Lipstick Stains

4 - Letters (Part 1)

5

Today marks 5 days before my birthday. A few more birthdays at senior citizen na ako. Yet here I am, still elated and kilig over a kiss on the cheek.

Hindi naman first time na hinalikan ako ni Leni sa pisngi. I remember the first time she did it. It was during the 2016 campaign and I gave her a keychain with Jesse's picture and a sunflower on it as a souvenir sa isang lugar na pinuntahan namin. Tapos nagbebeso rin kami whenever we see each other hanggang sa nakasanayan na namin.

But that kiss she left on my cheek last Friday was different. It wasn't just a form of hello or good bye. It carried a much greater message na hindi ko makuha kung ano at kanina pa ako nababaliw sa kakaisip. I remembered what she told me. Na wala naman akong dapat pagselosan at...

"No one could ever compare to you."

I don't know how many times I've repeated her words in my head since that night. Napapangiti ako sa kilig, kinakabahan, naguguluhan, naliligayahan, lahat na kaloka. May hidden meaning ba 'yon or delusional lang talaga ako?

Partida, umaga pa lang pero ang dami ko na agad iniisip. Hobby ko na atang mag-overthink.

"Mama, there's a package for you." I heard Sinta shout from downstairs.

I didn't order anything online at wala namang nagpasabing may ipapadala sila sa akin or anything so dali-dali akong bumaba para tignan.

"Flowers po for Ms. Risa Hontiveros, bayad na po 'to." Sabi ng delivery guy. The bouquet had light pink and purple roses arranged sophisticatedly.

"Hello po, galing po kanino?"

"Ay sorry po, anonymous po 'yung nagpadeliver kaya hindi ko rin po alam."

Huh. Weird.

I thanked the delivery guy and signed the paper tapos pumasok na ulit sa loob.

"Wow may pa-flowers. Who sent it, Ma?" Tinabihan ako ni Sinta sa sofa. I told her na anonymous 'yung nagpadeliver that's why I have no clue kung sino. She pointed to an envelope na natakpan kaya hindi ko nakita kanina. "There's a note oh. Maybe it says there kung kanino galing."

I snapped a picture of the bouquet first before asking my daughter na picture-an ako with it. Na-flatter naman kasi ako. It was a really sweet gesture. I took the note tapos ni-rearrange ko na 'yung flowers sa vase para madisplay ko sa kwarto ko.

Sinta and I cooked breakfast and I tried to accomplish some work after eating. Seeing as I couldn't focus anymore pagkatapos magbasa ng maraming papel, I decided to open the note. It read:

Dearest Ana Theresia,

Here are beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman like you. I hope you like them. 5 days 'til your birthday. Ingat ka palagi. :)

It didn't have any signatories or names written na makakapagsabi kung galing kanino. Nakakacurious naman 'to, pa-mysterious pa. But I can't say na hindi ako excited malaman kung sino nagpadala nito.

I posted my picture with the flowers sa IG story ko, hoping that whoever sent it would see that I've received their gift.

A few minutes later, I received a notification na someone replied to my story. "Naks, ganda! :)" Pagkatingin ko sa sender, hindi ko napigilang mapatili sa kilig. It was Leni.

Umakyat pa si Sinta to check on me kasi bigla-bigla raw akong sumisigaw. I apologized to her and told her na wala lang 'yun.

"Sure ka ha, your face is super duper red right now."