Titas of Philippine Politics: In Snapshots [Multiple Pairs]

Butterflies [Risa/Loren]

A/N: I hope you enjoy this story as much as me writing it. I love how this one turned out.

Loren hadn't been paying much attention to most of the sessions after SONA 2017. Most of them were spent either doodling on her documents or struggling to keep herself awake. 

That was, if she even showed up.

But this had been the longest string of absences she's accumulated in her entire tenure, and the buzzing among her colleagues intensified about the state of health of the esteemed senator.

Leila gazed at the empty seat on her right side."I'm getting worried about Loren. She's not being herself lately. Di rin nagrereply sa text, of if she did, one word answers lang."

"I tried calling her cell this morning. Binabaan lang ako ng linya." Grace continued.

"Did you check her sched? Baka naman nasa official business." Risa said.

Leila shook her head. "I asked her secretary sa office. Wala daw siyang conference or whatever this week."

Risa sighed. She especially missed her, seeing as she became her ate in the Senate, with their shared background in the media, appreciation for the arts, and fairly similar yet opposite approaches to working. "Onga, eh. Sinabi ko kay Lens drop by muna ako dun sa bahay niya later after this session. Make sure lang that she's okay and she's taking care of herself."

Right after session ended, Risa rushed to her car and drove off to Loren's house in North Forbes. She braved an hour of stop and go traffic only to be greeted by her kasambahay that Loren had gone back to their family compound in Malabon.

"Can I have the address? I'll try to go there."

The kasambahay scribbled her address on a piece of paper, with instructions saying 'white bungalow' and handed it to Risa. "Sige, salamat po."

With the rush hour traffic, what should've taken an hour to get to the place turned into two and a half. On top of that, Waze glitched and made her drive in circles in the city proper before getting to her destination just off Samson Road.

After being allowed to enter the gate, she knocked on the door, antsy about who would she find inside.

Risa was greeted by a Loren a far cry from her regal, cultivated image as a senator. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, no makeup on her face, and sporting only a loose white polo and faded cutoffs. Her already pale face even looked even paler, even sickly and her eyes puffy from crying.

"Sige, pasok." Loren practically whispered.

After handing a care package Risa prepared for her, the junior senator roamed around the house. It was very small, but very tasteful and old world, just like those houses in Sampaguita films back in the 50s.

Loren then confessed to her. "Actually, ngayon lang ako nagka-energy makalabas ulit ng kwarto eh. One week na ko nagkulong sa loob."

"Buti naman medyo nakakalabas ka na. Hirap din na nakakulong buong magdamag."