Thanks dad.

Kim: Gerald Randolph Anderson Jr. Not nice!

Mrs. Anderson: (laughing) Gerger, boy, are you in trouble.

Kim: He sure is Tita.  I think I’m pretty intelligent. I actually enjoy my business admin classes and hopefully if God permits and I receive a scholarship, I would like to move forward and get my MBA.  Humph… Gerald, you are the only one who doesn’t recognize talent.

Gerald: Babe… you know that is not true.  I know that you would be a perfect intern for the company.  I wouldn’t have suggested it to dad if I didn’t think so.  I try not to mix business and pleasure so I’ve never offered the opportunity to other people I’ve known.  You, on the other hand, are a perfect fit for the company with your education, background and experience.

Kim: Keep it up because it is somewhat helping you get out of the hole that dug for yourself. (crossing her arms in front of her)

Gerald: Can I ask what department you have been assigned to?

Kim: Customer Relations.

Gerald: Great! With the China project, we have been working closely with this department.  So we might be able to work together.

Kim: Keep it professional Gerald.

Gerald: She used my first name.  Now I know I am in trouble! (laughing, however, all of a sudden, Gerald began to frown) You said that you were going to work for Customer Relations?

Kim: Yes. I’m so excited.

Gerald: Humph!

Mrs. Anderson: Why the frown son?

Gerald: A certain James Uy works for Customer Relations.

Mr. Anderson: Is it a problem son?

Gerald: To be honest, yes… well… they bumped into each other on accident yesterday and well, let’s just say, he’s interested despite knowing that Kim has a boyfriend.

Mr. Anderson: Just tell him that Kim is your girlfriend.

Gerald: Kim won’t let me.

Kim: What are you worried about? You and only you.

Gerald: I’m not worried about you.  I am worried about him.

Mr. Anderson: A little competition will keep you on your toes.

Gerald: Humph!

Mrs. Anderson & Kim were trying to hide their giggles.

Mrs. Anderson: Well… to keep your mind off competition, why don’t you take Kim to our house in the Hamptons for a long weekend?  You know how hot summers are here in New York.

Gerald: I forgot about our house there.  I haven’t gone there in such a long time. Kim?  Would you like to go on another mini-adventure?

Kim: You are my tour guide. I follow where you go.

Gerald: Thanks mom!  Great idea.  Kim, why don’t you pack and we’ll leave before lunch.

Mr. Anderson: Why don’t you guys take the helicopter? I won’t be using it today.

Kim: Helicopter?

Gerald: Dad’s favorite mode of transportation.  He hates traffic.  There is actually a landing pad on top of Andersons International Inc. when he knows traffic will be bad. You’ll love it. I’ll have the pilot fly over New York City a little bit so you can see if from a different perspective.

Kim: WOW!

Kim and Gerald packed some items for their weekend at the Anderson’s home in the Hamptons.  Jenkins, one of the family’s drivers drove them to the helicopter pad.  As they flew over New York City, Gerald pointed out landmarks such as Central Park, obviously the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. Eventually they headed over to the east side of Long Island where the Anderson’s summer home was located.  Kim was in absolutely awe because they were approaching a beautiful mansion with tennis courts, a swimming pool, boat dock and expansive lawn. 

Kim: Are you serious?

Gerald: Serious about what?

Kim: That’s your summer home?!

Gerald: Yes. It is beautiful isn’t it?  I haven’t seen this place in years.

Kim: Babe?! This is crazy.  

The helicopter landed right on the lawn and the pilot shut off the engine.  He helped Gerald and Kim exit the helicopter.  One of the staff from the house came out to help carry their bags inside the house. Gerald thanked the pilot who then returned to the helicopter and proceeded to return to New York City. Gerald then introduced Kim to the housekeeper who kept the house in good condition all year round. They walked around the house.  The house was almost as big as the house in New York City. 

Kim: (turned towards Gerald) Why are you with me? I don’t belong here. I am amazed because you still surprise me. I forget that you are rich and then bam it’s in my face.

Gerald: Is me being rich a bad thing? 

Kim: No but seriously babe, this is crazy.  I am a poor girl going to college thankfully on a scholarship I busted my for.  I come from a single parent household because I have a mother who left us.  My father has worked hard all his life in order to make sure that there was food on the table, clothes on our back and a roof over our head.  We were raised to not take things for granted. Now here I am standing before the man I absolutely love in his freakin’ mansion #2 of I don’t know how many more.  I’m sure the house in Missouri is probably much bigger than this because it is home based. This is crazy! I’m starting to feel like Cinderella.

Gerald: Babe… my family has worked very hard to get to where we are at.  My grandfather laid the foundation but my dad works every day to make sure that we never slip.  We have also been taught not to take things for granted.  I will admit that we are very lucky.  And for a long time, I did take advantage of our wealth but lately there are many more things that are much more important such as an education, family and most definitely love. Yes, we can benefit from what my family has worked hard for such as the free hotel stays, helicopter rides and sometimes the private jet but babe… I would give all of this away just to be with you.

Kim: Liar! (smiling at him) Am I worth that much?

Gerald: And much more! (smiling) Do you want me to give it all away?

Kim: And how would you do that? Tell your dad to close all your bank accounts?

Gerald: He can’t because those are mine.  The money in there is money I earned from working in our hotels. I don’t think my parents have given me money just for the hell of it in such a long time.  Personally, I don’t need much but it’s nice when we can take advantage of such amenities.

Kim: Babe… you don’t act like you are rich… You shop at Target, though I know you have brand name items but you have no airs.

Gerald: Well that’s good.  I’m glad you are telling me that I am not a snob.

Kim: How can you be? You slept on chairs when we were in the PI for the medical mission.  Your only complaint was that I wasn’t next to you.

Gerald: That was my only complaint. Do you think different of me because of all of this?

Kim: (thinking…) Actually… no, I don’t. You are still the man I love. I love the person that you are not the money that you have.

Gerald: I know that. And good because I love you, too.

Gerald and Kim had a great time with each other; hanging out at the house, swimming in the pool, going to the beach and walking around town. They even took the boat out a little bit. They had a wonderful time and decided to return on Saturday as they noticed more people were flocking to the Hamptons.