Charity opened the car door for Bongbong and Leni the moment they reached their destination. Bongbong went down the vehicle first to assist Leni. He held the top of her head to avoid bumping into the vehicle ceiling. He didn't let go of her hand as they walked towards the tent where AR Leslie and Engr. Glen are. They shook hands and exchanged some pleasantries before they get to business.
"Here's the initial plan for your dream house." AR Leslie presented. They're all in the lot because Leni wants to see everything in person.
"So here maam dito natin pwede ilagay yung greenhouse. Then, dito sa other side naman is yung area for the trees you want to plant." Engr. Glen discussed.
"What if katabi nalang ng greenhouse yung mga trees?" Bongbong butted in.
Leni thought about it. "Parang sama-sama lang sila sa iisang corner kapag ganon."
"Saan mo ba gusto magtanim?" Bongbong asked. "Mas maganda nga if nasa iisang area lang sila para isahan lang ang pagpunta mo."
Leni doesn't like his idea. "Parang di sya maganda, daddy."
Bongbong sighed. "Okay."
Leni just shrugged and proceeded with other details of their future house. "Maglibot tayo. Gusto ko makita saan tong mga 'to exactly para di lang ako puro imagine." She said after a while.
Bongbong just nodded and followed her.
"Maybe we can put a swing here?" Leni said. "Maglalagay tayo ng trees dito so may shade naman dito sa part na 'to, let's put swing nalang siguro or slide for Cookie. What do you think, dy?"
Bongbong was just standing there quietly as he watched his wife give instructions. "Ikaw bahala."
Leni frowned at him. She felt something wrong with his attitude. She didn't put too much attention to it and just resumed with what she's doing.
---
"What happened?" Leni exclaimed over the phone the moment she heard Risa sobbing.
"We broke up." Risa sobbed.
"Ha?" Leni was confused. "Nino? Yung kausap mo sa viber? Yan ba yung kasama mo last week?"
"Yes." Risa confirmed. "Di na sya nagrereply saakin, Lens. I think he ghosted me na."
"Where are you ba?" Leni asked.
"Sa apartment." Risa continues to sob.
"Punta ka dito sa bahay. Dito ka umiyak, gaga ka!" Leni expressed.
Call ended.
"Anong meron?" Bongbong asked after the call was dropped. He slightly heard his wife's conversation with Risa.
"Dy, pwede ba tumambay dito si Risa sa bahay?" Leni asked. "Broken hearted yata eh."
"Sure." He agreed right away.
Minutes later, Leni heard a doorbell. She knew it was Risa so she accommodated her right away.
"Okay lang ba nandito ako?" Risa asked as they settled in the couch.
Leni nodded. "Oo naman. Nasa kwarto si Bongbong nanunuod ng NBA."
Risa nodded.
"Ano ba nangyari?" Leni asked.
Risa became teary. "Na ghost yata ako."
"Are you sure? Baka naman busy lang? Busy sa work ganyan?" Leni said.
Risa shook her head. "Hindi eh. Feeling ko wala na talaga. Kahit seen wala na. Last na message nya saakin nung isang araw pa, sabi nya may lagnat daw sya."
"O may lagnat naman pala eh. Baka hindi pa sya okay?" Leni tried to lift her mood.
Risa sobbed. "Feel ko wala na talaga, mare."
Leni hugged her.
"I prayed to God na sana sya na eh." Risa sobbed. "I feel so connected to him nung magkasama kami. Gusto ko palagi syang kausap and kasama kasi iba yung nabibigay nyang saya saakin eh. For the first time, I prayed to God na sana ito na yung lalaking para saakin."
Leni was just listening to Risa as she cried and narrates the story for the whole 30 minutes until Bongbong went out of the room holding his phone as he talks to someone.
"Hi, Ris!" He nodded at Risa. "How are you?"
Risa flashed a sad smile.
"Gusto mo ng beer?" He offered.
"Daddy!" Leni glared at him.
"What?" He smirked. "I'm just asking. Teka tignan ko kung meron pa tayo sa fridge." And he went to the kitchen, still on his phone.
"Parang ewan si Bongbong!" Leni rolled her eyes.
After a minute, Bongbong came back with three bottles of beer and a beer opener. He put it on the center table, in front of Leni and Risa. "Ikuha kita ng ice cubes wait lang." He went back to the kitchen.
"Parang gusto ko nga malasing." Risa considered as she watched Bongbong putting the ice bucket with tong.
Leni rolled her eyes. "Hayy ewan ko sainyo!"
