There's No Way

Two

Risa woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and of the muffled voices of Leni's daughters who were probably busy cooking breakfast for all of them.

The senator rubbed her eyes, chasing the sleepiness away as she slowly stretched her limbs out. That's when she noticed the blanket on her lap and the pillow beside her. Risa turned towards the bed and found Leni still in deep sleep, probably because of the medicine she had taken earlier.

Did Leni put this over me? She wondered as she folds the blanket over before placing it on top of the pillow. But she shook that idea away. Nah, it was probably one of the kids.

Risa headed out of the room quietly and approached the kitchen where Leni's daughters were. She first found Aika who was busy fixing the dining table.

"Good morning, Aika."

Aika looks up and greets Risa with a wave. "Good morning din po, Sen. Kamusta po tulog ninyo?"

"Okay lang naman, nakatulog ako ng mahimbing. Kayo ba?"

"Mahimbing naman po tulog namin, Sen." Tricia answers as she leaves Jillian alone to fry the eggs. "Si Mama po, kamusta?"

"Mukhang okay naman na kalagayan ng mama ninyo. Tulog pa sya ngayon actually."

"Buti naman po." It was now Jillian who answers. "Baka magwala yon pag nalaman nya tinggalan ko sya ng acccess sa internet kagabi."

Risa laughs. Tricia motions for the senator to settle down by the table. "Maluluto na po yung breakfast, gising ko lang po si mama."

"Gising na ako." Leni's voice echoes through the hallway and moments later, the woman appears. "Good morning mga anak, Risa."

They greeted her simultaneously. Leni helps Jillian to serve the food while Tricia and Aika settles down; both the eldest and middle child opted to sit across Risa.

"Kain na." Leni places the egg filled plate down the table, but before she could sit beside Tricia, Jillian beats her first.

The youngest gives her an innocent smile and Leni had no choice but to sit beside Risa. May free space pa naman dito bakit nagsisiksikan sila dyan sa kabila? Leni wondered as she sat down beside Risa.

Saying grace, the Robredos and Risa started eating. The children exchanged stories while Leni and Risa listened, laughing alongside them from time to time whenever Tricia or Jillian made a funny remark.

Leni noticed that the rice on Risa's plate is almost gone and so she reached out for the bowl and handed it over to the senator. "Kumain ka pa." She says. "Wag kang papagutom."

"Huy teka, sayang diet ko."

"Wag na mag diet, susko."

Aika, who was watching the interaction unfold between her mom and the senator, noticed that the two kept their gazes steady at one another as they talked.

It was nothing new really; they do this everytime they're with one another. They were so immersed in their own bubble that they tend to forget everything and everyone around them. Of course, Aika found it cute at first, but the more that they do this, suspicion started to grow.

"Ma," Aika calls out and the two women snaps out of their bubble. "Malalate po ako ng uwi tonight, may meetings and files ako na need tapusin."

Leni nods in acknowledgment. "Ay, ako naman ma, I'll be meeting Mickey. He needs my help with something eh." Jillian cuts in.

"Ako naman po ma, I'll be going to Ateneo today." Tricia adds.