Behind the Curtains - LenRisa

Cebu

"PRRD fired me. So, I am technically free for the next two weeks?"

Leni thought Risa would be happy since she doesn't need to sacrifice her sleep anymore. But Risa started to cry.

"Hey. Why are you crying?"

"Bakit ka inalis? Are you okay? Pano na yung mga nasimulan mo. Pano na yung mga plano mo? This is so unfair."

"Love, excited pa naman akong ibalita sa'yo kasi di ka na mahihirapan tapos hindi ka naman pala magiging happy."

Risa wiped her tears.

"E kasi. I saw your dedication. I saw your passion. I saw your eagerness to help. Tapos basta-basta ka lang inalis?"

Leni stared Risa because of disbelief.

Grabe 'tong babaeng 'to, Lord. Hindi ko maabot kaisip na nakatagpo ako ng taong hindi makuhang unahin ang sarili nya. Leni said in her mind.

Leni stood up and patted Risa's back. "Love, stop crying. Okay? So alam mo ba anong connection ng Cebu?"

"Leni, wag mo na akong paisipin. Nasasaktan na nga yung tao dito para sa'yo, may paguessing game kapa dyan. E kung pektusan kaya kita?"

Leni laughed.

"Cute cute mo talaga. Oo na po. Eto na.
Ana Theresia, come with me to Cebu. Let's spend our free time there. Please don't say no. I want to do this to pay you for the past 18 days na sinamahan mo'ko."

Risa's frowned face slowly faded.

"Pangga naman e. You don't have to naman pero sige. Ngayon na?" Risa said excitedly.

Leni scratched the back of her ear.

How could she pull off different emotions in a minute?

"Uy, excited! Bukas. Gabi na e."

Risa slapped her arm.

"Pero seryoso talaga? Cebu tayo, pangga?"

Leni nodded.

"Omg! Impake na ako, wait!"

Then Risa stood up and went in the bedroom immediately. Leni smiled seeing how excited Risa was.

The next day, they arrived in one of the most popular with beautiful beaches in Cebu, in Pescador Island, Moalboal. Leni and Risa checked in in a hotel.

"San mo unang gusto pumunta, love?" Leni asked Risa.

"Kahit saan, 'ga. Ikaw bahala."

They decided to go to a mall first so that they could also buy things they might need for their entire stay in Cebu. After, they ate in a restaurant.

"First time yata nating nagtravel ng malayo Pangga, noh?" Risa brought up.

"Oo nga noh. First time ding wala ang mga bata. Happy naman ba ang baby ko?"

"'Ga, sabi ko naman sa'yo, wag mo akong tinatawag na baby e."

"Bakit naman?"

"Wala lang. Gusto ko ikaw ang binibaby ko."

"Ha? E baby naman talaga kita diba?"

"Bakit naman?" Risa asked confusedly.

"Kasi, you do what babies do." then Leni pointed her breasts using her lips.

Risa, shocked, immediately covered Leni's mouth.

"Hoy 'ga. May makarinig sa'yo. Nakakahiya."

Leni removed Risa's hand from her mouth.

"Bakit? Totoo naman ah? Kaya baby kita."

Risa blushed.

"Binabawi ko na talaga ang sinabi kong inosente ka, Leni."

Leni laughed and they continued eating and talking.

During the night, they decided to just stay in their room to rest and enjoy each other's company. But due to consecutive days of lack of sleep, Risa fell asleep immediately in Leni's arms. Leni stayed with Risa for quite some time and tried to sleep as well but she couldn't even she's tired, too. Until she decided to go out to the beach front at around 3:30 am.

She sat on the sand, closed her eyes and felt the cold breeze on her face.
She suddenly remembered Jesse and held her necklace.

