Tipping Point

Slice of Life

  "Slice is where dessert comes first, breakfast is served all day, healthy alternatives are always recommended, and where we enjoy life one slooow bite and slice at a time." - Pia Cayetano 

The following week, Loren arrived at the session hall for the usual plenary session in a bundle of nervous, trembling energy - a drastic departure from her usual confident strides and noisy chatter. Pia's going to pick her up later after the session for a date - their first proper one, at that, and as much as she knew what to expect, thinking about it gave her butterflies.

Nancy, her seatmate, noticed the change in her. "Loren, okay ka lang? May nangyari ba sa hearing kanina?"

Loren shook her head and fixed her blouse. "Wala naman."

"Eh bakit parang di ka mapakali?"

A faint blush appeared on Loren's cheeks the more she attempted to put on a poker face. Before she was able to react, Risa called out from behind them. "May date kasi siya mamaya, Nance."

"Oh my God, Bubs! Did you just..." Loren blurted out.

Risa placed her hands on Loren's shoulders before cupping and squeezing her cheeks. "Hi, Ate Bloss. Excited ka na ba sa sundo mo mamaya?"

Nancy stated at them like a deer in headlights, clueless at what's going on. "Sundo? Date? Sino???"

Risa's eyes roamed around and gave a smirk at Loren. "Si Pilar..."

"Pilar?" Nancy said, scratching her head.

"Ung matangkad na sumasali sa tri palagi...Ung kapit-bahay niyo sa Taguig..."

Nancy's eyes grew like saucers when she put two and two together. "Teka...siya? Kailan pa? Parang di ko ma-imagine..."

"Technically, around three and a half, four years, pero pang-privilege speech ang timeline namin dalawa so let's leave it at that." Loren said.

Once session adjourned, Loren hurried back to the front entrance of the senate BUILDING, where a white SUV with a bike rack at the back waited for her. "Hay salamat dumating din si Bruha. Akala ko di ka na sisipot eh."

"Sabihan mo yang utol mo na tahol ng tahol para di na ko ma-late."

Pia rolled her eyes and sighed before starting the car. "Sige na nga, lusot ka na."

The ride back to Taguig was surprisingly fast and smooth sailing such that they managed to get to Slice in Bonifacio High Street in 15 minutes. When they got inside, the staff member behind the counter greeted them after they settled on one of the couches scattered around the establishment. "Good evening Ma'am Pia, ang ganda niyo po ngayon. Saan ka galing?"

Loren eyed Pia in mock disgust. "Anong maganda diyan? Eh reyna ng mga bruhilda yan, eh."

Pia squinted back. "Aba, nag-salita ang dyosa ng mga bruha."

"Sa wakas inamin mo na rin na dyosa talaga ako. Hindi naman yan pagmamayabang pag totoo, di ba?" Loren said with a smug expression, tracing Pia's jawline with a finger.

"Uhh...I guess?"

She maintained her eye contact with her before she slowly undid two buttons on her shirt, showing off the one bra she owned that made it look like she had bigger breasts than she actually has. "I need a more convincing answer than that."

Beads of sweat formed on Pia's forehead and her breaths became sharper and heavier.   

Loren gazed at Pia's lips and imagined the many things she wanted to do right then and there. A very pretty shade of pink. Sarap halikan, pero di maka-sagot eh, so wag muna.

Her train of thought got interrupted when a slice of Double Chocolate Yema Cake and some muffins were brought to their table. She wasn't much of a chocolate fan by any stretch of the imagination, but a little try couldn't hurt.

She stabbed a small amount of cake with a fork and took a bite. She was expecting the sweetness to overpower her but turns out to be just the right amount. "Mmm, I actually really like, no, I love it."

Unconvinced with Loren's rare profession of love for a dessert, Pia threw Loren's initial comment right back at her. "Now I'm the one who needs a more convincing answer."  

Pia took another piece of cake and instead of eating it, she fed Loren a bite instead. As much as Loren hated admitting it, she actually enjoyed when Pia doted on her, which in turn, heightened all her senses, including the sense of taste.

Of course, she's not gonna let Pia know that bit. At least, not yet. "Mmm, don't tell me hindi ka pa rin convinced."

Before Loren got to properly react, Pia surprised her with a kiss on her lips. After the initial shock, she cupped Pia's cheeks so she could deepen her kiss. The sweetness of the cake they ate and her distinct taste mixed together to form a combination she loved the most.

When they let go of each other, Loren's cheeks blushed bright red. The feelings started hitting right back at her more than she thought it was possible.

Pia giggled and booped her nose. "Okay, now I'm convinced."

"Oh, I just remembered what I was gonna ask you about."

"And what would that be?"

Loren then rambled about the Venice Biennale and how the Philippines finally put up a pavilion there after a long drought the other year, and that they're on the finishing stages of prep work for its next appearance. 

Had it been someone else talking about the subject, Pia would've tuned out after the first minute, but in this case Pia held on to every word she said. Every word sounded like music to her ears. 

One she could listen to forever.

Then, Loren dropped the question. "I have an extra plane ticket and hotel room space for the Biennale early next year. Would you like to join me?"

Pia blinked twice before staring at her. A moment of silence filled the room before Pia nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. I would love to go with you."

"I hope you don't mind sharing a bed." Loren said, wishing to herself she's not going to back out.

Pia simply replied with a smirk on her face.

By this point, Loren could no longer contain the smile bursting out of her, bringing out that nose crinkle Pia always adored so much. 

She had always imagined how it would be had she shared travels to Venice and other places with someone she loved, and this time, for the first time in a long time,  it would finally become reality.