Hanggang sa Huli

4-B

Of course the tears start streaming down Michelle's cheeks as soon as Anntonia leaves. She furiously tries to wipe them away with the sleeve of her polo, and when she fails miserably, decides to just press her eyes shut and presses her fingers against them tightly.

Nothing has even happened or been decided on and it looks like Pam's already getting her payback as Michelle finds herself feeling utterly alone in the relaxation bale. She remembers her text message to Pam after her conversation with her mother yesterday, being forced to unblock the woman she's blocked all this while, just to have an outlet of her anger.

Can't believe you'd stoop this low

Payback's a bitch, DeeDee

Be sure to smile for the cameras when #PamMi makes a comeback 

She doesn't go in until half an hour later, afraid to face the music that was her girlfriend, if she can even still call Anntonia that. When she enters the room, it was empty and she sees the bathroom door closed. She walks closer to it and presses her ear against it, trying to catch any indication of Anntonia being inside. It took a few minutes but she finally hears a light splashing of water indicating that Anntonia was likely in the bath tub. 

She walks back to the bed and lays down on it with a sigh. She grabs Herman who, of course, made the trip with them again, and looks at the stuffed otter in the eye, "Tell me how to solve this, Herman, better yet, tell me everything's going to be alright." Of course, Herman simply stares back at her with his beady eyes. "You're walang kwenta talaga, Herman. Don't tell your Mommy I told you that though."

By the time another half hour passes, she decides to check on Anntonia, half concerned that something's happened, and half concerned that she's decided on leaving Michelle and just didn't know how to break the news to her.

She goes to her luggage first to get the item she's going to use as her flimsy excuse as to why she's coming in to see her, in case Anntonia kicks her out or doesn't want her in there. She approaches the door, gives a little knock, and doesn't wait for a reply and opens it. She steps inside and Anntonia who was, as she suspected in the tub, gives her a side glance. She doesn't acknowledge Michelle's presence nor did she start screaming for her to get out of the bathroom so she takes that as a good sign.  

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay. You've been here for more than an hour."

Anntonia doesn't say anything and Michelle senses that she's even actively avoiding looking at her too. Michelle wonders what she'll see in her eyes if she looks at her now. Did she cry? Likely not since she's Anntonia 'I never cry, Michelle' Porsild after all. And it's true, she's never seen Anntonia cry before, the closest to her coming into tears was when she was in pain during her surgery complication months back. 

"Also, figured you might want some company," she says as she kneels beside the tub and places the object in her hands on to the tub's water. She watches as the object floats closer to the middle of the tub.

"Is that a rubber otter?"

"Yeah," she affirms. She dips her hand in the water for a second just to test the temperature before resting her hand on the tub ledge. "Water's gone cold, baby."

"Didn't even notice," Anntonia mutters. 

"I'll go," she tells her as she moves to push herself upwards with her anchored hand against the tub's ledge.

"No," Anntonia reaches out and places her hand on top of Michelle's hand and her eyes meets hers before she speaks again, "Stay?"

Oh thank god. Her knees almost give out from the relief as she goes back down.