When Love Finds You

Chapter 12 - PART I

They had been at Precious' bar for close to two hours as they all laughed and chatted about life. Leona was quickly falling into the group and Olga couldn't be more grateful for her friends' hospitality towards the dark haired woman. They had treated Leona like she had been part of their family for years.

Ador, Hector and Glory had arrived soon after Carmina and Leona enjoyed their shots. To say they were shocked when they showed up and saw Leona sitting at their table was an understatement. While Olga, Katya and Regine were all on the dance floor and Leona and Carmina were in their own world, Feliz gave the man a small snippet of the situation and told them she'd explain more later on. She didn't want to bring the light mood down at the moment because Leona seemed like she was enjoying herself.

After a couple of dances, Olga noticed that Precious had finally showed up at the bar so she finally pulled Leona away from Carmina enough to go meet the older woman.

"Hey Aunt," Olga caught her attention as the woman walked up to the bar.

"Hey Olga," The woman said reaching under the bar and grabbing something.

"You too?" She asked, seeing the woman set a card on the counter. "Aunty, you know how I feel about that."

"I know, you've told me every year for the past four years and yet I still do it, so open and be grateful."

"I am," she chuckled. "Oh, eto nga pala si Leona, siya yung ikinukwento ko sa'yo."

"Siya nga," Precious said, looking the woman up and down. "Ikinagagalak kong makilala ka Leona, Olga just keeps going on and on about you."

"Talaga po?" Leona asked as Olga opened the card from her Aunt.

"Hindi kaya," Olga blushed. "Sinabi ko lang na naghahanap ka ng trabaho."

"Well I'm glad to finally meet you. How about giving me a little bit so I can help them catch up in the kitchen and then I'll see what you can do."

"Okay, that's fine," Leona said, taking a seat beside the brunette.

"Damn right it is," Precious said, walking off into the kitchen.

"Umm..."

"Over look her." Olga shook her head. "May pagka sarcastic talaga siya, but doesn't mean it badly."

"Oh... Okay." She said, watching the brunette read her card. "Ano nakuha mo?" She leaned over to look.

"Two tickets to watch the Filipinas play." She said, holding them up to see.

"Football tickets?"

"Yeah," the brunette whispered.

"Bakit ayaw mong icelebrate yung birthday mo, Olga?" Leona asked propping her head up with her arm when she became quiet.

"Kung sasabihin ko sa'yo, dapat may sasabihin ka din sa'kin," she said as someone came and sat on the other side of her.

"Ang daya. Madami na kaya akong nasabi sa'yo," she shot back. "What do you want to know ba?"

"I want to know the deal with your kids?" She turned toward her and leaned against the bar.

Leona could tell something was bothering the brunette, and she wanted her to feel she could talk about stuff with her also. "Okay, but ikaw mauuna."

"You're killing me, I thought you'd say no," Olga said, motioning for a beer. "I don't like my birthday," she exhaled.

"Oo nga, but why not?" She asked before taking a drink of her cocktail.

"About five years ago my brother left to go in Mindanao and fight in the war," she said as Leona curiously listened. She didn't really talk about her brother much. Leona heard her speak of him in passing a time or two, but didn't know anything. "And less than a year later..." She breathed, taking a pause. "My parents and I stood in an airplane hangar and watched them unload his body in a coffin, and all we got was a flag."