Risa and Bongbong laughed. "Anong gusto mong pulutan? Order nalang tayo."
"Chicken wings nalang." Risa exclaimed.
"Yun!" Bongbong agreed and tapped on his phone right away. He ordered chicken wings in three different flavors, pizza, fries, and chicharon bulaklak. "Mga 30 minutes dadating na yun." He said after placing his orders successfully.
"Thanks, Bong!" Risa said. "Buti nalang may substitute si Leni as my kainuman kasi buntis sya."
They laughed.
"Hinay hinay kayo jusko!" Leni said. "Pasimuno kasi 'to!" She glared at Bongbong.
They laughed. "Risa needs this, ba. Saka alam ko naman na mamaya pa uuwi si Risa kaya hindi kita masosolo ngayon, might as well damayan ko na din sya. At least nakapag-bonding pa tayo diba?"
They laughed. Leni was just shaking her head as she watched Bongbong opened the two bottles of beer for him and Risa. The two started drinking.
"Magpupulutan nalang ako." Leni announced as she volunteered to prepare their pulutan the moment it arrived. She got three salad plates, fork, tissue, extra glasses, and a pitcher or water.
"Wag pasobra, ba ha!" Bongbong warned as his wife gets some chicken wings and pizza on her plate. "Baka di ka matunawan nyan mamaya."
"Yes, boss!" Leni kissed him, subtly tasting the beer on his mouth.
"SANA ALL!" Risa cried as she watched them kissed in front of her.
They laughed.
Leni leaned to him once again giving him more quick kisses to tease Risa more.
"Mga wala kayong respeto!" Risa yelled at them. They laughed.
He suddenly thought of an idea. "Alam mo, may irereto nalang ako sa'yo. Sandali tawagan natin, kausap ko yun kanina eh pagkatapos manuod ng NBA." He unlocked his phone and call someone.
"Hello pare?"
"Pare! Nasaan ka ngayon? Punta ka nga dito sa bahay, may papakilala ako sa'yo." Bongbong said excitedly.
"Nandito sa bahay. Sino ba yan? Umiinom ka ba? Sino kainuman mo dyan sainyo? Baka pagalitan tayo ni Leni."
Bongbong chuckled. "Legal ang pag inom ko ngayon pare. Kasama ko best friend ni Leni. Punta ka na dito, pakikilala ko sa'yo. Teka ito sya—" He turned the camera and pointed it to Risa's direction.
Risa almost dropped her glass the moment she saw who's on the screen. "Win?!"
---
Cookie's Dad
Calling...
Leni was startled the moment her phone rang while in the middle of her class. She frowned, her heartbeat raced with the thought of something emergency happened to Bongbong. He never call her whenever she's in class. He knew all her class schedules so he can't interrupt her while working.
She excused herself from her class and took the phone call in an instant. "Hello, dy?"
"Ba? Sorry naabala ba kita? Alam ko may pasok ka."
"No, it's okay. What happened? Is something bad happened? Where are you, daddy?"
"I'm okay, ba. Papaalam lang sana ako sa'yo baka malate ako ng sundo mamaya."
"Bakit?"
"Si Grace kasi nandito sa office."
"Oh okay sige sige. Message mo nalang ako mamaya, kung matatagalan ka mag grab nalang ako pauwi."
"No. No, susunduin kita. Wag ka mag commute—"
Leni suddenly heard Grace talking on the background.
"Hi, Leni! This is Grace. Sorry ha, paistorbo muna sainyong mag-asawa."
"Okay lang. No problem!"
"Dinner nalang tayo mamaya, okay lang ba? My treat. I just need someone to talk to. Please?"
"Um okay. Sige sige. Sunduin nyo nalang ako mamaya ni Bongbong dito aa school."
"Great! Thanks, Lens!"
Leni smiled.
"Ba? Sunduin kita mamaya ha! Dinner tayo with Grasya." It was Bongbong once again.
"Sure sure. Call me nalang mamaya, dy."
"Okay sige sige. Mabuti na 'to para makalibre tayo ng dinner mamaya."
She laughed. "Baliw! Sige na nga, bye na at may pasok ako."
"Okay sige sige. Bye! I love you!"
"Mwaa!"
Call ended.
"SANA ALL PO!" Leni's students exclaimed the moment she put her phone back on the table. They heard her saying mwaa with matching kissing sound.
Leni just shook her head, laughing.
---
Bongbong kissed Leni on the lips the moment she entered the vehicle.
