Ace of Spades

Love, L

Senator Risa,

Happy birthday! I wish you all the best. Take care always :)

Love,
Leni ♡

Risa read the card attached to the bouquet delivered to her by her staff. She had personal errands to run throughout the day, most of which were personal endorsements, even when it was her birthday. The only celebration she planned to do was to have dinner with her kids. She expected the day to go by smoothly, skip the rallies TRoPa had for the day to run her own errands, and go home to her kids whom she expected had gifts for her because they always did.

What she didn't expect was this — a bouquet with a note from Leni.

It made her smile.

Leni had sent her flowers during her previous birthdays, even during the years they weren't talking. She would wake up and go to work, and there, she would receive a bouquet of flowers with a note marked with the seal of the OVP. "Happy birthday, Senator Risa. God bless always. — Leni" were the exact words written on the card for at least two years. Risa appreciated it, but it pained her that it sounded so formal and so polite. Not to mention that even though the note was personal, it didn't feel as such because she knew Leni only used cards marked with the OVP seal when sending notes to people she wasn't personally close with.

So what difference did this specific bouquet and note on her birthday this year have that it made her smile? It was the fact that the note didn't have the seal of the OVP, that the note was different from the ones before, and that these flowers were different. Unlike the light colored roses Leni usually sent, the flowers were white and pink carnations.

She admired the simple gift before taking out her phone and texting its sender: "Hi, Leni! I received your gift already. Happy! They're so beautiful, thank you. Ingat ka today."

"Hi, Risa! Happy birthday ulit. Glad you liked it. Ingat din."

Leni, on the other hand, couldn't help the smile forming on her lips. She thought that since they were back on talking terms and by talking terms she meant casual and relaxed terms, she could make her gift for Risa this year different from the ones she'd sent before.

To show that we're a little more okay now than before, Leni thought.

Having read Risa's text, she instantly knew that the younger woman got the underlying message. She went on with the rallies for the day, mindful to tell everyone that it was Risa's birthday which was why she wasn't around.

"Hi, Leni. Your staff told my staff na mag-message when I'm home. I texted you personally na lang. I'm home and currently having dinner with the kids. See you tomorrow!"

"That's good to know, Risa. Happy birthday again, see you!"

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They were in Iloilo today.

Leni watched her children interact with Risa while she went over her speech for the next rallies. Her kids and Risa had always been close because besides Leni's relationship with her, she was also one of Jesse's most treasured colleagues. The four women walked over to Leni and started joking around with her. The vice president put her notes down and opted to mingle with them instead.

Suddenly, the air seemed to change when a hand tappped Risa's shoulder, drawing attention from all of them in the tent.

"Hi, Ris, VP, girls," He acknowledged. Risa stood up straighter, feeling the sudden tension that arised. To no one's surprise except Risa, it was Leni who spoke first.