"Hi bok. Kumusta kana dyan? Okay naman kami dito. Yung mga bata, okay na okay din. Wala kang dapat ipag-alala. Malalaki na sila bok. Si Aika, napakatapang at lakas din ng loob. She never failed to make me proud. She never failed to help me to look after our family. Si Tricia, ayun. Malapit na syang grumaduate. Magkakaron na tayo ng doctor. And si Jill, napakasipag ding mag-aral. Napakaswerte natin sa kanila bok. Simula nung nawala ka, hindi nila ako kelanman binigyan ng sakit sa ulo. Ako? Magsisinungaling ako kung sasabihin kong hindi ako masaya. Namimiss pa rin kita, syempre. Pero masaya ako bok at alam ko yun ang gusto mo para saakin. Masaya ako kasi kahit andyan kana dyan, may taong binigay pa rin saakin ang Diyos. Si Risa. Siya ang bumubuo saakin ngayon, bok. Napakatapang, talino, maprinsipyo, at maalaga. May mga panahong hindi ko kaya maging nanay sa tatlo pero sya ang pumupuno. May mga araw na hindi ko na din maasikaso pati sarili ko, pero andyan siya para asikasuhin ako. May mga araw na pagod na pagod na ako, pero andyan siya para sabihing kaya ko at lagi syang nakasuporta sa likod ko. May mga araw na nakakalimutan ko nang mahalin ang sarili, pero andyan sya, ni minsang hindi napagod iparamdam na mahal nya ako. Hindi ko lubos maisip kung anong ginawa ko sa buong buhay ko para makilala kayong dalawa. Ako na ata ang pinakaswerteng tao sa mundo. Salamat bok ha. Salamat kasi alam kong masaya kang nakatingin saamin lahat dito. Sana patuloy mo kaming gabayan hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita-kita."

She still stayed in the same place and position. Still feeling the cold air and thinking a lot of things. After some time, she felt a blanket covered her shoulders. She looked up and she saw an angelic face.

"Andito ka lang pala. Ang aga mo namang nagising? O natulog ka man lang ba?" Risa asked and sat beside Leni.

"Hindi ako nakatulog kaya lumabas ako saglit. Hindi namalayan ang oras. Mag-uumaga na pala. Kumusta ang tulog mo?"

"Okay naman 'ga. Okay ka lang? Mukhang malalim iniisip mo."

Leni laid her head on Risa's shoulder.

"Wala lang. Naisip ko lang ang swerte swerte ko sa buhay.."

Risa just waited for Leni to continue.

"Ang swerte-swerte ko lalo na sa'yo, Risa. Hindi ko alam kung papano ako ngayon, pati ng mga bata kung wala ka. Salamat kasi, dumating ka sa buhay ko. Salamat kasi kahit hindi ko sabihin, andyan ka palagi para sumuporta at umalalay. At higit sa lahat, salamat kasi kahit ang hirap-hirap kong mahalin, ginagawa mo pa rin."

Risa felt something dripping on her shoulder.

"Uy, pangga. Umiiyak ka ba?"

"Kasi naman ikaw. Bat ka ganyan. Feeling ko hindi ko deserve lahat ng pinapakita at pinaparamdam mo sa'kin."

Risa held Leni's face.

"Ano ka ba, pangga. Hindi mo napapansin but you do all the same for me. Kung tingin mo swerte ka saakin, swerte din ako sa'yo. Kaya don't question yourself. You deserve everything, pangga. Masaya akong pinapakita at pinaparamdam pagmamahal ko sa'yo, at hindi ako magsasawa."

Leni hugged Risa. Risa hugged her back.

"Love..."

"Hmmm. Po pangga?"

"Huwag mo akong iiwan ha? Hindi ko na kakayanin kung pati ikaw mawawala pa."

Risa smiled and brushed Leni's hair.

"Ssshhh. Kahit hindi mo sabihin. Dito lang ako. Di kita iiwan, Leni."

Their eyes met.

"Mahal na mahal kita." Leni and Risa said it together at the same time...... as the sun started to rise.

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GOOD MORNING. Yes. Opo.
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See you around 🌈💗💜