"Did she throw you out of her condo?" Yasay asked. "Hindi, ako man yung umalis." Rodrigo replied.
"Na-ano lang ako," his face twitched in disappointment. "Siguro wala na talagang ano si Leni saakin kaya ganon kung makasabi siya na pinagsamantalahan ko siya, parang diring diri siya." He confided to one of his closest friends. "Baka naman nagulat lang. Adrenaline rush." Yasay tried to enlighten him but he felt so cynical.
"Okay ka lang?" Sally asked her daughter. "Naooffend yata si Rody." She expressed her anxiety. "Kung totoo yung sinasabi niya, parang ang unfair naman na concerned lang naman siya saakin tapos pinagbintangan pa natin siya ng kung ano ano." She added. "Hayaan mo na muna yan, Leni. Iwasan mo muna, palamigin mo bago mo subukang kausapin." Sally advised favoring her daughter. Leni felt so guilty for accusing Rodrigo of things, she wanted to apologize to him right away but at the same time, she didn't have the guts to face him.
Leni gave herself about two weeks to think, she gave him space. Rody has to admit that he's been emotionally battered by his love for Leni, he couldn't explain why he keeps fighting for her amidst every heartbreak she gave him, maybe he loves her that much.
—
Sana dumating yung araw na magkakabati rin kami.
She mentally spoke and rested her chin on her hand as she was alone in her office. She thought about the times she has hurt Rodrigo and she couldn't feel any more sorry for causing all the pain. Hurting him was the least thing she wants to make him feel but it seemed ineluctable.
Pero 'di ba sa love, may ups and downs talaga? Baka ito yung down time namin?
She tried to stay hopeful.
Pero ang tagal na naming ganito. What if pilit ako ng pilit tapos hindi naman pala kami para sa isa't isa?
She felt cynical again.
She gazed into the glassed Ecuadorian rose and decided to open the container to touch it's petals.
As soon as her skin touched the petal, she haltered and looked closely — only realizing it wasn't real anymore. It was a synthetic flower and not the Ecuadorian rose she used to have, it shook her.
She rushed outside her office and called her staffs and cleaning employees. "Sino sainyo yung nangielam nitong flower?" She asked with a hint of panic and anger in her voice. The staffs looked at each other.
"Hindi na 'to yung bulaklak na nasa loob. Hawakan niyo! Synthetic na 'to oh. Sino sainyo yung nagpalit?!" She demanded for an answer.
She grunted, torn between crying and yelling. "Sabihin niyo na, pwede? Hindi ako magagalit, kailangan ko lang malaman kung nasaan." She pleaded but no one knew what happened to it.
"Mam, hindi naman po kami nangingielam ng gamit niyo sa opisina."
"Hindi po namin alam mam."
"Hindi niyo po ba naiuwi?"
"Nasaan? Hindi lang basta bulaklak 'to, ano ba?" She triggered them but she can't squeeze out something that isn't there. She panted and headed back to her office clueless of what to do next now that she lost the most special tangible gift that Rody gave her.
With the said incident, Leni felt even more undeserving to be forgiven by him. She refused to tell him about as she didn't want to piss him off. It divided them even more up to the point that another group of months being all awkward and distant passed by.
—
Ferly looked at Leni's eyes as she spoke about how she is going to discuss their revised housing proposal to Rodrigo. "Okay na ba kayo ni Digong?" She asked, Leni chuckled faintly, she didn't expect her question would be something personal.
"Oo naman, bakit mo natanong?" She replied and sat back down to her seat. "Wala naman. Syempre alam naman ng buong Pilipinas yata yung past niyo tapos eto ka nanaman, may project na nilelead na largely involved ang president." She remarked. Leni knew to herself that it may be a tough game for her to work closely with him again. They continued working even after they messed up months ago but not this close, not this involved.
"Tsaka, ilang araw ka nang tutok na tutok diyan ha?! Natutulog ka pa ba?" She asked with a sound of disbelief. "One hour, two hours." Leni replied. "Grabe! Stress yan ha. Magpahinga ka rin, baka magkasakit na niyan. Nung Monday ka pa nakatutok diyan, magthu-Thursday na." She pointed out out of concern.
"Kailangan matapos na eh. Iaabot ko pa 'to kay Digong mamayang hapon para by tomorrow up for review nalang ng housing department." She informed her about her plans.
"Nagpapakitang gilas ka ba kay ex?" Ferly teased in jest. "Hindi noh, trabaho lang." Leni chuckled, being teased to him still makes her blush. "Tsaka kahit magpakitang gilas ako doon, hindi narin ako mapapansin non." She added. "Sus, Leni. Ilang buwan na halatang hindi ka parin nakakamove on." Ferly stood up.
"Sobra naman, nakamove on na ako. Tanggap ko na na hanggang doon nalang kami noh." She concealed her emotions with a chuckle. Ferly pursed her lips, she thought it's better to cut off the topic as it might just add up to her busy head. "It doesn't matter. Ang mahalaga naging masaya kayo sa isa't isa noon at okay kayo ngayon." She stated, Leni smiled softly. "Oo naman."
Silence penetrated the room for a moment, Ferly saw the slight misery in her eyes. "Anyway, sige tapusin mo na yan, baka nakakaistorbo pa ako. Magpahinga ka after mo ha?" She bid before she left.
