A/N: Uyyy Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the support 💛
—-
As the ladies spend their time watching the kids play along the seashore, Grace took the chance to ask Leni about something she's been dying to ask since they arrived at the resort.
"So kumusta naman kayo ni Bongets?" Grace asked.
Leni frowned, "Bakit anong meron saamin? Dati lang naman kami ah, di pa rin kami bati."
Grace, Nancy and Risa looked at Leni unconvincingly. Leni laugh at their reactions, "Para kayong mga ewan!"
"Eh mare ang obvious naman na mahal nyo pa isa't-isa, why don't you give him a chance?" Risa expressed.
"Oo nga naman Mare!" Nancy agreed. "Di ka ba naaawa kay Patty? 14 years ng walang tatay. Saka wedding gift na rin sa kanya."
Leni sighed, "Alam nyo kasi, mahirap yang hinihingi nyo eh. I mean, ang tagal na naming hiwalay. Besides sanay na naman si Trish na wala ang tatay nya eh. She's mature enough to understand the situation."
"Pero Lens, still mahirap pa rin para kay Patty yung nangyari sainyo ni Bongets. I will never forget that moment when I saw her crying because her Dad left. Patty was still 10 years old that time." Grace remembered.
"But she overcome it naman over time diba?" Leni defended. "Look at her now, she's beautiful inside and out. Besides malabo na rin naman na magkabalikan kami kasi wala na yung love eh."
"Wala na nga ba?" Grace asked. Risa and Nancy looked at Leni.
"Ha? Um—" Leni stammered. She got mental block.
"Ayuunnn!" Risa exclaimed.
"Hay naku, Maria Leonor!" Nancy followed.
"Sinasabi ko na nga ba eh!" Grace blurted.
"Ano na naman?!" Leni frowned.
"Aminin mo na kasi na mahal mo pa rin si Bongets para matapos na tong usapan na to!" Nancy retorted .
"Pwede ba! Paulit-ulit naman tayo eh. Sinabi na kasing di ko na mahal yun! Kulit nyo naman!" Leni whimpered.
"Sus ko naman Mare, ang obvious naman na mahal mo pa rin si Bong, I mean it's been 14 years since naghiwalay kayo pero until now bitter ka pa rin. Ni hindi mo nga masabi ang pangalan nya eh. Kala mo di namin nahahalata, simula ng dumating si Bong, never kapa namin narinig na sinabi ang pangalan nya." Nancy expressed.
"Oo nga naman Lens, sobrang tagal na nung nambabae si Bongets pero yung galit mo sa kanya parang kahapon lang sya nagloko. Kaloka ka!" Risa seconded.
"Isa pa, kung talagang you doesn't love him anymore, why don't you file an annulment or legal separation? Kung tutuusin ang dali nalang nun for you to do because you know the law, you're a lawyer, RTC Judge pa nga eh." Grace pointed out.
Leni felt so bombarded with what they said, she felt like she's being interrogated by the police. She's definitely on the hot seat right now. "You know what, I think this is not the right time to talk about that. We're here to enjoy and have fun, di yung puro problema and all. Why don't we drink later?"
—-
After the dinner which was delectable, everyone decided to spend time at the shore. They asked the staff to prepare a bonfire which was requested by the kids. The staff also prepared mats and pillows to sat or lie down around the bonfire, plus finger food especially marshmallows for the kids as they wanted to make some s'mores by themselves. The men requested to have some beer and the ladies had their wine.
"So how was the wedding preparations?" Migz asked Tricia and Sandro.
"So far so good naman Tito." Sandro answered. "It's stressing us out but we're enjoying it nalang kasi minsan lang naman 'to eh."
"That's right. You must enjoy it kasi once in a lifetime lang naman yan eh." Win agreed.
"Nung kinasal nga kami ng Tito Win nyo, sobrang stressful nung wedding preparations. Mabuti nalang your Titas and your Mom is here." Risa shared.
"Sayang I wasn't here for your wedding." Bongbong uttered. He wasn't home that time because of his relationship with Leni.
"Uy oo nga! Naku may utang kapa pala saakin pare!" Win joked. They laughed.
