Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between

Chapter 9 - Already Gone

"Cassie, please. Huwag ngayon." Aika's voice was frantic. A little uptight, just a hint of worry, but generally dismissive.

She didn't want to impose. Being a burden was the last thing she wanted, but she was in distress.

"Bub, please. I need you." She almost sounded like she was begging.

The other line went silent for a split second, followed by an audible sigh. "Ang dami dami ko ng iniisip, huwag ka ng dumagdag."

"Okay, Aika. Got it." She forces herself to say before dropping the call. Wag ka ng dumagdag.

Cassie could only sob in defeat. How could those months of love and promises pass by like nothing?

After a long and grueling day, all Aika wanted was a good dinner and perhaps a laid-back moment with Cassie.

Unfortunately, she still had matters she had to attend to with her mom. She was finally ready to inform her of her decision, which her mom might not like.

Dinner started normally. It was just her and her mom that night, just perfect for her plans.

"Ma, I wanted to tell you something." Her mom paused mid-chew and looked at her.

"What is it, Aiks?" She took a deep breath and prepared to start breaking the news.

"I finally have a decision. I don't want to run." She observed her mom's reaction, but the former vice president's face didn't show anything as expected. She simply went silent and finished chewing her food.

"I want to do service to people pero not this way. I'm sorry, ma."

Her mom took her time taking a sip of her water before she started speaking. "I understand if ayaw mong tumakbo." It gave Aika relief to hear those words.

She was not prepared for what was next. "Ako na. I'll talk to them. I'll run as governor of CamSur."

Aika's eyes grew wide as her mouth hung open. "You already started your life outside politics, bakit ka pa babalik?"

"Dahil kailangan tayo ng mga tao, Aiks. I just can't stand by the sidelines and watch people suffer kung may magagawa naman ako." It irritated her to hear those words.

Bakit ba ang selfless ng pamilyang to?

"You're doing enough with what you can as of the moment, ma. Ikaw na mismo ang nagsabi na hindi kailangan ng posisyon para tumulong." Aika couldn't figure out which was worse for her and her siblings - their mom running again or her entering politics.

"But I also said na kung bibigyan ka ng opportunity para mas makatulong pa, you grab it. I still believe na I can help make a difference. Paano nalang ang legacy ni papa, Aiks? If hindi natin ipagpapatuloy, sinong magtutuloy?"

This was the same argument their mom used that won her and Tricia over in 2021.

When their mom decided to run as president, Aika thought they could finally put her dad's tsinelas leadership to a national level.

When her mom lost, she won't deny how she felt panghihinayang at one point.

The country was so close to good governance. But as they always tell people, everything they started in the campaign would only be sayang if they let hope and the spirit of voluntarism die down.

Aika only hopes that her mom, too, would see that her role now isn't to be a leader at the front but to continue her role as a backbone and a pillar for the good advocacies they've started in their respected NGOs.