Leni exhaled heavily and covered her eyes with her hands. She started to feel the dizziness and drowsiness due to lack of sleep but she can't stop. She continued working until she finished her task of revising.
She immediately headed to the palace after work to hand over the revised proposal and personally discuss it to Rodrigo but he wasn't there when she arrived. A staff informed her that he'll be back in less than an hour so she decided to stay on queue and wait for him to return.
Bong dialed up Ferly, Digong talked to her to ask for an update about the housing proposal they are working on.
"Na kay Leni po, president. Hindi po ba siya dumaan diyan sa Malacañang?" Ferly asked out of confusion. "Natapos na ba yung revise?" He asked. "Opo, ilang araw na nga puyat si Leni kakarevise diyan sa proposal. Hindi na nga ho natutulog." She shared laughing. Digong was surprised to know that they were able to finish the revision in four days, he called them up just for an update, he predicted they would finish it in a week but they finished it earlier. "Natapos ni Leni? Grabe man yung walang tulog, baka naman magkasakit siya. Next week pa naman due." He replied.
"Sabi niya idadaan daw niya ngayong hapon yung revision sa Malacañang, hindi po ba siya dumaan?" Ferly reiterated. "Hindi ko man alam. On the way palang kami sa palasyo ulit, binisita namin yung lote ng pagtatayuan nung housing project." He stated.
Leni reread the documents so she could explain well to Digong the aspects of it and the changes they made when he arrives. In a couple of minutes, he finally arrived. She stood up in respect and smiled at him with a little bow.
"Sorry mam, naghintay ka pa." He apologized and took the documents she was handing to him. "Okay lang, sir." She replied and looked at him browsing the pages of the folder.
Suddenly, she started to feel dizzy again. She cleared her eyes and smiled at him but her vision started to blur out and her balance became unstable.
"Mam, sa opisina nalang natin pag-usapan para di tayo nakatayo." He suggested but she seemed distracted. "Mam?" He asked after noticing how she wasn't paying attention to him.
"Sir?" She replied trying to shake off her instability. "Okay ka lang, mam?" He asked.
She pulled of a smile and nodded but her vision remained cloudy. "Sigurado—"
Leni suddenly lost consciousness. Out of reflexes, Digong caught her in his arms to protect her from falling down. The other staffs and guards assisted them.
Rodrigo's chest pounded strongly in deep worry. "Bong, tumawag ka ng doctor!" He demanded and asked the security to help him carry her up to one of the bedroom of the palace so she could comfortably lie down while waiting for the medical assistance.
He couldn't keep calm as he saw her all unconscious. He nagged Bong about the medical assistance he called for. "Papunta na daw, Digong. Mga fifteen minutes daw." He replied. "Sabihin mo bilisan!" He demanded.
He checked on Leni's pulse and breathing, he was grateful her stats were normal. She placed a few pillows under her feet to raise up her legs a bit.
After a couple of minutes, the doctor finally arrived and checked on Leni's vital signs. After gathering the data, the doctor concluded that all her signs are normal and there is nothing much to worry.
Digong demanded for the check uo summary. "Wala namang harmful diagnosis, president. I think it's due to over fatigue and stress kaya siya nahimatay." The doctor explained, Digong knew it may be accurate as he recalled Ferly talking about how focused Leni was in finishing the project proposal revision.
"She just needs to rest tapos ichecheck up natin ulit si ma'am." He added. "Sige, doc. Salamat. Salamat." He replied, the guards escorted the doctor as he left.
Rodrigo was left alone in the room, Bong stayed outside. He sighed heavily as he looked at Leni. She appears to be in deep sleep, it makes his heart melt.
It's been ages since he had a very close and long encounter with her and seeing her peacefully sleeping next to his eyes felt like an eden to him.
He traipsed towards her and sat at the edge of the bed. He hated how she's not taking care of herself well, it irked him more that he can no longer be there around her all the time to take care of her when she can't. He gently held her hand and frantically stroked it with his thumb while looking at her face.
He exhaled sharply, "Alagaan mo naman sarili mo mam." He uttered softly while holding her hand. He filled the gaps of her fingers as the touch of her skin made him miss holding her hands. A small smile grew on his lips, "Gagi ka talaga kahit kelan. Di mo inaalagaan sarili mo."
For quite a moment, he just stared at her and it became inevitable for him not to feel all the feelings he have for her — it was never gone, it never dwindled.
Mahal na mahal parin kita.
He admitted to himself while gazing at the face of the woman he never thought he would love that much. "Hindi na ako laging nasa tabi mo, hindi na kita mababantayan lagi kaya wag mong pabayaan yung sarili mo mam." He uttered in security that she won't even hear his sincere messages while she's in deep sleep.
He leaned towards her and kissed her temple before he decided to head out of the room and let her rest alone.
As the door closed, Leni slowly opened her eyes. She heard everything he said, tears ran down from her eyes in happiness. She thought he was completely over her; all this time, she thought that he no longer cares about her but with what she just heard, she just proved that he still sees her the same, nothing has changed and he is still the Rodrigo that made her fall in love.
That's when she knew that she's not over him yet. She keeps saying she's fine and she already accepted the fact that they are never working things out again but in a snap, she felt like she has to start fighting for him again.
To be continued...