It's the day before my birthday at ngayon kami magcecelebrate ng mga anak ko. They would be busy tomorrow with their own errands kaya we decided to celebrate today. Okay lang naman sa 'kin kasi honestly, I prefer to stay home and rest bukas.

Better yet, spend the day with Leni. Ayan, sige, hopia ka pa.

The kids have arrived and they greeted me one by one. Kanya-kanya rin silang dala ng regalo.

Habang nag-iisip kami kung saan pupunta, my phone beeped and it was a message from Leni which made me smile instantly. It was a picture of a dog wearing a white shirt and had a pink leather collar. "Look oh, she reminds me of you." She texted.

Ang gago. "Are you implying na naalala mo ako dahil kamukha ko 'yang aso?"

"Hoy hindi! Naalala ko lang during our campaign days you wore a white polo shirt all the time and then you wore the pink leather band on your wrist na parang 'yung collar netong dog haha!" Naririnig ko 'yung tawa niya kahit katext ko lang siya ngayon.

"Grabe ka na sa'kin, Maria Leonor. Akala ko ba maganda ako. Ngayon naman naalala mo na ako dahil sa aso."

"Maganda ka naman talaga. Naalala ko lang talaga. Wag ka na magtampo dyan."

She sent me a selfie after her last text na nakaduck face. Nako, 'wag ganyan, marupok ako.

"Kiss ba 'yan? Kung oo, sige hindi na ako galit hehe."

She replied with a video this time. She was carrying the dog tapos tumatawa siya sabay sabi ng, "Hey, say sorry to Risa. Minarcos mo ang outfit niya."

Luh gago talaga 'to, literal na dinodogshow ako.

"Naiinis na ako sayo :)" I replied kahit hindi naman talaga. In fact, ngiting-ngiti pa nga ako dito at binabalik-balikan 'yung picture niya na naka-duck face saka 'yung video na sinend niya. Hays, Leni, ang cute cute mo nakakagigil.

"Ma, you look happy." Issa said, making me look up from my phone.

"I am." I genuinely confirmed.

"Well, whatever it is that makes you that happy, you deserve it at happy rin kami for you!"

Nag-group hug kami and decided to go sa Glorietta para doon na kumain and mag-bonding.

We got home home around 8 pm pero nagstay pa ang mga bata sa bahay until 10. We bonded over ice cream and even played monopoly kasi favorite board game namin 'yun. But not once did they ever win against me. Wala pa sila sa level of skill ko.

Leni hasn't replied to my text yet. Siguro busy siya pero bakit hindi siya nagsabi? Usually she lets me know na may meeting siya so it won't seem rude that she stops replying.

I mentally slapped myself. Wow, Risa, girlfriend ka? Makapagdemand ng update kala mo jowa mo eh.

I laughed to myself at how immature I'm acting. Para akong teenager na first time mainlove tapos nagtatampo kasi ayaw na ientertain ni crush.

It was getting late na kaya the kids decided to go back to their own condos. Even Sinta had to leave kasi she was going to study for a big exam with her friends.

Kiko handed me a book wrapped in purple paper while he was on his way out the door. "Here, Ma. Someone asked me to give this to you."

"Who's the someone?"

"I can't say pa. You'll figure it out soon though."

He kissed my cheek before leaving. I closed the door and went to my room.

After taking a quick shower, I decided to open the gift. May envelope rin pala siya sa loob just like the other gifts na binigay sa akin. However, I noticed na iba 'yung laman nito compared to the previous ones kasi mas malaki 'yung papel. Hindi na siya small note, but rather it was a long, handwritten letter.

I laid down and started to read, putting the book aside for now.

~

To my dearest Ana Theresia,

Hi :) Over the previous days, I supposed you may have found what I'm doing kind of weird and stalker-ish. Honestly, sobrang tagal kong pinag-isipan kung gagawin ko ba talaga 'to because I didn't want to push you away from me. If I ever made you feel uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize. Nonetheless, I hope you continue reading this letter because I gathered so much courage to write down what I feel for you.

I'm glad to live in the same universe as you and to exist at the same time that you are because I get to witness the ethereal person that is you.

I want you to know that you're one of the most beautiful persons I've ever met, not just physically. You have such a kind soul and you're passionate about what you do. Ipinaglalaban mo ang mga paniniwala mo, tumitindig ka para sa maraming tao, and you never fail to put the people first before yourself. Sobra-sobrang admiration ang mayroon ako sa'yo because of that. You're a strong person, Risa, you've always been.

You once said in an interview that you believe na walang nangyayari by accident. I think so, too. Falling for you was never in my life plan nor did I think it would ever happen. But here I am, writing a love letter, with hopes that you've reached this point and have not thrown away this paper just yet.

In another life, my husband would be alive and so would yours, and we'd end up living the happy and contented lives we were always meant to have with them. But in this life, I hope you choose to cherish the rest of it with me. In this life, I think my soul had always been yearning to be with yours.

Happy birthday, Ana Theresia!

Mahal kita.

~

No names, no signatures, nothing at the end of the letter.

Nothing but the same small detail I noticed two months ago that had been permanently etched in my mind ever since.

My mind went blank and my heart started beating faster. I got up from the bed and rummaged my desk drawer. Kinuha ko 'yung envelopes na natanggap ko during the previous 5 days, trying to look for the same detail I saw in the letter.

I sat back down the bed and arranged the notes neatly. I flipped the envelopes and found nothing so I flipped the notes next. And I swear, my heart almost stopped.

Ang tanga lang, Risa, bakit hindi mo 'to nakita?

Thoughts flooded in my head. And suddenly, everything fell in its place.

The note that came with the playlist which said "I hope you know how much brighter the world is with you in it." And the words whispered in my ear later that night, "Weird ba kapag sinabi ko sa'yong my world is brighter with you around?"

It's almost the exact same thing and I missed it.

The flowers and the message, the food and the visit to my office, the playlist and the mall date, the baked goods while we were out getting coffee.

"Fuck..." I whispered.

All the envelopes were marked with the same lipstick stain shade on that tumbler, on the tissue, shit, even on my cheek!

I closed my eyes and prayed. I hope...God, I hope I'm not wrong. Let me be right that the letters are from her. Kasi kung hindi, magdadabog talaga ako.

I recalled the last line of the letter and tears started to form in my eyes. Please let me be right.

Breathing heavily, I looked up to the sky and chanted in my head over and over again, "Please, let this all be Leni."