Listen to two tracks for this:
• Butterflies by MAX, Alie Gatie
from their 2021 single with the similar title.
• Lovely by Fly By Midnight, Betty Who
from their 2019 single with the similar title.
: Start listening after Karen introduces Leni and Ris.
•••
TW: This chapter may contain some sensitive topic. Please feel free to ask an adult if there are things you need clarity for. Thank you!
- - -
It was the middle of June 2029, the former president of the Republic, Maria Leonor S. Gerona and her wife, SP Pro-Tempore Risa Hontiveros-Gerona were invited by Karen Davila on her YouTube vlog called Inspiring Life Stories. As it was 'pride month' the two obliged to this request.
Their shared home was used as the setting of the casual interview.
Karen: Hello everyone! Welcome to my YouTube channel! Happy Pride Month sa lahat ng ating mga kapatid sa LGBTQIA+ community na nanonood sa atin ngayon! Isang prebilehiyo ang makapanayam muli at magkasama sina former President Gerona at ang kanyang misis, Senator Risa Hontiveros. For the first time, sa vlogging history, they are guesting together para sagutin ang mga nagbabagang katanungan na mayroon tayo para sa kanila. Eksklusibo ito, kaya naman samahan ninyo ako!
- - -
Karen: Presi Leni and Senator Ris... it's nice to finally have your presence together in one interview.
The couple gave Karen a hug and beso then sat down on the couch.
Leni: Hello, Karen! Welcome to our humble home. Pasensya na at hindi kami masyadong nakapaghanda.
As Leni said this, she place her hand on Risa's thigh which didn't escape Karen's view as it made the latter smile.
Karen: Naku naman... maraming salamat for letting us do this here in your home. Ngayon pa lang ito makikita ng publiko and I am glad you chose to do it here with me on my channel.
Risa: Of course, Karen. What better way to do it di ba? You have been a really good friend to us also.
Karen: Speaking of friendship... so, let's start na ha?
The couple looked at each other and laughed, in unison they said, "sure".
Karen: Paanong nabuo itong inyong relasyon?
Leni answered first.
Leni: Ako muna sasagot, pangga ha?
Risa smiled and looked at Leni as she listened intently.
Leni: Ris has been a constant since God knows when. Si Bok pa ang nag-introduce noon sa amin eh. Ever since nagkita kami nito, naging close agad kami. Ang kalog n'ya kasi. Plus well, she's kind, and fun, and loving.
Leni received a pinch from Risa with her pang-aasar.
Risa: Napaka nito! Yung kalog muna talaga tapos parang the rest napalitan ka pa. Baka Leonor—
Risa almost forgot they were in an interview. Leni was smirking at her which made her giggle before she continued responding to Karen's question. Karen was just beaming at the couple.
Risa: ...pero Karen, totoo naman kasi. Nagkasundo kami agad. And I suppose the feelings grew even more nung 2016 na noh, ga? Constant man kasi yung communication namin, we barely saw each other kasi pareho kaming busy sa work, and sa life in general. But 2016 campaigns, lagi namin kasama isa't isa. 90 days din kaming halos lagi mag-roomies, kami kasi ang laging pinagsasama as roommates noon. So, hi kina Mar at sa Liberal Party!
Leni: Yeah, that's right. Hi guys! *Leni waved at the camera* Anyways, back to responding sa'yo, Karen, 2016 pa lang nga siguro may something na kami pero it didn't really surface or you know walang confirmation. We remained constants until after three years into being Vice President, senatorial re-elections, noh? 2019 'yon. Otso Diretso noon eh. The party was so busy campaigning — I was head of the party so I was pretty busy too with OVP and all, I mean organizing everything. Tapos pa, the growing feelings I had for Ris can't simply be unentertained any longer. I was having a lot of what ifs sa situation namin already. So, there was this one time, it all got too much for me and the next thing I know kay Ris ako nagpunta, 12mn ata iyon, sa bahay nila. I had so much to say, so we talked things over, she listened to me, until I got to the point na I told her how I felt for her kasi isa yon sa mga naging stressors ko — well, the anticipation of it, and the rest was history.
Karen: So, what happened after? Kasi wala naman talagang may alam about it, I mean your entire relationship until recently after presi Leni's term as president. What made you decide to come out publicly with your relationship?
Risa: From keeping our relationship away from the public eyes since 2016 to hinting about our relationship publicly noong 2022 campaign period na hindi naman 'yon sadya. Pero as they say, all that are kept in secret will eventually come to light. Unexpectedly, the reception of us together was more positive than we ever thought it would. Supporters even started shipping us, they called us "LenRisa", and that was so adorable! In hindsight, I think they thought they were all just delusional. Ha! Stolen glances across the room, lingering hugs, small chitchats when we weren't meant to. We can't pretend kasi na we're just nothing, you know. Like hello? Asawa ko ito. Well, girlfriend noon. So, they all witnessed naman, Karen, that phase in 2022 prior sa pag-amin namin last year na LenRisa is real na real.
