Ace of Spades

Pink Assurances

It didn't suit her wrist.

That was the first thing on Leni's mind when she accepted the gift from her supporters in Batangas. The campaign season hadn't officially started yet but they were solidifying their bailiwicks already. She graciously accepted the gift and asked for help on how to tie it to her wrist because it had all these openings and she didn't know how it worked.

She was grateful, of course. But it was complicated and it didn't suit her wrist.

She looked over at her companions and they weren't wearing a bracelet of the same sort. Her eyes drifted to the wrist of the woman beside her. Mas bagay 'to sa wrist niya.

On their way to the hotel, Leni overheard Risa's conversation with her staff. She was looking for an element of pink in her clothing, aside from the pink mask lanyard that she wore. "Huwag mask, that's too common," she heard Risa say. Her eyes drifted to the band on her wrist.

That night, a little after dinner, when the rest of their companions on the dinner table stood up and interacted with the others, Leni unclasped the leather on her wrist. She chuckled at herself, feeling a little stupid that she couldn't get it off. Once she successfully did, she called Risa who sat a seat apart from her and patted the seat beside her.

"Lipat ka dito, may bibigay ako sa'yo."

Risa looked at her curiously and moved to the seat beside her. Leni held out the leather band and offered it to her. "Here."

"Wasn't this given to you kaninang event?"

"Oo, pero most ng outfits ko for campaign ay pink na. Pati face masks ko, pink. Saka I overheard you talking to your staff kanina naghahanap ka ng something pink to go with your campaign clothes. It's fine if you don't want to wear it pero still, sa'yo na 'to. Consider mo as souvenir from me."

Risa stared at the pink leather band in Leni's palm. She was speechless. Did it mean something? Or was it really just Leni being the person she was, knowing that she won't be able to use this as often because her whole get-up was already pink, that she decided to give this to Risa? Judging by Leni's dimpled smile and the tone of her voice, Risa assumed it was the latter.

She accepted the leather band and flashed a crinkled smile to the older woman. "Thank you, VP!"

"You're welcome. Baka isipin mo pinipilit kitang suotin 'yan ha. If you want to wear it lang naman. Kung ayaw, tago mo na lang."

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It suited her wrist.

That was the first thing on Leni's mind when she saw Risa again. She was wearing the pink leather band and it went perfectly with her campaign colors of white, red, and blue. It stood out, but not exactly out of place. More like it was already part of her. Leni liked seeing it on her wrist but a part of her mind was nagging her that maybe Risa just wore it out of duty or obligation to her as a senator on her slate.

She asked as soon as Risa sat beside her, "You know you don't have to wear that dahil lang binigay ko 'yan sa'yo diba?"

"I know," Risa shrugged. "But I want to."

"Kahit mahirap ikabit?" .

"Yeah, but I've gotten the hang of it. Oh, see," Risa unclasped the band and clasped it back on her wrist with ease, giggling at Leni's surprised reaction.

"Fast learner ha," Leni remarked.

"Of course, VP. Pero you know, I did mean it when I said na I want to wear this...kasi ikaw nagbigay sa'kin."

Leni watched as Risa fumbled with the leather band, adjusting it ever so often. When she didn't reply, the senator continued, "This leather band will serve as a reminder na kasama mo akong tumindig. A reminder for you more than for me."

"What do you need to remind me of?"

"As long as I'm wearing this, you'll know that you have me. And that you're not alone. Now and always, diba?"

"Yeah, now and always. Thank you, Senator Risa."

"Risa. Not Sen. Risa. Sabi mo no'ng nakaraan 'wag kitang tawagin na VP when it's just us two. So ikaw din dapat Risa lang hindi Sen. Risa. That's so formal," Risa scrunched her nose and Leni laughed, agreeing with her.

"Oo na, Risa. Maraming salamat."

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She didn't know when it happened.

Or how exactly it happened.

But before she realized it, Risa was not Risa without the pink leather band on her wrist. It still hadn't even been that long since she gave it to her, but it looked so natural that it seemed like a part of her already. Slowly, Leni found herself always looking at Risa's arm, checking to see if the leather was still there, before she would even acknowledge her presence.

"Oh, suot mo ulit," Leni smiled softly.

"Of course. It's part of my outfit na palagi."

"It suits you."

"It does."

Wherever they were, whether it was before a team meeting or a courtesy call, the pink leather band has remained to be a constant presence on Risa's wrist and in Leni's eyes. The vice president's nerves could be a mess, her heart could beat even a thousand times every passing minute, her stomach could churn, her head could spin, and her body shake in nervousness but as long as she could see that pink leather band on her former lover's wrist, she would be okay.

She would close her eyes and breathe in deeply, square her shoulders as she would exhale, and be ready to face another day fighting the good fight. The fight they promised to win.

She didn't know when it happened.

Or how exactly it happened.

But that pink leather band has become her constant reminder and her constant assurance that now and always, she wasn't alone. She was here, with Risa, and a lot more other people willing to fight for a good cause.

"I don't have to wear this," Risa replied when Leni asked why she was still wearing it even when she was already told many times she didn't need to.

"But I want to wear it. For you."

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Long live, PLB 🕊