Mon Amour: An Affair to Remember

V. Rendezvous

Office of the President

"Mayor, nandito na ho si Ma'am Leni."

"Patuluyin mo na rito."

"Okay po."

He waited for her to arrive in his office. When the door finally opened, he was so excited to see her again. When he saw her, all he wanted to do is to hug her.

"Oh God! How I missed this woman..."
He stood up from his seat to shake her hand.

"Good evening, Ma'am Leni!"

She smiled shyly. "Good evening din po, Mr. Pres — Sir!"

He smiled and offered her a seat. A long pause followed. Leni's the first one to break it.

"Bakit niyo po ako gustong makausap, Sir?"

He remained calm even though at that very moment, he wanted to hug and kiss her. He wanted her to be closer to him. "Gusto ko man lang sabihin yung nangyari kanina man sa Vin d'honneur. Marami man kasi naghahanap sa'yo doon. Marami man nagsasabi—"

She cut him off. "Nang-iinsulto ba talaga kayo, Sir?" Tears started to fill her eyes.

He was about to grab her and pull her closer to him, but he chose not to. "Hindi man ganoon ang intensyon—"

"Alam ko naman na marami tayong mga hindi napagkasunduang issue noong mga nakaraang araw, pero Sir, sana man lang huwag niyong gawing personal lahat."

"Hindi ko man, pinepersonal, Leni. Ikaw man ang namemersonal sa mga bagay kapag nagpatama ka sa mga statement mo..."

"Ano ang personal doon, Rod? Sinasabi ko lang yung saloobin ko tungkol doon sa mga issues na —"

"Ayan... Puro saloobin mo... Puro ikaw ang naiisip... Puro sarili mo lang."

She started to cry. "Ano ba ang dapat kong gawin doon? Hindi ba ako dapat magsalita laban sa'yo? My God, Rod! Please grow up! Para saan pa at naging bise mo ako kung hindi kita pupunahin sa mga ginagawa mo kapag sumosobra ka na?!"

He didn't expect to see her like that, but he will not put his pride down. He doesn't want her to see him weak because of her.

"Pinapayagan man kita magsalita... Kaya nga hindi ako nagpatol sa mga pinagsasabi mo sa TV... Kahit doon sa pagsama mo sa rallies hindi man ako —"

"Ayan! Isa pa 'yan! Ang hilig mo magpapaniwala sa mga sinasabi ng nakapaligid sa'yo! Rod, I swear to God, mamatay man ako ngayon, pero hindi ako sumali sa kahit anong rally! Walang katotohanan yung balitang nakarating sa'yo!"

He was stunned. He knew that she is telling the truth because he can see it in her eyes. He chose not to speak.

"Ano?! Bakit hindi ka sumasagot?! Pinapayagan mo akong magsalita, pero kapag nagsalita ako ayaw mo nang sumagot? Anong klase naman 'yan, Rod?!"

He still didn't utter a single word.

"Tapos ngayon iimbitahin mo ako rito para ipamukha sa akin na hindi ako nakadalo sa event kanina kung saan protocol na dapat dadalo ako? Sasabihin mo sa akin na maraming naghahanap sa akin... Na marami silang gustong sabihin, pero hindi nila nasabi dahil hindi mo ako pinadalo!"

He sighed and looked at her.

"Ano, titingnan mo na lang ba ako? Magtitinginan na lang tayo rito?! Rod, alam mo ba kung anong ginawa mo?! Hindi mo na inirespeto yung opisina ko... Hindi mo na ako inires—"

"I did that to protect you..." He finally broke his silence.

It was her turn to be shocked. "W-what?"

"Hindi kita inimbitahan sa Vin d'honneur dahil pinoprotektahan kita..."

"Protecting me from what? My God, Rod kung isa na namang gimik 'to —"

He cut her off. "CIA's plan was confirmed."

Her eyes grew bigger. "W-what? H-how did you know?"

"FVR told me. 'Yong mga pinagdududahan ko noon, sila nga 'yong mga traydor."

"Teka, naguguluhan ako... Paanong nalaman ni FVR ito?"

"You know that guy... Kapag nakaamoy siya ng baho, hahanapin man niya..."

"Eh bakit ako ang poprotektahan mo eh ikaw itong balak patayin?" He knew that she was confused based on her way of questioning.

He sighed deeply. "They cannot know that you are my —"

"I am your what?"

"— my weakness..."

Leni became silent for a while and then started to cry again. He cannot take it anymore, so he hugged her and rubbed her back to give her comfort.

"Akala ko sobra ang galit mo sa akin kaya ayaw mo na akong makita... 'Yon pala—" She sobbed.

He continued comforting her. "Tahan na... Huwag ka man mag-iyak na... Ikaw rin naman... Nagtampo-tampo ka sa akin..."

"Eh kasi nga —"

"Sshhh... Tama na. Magtahan ka na... May pupuntahan man tayo..."

"Saan?"

"Basta..." He helped her get up and they both went out of his office.

Rizal Hall, Malacañang
11:00 PM

"Why are we here? Iinggitin mo ako —"

He cut her off with a kiss.

"Hoy! Hindi ka pa abswelto baka akala mo —"

He snatched another one. And another.

She tried to maintain her angry aura, but she simply couldn't stay mad at him for so long. She smiled afterwards.

"Oh God! How I missed that smile."

She teased him by smiling more.

"Stop it, Leni..."

"Bakit mo nga kasi ako dinala rito?"

"Ano kasi..."

"Ano?"

"Kanina kasi, may sayaw-sayaw sila rito... Eh wala man ako nakasayaw..."

"Kasalanan mo 'yan, hindi mo ako inimbita eh."

His smile slowly faded.

"Charot!" She pinched his fluffy tummy. "Namiss ko 'to."

He smiled again. His trademark shy boy smile which he only shows whenever he is about to ask a favor.

"Ano?"

"Ano kasi... Baka pwede ka man maisayaw, Ma'am?"

She felt the romantic excitement, but decided to piss him off.

"Paano kung ayaw ko?"

He got his iPhone from his pocket and typed something. "Pumayag ka na, Ma'am. Mag-11:11 na oh."

She smiled genuinely. "Namiss ko rin yung 11:11."

"Mas namiss kita."

"Ikaw rin..."

He hit the play button and placed his phone on a chair nearby.

"May I have this dance, Ma'am?"

She gladly extended her arm to him and they started dancing to Ennio Morricone's Love Affair. She rested her head on his chest.

11:11 PM
"I'd spend my remaining years with you, Maria Leonor..."

"To more years with you, Mon Amour..."

xx