Split Decision

Slippery Slope

After shuttling from one Senate hearing to another in the morning, a small window of "free" time opened up for Leni. With Leni having such a packed schedule most of the week, such pockets of time don't come by easily.

She decided to use this opportunity to do what she hasn't done in a while - make herself a proper cup of green tea.

Leni took an electric kettle from her cabinet and poured some water inside before turning it on. While waiting, she grabbed a fresh pack of Chocnut and refilled the large bottle on the shelf.

Once the kettle sounded off, she then opened her floral teapot, put some loose tea in the infuser, and poured the hot water into the pot before closing the lid.

Suddenly, Leni felt the urge to go to the bathroom so she stepped out of her office and headed for the nearest restroom. On her way out, she spotted Pia rushing in the hallway - her eyes puffy from crying just like they were yesterday...and the day before that.

"Pia?" Leni called out.

Instead of responding to her, Pia continued walking. "Not right now, Lens. May hearing pa akong pupuntahan."

Leni quickly caught up with her and blocked her from her path. "Peej, stop muna."

Pia scooted over to Leni's side to try to pass, but Leni blocked her path with her leg and gave her that glare. Pia then threw her hands in resignation and followed Leni back to her Senate office.

By the time the two of them reached Leni's inner office, the fresh smell of green tea emanated from the room. Leni then took the infuser out before pouring two cups with some of the green tea.

She also reached out for a saucer, placed a few pieces of Chocnut on top, and set down everything on the table Pia was sitting on before sitting down herself. "Peej, anong nangyayari?"

Pia shrugged her shoulders. "What? Everything's just fine. Nothing wrong with me at all."

Leni stared at her with her intense gaze. "Peej, wala ka sa sarili mo this past week. Either nakatunganga ka pag hearing o hindi ka makausap nang maayos."

"I'm busy, okay?"

"There's busy, then there's this.", Leni insisted. "And don't even think I don't know you've been crying every other session."

Once Leni said those words, Pia broke down in front of her. "Lens, I miss her so much."

Leni rubbed Pia's back and let her rest on her shoulder while she sobbed. Much as she hated to admit it, Loren's resignation made huge ripples not just across the Senate, but also in their personal lives.

Including hers.

Part of Leni wished that she didn't go as far as she did with her. All Leni wanted to do was take her down a notch or two. "Ang yabang kasi eh. Kailangan ba talaga i-balandra lahat ng nagawa niya every chance she got?"

Her resigning and booking a one–way ticket to London on short notice wasn't part of the plan.

After around 5 minutes of sobbing, Pia let Leni go and wiped her tears. "You know, this isn't the first time we didn't work in the same place, but not knowing when she's coming back, that is if she even will, is the thing that kills me, you know."

"Alam mo, minsan iniisip ko sana hindi ko sinagad, eh. I expected her to resign as Pro Tempore, pero wala sa plano ung pagpunta niya ng London."

Pia twirled the pen in her left hand. "Don't blame yourself, Lens, it was bound to happen. She's still reeling in from Lanz cutting her off three years ago, so she was really just in a vulnerable place when you came along."

A massive pang of guilt hit Leni like a ton of bricks knowing that nugget of information. "Kung alam ko lang na ganoon na pala kabigat ung pinagdadaanan niya, I wouldn't have got that far."

Leni gasped and clutched her chest. "Hala, parang mas lalo naman akong na-guilty."

For the first time in a couple of weeks, Pia chuckled for a tiny bit. "I'm still amazed how you managed to end her 27-year career less than a year into being elected."

"Syempre, magaling ako, eh.", Leni boasted jokingly.

The two of them raised their teacups before taking a sip of the tea. Their conversations then went to various other things like Pia's training for the Ironman triathlon, home organization techniques, and many other topics.

Apart from getting to bond with Pia, it distracted her from thinking about the events that just happened, even for a bit.

Just then, Leni received a text from the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office letting her know that the documents she asked for to defend the budget as one of the vice-chairs for the Finance committee are ready. "Saglit lang, Peej. Baba lang ako ng LBRMO."

Leni stepped out of the office and headed down the hallway on the way to the LBRMO office when Risa spotted her along the way. "Ga? Saan ka punta?"

Of course, Risa had to call her Ga in the middle of the hallway. Of course, she had to. "Gusto ko naman na tinatawag ako niyan, eh, pero bakit dito, mahal?"

Quickly, Leni shifted back to business mode, lest anyone else sees her in another state. "Sa LBRMO. Kunin ko ung documents para sa amendments ng Housing budget."

Risa smiled and squeezed Leni's hand. "Good luck sa budget debate next week. Kaya mo 'yan, Lens."

"Salamat, Ris," Leni said, attempting to keep still her thumping heart. "Sa condo ka punta mamaya?"

Risa nodded. "Yup. Sabay tayo mamaya pag-uwi, ha?"

"Oo, sabay tayo," Leni said before parting ways.

On Leni's way down to the LBRMO, she kept thinking of the exchange she and Risa shared just now. It's not for Leni to mix business with personal - look how that turned out for Pia and Loren, but maybe she should at least show some kind of affection with Risa at work.

Maybe let people know that she's Risa's love, and Risa's her love. "Teka, wag. That's going to be a slippery slope. Masisira lahat ng plano ko."

Leni buried that thought in that overflowing drawer containing everything related to her personal life as soon as she got those documents from the LBRMO.

On her way back up, she entered her inner office to find the room smelling of Pia's perfume while the senator she left behind wrote in some sort of journal. "Uy, Peej, nag-pabango ka ba?"

Pia nodded. "I wrote her a letter. Hopefully hindi mawala ung amoy when I get to see her again."

Leni's heart dropped, wondering how even with the distance between them, they seemed even closer than she and Risa have been despite working in the same damn building.