Ace of Hearts

Always Her Light

hontiverosrisa: To the person who, amid all life's challenges, made me feel loved and supported no matter what, happy happy birthday, my love! Thank you for bringing light to my life. See you later @/lenirobredo!

Leni laughed as she read Risa's instagram post while she was scrolling on her phone. She was in the kitchen, fixing up the birthday eve flowers she received from her children. She wiped her hands with the kitchen towel and headed upstairs, a grin still plastered on her face from the greeting she read.

Her phone pinged numerous times, all of which were birthday greetings from family, friends, colleagues, and many others. On the way up, she replied to the most important ones, and the rest she decided to pay attention to in the morning. She opened her Instagram account and read Risa's greeting once more as she arrived at their bedroom door.

"See me later?" She chuckled, leaning on the door frame. "Magkatabi naman tayo matutulog."

Risa laughed. "Wala lang. I'm just excited for what the day has in store for you."

Leni walked towards her wife in a nightgown, sitting on their bed with her back against the headboard. She sat in front of her and asked. "Ano'ng pinaplano mo?"

"Well, I can't tell you kasi it's a surprise. Hindi na surprise if alam mo na. And anyway, I just want you to enjoy your special day. Hindi naman araw-araw birthday mo."

"Ang dami mong alam, darling." Leni shook her head but the smile on her face said it all. She was not a huge fan of surprises. But then again, having Risa as her wife was already a surprise in itself.

Risa leaned forward and took her wife's face in her hands. She cupped the side of Leni's face and ran her thumb across her cheek, never once breaking eye contact. She smiled softly, eyes glossy from almost-tears she was trying so hard not to show. This was the first time they're ever celebrating Leni's birthday as wives. The previous year, they didn't get to celebrate together even when they were already dating because she was in Naga with her daughters. Risa felt a slight clench in her heart at the thought that they could've been spending every birthday as wives if only they were brave enough before.

"Happy birthday, my wifey."

"Thank you, misis ko." Leni said, leaning in Risa's touch. Then she leaned forward and captured her wife's lips in a soft kiss. "You're about to cry at alam ko kung ano'ng iniisip mo. I'm here now, darling. And I'm not going anywhere. Mula ngayon, magkasama na tayong magcecelebrate ng birthdays."

They enveloped each other in a hug before Leni made Risa scoot to the center of the bed, and asked her to make space for her between her legs. Risa did as she was told and watched Leni hop on the bed and settle comfortably between her thighs, resting her back on the younger woman's front while taking her slender arms and wrapping them around her waist.

"Can you feel me, Risa?"

Risa nodded, her senses suddenly overwhelmed with Leni's homey scent and the plumpness of her body. "Yes, I can..."

"Totoo ako. Nandito ako, kasama mo sa kwartong 'to. I'm not going to disappear in the blink of an eye. And it's my birthday so stop thinking about things like that and focus on me. Can you do that?"

"Yes, I can. I love you, wifey," Risa said tenderly against Leni's soft hair. The lawyer hummed and rested her body on her wife's leaner frame behind her. "I love you more."

They stayed like that for a while. Risa holding Leni close in their dimly lit room, in the silence of the night, and with no other words exchanged between them both. Leni was used to spending her birthdays in the quiet of her home and Risa knew that. Which was why they were starting Leni's birthday with this — in the arms of each other, with nothing else in the world that could ever interrupt their moment.