Dalumat

XV. Forethought and Afterthought

Here's the thing: she doesn't even eat breakfast.

She couldn't remember the last time she sat down at a table at six or seven in the morning with a rice meal in front of her, with a steaming cup of morning coffee or tea to kick-start the day. Most of the time, on workdays, she left the house with an empty stomach, only choosing to fill it with light food and coffee when she finally arrived at the office. She was used to it; it was her normal. Especially these days with this campaign and her jam-packed schedule, she barely had any time for a proper breakfast anymore.

So she didn't really know what got into her mind, for her to invite Risa to join her for breakfast. And breakfast as early as five in the morning, too — it was hardly the most optimal time.

But Risa had said, Next time, when Leni had offhandedly brought it up after their second night together. Soon after, between them, it became a fond promise. She wasn't about to break that promise, even if it meant going out of her way to have breakfast on a day when she had to leave early, when the most practical thing to do would just be to reschedule it for some other, freer morning.

She wanted this.

And... it was a Friday.

It was about five minutes to five when she came to the hotel cafeteria. She had left her room with her things already packed and ready to go; in the next thirty minutes, she didn't want to be thinking about anything else but Risa.

She wore her usual pink t-shirt and black slacks, and it was the most expected and ordinary thing, and when Risa arrived, she was wearing her usual white t-shirt and denim pants, and it was the most expected and ordinary thing, too. So why was it, that it all felt so new?

In those few minutes that she waited, Leni had been looking at the entrance to the cafeteria with a strange nervousness, even though she knew for certain that Risa would come. And when Risa finally arrived, spotting Leni almost immediately, that nervousness disappeared so predictably without a trace, to be replaced by a feeling of warmth and comfort.

Risa was wearing a pink face mask today. The face mask was decorated with little flowers near the edges, colored in shades of pink and outlined in white. Leni had never seen Risa wear that design before.

"Kanina ka pa?"

Lifting her gaze from Risa's mouth to her smiling eyes, Leni shook her head. "Kakarating ko lang."

It was a self-service breakfast buffet. Since it was a little too early for guests, there were many empty spots on the serving tables, but the hot coffee was all ready, and the pastry section was the first to be served. Leni helped herself to some pandesal and ensaimada along with a cup of coffee. She was the first one to go back to the table they had chosen.

She watched from afar as Risa picked food for herself, and when she saw that Risa didn't serve herself any coffee yet, Leni stood back up and went to the coffee station.

"Ako na." Leni smiled at Risa.

As the coffee poured into a cup, Leni sneaked a glance at Risa's tray. Unlike Leni's that had a variety of bread, Risa's had multiple slices of the same serving of tart.

Leni followed behind Risa as they both went to their table. Risa chose the chair across from Leni, so they would be facing each other. Leni placed the cup of coffee between them.

"Thank you," Risa said with a quick smile to Leni as she sat down.

Leni sat down, too, and took off her face mask. "Ayaw mong tumabi sa'kin?"

"Hm?" Risa's hand, on the way to taking off her face mask, froze mid-air as she looked at Leni.

"Tabi tayo." Leni looked directly at Risa. She patted the chair adjacent to hers. "Dito ka upo."