"Bakit kailangan nyong maghalikan sa harap ko?" Grace uttered. Leni and Bongbong laughed. They soon headed to the restaurant for dinner.
"So ano ng balita?" Bongbong asked the moment they settled on their seats. He made sure that Leni was comfortable on her space, asking her if she's okay with her seat or do they have to make some adjustments.
Grace sighed. "Migz called me Gracie" she started. "While crying."
Bongbong knew how much it meant to her. "And? You're okay now?"
Grace sighed. "I don't know, Bong. I mean, kung kailan naman ako nakakamove on saka naman sya ganito. I don't know if he's serious or trip lang eh."
"Teka, ano daw ba gusto nya mangyari?" Leni asked.
"Di ko nga alam eh. Basta he doesn't want me to date other guy. He asked me to give him another chance to fix our relationship." Grace said. "As if naman meron talaga kaming relationship."
"How about Kit?" Bongbong asked. Grace looked at him in horror.
"How—"
He cut her off. "Leni and I knew about it."
Grace looked at Leni and she nodded.
"Hindi pa kami nag uusap ni Kit regarding Migz." Grace sighed. "Hindi ko alam paano ko sa kanya i-explain 'to lahat eh. I don't want to ruin my relationship with him."
"Are you happy with Kit?" Leni asked.
Grace nodded without hesitation.
Leni smiled. "Then be with him."
Bongbong smiled at Leni, looking so proud. He knew how much courage it took for her to say that.
"Kit deserves to be happy too. He's a good man. He's almost the perfect one. I hope you can see that and don't take him for granted. He's been hurt enough, so please, Grace, I'm not asking you to choose him or to love him. I'm asking you to be honest with him because he deserves that." Leni said.
Bongbong held Leni's thigh under the table. Leni looked at him sideways and grip his hand on her thigh. She smiled at him reassuringly.
He knew she's really moved on.
---
Leni was confused the moment she entered his office. She just dropped by to bring some packed lunch before going to school, but she saw Win and Migz sitting on the couch looking so problematic.
"Anong meron, dy?" She whispered. Bongbong accompanied her to his office table to put the thermal lunch bag.
He sighed. "Pinagsasabihan ko lang 'tong dalawang 'to."
She didn't bother to protest after seeing the tension on his face and the conviction on his voice. She can sense that he's angry. She decided to just sit on his swivel chair and wait for him to finish talking to his friends. She wanted to be there for him to assist him.
"Magtino naman kayo! Ano ba!" Bongbong exclaimed, standing in front of Win and Migz. "Ang tatanda nyo na tapos para pa rin kayong mga bata umasta!"
Leni was a bit startled with the sudden burst of his emotion. She never saw him like that before.
"Ikaw Win," Bongbong glared at Win. "You had sex with Risa last week then ghosted her! That's my wife's best friend! Iniwan mo sa ere yung tao, pinaasa mo, halos niligawan mo tapos nung nakuha mo na ang gusto mo iniwan mo na parang wala lang?! Kawawa naman yung tao, umiiyak sa bahay ko akala ko pa naman pwede kong ireto sayo tapos malaman-laman ko ikaw pala ang dahilan bakit umiiyak!"
"Pasensya ka na, pare." Win bowed. "Di ko naman alam na best friend pala sya ni Leni."
"Kahit na!" Bongbong interrupted. "Kahit best friend pa yan ng asawa ko o hindi, you shouldn't do that! You know better than that."
Win just nodded.
"And you, Migz!" Bongbong turned to Migz. "What the hell did you do to Grace?! Problemado na naman yung tao dahil sa'yo! Dahil sa pabago-bagong isip at nakakalito mong ugali! Grace suffered so much, you know that. And never kami nakialam sa relasyon nyo kasi diba ayaw natin magkahati-hati dahil dyan, pero pare please naman, man up and decide what do you really want."
Migz was guilty.
"Grace has been loving you since forever and we all know you never did the same to her, tapos ngayon na nakakamove on na yung tao, biglang gusto mo na pala sya?!" Bongbong continued. "Pare, my advice to you is to think first. Think about things first before you went to Grace's house crying asking for another chance. Nakakalito ka eh! Pinapahirapan mo yung tao."
Migz nodded.
Bongbong sighed, rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm so disappointed with you two."
---
Leni woke up alone in their bed. It's Sunday so she doesn't have to wake up early to prepare for school. "Daddy?" She called but no one answered. She frowned, went up slowly until she decided to went out their room. She can hear the loud music banging from the kitchen. She can smell the aromatics too.
She smiled after hearing her husband singing along with Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.
