Thirty-Four Point Five

Chapter 15: Paradigm Shift

Risa opened her eyes at about 8 a.m. the next morning and ran her hand across her stomach, expecting to feel Leni's hand right there as usual. She blinked as she recalled their fight the night before and turned over to face Leni's half of the bed, running her fingertips along Leni's pillow deep in thought. She wasn't sure if it was just her dream but she felt a soft kiss on her forehead and a soft whisper of "I'm sorry. Goodnight, darling." while she was sleeping.

She really loved waking up with Leni when there was a chance, it just felt right to wake up to Leni's cute sleepy face every morning and be greeted with a sweet kiss on the cheek but she got none of it today as she saw a yellow post-it note neatly posted on the bedside table– "I cooked your breakfast outside. Eat first before going home. Sorry for last night. I'll fetch you later."

***

The ride to her condo was spent in silence. Undeniable tension was apparent on both their ends.

She entered through her door with the quiet senator trailing behind her. Her mind and body yearned for the woman who was staring at her with sad eyes but she wanted to settle in first before they had that conversation. She went about putting her things away and then headed for the bathroom right after without saying a single word to her. After a shower, she finally felt ready to put her heart on the line and have that serious talk about the direction of their relationship.

She stepped into her closet to grab a change of clothes. She was halfway through pulling up her pajama shorts when she noticed something different. It was Risa's corner. With their longtime friendship or at least what her daughters knew, they once told Leni that she should ask Risa to leave some of her clothes so that their Tita Sen wouldn't need to bring hers whenever she would sleep over. She walked towards that section and sighed. It was color-coded. Not only were Risa's clothes in order by color but they were also in order by type of clothing. She quickly stepped out of the closet and stood beside the nightstand on Risa's side of the bed. She pulled the drawer open and papers were inside folders that had been labeled, alphabetized, and stacked neatly.

"Alam na alam na talaga kung ano ang gusto ko." Leni muttered to herself.

After drying her face, she headed towards the couch, sat next to the unusually quiet woman and reached out for her hand. They sat there for almost an hour, both silent while holding hands. Words weren't needed. She could talk someone's ear off and Risa was definitely a motor mouth but right now, words weren't necessary.

She had deemed Risa as selfish who in turn, color-coded and organized the clothes in her closet. And as she watched the senator's spare phone light up on her lap, she realized that she was wrong.

Risa is selfless.

All her questions and doubts were erased by what may seem like simple gestures but to her they meant so much more. Much, much more. Who knew that setting their photo together six years ago as her phone's wallpaper would also move their whole relationship forward towards a bright future of happiness and love?

She did. Because she's Leni Robredo, master planner of the universe and the proud girlfriend of a selfless, beautiful human being named Risa Hontiveros.

***

Her frustrations went high as she sat in traffic. The night before, she messaged Leni to find out what time her flight was arriving but she didn't get a reply which meant one of two things: her phone was off or she was too busy to check her phone. Knowing her girlfriend, it was probably the latter. Even when the lawyer had told her she would see her in a week, her insides twisted and turned, anticipating otherwise.

She honestly thought that the past week without hearing her voice or feeling the warmth of being wrapped up in her arms was the most difficult week ever. She had never had to endure anything so stressful in her life.