Mirror Mirror

Chapter 14: 3 Words, 8 Letters

As Martina made her way down the hall, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone—something—was still watching her.

It was Friday, and Martina had already fallen asleep from exhaustion. Alex watched her, appreciating her wife's efforts—despite being tired, Martina had still managed to cook dinner for her.

"Kawawa naman yang baby ko na 'yan. Pagod na pagod. Good night. I love you," Alex whispered, freezing as soon as the words left her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock—this was the first time she had said it. It wasn't planned. It just slipped out naturally, like it had been waiting to be said all along.

Her heart raced when Martina stirred beside her, mumbling sleepily, "Hmm, I love you too, mahal. Night-night."

Alex nearly lost it. She wanted to scream with joy, but Martina was clearly exhausted. Smiling to herself, she leaned in to kiss her forehead, careful not to disturb her further. As she cuddled closer, her right hand resting comfortably on Martina's right boob, Alex felt a deep warmth spread inside her, the kind of warmth that only comes from love finally spoken out loud.

Time Skip

The next morning, Martina groggily reached out, only to find the other side of the bed empty. Her eyes fluttered open, and she scanned the room, her gaze landing on Alex, who was standing by the door with a warm smile and packed bags.

"Morning, baby," Alex greeted, her eyes twinkling as she held up the bags like she had a surprise planned.

Martina blinked, still half-asleep but already feeling the familiar flutter of affection in her chest. "Morning... Ano 'yan?" she asked, stretching out lazily.

Alex grinned, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "Just a little something for us today. I figured, after a long week, we deserve a getaway. You in?"

Alex didn't bring up what Martina had said the previous night. She wasn't sure if her wife even remembered responding with "I love you" in her sleepy state. Instead of forcing the conversation, Alex decided to wait for the right time to say those words again, when Martina was fully awake and ready. She wanted it to feel special, not rushed. After all, they had skipped over a lot of the usual steps when they rushed into marriage, and Alex was determined to make up for it.

As they drove, Martina stared out the window, curious about the surprise Alex had planned. She thought they were heading somewhere far, maybe a romantic getaway or a scenic spot. But soon, Alex pulled into a mall parking lot, leaving Martina puzzled.

"Wait, mall? Dito tayo? Akala ko ba malayo ung pupuntahan?" Martina asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

Alex chuckled, turning off the engine. She reached over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Martina's ear. "I know this isn't what you were expecting," she began softly, "but I wanted to take you out on a date. A real date. Gusto ko maranasan mo 'yung normal, like we're just starting out. Okay ba 'yun?"

Martina's confusion lingered for a second before her expression softened. "Pero... we're already married."

Alex smiled, holding Martina's hand gently. "I know we're married, and I love that. But I also know we kinda skipped a lot of things. You deserve to experience what it's like to be courted, like any other girl who's not married yet. Just because we tied the knot early doesn't mean you can't have that. Gusto ko maranasan mo lahat, baby. Lahat ng kilig moments, firsts... kung okay lang sa 'yo."

Martina's heart swelled. She hadn't realized how much she missed the idea of just dating. All those small moments that couples share before marriage—she wanted those, too. "I want that," she whispered, squeezing Alex's hand back. "Thank you."