In the first of a series of spin-offs to Talk First, Think Later, Pia and Loren, whose relationship status still remains in limbo, find themselves on two different paths after the Great Senate Feud of 2025.
On one path, there's Pia, thrust into the...
Loren woke up in the best mood she's ever been in years.
After months of upheaval, she finally got herself into a morning routine - make her bed, list down 5 things to be thankful for, and if she woke up early enough, watch the sunrise from her balcony. There's something about the sunrise that stirs Loren's soul at a profound level. Perhaps, it's the unique blend of colors on the horizon...or the hope of new beginnings...or perhaps...
Before Loren could complete her thought, the melodic chime of her doorbell echoed across the flat. "Now who could be visiting this early in the morning? Oh, right..."
Loren made her way to the front door to find Pia on the other side in a pink polo shirt and khaki brown shorts with a paper bag in one hand, and a bouquet of white flowers in the other.
Pia entered the flat and planted a kiss on Loren's forehead. "Morning, Reg. Sorry, inantay ko pa mag-bukas ung flower shop sa baba."
"Aba, consistent at sumusunod sa pangako. Kaya mahal kita eh."
"Ang sweet naman nitong si Pilar.", Loren remarked, failing to contain the smile on her face while taking the bouquet off of Pia's hands. "Salamat, salamat. Hanapan ko ng lalagyan ito."
Loren raided her cabinets to find a vase that fits the flower arrangement just right until she managed to get one of the vases she found at a thrift store. She then took the flowers and arranged them the best way she could and placed the vase on top of the small dining table by the kitchen. "Ayan. What do you think, dear?"
"Wow, that's perfect, love.", Pia remarked, clasping her hands. "It really ties the room together."
"Shall I open the paper bag, dear?", Loren asked. "Magluluto na sana ako, pero inunahan mo 'ko."
Pia gestured to the kitchen. "Lead the way."
Just as Loren was about to open the bag and bring out what felt like some sort of sandwich, she felt Pia wrapping her long arms around her waist from behind and her chin resting on her shoulder. "I got us some breakfast burritos and some garden salad."
The butterflies in Loren's stomach reminded her how much she missed it when Pia did this. Usually, it only happens in the rare moments they had a place all to themselves.
Loren faced Pia and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Gawa lang ako ng kape natin."
Pia let Loren go so the latter could grind some coffee beans and set up the pour-over station. While Loren brewed the coffee, Pia then prepared the rest of the food items and plated them as if they were made in-house.
Little things like these reminded Loren of the moments they spent in that Antique beach house. Both of them have their own staff attending to their separate households due to their busy lives. While in that beach home, however, they shared household duties between the two of them.
It's a few days of domestic bliss in a month where they can just be Loren and Pia, away from the public eye. Oh, if the walls of that beach house could talk...
Back in reality, Pia finished setting the table. "Breakfast is ready, love."
Loren poured the last batch of hot water on top of the ground coffee and let it drip on the pot before pouring the coffee into two individual cups.
The two of them ate breakfast in comfortable silence, just like how they both wanted. While there's nothing wrong with mealtime chatter, the silence was their favorite sound of all time.
That didn't mean things they just sat there and ate, however.
Loren spent most of their breakfast observing how Pia takes a bite of her salad and sip her coffee. Sometimes, the sun hits her face just right and highlights her best features like her dazzling smile and kind eyes.
She couldn't help but tear up on the fact that she was seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling Pia right in the flesh. "Maybe taste her later? Teka lang, Regina, ang aga aga."
They then spent the rest of the morning snuggled on the plush couch. Loren clung to Pia for dear life on top of her, not really wanting to let her go when she remembered something she's been meaning to give her for a while. "Saglit lang, P, may kukunin lang ako."
Loren headed for her bedroom and took out a medium-sized pink gift with a white ribbon on top. "Perhaps, it's time for me to give this to her."
She then stepped out of the room and sat down beside Pia. A wave of anxiety suddenly hit her when it started sinking in that she was going to have Pia open this gift she's been saving for the right moment, but as her therapist mentioned in a previous session, "If not now, then when?"
"Ooh, is that for me, Regina dear?", Pia inquired, flashing her 'my bill became law' smile.
Loren nodded. "Open it."
Pia carefully unraveled the ribbon on top of the present and opened it to reveal a pink and mint label maker inside. "Wasn't this the thing I showed you before?"
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"That's right.", Loren said, taking the box containing the label maker. "Teka, test natin kung umaandar pa. Wag ka muna titingin, ha?"
Loren opened the box, turned on the label maker, and typed some words on the keyboard before letting the label maker print something on the side. She then cut the label and handed it to Pia.
Pia then took the labels from Loren and read them out loud. "Palangga ni Lorna Regina."
She then stared at the label for what seemed like a long time before tears threatened to fall from Pia's eyes. "Teka, does this mean..."
Before Pia could finish her sentence, Loren then took out another, much smaller box. "Part 1 pa lang 'yan, dear."
She then opened the smaller box revealing two golden chain bracelets with the words "partners in crime" engraved on one, and "partners in life" on the other. Upon seeing this, the tears rolled down Pia's cheeks in full force.
Loren took out one of the bracelets and wore it on Pia's wrist. "I've been wanting to make things official between us for at least three years, but every time I wanted to do it, it felt like the timing wasn't right. Pero sabi ko sa sarili ko, kung hindi ko ito gagawin ngayon, kailan pa? "
Pia simply stared at her, as if hanging on to Loren's every word while she continued on. "Seeing you feels like coming home, Pilar. You're a safe space, a sanctuary, a place where I can take my armor off at the end of the day and still feel secure anyway."
Immediately after, Pia took the other bracelet and wore it on Loren's wrist. "Regina, my love, we've gone through so many ups and so many downs the past 18 years. So many times, I felt like giving up on us, but every single time I still chose you, because you never gave up on me either."
It was Loren's time to turn on the waterworks. "Pilar naman..."
Pia's voice trembled while saying the next words. "I've known you for 18 years and loved you for 15 of them. I'm sorry it took this long for me to be able to say this out loud, but I love you with my entire being, Reg. You changed my life for the better in so many ways and I want us to continue this journey together."
Loren scooted closer to Pia and wrapped her arms around Pia in the tightest embrace she's ever given her. They've hugged each other so many times, but this one felt different from all of them.
In another universe, it wouldn't take 15 years for Pilar to be called 'girlfriend', and for Regina to be told that she's loved. In this universe, however, they finally drilled a hole in that seemingly impenetrable wall, now ready to take on an uncertain, but hopeful future together.
