Aika asked her to sit on the sofa, "May gusto po ba kayong inumin? Tubig po? Juice? Kape? Ah ano po pala wala po pala si Mama dito."
"Alam ko, nak. I mean.. uh, oo alam ko. Nasabi niya sakin." She wasn't sure if she could still call her 'anak.' After all it may be a little too soon or uncomfortable for Aika.
Aika nodded, not minding the correction over a title she was so used to being called with.
"Uhm, hindi naman po sa ano.. pero bakit po kayo uh, bumisita?"
"Wala naman, an-- uh, I mean Aiks. Nagpunta lang talaga ako kasi gusto sana kitang makausap. Kung okay lang."
Aika nodded. It had already been a week since they told the Tres Marias about them.
"Alam ko you asked for time and space.. pero gusto ko lang din sana na makausap ka as the eldest of the family and I as your mama's current partner. Will that be okay with you?"
Aika nodded, sitting a few seats away from Risa.
She let out a small smile then. It was a start after all.
"To be honest, hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin." She let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Funny, I was the one to ask to have this conversation." She then let out a deep breath, squaring her shoulders in the process, "Look, Aiks, I guess there is no other way to say this, so I'm going to rip the bandaid off on this one. I love your Mama. God, I really do." She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Leni.
"And I would like to be with her for as long as she would have me. Being with her also meant being with you three as well. I guess as the panganay, the second nanay and sometimes the papa of this household, gusto ko sanang magpaalam. Well, I guess medyo late na for that seeing as we are already together. Siguro, magpaliwanag nalang. Unang una gusto kong humingi ng tawad if I cause you or your sisters any pain or have hurt you in any way. That was never my intention, my loving your Mama was not planned. I never saw it coming. Falling in love with Leni was the last thing on my mind pero wala eh.. she was just there and before I knew it, I was already falling. Head first I might add and try as I might hindi ko na napigilan, nak. Uhm, I mean Aika. Can I still call you 'anak'? Or is it still too soon?"
"Okay lang po. You can still call me that." Aika replied, so used to being called 'anak' by her Tita Sen.
"Thank you. Uh, Where was I? Right. I fell in love with your mom and I fell hard and fast. I mean how could you not?"
She noticed Aika trying to suppress a smile. Again, she'd take that as a win. Little steps.
"Sorry, I was rambling na. I tend to do that pag mama mo na ang pinag-uusapan." She tucked a few strands of loose hair behind her ear, a nervous tick of hers.
"Okay lang po. You were saying po?" Aika replied.
"Uh, uhm, I guess what I am trying to say is again, I'm sorry. Sorry kung nasaktan ko kayo in any way. Second is, take your time. Alam ko hindi ninyo pa tanggap ngayon and I know it may take a while but I promise to wait. Handa akong maghintay hanggang sa matanggap mo na, matanggap ninyo na ako, kami. Lastly, as the one who looks after your mom.. and before you protest, alam naman nating dalawa na you really took on that role, nak, I guess I would just like to reassure you na hindi ka nag-iisa. Not that your siblings don't look after her pero out of the three of you, Leni depended on you the most. That being said, I promise to look after your, Mom. Hindi mo na kailangang sarilinin, nak. Your Mom has me and that extends to you as well, sa inyong tatlo."
When Aika just looked at her, she couldn't help but fidget with the pink bracelet Leni had given her, "Uh, thank you for listening, nak."
"Can I be completely honest with you rin po?" Aika asked.
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