After that, Risa giggled then leaned into Leni which the latter opened her arms for. Risa snuggled herself comfortably closer to her wife. And this time was the one who placed her hand on her wife's thigh. Leni kissed her temple then spoke.
Leni: I think what made us decide to finally come out is that we're not getting any younger and we got married in Vegas after I won as President in 2022. How that was kept a secret is still a mystery to me. *she laughed heartily* 6 years din naman before we finally had courage to tell the world. On my last SONA at that.
Leni and Risa shared another look then they laughed heartily. May mga sariling mundo.
Karen: Nakakatuwa kayong tignan. You just look at each other and you have connection easily. *Karen chuckled* So, Vegas? 2022? What happened?
Risa looked at her wife and they smiled at each other.
Risa: I followed them to New York, after Jill's graduation na. Nasa proclamation pa ako during that time, right? At some point after, I was gone for a week. Ayon, kasama ko sila and I proposed to the President when we were sure she won. Had she not kasi magpapalipas muna sana ako after she was out of office and plan it all.
Leni: Yeah, dapat talaga may plan na rin ako to propose. All of our seven children knows about it. Dapat pagbalik ko rito sa Pilipinas. But there was spontaneity in everything that had happened, from Risa following us to NYC to the proposal. Even going to Vegas and getting married, which was witnessed by my three girls in person and Risa's four children on a group video call. So, kumpleto ang pamilya namin that time.
Karen: Wow, grabe! That's really amazing. Tapos all the while, it was so quiet yet ang saya-saya niyo. But, ayon nga ang next question actually. How hard was it to come out to the children? Ris, you first.
Leni looked at her wife lovingly and rubbed her shoulder. Risa beamed at her then at Karen.
Risa: Before Leonor here, I dated naman talaga. But she was the first woman I have ever dated. So, at first akala ko magugulat ang mga bata. They said it didn't even surprise them one bit. Huli naman daw sa kilos namin ni Leni ang lahat. Hindi kailangan ng kahit anong confirmation and they were all supportive. Especially si Kiko, being the only man in the family. He was very happy kasi sabi niya nga, at least it's tita Leni and that they can fully entrust me with her. Alam naman daw nila na hindi rin basta-basta gagawa si Leni ng ikakasakit ng damdamin ko because...
Risa's voice broke but she kept going. Leni stroked her hair. It just still feels surreal and the reminiscence of Frank still makes her tear up. After all, he still was the love of her life before Leonor was there.
Risa: ...because Frank and Jesse had the same fate as we all know. They were both gone from us suddenly. Hindi agad ito *referring to Leni* basta-basta lang papasok sa relasyon ng hindi pinag-iisipan.
Karen: That's really sweet of your children, Ris. Especially of Kiko. I do wonder though, ikaw naman, presi Leni, how did your children receive the news of you and Ris being together?
Leni wiped her wife's tears first, even asked tissues from their staff. After Risa was okay, Leni smiled at Karen and answered the question.
Leni: They were all surprised at first. But as there's only the four of us, we had to be an incorruptible unit. I told them immediately when I was already feeling butterflies whenever Risa was around. Noong una, to be honest? I was trying pa to avoid her *referring to Risa*. Ayoko kasing masira friendship namin because I was not sure about what she felt for me. But my children, especially si Tricia, they kept telling me na I am not getting any younger, and if I really wanted something to happen kaysa panay akong nagseselos when Ris is around someone else, I should make my moves. So, I did. Humingi ako ng sign kay Lord and kay Bok, if kami talaga ni Ris, those three signs must be there. And look at us naman, nearly 12 years later, here we are out and proud, took time, but here we are. We made it to this point. *Leni gave Ris another kiss on the temple* I couldn't be anymore proud.
Karen: So what were those signs, Presi Leni, if you don't mind me prying on that part?
Leni: Una, Karen, yung pagiging constant, na hindi mawala si Ris while I'm still processing my feelings. Pangalawa, yung mga fleeting moments, na if patuloy na mangyayari ang mga 'yon then I have leverage to admit kung ano ang tunay kong nararamdaman para sa kanya. Last? The last sign I asked for was a bit of an outstretch pero 'yung huling sign was that before I go to Risa's office to admit what I feel for her, there'd be a rainbow paglabas ko ng bahay. And guess what?
Karen: There was?
Leni nodded and seem to have reminisced the moment as she smiled which reached her eyes. She was kilig, at the most.
Karen: Oh my goodness! Ang galing talaga ng tadhana ano? It is indeed a journey for both of you and thank you for sharing that with us. Sana we have more time to chat about it but that's all the time we have for our video. Maybe we should do a part two next time, ano?
Leni: That would be a pleasure. Salamat, Karen.
Karen: No. No. Thank YOU sa inyong dalawa for sharing, presi Leni and Ris.
Risa: You are always welcome here, Karen. Maraming salamat din.
Director: ... and that's a wrap for today's episode! You can continue your chitchat po. Mauna na kami ng team, miss K.
Karen: Sure, sure. Salamat.
The ladies kept on chatting each other's ears off until Karen had to leave because she still had work the next day. But before she left, the took a groupfie.