Your Honor

Bakit 'di mo masagot lahat ng tinatanong?

Only ten minutes in, Alice Guo finds herself dumbfounded to answer the senator's questions. Dumadagundong ang kaniyang puso at hindi mawari ang tamang isasagot. Kung sagutin man niya ito ng buong puso ay siya namang malalagot.

Bakit nga ba hindi masagot lahat ng tinatanong?

"Saan po yung bahay ninyo nung pinanganak kayo?"

"Saang homeschool provider po naka-connect ang teacher niyo?

"Kinilala ba ng DepEd yung pag-tapos niyo sa high school?"

Simpleng tanong, ngunit walang masagot bukod sa:

"Your honor, hindi ko po alam- hindi ko po maalala."

At this point Risa could only suppress speaking in french at the opaque responses of the young mayor. For such basic questions about her personal life, she can't answer with transparency. Could it be because of selective amnesia? Although it's less likely to be the reason.

(A/N: Selective amnesia happens because of psycho-trauma and abuse, resulting in forgetting some parts of their memories.)

Risa Hontiveros sighs, this will be a long journey for her and for the nation.

On the other hand, nakatitig lamang si Alice Guo kay Risa Hontiveros. Talaga naman, paano nga ba hindi mahuhulog sa ganitong babae? She's nearing her 60s and yet, she looks like she's living a stress free life. Her heart was racing for the older woman-and also because of the fact that her identity was being interrogated.

Despite of the cold breeze of the air conditioner, the mayor feels hot as if she's ran a marathon.

They shared glances, eye contacts, and the way senator Risa listens to her intently despite the aura she gives to mayor Alice. Distrust. And if earlier senator Risa was suspicious of this mayor, it only grew bigger. And still she looks at the senator with heart eyes, but the senator could only look at her with doubt.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Makalipas ang apat at higit pang oras natapos rin ang pagdinig sa senado. Minasahe ni Risa ang kanyang sentido at nagpaalwas ng malalim na buntong hininga. Ang cute pa naman ng mayora, sayang.

"Water, your honor?" Alok ni senator Win Gatchalian.

"Thank you." Bigkas ni Risa matapos niya itong abutin. "Alam mo, cute siya."

Muntik ng mabilaukan si Sen. Win sa kaniyang narinig. He coughs out the water that almost went to his nose, good thing hindi niya ito nai-buga.

"I... beg your finest pardon Ms. Risa?"

"What? I'm just stating an opinion." Risa stated a matter of factly. "Kung hindi siya kahina-hinala I would've liked her. Marami na din siyang nagawa sa local government niya-" She sighed, " 'yon nga lang, mukhang may hidden agenda pala talaga."

Senator Gatchalian only looked at her, unable to form a response to her claim.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Sa pagbaba sa paradahan ng sasakyan, nakasalubong muli ni Risa si Alice. Nagkasalubong ang kanilang mga mata ng isang saglit, bago ito humiwalay muli.

"Mayor." Pagtawag ni Risa.

"Yes po, your honor?"

"Kamusta ang pakiramdam mo? Mejo malakas ang pagkakabangga ko sa'yo." Lumapit si Risa at bahagyang hinawakan ang baywang ng alkalde.

Obviously, Alice couldn't help but blush at the gentle gesture. She finds herself stuttering again. "D-don't worry po, your honor. Hindi naman po ako nasaktan."

"Ahh, okay. Baka kasi hindi mo na naman maalala. Anyways, I'll get going. Ingat sa pag-uwi."

"Thank you po."

They shared their last glance to each other once more, before they entered their respective vehicles.