"When times get rough, and friends just can't be found"
"Daddy!" Leni called.
He turned around smiling at her sweetly, "Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down." He sang and walked towards her and kissed her sweetly. She giggled.
"I love you!" He said and get the bouquet of flowers from the dining table. "Happy mother's day!"
Her heart instantly melted with the gesture. She didn't even think he would do that and remember it's mother's day.
"Thank you, Daddy!" She kissed him.
He ushered her into the dining table. "I prepared breakfast for you, ba."
Leni was delighted to see what's on their table— garlic rice, eggs, tapa, hotdogs, and giggled at the happy mom's day letter cut out made with pancakes.
"Cutiee!" She squealed.
He chuckled. "Dyan ako pinakatagalan kanina. Hirap pala mag letter cut tapos ang lambot pa ng pancakes kaya madaming naputol kanina."
She laughed with him.
"Thank you, daddy. I really appreciate this. I appreciate you." She cupped his face and kissed him.
"Anything for you and Cookie." He smiled back. They started to eat their breakfast. "Nga pala, Irene and Aimee are asking if you wanna go shopping daw with them. Lalabas sila nila Mommy today because Mother's Day."
She pouted. "Okay lang ba if I refuse? I'm planning to spend the day sana with you eh."
He liked the idea. "Where do you wanna go?"
"Wala, dito lang." She said. "I want to spend the day with you here sa bahay. I want this day peaceful and strees free, alam mo yun, yung hindi muna natin poproblemahin yung mga kaibigan natin or yung trabaho, yung tayong dalawa lang talaga. Let's bake if you like or mag watch tayo ng movies ganyan. Let's cuddle in bed all day."
"Pwede ba tayo maligo ng sabay?" He suggested.
She almost choked. "Daddy naman!"
He smirked. "What? I'm asking a valid question."
She rolled her eyes.
"Tignan mo, mamaya papatirikin ko talaga yang mata mo pag sabay tayo naligo." He jested. She blushed so hard.
"Stop it!" She warned him playfully.
He laughed.
"Mamaya pag dinner, magluluto ako." He announced.
"What are you making mamaya? Baka naman garlic rice na naman saka sunog na hotdog?" She make dun of him.
"Grabe ka naman saakin." He defended. "We're having porchetta later. I'm actually cooking it since last night."
"Wow! Is that your specialty?" She asked, amazed with what he's done.
He nodded. "Yeah. I learned it few years back then. Kagabi pa ako nag start magluto, naka-low fire lang sya mga 155 for 36 hours. Masarap yan promise. Baka pag natikman mo yayain mo ulit ako magpakasal."
They laugh.
"Will look forward to that prochetta later at mukhang special." She said.
He nodded. "Nastress kasi ako masyado kina Win at Migz kahapon eh, nakapag-porchetta tuloy ako kagabi. Sakto naman kasi mother's day."
"Are you okay now pala?" She asked. They weren't able to talked about it yesterday. "Galit na galit ka kahapon eh."
He nodded. "Yeah I'm fine now."
"That was the first time na nakita kitang nagalit ng ganon." She remarked. "Naisip ko kapag puro pala babae ang anak natin baka mahirapan sila mag boyfriend kasi sobrang strict ng daddy nila."
He smirked. "Kapag puro babae ang anak natin, dapat hindi sila magpalit ng apelyido kahit may asawa na sila. They'll remain Marcos for the rest of their lives."
She laughed. "Grabe ka! Sobrang protective mo."
"Of course!" He said. "I grew up with three sisters, pang apat pa nga si Grasya, of course I will be protective. Kaya nung nalaman ko yung kalokohan nina Migz nagalit talaga ako. I mean, they shouldn't do that." He explained. "Grace has been a sister to me ever since we were kids. Risa is like my sister na rin because she's your best friend, kaya badtrip talaga ako kina Migz."
She smiled at him looking so proud to be his wife. "Cookie will be grateful to have you."
He smiled at her lovingly. "I'm grateful for you and for bringing Cookie to my life. Kayo na ang mundo ko."
She leaned and kissed him which lasted for a minute.
"Pwede na ba tayo maligo ng sabay?" He whispered.
She giggled. "Okay. Paliguan mo ako, daddy."
He grinned. "Hindi lang paligo ang gagawin ko sa'yo."
"Anong gagawin mo saakin aber?" She dared.
"I will make sure that you'll receive the best mother's day gift." He said.
She frowned. "And what is that?"
He leaned and whispered. "Orgasm."
To be continued....
🩷❤️ 💦