"Sayang talaga Bong wala ka nung kasal nina Risa at Win. Si Leni lang ang walang partner. Sad sya nun actually, medyo umasa kasi na uuwi ka eh." Nancy shared.
Leni glared at Nancy, "Bakit na naman ako nakasali dyan?!"
Grace smirked, "I remember that mare! Medyo naiyak pa nga nun si Leni eh. Naglasing kaya yan, di ka daw kasi umuwi Bong."
Everyone laughed after what Grace have shared. Leni's eyes bulged. She remained speechless, for the first time she wasn't able to think of any rebuttal. Maybe because Grace and Nancy's story was true, she was feeling despondent that time because she expected him to come home again. That time, she asked for a sign that if he really comes home for Risa and Win's wedding, she will initiate the talk and patch things up between them. She was ready to forgive him and have him back again but he doesn't come home.
"Buti nalang I'm here to save Tita Leni." Brian interjected. He volunteered to be Leni's partner during Risa and Win's wedding. "Ikaw kasi Tito Bong, ang hina mo!" He followed, they all laughed.
"Hay naku Bong! Mas magaling pa yata dumiskarte tong anak ko kesa sa'yo eh." Neil repartee.
"Sorry na! Kung alam ko lang na umiyak si Leni eh di sana I flew here via private jet." Bongbong shared.
"Naks! Bolero talaga!" Win exclaimed.
"Uy gagi hindi! You know naman na I don't like to see Leni cry." Bongbong defended at looked at Leni.
Leni looked back at him too, she felt like crying. "You don't like to see me crying but you always makes me cry." She uttered softly, everyone turned quiet. They knew it wasn't a joke anymore, they felt it. Bongbong was knock for a loop. He wasn't expecting that from her.
Grace cleared her throat, "Um, Neil? Antok kana diba? Tara na tulog na tayo. Let's go Brian!" She stood up and signaled Neil and Brian to just obeyed her. Risa and Nancy got Grace's secret message so they ordered for the kids to come with them inside their respective hotel rooms. Tricia and Sandro also bid their good nights. They intentionally leave Leni and Bongbong there as they knew that the two needs to talk a lot of things.
Leni suddenly felt awkward being alone with him, "Um maybe I should go too. Medyo antok na rin ako."
Bongbong stopped her from standing up, "Leni wait! Let's talk, please." He pleaded. She sighed and settled again in her seat. They sat there in front of the bonfire they made, enjoying the heat and the cool wind along the shore. They kept silent.
"I'm sorry Lens," He uttered breaking the deafening silence. "I will not be tired of saying those words to you. I want us to be okay again. Just please give me another chance." He looked at her with pleading eyes.
Leni looked at him with her eyes now teary, "It's not that easy to forgive, Bong. I hope you understand. It's tough for me to forgive lalo na nasaktan pati ang anak natin."
Tears rolled down to his cheeks, he bowed his head as he didn't want her to see him crying like that, "I'm sorry." He uttered softly. He can't say a thing as he was crying. It broke him after hearing her words.
He held her hands and made it rest to his chest aiming to make her feel his beating heart, he looked at her eyes, "I still love you, Leni. I really do." He kissed her hands, another batch of fresh tears came out from his eyes.
This time, Leni let herself cry. After hearing his confession, she cannot help it but to cry. She didn't know what to respond to him, she was torn. All the pain that she felt 14 years ago came back, it felt so fresh.
"Leni please," Bongbong uttered desperately, "Just another chance, please. I will make it up to you, I promise. I don't want to grow old and die without you and Trish. I can't, Lens. You and Tricia are my world. You're my home, Leni."
She withdrew her right hand from his grip and held his crying face, "I am not sure anymore of my feelings for you. I'm sorry Bong but after what happened to us, di ko na alam ang dapat na maramdaman ko towards you." She confessed. He cried harder.
She made him look at her. She dried his tears using her thumb, "But I promise to try again, for Trish." She uttered bringing his hopes up again. "But you need to promise me also that you will be better. I want to try again for Trish, I wanna do this for Trish. She suffered so much, she's had enough." She followed.
"Really?" He asked. She smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Leni." He hugged her tightly, "I love you, mahal." He uttered sending chills to her spine.
"Let's try again, mahal." She uttered and closed her eyes.
To be continued...
💛❤️